The Virginia Gazette

Worcester, June 18. Yesterday the Workmen, employed in repairing our Cathedral, upon taking off the Top of an ancient Tomb, or Sepulchre, in the North Isle, found the Bones of a Man, which, though they are the Remains of a Person buried about 456 Years ago, yet are surprisingly firm, and most of them adhere together in the same Position as when first interr'd, and about the Skull and Shoulders appears something like coarse Sacking or Sail-Cloth, extraordinary fresh. In this Tomb (the Inscription whereof is wholly obliterated, except the Date of the Year, being 1296) was supposed to be interred Sir James Beauchamp, Knight Templar: For that late very ingenious Antiquarian, Dr. William Thomas, (formerly Rector of St. Nicholas, in this City) in his Survey of the Cathedral Church of Worcester, speaking of the Isle on the North Side of the Choir, says, "On the Ground, towards the East of the Tomb of John de Evesham de Brainsford, is the ancient Tomb of the Holy Voyage, armed all in Mail, having his Face, and clad in a Soldier's Coat, his Right Hand on his Sword, on his Left Arm his Shield, his Legs crossed, and at his Feet a Lion; he beareth no Armory, but in the first Pane of the Window over him was Gules, a Fess between six Crosses Or. on the Fess a Crescent Sable, for Difference, the Arms of the Beauchamps; so it is probable this was the Tomb of Sir James Beauchamp, Knight Templar."