"Right noble twice, by virtue and by birth,
Of Heaven lov'd, and honour'd on the earth;
His country's hope, his kindred's chief delight,
My husband dear, more than this world's light,
Death hath me reft. But I from death will take
His memory, to whom this tomb I make.
John was his name (ah, was! wretch must I say),
Lord Russell once, now my tear-thirsty clay."
Now "John" was not the Christian name of William Lord Russell, so that
these verses could not have come from his widow's pen. Indeed, they are
much older than Lady Rachael's time, and may be found on the monument in
Westminster Abbey erected by Lady Russell, in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, to John Lord Russell, who died in 1584.