Curiosities of the Belfryby

J. P. BriscoeThe Entire Book

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BELLFOUNDERS MARK&

CURIOSITIESOF TilE

BELFRYBY

JOHN POTTER BRISCOE, F.R.H.S., &c.,(PrIncipal Librarian ot the Nottingham Free l'ublic Libraries).

Author of Noltinghamshire Facts and Fictions,Midland Notes, Stones about the Midlands, &c.:

Editor of Old Nottz'nghamshire, Sonnets and Songs ofRobert Millhouse, &c.

WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS,

By ORUIK8HANK, JEWITT, AND OTHER8.

1on~on:

HAMILTON, ADAM8, & 00., Paternoster Row.Nottingham: J08EPH DERRY, Albert Street.

1883.

THIS LITTLE BOOK

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO

THOMAS NORTH, ESQ., F.S.A.,Honorary Secretary of the Leicestershire

Architectural and Archooological Society, and

Author of works on the Church Bells of

Leicesteshire, Northamptonshire, and

other Counties,

AS A SLIGHT TOKEN OF REGARD,

BY

1. POTTER BRISOOE.

PREFACE.This slight contribution to the literature of

bells was projected several years ago, and anannouncement of its being in COUl'Se of prepar­ation appeared in my Old Nollinghamshire twoyears ago, but circumstances prevented its com­pletion until a very short time ago. It ishumbly offered in the hope that it may interestsome of its readers, and excite some interest onthe subject of hells and ringing.

I have to convey to the following gentlemenand firms my best thanks for their kind co­operation by rendering literary assistance, andby the loan of engravings :-Mr. T. North,F.S.A.; Mr. Llewellyn Jewitt, F.S.A.; Mr. W,Smith, F.S.A.S.; thelWv. H. R. Haweis, M.A.;Messrs. Allen & Son, Limited; Mr. J. Salkeld;Mr. Joseph Wibberley; Messrs. J. Taylor andSons; Messrs. W. H. Allen and Co.; andMe88rB. Gillett and Bland. To the clergywho have readily answered.my enquiries, andto the Subscribers to this booklet I also tendermy best thanks.

J . POTTER BRISCOE.163, WoodlxwolfgJ. Road.

Nolti"glwzm, Ju,." 1883.

- CONTENTS.Apology for BellsRingers' Rules •How Bells are madeThe Lay of the Bell (Schiller)What Bells are made of •Decorations of BellsMottoes on BellsBells in earlv timesThe Uses or'BellsRinging and Chiming ­Carillons. • -Big Bells -Weight of Bells - • • • •Belfry Legends, Traditions, ant' AnecdotesDeath in the Belfry. - - -Bell-Ringers' EpitaphsBelfry Bequests. -Female Bell Ringers •What Bells Say - • •People and Steeple Rhymes.Brave Sir John. a belfry songRingers' Jugs •Ringin, ProverbsRingers' PortraitsBelfry Rhymes •Index- • •

89

486063646618909396

104108109121122126132134137143146148149160161

-LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Bellfounders' lIarks Frontispiece

Beverley Minstor - 42

Decorations on Bells - 54

Bellfounders' Marks - 55

Bell at St. Murn (full page) - 82

Bells at St. Helene, Brittany (full page) 84

Belfry - 90

Bell at Eddystone Lighthouse 89

" Tzar Kolokol, II Moscow 107

Robber- Ringers (G. Oruikshank) 115

Bell Mark - 120

APOLOGY FOR BELLS.

.. Some, perhaps, may wonder why any 011t shouldthus trouble himselj about so low and metln a subjectas this is generally t!tought to be j but I think Itot"ittgmean or low, that !zatlz any relation to t!ze Service ofGod and lIis Church."-Bp. Beveridge, Tract onI'salmody.-Edit. 1710•

.. Bells reconcile man with matt and unite diversmembers into one body and tightm its cords by mutualgood will and sympathy."-Translation from anEssay Ott the Symbolism of the Bell, 1859'

.. An old Bell by its ;'tSCnptiolls, its medallions, andits ornaments, relates the history ofthe past better thana mutilated stolle."~Translatiollfrom M. Pardiac'sNotice about the.Bells ofBordeaux, 1858.

" I dOlt'tknow that one could choose any of man'sinvetttions whic1t has more various and touchinrassociations than a Bell, and certainly Church Bellsmust take a leadeng place in the great poem that mightbe written on them."-Sir S. H. Northcote, No'll.4,18n

CURIOSITIES OF THE BELFRY.

RINGERS' RULES.

Probably the earliest example of Belfry Ruleswhich is now known to exist is painted in red and

·blaak gothio letters on the wall over the staircase­door in the tower, at Scotter, Lincolnshire. Hereit is :- " Yow ringers All

who heare doe fallAnd doe cast overa bell doe forfeitto the Clarke theirforeA Groute I doe yowtell & if yowthinck it be tolittle & beareA valliant mindeymore yow givevnto him thenyow prove to himmore kinde."

10 Curiosities of the Belfry.

1ltngCtS' 'Rulcs.

On the west wall of the belfry of DummerChurch, Basingstoke (a building prolJahly as old88 the 12th century), is to be found the followingimperfect inscription in 16th century (Gothic)character :-

• . . Bless the King • . . . . . • .To the Sexton thay belong.pay him tharefore, do~him no rong.stand from the ringers a yard at least26 years pay i do not jestif any bell you over throw' it cost you p. youSo put of your hats-else pay . . . .

The words are given in their apparent order,without attempting to supply what is defective.

Ouriosities of the Belfry. U'Rtnilere' 'RUles.

Here is the best example of RingerS' Ruleswhich we have met with. They are from Hather­sage, in Derbyshire. They were formerly on thesouth wall of the belfry, and date about 1660.

"You gentlemen that here wish to ring,See that these laws you keep in every thing jOr else be sure you must without delay,The penalty thereof to the ringers pay.First, when you do into the bell-house come,Look if the ringers have convenient room iFor if you do be an hindrance unto them,Fourpence you forfeit unto these gentlemen.Next if you do here intend to ring,'With hat or spur, do not touch a string iFor if you do, your forfeit is for that,Just fourpence down to pay, lose your hat.If you a bell turn over, without delay,Fourpence unto the ringers you must pay jOr if you strike, misseall, or do abuse,You must pay fourpence for the ringers' use.For every oath here sworn, ere you go henoo,Unto the poor then you must pay twelvepenco jAnd if that you desire to be enrolledA ringer here, these words keep and hold!But whoso doth these orders disobey,Unto the stocks we will take him straightwayThere to remain until he be willingTo pay his forfeit and the clerk a shilling."With very slight variations these Rules were

adopted at Chapel-en-le-Frith. .

l~ Ouriosities of the Bel.1'1',y.

'Ringers' 'Rules.

Against the north wall of the belfry o~ Tides­well Ohurch are a set of rhymed bellringing laws.They do not greatly vary from the last-quotedlines at Hathesage, but we reproduce them here: .

"All gentlemen that here intend to ring,See that these laws you keep in everything:­When first that you into the belfrey comeSee that the ringers have convenient room;For if you be an hindrance unto them,Fourpence you forfeit to these gentlemen.For every oath you swear ere you go hence,You must immediately pay just sixpence.For every bell tum'd o'er, without delayFourpence you must unto the present clerk pay;And if that you're desirous for to ring,With hats or spurs on, do not touch one string;For if you do your forfeit is for thatFourpence pay down or else you lose your hat,And if you have a mind to be inrolledA ringer here, these orders you must hold."

.Curiosities of the Belfry. IS

~tngers' ~ules.

Nearly two centuries and a half have elapsedsince "John Burnell" penned these lines whichare still to be read in the rope-room of the parishchurch at Oulmington, Salop:-

"Those that do heare intend to ringe,Let them consider first this thing:If that they do a bell turne ore,Fourepence to pay therefore :If any ring with hat or spur,Twopence to pay by this order:If any chance to curse or sweare,Fourepence to pay and eke forbere:And if they do not pay their forfets well,They shall not ringe at any bell

JOHN BURNELL, 1663."

Somewhat similar rhymes to those abovegiven are painted on the belfry wall of St. John'sChurch, Chester. They are in distemper, in oldEnglish letters, with an ornamental border, bear­ing the date A.D. 1687.

On the wall of All Saints', Stamford, are theselines:-

" All you that do pretend to RingYou under take a Dangerous thingIf that a bell you overthrowTwo Pence you pay Before you go.

1694."

II Ouriosities of the Belfry.

'Ringers' ~ules.

These bell-ringers' rules, in rhyme, are fromTong, Salop:-

If that to ring you doe come hereYou must ring well with hand and esre ,Keep streak of time and goe not outor else you forfeit out of doubt.Our law is so concluded here;For every fault a jugg of beer.if that you ring with spurr or hat,a jugg of bear must pay for that.If that you take a rope in handthese forfeits you must not withstand.or if a bell you ov'rthrowit must cost sixpence e're you goe.If in this place you sweare or curseSixpence you payout with you purse:come pay the clerk it is his feefor one that swears shall not go freeThese laws are old and are not newtherefore the clerk must have his due.

GEORGE HARIsoN, 1694."

Curiosities ot the Belfry. 15

Wngers' 'Rules.In St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth, are these

belfry "rhimes," dated 1700, with the motto,"Nosresonare jubent Pietas Mors atque Volutas."

"Let awful silence first proclaimed be,And praise unto the Holy Trinity :Then honour give unto our noble king,So with a blessing let us raise the ring.Hark! how the chirping Treble sings most clearAnd covering Tom comes rowling in the rear;And now the Bells are up, come let us see}What laws are best to keep sobriety,Then all agree to make this their decree.Who swears or curses, or in choleric mood,Quarrels or strikes, although he draw no blood:Who wears his hat, or spur, or overturns a Bell,Or by unskilful handling mars a peal :Let him pay sixpence for each single crime,'Twill make him cautious'gainst another time IBut if the Sexton's fault an hindrance be,We call on him a double penalty.If any should our Parson disrespect,Or Warden's orders any times neglect,Let him be always held in full disgrace,And ever more be banished this place;Now round-let go--with pleasure to the ear,And pierce with echo through the yielding air.Bowhen the bells are ceased, then let us sing,Godbless the Church-Godbless the King. 1700.' JPrecisely the same rhymes as these are at

Landulph, in Cornwall.

16 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

'Ringers' 'Rules.The next version also varies hom the SouthilI,

Landulph, Wendron, and Plymouth rhymes. Theyare to be seen at Fowey, in. Oornwall, andare painted on a" board attached to one of thewalls of the ringing-floor.

1/ Hark how the chirping treble Sings most Olear,And Oovering Tom com's rowling in the Rear,We ring the Quick to Ohurch the dead to Grave,Good is our use, such Usage let us have,Now up on end at Stay, come let us seeWhat Laws are best, to keep SobrietyTo swear, or Curse, or in a Choleric moodTo strike or Quarrel, tho he draw no BloodTo wear a Hat, or Spur, to or'e turn a BellOr by unskilful handling marrs a PealSuch shall pay sixpence for each single Orime,'Twill make him Cautious 'gainst another time.What forfeitures are due as here it is exprestHere in a Box to take the same when ye have

transgres't,And we the whole society of Rin~ers do agree,To use the same in Love and Umty."

Some belfry rhymes bearing the date 1811 areon one of the walls of the tower of Lanlivery, inOornwall. They are slightly abridged from theseat Fowey.

Curiosities of the Belfry. 17

'Ringers' 'Rules.

mm

The following lines, from the belfries of twoWelsh border counties, are somewhat differentfrom the seventeenth century rhymes (althoughthey are evidently adapted from them), and con­

.tain some lines of more recent composition. Thefirst version is from Llanfyllin in Montgomery­shire:

'.'If for to ring you do come hereYou must ring well with hands and ear;And if you ring with spur or hat,A quart of beer is due for that.

And if your bell you overthrowA shilling pay before you go :The law is old, ",,11 known to !IOU,Therefore the Clerk must have his due."

18 Ouriosities ot the Belfry.

'Ringers' 'Rules.Thhext version is from the belfry of Bangor-

Iscoed Ohurch in FlJntshire :-" If that to ring you do come hereYou must ring well with hand and ear;But if you ring in spur or hatFourr.ence is always due for that;And if a bell you overthrowSixpence is due before you go.But if you either sweare or curseTwelve penoe is due-out with your purse.Our laws are old, they are not new,Therefore the Clerk must have his due.If to our lau', 1/ou do OOnBB"tThen fale, a b,ll, w, ar,oont,nt."

Mr. T. North, F.S.A., tells us in his elaboratework on the Church Bells of Lincolnshire that inthe ringing chamber of Butterwiok is scrawledthe following, with much more to the sameeffect:-" All You that hath A mind to learn to ring .'Must to the old Ringer Admission money bring.

Each coult must, sirs, just three and sixpenoe payWhen our accounts are past for truthAnd you are styled then a Oollege Youth.80 now, m~ lads, admission money bringAnd we will learn ('''0) you presently to Bing."

OuriodtieR of the Belfq. 19

'JUngers' 'Rules•

• The annexed. belfry rhymes forme~ly existingiii Wybumbury Church, near Nantwich, areextracted from Mr. Egerton Leigh's Ballads andIAgmd, of CMB"ir~, and bear a close resemblanceto those at Banger-Iscoed., Tong, and Llanfyllin:-

" If for to ring you rio come hereYou must ring well with heart and ear,And if you ring in spur or hat,A quart of ale you pay for that;And if a bell you overthrowSixpence you pay before you go ;These laws are old, they are not new,Therefore the clerk must have his due."

Those which formerly existed in the church atHomes Chapel were also somewhat similar, withthe exception of the following variation in thelast couplet :-

" Observe these laws, and break: them not,Lest you lose your pence for that."

20 Ouriosities of the'13elfry.

'RingerG' 'Rules.

The next lines in the belfry of Bowden Church,Cheshire, are remarkable for their len~h ofmetre, and for containing the provincialism of"gun of ale" for" gallon ":-

" THE RINGERS' ORDERS.

"You ringers all observe these orders well:He pays his sixpence that o'erturns a Bell;And he that rings with either Spur or Hat,Must pay his sixpence certainly for that;And he that rings and does disturbe ye Peal,Must pay his sixpence or a Gun of ale.These laws elsewhere in every Church are us'd'That Bells and Ringers may not be abused."

Curiosities. of, the Belfry. 21

'Ringers' ~ules.Here is a Bedfordshire example of ringers' rules

in rhyme. They are to be met with at Southill."Rules to be strictly observed by everyone

who enters this belfry.We ring the Quick to Church, the Dead to Grave.Good is our use, such usage let us have. [stay,He that wears Spur, or Hat, of Cap, or breaks aOr from the floor does by a bell rope sway,Or leaves his rope down careless on the floor:Or nuisance makes within the Belfry Door,Shall sixpence forfeit for each single Crime,T : Will. make him carefull at another Time.Whoever Breaks or injures any of the Handbellsshall make the damage good.

We Gentlemen Ringers are nobody's foes,We disturb none but those who want too much

repose;Our music's so sweet, 80 enchanting to hear,We wish there was ringing each Day in the

Year.To call the folks to Church in Time we chimethree seven minute peals, stop one minute be­tween; tell the Tenor four minutes; ring theTing Tang three minutes. Total, t an hour.

When Mirth and pleasure is on the wing wering,

At the departure of a Soul we Toll.It

IS Ouriosities of the Belfry.

~tngefs' 'Rules.

On a board affixed to the North wall of thetower of Wendron Church, Cornwall, are theseancient belfry rhymes painted. They vary some­what from the Southill version :-

"We ring the quick to church, the dead tograve

Good is our use, such useage let us have.who swears, or curse, or in a furious moodQuarrels, or striks, altho he draws no bloodwho wears a hat, or spurs, or turns a bellOr by unskilful handling mar's a peallLet him pay sixpence for each single crimeTwil make him cautious gainst another time."

At Oalstock, in the same county, the same linesoccur, but with the addition of these lines :-

"So when the bells are ceased then let us ring,God bless our Holy Ohurch, God save the King."

On a baud in the belfry of Hyhall Church,Rutland are the following lin.es:-

"Wh00l'"l'l'. Comes into. This PlaceHis.. Pleasure. For. To Take.

And. :Rings. A. Bell. To. Him. We. TeD.This. La... WIth. Him. We Make.

That. ET"ery. Time He Tums.. A. BenIn. The Light Or. Dark.

He. Then. Shall. Pay. Without. Delay.Two. Pence. Unto. The. Clark.

Cris. Holmes, 1715.Aupt, 31'" 18-57.

I~

2' Ouriosities of the Belfry.

'Ringers' 'Rules.MR. W. ANDREWS, F.R.H.S., has kindly furnishedus with the following note relating to the Ringers'Regulations at Holy Trinity, Hull:-

"In September, 1875, I visited Holy TrinityChurch, Hull, to ascertain if any Ringers'Regulations were to be found in the church. I.learned on inquiry a number of quaint orderswere hung u~ in the ringing chamber some yearsago, but a mischievous boy mutilated them witha Knife, so that they were taken down. The per­son in charge, however, kindly submitted for myinspection the disfigured orders, and after con­siderable trouble I have been able to make atranscript, which I think will prove interesting :-

" ORDERS.

Agreed upon by the sexton and ringers of theHoly Trinity Ohurch, Kingston-upon-Hull, ap­proved of and allowed by the Rev. William Mason,vicar, Mr. George Maddison, and Mr. ThomasBell, churchwardens of the same church, the firstday of May, Anno Domini 1730, and confirmed bythe Rev. John Healey Bromby, vicar, ThomasMitchell, and Oharles Anthy. Forrester, church­wardens, the first day of May, 1838.

It is ordered, that every person who shall ringany bell with hat or spurs on, shall forfeit andpay sixpence for the use of the ringers.

Ouriosities of the Belfry~ 26

It is ordered, that every person who shall pullany bell from off her Btay and cannot set heragain, shall forfeit and pay for 118e aforesaid, oneshilling.

It is ordered, that every person who shall throwany bell over, shall forfeit and pay for the 118eaforesaid, sixpence, and over and above thiS inease anything be broken by such overthrow, suchperson shall also pay the charge of repairing theeame again.

It is ordered, that every person so soon as hehas set his bell shall immediately hank up thestrap or rope, or in default thereof shall forfeitand pay for use aforesaid, sixpence.

It is ordered, that if any person shall untrusahimself upon the lead in ~ part, or cut andmark the same with a knife or any other thing,such offender shall forfeit and pay for the useaforesaid, sixpence. ,

It is ordered, that any person who shall haveread any of these orders with his hat upon hishead shall forfeit and pay for the said use,eixpence." .

Next is given the names of the vicar, church­wardens, and ringers, who held office in 1730, anda similar list is rendered for 1838, when the aboveorders were reprinted at the expense of Mr. W.Green, a sidesman.

