1643: Conflict at Barton Farm



At Barton Farm, a small band of defenders held out for two hours:
From A Relation of the taking of Ciceter ...[By John White, a Parliamentarian present at the assault]
Bibliotheca gloucestrensis (1825),p.175-185

The death of Hodgkinson Paine


A little further on, at "that strong post by the water-milles", the clothier Hodgkinson Paine fell "with a Colours in his hand".  He struggled home mortally wounded and died a few hours later.


The strange punning epitaph erected by his grieving widow is still to be seen in the Parish Church:

HERE LYETH buried ye Body of HODGKINSON 
PAINE, Clothier, who died ye 3d of Feb 1642.
The Poore's Supplie his life & calling grac't
'till warre's made rent & PAINE from poore displac't.
But what made poore unfortunate PAINE blest,
by warre they lost their PAINE, yet found noe rest,
Hee looseing quiet by Warre yet gained ease,
by it PAINE'S life began, and paine did cease;
And from ye troubles here him God did sever,
by death to life, by Warre to peace for ever.


Elizabeth Paine lived on for another twenty-five years;  in all probability she continued her husband's clothing business, before adding her own epitaph:

Here lieth the body of Elisabeth Paine deceased
the 8th day of Ianuary An. Do. 1699.
One was our thought One life wee fought,
One rest wee both intended;
Our bodies have To sleep one grave,
Our soules to God ascended.

.David Rollison comments  that their marriage exemplified  the Puritan ideal, the collaboration of two souls and two minds, into "one thought" and "one fight": hard work, plain words and service to the community.  At the end, they shared an absolute confidence that, wherever events on earth might lead, their souls were destined to be united in eternal bliss.  [Commune, Country and Commonwealth, p.242-243].