Memoriale Hugonis Fortescue arm(igeris) et Elizabethae ux(oris) filiae Joh(anni)s Chichester Equit(is) itemque Joh(ann)is Fortescue eorum fil(ii) arm(igeris) et Mariae ux(oris) filiae Humphredi Speccot de Thornbury arm(igeris) Sunt hi ab Joh(ann)e Fortescue Equite Duce castri de Meaux in Gall(ia) sub H(enrico) 5.o (Quinto) oriundi qui praesepia Fortescutorum de Wimeston Devon ortus habuit fil(ium) Joh(ann)em Summum Justic(ium) et Cancell(arium) sub H(enrico) 6.o (Sexto) sepultum Ebertoniae Glocest(ria) Familia quidem perantiqua et etiamnum felici subole propagata sepulti sunt: Hugo, Aug. 2 1600; Joh(ann)es April 5, 1605: Elizabetha May 7, 1630; Maria April 11, 1637.

Which may be translated literally as:

"In memory of Hugh Fortescue, Esquire, and of Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John Chichester Esquire and also of John Fortescue, the son of them, Esquire, and of Mary his wife, daughter of Humphrey Speccot of Thornbury, Esquire. These arose from John Fortescue, Knight, Captain of the Castle of Meaux in France, arisen under Henry the Fifth a scion of the Fortescues of Whympston, Devon. He had a son John, Chief Justice and Chancellor under Henry the Sixth. He was buried at Ebrington in Gloucestershire. Indeed the very ancient family even now is happy with fruitful issue and are buried here: Hugo, Aug. 2 1600; John April 5, 1605: Elizabeth May 7, 1630; Mary April 11, 1637.

Fortescue mural monument

1638 Mural monument in Weare Giffard Church to 3 generations of the Fortescue family. South wall of south aisle chapel ("Fortescue Chapel") Arms of Rolle, as shown on the lowest tablet: Or, on a fesse dancetté between three billets azure each charged with a lion rampant of the first three bezants Top tier figures of Hugh Fortescue and his wife Elizabeth Chichester, daughter of Sir John Chichester (d.1569) of Raleigh. On the side of the prie dieu is an escutcheon showing the arms of Fortescue impaling Chichester: Checky or and gules , a chief vair Lower tier figures of John Fortescue and his wife Mary Speccot of Thornbury, Devon, about 10 miles SW of Weare Giffard. Between the couple on a cartouche are the arms of Fortescue impaling Speccot: Or, on a bend gules three millrinds argent^[1] High up on the south wall of the south aisle chapel ("Fortescue Chapel") of the parish church is affixed the Fortescue mural monument, erected in 1638^[2] by Hugh Fortescue (1592–1661).^[3] Hugh was married to his third cousin Mary Rolle (1587–1649), daughter of Robert Rolle (1560–1633) of Heanton Satchville,^[4] in Petrockstowe parish, by his wife Joan Hele (d.1634). Robert Rolle was the eldest son of Henry Rolle by his wife Margaret Yeo (d. 1591), heiress of Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe,^[5] whose monumental brasses can be seen in Petrockstowe Church. Margaret Yeo was the daughter and sole heiress of Robert Yeo by his wife Mary Fortescue, daughter of Bartholomew Fortescue (d.1557)of Filleigh, the grandfather of Hugh Fortescue (d.1600), the figure shown on the top tier of the Weare Giffard monument, son of Richard Fortescue (d. 1570), MP, of Filleigh, whose two monumental brasses can be seen in Filleigh Church. The monument is a two tiered baroque structure, showing on the top tier under a broken classical pediment (supporting an heraldic achievement under which is inscribed in large capitals: LE FORT JEHOVAH) Hugh's grandparents, Hugh Fortescue (1544–1600) and his wife Elizabeth Chichester (d.1630), daughter of Sir John Chichester (d.1569) of Raleigh, kneeling opposite each other in prayer with a prie dieu between them. Underneath on the second tier within a niche is shown his son John Fortescue (d. 1605) and his wife Mary Speccot, kneeling side by side facing the viewer, each with a hand on his and her own breast as if making a sacred oath. On either side of them are shown within medallions the faces in relief of their many children. Inscribed across the monument at the top of the lower (second) tier is the following Latin text:

