"Here (Wiscombe) now inhabits a generous tribe of the Drakes, of
which, besides other brothers, were Robert and Henry, the sons of
Robert; the first a colonel in the Netherlands, of great esteem
with the Prince of Orange and the States, of his valour, who in
all his actions was said to make use of the spur of courage, and
the reins of judgment; the other a captain, of much hope, both
taken away in the flower of their age, in defence of Ostend, to
the great grief of their friends, and loss of their country."
The monument of Robert Drake, the father of these unfortunate
men,--and who was mercifully prevented by death from experiencing the
great trial of their early decease,--occurs on the north side of the
chancel of Southleigh church. It is of Ionic character with arabesque
ornamentation, and bears the following inscription,--
ARMIGER AURATUS ROBERTUS NOMINE DRACUS
HIC JACET ILLE PIUS PAUPERIBUSQUE BONUS
SEPTE GNATOS FRUGI ET GNATAS QUINQUE VENUSTAS
PARTURIIT CONJUX ELIZABETHA SIBI
OBIIT 1600. MARCH 30.
Thus translated,--"_An ennobled Esquire; Robert Drake by name, lies
here, one who feared God and remembered the poor; his wife Elizabeth
bore him seven thrifty sons and five comely daughters. Died 30 March,
1600._"
Below are five shields:--1. _A wyvern with wings displayed_ (DRAKE),
impaling _A chevron enhanced by a fleur-de-lys and charged with two_
_roundels, between three crescents._--2. GRENVILLE.--3. _A chevron
charged with a mullet, a label of three_ (PRIDEAUX).--4. _Ermine,
three battle-axes in pale_ (Denys).--5. _A fess between three
fleurs-de-lys._
Robert Drake was the brother of Sir Bernard of Ashe, who died of jail
fever in 1586, and of Richard Drake of Esher, who died in 1603.[16]
[16] A portrait of this Richard Drake, painted by Zucchero, was
shewn in London at the Tudor Exhibition of 1890. Described as
"Three-quarter length, life-size, to left, in black armour,
ornamented with gold, white ruffs on neck and wrists, black
jewelled cap with plumes, gold chain of several strings passing
over right shoulder; right hand on hip, left rests on sword hilt,
helmet with plumes on table. Below a shield of arms in the back
ground, the motto "_Tousiours prest a seruir_"; and this
inscription "AN^O DNI 1577. AETATIS SUAE 42." He was one of the
Esquires of Queen Elizabeth, from whom he received the grant of
the Stewardship of the Courts and Leets within the Manor of
Woking, with the Mastership of the Game there. He was also Lord
of the Manor of Esher, and in September 1600, had the honour of
entertaining the Queen at dinner at the Manor House of Esher,
where he resided, and where he had from 1588 to 1593 accommodated
certain notable Spanish prisoners of war, including Don Pedro de
Valdez, and other officers of high rank in the Spanish Armada,
with their suites of attendants. They had been captured by Sir
Francis Drake, and at his instance remitted to the keeping of
Richard Drake at Esher. He died in 1603."
The Wiscombe estate appears to have remained in the possession of the
Petre family, until disposed of by Lord Petre in 1794, to Mr. J. M.
How.