In
this search we narrowly missed the fragments of the grave-stone of Abbot
Lindley, which were casually turned up on this very spot, A.D. 1813. On
one, in the Longobardic character of Edward the Third's time, were the
letters IOP, and on the other AJ PVIV.
"From these data, slender as they may seem, I arrive at my conclusion,
thus:--First, None but abbots were interred in the high choir; secondly,
The characters cannot be later than the latter end of Edward the Third,
when the old English black letter was substituted in its place. From the
foundation to this time three Johns had been Abbots of Whalley;
Belfield, Topeliffe, and Lindley. The termination of the surname must
have immediately preceded the word _hujus_, but the letters AJ can only
have formed the termination of Lindelai, the old orthography of the
word.
"The remains of the Lacies, wherever deposited, after their removal from
Stanlaw, had undoubtedly been preserved with religious reverence, and
enclosed in magnificent tombs. But in these researches there were no
appearances which justified even a conjecture that we had discovered
them."[14]
John Paslew, the last Abbot of Whalley, appears, by a reference to his
arms, to have been of the Paslews of Wiswall.
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