SUMMINGS UP
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—The following epitaph is of more than local interest. It is on the grave, in this churchyard, of John Jarvis, of this parish, who was buried August 81st, 1884.
" By poison strong he was cut off And brought to death at last : It was by his apprentice girl On whom there's sentence parsed. Oh I may all readers warning take For she was burned to a sta ."
The entry of the girl's burial is as follows : " Mary Jane Putt, of Saloombe, Aged 18 years,
burn'd Fob. 5th, 1835,"
Written in another hand : "Burnt so as to cause her death."
There is a tradition that she was first strangled. It is also said that she was the last in England to be burnt to death penally, Close by is another epitaph, which is curious, but certainly not true. " Death takes the good, Too good on earth to stay : He leaves the bad, Too bad to take away."
Rector of East Portlemouthe East Portlemoutla Rectory, Sakombe, S. Devon.
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