Memoriale Hugonis Fortescue arm(igeris) et Elizabethae ux(oris) filiae Joh(anni)s Chichester Equit(is) itemque Joh(ann)is Fortescue eorum fil(ii) arm(igeris) et Mariae ux(oris) filiae Humphredi Speccot de Thornbury arm(igeris) Sunt hi ab Joh(ann)e Fortescue Equite Duce castri de Meaux in Gall(ia) sub H(enrico) 5.o (Quinto) oriundi qui praesepia Fortescutorum de Wimeston Devon ortus habuit fil(ium) Joh(ann)em Summum Justic(ium) et Cancell(arium) sub H(enrico) 6.o (Sexto) sepultum Ebertoniae Glocest(ria) Familia quidem perantiqua et etiamnum felici subole propagata sepulti sunt: Hugo, Aug. 2 1600; Joh(ann)es April 5, 1605: Elizabetha May 7, 1630; Maria April 11, 1637.

Which may be translated literally as:

"In memory of Hugh Fortescue, Esquire, and of Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John Chichester Esquire and also of John Fortescue, the son of them, Esquire, and of Mary his wife, daughter of Humphrey Speccot of Thornbury, Esquire. These arose from John Fortescue, Knight, Captain of the Castle of Meaux in France, arisen under Henry the Fifth a scion of the Fortescues of Wympstone, Devon. He had a son John, Chief Justice and Chancellor under Henry the Sixth. He was buried at Ebrington in Gloucestershire. Indeed the very ancient family even now is happy with fruitful issue and are buried here: Hugo, Aug. 2 1600; John April 5, 1605: Elizabeth May 7, 1630; Mary April 11, 1637

Affixed to the lower edge of the monument is a stone tablet inscribed with the following verse:

"Stay Reader stay this structure seemes t'invite,
Thy wandring eyes on it to fixe thy sighte,
In this pile's summitte thou mayst discrie,
Heav'ns all beholding and all ...viding eye,
That sheads his benediction...beames,
Of love and goodness on these fruitfull streames,
Of humerous issue sprong from nuptiall tyes,
With various ancient worthy families,
Here is in breife presented to thy view,
The long-liv'd race of honour'd FORTESCUE:

Combin'd in holye rites on TIME'S faire scrole,
W.th CHICHESTER then SPECCOT last with ROLLE,
And long and wide may SACRED GRACE and FAME,
Produce and propagate this generous^[6] name,
That it may brooke what HONOUR gave in feild,
LE FORT-ESCU the strong and LASTING SHIELD,
A shield not only theyr owne right to fence,
But also to repell wrongs violence,
Which that it may accordingly be done,
Pray (Reader) pray GOD BE THEIR SHEILD AND SUNNE

The last line which follows in Latin comprises a chronogram dating device, similar to that on the Dennis monument erected in 1643 in Buckland Brewer Church to the Dennis family of Orleigh Court:

hVgo fortesCVe sCVtIger sVperstes VIr MarIae roLLe IsthoC fIerI feCIt honorIs CaVsa

Restated without the exaggerated capitals: Hugo Fortescue scutiger superstes vir Mariae Rolle isthoc fieri fecit honoris causa, which may be translated as: "Hugh Fortescue, Esquire, surviving, the husband of Mary Rolle made this to come into existence in cause of honour".

The Roman numerals inscribed in extra-large capitals must be added together individually, to give the date of 1638 for the erection of the monument, as follows: (V+C+V+C+V+I+V+V+I+M+I+L+L+I+C+I+I+C+I+I+C+V=1,638)