B

26 O¥iosities of the Belfry.

'Wngers' 'Rules.In the belfry of Cardington Church, near

Church Stretton, Salop, are these lines, bearingdate 1755-6:-

" If to ring you do come here,You must Ring well with hand and ear;And if a bell you chance to throw,Fourpence to pay before you go.And if you Ring with Spur 01' HatSixpence in Ale to pay for that.And if you either Swear or Curse,Twelvepence to pay, pull out yr purse.Our laws are old, they are not new,Ye Clerk and Ringers claim their due."

FebJ'· ye 14th, 1755-6."

The following version occurs at Leigh, Stafford­shire:-

" If that to ring you do come here,You must ring well with hand and ear;

And if a bell you overthrowFourpence is due before you go ;

And if you ring in spur or hat,Two pots of ale are due for that;

And for a pledge to make it sure,Your hat shall be the forfeiture,

. Our laws are old, they are not new,Therefore the clerk must have his due."

Ouriosities of the Belfry. 27

'Rtngers' 'Rules.

Over the belfry door in All Saints' Church,Hastings, these lines may be met with :-

~'I.H.S.

1This is a belfry that is freeFor all those that civil be ;And if you please to chime or ring,It is a very pleasant thing. .

2There is no musick play'd or sung,Like unto bells when they're well rung;'I'hsn ring your bells well, if you canSilence is best for every man.

3But if you ring in spur or hat,Six pence you pay be sure of that:And if a bell you overthrow,Pray pay a groat before you go.-1756."

Similar verses exist in Rye Church, and SS.Peter's and Paul's at Osbournby, in Lincolnshire.

<18 Curiosities of the Belfry.

~tng(rs' 'Rules.The following Ancient Belfry Articles were in

force at Grantham Parish Church in 1764:-

He that in Ringing takes delightAnd to this place draws near

These Articles set in his sIght:Must keep if he Rings here.

The first he must observe with careWho comes within the door

Must if he chance to curse or swearPay Sixpence to the poor.

And whoso'er a noise does makeOr idle story tells

Must Sixpence to the Ringers takeFor melting of the Bells.

If q.ny like to smoke or drinkThey must not do so here

Good reason why-just let them thinkThis is God's House of Prayer.

Young men that come to see and tryAnd do not Ringing use

:Must Six Pence give the companyAnd that shall them excuse.

So that his hat on's head does keepWithin this sacred place

:Must pay his Six Pence ere he sleep;Or turn out with disgrace.

Curiosities of the Belfry. 2!)

If anyone with spurs to's heelsRing here at any time

He must for breaking articlesPay Six Pence for his crime.

If any overthrow a Bell .As that by chance he may

Because he minds not Ringing wellHe must his Six Pence pay.

Or if a noble minded manCome here to Ring a bell

A Shilling is the Sexton's feeWho:keeps the church so well.

Af any should our Parson sneerOr Wardens rules deride

It is. a rule of old most clearThat such sha'nt here abide.

The Sabbath-day we wish to keepAnd come to church to pray

The man who breaks this ancient ruleShall never share our pay.

And when the bells are down and ceasedIt should be said or sung .

May God preserve the Church and KingAnd guide us safely home.

30 Curiosities of the Belfry

"Ringers' 'Rules.

This version occurs in the belfry of Dunster, inSomersetshire :-

You that in ringing take delight,Be pleased to draw near;

These articles you must observeIf you mean to ring here.

And first, if any overturnA bell, as that he may,

He forthwith for that only faultIn beer shall sixpence pay.

If anyone shall curse or swearWhen come within the door,

He then shall forfeit for that faultAs mentioned before.

If anyone shall wear his hatWhen he is ringing here,

He straightway then shall sixpence payIn cyder or in beer.

If anyone these articlesRefuseth to obey,

Let him have nine strokes of the rope,And so depart away.

Curiosities of the Beltr1't 31

'Ringers' 'Rules.

These lines, dated 1764, are framed and hungup in the belfry of Redbourn Church :-

" All that intend to take these ropes in handTo ring, mark well these lines ana. understand,Which if with care you read will plainly seeWhat fines and forfeits are the sexton's fee :­He that doth break a stay or turn a bell,The forfeit is a groat, it's known full well;And careleBBly to ring with spur or hat,The forfeit is a groat-beware of that,And they that fight or quarrel, swear or curse,MUBt pay two pots, turn out, or else do worse ;And for unlockmg of the steeple dool'floAnd for the sweeping of the belfry floor,And to buy oil you know is very dear.And for my own attendance given here.If you will well observe such rules as theseYou're welcome for to ring here when you

please.

Pray remember the sexton, J08.Bro~May 1764."

8111 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

'Ringers' 'Rules.The following "Articles and Orders to be ob­

served by Ringers," written by William Swift,Schoolmaster, used to hang in a frame in theringing chamber of St. Mary's, Ohurch, at Stow,in Lincolnshire :-All you who hath a mind to Larn to Rin~, B.' d.Must to the Sexton Admission money Brmg 2 I)

. Those Articles observed strict must beOr your expelled this society

, Two Nights a Week Sirs, you must meet, or payThis Forfiture to us without delay 0 2Or when the Sexton for you tools a bellYou must appear, or else this Forfit tell 0 2And when you come upon this Bellfrey,If that you noise or talk, this Forfeit pay 0 1When you Round peals can Ring, you must

p~downTo be a change man Sirs, Just half-a-crown 2 I)On the first change that you have Learned

, to RingOne shilling more must pay Sirs, that's the

thing 1 0And every Ringer must spend more or LessAs he thinks meet, to wish you good Success 0 2If tbu would Learn to prick a peal in scoreUnto those Colledge youths you must pay

m~e 1 0When you know Bob, Hunt, Single, Dodge

compleatYou'll not deny our Colledge youths a Treat 2 I)

· Curiosities of the Belfry. 88

On our Feast-day, the Twenty.niIith of May,Each member must, Sirs, just one shilling

pay 1 0"Whereour acoomptsare passed Sirs for TruthAnd you are stiled then a Colledge youthNew Stewards then are chose, and, by the byIf that you do the Stewardship denyYour-fine must pay-as in the margin see 1 6Then from your Stewardship one year are free.Those Rilles peruse well before you enterIts a hard task on which you venture."When once a member you are freely madeThose Articles must justly be obey'd.So now myLads, admission money bring 2 6And we will Learn you presently to ring.

Jolpi :MARSHALL WILLIAM SlIIITH

MAsTER. NOTARY.

March the 1st, 1770.,.On another Card in the same place :-

"We ring the quick to church, the dead to graveGood is our use, such usage let us have."Who swears or curses, or in ehol'rtc moodQuarrels or strikes, although he draws no blood,"Who wears his hat, or over turns a bellOr by unskilfu1 handling mars a pealLet him pay sixpence for each single crime'r'will make him cautious gainst another time.So, when the bells are ceased, then let us singGod bless OUl' Holy Church-God save the Queen.,t

840 Ouri08iti~s of the Belfry.

'Ringers' 'Rules.

The following is a copy of "Law." posted upin the bell-tower of the church of St. Keyne inCornwall, and bearing date, 1774:-

" Aloud let silence first proclaimed be,And by consent let's make it our decree,An~ fix such laws in our society,Which, being observed, will keep sobriety.Who swears or curses in an angry mood,Quarrels or strikes, although he draw no blood,Who wears a hat or spur, o'erturns a bell,Or by unskilful handling mars a peal,He shall pay sixpence for each single crime,'Twill make him cautious at another time.And if the Sexton's fault it chance to be,We'llla.y on him a double penalty.A blessing let us crave on Ohurch and King,And peacefully let us begin to ring."

Ouriositiee of the Belfry. 36

'Ringers' 'Rules.

On the plastered wall of the ringing chamberof the church at Brington are the following rulespainted:-

. "Who turns a Bell by light or darkTwo pence shall pay to Parish ClerkWho turns a Bell on Sabbath DayDouble the sum at least shall payRing not till four nor after nineWho keeps worse hours shall twelvepencefineWith Hat with Cap or with Spurs onMust four pence payor else begoneIf anyone caught P ..... g hereShall four pence pay & then be clearAnd who those are that will not payPresented shall the next Court Day.

1781."

36 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

'Ringer&' "Mes.

TIre following Ringers' Rules are suspended inthe belfry.at St. Nicholas', Haxey, Lincolnshire':

" All you that here intend to ringMind well before you do beginIf you ring in Great Coat, Spurs, or HatSixpence you pay stright down .for thatIf you break stay or quarrel breedTwelve pence you pay right down with speedIf you be Fair and do no WrongThen unto us you shall belong.

MR. JOliN KNOWLSON I ChurchwardensMR. JOlIN Curtis I in ye year 1785.

JAS. MORRIS, Script.

OurioBities of the Belfry. 87

'Ringers' 'Rules.During a recent visit to Olee Church, in LinooID­

shire, we transcrihed the following quaint ringers'rules, from the painted board in the ringingchumber :

"Orde1'8 to be observed kept by ye BellRingers in ye town of Clee, in Je county of Lin­coln, from this 27th day of Novr., 1793, with yeconsent of the Rev. J. Stockdale, Vicar. RichardRowston, Churchwarden.

{

.A:n.y person yt shall ring a Bell with his1 hat upon his head, Ilhall forfe~t & pay 6d. to

ye use of ye ringers,

2 { .A:n.y pel'8On Jt shall ring a bell with hisspUl'B on, shall pay 6d. to use, &c.

{

.A:n.y pel'8On yt shall ring a bell and brenk3 a stay, shall make it goodand forfeit 6d. for

ye use, &c.

{

.A:n.y pel'8On yt shall pull a bell off her Bta~·,

4 and cannot set her again, shall pay 6d. for. ye use, &c.

51 .An.y person leaving ye rope on ye floor,forfeIt 2d., &c.

as ' Ouriosities of the Belfry.

tAllYperson or persons who shall swear, lay

6 wagers, &c., in ye ringing room, shall forfeitfor every offence 3d., to ye use, &c.

{

Any person yt shall read any of these7 Orders with his hat upon his head shall pay 6d.

to ye use, &c.Olee: painted by Geo: Parker, in the year 1793.Repainted by W. Hobson, 1874."A "Ooult." or Knotted rope, until recently,

hung in the chamber. This was, "in the goodold times," brought to bear on the shoulders andhacks of refractory ringers.

On a board in the ringers' chamber of NewarkParish Church are the following" orders," framedabout the close of the last century :-

" If you a hindrance to ye ringers be,Twopence for it must be ye sexton's fee j

With hat or' spurs on don't begin to ring j

Twopence you forfeit if you touch a string j

Don't swear nor curse: shun these stumbling-block.The lawgives twelvepence, or else go to the stocks.Who brawls or wrangles, whom ye major partFinds to be guilty shall pay his quart :Who rings an hour-bell, be it night or day,If he o'erthrows, he shall his sixpence pay."

Curiosities of the Belfry. 39 -

'Ringers' 'RUles.

There is now to be seen on a tablet on the wallaof the belfry of Bowden Magna in Leicestershire,the following lines which vary somewhat frompreceding examples:-

"If you get Drunk and hither ReelOr with your Brawl Disturb the Peel;Or with munlungeous horrid Smoak,You cloud the Room, and Ringers Choak;Or if you dare profane this PlaceBy Oath or Curse, or Language Base ;Or if you shall presume in PeelWith Hatt, or Co{lt, or armed Heel ;Or turn your Bell in careless way,For each Offence shall Two Pence pay;To break these Laws if any hopeMay leave the Bell, and take the Rope.

Edward Englehem, Churchwarden.N.B.-He who plucks his Bell over when turned

shall pay Six Pence."

.0 Ol;U"losities of the Belfry.

llingers' 'Rules.

Over the tower arch of the ringers' chamber inSt. Sepulchre's Church, Northampton, are theselines:-

" Here Bells Melodius move with Art Sublime,And various numbers Beat in Mood & TimeLet Clamour cease the cause of dire MischanceIn Joyfull silence lead the Mystic DanceSo Music raises her Majestic StrainsWhilts Notes Harmonious reach the distant

Plaines."

Thirty-four years ago (in 1849) the followinglines were written on a sheet of paper affixed tothe wall of the village church of Pitminster inSomersetshire :-

"In Aney one do ware hise hatWhen he ringing herehe straitte way then shall sixpence payIn Sider or Bere."

Curiosities of the Belfry. 41

'Ringers' 'Rules.These "Rules for the Ringers II are painted on

a Iarge tablet in tho .. ringing room II of theparish church of Burnley, Lancashire :-

" I. That the ringers begin tWl'nt.r minutes be­fore Tt>n, and be ready for chiming fifteen minutesafter Ten, and chime five minutes. or forfeit 6d.

II. In the afternoon to hl'~ twenty minutesafter Two, and chime five nunutes before three,or forfeit tid.

N.B.-The above fOlieits shall he paid to theChurchwardens.

m. Any person attempting to ring with spurson to forfeit 6d.

IV. For not attending to practice on Mondayand Tuesday evenings at ten minutes past eightto forfeit 3d.

V. For swearing, or telling a lie in the steeple,to forfeit 3d.

VI. For a ringer coming into the steeple in.toxieated, to forfeit .• . • . . . . 3d.

VII. For divulging an,rthing out of the steeplewhich may tend to produce mischief, to forfeit 3d.

N.B.-Also to the informer 3d.VIII. For overthrowing a bell to forfeit. . 2d.IX. For ringing with the hat on, to forfeit 2d.June 9th, 1804." D

42 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

"Ringers' mules.These Ringers' Orders are painted on the wall

of the belfry in Beverley Minster :-RINGERS' ORDERS, 1823.

If any perBon pulls off a bell and cannot set herforfeits 6d.

H /lny p:!l'BOn pulls off a bell without leave of thering"'!,;; forfeits 6d.

1£ any i'l'l'son overturn a bell forfeits Is.H uny pC'l'KOn ring a bell with hat or SpurB on

forfeits 6d.If any per~;on cause a quarrel or swears forfeits 3d.If any person is seen reading these orders with

hat or spurs on forfeits 6d.

Ouriosities of the Belfry.

'Ringers' 'Rules.

On the belfry walls of Harleston Church, North-ants, are the following inscriptions :-

"Ye youths so gayTo hail this dayYour cheerful Music bringNo sound excelsThe fine ton'd bellsWhen merrily they ringThe listening crowd aroundTheir joy revealTo hear the pealAll all applaudThe enlivening sound."

And on another board :-"You young men all who are (8io) you bePray meet and part in harmonyWhen bells ring round in their order beThey do denote how neighbours should agreeBut if you meet and disagreeA.ringer you will never be .

Jan. 23rd 1829."

Ouriosities of the Belfry.

~tngers' ~u(es.

The following General Regulations were for theGovernment of the Oompany of Ringers atDundee:-

1. It is expected that every care will be takenfor the prevention of injury to the bells, bellframes, chiming aparatus, belfry, and appurte­nances thereto; and that under no circumstancesshall the bells be clocked or clappered.

2. No person except the ringers shall beallowed to be present during the ringing withoutleave of the steeple-keeper, who shall be respon­sible for their good behavior and for the belfrydoors being locked during the ringing.

3. There shall be no smoking in the belfry orits purlieus; nor shall ale, beer, or liquor of anykind, other than water, be brought into thesteeple on any pretence whatever.

4. If any ringer or probationer wilfully andpersistently, after warning from the steeple-keeper,violate these rules, be guilty of drunkenness,swearing, or any other immoral, irreligious, oroffensive conduct in the belfryor its neighbourhood,he shall be liable to dismissal by the committee,on the representation of the steeple-keeper, withthe approval of the magistrates in the case of the

Curiosities of the Belfry. 46

steeple, and of the vestry in the case of St Paul'e,and of the proper authorities of any other churchor public building.

5. There shall be one regular practice-nightevery week, on such a day and at such an hour asthe steeple-keeper, with the consent of the author­ities of his church or tower. may appoint. If inhis judgment more practice be desirable, he mustexercise a wise discretion, inasmuch as everyresidenter is not a lover of bell-ringing, and thetongues of the bells should be tied, if there bemore than one night's practice each week. Infixing practice-nights. due regard must be had tothe church services and choir practice j at thosetimes the belfry shall be closed to all. Also thefeelings and wishes of any sick person in theneighbourhood must be tenderly considered.

.0 Curiosities of the Belfry.

engers' 'Rules.

The following lines are from St. Peter's Ohurch,Shaftesbury :-

" What musick is there that compar'd may be,To well-tuned bells' enchanting melody?Breaking with their sweet sounds the willing air,They in the list'ning ear the soul ensnare."'hen bells ring round, and in their order be,They do denote how neighbours should agree; .But if they clam, the harsh sound spoils the sport,And 'tis like womon keeping Dover Oonrt.Of all the music that is :play'd or sung,There's none like bolls, If th ey aro well rung.Then ring your bell-well if you can,Silence is best for ev'ry man;In your ringing make no demur,Pull oft' your hat, your belt and spur;And it your bell you overset,The ringer's fee you must expect!Fourpence you are to pay for that.But if that you do sweare or CUI'S£',

Twelvepence is due, pooll out your pursr,Our laws are old, they are not new,"Both clerk and ringers claim their duo."

Curiosities of the Belfry. '1'Ringers' 'Rules.

The following lines are on a stone tablet in theTower of St. Michael's Church, Macclesfield:-

Mind Gentlemen your Bell ring trueAnd here behave in Order dueHe that profanes his Makers NameShall Sixpence forfiet for the sameOr here shall any Quarrell raiseOr Noise doth make that doth displeaseIf Bell oerturns shall 4 pence payAnd Sixpence if its rung back wayOr if his Hat or Spur does wearThen 4 pence mores the Sextons share

These Eight Bells rung with Care and artWith joy will transport every heart

-HOW BELLS ARE MADE

is thus described by Mr. Lomax in his " Bells andRingers," 1879 (Infield):-

"Let us imagine ourselves at Whitechapelduring the process. In the centre of a large pitstands a post, the height of the future bell. Onthe top of this, as on a pivot, turn two greatwooden frames, reaching to the ground, and :shaped to the outline of the inside and outside ofthe bell. Around the stake is built up a hollowcone of brickwork, which is afterwards carefullycovered with soft clay, and roughly moulded t»the shape and size of the bell. The inner" crook"is then revolved, and, in its motion, shaves off thesoft surface to the exact size and shape of the in­interior of the bell. A fire is then lighted withinthe brickwork cone and the whole dries. Whenquite hard, the finished mould, or "core" isgreased and sprinkled with tan to prevent adhe­sion, and a friable clay is plasterd over it to athickness equal to that of the intended bell. Theouter crook is then caused to revolve, and thesmoothed surface represents the out.iii" of thebell. On this ornaments are moulded, and

Curiosities of the Belfry. 49

the crooks having been removed, a model ofthe handle, or "canon," is affixed. The com- \pleted surface is again covered with well tem­pered clay, forming tho outer mould or "cope."Fire is again used to bake this; and when COUl-

.pleted it is lifted by a crane. The clay modelbetween the "core" and "cope" is then destroyed,and the latter lowered again; so that between theinterior of tho "cope" and the exterior of the" core" is left a space exactly corresponding inshape and size to the desired bell. Meantime, theadjoining furnace has been charged with theproper proportions of copper and tin, the quantitybeing generally much more than is required for theimmediate occasion. A channel is made from thefurnace to the top of the moulding pit, the plug isremoved, and the molten metal runs into the spaceleft for it. D",1I~ are allowed for the cooling, and,the cope being first removed, the bell is hoisted onhi h.

lt is now tested by taps on different parts of itssurface, and if necessary, thiMI··d to pitch by a re­volving cutter which pares off a slice round theedge. It should give its own note at the" brim,"the thi"d an eight higher, the .li/lll three quartersup, and the noun» on the shoulder. Thus the bell,when properly struck, yields a perfect" commonchord."

