THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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After luncheon at the Marlborough Head, the party proceeded to
East Bergholt church, inspecting there the baptismal register, with its
record of John Constable, in 1776.
The entry reads :—
"Born 11 John son of Golding and Anne Constable/"
The probable explanation of this unusual record of the birth is that
the infant was considered as not likely to live, and was accordingly bap-
tized privately on the same day as his birth.
The parish registers of East Bergholt presented other records of interest
to the Cryptogamic botanists of the party in the signatures of Dr. Badham
(1806-57), the fungologist (after whom the myxomycete, Badhamia, received
its name). Badham was curate to the Rev. Joshua Rowley at East Berg-
holt, and between the dates 1849 and 1855 his signature as officiating
priest at marriages and burials occurs frequently. His own burial is also
recorded here :—"Charles David Badham, buried July 18th 1857 age 51."
He died at Oxford on July 14th.
The visitors were received at East Bergholt church by the Rector
(Rev. T. F. Paterson) who supplemented Canon Rendall's interesting
account of this church with various items of information. East Bergholt
church abounds in curious epitaphs, including one :
In Memory of Mr. John Mattinson, born in Long
Sleddale, near Kendale, Westmoreland. He was
Eleven years the Beloved School Master of this Town,
and then Unfortunately Shott, the 23 November, 1723,
aged 32.
Profuit et placuit. Miscebat et utile dulci, Discipulis terror, deliciaeque
suis.
Also the rather puzzling alliterative addendum on Edward Lambe's
sumptuous memorial (Nov. 19, 1647) :
Lambe Lived Laudably Lord Lett Like
Life Learne Ledede Livers Lament.
As Dr. Rendall remarked, the writer seemed to have lost himself in
the "l'a." "Ledede" has been construed as meaning "lewd," the word
"learne" being taken as meaning "teach." Edward Lambe was a
learned Lawyer (which the alliterationist overlooked) and as his epitaph
states :
With his councell he helped many,
Yet he took fees scarce of any.
A relic, which attracted special attention, was a German bomb which
is now hung in the church, with a brass plate below it with this inscription :
THIS BOMB IS ONE OF 40 OR MORE DROPPED
ON OUR PARISH BY A GERMAN AIR-SHIP,
SEPT. 12, 1915, YET NO ONE INJURED. THANK
GOD.
In the churchyard we noticed the tomb of "William Lott, of Gibeons
Farm, near Flatford Mill, in this parish," who died in 1849, aged 88 years.
Constable's artistic genius has immortalized "Willy Lott's House," and
with it its otherwise unknown occupier.
From East Bergholt church the Club proceeded to Flatford, where
Canon Rendall showed the interesting and well-restored Constable bridge,
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