Stones of the Temple Part 26

There is no music play'd or sung Like unto bells when they're well rung; Then ring your bells well if you can; Silence is best for every man.

But if you ring in spur or hat Sixpence you pay, be sure of that; And if a bell you overthrow Pray pay a groat before you go.

"1756."

201: In the preface to the Prayer Book the curate is directed to "cause a bell to be tolled" for morning and evening prayer; but Durandus says that this ringing of the bell was itself once part of the minister's own duty.

202: At Cairnwent, in Wales, the parish clerk "used often to knock a bit or two from one of the bells when any one wanted a bit of metal." In a neighbouring church two bells were taken down and sold to pay for the _ceiling of the roof_. Many church bells in England have, alas! met with as sad a fate. The same parsimony which has sacrificed the bells has, in many cases, not spared the belfry. It seems hardly credible--but it is true--that some years ago, at St. Bride's, Monmouthshire, there being no ladder in the village long enough to reach the top of the tower, _the tower was lowered to meet the length of the ladder_.

203: The following are a few examples taken from village church bells in Wales. At Nevern,--

"I to the church the living call, And to the grav do summon al.--1763."

At Llandyssil,--

"Come at my call, Serve G.o.d, all.--1777."

"Fear G.o.d, honour the king.--1777."

At Llangattock,--

"Be peaceful and good neighbours."

204: Such as:--on six bells at Northfield Church,--

1st. "We now are six, tho' once but five,"

2nd. "But against our casting some did strive;"

3rd. "But when a day for meeting they did fix,"

4th. "There appear'd but nine against twenty-six:"

5th. "Thomas Kettle and William Jervis did contrive"

6th. "To make us six that were but five."

At Tamworth,--

"Be it known to all that doth me see, That Newcombe, of Leicester, made mee.--1607."

At Nevern,--

'Thomas Rudall Cast us all.--1763.'

205: Durandus, "Of Bells."

206: Ps. xcii. 13.

207: 2 Cor. v. 1.

208: Heb. ix. 23.

209: Eph. ii. 20-22.

210: Isa. xxviii. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 6.

211: Ps. cxviii. 22. Matt. xxi. 42.

212: Eph. ii. 21.

213: 1 Pet. ii. 5.

214: 2 Cor. vi. 16.

215: S. James ii. 17.

216: Col. iii. 14.

217: Ezek. xiii. 10.

218: Ps. cxxvii. 1.

219: Rom. ii. 7.

220: Rev. iv. 8; v. 13.

221: In the parish registry of Dymock, in Gloucestershire, is the following entry:--"Buried: John Murrel, aged 89 years. Thomas Bannister, aged 13 years." To which is appended the following note: "John Murrel and Thomas Bannister died nearly at the same moment, though the latter was in apparent good health. He had always attended upon Murrel, who was much given to prayer, and being by his bed at the time, Murrel, in his last struggle, extended his hand to him, when both instantly expired."