Carola & Ann Morland & R. Harsnett

In the south aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey is the grave and monument to Carola Morland, second wife of writer and mathematician Sir Samuel Morland (1625-95) who is buried at Hammersmith in London. He was the inventor of the speaking trumpet and improver of the fire engine among other things and assistant to Thurloe (secretary to Oliver Cromwell). At the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 he was knighted and created a Baronet and Gentleman of the Privy Chamber. Samuel married Carola in the Abbey on 26 October 1670. The monument is of black and white marbles by sculptor William Stanton and was erected by Sir Samuel with inscriptions in English, Hebrew and Greek, to show off his learning in these languages. The English reads:

Carola daughter of Roger Harsnett Esqr. and of Carola his wife, ye truly loving (and as truly beloved) wife of Samuel Morland Kt. & Bart.[Baronet], bare a second son Oct. 4th, died October 10th in the year of our Lord 1674 aged 23

The Hebrew part can be translated:

Blessed be thou of the Lord, my honoured wife! Thy memory shall be a blessing, O virtuous woman

The Greek can be translated:

When I think of thy mildness, patience, and charity, modesty and piety, I lament thee, O most excellent creature! and grieve accordingly: but not like those who have no hope; for I believe and expect the Resurrection of them that sleep in Christ.

The coats of arms are painted. Their sons Thynne and Edmund (or Edward) died as infants and were buried on 19th December 1671 and 11th June 1675 respectively in the north cloister of the Abbey.

Sir Roger Harsnett & Family

Carola was the daughter of Sir Roger Harsnett, "the king's eldest serjeant at arms who used to attend at the House of Lords" who was buried in the north cloister on 27th October 1692. His wife Carola (Barne) was born about 1623 and was buried in the cloister in May 1676, with their young son Charles. No marker remains for them. Another son was the Rev. Dr Robert Harsnett, prebendary of Wells cathedral (died 1718) who married Martha (Peck) - her sister Anne, daughter of Henry Peck of Westminster and his wife Anne Delaune, was buried in the south transept of the Abbey on 21st January 1735. Sir Roger's son in law was William Lownds.

Ann Morland

Ann Morland, Sir Samuel's third wife, was a daughter of George Feilding, and married in the Abbey on 16th November 1676. She is also buried in the nave and her memorial is very similar to that of Carola's and is also by Stanton, with a coat of arms. English, Hebrew and Geez inscriptions appear on her monument:

Ann daughter of George Filding Esqr. and of Mary his wife, the truly loving (and as truly beloved) wife of Samuel Morland Knt. & Bart. died February 20th in the year of our Lord 1679/80 aged 19 years

The other inscriptions can be translated:

Come, let us weep with an honoured husband for thee; hoping that thou art departed in Christ

This lady was truly religious, sincere, and chaste while she lived. Praised and blessed was she in her death.

As the letter cutter would not have been familiar with these languages there are some errors in the Geez.

Further reading

"Sir Samuel Morland" by H.W. Dickinson, 1970

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

"Mystery of Ann Morland's 'Ethiopic' grave in Westminster Abbey" by Richard Pankhurst in Ethiopia Observer 1972

Wills for Samuel and Robert are in The National Archives