Curious Church Customs and Cognate Subjects Part 3

My sound is good, my shape is neat, 'Twas Bayley made me so compleat.

Or the size, as at Bexhill, Suss.e.x--

Although I am both light and small, I will be heard above you all.

S. Mary's, at Devizes, has another version--

I am the first, altho' but small, I will be heard above you all.

Again, names of donors are often inscribed upon bells, and these are handed down to us from very early dates; or sometimes the fact of subscription is mentioned in general terms of grat.i.tude. So Bagborough, Somerset, says--

Bouth owld and young did agree full well To pay for casting of this bell, Because a true tale it should tell.

And Bath Abbey has a very terse bell couplet,

All you of Bath that heare mee sound Thank Lady Hopton's hundred pound.

A Devon bell has--

Squire Arundel the great my whole expense did raise, Nor shall our tongues abate to celebrate his praise.

These hints, or downright references on bells to the pecuniary means of their erection, may be supplemented by the inscription at Buxted, which promises as follows--

At proper times my voice I'll raise And sound to my subscribers' praise.

But in the last two centuries such expressions of grat.i.tude for subscriptions to casting or re-casting are common enough. So in a similar strain speaks the bell of Alderton,

I'm given here to make a peal And sound the praise of Mary Neale.

At Binstead, too, a bell says

Dr. Nicholas gave five pound To help cast this peal tuneable and sound.

Bells at first bore strictly religious inscriptions; afterwards that rule became more relaxed, and irrelevant matters often find expression. After 1600 the claims of religion to be alone regarded on bells may be said to be almost entirely pa.s.sed over. Marlborough's victories are commemorated on the bells of S. Helen's, Worcester, and those of Ottery and S. Martin, Exeter, have medals on which are represented grotesque pieces levelled at the churchmen in the most approved style of mediaeval satire. Sometimes, nay, most often, the poetical attempts in the inscriptions are, to say the least, somewhat wanting in an indefinite something that goes to make true poetry. Yet the simple appeals of some of them do not fall unregarded. So when rich men give bells we find such an inscription as this--

Of your charite prai for the soulles of John s.l.u.tter, John Hunt, and Willem s.l.u.tter.

An instance has been given of historical events being inscribed upon bells. A further one is that of the bell of Ashover, Derbyshire, which upon re-casting was inscribed--

This old bell rung the downfall of Buonaparte and broke, April, 1814.

At Tadcaster it is recorded on the fifth bell--

It is remarkable that these bells were moulded in the great frost, 1783. C. and R. Dalton, Fownders, York.

An extremely curious inscription appears on a bell at Pucknowle, Dorsetshire, dated 1629. It reads without stop or s.p.a.ce--

Hethatvillpvrchashonovrsgaynemvstancientlatherstilmayntayne.

"Lather" is an old English term meaning "to make a noise." A bell at Lichfield, which was destroyed in 1652, bore the following:--

I am ye bell of Jesus, and Edward is our King, Sir Thomas Heywood first caused me to ring.

Many inscriptions on bells are, or contain, allusions to the vigilance of monastic times. Such is one at Ashill, Somerset, which simply says--

I call to wake you all.

As pithy an inscription appears on the bell of S. Ives, which is rung early in the morning. It is--

Arise, and go about your business.

A Coventry bell, dated 1675, says--

I ring at six to let men know When too and fro their worke to goe.

Patriotic expressions are common; among such is Brusford,

Come let us ring For Church and King.

And Hurstpierpoint,

Ye people all who hear us ring Be faithful to your G.o.d and King.

Sometimes a whole set of bells bore inscriptions which may be read continuously. An instance is at S. Mary's, Ticehurst, where the bells have--

1. I am she that leads the van, Then follow me now if you can.

2. Then I speak next, I can you tell, So give me rope and ring me well.

3. Now I am third, as I suppose, Mark well now time and fourth close.

4. As I am fourth, I will explain If you'll keep time you'll credit gain.

5. Now I am fifth, as I suppose, Then ring me well and tenor close.

6. This is to show for ages yet to come That by subscription we were cast and hung And Edward Lulham is his name That was the actor of the same.

Northfield bells, Worcestershire, give an account of the contest in the vestry-room which led to the completion of the peal--

1. Though once but five we now are six.

2. And 'gainst our casting some did strive.

3. But when a day of meeting there was fixed.

4. Appeared nine 'gainst twenty-six.

5. It was Wm. Kettle that did contrive To make us six that were but five.