60 Curiosities of tho Belfry.

The process of hollfounding has been graphir-nllydescribed by Schlllor in

THE LAY OF THE BELL 11

:FAST, in its prison-walls of earth,Awaits the mould of baked clay.

Up, comrades, up, and aid the birth­TIlE BEU. that shall be born to-day!

But with sweat and with painOun we honour 0 btain,

And !lrOVe that we master the art we profess ;With Man ho the effort, with Heav'n the succeas!

From the jit' the fagot take,Keep it, heap it hard and dry,

That the gather'd flame lIlay breakThroug-h the furnace, wroth and high,

Whon the copper withinSeethes and siuuners-e-the tin,

Pour quick, that the fluid which feeds the Hr-llMay flow in the right course glib and well,

See the silvery bubbles spring!Good! the mass is melting now!

Let tho salts we duly hringPurge the flood, and spood tho flow.

From the dross and the soU111 ,

Pure, tho fusion IIlUAt come;For perfect and pure we the metal must keep,That its voice nUl,)' be perfect, und lmre, and (11'('!,.

• Ollly the deocript;"e portio II of th 8 grund poem i. hOle given, '1'lwtrunsh.tion tothe lato Lord Lytton'•.

Curioeities of the Belfry. 61

Browning o'er, the pipes are simmering.Dip this wand of clay within i

If like glass the wand be glimmering.Then the casting may begin.

Brisk, brisk now, and seeIf the fusion flow free;

If-(hllPPY and welcome indeed were the sign ~)

If the hard and the ductile united combine.

Now the casting may begin;See the breach indented there:

Ere we run the fusion in,Halt-s-and speed the pious prayer!

Pull the plug out­See around and about

Throug-h thebow-ofthehandle the smoke rushesred.God help us!-the flaming waves burst from their

bed.

Now olasp'd the bell within the olay­The mould the mingled metals fill­

Oh, may it, sparkling into day.Reward the labour and the skill!

Alas! should it fail,For the mould may be frail-

And still with our hope must be mingled the faar­And, ev'n now, while we speak, the mishap may

be near!

52 Curiosit.ies of the Belfry.

While the mass is cooling now,Let the weary labour rest;

Blithe as bird upon the bough,Each to do as lists him best.

In the cool starry time,At the sweet vesper-chime,

'I'he workman his task and his travail forgoes­It. is only the Master that ne'er may repose!

Now, its destined task fulfill'd,Asunder break the prison-mould;

Let the goodly Bell we build,Eye and heart alik.,e behold.

The hammer down heave,Till the cover it cleave :-

For not till we shatter the wall of its cellCan we lift from its darkness and bondage the Bell.

Rejoice and laud the prospering skies!The kernel bursts its husk-behold

From the dull clay the metal rise,Pure-shining, as a star of gold!

Rim and crown glitter bright,Like the sun's flash of light.

And even the scutcheon, clear-graven, shall tell'j'hat the art of a master has fashion'd the Bell!

WE COME NOW TO THE Ql""ESTIO~

"WHAT ARE BELLS !\L\OE OF?"Larkin states in his excellent "Brass and Iron­

founder's Guide," 5th edition, 1874, that "Bellmetal is a compound of 80 parts copper to 20parts tin. The Indian gong, so much celebratedfor the richness of its tones, contains copper andtin, in the above proportid'ft.s. The proportion oftin in bell metal varies, however, from one-thirdto one-fifth of the weight of copper, according tothe BOund required, the size of the bell, and theimpulse to be given. M. de Arcet has discoveredthat bell metals formed in the proportion of 78parts copper, united with 22 of tin, is indeed nearlyas brittle as glass, when east in a thin plate orgong. Yet if it be heated to a cherry-red, andplunged into cold water, being held between twoplates of iron, that the plate may not bend, itbecomes malleable. Thus he manufactures gongs,cymbals, and tantums out of this compound"

An idea formerly prevailed that the addition ofsilver produoed mellowness of BOund, and it was apractice observed at Lincoln and other places forthe people to contribute silver article to be meltedup, but recent experiments have shown that silverspoils instead of improving the tone, in directproportion to the quantity employed.

,... ~~~~~~::::""IDECORATION8 OF BELLS.

The tltcoration&of bells have beentersaly describedby Mr. llewellynJowitt, F.S.A., as

lCOUl!ist ing of en-'circling insorip­tions, usually onthe haunch; 'en­oircling bordersboth on thecrown ,tho haunch, thewuist, the sound­how or rim, andand of more or lesselaborate design ;llrosses of everyconceivable char­acter; fi.Jt'ures ofsaiuta una angels;evangelistic andother syrubols ;heraldicbearings ;.headsofkingsaudqueens, grotesquefigures derivedfrom medieevalliterature; orna­ments of variousk Ln d e-c-r o s e s ,flours-de-lis ,crowns, quatre­foiLs, ete., ete.;and marks anddevices, B.Il well as

l=~=~~=::~:::::~~ initiah and namesof founders.

Curiosities of the Belfry. 55

The variety of lettering used on bells is some­what remarkable. Early bells are frequently in­scribed wholly in Lombardic capitals, (thus:mEJ&]'~,I.S),or in old English (~~:!~~) j or inthe same text with Lombardio capitals or initials()jltlll ) ; Gothic capitals are also used, 8S areplain Roman capital letters (BELLS) ; Sacredmonograms were also introduced with excellenteffect. The sacred monogram of "the BlessedVirgin" (the Lombardio .(.2Il), usually crowned,was frequently given. Other crowned letterswere alsogiven.

Through that kindness which Mr. Ll. J ewitt,F .S.A., has always extended to us, we are enabledto give several examples of bell founders' marks.They form our frontispiece, and several tail-pieces.

-MOTTOES ON BELLS."

J esus be our rand my] speede.- /I urton Juyce,Notts., 1581; mr.ehl/, Linc., 1583; II.I/dour, Line.,1587; Norhurf/, D'sh., 1589; Fleet, Line., 1598;Hunflulnhy, Yorks., 1619; Brotherton, Yorks., 1632 ;Ackworth, Yorks., 1662; Burgh. Line., 1663;Bedal«, Yorks., 1664; 8pennitllorne, Yorks., 1681 ;Hem,worth, Yorks., 1726.

Give thanks to God alwaies.-Gaytun, N'hants,1585.

Give God the praise.-Cl,pBtun, N'hants, 1589.

Fear God and obey the Lord.-Ga!lton, N'hants,1594. .

Praise the Lord.-Paston, N'hants, 1601.

• A rough nlassification of subjects has been attempted aswell as II chronologicalarrangement under those subjects,givingthe earliest dlltes d which they have been met with by theoompiler, aad, occasionally, later examples. ~o pretence ismade as to completeness, but a representative selection hasbeen aimed at. Emendations and additions are desired.

Ourlositles of the Belfr.F. 57

aottots on:Eells.

I sweetly toilina' men do can to t88te on meatAlfhat feed the IIOWe.-NorlA CotstM, Line., 1604;~lon,Line., 1604; 1Yintlwrp,,1604; JlWt.-i"Line., 1608; ~rgtWhm, NottB., 1607; JUtto., Rut.,1609; Ltmg Bnminghm, Barltm-tm-Hum1Jw, Boling­twO", and BurgA, Line.---

Prayee the Lord.-PotuT'P""Y, N'hanta, 1626.

Love God for ever.-BUTglHm-Btliff, Line. 1637.

Glory be to God" on high.-JlMltolHnI-lJovll,1654; J["';1IfI"'-, Line., 1630.

Glory to God on high by pow81'll heavenly to aUeternity.-Huki,.,tm., Line., 1651.

All glory be to God on high.-BOItoff, LiDc.,1657; COrriftgAaB! J4nc., 1660.

MortaJa with us your voices raiseAnd shout abroad Jehovah's praise.

-Halijaz, Yorks.

ll'eare ye the Lord.-Fonoll, Line., 1658.

God be our good sped.-K"ulifIghry, N'ha.nteI,1659.

B

68 Curiosities of the -Belfry.

• ottoe& on:Sells.

God be our goodspeed.-TAornby, N'hants, 1714.

To church the House of God: come all I cry:to praise His name to all eternity, 1759. _

The Lord to praise my voice I'll raise.-8lMfortl,1.796; 1I.vmby, Linc:;- 1797; P,twborougA, 1808•

. Eraise God upon the high sounding cymball.­U",tlon, 1'825.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, eternal gloryraise.-Batlly, Yorks., 1791.

Sing ye merrily unto God.-Collby, Line.

Praise the name of the Lord for his name onlyis excellent and his praise above Heaven andEarth.-.Doddington, Line., 1851.

God with us.-OllntwortA, Line., 1675.

Praise God in the beauty of Holiness.-YartlhyH",ting~, 1723. '

Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heavenand Earth are full of the majesty of thy Glory.­NfI'lImby, Line., 1797; Oz.-nton, N'hants, 1799';BOlton, Line.

Curiosities of the Belfry. '9

~ottoes on :!kIts.

Let everything that hath breath praise theLord. - Nrwthampton, (St. Giles'); OrlinglJury,N'ha.nts, 1843.

Holiness to the Lord.-Orlt'ng6ury, 1843.

The Lord is great and greatly to be praieed.­OrlrnglJU"'1h 1843.

Be conlJta.nt in prayre to God.-Holyw,ll, Line.,1628.

Fear God and obeai the Qwene.-.A.,.tli..gwrwtA,N'hants, 1589.

God save the Church, our King, [Queen] andRealm,

And Bend us peace in [through] Christ. Amen.­LirttJOlrt, 1593; Oraton, NottB., 1599 i HOfIINsm;Lino., 1618.

Fear God, honour the King.-GozMll, Line.;1666.

Feare God and honour' the King.-Spr.tton;1685.

Fear God honour the King.-YartlHy 811I""9"N'hants, 1723; N".tMmpIon (St. Peter's), 1784.

~ purio81tiee of the Belfry.

ieOttoes on 3k11l.

Feare God and honner the King,for obedience is a vertuous thing.

With sweetest voices we will sing& loudly cry God save our King.

-Eillifu, Yorks.

Ye people all who hear us ringBe faithful to your Godand King.

-PO'lJ",try, 1771; Rook,"glaam, N'hants, 1776;Nortlaamptfln, 1782.

To honour both of God and KingOur voices shall in consort ring.

-CofJmtr'l, 1774; !t'ol't!lampion, 1782.

Our voices shall in concert rintr:In honour both to God and King.

--Kffar,,~or()fJ,gla, Yorks., 1777; G~cln~¥, Line.

God save the Queen.-Budbury, D'm, 1698;Bur" Sussex, 1699.---

God save King James.-WappmlaMn, N'hants,1610,

God save our King.-Stanfortl-upon-Soar, i608 iWMttllbury, 1628.

Ouriomtiee of the BeJfr7. II

AOttoes on all8.

God save the ~.-"........n.r... D'ab.,1621; 9rtNd Od/q. N banta, 1626; l".Iift, 1670.Norloa, ~"'bants~ 1&40; EIrw1~fl. l\""'hants, 1635.NoItiMf.., CSt. Peter's) 1666. (""J -).

God save Queen AJm.-B.u...fori, Line., 1710.

God save our Queen and presane her pe8C8.­noru,. l\"'hants, 1714.

God save our Queen and preeene our peace.­~ l\"'hanls, IM5-6.

Monarchy without tyranny.- Jniltoa, l\"'hant&,1777.

lla)" George long reign who now the Boeptre1IWa)"B

And British Valour ever rule the seas..-C"""ia-HollcU, Line., 1807; H."IIto,.,., 1808.

Prosperity to the Church of England.-~Linc., 1726; N.,.u.-pttna (St. Peter's), N'hptoD,17M.

The churchis praise I BOund all ways.-LMa.Linc., 1751; W"aor...,lt, Line., 1752; r..,.....Rutland, 1771.

6:1 Puriosities of the Bel1'1·y.

~ttoes on :l3eUs.No oft'enee to the ehurch.-Sleafortl, Line., 1796.

Give no oft'enee to the Church.-GItlnIV Hill,Line" 1804 j Peterboro', 1808.

liere let us pause and and now with one accordBalute th'll Church triumphant in the Lord.­

Kirton-in-Holland, Line., 1807 j HO!J,tnorp6, Line.,1808.

God save his [and the] Church.-{Oommon).

Prosperity to the Church of Engla.nd.-Laun­CHton, 1720.

Prosperity to the Church of England as in law6stablished.-Glentham, Line., 1687.

'This is none other than the House of God;~d this is the gate of Heaven.--"Bo,ton, Line.

'Twas not to prosper pride or hate,William Augustus Johnson gave' me j

But peace & joy to celebrate,And call to prayer to heav'n to save ye :Then keep the terms & e'er rememberMay 29th ye must-not ring : -Nor yet the 5th of each NovemberNor on the coming of a King.

Witllam-on-tne-Hill, Line., 1831.

Ouriosities of the Belfry. 63

If)ottoes on :l3eIIs.

Let us remember the 5 of November.-Owm6"Line., 1687.

Let peace and charity unite Ohrist's family:iriperfect harmony.-U,okington. Line., 1651.

Let Glentham ever be happy.-Gllfltkam,Line./1687.

Whilst [While1thus we join in eheerfulsollIidMay love and royalty abound. '.

-COVlfltr'!{, 1774; lU.ar"boro,,!,jh,1777; Northamp.,~, (St. Giles'), 1782.

---Peace and good neighbourhood.-HligMngton,

Line., 1713; Holdlnby. 1719; LaunClston, (St.Mary Magdalene) 1720; Gagton, N'hants, .1726;Northampton (St. Peter), 1734; Landulph,· O'wall;1768; Knar"boro' , 1777; Sl~aford,I7.96; NMlflby,1797; GUnton, ,N'hants, 1799; G,dnlll Hill, Line.,1804; Col,bg, Line.

---When Britons are with laurels-erownedWe'll· make the hills and vales resound.

-H~ifa:c·

Should Battle'rage and sanzuine foes'contendWe hail the victor when heYs Britain's friend.

-1l'irton-in-Holland, Line., 1/107. .

(J4 Curiosities of the Belfry.

if3Ottoes on :l3ells.

May Peace return to bless Britannia'a shoreAnd faction fall to raise her head no more.

-Kirton-.n-Holland; Line., 1807.

When victory crowns the public weal,With glee we give the merry peal !

~BQ"MO~II, 1798. (Mich. Wilkinson).

With joys ofIeace our infant voice proclaimWith Hollan France America and Spain. .

-NorllaM1lpton, (St. Giles).

Prosperity to this town.-Zaunceaton, (St. M. M.)1720. . -

_ Prosperity to this pariah.-NortlaM1lpton (St.Peter's).

I ring at six to let men know _-When too and from thair worke to goe.

-Owmtry, 1675.

- In Wedlock's bands all ye who join. With hands your hearts unite,

80 shall our tuneful tongues combine_ To laud the nuptial rite.

-Oovmtry, 1774; KnMI8~oroug", 1777; Nortllamp­ton, 1782; Tim~wland, Line., 1789; BwinNlIl4fl,Line., 1794; Boaton; Brant Brotlgkton, Line.

OuriOBities of the BelfrY.

~ottoes on :Eells.

When Female Virtue weds with manly worthWe catch the rapture and we spread it forth.­Kirton-i,,·Holland, Line., 1807 j Hog.tlwrpl, Line.,1808.

I Tole the Time that duHul is to suoh aa liv'd amiss,But sweet my BOund seem unto them who hope for

joyful bliss,-Notei"711am, (St. Mary'e.)

When men in Hymen'e bands unite,Our merry peals produee delight jBut when death goee his dreary rounds,We send forth Bad and solemn BOunds!

-Ba_,ll, 1798. (Mich. Wilkineon).

The praise of God I BingAnd triumph of the KingThe marriage joys I tellAnd BOun~ (~) the dead mane knell.

-fionttoft Curts., Line., 1761.

All Eye and] men that heare my mournfu1BOunclBepent before you lye in ground.-NorlA CoMM,Line., 1604 j Fotllwby, 1608 j Lo"rlfmt/wrtH, 1609 jFmton, 1627 j CkJypou, 1633; Cayt/wrIM, 1639;H.,.l4zeoft, 1639 i BOItoft, 1657; JUlpringhMII, andCwltoft, 1662 j Jlciworlla, 1760 j Hogtl/wrpl, 180S j

HtIliftu.

66 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

~ottoes on :l3dls.

My roaring sound doth~ fP.ve.That men cannot heare allwaies live.

-Fotl~(Jrbv, 1608; Whi881ntid~, 1609; FramptMf,Lino. i varied at Bartnn-on·lIumw, N. Ooates.

'1 sound to bid the sick repentIn hope of life when breath is spent.

-Bromham.

To Church the living I doe ca.llThe dead to grave I summon all.

-Norten, N'hants, 1640.---

I call the quick to church and dead to grave.­Calatoek, Cornwall, 1773 j St. G~rmam, Cornwall,1775.

1 to the church the living callAnd to the grave do summon all.

-Co"rt~mhall, Craml8g" N'hants, 1683 j Oolter·,toek, N'hants, 1708; Cramley, Houlton, N'hanta,1795; Suaford, 1796; Wallaston, N'hants, 1806;8~~; Washingborough.

---'When you hear.this mournful soundPrepare yourselves for underground.

-Helm, Pi8rr~pont, Notta. (?) 1608; Addington,166~i Hough-on·th~.Hill, Line., 1683.

OariOBitiee of the Belfry. •

AOtt0c8 on 3Iklls.

Wh,eu of departed hours we toll the knellInstruction take, and spend the future well!

-1JdftMl. 1798. (lfieh Wilkinson).

"When you dieAloud I cry.-O"..,. Line., 1687.

Remember death.-rIHtJ1I1pI, Line., 1701; Ca­"",Line.,l1o.1; W"li",h... 1713; .A.MI.t/wpf.Lino., 1770.

Prepare to die.-Croft, Line., 1116.

The righteous hath hope in his death.-r...,a-m.", l\""'hants, 1123.

