Dame Elizabeth Filmer

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The Filmer family was originally seated at Herst, in the parish of Otterden, Kent, where Robert Filmer lived in the reign of Edward II. Sir Edward Filmer was eldest son of Robert Filmour, prothonotary of the court of Common Pleas in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who removed to the estate of Little Charleton, in East Sutton, which he had purchased, and died in 1585. Sir Edward increased this estate by purchasing from his brother-in-law John Argall, Esq., the manor of East Sutton; he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and served the office of sheriff of Kent 13 James I.

He is represented in a handsome suit of body armor, a large frill round his neck, trunk-breeches, and jack-boots. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Argall, esq., wears a cap, hood, ruff and short mantle; her dress opens in front and discovers a petticoat worked and fringed at the edge. Upon the death of this lady, Lovelace penned an elegant "Elegiacal epitaph," which concludes with these lines:--

"Thus, although this marble must, as all things, must crumble into dust; and though you find this fair-built tomb Ashes as what lies in its womb; Yet her saint-like name shall shine A living glory in this shrine, And her eternal fame be read, When all but very virtue is dead."

Robert, their oldest son, the first of the group below, employed his pen in defense of the crown, was knighted by Charles I., and suffered heavily in purse and person during the civil wars. The inscription round the verge of the plate shows that the monument was prepared in the life-time of the widow, the date of her death having been scratched upon the metal, subsequently to its being placed in the church:

Under this rest in certain hope of the resurrection, the bodies of Sir Edward Filmer, Knight, and dame Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of Richard Argall, Esquire. They lived together forty-four years and had issue eighteen children, Viz: nine sons and nine daughters. He departed this life on the second of November 1629 A. D. She the [9th of August] 16[38] A. D."

Taken from Monumental Brasses from the 13th to the 16th century by John Green Waller & Lionel A. B. Waller, 1864. Reprinted 1975 by Cambridge University. ' Misc. Notes Dame Elizabeth Filmer was burried beside her husband, Sir Edward Filmer.

3. Elizabeth Argall b. c 1570/75, Kent, England, d. 9 Aug 1638, buried: East Sutton church, East Sutton, Kent, Eng. Weis: Magna Charta Sureties 1215 4th ed. page 147; Robert Clutterbuck: History of Hertfordshire, Vol. 1 page 172 for Filmer chart.; sister to Samuel Argall the Governor of VA 1617-19; resided in Maidstone, Kent; will proved 16 Aug 1638 buried beside husband; Charlemagne, Alfred the Great and Other Ancestors by James T. Mitchell chart 1313 Will WILL OF DAME ELIZABETH FILMER, LATE WIFE OF SIR EDWARD FILMER, KNIGHT. WILL DATED 23 MARCH 1635/ CODICIL 2 AUGUST 1638; PROVED 16 AUGUST 1638.

Body to Church of East Sutton beside the body of late husband. To the poor of East Sutton, L 5. DAME ANNE FILMER, wife of my son SIR ROBERT FILMER, my jewel with diamonds and pearls. To ELIZABETH FILMER, their daughter and SARAH FILMER, my daughter, my four ropes of pearls containing 600 in number equally between them. EDWARD FILMER, eldest son of my son, Sir ROBERT, a Portuguse piece of gold and a piece of gold of King HENRY VII coinage, both of which were his Great Grandfather's. To the two youngest sons of my son Sir ROBERT, viz; ROBERT and SAMUEL, 40 shillings apiece. To ANNE, the youngest daughter of Sir ROBERT, 40 shillings.

To my daughter, KATHERINE BARHAM, L 10. To her eldest daughter ELIZABETH BARHAM, L 300 when 21, or married. If she died before then said L 300 to ELIZABETH and ANNE FILMER, daughters of my son, REGINALD FILMER. SUSAN and ANNE BARHAM, two daughters of my said daughter, KATHERINE, 40 shillings apiece.

DAUGHTER, ELIZABETH FAULCONER, L 10. DAUGHTER, SARAH FILMER, L 10. Son-in-law, ROBERT BARHAM, my biggest ring. To his son, THOMAS, L 10 at 24 and to each of his other sons, EDWARD, ROBERT, CHARLES, RICHARD, & JOHN, 40 shillings. To his daughters, 40 shillings each. Daughter-in-law, JANE, wife of my son, Reginold, L 10. To her daughters, ELIZABETH and ANN FILMER, 40 shillings each. SON, SIR ROBERT FILMER, my silver warming pans. My son, JOHN, L 10. Son, HENRY, L 10. Son, REGINOLD, my lease of three tenements in Knightrider Street, London. Son-in-law, WILLIAM FAULCONER, Draper, 40 shillings. My brother, JOHN ARGALL, ESQ. a gold ring. My sister, DAME JANE FLETWOOD, a piece of Queen ELIZABETHS coyne. Sister, DAME SARAH JENKINSON, a like piece of gold of Queen ELIZABETHS coyne. ELIZABETH PEERSON, widow, 40 shillings. Each of my manservants, 10 shillings. ELIZABETH FRYDE, my apprentice, 40 shillings. Residue to my son, EDWARD FILMER, sole EXECUTOR.

Published August 2, 1638 - Wa. RETROVICK< Scrivener.

DAME ELIZABETH FILMER willeth that her three houses in Knighrider Street (now that her son, REGINOLD FILMER is deceased) shall be disposed of as follows: L 30 of the first years rent to JANE, late wife of said REGINOLD and after the decease of testrix to the use of her executor, he paying to ELIZABETH FAULCONER daughter of DAME ELIZABETH FILMER and wife of WILLIAM FAULCONER, L 10. Whereas DAME ELIZABETH FILMER had bequethed to ELIZABETH, daughter of ROBERT BARHAM, Gentleman, a competent porcion, her will is that L 50 of the said legacy in case said ELIZABETH depart this life before attaining 18 years shall be divided equally between the two daughters of said REGINOLD and lastly, DAME ELIZABETH FILMER willeth to SUSAN BARHAM L 50 a peece(sic) memorandum the legacy L 50 to SUSAN and ANNE BARHAM were enterliyned before the signing hereof.

He is represented in a handsome suit of body armor, a large frill round his neck, trunk-breeches, and jack-boots. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Argall, esq., wears a cap, hood, ruff and short mantle; her dress opens in front and discovers a petticoat worked and fringed at the edge. Upon the death of this lady, Lovelace penned an elegant "Elegiacal epitaph," which concludes with these lines:--

"Thus, although this marble must,

as all things, must crumble into dust;

and though you find this fair-built tomb

Ashes as what lies in its womb;

Yet her saint-like name shall shine

A living glory in this shrine,

And her eternal fame be read,

When all but very virtue is dead."

Robert, their oldest son, the first of the group below, employed his pen in defense of the crown, was knighted by Charles I., and suffered heavily in purse and person during the civil wars. The inscription round the verge of the plate shows that the monument was prepared in the life-time of the widow, the date of her death having been scratched upon the metal, subsequently to its being placed in the church:

Under this rest in certain hope of the resurrection, the bodies of Sir Edward Filmer, Knight, and dame Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of Richard Argall, Esquire. They lived together forty-four years and had issue eighteen children, Viz: nine sons and nine daughters. He departed this life on the second of November 1629 A. D. She the [9th of August] 16[38] A. D."

Taken from Monumental Brasses from the 13th to the 16th century by John Green Waller & Lionel A. B. Waller, 1864. Reprinted 1975 by Cambridge University.