Old Sir Henry Lee was knight of the Garter and was supposed brother of Queen Elizabeth. He ordered that all his family should be christened Harry's.He never married, but kept women to read to him when he was abed. One of his readers was Parson Jones' wife of Wotton. I have heard her daughter (who had no more wit) glory what a brave reader her mother was and how Sir Harry's worship much delighted to hear her. But his dearest dear was Mrs Anne Vavasour. He erected a noble altar monument of marble wherein his effigy in armour lay; at the feet was the effigy of his mistress Mrs Anne Vavasour. Which occasioned these verses:
Here lies good old knight Sir Harry
Who loved well, but would not marry.
While he lived, and had his feeling,
She did lie, and he was kneeling.
Now he's dead and cannot feel
He doth lie, and she doth kneel.
Memorandum: some bishop did threaten to have this monument defaced (at least to remove Mrs Vavasour's effigy). From 'Brief Lives' by John Aubrey.
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