---When you die aloud I eJ'Y'-O!nNJ" Line.

I me8.8me life: I bewail death.-W....."..,N'hant&

To speak a pariing soul is given to meBe trimm'd thy Lamp as is I toll'd for thee.

-'F..' .11",1, Line.

&«-ye of God yoU!'soul to 8ln'e

BeIoie we eall you to the grave.~Bra' llntIPt_, Line., 1792.

68 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

~ottoes on :lklls.Mayall whom I shall summon to the graveThe blessing of a well spent Life Receive.

-Kirton-in-Holland, Line., 1807.

Are you prepared for me to call you. Lang"­llg.Partnsy, Line., 1825.

---When backwards rung we tell of fireThink how the world shall thus expire.

---St. I ves.

Lord quench this furious flame:Arise, run, help, put out the same.

-Abbey Ohuroh of l:iherborne. Dorset, 1762.

When we doe ringI sweetly sing.

-Brington, N'hants, 1723.

Ring us trueAnd we'll praise you.

-ToUJcelter, N'hants, 1725.

We will sing with a chearful nies (noise).­Weltborough, Line., 1752.

---'Thro grandsires and triples with pleasure men

range,Till Death calls the bob andbrin~the last change ~-BaI(JUJell, 1798. (Mich. Wilkinson.)

UDtouch'd am siIent &trike me uu1 I 1riIl1IingneetIy.-Li11oIrrw. ~"""haIdB, 1762.

I mean to make it 1IJldentoodThat though Pm little yet rm good.

-N..u...JII- ,.All Saint·s~. 1;82.

I am the fiDt. and though but amUl,I 1riIl be Juude above TOO. aD.

-lJrwM/I.Jl. •

All tho my TOK"e be shrill .\ &mallI shaD. be heud aloud to caD.

-8. 1J'"illI_, LiDe.

Though I am but light and IIIIUIJ1,I 1riIl be heud above you aD.

-e-tr,,177-t.

I in this pI8ce am 8eCOIId beD,De ahmi,y doe my pate u ....n.-Bn".

8ach 1FOIUbou& pcnrer to llusial gi.­It elevates the lIOlI1 to heaven..

-c. ." 1774; ...\.,.,'...".,., 1782.

70 Curiosities of the Belfry.

~ottoes on :ileUs.When I begin our merry din,This band I lead from discord freeAnd for the fame of human nameMay every leader copy me !

-Bflw611, 1798. (Mich. Wilkinson.)

Would men like me, join and agree,They'd live in tuneful harmonyT

-BflW611, 1798. (Mich. Wilkinson.)

If you have a judicious earYou'll own my voice is sweet and clear.

- (JOf)mtry, 1774 j rJrantham, 177[) j Knar"Joro'.1777 j NM'thampton, 1782.

Our voices shall with joyful soundMake hill and valleys echo round.

-NM6nbll' Line., 1797; Timberland, Line., 1789.

Our voices shall with joyful sound,Make hills and valleys echo round .

......P6twboro' (St. John's), 1808.

Our voices.shallwith joyful soundMake hills and valleys to resound.

-Glinton, N'hants j. and Brant Broughton, Line.

The hills & vales & towns all roundShall echo with a pleasant sound.

-BMittgton, Line.,

Ouriosities of the Belfry. '71

.ottoes on :Sells.

In sweetest sounds let each its note revealMine shall be first to lead the Dulcet peal

-HOg8tJwrp" Line.; and Kirton·in-Holland, Line.

Possessed of deep sonorous tone,This Belfry King sits on his throne,And when the merry bells go round,Adds to and mellows every sound;So in a just and well-poised state,Where all degree possess due weight,One greater power of greater tone,Is ceded to improve their own.

-Bow,ll, 1798. (Mich. Wilkinson.)

Mankind alas like us are often foundA tinkling cymball but an empty sound!

-Kwton-in.llolland, Line.

Mankind, like us, too oft are foundPossessed of nought but empty sound!

-BtllcltD,ll, 1798. (!Wch. Wilkinson.)

Ring boyes and keep awakeFor Mr. William Henchman's sake.

-Tototl18t,r, N'hants, 1725.

Let Parker's liberal deed be known to ages yetunbom.-Halifaa:, Yorks. .

'12 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

aottoes on :lJells.At proper times our voices we will raiseIn sounding to our benefactor's praise.

- JrMlton, N'hants, 1777.

Long lile and prosperity to our worthy sub.ICribers.-Nortkmnpton (St. Giles'), 1783.

Be yt knowne to all that doth me seeThat Newcombe of Leicester made me.

-ltgdon, N'hants, 1603.---

If you would know when we was run,it was March the twenty-second 1701.

- ..4.lv601I1woh.

When four this steeple long did holdThey were the emblems of a scold. No music,.But we shall seeWhat Pleasant [the bell founder] muaio .ix

will be.-Towcester, N'hants, 1725.

According to our SoundLet Hedderley's fame serround.

-Louth, Line., 1726. .--.,;,--

Tho Hedderley made us allGood luck attend us all.

-'1Vut~orough, Line., 1752.

Oariositiee at \he Belfr;y. 7S

JIlottoes on :ileUs.

By friends to country church and KingI was recast again to sing.

-Welliltfqr~, Line., 1787.

Beeause Higbie made me bad;But Abel Rudhall you may seeHath made me better than Higbie.

-BtulgUHlrtll, Glos.

A wonder great my eye I fix;Where was but three you may see six.

-811tJfluhMrg.

Thomas Eyer and John Wmslade did contriTeTo cast from four bells this peal of five.

-BfIf'1k!l, Hants.

Thomas Kettle and William Jarvis did contriveTo make us six that was but five.

-Nortlljkld.

F. V. Goodall all we did contrive to cast f.hIoeein five.-Lmeat, C'wall, 1742.

Pull on brave boys, Pm metal to the backBut will be hanged before I crack.

-TtnI1cuter, N'hants, 1725.p

'1( Curiosities of the Belfry.

mottoes on :Bells.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.-Croft,Line., 1716.

Bee not wise in your owne conceits.-YardleyHa8ting8, N'hants, 1723.

---Obey them that have rule over you in the Lord.

-Yardley Ha8t£ngR, 1723.

Beware of false prophets who come to you insheeps clothing.-Yardley HaBt£ng8, 1723.

Loue hurteth not hys neighboure (Rom. xiii., 10).-Hann£ngton, N'hants.

---Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep

with them that weep.-Orlingbury, 1843.

Labour overcometh all things.-6'kntkam, Line.,1687.

Religion without hypocrisy.- WMlton, N'hants,1777.

Liberty without lieentiousness.-WMlton, 1777.

A trusty friend is harde to finde.-Pa886nkam,N'hants, 1585.

Ouriosities of the Belfry.: 76.

mottoes on :sells.

Pray attend to what I giveThat so you may for ever live.

-Easton Ne~ton. N'hants. 1771.

Ye ringers all who prize your health and hapinessBe sober merry wise and youll the same possess.-Uppingnam, Rutland, 1772 j Coventry, 1774 j

Knaresboro', 1777.

For every peal is rung by different scheme. 1766.Look too my Brethren whilst the peal I lead. 1760.We to the Trebles motion must take heed.In various courles we are taught to range.-Ma&nam, Yorks., 1760-6.

Cum cum and Pray.-Thorpe .Arnold, Leicester;1597.

When I do call,Come serve God all.

-Frome.

I ring to sermon with a lusty bomeThat all may come and none may stay at home.

-Hardingstone, 1669; Kingsthorpe, 1871j ChippingNorton j Blakesley, 1674, N'hants; Banbury.

76 Ouriosities of the Beliry.

~ottoes on :Eells.That all may come and non may stay at homeI ring to sermon with a lusty bome.

-IJlakuZ,y, N'hants, 1673.

When I call come to churoh.-Tkorp (St. Peter),;Line., 1691.

When I ring or toll my voiee is spentThat men may com and so repent.

-Grem'8 Nrwton, N'hants, 1727.

When I do ring or tole my voyee is spentThatmen may eometohereGod'swordandso repent.-IJrafilld, N'hants.

---Come to God's house to praise his holy nameThose that forsake it 'tis a sin and a shame.

-W"ainjll,t (St. Mary), Line., 1760.

My sounding is each one to call,To serve the Lord both great and small

-Gretton, N'hants, 1761.

When ye do hear my voice abroadCome ye to Ohuroh and serve the Lord.

-Col,by, Line., 1798.---

I will BOund and resound unto thy people 0 LordWith my sweet voice to call them to thy word,-;J..nca8ter, Line. j Nottingham (St. :Mary's).

Curiosities of the Belfry. 77

mottoes on :BelI~.

I sound not for the souls of the dead but forthe ears of the living.-Hambleton.

I summon all by lending sounde :To heare the word sinn so eonfounde.

-HelliJour.

Blessed is the people that knouw the joufulsound.-BoBton, Line.

Wee are ordain'd for the praise of the Lord.­Lilbourne, N'hants.

Let us lift up our voiee with joy.-(JeiJnev HiU,Line., 1804.

Let thine eyes be open and let thine ears beattentive unto the prayer that is made in thisplace.-BoBton, Line.

---Arise and go about your business.-St. Iee«;

-BELLS IN EARLY TIMES.

The use of bells dates from a remote period.In Holy Writ we learn that bells were enjoinedas ornaments of the robe of the ephod, in thesewords :-" upon the hem of it thou shall makepomegranates . . . round about the hem whereof jand bella of gold between them round about: agolden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell anda pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe roundabout," (Exodus xxviii., 33-4); and in similarlanguage in Exodus xxxix., 25.

In Psalm CL., 5, the use of cymbals, which wereto be employed in the manner of bells is thusreferred to: "Praise him upon the loud cymbals j

praise him upon the high sounding cymbals."Reference is likewise made in the Scriptures to

the wearing of bells, with inscriptions, uponhorses in Zechariah xiv., 20, ... "there shall beupon the bells of the horses, 'Holiness to theLord.'"

The feast of Osiris certainly was announced bythe ringing of bells in ancient Egypt.

Bells were employed in the religious rites ofthe priests of Cybele, in Athens. Thucydides,

Curiosities of the Belfry.

:ileUs in Earll! crimes.

Diodorus Sieulus, Suidas, Aristophanes, and otherclassic writers refer to the use of bells in thecamps and garrisons of Greere; whilst the use ofbells among the Romans to announce the hour ofbathing and of business is spoken of by PIautus,Statim, Ovid, Tibullus, and other Latin authol'8.

The bells of the ancients were all made for thehand, "or were of a size to be aflixed to othermusical instruments, like those which were oe­casionally appended to the drum."

It is uncertain who introduced church bells,but they were invented by the Italians, the largeones in campania (hence "campanile," the belltower), and the small tinkling ones of Saints inNola. Their introduction into Christian Churchesis ascribed to Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, aboutA.D. 400. The use of bells soon spread throughChristendom. They were introduced into Franceabout the year 550.

Bells were most probably introduced into Waleslong before the coming of Augustine in 596, for" it is said that, in 550," to quote Mr. LlewellynJewitt, F.S.A., ,. Odoceus, Bishop of Llandaff,removed the bells from that Cathedral during atime of excommunication; and earlier still theyare assumed to have been in use in Ireland asearly as the time of St. Patrick, who died in 493.In those days much superstitious feeling, 88 in

80 Curiosities of the Belfry.

:l3elIs in Earll! Ctmes

Jater ages, hung around the bells. and manysweetly pretty and very curious legends are knownrespecting them. Thus it is said St. Odoceus ofLIandaff, being thirsty after undergoing labour,and more accustomed to drink water than anythingelse, came to a fountain in the vale of LlandaJf,not far from the church, that he might drink,where he found women washing butter after the

.manner of the country, and sending to them hismessenger and disciples, they requested that theywould accomodate them with a vessel that theirpastor might drink therefrom; who ironically, asmischievous girls, said, 'We have no other cupbesides that which we hold in our hands,' namely,the butter; and the man of blessed memorytaking it, formed one in the shape of a small bell,and he raised his hand so that he might drinktherefrom, and he drank. And it remained inthat form-that is, a golden one-so that itappeared to those who beheld it to consist alto.gether of the purest gold; which by Divinepower, is from that day reverently preserved inthe church of Llandaff, in memory of the holyman, and it is said that, by touching it, health isgiven to the diseased."

In 600, Pope Sabinian, (Polydore Vergil tells us)appointed the canonical hours to be rung by thebells, but they were not employed for that purposein England until quite a century later.

Ouriosities of the Belfry. 81

:ileUs in Earlv ttimes.

Bede mentions that there were large bells inEngland as early as 670.

Benedict, Abbot of Wearmouth, brought a bellfrom Italy for his church about 680. In theninth century bells came into use in the east iand two centuries later in Germany and Switzer.land. These were hand bells. Esamples of these,are still in existence, in England, Scotland, Ireland,and ·Wales. They were made of thin plates ofhammered iron, wedge-shaped. Some of the Irishexamples are enclosed in costly and richly cases,elaborately decorated with designs in relief andenamel, and set with valuable stones. On thenext page we give an Illustration of the famousbell of St. Mura, respecting which we shall havemore to say at a later stage. It is engraved one.third smaller than its actual size. The materialof the bell is bronze, and its form quadrangular.It is believed. to be seventh century work. By theaccidental removal of one portion of the outercasing, a series of earlier enrichments were dis­covered beneath. The portion disclosed, consistsof a tracery of Runic Knots wrought in brass, andfirmly attached to the bell by a thin plate of gold.These exterior ornaments consist of a series ofdetached silver plates of various sizes, diverselyembossed. The centre is is adorned with a largecrystal, and smaller gems have at one time been

Curiosities of the Belfry. 88

:Bells tn Earl~ ttimes;

set in other vacant sockets around it, only one ofamber remaining. The two large spaces in frontof the arched top were also most probably filledwith precious stones, as the gold setting still re­inains entire. The best workmanship has beendevoted to these decorations. The hook forsuspending the bell is of brass, and has been cov­ered with early bronze ornament which has beenfilled in with iriello, the intervening space beingOccupied by silver plates ornamented like the restof the later decorations which cover its surface.Only the front of this venerable relic has beenenriched. The bell of St. Mura is in the Londes­borough collection.. Belfries did not come into use until the seventhcentury. when Alfred erected a tower for bells atAthelIi'ey. Bells were not always hung in onetower, or in a tower adjoining the church. Somewere fixed in a frame-work in the churchyard, asat St. Helene, a sixteenth century church in oneof the out-of-the-way corners of Brittany, anillustration of which we are enabled to give throughthe kindness of MeBSrB. Allen & Son, Nottingham.. The first tuneable peal was however not usedin England until 945. Turketnl, Abbot of Croy­land, in Lincolnshire, (who died in 975) had pre­seated his abbey with a great bell before thistime, which he called Guth1ac, to which Egelric,

Curiosities of the Belfry. 85

!Jells in Earl2 lrimes.

his successor added six others, which were namedPega, Bega, Bettelin, Bartholemew, Tatwin, and(after the Abbot,) Terketul. There was an especialgood reason for naming one after St. Bartholomew,for consecrated bells were 'believed to have had avirtue against thunder and lightning; and theidentical thumb with which that apostle used tocross himself when it thundered, was among therelics of the monastery, having been presented toTurketul by the Emperor. It is not improbablethat these bells were founded by the monks ofCroyland, for at this period and for several cen­turies later, bell-founding was a craft which wascarried on by monks.

Ingulph places it on record that Dunstan was askilful artificer, and presented bells to the westernchurches in the tenth century.

The bells of the Middle Ages were longer andnarrower than those of modern make.. The Rev. H. T. Ellacombe, M.A., a greatauthority on Church Bells, states that the oldestknown dated bell in England, is at St. Chad's,Claughton, and bears the date of 1296. Pre-Ref­ormation dated bells are of rare occurence.

We are told that the first Englishman whofollowed bell-founding as a trade was RogerRopeforde, of Paignton, in Devonshire, who in1282 was employed to make four bells for thenorth tower of Exeter Cathedral.

86 Curiosities of the Belfry.

:Eells in £arl12 ~imes.

When bell-founding became a regular trade,some founders were itinerant, passing from place toplace, whilst the greater portion had settled worksin large towns, among other places at London,Norwich, Bury St. Edmunds, Salisbury, Glou­cester, Colchester, Norwich, and Nottingham.

When roads were bad and locomotion difficult,bells were frequently cast within the precincts ofJ;eligious houses, and in churchyards, the clergyor monks standing round and reciting prayersand chanting psalms. Southey, in his Doctor,flays :-" The brethren stood round the furnace,ranged in processional order, sang the 150thPsalm, and then after certain prayers, blessed themolten metal, and called upon the Lord to infuseinto it His grace, and overshadow it with Hispower for the honour of the saint to whom thebell was to be dedicated, and whose name it wasto bear.

An instance of this occurred at St. Albans in theearly part of the fourteenth century when thegreat bell called "Amphibalus" being brokenwas recast in the hall of the sacristry.

During excavations in the churchyard of Scal­ford, Leicestershire, some years ago, indicationsof the former existence of a furnace for the castingof the church bells there were discovered, and amass of bell-metal was found, which had clearly

Curiosities of the Belfry. 87

~eIIs in Earll? ltimea.

been in a state of fusion on the spot ; and 8.

similar discovery was made about four years agoin thechurchyardofEmpingham, Rutland. "GreatTom," of Lincoln, was cast in the Minster yard in1610; and the great bell of Canterbury was castin the Cathedral yard in 1762. At Huddenham,in the Isle of Ely, bells were cast within the wallsof the church. Until quite recently bellfoundersoccasionally acted in the same manner.

An extraordinary feature in the career of bells,to use the words of Mr. W. Smith, F.S.A., S.,which has existed during the last ten centuries, istheir undergoing the whole exterior process ofbaptism before being used. This ceremony in­eluded naming, anointing, sprinkling, robing, andevery other initiatory accompaniment which marksthe admission of men and women into the GospelCovenant. The bells were invested with peculiarsanctity, the fused metal of which they werecomposed being duly consecrated by the priest, theceremony of baptism accorded to them, andsponsors of rank and opulence being found forthem. Of course, the Roman Catholics by whomthis ceremony is performed, say that the bells aeenot baptized for the remission of sins, but thatthey may receive power to act 11.8 preservativesagainst thunder and lighting, hail and wind andstorms of every kind, and that they may drive

88 Curiosities of the Belfry.

:SellS in ~arl12 trimes.

away evil spirits. This superstitious observancein not countenanced by the Protestant community,but a homelier rite is observed in England.Church bells are seldom hung without some sortof celebration, which in country places is generallymore jovial than religious in its character, but inthe minsters and cathedrals of our country theceremony is more serious. In November of 1879,twelve costly bells were placed in the tower ofSt. Paul's Cathedral, London, and were dedicatedto their sacred service with prayer and thanks,giving. A sermon was preached on the occasion,in which the preacher said that "every kind ofmusical instrument was made to bear its part withman, and all things that had breath, in the wor­ship of tne Creator. The service of the bellswould be to invite the faithful to come up and joinin the Divine worship of the Giver of all things."There were few sounds more hopeful than thoseof bells saying in musical accents, "Come andlisten, pause and pray." After the sermon,bishops, deans, archdeacons, and canons mountedto the ringing chamber where the dedicationceremony took place. The choir sang the psalms,the Bishop of London offered several specialprayers, a hymn was sung and the religious portionof the ceremony closed with the bestowal of theblessing. Whether this blessing of the bells may

Curiosities of the Belfry.

