The Effigy of Thomas Chafe of Dodscott
In
piam
THOMAE CHAFE
Generosi memoriam
Ex per antiqua CHAFORUM de CHAFE COMBE familia in Comitatu
SOMERSET oriundi; eq collegio EXON in Academia OXON Artium
Magistri; viri probitate, virtute, ac ingenio insignis; qui in Apostolica
fide constanter versatus, in beatae lustorum, resurrectionis spe Animam ex=
spirauit XXV die Novemb. Anno salutis, 1648.
aetatis suae climacterico Magno:
eXUVIas sVas eXVIt MeDICVs.
Uxorem reliquit MARGERIAM, filiam PHILIPA BURGOYN, e clarrissima
BURGOYNORUM PROSAPIA ORTI; Matronam religiosissimam bonorumq
operum plenissimam quae et obdorminit in Domino die
Anno a Chro nato 16 aetatis
vero suae
ABSTULIT A NOBIS, MISERE QUEM FLEM ADEMPTUM
AESTULIT E VIVIS MORTIS INIQUA MANUS
NEC CECIDIT SOLUS; NAMQ ET PRUDENTIA, VIRTUS,
CANDOR, AMOR, PIETAS, INTERIERE SIMUL,
TESTE VEL INVIDIA, VITA EST, LETHOQ BEATUS:
VIVUS ERAT DOMINI, MORTUUS IN DOMINO.
Thomas Chaffe (abt 1585 - 25 Nov 1648) of Dodscott was the third son of Thomas
Chaffe of Exeter and Dorothy Shorte. His sister, Pascha, was the wife of Tristram
Risdon of Winscott, author of The Chorographical Description or Survey of the County
of Devon. Thomas married Margaret Burgoyne (? - 30 Mar 1655). In his will dated
September 24, 1648 he appoints his "hopeful godson and young nephew" Thomas Chafe
executor and directs him to inter his body "as neere as he can by my Sister Risedon, and I
doe ordain appointe and require £30 rather more than lesse to be bestowed in a
monument of my Effigies by my Esecutor, of whose ove herin I am no diffident, who
have reaped so many gratuities formely from mee, and now in present burthening his
conscience for effecting it as he shall answer Coram Deo. I desire him to inscript in my
monument some memory of his good Aunt Rysedon, and of the family deceased there
interred, also of my wife and her two children, no great onus to an ingenious, generous,
and gratefull minde."
The dates of Margaret Burgoyne's death and burial were never inscribed on the monument.
The effigy is described in detail in Charles Worthy's Devonshire Wills, published in 1896:
In accordance with his uncle's injunctions, Thomas Chafe erected in the chancel of St. Giles, and within the altar-rails, a high tomb to the memory of deceased, with his effigy thereon. The figure, with moustache and peaked beard, is lying upon the right side, the face supported by the hand, the elbow resting upon a cushion. The costume consists of a coif or skull-cap which entirely conceals the hair, a short cloak with tight sleeves, and which being open in front shows that the body is protected by a cuirass, frequently worn in those troublous times, fastened down the front with studs; breeches and long stockings gartered below the knee with roses or knots, and on the feet are low shoes similarly decorated. There were also two female figures, who probably represented the two children referred to in the will. Over the figure are three coats of arms. In the centre the ancient, but questionable, arms of Chafe, already blazoned, with mantling and crest: A demi lion ramp. or, holding between its paws a fusil, az.
On the dexter side; Chafe impaling Burgoyne: Az. a talbot pass. arg. in chief a mullet.
And on the sinister side Risdon: Arg. 3 bird bolts sa., impaling Chafe
When the church was rebuilt in 1862 the effigy was removed from its original position. Worthy writes, "The two female figures then disappeared; and I understand that 'they fell to pieces, and could not be put together again.'" In 1987 the effigy was taken from the belfry, carefully restored, and placed in the newly created Mary Withecombe Chapel.