Curious Church Customs and Cognate Subjects Part 5

Venite Exultemus Domino.

In Westminster Abbey

Christie audi nos.

Sometimes a letter of the inscription is found inverted; rarely a whole word. Such, however, is the case at Clapham, in Bedfords.h.i.+re, where the line runs--

G.o.d save the = hcruhC

The prayers for the dead mark the religious changes of the country, and not less the invocations to the saints, which form one branch of bell lore. Elstead has a bell inscribed--

Sancta Paule, ora pro n.o.bis.

Was.h.i.+ngton, in Suss.e.x, one bearing--

O Sancte Stephane.

And Balcombe, in the same county, one--

Vox Augustini Sonat in aure Dei.

The uses to which bells were dedicated may be further exampled from their inscriptions. S. Michael, Coventry, has a bell bearing--

I am, and have been called the common bell To ring when fire breaks out to tell.

And at Sherborne, in Dorsets.h.i.+re, dated 1652, a bell piously says--

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

We may here appropriately conclude with some lines inscribed upon the tower of Batley Church, Yorks.h.i.+re, in memory of a former set of bells:

"The Requiem of the late three bells of Batley Church, two of which were introduced into the tower in the 17th century, and the third or last in the 18th century, and were taken down in the 19th century, at the close of the year of our Lord 1851, bearing the following respective dates and inscriptions, viz., upon the middle bell: Tho.

Deighton G. O. 1658; largest bell, 1684 Gloria in Altissimis Deo. Ric.

Mann, Churchwarden; last and least bell, Dalton of York fecit 1791. To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Eternal glory raise.

"Author of the following lines, Mr. Luke Blakeley, of Upper Batley; third of that name in the family, and nephew of Mr. Luke Blakeley of the same place, who died Jan. 17th, in the year of our Lord 1836, and was interred in Batley Churchyard.

"One hundred years, yea almost two, We've hung in that turret grey, And many changes we have seen As time has fled away.

We seen the bride and bridegroom gay, We've chimed their joy to tell; Alas! before the day has clos'd We've toll'd the funeral knell.

We've merrily rung for victories gain'd O'er Britain's enemies; Then mourned for the brave who bled To gain those victories.

We've highly lauded pomp and power, Then call'd on men to pray, A requiem rung with the weeping and sad, Then revell'd with the gay.

We've seen the scourge of civil war Approach where we have stood.

We've seen oppression's cruel hand Reeking with kindred blood.

Our solemn tolling for the dead Falls on the mourner's ear, Then the bereav'd and aching heart Feels desolate and drear.

Dirges we've rung for Kings and Queens As they to the tomb went down, Then joyfully welcom'd the heir Who came to wear the crown.

We saw the star of Brunswick rise And beam upon our strand, We see its full refulgent ray Illumine this happy land.

Victoria the sceptre sways, And bright her virtues s.h.i.+ne, Long may she live, long may she reign Best of her royal line.

We joyfully hail'd her natal day, We hail'd her to the throne, We blithely hail'd her nuptial hour, For her we ne'er shall moan.

We're taken from that turret grey Where we for long have hung, Like worn out lumber thrown away, Forever mute, each tongue.

And now our changes all are rung Here ends our dying song; Our last our final peal is done: Farewell! Farewell! Ding Dong."[6]

Laws of the Belfry.

BY WILLIAM ANDREWS.

The ringing chambers of many old churches contain curious rules in poetry and prose for regulating the conduct of the ringer and the visitor. Some of the orders are extremely quaint, and all appear framed as a ready means of obtaining money in fines to be spent in beer. In bygone times there appears to have been a close connection between the belfry and the cellar.

One of the best examples which has come under our notice is from Hathersage, Derbys.h.i.+re, and dates back to about 1660:--

You gentlemen that here wish to ring, See that these laws you keep in every thing; Or 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; For 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; For if you do, your forfeit is for that, Just fourpence down to pay, or lose your hat.

If you a bell turn over, without delay, Fourpence unto the ringers you must pay; Or if you strike, misscall, or do abuse, You must pay fourpence for the ringers' use.

For every oath here sworn, ere you go hence, Unto the poor then you must pay twelvepence; And if that you desire to be enrolled A ringer here, these words keep and hold!

But whoso doth these orders disobey, Unto the stocks we will take him straightway, There to remain until he be willing To pay his forfeit and the clerk a s.h.i.+lling.

A similar set of rules were adopted at Chapel-en-le-Frith, in the same county.

The following quaint lines are from St. Peter's, 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, When 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 women keeping Dover Court.

Of all the music that is played or sung There's none like bells, if they are well rung.

Then ring your bell--well if you can, Silence is best for ev'ry man; In your ringing make no demur, Pull off your hat, your belt, and spur; And if your bell you overset The ringer's fee you must expect!

Fourpence you are to pay for that.

But that if you do swear or curse, Twelvepence is due, pooll out your purse, Our laws are old, they are not new, Both clerk and ringers claim their due.

We have from Tong, Salop, the following curious dated example:--