:Eells in ~atll2 ttimes.

89

not almost come under the head of superstition,we can scarcely say, but the explanation given, is,that the prayers only asked that the bells in theiruse, be blessed to the spiritual well-being ofGod's servants.

After the elaborate ceremonial of the middleages attendant upon the casting of bells had beendispensed with, the founder .and his men didnot always neglect to ask God's blessin~ upontheir work at the critical moment of runmng themetal into the mould, for Thomas Hedderley, thefamous Nottingham founder, joined his men inprayer previous to any important casting.

BEllEDDYSTONE

ATL1GHTHOUSf.

G

THE USES OF BELLS.--tot--

It is impossible within the narrow limits of thislittle book to dwell upon the various uses forwhich bells are, and have in times past been, em­ployed, both of a religious and secular nature, 80

we must content ourself with simply mentioningsome of their uses, which are culled fromMr. North's works, and other sources:-

Curiosities of the Belfry. 91

mte 1Ilses of :Eells.

"Early Sunday Peals," "The Sermon Bell,".. Sunday Midday Peals," "Leaving-off Bell,":"Pudding Bell," "Knolling of the Aves," "Sacra­ment Bell," "Passing Bell," The Death Knell,""Soul Bell," "Burial Peals," "Chime me toChurch," "Peals after Funeral," "Dumb Peals,""Invitation Bell," "Obit or Year-minded,""CommemorativePeals," "SanctusBell," "Priest'sBell or Ting Tang," "Tantony Bell," "AnthemBell," "SacringBell," "Agnus Bell," "HousellingBell," Corse or Lyche-bell," "The Curfew,""Early Morning Bell," "Gabriel Bells," "TheShrive or Pancake Bell," "Advent Bell," "Christ­mas Peals," "Lenten Ringing," "Saints' DaysEchoes," "All Hallow's Ringing," "DedicationPeals," "Baptism Peals," "Banns Peals,"" Wedding Peals," " Wedding Bell," "Bride'sPeal," "May-day Peals," "Dole Meadow Bell,""Apprentice Bell," "Fair and Market Peals,""Mayors and Election Peals," "Birthday Peals,""Call Bells," "The Oven-bell," "Storm andTempest Peals," "Harvest Bell," "GleaningBell,".. The Gatherums," "Execution Bell," "RacingPeals," "Fire Bell," "Gunpowder Plot,""Market Bell," "Butter Bell," "Mote or CommonBell," "Vestry Bell," "Dykes and Drains JuryBell," "Bull-running Bell," "Loyal Peals," &c.

92 Curiosities of the Belfry.

irbe 'mses of :t3dls.

In writing of the religious and civil uses ofchurch bells, the Rev. H. R. Haweis tells us thatthe ..A.va Maria bell tolled at 6 and 12 to remindmen of prayer to the Virgin; the Veaper bell forevening prayer; the Compline was for the lastservice of the day. The Sanctua, (often a handbelf)rung at the sacrifice of the Mass; the Pa88ing bell,at death. The Curfew, (couvre feu,) introducedby the Conqueror into England, rang at eighto'clock to extinguish all lights. In many parts ofthe country and in university towns at 8 and 6o'clock bells are still rung. Bells early summonedsoldiers to arms, as well as Christians to church.They sounded the alarm in fire or tumult; andthe rights of the burghers wore zealously gaurded.Many a bloody chapter in history has been rungin and out by bells. At the news of Nelson'striumph and death at Trafalgar, the bells atChester rang a merry peal alternated with onedeep toll, and similar striking incidents could beindefinitely multiplied. Bells were formerlysupposed to have the power of driving away evilspirits, dispersing storms, &c.

-RINGING-tot-

" Ringing is an art, II to quote Sir John Hawkins,"which seems to be peculiar to England, whichfor this reason is termed •the ringing island.'The ringing of bells is a curious exertion of theinvention and memory, and though a recreationchiefly of the lower sort of people, is worthy ofnotice. The lolling a bell is nothing more thanthe producing a sound by a stroke of the clapperagainst the side of the bell, the bell itself beingin a pendant position and at rest.

In ringing, the bell, by means of a wheel and arope, is elevated to a perpendicular. In its motionto this situation the clapper strikes forcibly on oneside, and on its return downwards, on the otherside of the bell, producing at each stroke a sound.

The music of bells is altogether melody, bntthe pleasure arising from it consists in the varietyof interchanges and the various succession andgeneral predominance of the consonance in thesounds produced. II

The changes on seven bells are 5,040; on twelve479, 001,600, which would take 91 years to ringat the rate of two strokes in a second. The

M Curiosities of the Bel.fry.

~inging.

changes on fourteen bells could not be rungthrough at the same rate in less than 16,575years j and upon four-and-twenty, they wouldrequire more than 117,000 billions of years.

Change Ringing was not invented until late inthe sixteenth or early in the seventeenth century.

The first recorded society of ringers, "TheCompany of the Schollers of Chepeside, II wasenrolled in 1603.

The longest peal ever rung by one set of menwas a true peal of Kent Treble Bob Major, con­sisting of 15,840 changes, which was rung in 9­hours and 12 minutes at St. Matthew's Church,Bethnall Green, April 27th, 1868. It was com­posed by Mr. T. Day, of Birmingham, andconducted by Mr. H. Haley.

THE CARILLON.

-tot---

To the Rev. H. R. Haweis, M.A., and Messrs.W. H. Allen, &; 00., we are indebted for permissionto reproduce in these pages the following passagesrelating to Oarillons from their interesting work onXUJIi. 11M j(oro18:-Oarillon is derived from theItalian word quadriglio or quadrille. A drearykind of dance music, of which many specimensstill survive, seems under this name to have comefrom Italy, and been widely popular throughoutEurope in the sixteenth century. People hummedthe quadriglio in the streets, -and as town bells,whether in the cathedral or in the town belfry,were regarded as popular institutions, it is not tobe wondered at that the quadriglio was the firstkind of musical tune ever arranged for a peal ofbells, and that these peals of time-playing bellsbecame widely famous under the name of Oarillons.

The rise of bell-music in Belgium was suddenand rapid. In the sixteenth century the use of

96 Curiosities of the Belfry.

trbe cantton,

several bells in connection with town clocks wascommon enough. Even little tunes were playedat the quarters and half hours. The addition ofa second octave was clearly only a matter of time.In the seventeenth century carillons were found inall the principal towns of Belgium, and betweenthe seventeenth and eighteenth centuries all thefinest carillons now in use, including those ofMalines, Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, and Louvain,were set up. There seems to have been no limitto the number of bells, except the space andstrength of the belfry. Antwerp Cathedral hailsixty-five bells; St. Rombaud, Mechlin, forty-fourbells; Bruges, forty bells and one bourdon, or.heavy bass bell; Ghent, thirty-nine; Tournay,forty; Ste. Gertrude, at Louvain, forty.

The great passion and genius for bells whichcalled these noble carillons into existence can nolonger be said to be at its height. All bell­machinery can be infinitely better made now thanever; but notwithstanding the love of the Belgiansfor their chimes and earillions, and the manymodern improvements that have been recentlymade, we caunot help feeling that the great benperiod ended in 1785 with the death of the great­est organist and carillonneur Belgium has everproduced, Matthias van den Gheyn.

Curiosities of the Belfry. 97

ltbe aaffllon.

No one who has not taken the trouble to ex­.amine the machinery used for ringing these-enormous suites of bells, many of which weighmngly several tons, can well appreciate all that isimplied in the words, "Carillons aux clavecins et.aux tambours," or, in plain English, musicalchimes played by a barrel, and played from a;key-board.

Up in every well-stored belfry in Belgiumthere is a small room devoted to a large revofvingbarrel, exactly similar in principle to that of amusical box; it is fitted all over with little spikes,each of which in its turn lifts a tongue, the ex­tremity of which pulls a wire, which raises ahammer, which, lastly, falls upon a bell and strikesthe required note of a tune. We have only toimagine a barrel-organ of the period, in which therevolving barrel, instead of opening a successionof tubes, pulls a succession of wires communicatingwith bell-hammers, and we have roughly the con­ception of the tambour-carillon.

But in that windy quarter there is another farmore important chamber, the room of the clavecin,-or key-board. We found even in Belgium thatthese rooms, once the constant resort of choicemusical spirits, and a great centre of interest tothe whole town, were now but seldom visited.Imagine, instead of spikes on a revolving barrel

'8 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

~~ «Armon.

being set to lift wire-pulling tongues, the hand ofman performing this operation by simply strikingthe wire-pulling key, or tongue, and we have therough conception of the carilZon-clavlDin, or bellsplayed from a key board. The usual apparatus,of the CIIrilz-n-clfWlDin in Belgium, we are boundto say, is extremely rough. It presents the sim­ple spectacle of a number of jutting handles, ofabout the size and look of small rolling-pins, eachof which communicates most obviously and directlywith a wire which pulls the bell-smiting hammeroverhead. The performer has this rough key­board arranged before him in semitones, and canplay upon it just as a piano or organ is playedupon, only that instead of striking the keys, or pegs,with his finger, he has to administer a sharp blowto each with his gloved fist.

How with such a machine intricate pieces' ofmusic, and even organ voluntaries, were played,as we know they were, is a mystery to us. Thebest living carillonneurs sometimes attempt arough outline of some Italian overture, or a tunewith variations, which is, after all, played moreaccurately by the barrel; but the great master­pieces of Matthias van den Gheyn, which havelately been unearthed from their long repose, aredeclared to be quite beyond the skill of any playernow playing." .

Curiosities of the Belfry. 99

ltbe aartllon.

The new Oarillon machinery of Me8Sl'8. Gillettand Bland, Croydon, which is now employed almostrneraJly in connection with clocks and Oarillons,IS nndoubtedly superior to anything that is to bemet with on the continent. The hammer, by itsaid, falls on the outside of the bell, and is raisedmechanically instead of by the action of the fistor finger on the key as formerly: all that thestroke on the key does is to let it slide off like ahair-trigger, and drop on the bell The touch ofthe modem Oarillon clavecin bids fair to rival thatof the Organ. At present the chief Oarillons inthis conntry are in the town halls at Manchester,Bradford, Brighton, Paisley, and Rochdale; atLlandaff and Worcester Oathedrals; Christ ChurchOathedral, Dublin; Sligo Oathedral; BostonChurch, Lincolnshire; at Shoreditch, Holbeach,Peterborough, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Hampstead,Grantham, Northampton, Plymouth, and Haxey.One has been in contemplation for St. Paul's forseveral years past. ,The Oarillons fixed by theabove named firm are also fitted with a keyboard,somewhat similar to that of a piano, by which anysuitable selection of music can be played by hand.

At Bradford Town Hall there is a peal ofthirteen bells, which is believed to be one of thebest, if not the best, in England. The weight ofthe largest bell is 10,080 Ibs, This peal is arranged

100 Curiosities of the Belfry.

to strike the four-quarters or Cambridge chimes,and, in addition, twenty-eight tunes are played"upon the four barrels. They can at times beheard between four and five miles distance. TheCarillon and clock were made at a cost of £147315s. 9d. by Messrs. Gillett and Bland, and thebells by the well-known Loughborough founders,Me88r8. Taylor and Sons.

At Manchester, thirty-five tunes are played onthe twenty-one bells (the Iargest bell weighs 129cwts. ). A fresh tune is pI.o.yed every day in themonth,-the change taking place at midnight by aself-acting apparatus. Each tune is played threetimes over every three hours, at three, six, nine,and twelve o'clock.

The following ia a list of tunes played:­Easter Hymn.-Grantnam, RocJul.ak, Bradford,

P~tlmouth, Hanclluter.Ye Banks and Broo8.-Grantnam, Bradford, SligO;

Pai,uy, HancllUter.Sicilian Mariners.-Gralltham, BOlton. ""orthampton,

Peterbor«, Ply_O'Uth, Pai,ley, MancM,tw.Home, Sweet Home.-aranlnam, Bo,ton, Peterboro'

Bradfora, Sligo, Pailley, HancM8ter, RocMak,Plymouth.

Hanover. (Ps. civ.)-Grantham, Pet",.borr,', Roollclall,Pai,ley . Hal1CM8ter.

Vesper Hymn.-Bo,ton.

Ourioeities of the Belfry. 101

ltbe ¢Armon.

o Thou that Tellest. (Handel)-Bo.ton.Cujus Animam. (Ro88inL)-Bo.tO:'l .The Heavens are telling. (Haydn. )-Bo.tqn, 8ligo,

Hanenater.Emperor's Hymn.-Bo.ton, llocJuJale, Bradford.Caller Herrin. (Gow.)-Bo.ton, Rockdale, ]Jradfora,

Hanchuter.Jerusalem the Golden.-Plymouth.Angelic Messenger.-8Iigo.Glorie au plus.-Sligo.Alleluia.-8ligo.Alma Redemptoris.-8ligo.Litany. (Nugent Skelley.)-8ligo.o Filla et Fillis.-Sligo.Laudate.-Sligo.Race Dies.-Sligo.Te Deum.-Sligo.Regina Coeli.-8Jigo.o Maria Immaculate.-8/igo.Attolite.-Sltgo.Landa Sion.-Sltgo.Sweet Sacrament.-Sltgo.o Sa1utanis Hostia.-Sltgo.

.Adoremus.-Sltgo.Tantum Erga.-Sltgo.Hail, thou living breacl.-8ltgo.Laudate Dominum.-8/igo.

102 Ouriositi08 of the Belfry.

trbe cantton,

Changes.-Erin, the tear and the smile.-Sltgv.Old folks at home.-Sltgv.Old Ireland, you're my darling.-Sltgv.The wearing 0' the Green.-Sltgv.La Parisienne. (God preserve thy Hope.)-Slrgv.Paddy Whack.-S/(go.I saw from the beach.-Sltgv.Home again I steer my bark.-S/(go.Chime again, beautiful bells.-Sltgo.Minstrel Boy.-Sligo, P(ymoulh,Paisley,ManiM'tw,

Peterboro' .St. Patrick's Day.-Sltgo.Believe me, if all those endearing young charms.-

Sltgo.Let Erin remember the days of old.-Sltgo.Planxty Connor.-Sltgo.Count not the hours.-Sltgv.Old Head of Dennis.-8Itgv.Harmonious Blacksmith.-Bo,ton, MancM,tw.Most beautiful appear. (Haydn.)-BOIton.He watching over Israel. (Mendelsshon.)-B08tDtt.If with all your hearts. (Mendelsshon. )-Bo.ton.Auld Lang Syne.-Bo,ton, Rochdale, Bradford,

Sltgv, P(ymouth, Paisley, ManoM,tw.LastRose ofSummer.-Bu,ton, Petwboro', Bradford,

Sltgo, Plymouth, Paisley, HancM,e"r.With verdure clad. (Haydn.)-Boaton.

Ourioeltlee of the Be11'l'y. 103

ttbe cantten,

Haydn's Hymn.-Bo8ton.Angelus. (from Faust.)-Bo8tMl.Highland Laddie.-Northa",ptMt.Portuguese Hymn.-BII8tMt.Hope told a flattering tale.-Bo.tMt.Rule Britannia.-llo8ton, Rochdale, ZJradfo'd;

Paisley, Jlant'M.fer.Brides of Enderbv.-Boaton.Blue Bells of &otland.-Bo8f01l, Bradford, Sligo,

Plymouth, Paisl~y, MnnrM8tw.Sweet Jenny Jones.-Bo8fon, ManrM,ter.Irish Melody.-Bo,fon.Love's Young Dream.-Bo,t(fn.Huntsman's Chorus.-Bo8fon.They marched through the town with their

banners so gay.-Daz'1/.Keble's Evening Hymn.-Hazey.Ladies of London.-Holheach.Riggadoon.-Holheach.Oswald's All.-BollJllIch.Lovely Nancy.-Ho[hlllch.Lady Chatham's Jigg.-HolhelUh.Seely's Garott. (?)-Holheach. . .Three Gentlemen's Healths.-Holheaeh.Minuet. (Norris.)-Holheach.Psalm cxiii.-Holheach.Step in.-Northa",pfon.Life let us cherish.-NortlutmptOfl, PdPhoro',

Haze:', Bradford.

104 Curiosities of the Belfry.

trbe Carmon.

Happy clown.-Northampton.We love the place, 0 God.-:"Peterhoro', Plymouth.Those Evening Bells.-Peterboro', Sligo.Rousseau's Dream.-Peterhoro', Bradford, Paisley,. Manchester..Blest are the pure in heart.-Peterboro', Plymouth.Rockingham.-Peterboro'.. .Soldier's Tear.-Peterboro'.Old folks at home.-Peterboro'.'Men of Harlech '-:'Bradfird, Paislif, Manche8ter.My lodging's on the cold ground.-Bradfird,

Paislif·Oh, rest - in the Lord.-Bradfird, MancheBier,

. Peterboro',Swiss Boy.-Bradfird, Rochdale.Mendelssohn's Wedding March.-Bradfird.St. Patrick's Day.-Rochdale.Partant pour Ie syrie.-Rochdale.Yankee Doodle.-Rochdale.German Watchman's Song.-Rochdale.Godbless thePrince of WiJles.-Rochdale, Bradford,

Paisley.Russian National.Hyinn.-Rochdale, Bradford...Psalm c.-Bradfird, Manclu8ter.Hail Columbia.-BraiijOrd, PaisleY.God save the Queen.-Bradfird, Sligo, MtIncheatw.See the conquering hero comes.-Bradfird, Man-. cheBter, BOBton. .

Curiosities of the Belfry. 105

1tbe aarfUon.

The Harp that once through Tara's Halls.-Bradford, Sligo, PlymoullJ.. Boston, Manclu,t"..

MarBeillaise Hymn.-Bradford, Paisley.National Hymn of Denmark.-Bradford.Ring the bell, Watchman.-Bradford.Adeste Fideles.-Brad/ord,Sligo,Paisley, Hanclult"..We love the place, 0 God.-Plymoulh.'The Churches' one foundation.-Plymoulh.Annie Laurie.-Plymoulh, Manchutit'.Abide with me.-P(ymoulh.Tallis' Evening Hymn.-MancM&Ur.Rose of Allandale.-HllncAutw.Drink to me only.-H'lnCM8ter..Ola. the banks of Allan Water.-HancM,tIt'.Oft in the 8tilly night.-MatJcluster.Ooming through the night.-MancM8ter.Farewell Manchester.-HancAut"..Bonnie Dundee.-MancMlter.Here's a health.-MancM4ter.~o all you ladies.-MancM8Ur.

