Plain english translation please!

[Vasquez109]

Conpletely bemused by this stone, firstly as the husband was a mason so should have at least done a better job as its his wife.

And is it a riddle? I cant understand what its trying to say. Could anyone put it in simple terms for me?

David.

[nanny jan]

Hi,
 
The lines about her children.......    "She had ten children"... "three at his right side"...... could mean that 3 children died.     


Nanny Jan

[Vasquez109]

Its a mystery 

[onefortheroad]

A man after my own heart. I love these mysteries.

The way I read it:

The headstone is to the memory of Elizabeth, wife of Luke William Dunstone.
She died, 28 Dec 180?, aged 56 yrs.
She had ten children, three of which are buried at her right side ("three at hir right side in dust doth lie").
She was virtuous and feared the Lord  "in all her Affliction"?
By False Swearing. Hosea.................This is where it becomes really fascinating: Hosea is one of the books of the old Hebrew Bible. Apparently, Hosea was instructed by God to marry a harlot,which he duly did !!!

See:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosea

There is then another biblical reference which I can't quite make out. Looks like 'Pel...'.

It carries on: Here in the silent dust lies one beloved to God
Redeem('d ?) she was by Christ, washed in His precious blood.
And Little Faith, it was my name
From tribulation, great she came.

More biblical references which are well worth researching.

David (Trying to get his head around this one)

[Vasquez109]

It is interesting indeed. But why would a mason have done a stone like this for his wife? Surely if it was for your spouse, and you were a mason you would try something a bit more lavish?

David.

[onefortheroad]

But was he a monumental mason or just an ordinary stone mason, ie one who carved stone blocks for building.
Also, the records probably won't say whether he was any good at being a mason And was it indeed him who engraved Elizabeth's headstone.

I do get an underlying feeling of guilt running through this memorial.

I'd have a small wager that he, at some time, has wrongfully accused his wife of being unfaithful or worse!
She has had to live with this and has gone to her grave bearing the weight of her husband's scorn. Only her faith has made life bearable. And only on or after her death has Luke realised that his contempt for his wife was born out of false witness; lies and gossip.

They were indeed different times.

I wonder how long he lived after the death of his wife and how soundly he slept at night.

Where abouts did you find this beauty, David

[JenB]

But why would a mason have done a stone like this for his wife?

How do you know her husband carved it?

Jennifer

[Vasquez109]

Jennifer, I thought that the husband being a mason would have done it or at least instructed someone else to do it.

[Vasquez109]

I do get an underlying feeling of guilt running through this memorial.

I'd have a small wager that he, at some time, has wrongfully accused his wife of being unfaithful or worse!
She has had to live with this and has gone to her grave bearing the weight of her husband's scorn. Only her faith has made life bearable. And only on or after her death has Luke realised that his contempt for his wife was born out of false witness; lies and gossip.

This stone is in St. Symphorian, Veryan, Cornwall. How do you get that feeling of guilt by the inscription. Do tell!