and so it survived." In East Budleigh a bell is rung on Sunday mornings only, at 8 o'clock. Curfew bell has long ceased in the parish. There is a tradition that it was discontinued during the last century.* Authorities differ as to the origin of this evening bell; whether it was for the Compline or last office of the day, or whether it was simply intended for the curfew, the order for which throughout England is commonly attributed to William the Conqueror (affecting alike conquerors and conquered), but was in practice before his day in this country, as well as on the Continent. We have, however, the valuable testimony of Dr. Rock that "the ignitegium' or curfew bell . . . was done . . . at first, for a civil, not an ecclesiastical purpose." In some cases the day of the month is indicated by the number of bell-strokes-such is the practice at Ottery St. Mary. Also at Hatherleigh, and at Bodmin, in Cornwall." The passing bell was originally tolled, to announce to the parishioners that one of their number was dying, so as to invoke their prayers. Sometimes termed the soul bell. It is generally supposed to have ceased at the time of the Reformation, but it certainly continued in use for a century later, although the motive for it may have been changed. We find these passages in the writings of Bishop Hall (he held the see of Exeter 1627-1641): "On the tolling of a passing bell. This sound . . . calls us to our prayers for the departing soul; to our preparation for our own departing. "We call them soul-bells, for that they signify the departure of the soul, not for that they help the passage of the soul." 8 3 Rev. J. J. RAVEN, Ch. B. of Suffolk, 88. In one parish of that county, payment for the church bell to toll morning and evening was the subject of a bequest in 1509. There was a similar bequest, but at a much later date, for the bell of Christ Church, Spitalfields, London, to toll twice daily, morning and evening. It is called the Weaver's Bell, and was originally instituted when the Weavers formed a populous colony in that district, to call them up in the morning, and to notify to them in the evening to cease work. • Amongst a collection of MS. scraps in the writer's possession, originally belonging to Mr. Ellacombe, is one of which the following is a transcript: "Sept. 30, 1741. Recev'd then of John Hinks the sum of ten shilings in full for one years pay Ringing the Curfue Bell. Due at Lady Day 1741. By me Tho. Mould." It is believed to relate to one of the parishes of which Mr. Ellacombe was incumbent. 5 Church of our Fathers, iii. (i.) 337. "The Curfew-a bell absolutely secular in its origin, and not turned to religious purposes until late in the Middle Ages." (J. C. L. STAHLSCHMIDT, Ch. B. of Kent, 125.) 7 Ibid. 1823, i. 582. Gents. Mag. for Sept. 1816, 270. 8 Works, vi. 173; ix. 453. There is an interesting chapter on "The Passing Bell" in Mrs. STONE's God's Acre (1858), 366-387. At Barrow-on-Humber, in 1713, the "Clark's fees" were "for every passing-bell four pence and for every soul-bell four pence," the latter being rung "presently after the departure."9 In the Statutes of the Cathedral of Exeter for 1670 are these entries :- "For tolling the bell for every sick person. 1 0 6."1 Although the term passing bell is still perpetuated in many places, the actual tolling does not take place until after death, and is simply to notify the decease. It is therefore literally a death-bell, and this is the name by which it is known in East Budleigh, where the tenor bell is tolled for an adult, and the treble for a child; but no tolling takes place between the hours of 9 P.M. and 8 A.M. It is the custom in this parish to ring out the age of the deceased, after the bell has tolled for a certain time, e.g., on the death of the late Lady Rolle it tolled ninety-one times.2 There is another custom in many places, although not in East Budleigh, to announce the sex of the deceased by the number of strokes; thus at Exeter Cathedral the number is 3 times 3 for a man, and 3 times 2 for a woman; but no child had died within the Cathedral precincts during the time the present bellringer has been in office, otherwise, as he informed the writer, he would have rung 3 times 1. In Kent, where the custom is general, the numbers for a man and for a woman are said by Mr. Stahlschmidt to be "the normal number of tellers"; but the number for children vary. They, however, vary much in different places; at Chapel Allerton, Leeds, the numbers are 9 times 9 for a man, 7 times 7 for a woman, and 5 times 5 for a child.4 There is a point of some interest in connection with this subject. Mr. North remarks, "It has been suggested that the old saying, 'Nine tailors make a man,' is a corruption of one arising from the thrice three tolls or 'tellers' at the close of the passing-bell, 'Nine tellers mark a man.' " 5 Ch. Bells of Lincoln, 187. 1 Bells of Cathedral, 32. This mode of recording the age is in vogue in Herefordshire, vide The Reliquary, i. 127. 