II

BIG BELLS.-tot-

The Russians have surpassed all other nationsin the magnitude of their scale of bell founding.At Moscow (" Tzar Kolokol") is one founded in1733 or 1736, which is said to have weighed noless than 440,000 Ibs, In height it was 19ft. 3 in.The circumferance was 20 yards and 9 in.; andits diameter 22 ft. 8 in. It was twenty-threeinches in thickness. 'During a fire in 1737 a.piece weighing 11 tons was broken out. The bellremained sunk in the earth until 1837, when itwas raised, and now forms the dome of a chapelmade by excavating the space below it. On theopposite page we give an illustratio;n of this, thelargest bell in the world. Many large bells are­known to exist in China, the most notable beingat Pekin and Nanking, the weights being 53! tons,and 22i tons respectively. On the Europeancontinent there are several, one at Novogorodweighing 31 tons; at Oologne, 25 tons; Olmutz,nearly 18 tons; Vienna, 17 tons, 14 cwt.; Notre­Dame in Paris, 17 ton's; Erfurt, 131 tons. InEngland our greatest bell is' Great Paul whichweighs nearly 16i tons. The Big Ben of West­minster ca.stJin 1856 weighed over 16i tons, whilstthe 1857 bell weighed over 13l tons. The Yorkbell weighs IOi tons. The other English bells.weighing above 5 tons are in St. Paul's, at Oxfordand at London. The bell at the R. O. Oathedralat Montreal weighs 131 tons.

-WEIGHTS AND SIZES OF BELLS.

-:1:0:1:-The following may be useful to some of our

antiquarian readers:-

Diameter Average Diameter; A~ed.f.of Bells. Weight. of Bclls. Weigh.

, ft. in. ewts. qrs, lbs, it. in. ewts. qrs. Ills.

1 4 1 0 0 3 9 17 2 01 8 2 0 0 3 1,0 18 2 02 0 3 0 0 311 20 0 02 2 4 0 0 4 0 21 0 02 4 5 0 0 4 1 22 0 02 6 6 0 0 4 2 23 2 02 8 7 1 0 4 3 25 0 02 10 8 1 0 4 4 27 0 0211 9 0 0 4 5 28 0 03 1 10 2 0 4 6 30 0 03 2 11 0 0 4 7 31 0 03 4 12 2 0 4 8 32 0 03 5 13 2 0 4 9 34 0 0:3 6 14 2 0 4 10 36 0 03 7 15 2 0 4 11 39 0 0:3 8 16 2 0 5 0 42 0 0

BELFRY LEGENDS, TRADITIONS,

AND ANECDOTES.--tot--

The old clerk at Messingham, in Lincolnshire,relates the following anecdote, which is given byMr. North :-A traveller passing through Messing­ham on a Sunday, a long, long time ago, noticedthree men sitting on a stile in the churchyard andsaying "Come to Church, Thompson! Come toChurch, Brown!" and so on. Surprised at this,the traveller asked what it meant, and was toldthat having no bells this was how they calledfolks to church. The traveller remarking that itwas a pity so fine a church should have no bells,asked the men if they could make three for thechurch, promising to pay for them himself. Thisthey undertook to do. They were a tinker, acarpenter, and a shoemaker, respectively. Whennext visitor came round he found the three menringing three bells, which said, "Ting, Tong,Pluff," being made respectively of tin, wood, andleather.

110 Curiosities of the Belfry.

:lJe[~ 1egenlls, ttrallftfons, anll Bnecllotes.

In connection with the old tower of Witham-on­the-Hill, in Lincolnshire, a story is told to the effectthat one Christmas Eve, the ringers, for the pur­pose of partaking of refreshments, left the bellsstanding and adjourned to a tavern that then stoodopposite. One of their number, a little morethirsty than the rest, insisted that before goingback to ring they should have another pitcher ofale; and this being at length agreed to by hiscompanions, the party remained to duly drain thelast draught. This extra mug of beer saved theirlives, for while they were drinking the steeple fell.Whether this is merely a tapster's tale, or thesober statement of a remarkable incident, we arenot in a position to affirm.

There is a tradition that John Barton, the donorof the third bell at Brigstock, Northants, was oneof several plaintiffs against Sir John Zouch torecover their rights of common upon certain landsin the neighbouring parish of Benefield, and thatSir John threatening to ruin him if he persistedin claiming his right, John Barton replied that hewould leave a cow which being pulled by the tailwould low three times a day, and would be heardall over the common when he (Sir John) and hisheirs would have nothing to do there. Hence the

Curiosities of the Belfry. 111

.:Iklfr)] kgent)s, ttrat)ttfons, ant) Bnect)otes.gift of the bell which was formerly nmg at 4 and11 a.m. -and at 11 p.m. It was afterwards nmg.at 8 o'clock in the evening instead of at 11 p.m.,but now is only nmg once a day, namely, at 11o'clock a.m, He is also said to have left meansfor paying for this daily ringing. Bridges, whogives some account of disputes arising about therights of common in Benefield parish, says thatthis John Barton married a rich tanner's widowout of Lancashire.

On the eve of the feast of Corpus Christi, to thepresent time we believe, the choristers of DurhamCathedral ascend the tower, and, clad in theirfluttering robes of white, sing the Te IJeum. Thisceremony is performed to commemorate the mirac­ulous extinguishing of a conflagration on thatnight in the year 1.429. The legend goes thatwhilst the monks were engaged in prayer at mid­night the belfry was struck by the electric currentand set on fire. Though the flames continued torage until the middle of the next day, the towerescaped serious damage and the bells were un­injured: an escape which was imputed to thespecial interference of the incorruptable St. Cuth­bert, who was enshrined in that Cathedral. These.are not the bells which now reverberate among.the house-tops on the steep banks of the Wear,they having been cast by Thomas Bartlet duringthe summer of 1681.

112 Curiosities of the Belfry.

:!klfn! kgen~s, ttfa~tttons, an~ 7inec~otes.

The following affecting tradition connected withthe fine peal of bells in Limerick Cathedral is told:They were originally brought from Italy, having.been manufactured by a young native, who devotedhimself enthusiastically to the work, and who,after the toil of many years, succeeded in finishing­a splendid peal, which answered all the criticalrequirements of his own musical ear. Upon thesebells the artist greatly prided himself, and theywere at length bought by the prior of a neigh­bouring convent at a very liberal price. Withthe proceeds of that sale the young Italian fur­chased a little villa, where, in the stillness 0 theevening, he could enjoy the sound of his ownmelodious bells from the convent cliff. Here he­grew old in the bosom of his family, and of do­mestic happiness. At length, in one of those feudscommon to the period, the Italian became asufferer amongst many others. He lost his all;and, after the passing of the storm, he found him­self preserved alone amid the wreck of fortune,friends, family, and home. The bells too, hisfavourite bells, were carried off from the convent,and finally removed to Ireland. For a time theirartificer became a wanderer over Europe; and at­last, in the hope of soothing his troubled spirit,he formed the resolution of seeking the land 1;()

which those treasures of his memory had been

Curiosities of the Belfry. 118-

:lklfrl! kgenDS, ~raDittons, anD BnecDotes.

conveyed. He sailed for Ireland; and proceedingup the Shannon on a beautiful evening, whichreminded him of his native Italy, his own bellsfrom the towers of Limerick Cathedral suddenlystruck upon his ear. Home and all its loving ties,happiness, early recollections, all-all were in thesound, and went to his heart. His face was turnedtowards the Cathedral in the attitude of intentlylistening; but when the vessel landed he was­found to be a corpse!

---Under the heading of "Bells in Early Times,tt

(p. 81,) we gave a description, with an engraving,of the bell of St. M\U'a. "It was formerly re­garded with superstitious reverence in Ireland,and any liquid drunk from it," Mr. E. F. King,M.A., tells us, "was believed to have peculiarproperties in alleviating human suffering; hence,the peasant women of the district in which it waslong preserved, particularly used it in cases ofchild-birth, and a serious disturbence was excited'In a former attempt to sell it by its owner. ItsLegendary history relates that it descended fromthe sky ringing loudly; but as it approached theconcourse of people who had assembled at themiraculous warning, the tongue detached itselfand returned towards the skies; hence it was con­cluded that the bell was never to be profaned by

114 . Curiosities of the Belfry.

Jk[fn? kgenl)s, trral)itions, anl) Bnecl)otes•

.sounding on earth, but was to be kept for purposesmore holy and beneficent. This is said to havehappened on the spot where once stood the famousabbey of Fahan, near Innishowen, in CountyDonegal, founded in the seventh century by St,Mura, or Muranus.

The story of St. Odoceus of Llandaff, and thegolden bell has been told elsewhere in this littlevolume, (p. 80).

It is stated in a curious and rare little pamphleton Catholic Mi.rucl.es, published in 1825, that aband of sacrilegious robbers having broken into amonastery, proceeded out of bravado to ring apeal of bells, when, through prayers offered up bythe "holy fathers," a miracle was wrought, andthe robbers were unable to leave their hold on theropes. This state of affairs was depicted by theinimitable Cruikshank. By the courtesy ofMr. Salkeld, we are able to reproduce on thefollowing page the illustration in question.

Mr. Robert Hunt, F.R.S., tells us that" In dayslong ago, the inhabitants of the parish of Forra.­bury-which does not cover a square mile, butwhich now includes the chief part of the town ofBoscastle and its harbour-resolved to have a peal

116 Curiosities of the Belfry

Jk[ft1? 1egenlls, ttralltttons, anll Bnecllotes.

of bells which should rival those of the neighbour­ing church of Tintagal, which are said to have­rung merrily at the marriage, and tolled solemnlyat the death, of Arthur.

The bells were cast; the bells were blessed; andthe bells were shipped for Forrabury. Fewvoyages were more favourable; and theship glided,with a fair wind, along the northern shores ofCornwall, waiting for the tide to carry her safelyinto the harbour of Bottreaux.

The vesper bells rang out at Tintagel; and thepilot, when he heard the blessed BOund, devoutlycrossed himself, and bending his knee, thankedGod for the safe and quick voyage which theyhad made.

The captain laughed at the superstition of thepilot, as he called it, and swore that they had onlyto thank themselves for the speedy voyage, and

-that, with his arm at the helm, and his judgmentto guide them, they would soon have a happylanding. The pilot cheeked this profane speech;but the wicked captain-and he swore more im­piously than ever that all was due to himself andhis men-laughed to scorn the pilot's prayer.'May God forgive you!' was the pilet's reply.

Those who are familiar with the northern shoresof Cornwall will know that sometimes a huge­wave, generated by some mysterious power in the.

Curiosities of the Belfry. 117

3k1ftl! 1egenl)s, lrral)tttons, anl) Bnecl)otes.

wide Atlantic, will roll on, overpowering every­thing by its weight and force.

While yet the captain's oaths were heard, andwhile the inhabitants on the shore were lookingout from the cliffs, expecting, within an hour, tosee the vessel, charged with their bells, safe intheir harbour, one of those vast swellings of theocean was seen. Onward came the grand billowin all the terror of its might. The ship rose notupon the waters as it came onward. She wasoverwhelmed, and sank in an instant close to theland.

As the vessel sank, the bells where heard tollingwith a muffled sound, as if ringing the death­knell of the ship and sailors, of whom the goodpilot alone escaped with life.

When storms are coming, and only then, thebells of Forrabury, with their dull, muffled sound,.are heard from beneath the heaving sea, a warningto the wicked; and the tower has remained to this-day silent."

-_ In his Norfolk Garland, Mr. Glyde states that inthe village of Tunstall, distant a few miles fromYarmouth, there is a clump of alder trees famil­iarly known as "Hell Carr." Not far from thesetrees there is a pool of water having a boggybottom that goes by the name of "Hell Hole."

118 Oarioeitiee of the Belfry.

:lJc1fr!~, 1t~, anz,!l~••

A rnu:t:eMUm of bubbles arH fref!uently seen float.ing on the fmrfaN~ of the wail:!" in summer time, af..'irt:u1J1lJtaw:(~ to 1'0 aeeounted for Ver)' naturally,Imt th(~ natives lA tho district maintain that thesebubbles are the result of supematural action, theeause (A whi(;h ill thus described :-The tower ofthe church ill in ruins, and tradition flaYs that itWall destroyed l,y fire l,ut that the bells were notinjurod by the calamity. The parson and thechurchwarden eaeh elaimed the }Jells, and whiletw~y wore quarrelling' for their JlOIlHC88ion, hisSatanic Majf:Sty came and carried oft the disputedarticIf",. The parson, however, not desiring toIose the booty, pursued anrI overtook his Majesty,who, in order to evade his clerical opponent, divedthrough the earth to hill appointed dwelling-place,taking the bolls with MIn. Tradition points to.. Iroll nolo" all the "rot where he made his exit,aad the villagers consider that the bubbles on thewrfaoo of the pool aro eansed by tho continuousdoIlcout of tho bells in water to the bottomless pit.

Near Raleigh there is a valley said to haveboon caused by an earthquake several hundredyears ago, which swallowed up a wholevillage, togother with the church. Formerly itWall the custom of the people to assemble in thisvalley overy Christmas Day morning to listen to

Curiosities of the Belfry. 119

:lklftV 1egen~ ~ra~fttons. an~ Bnec~tes.

the ringing of the bells of the church.beneath them.This, it was positively asserted, might be heardby placing the ear to the ground and listeningattentively. AB late as 1827 it was usual on thismorning for old men and women to tell theirchildren and young friends to go to the valley,stoop down, andhear the bells ring merrily. Thevillagers really heard the ringing of the bells of aneighbouring church, the sound of which wascommunicated by the surface of the ground, thecause being misconstrued by the ignorance andcredulity of the listeners.

---We are told by the Rev. Patrick Stuart,

minister of Killin parish, Perthshire, in Sir JohnSinclair's Stati&tital .A.CC01",t of Scotland, that atthe time of writing, in 1778, there was a bellbelonging to the Chapel of St. Fillan, that was inhigh reputation among the votaries of that saintin olden times. The bell seemed to be of somemixed metal. It was about a foot high and of anoblong form. It usually laid on a gravestone inthe churchyard.. Mad people were brought to itto effect a cure. They were first dipped into the"Saint's Pool," when certain ceremonies wereperformed, which partook of the character ofDruidism. and Popery. The bell was placed. inthe Chapel, where it remained, bound with ropes,

120 Curiosities of the Belfry•

.:lkl~ 1egenl)s. ~ra~tttons, an~ Bned)oks.

all night. Next day it was placed upon the heads-of the lunatics with great solemnity, but withwhat results" deponent sayeth not."

It was the popular opinion that if stolen, thisbell would extricate itself from the hands of thethief and return home, ringing all the way!

For some years and at the time of writing, thebell was locked up, to prevent its being used forsuperstitious purposes.

(BELL MARK.)

-DEATH IN THE BELFRY.

-tot-In the chancel at Springthorpe are suspended a

maiden's funeral wreath and gloves cut out ofwhite paper, such as are yet not uncommonly dis­played in some parts of England, but very rarelyin Lincolnshire. It is reported that the girl thuscommemorated here was killed through the unwarymanner in which she pulled one of the bell ropes,when she was dashed against the belfry floor­above.

In the year 1810 the son of Mr. Woolfitt, afarmer then residing at Harmston, was ringingthe Sermon bell at this church: he suddenlydesisted ringing, observing that the bell WIl.8 so­heavy he was quite fatigued. He died a fewminutes afterwards in the churchyard.

I

BELL-RINGERS' EPITAPHS--tot--

The following epitaph has no habitation, andno date. It may have come from Suffolk :-

"In ringing ever from my youthI always took delight.

My bell is rung and I am gone,My soul has took its flight,

To join a choir of heavenly singingWhich far excels the harmony of ringing."

On the gravestone of a bellringer, of Leeds, inKent, is this epitaph :-" In memory of JamesBarham, of this parish, who departed this life,.Tan. 14, 1818, aged 93; and who, from the year1774 to the year 1804, rung in Kent and elsewhere112 peals, not less than 5040 changes in each peal,

Ouriosities of the Belfry. 121

.]Jell 'Ringers' JSpttapbs•

.and called bobs, &c., for most of the peals; andApril 7th and 8th, 1761, assisted in ringing 40,320bob majors on Leeds bells in twenty-seven hours."

A small headstone in the churchyard atScothorne, in Lincolnshire, has the following-epitaph, which is now almost illegible:-

" Alasloor JohnIs dea and goneWho often toll'd the BellAnd with a spadeDug many a graveAnd said Amen as well."

1739."Poor John" was John Blackburn, who had

eerved the office of parish clerk for a period ofnearly fifty years. He died January 9th, 1739-40.

In the chancel of 'Vainfieet St. Mary, is umemorial stone to a ringer, on which are theselines:- ."Under this stone there is a vault andtherein lyes the Remains of Adlard ThorpeGent, a.Sinner and a Ringer, who departedthislife onthe 24th of J-anuary 1770 aged 58 years."

'IU Curiosities of the Belfry.

:l3ell Wngers' .£pttapbs.

The following is copied from a brass tablet onthe front of the chancel-step in the country parishchurch of Pett, near Hastings, Sussex:­

"1EnIBUS HIS :MORlENS CA:MPANAM SPO~""E DEDIST

LAVDES PVISA...~rn SVNT THEOBALDE Tvrn.

'BEERE LIES GEORGE THEOBALD A LOVER OF BELLS

A1rn OF THIS HOWSE AS THAT EPITAPH TELLS

lIE GAVE A BELL FREELY TO GRACE THE NEW STEPLE

RING OUT HIS PRAYER THERORE' YE GOOD PEOPL.

Obijt 00 mo. die martijAnno Dni 1641."

--BELFRY BEQUESTS.

--tot--There is a tradition current in the neighbour­

hood of Corringham, in Ldneolnsnire, that manyyears ago a gentleman being lost on the then un­-enclosed moor, sometimes called OorringhamScroggs, and again finding his whereabouts bythe sound of the church bells then ringing in theevening, he left ten shillings yearly to the ringerato pay them for ringing during the winter months,and so to save others from being lost. In support~f the truth of this tradition it may be mentioned'that the bells were formerly rung from the 5thNovember until the 14th February, for whichringing the churchwardens allowed three pounds~f candles and ten shillings to pay for four lots of .beer at the public-house, on 5th November,'Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and 29th May.Nothing is now known about the traditionalbequest.

The proceeds of a cottage and a few acres ofland have long been given for the ringing of the1st bell at seven o'clock in the evening from

126 Curiosities of the :Belfry.

Michaelmas to Lady-Day. The endowment is­said to have been provided by a person, whobeing lost on Lincoln Heath, was guided to his­home by the sound of one of the Pottenhanworthbells then being rung.

