LELANT
Stephen Pawley 1635
Arms: Or, a lion rampant Sable on a chief dauncette of the second,
3 mullets Argent.

Position: Fixed to the west wall of the south aisle.
Size: 6 feet by 3 feet.
Condition: Very worn. A soft light-grey slate flaking badly.
Style: Inside a border inscription cut in low relief are the figures
of
Stephen Pawley, his wife, five sons and six daughters. the man,
wearing doublet and trunks beneath a travelling cloak, kneels beside a
prayer stool. His wife, with a tall-crowned hat and clasping a closed
book kneels at his side. Between them is a shield bearing the arms of
Pawley impaling Tresteane. A second shield shows the same arms
quarterly. Only the three eldest sons and their father kneel on
cushions.
Over the head of each child and the mother are set their initials. Below
the figures is the remnant of an eight-lined verse, formerly concealed
by
water pipes.
Inscription: Here lyeth the Bodye of Stephen Pawley of this
Parish Gentleman who dyed the XIX daye of November in ye
yeare of our Lord God 1635.
If teares the dead againe to life could calle
T hou hadst not slept within this earthye balle
If holye vertues could a ransome bynn
Soe soone corruption had not rapte thee in
But thou wert ripe for God and God didst crave
Soe gavst a gladsome welcome to the grave
Assuringe still that thou with God dost dwell
Thy end soe good thy life was lead soe well.
Stephen Pawley was the eldest of the nine children of Stephen and
Jane Pawley of Gunwin, and brother to Prudence who married William
Praed. He married Margery, daughter and heir of Robert Tresteane of
Veryan, and by her had five sons and six daughters. The fourth son
Robert married Ann, daughter of Mr. Purfoy of St. Ives. Jane, the
eldest daughter, married _J. USTICK_; Margery, the second daughter,
married John South; Grace, fifth daughter, married David Mathew of
Glamorgan; Prudence, sixth daughter, married E. Polkinghorne; and
Cheston married John Borlase of Pendeen 5
This family was anciently seated at Gunwin in Lelant. In the
Subsidy of 1327 " Johannes Paly " is rated at ,2 l Os. Od. by the year.
In the same roll " Stephanus Pawlye " is named as possessing goods at
Lelant of the annual value of 20 pounds. In 1523, Stephen Pawley's goods
at Lelant were worth ,20 pounds a year; and Radulph the servant of Stephen
Pawly, was in receipt of ,1 pounds annual wages. In 1629, Stephen Pawly
in goods ,3.8 The family fortunes continued to decline and the eldest male
line became extinct on the death of Hugh Pawley in 1724. Junior
branches survived for several generations. The last survivor, Miss Jane
Pawley, died in poverty.