From time immemorial a small piece of landhas been in the hands of the parish authorities ofWest Rasen, in Lincolnshire, called "Ding-Dong­Piece," and at the enclosure an acre and a halfwas conveyed to the Rector and Churchwardens,in accordance with the original grant, on con­dition that one of the church bells should be rung­every night during the winter months. The nameof the donor is unknown.

We learn from tradition that an agedwoman, who­had lost her way in the Fens, recovered it byhearing the sound of the Timberland bells; andthat as a thank-offering she left some land, the­proceeds of ~hich were to be devoted to buying­and keeping the bell-ropes in repair. This landnow realizes £45 a year, and out of it all the-

-church expenses are paid.

Ouriosities of the Belfry, 127

:1Selftl! :t3equests.

Tradition says that II. lady being benighted, andfinding her way home by the BOund of the bells ofLangham. Church, Rutland, left an endowmentfor the future ringing of a bell,' but none such isnow known.

"Bell ringing Close," at South Luffenham, inthe same county, was bought with a sum of moneyleft by a lady who losing her way" at the bottomof the Common near to Foster's Bridge," wasenabled to find her home by the sound of a bell ateight o'clock.probably the ancient Curfew.

~

There is a tradition that an old man lost hisway on a winter's night between Aston-Ie-Wallsand Chipping Warden, in Northamptonshire, butwas enabled to reach his home' at the latter placeby the sound of the Curfew, then ringing there.To express his gratitude he left several acres ofland to the parish officers, in trust to pay theyearly rent partly to the sexton for continuingto ring the Curfew, and partly to the poor of theparish. The Curfew is still rung at eight o'clock.

Tradition states that a Croughton (Northants)man returning home from the fair lost his wayand wandered about all night. To prevent therecurrence of such a catastrophe the bells havesince been rung, about a month before Christmas.

128 Curiosities of the Belfry.

There is a tradition at Northampton that &

'Woman having lost her way on a dark night, WIUl

enabled to find it again by the sound of the nine-o'clock Curfew, and that she left a sum of moneyto perpetuate its ringing.

A local tradition tells us that the cost of erectingWhistonChurch, in Northants, 110drained AnthonyCateaby of all his available money that he hadnone to pay for the bella. He therefore IIOld &

flock of sheep, and when he first heard the BOundof the ring coming moer thjJ valley of the Nene toEcton, where he dwelt, he said to his wife, "Hark!Do you hear my lambs bleating?" He died in1553. If the tradition be true-and there is noreason to doubt it with regard to the great bell andthe Sanctus bell-the good'Squire of Whiston hadbeen anticipated in his J'felUlant humour byZitholf of St. Albans. He IS said to have IIOld hisflocks to supply the monlUltery with & belfry, and,when he afterwards heard the bella chiming outfrom the tower, used to exclaim, "Hark! howsweetly my goats and my sheep are bleating."

We are indebted to the works on Church Bellsby :Mr. T. North, F.S.A., for the above items.

Ouriosities of the :Belfry. 129

3klftl! :l6equests.

An old ringer of Milford, Southampton, leftthree quarters of an acre of land, to be applied inthe purchase of bell-ropes for the use of the'Church.

John Carey, one time mayor at Woodstock,bequeathed ten shillings a year for the ringing ofthe eight o'clock bell at night, for the guide and-direction of travellers.

It is stated in the register of Harlington church,lfiddlesex, under date of 1683, that half an acre~f land was given by some person, whose namewas forgotten. Ithas always been understood thatthis piece of land was given for the benefit of thebellringers of the parish, to provide them with aleg of pork, for ringing on the fifth of November.It is called the Pork Acre.

The following singular bequest, made byThomas Nash, of Bath, to the ringers of theAbbey there, is contained in a codicil to his will,proved in Doctors' Commons:-" I do herebygive and bequeath to the Mayor, the seniorAlderman, and Town Clerk of Bath, for the timebeing, the sum of £50 per annum, in trust, pay­-able out of the Bank Long Annuities, standing inmy name at the Bank of England, for the use,benefit, and enjoyment of the set of Ringers

180 Ouriosities of the Bo1fry.

belonging to the Abbey Church, Bath, on con­dition of their ringing, on the whole peal of bells,with clappers muffled, various Bolemn tlnd do~ftU

clUlngtJB (allowing proper intervals for rest and re­freshment,) from eight o'clock in the morninguntil eight o'clock in the evening, on the 14thday of May, in every year, being the anniversarywedding day; and also the anniversary of mydecease, to ring a grand bob major and merrymirthful fJtJtllB unmtiffttJd, during the same space oftime, and allowing the same intervals as abovementioned, in joyful commemoration of my happyrelease from domestic tyranny and wretchedness,and for the full, strict, and due performance ofsuch conditions, they the said Ringers, are toreceive the sum of £50 per annum, in two pay­ments of £25 each, on those respective days ofmy marriage and decease. And now that dear·divine man (to use Mrs. Nash's own words) theRev. --, of --, may resume his amatorylabours, without enveloping himself in a sedanchair for fear of detection. I further will anddirect that the aforesaid Ringers do enter uponoffice (for the first time only) the very next dayfollowing after my interment, and to receive £25,one half-year's dividend, for so doing. Writtenwith my hand, the 14th day of May, 1813.Thomas Nash."

OunOBities of the Belfry. lSI

JJelftV :lkquest6.

Mr. Tuke, of Wath, near Rotherham, in 1810,bequeathed half-a-guinea to the Ringers to ringone peal of grand bobs, which was to strike offwhile they were putting him into the grave.

FEMALE BELLRINGERS.-:1:0:1:-

In the early part of this century the widow ofthe sexton, at Spalding, continuing his duties,used to ring the six o'clock morning bell. Shewas also a washerwoman. Being engaged. in thelatter occupation at a clergyman's house withother women, she left the tub to ring the bell.One of her companions putting a white sheetaround her, followed her, and in the dark stoodon the bench in the south porch, and on the oldwoman coming out of the church, and while shewas locking the door, set up a dreadful moan,thinking to frighten the old lady, but she quicklydrew the huge key from the lock, and rushed atthe figure with the exclamation, "Be ye live ordead here's a go at yer," and nearly slew thewould-be-ghost.

The bell at St. Mark's Lincoln, formerly hungat the church of St. Benedict in the same city, towhich church it is traditionally believed to havebeen given by the Barber-Surgeons. "When atSt. Benedict's it used to be known by the name of

Curiosities of the Belfry. 183

,emale :lJellrtngers.

" Old Kate," and was rung at 6 a.m. and at 7 p.m,all the year round. Old men say that (giving overwork at seven in the evening) they used to listenfor the welcome tones of "Old Kate." It wasrung for m!1ny years by John Middlebrook, theparish clerk, who lived in a little lean-to tenementattached to the north side of the tower. On hisdeath in December, 1804, his wife succeeded himas parish clerk (her name was Mary Middlebrook;she was buried, as the Parish Register shows, onthe 7th November, 1822, being aged 72 years);and the story goes that the old lady consulted herconvenience and her duty at once by bringing thebell-rope through the belfry door to her bedside,and pulled "Old Kate" whilst she lay in bed.Afterwards old men, then boys, used to sleep inthe widow's tenement, (she being past her work,)and they did the same, pulling the bell betweenthem, "kneeling on the bed," and then lyingdown to sleep again. For this the Corporationpaid 6s. 8d. a year down to 1837.

-WHAT BELLS SAY.

--tot--The bells of North Thoresby and of Grainsby

(two adjacent villages, with three bells each) are-suppoaed to ask each other: ""Who ring best?"Who ring best? " To which Hawerby bells reply,·'We do, we do?"

There is a saying that the Burton bells used to-eaJJ. across the Trent to Luddington, inLincolnshire,

""Who rings best? "Who rings best?"to which Luddington replied,

"We two, we two!"

The next rhymes are from NorthantB:­Pancakes and fritters,Say the bells of St. Peter's."Where must we fry 'em?Say the bells of Cold Higham.In yonder land thurrow (furrow),Say the bells of Wellingborough.

Ouriosities of tre Belfry. 180

1!Ulbat Eells Sail.

You owe me a shilling,Say the bells of Great Billing.When will you pay me?Say the bells of Middleton Cheney.When I am able,Say the bells of Dunstable,That will never be,S ay thebells of Coventry.Oh yes it will,Says Northampton Great Bell.White bread and sop,Say the bells at Kingsthorpe.Trundle a lantern,Say the bells at Northampton.Roast beef and marsh mallows,Say the bells of All Hallows.Pancakes and fritters,Say the bells of St. Peter's.Roast beef and boiled,Say the bells of St. Giles.Poker and tongs,Say the bells of St. John's (Hospital).Shovell, tongs, and ~kers,

Say the bells of St. LSe]pulchre.-NGrllttImpttm.

136 Ouriosities of the Belfry.

1Illlbat :l3ells Sa12.

Marton's cracked puncheons,And Torksey egg-shells,

Saxilby ding-dongs,And Stow-Mary bells.

- L£ncolnshire.

Colston's cracked pancheons,Screveton's egg shells,Bingham's two rollers,Whatton's merry hells.

-Notts.

-PEOPLE" AND "STEEPLE" RHYMES.

--tot--

Dromor,:-High church, low steeple,Dirty town, and proud people.

Loekwbi,:-Lockerbie's a dirty place,

A kirk without a steeple j

A midden-hole in ilka door,But a canty set 0' people.

Carlow and Tullow:-Low town and high steeple,Proud folk, beggarly people,Carlow spurs and Tullow garters.

Nwry:-High church and low steeple,Dirty streets, and proud people.

K

138 Curiosities of the Be1fr,y•

•. J)eople" an~ ..Steeple" 'Rbl!mes.

WAit1wrn:-Whithorn is a filthy place,

Like a church without a steeple;A wee dunghill at every door,

And full of Irish people.

Banff:- (old version.)Bad it is a boroughs toon,A Kirk without a steeple,A midden 0' dirt at ilky door,A very unceevil people.

lJanff:- (modern version.)Bad it is a borough toon,A Kirk without a steeple,A bonnie lass at ilky door,And fine ceevil people.

BOfCf7tIJ8-on- Windermere :-New church and old steeple,Poor town and proud people.

helton, LanCQ811ire:-Proud Preston, poor people,High church and low steeple.

Ouriosities of the Belfry. 139

.. ~,opl'" an~ .. Steeple" 'Rb12mes."

Dtmkild:-Was there e' er sic a parish, a parish. a parish,

Was there e'er sic a parish as little Dunkell?Where they sticket the minister, hanged the

precentor,Dang down the steeple, and drunk: the bell.

Kit~kell, StratMarn:Was there e'er sic a parish, a parish, a parish,. Was there e'er sic a parish as that 0' Kinkell?They've hangit the minister, drownedtheprecentor,

Dang down the steeple, and drucken the bell.

Mat"k8t We(qhton:-Market Weighton,Robert Leighton,A brick churchAnd wooden steeple,A drunken priestAnd a wicked people.

Hatton, Lincolmhire:-The poor Hatton peopleSold the bells to build up the Steeple.

HO Curiosities of the Belfry.

4'~tople" ane II Steeple" 'Rb2mes.

Owtr,by (,nd Kelxt!l, L,JU:oln,kire:-.Owersby's parish,'Wicked people,Sold their bells to KelseyTo build a steeple.

].,7t !oington. London:-Pious parson, pious people,Sold the bells to build a steeple.A very fine trick of the Newington people,To sell the bells to build a steeple.Surely the devil will have the Newington people,The rector and church without any steeple.-1793.

Scartllo, Lincolmkire:­Poor Scartho peopleSold their bell to repair the steeple.

HolbellCk, Lincoln/lkire:-God save our church, the bells in this steeple,Likewise all the subscribing good people.

(Bell Motto.)

Le/l,b!l, LincolnBkire:-A thack church and a wooden steeple,A drunken parson and wicked people.

Curiositie8 of the Belfry. 141

II J)eople" an~ II Steeple" 'Rbllmes.

NtJM' eMlMe:-Low church, high steeple,Drunken priest, and wicked people.

Boston, LincolnoM,e:­Boston l Boston!What hast thou to boast on ?High steeple, proud people,And shoals that souls are lost on.

Lutldin.qton, Lincoln~hire :­Luddington poor people,Built a brick church to a stone steeple.

LudrJin,qton (another versionj r-«Luddington poor peopleWith a stone church and a wooden steeple.

Gain.borllugh, LinrolfIJ,hire:­Gainsborough proud people,Built a new church to an old steeple.

Bowden. NortJumtl/.Little Bowden, poor people,Leather bells, wooden steeple,

149 Curiosities of the Belfry.

••people" anl) .. Steeple" 'Rbl2mes.

Rockingham, Tlutlandslli7"fJ:­Rockingham, poor people,Nasty town, castle down,One bell, wooden steeple.

Ugly, Essex.Ugly church, ugly steeple,Ugly parson, ugly people,

Raskelfe or Raseall, Yorks.A wooden church, a wooden steeple,Rascally church, rascally people.

St. George's Church, Hart Street, London:­When Henry the Eight left the Pope in the lurch,Parliament made him the head of the church;And when George the First reigned over the people,The architect made him the head of the steeple.

G08lJerton, Surjleet, Pincltbeck, and Spalding:­Gosberton church is very high.Surfleet church all awry,Pinchbeck church is in a hole,And Spalding church is big with foal.

-BRAVE SIR JOHN:

A BELFRY SONG.--tot--

On the back of leaf 91, in the Harleian MS.•1221, in a hand of about A.D. 1625, are the follow­ing five verses. "Brave Sir John," is written ina later hand on the side, and is the burden of thesong.

" Set wide the belliry doore,bring oyle and tallow store,set ale and wine on score,weele neere be Bad no more,

[brave Sr John.]

Wellcome to the belfry,thou man of dignity!though I a eobler be,lle pull a rope wth thee,

[Brave Sr John.]

Let preachers talke of popes,and Schollers of their Tropes,weele sticke unto our ropes,for thereby hang our ho:ees,

[Brave Sr John.J

144 \Juriosities of the Belfry.

:tirave Sir Sobn: a :l3elft~ Song, (Continued.)

His father setles land,take forfeitures from band,whilest he on tiptoe stond,galding his noble land,

[Brave Sr John.]

lett him in brasse be cast,and in the bellfry plaeest,that men may speak at last,of thinges wh have bynne past,

[Brave Sr John.]

RINGERS' JUGS.--:l:ot--

There is a curious jug, or pitcher, belonging tothe ringers of Hadleigh. This" pitcher," as it iscalled, has two ears, and is circular in shape,swelling out in the middle, and being more con­tracted at the end. The material of which it ismade is brown earthenware, glazed, and thefollowing are the dimentions, in inches :-Height,15!; Diameter at the base, 71; Diameter of themouth, inside, 4; Diameter of the mouth, outside,5; Circumference of the base, 284; Circumferenceof the middle at the largest part, 41!; Circum­ference of the neck, including the spout, 4; Depthof the neck, 21; Width across the handles, 14t.

The jug holds sixteen quarts, and bears thisinscription, very rudely indented, apparently witha chisel, when the clay was soft, and runningronnd the vessel without any regard to uniformityof size in the letters, or to straightness of line.The first word, ME. or perhaps MEl, is in italicsthe rest of the letters are in Roman capitals.

14.6 Curiosities of the Belfry.

'Ringers' 3-ugs.

" ME THOMAS WINDLE, ISAAC BYNN,IOHN MANN, ADAM SAGE, GEORG BOND,THOMAS.GOIJDSBOROVGH, ROBART SMITH,HENRY WEST."

These were no doubt, the names of the eightringers, as Hadleigh belfrey has eight hells, andbelow the names are these lines--

" If yov love me dve not lend me,Evse me often and keep me clenly,Fvll me £Vll, or not at all,If it bl) strovng, and not with small."

Below all, in front, is the word "Hadly;"underneath one handle is the date 17, T. G. 15,and underneath the other, 17, R. O. 15. TheIetters T. G. and R. 0 being, probably, the initialsof the potters.

The jug is in the possession of Mr. Pettitt, ofthe "Eight Bells" inn, Angel street, who holds itfor the ringers, of whom he is the leader. He hashad it about twenty-seven years, having claimed iton the death of John Corder, the parish clerk, whohad formerly the custody of it, and he believesthat it has always belonged to the Hadleighringers. Mr. Pettitt says that it is still occasion­ally used by the ringers on the occurence of anyprofitable wedding, and it has been introducedinto the belfry. It is said to be filled every Christ­mas by mine host of the" Eight Bells," when the

Curiosities of the Belfry. 147

'Ringers' 3-ugs.

ringers assemble for a "frolic," with strong beer,which in Angel street goes by the name of "OldKing William;" and any stranger going into theroom is compelled to pay sixpence to arrest thenatural effects of their potations, by keeping it"full," according to its own request.

At Hinderclay a ringers' pitcher is still pre­served in the church tower, of form and size sim­ilar to the Hadleigh jug. It is thus inscribed-

"By Samuel Moss, this pitcher was given to thenoble society of ringers at Hinderclay, in Suffolk,viz., Tho. Sturgeon, Ed. Loch, John Haw, RicRuddock, and Rill Chapman, to which society heonce belonged, and left in the year 1702.

From London I was sent,As plainly doth appear;It was with this intent,To be filled with strong beer.

Pray remember the pitcher when empty."At Clare there is also a "jug" of a similiar

kind, which belongs to the ringers of that place.It will hold more than seventeen quarts.

The above is from Mr. Glyde's New Suffolk OM­lana, 1866.

PROVERBS.-tot-

" Nine tailors make a man."It has been suggested that this is a corruption

of a saying arising from the thrice three tolls or" tellers" for a man at the close of the passingbell, "Nine tellers mark a man."

Singers and RingersAxe little home bringers. (Old Proverb.)

-RINGERS' PORTRAITS.

--tot--In the belfry at }A·tull, in Northants, there is a

picture painted in culuurs on the plaster represent­ing six ringers all in a row, and each with hisbell raised. They wore attired-in the dress of acentury and a quartPI' ago-in knee-breeches,stockings, and buckled shoes, with the shirts wellopened at the neck. The central figure is dis­tinguished by a frilled shirt, white stockings, anda bunch of keys hanging fr om his" fob." On abench to the left of the ringers stand a huge jugof beer, a mug, and five clay pipes, with, whatappears to be, a tobacco pouch, The remainderof their clothes appear upon th e floor.

BELFRY RHYMES.--tot--

The following rhymes were formerly suspendedin the belfry at Gulval, Cornwall. Weare indebtedto Mr. E. H. W. Dunkin for them ;-

"Good Sirs! our meaning is not small,That God to Praise assembles call ;And warn the sluggard, when at homeThat he may with devotion comeUnto the Church andjoyn in prayer;Of Absolution take his share.Who hears the bells, appears betime,And in his seat against we chime.Therefore I'd have you not to vapour,Nor blame ye lads that use the Clapper,By which are scar'd the fiends of hell,And all by virtue of a "'Bell."

-The belief that evil spirits, storms. and tempests are frigMened away at the sound of a bell in medireval days.

INDEX OF PLACES.-tot-

Ackworth, Yorks.. 66, 65.Addington, Line., 66.

.Addlethorpe, Linc., 67.Alvooburch, 72.Aneaster, Linc., 76.Antwerp, 96.Arlingworth, N'hants, 69.Aston, N'bants, 127.Athelney, 83, .Athpns, 78.Badgworth, Glos., 73.Bakewell, Derbysh., 64, 65,

67, 68, 70, 71.Banbury, 75.Banff,138.Bangor- Iscoed, 18, 19.Barton - on - Humber, Line.,

67,66.Basingstoke, 10.Bath, 129, 130.Batley, Yorks., 68.Bedale, Yorks" 66.Belgium, 98.Benefield, N'hants, 110, Ill.Bennington, Line., 67, 66.

Beverley, Yorks., 42.Billing, N'hants, 135•Bingham, Notts., 136.Blakesley. N'hants, 75, 76.Bolingbroke, Line.. 67.Boston, Line., 67, 68, 62, 61,

66, 77, 99, 101. 102, 103,104, 105, 141.

Bottesford, Line., 61.Bottreaux, 116.Bewden, Ch., 10.Bowden :Magna, Leie., 39.Bowden, N'hants, HI.Bowness, 138.Bradford, 99, 100, 101, 102,

103, 104, 105.Brafield, N'hants, 76.Brant Broughton, Line., 64,

67,70.Brighton, 99.Brigstock, N'hants, 110.Brington, N'hants, 35, 68.Brittany, 83.Broadehalk, 69.Broinbam, 66..

152 Index of Places.

Brotherton, Yorks., 56.Bruges, 96.Burgh, Line., 56, 67.Burgh-on-Bain, Line., 67.Burnley, Lanc., 41.Burtley, Hants, 73.Burton, 1:34.Burton Joyce, Notta., 56.Bur)', Sus., 60.Bury St. Edmunds, 86.Butterwick, Line., 18.Calstocs, C'wall, 22, 66.Campania, 79.Canada, 106.Oandlesby, Line., 67.Canterbury, 87.Cardington, Salop, 26.Carlow, 137.Caythorpe, 65.Chapel-en-le-Frith, 11.Chester, 13, 92.China. 106.Chipping Norton, N'hanta, 75.Chipping Warden, 127.Church Stretton, Salop, 26.Claughton, 86.Claypole, 65.Olee, Line., 37.Cleethorpe, Liue., 67.Cliplton. N'hants, 56.Coates, North, Line., 57, 66,

66.,Colchester, Essex, 86.Cold Higham, 134.Coleby, Line.; 68, 63, 76.Cologne, 106.

Colston, Notta.• 136.Corringham, Liue., 67.Ootterstock, ~'hants. 66.Courbeenhall, N' hants, 66.Coventry, 60, 63. 64, 69, 70,

76, 135.Cransley. 66.Croft, Line•• 67. 74.Croughton, North, 127.Croydon, 99.Croyland, Linc., 83, 83.Culmingt m, Salop. 13.Doddington, Line., 68.Dromore, 137.Dublin, 99.Dummer, 10.Dunster, Som., 30.Dundee. 44.Duukeld. 139.Duustable, 136.D .rham, 111.

Easton Neston, N'hanta, 76.Ecton, N'hanta, 128, 149.Egypt, 78.Elverlol't, N'hauts, 61.Ely, Isle of, 87.Empingham, Rut., 87.Erfurt, 106.Exeter, 85.Eydon, N'hanls, 72.

Fahan, Ireland, 114.Fenton, Line., 65.Finedon, 68.Fleet, Line., 66.Forrabory, 114, 116,117.

Index of Places. 163

FOIton. Line., 67.Fotherby. N'hantB, 67, 66, 66.Fowey, O'wall, 16.Frampton, Line, 66.France, 83, 106.Frome, 76.Gainsbro', Line., 141.Gayton, Line .• 61.Gayton, ~'hants, 66, 61, 63.Gedney, Line., 60,62,63, 77.Germany, 81.Ghent, 96.Glentham. Line., 62, 63. 74.Glentworth, Line., 68.Glinton, N'hants, 68, 63, 70.Gloueester, 86.Gosberton. 142.Goxhill, Line., 69.Grainsby, 134.Grantham, Line., 28, 70, 99,

100.Greece, 78, 79.Green's Norton, N'hants, 76.Gretton, N'hantB, 76.Gulral, 160.

Hadleigh, 146.nalifax, Yorks., 67,60, 63,

66,71.Hambleton, 77.Hampstead,99.Hannington, N'hanta, 74.Hardingstone, N'bantB, 74.Harlaxton, 65.Harleston, N'hants, 43.Harlington. Middlesex, 129.Harmston, 121.

Hastinl!'8, 27, 124.Hathersaee, Derbysh. 11, 12.Hatton, Linc., l39.Hawerby, 134.Huey, Line., 39, 99, 103.Haxlaxton, Line., 67.Heckington, Line., 67. 63.Heighington, Linc., 63.Helpringham, 65.Hemswortb, York.. , 66.Hinderclay, 147.Hogsthorpe. 61. 62. 65, 71.HIJlbeaeh, 99. 103, 140.Holdenby, N'bants, 63.Holme Pierrepont, Notta., 66.HolyweH, Line., 69.Homes, 19.Hough-on-tbe-Hill, Line., 66.Hougham, 69.Huddenham, Ely, 87.Hull, Yorks,24.Hunmanby, York•. , 56.Hydour, Line .• 56, 77.Ireland, 79, 81, 99, 112, 113,

114.Italy, 79, 81, 112.Keal, West, Line., 67.Kelsey,' Line., 140.Ketton, Rut., 67.Killin. Perth. 119.Kingsthorpe, N'hants, 76,135.KinkelL isa.KDkealdy, 99.Kirton-in-Holland, Line., 61,

62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 71.Kislingbury N'hantB, 67.

L

JM Index of Places.

KnareAborough, Yorks., 60,63, 6i, 70, 76.

Lancashire, 110.Landulph, C'wou. 15, 16, 63.Laneast, C'woll, 73.Langham, Rut., 61, 127.Langton - by -Partney, Line.,

68.Lanlivery. C'wall , 16.Laanceston, 62. 63, 64.Leake, Line., 61.Leeds, Kent, 122.Le~by, Line., 140.Leigh, Staf., 26.Lilbonrne, N'hants, 69,77.Limerick, 112.Lincoln. 63, 69, 87, 132.LlalldQ{f, 79. 81), 99, 114.LJanf)lIio, Montg ., 17, 19.Lockerbie , !37.London, 48, 86, 88, 94, 99,

106, 140, 142.Londontborpe, 65.Long Bennington, Line., 67.Lcnghbcro', 100.Louth, Linc., 72.Louvain, '96.Luddington, 134, 141.Lldfenliam, 127.MRCc1estleld, 47.KaIines, 96.llaneherier,99,100, 101, 102,

103, 104. 105.Varket Weighton. 139.Marston-<ln-Dove, 57, 61.Marton, Line., 136.

Masham, Yorks.Meehlin, 90.Messingbam, Line ., 67.Middleton, Cheney, N 'hants,

135.Milford, 129.Montreal , 106.Moscow, 106.Nanking, 106.Nantwieb, Cbes., 19.Novenby. Line., 68, 63, 70.Newark, Notts., 38. .Newington, 140.Newry, 137.Nola, Italy, 79.Norbury, Devon, 66.Norfolk,117.North Coates, Line ., 67,Northampton, 40, 69, 60, 61,

63. 64, 69, 70, 72, 99, 103,104, 128, 134.

Northtleld,73.Norton, N'hants, 61, 66.Norwich. R6.Nottingham, 61, 66, 76, 86,

89.Novogorad, 106.Oakley, Great, N'hants, 61.Olmutz, 106.Orlingbury, N'hants, 69, 74.Orston, Notta ., 69.Osboumby, Line., 63, 67.Owersby, Line., 140.Owmaby, Linc., 63, 67.Owston, 66.Oxford, 106.

Index of Places. 116

Paignton. Devon, 85..Paisley. 99, 102, 105.Paris, 106. .Passenham, N'hantB, 74.Paston, Som., 56.Pekin,106.Perth,99.Peterborough, 68, 62, 70, 99,

102. 103, 104.Pett, SllB6eX, 124.Piddington, N' hants, 61.Pinchbeck, 142.Pitminster, Som., 40.Plymouth, 15, 16, 99, 1M,Pottersbulj, N'hants, 67.Preston, Lane., 138.Raleigh, 118.Rasen, West, Line., 126.BaskelCe, Line., 142.Redboume, 31.Rochdale, 99, 100, 101, 102,

103, 104.Rockingham,N'hants, 60,142.Botherham, 131.Rnssia, 106.Rye, 27.Ryhall, Rut., 23.St. Albans, 86.St. Germane,C'waU, 66.ss,Helene. Brittany, 83.St. Ives, 68, 77.St. Keyne, C'wall, 34.Salisbury, 86.8uilby, 66, 136ScalfoTd, Leie., 86.Scartho, ilie., 140

Scothome, Line., 123•Scotland, 81. (seealso Dundee,

Paisley, Kirkealdy, Perlb,Killin.

Seotter, Line., 9.Sereveton, Notta., 136.Shaftesbury, 46, 73.Sherborne, Dorset, 68.Shoreditoh. 99.Sleaford, Line., 68, 62, 63,

66.Sligo. 99, 101-6.Southampton, 129.Southill. Beds.. 16, 21, 22.Spalding, 132. 142.Spennithome, Yorks., 66.Spratton, 69.Springthorpe, Line., 121.StamCord, Linc., 13.Stanford-upon·Soar, ~O.Stow, Line., 32, 136.Sudbury, Devon, 60.Suffolk, 121.SurB.eet, 142.Swineshead, Line., n.Switzerland, 81.

Thoresby, 134.. Thomby, N'hants, 68, 61.

Thornton Curtis, Line., 66.Thorpe Amold, Leie., 76.Thorpe St. Peter, Liue., 78­Thurgarton, Notte., 67.Timberland, Line., 64, 70,126.Tintegel, 116.Tong, Salop, 14, 19.Torkll8y, Line., 136.

166 Index of Places.

Tounmy, 96.Towceater, N'hante, 68, 71,

72,73.Tullo .. , 137.Tunetall, Non., 117.Ufforo; 61.Ugly, Essex, 142.Ulceby. Line. 56.Uppingham, Rut ., 75.Vienna, 106.Wadingham.67.Wainlleet, Line., 76, 123.Wales, 81.WlIllaaton, N'hants. 66.Wappenham, N'hanta. 60.Warminjtton. N'hants, 67.WlI8hin~Dorough, 66.Wath, 131.Wearmouth, 81.Wellingborough, 134.Welliugore, Line. , 73.

Wendron, C'wall, 22.Westborough, Line., 61, 68,

72.Westmioster, 106.Whatton, Notts., 136.Whilton. N'hants, 6\,72,74.Whissentide, Line., 66.Whiston. N'bants, 128.Whitechapel, 48.Whithom. 138.Wbittlebury. 60.Winthorpe . Line., 67.Witbam, W., Line., 69.Witham-on-the.Hil1, Line.,

62,110.Woodstock. 129.Worcester, 99.Wybumbury, Ohes., 19.Yardley Haatiugs.Yarmouth, 117.York. 106.

")fr. BriBcoe _ writes without clisl>Jayins indomitable indwdrJaDd a cultivated liter....,.taote:'-N_~ Atl.."rliHr.

OLD NOTTINGHAMSHIRE:A. oeries of papers on reii«iou. hou._ and Orden! (H08Jrital of 8t-louthe Baptiot, Lenton Priory. White aud Grey Friars.) chnrebea, eIIIgieo,church regiBtenl, ancient fWrerieo, the Hemlock 8tone, NMts. names.euriODllaales, land tenures, lIickletonl1U"Y, Nottingham IIIlW!S, Peveril,coins, ancirnt ClllltomJoand sports, bella and bel1founder8, NottinpameaverDJl, Thomp"-On of ManofieId, fa,1ing, .tc., .te..

Edited by J. PO'ITER BRlBOOE, F.R.H.S., &c.,Prinei]HJl Li1>rllria" 01 tlu "otti"fllrllm Fru Public Li1>rarw;

AUTHOB or Ct;1l1~JTla 0" 'l'BE BELrRYt NOTTurOB Ul8BJ RX F..era

AWD FICTIOKR. KIDUBD NOT~ "c., Iu:.

A.mDngat the Contributors are the Right Rev. the lIishop 8ol1'roqpmofNottingbam (Dr. Trollope. F.8.A..,1 the Rev. R. H. Whitworth; AId.Cropper; lle.lors. W. H. 8tevenllOc, 1. T. Godfrey, F.R.H.8.• Ilajor A..E. U1I"llOIl Lo1l"e, F.8.A.., J.P., the late Mr. J! Dobson, Mesora.1. Tollinton, W. P. W. Phillimore, B.C.I., W. 8teveD1lOD. Hewaon~, (,'\ifton Xoore, 1. 'fopliB, 8. Dutton Wa1Jrer. 1'.8..&... ll. I.Preatoo. W. A.ndrewB,F.K.H.8., ComeliWlBnnrn,F R.8.I., the Editor,and others.

22 DInatratJoIuo, 1IenW'a1IJ printed, taatefaJJJ 1Io1m4,fullJ bulesa4.A. fe1r copies may be had of the Editor (153. Woodboronglr Road,

Nottingham), for 1lrru 8Aillinj6 eacA, post free. A. very few copies ofthe Large Paper~J':wlrieh only one hundred copies lI"erC pr0-duced) remain in the of the Editor-price on application.

A. oontribution ofgreat inteRS and ootne importance to loeal history.Notti"fllram Dailg GtuJrdillll.It is the _ valuable local book that has bee~ iuned for oome time.

The motenla are varied and deepl, in~. The contri] utors are-.. ofrecogni6ed abili". Is a valuable contribution to Eng\illl Liter­ature.-B_OII Atleert_r.

J.. very acceptable dditioo to antiquarian \itenature. ably edited.-M_ie Magnz.irtr.

Of inealculable 1I"orthto loeallriatorian&.-P6oJuJgrllpAie Meteor.We cxmgratnlate Xr. Bri6eoe.-btipsry.We heartily commend to the attention of the public of this cIistriet.­

Z'.tti"fllram JOfImal.

THE

SONNETS AND SONGSOF

ROBERT MILLHOUSE,

The .\rtizan Poet of :Nottingham, and the Bum. of 8berwoodF-.WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL 8KETCII OF THE AurIIOB.

EDITED BY

JOHN POTTER BRISCOE, F.R.B.S.,

Of whom a few copies may be had, post free, balf-a-crowu.

~ptntons of the press.

The 80DDet (to Ooldlyould do no cliBcmlit to 70hn Clare or eYeD toWcrislrorth.-.Eketic~.

'1'IIe author i. entitled to an equal ohare of public faTOUl' with Bloom­1Ieidand CJare.-Literar, G_e.

Killhou..... performan.... in verse y ..... of mch a kind u to render itonly right that they, and the memory they emblllm, llbould t'm~tzeUuriocl • • • lliIlhoulIe eYidently thought ad oay for .

• • Of lliUhou....•• senoibility to the attnoetion. of bird and bad,aDd hill and RY, Ihenl ClUl !Ie DO daubt yhatever. Edib

and publUben haye done their work well. The poeml haye beendiJiBently -.ohed for, C&lefully arranged, no Ieee carefully preparedfor preea, prefaeed 1I'1th an interellting blOllraphio .ketch. 'l1Jie hasbeenMr. BrillllOe'. work. and it has leen intelligently and industriouslyperformed. Tho publieh"..", on thm part. hav e oupplied good paper,Clear type, neat head-piece. and \ail-piece., a good uetch of the)(illhOllJle o&k, (form~the frontiepicoo), ",!d a binding of green and

£:11, reDl&fbble for Its ne&tne1lll and attracti1'eneea. The whole yolumeindeed. eminently ereditable, not only to Ita producel'll, but to the

in which It h&obeen produced.-.A·otu.gAa.. OtuJrtlia••

·A 1ocal...,nue. who contributed l&rgllly to1r&lde rendering NoltinS­ham and ItAI ourrounding country the birthp1&ce of poesy. There 1&much delicacy of fancy, aud beauty of dio:nOD. in many of Millhouoe'lBonnets; in all of them are eriderieee of llIe writer'. just appreciationand enjoyment of the beauties of Nature. The ..,ngs are mu.iC&!, andtender iii thought and tone . There are some cluirming pe.ssage8 in.. The Song of the Patriot." The neet "'Dgo of Robert Millhouse••­NoUi,.,,,,,,. Journal.

CertalnJy d""""",, a wide circulation. Contains some of the 81I'eeteotand most thrilling poem. from the ,P"n of this Itifted and pathetic minorbard, the .. artizan poet .of Nottingham and: the Burnl of 8henroodForeat." Its wue &8 a contribution to loe&! literature is enhan~ bya biographlC&! Biletch. WTitten b'l the editor of the 1I'0rk. The work IIlOt up In the "'T)' beotot.1loan does great cre.1it to M ....... Norrie andCobyne.-No//inglta.. ltzpreu.

We welcome the gracelullitt1e yolume which Mr . BrillOO8 has 00 wellpiloted. A. a sonnettee Villhou.e undoubtedly poueeeed no meanability. The Bonnet.. are fine specimens of Bilill,and 10 ..,me extent areple&8&Zlt, if not thrI1Iing reading. There are many et........ of richpoetie worth. The writer (Mr. llriecoe) has most ably performed hiepart, and Meean. Norri. IUId Cwyne could not haYe ieoued a DII&1l..olume more creditable to their &rt.-Jlidla.tl8Imbea...

In reading llillhouse'. oonnets it 1ll!811I1 incredible that they ehonldhaYe been 00 generally neglected for 90 long a time. We have in themupreoeecl, in terse English, some be&utitulcameoe of Englioh scenes, anda line concentration of tru~ poetic feeling. They may .l&nd by the rdd"of the ..,nneto of Clare, and the generality at those ot eYen greater poets"without lu1fering by tile comparioon ....liI.ch they will thul invite. Tomany ot •the people" these sonnete will be an Inte\l<'Ctuai feut. Mill.house '0'&8earnestly in Iove willi broo~ brancheo, and bl"!""""'. andall the other blessings ot nature. In )[illhoute, too, there 18 a strongfeeling of domestie &lfection. Looking at the llODJIelo &8 a whole, ­DOlIce that they breathe a manly, independent ~ri~ They are \hIt,.ocluct of teelliIl{. and hence they are trnl1 poetical. W. 1I'Onid thatu.- '0'&8 a copy of thia book in eyery home.-Ho_ JImfto.

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