3 Ch. B. of Kent, 127. N. & Q. 5th S. xi. 186. Cf. Cheshire Glossary, by R. HOLLAND (E. D. S., 1886), 501. Ch. B. of Northampton, 133. Whether this explanation be the correct one is a very open question. The funeral bell is at East Budleigh tolled for half an hour slowly, until the funeral procession is in sight, and then for a few minutes quickly. The vicar suggests that the quick tolling as soon as the funeral is in sight is to let the clergyman know of its approach. In 1816, at Hatherleigh, after a funeral, the church bells rung "a lively peal, as in other places after a wedding." The Dedication day of a parish church is very generally marked by a full peal of bells; and such is the present practice on November 1st at East Budleigh, whose church is dedicated to All Saints (in some places termed All Hallows), having re-commenced a few years since, after it had ceased for a long period. Originally the festival of All Saints was celebrated on May 1, but "by an order of Gregory IV. it was removed to the first of November, A.D. 834, where it hath stood ever since."7 Formerly, in England, the eve of All Saints was given up to mirth and festivity, and, as "Hallowe'en," is still kept up in Scotland. Ringing the bells all night, and continued on the morrow on All Souls Day, appears to have been a customary proceeding. Ringing on All Saints day was practised in some places long after the Reformation. The church at Swainswick, near Bath, is dedicated to St. Mary; nevertheless, in the Parish Accounts is this entry: "1685. To ye Ringers at ye 5th of Nov. and S. d. Alhalday [All Hallows, Nov. 1]. 0 6."8 The Rev. F. G. Lee remarks, "The link between the saints and the saved was declared by the ringing of peals upon the church bells on All Saints' Day, and by the constant tolling of the heaviest bell in a steeple during All Souls' Day."9 It is somewhat doubtful whether the following, recorded in the Ashburton parish accounts, relates to All Saints night or to the night after: "1555-6. Receipt 'iijs iiijd for ringing on the night of commemoration of all souls.'" 1 6 Gents. Mag. for Sept. 1816, 279. Is this custom continued? 7 WHEATLEY on Common Prayer (1842), 248-9. 8 R. E. M. PEACH, op. cit. 120. 9 Glossary, 11. A full account of the festivities, &c., formerly held on this day, will be found in BRAND'S Popular Antiquities, i. (Bohn's edit.), 377-396. 1 Ch. W. Accounts, 34. The next, from the Ch. W. Accounts of Leverton, Lincolnshire, is, however, clear enough. "1556. It pd for the full contentation of the ryngeres upon alhallow nyght xix ob."2 At the Convocation of Clergy in 1562, among the articles drawn up for their consideration was this one: "That superfluous ringing of bells and namely at Allhallowtide and on All-Souls day, may be prohibited."3 The method of ringing at this festival on the Continent, excited the ire of our Devon poet, William Browne, in the early part of the 17th century, in some lines wherein he complains of the "jangling" taking the place of proper ringing "Honest John Helms [a good ringer], now by my troth I wish, To teach their Bells some rime or time in swinging Pancake Bell. Although at one time generally rung out in churches, Shrove Tuesday is now unnoticed in this and the adjoining parishes; and probably there are few places in England where it is continued.5 Against evil spirits and thunder. One of the most frequent epigraphs, or inscriptions on early bells in this county, is "Voce mea viva depello cunta nociva," and Mr. Ellacombe accepts this as "a visible and lasting proof of the belief. . . of that period, that demons, storms, and tempests, were frightened away and dissipated by the sound of bells." The rhymes formerly suspended in the belfry of Gulval church, Cornwall, contained these lines: "Therefore I'd have you not to vapour, The belief in the influence of bells to ward off these evil influences was at one time very general. That it was so 2 Ch. B. of Lincoln, 511. 3 STRYPE, op. cit. i. (1824) 475. 4 Works (1869) ii. 292-4. In "an Epistle occasioned by the most intollerable Jangling of the Papists Bells on All Saints night, the Eve of All Soules daye, being then vsed to be rung all night (and all as if the towne were on fire) for the Soules of those in Purgatorye. Written from Thouars to Saumur, to Mr. Bryan Palmers." It may be noted that bells are (or were) not rung in peal on the Continent as they are in England. Cf. R. HOLLAND, op. cit. 504, 5. 6 E. D. A. S. i. 2nd S. 240, 242. 7 Ch. B. of Cornwall, 15. VOL. XXIV. U formerly in East Budleigh we may feel assured, but the writer could not find any present traces of it in the locality. "It is true that to breake or dissolue the thunder accompanied with a great thick cloud threatning haile, there is nothing better then to ring the belles, as is vsed to be done in hot countries." Fair and Market Bell. On the annual fair-day (Easter Tuesday) at East Budleigh, a full peal is rung. A bell to notify the opening of the market in market towns is yet a common custom.1 Fire Bell. On the occurrence of a fire in that part of the parish where the village of East Budleigh is situated, the church bells are clashed or jangled together. A custom that was generally prevalent in former days; thus a bishop of Exeter in the 17th century remarked, "As we testify our public rejoicing, by an orderly and well-tuned peal; so, when we would signify that the town is on fire, we ring confusedly."2 Sometimes one particular bell was rung on such an occasion; e.g. on a bell at St. Michael's, Coventry, is this couplet: "I am, and have been called the Common Bell, To ring when fire breaks out to tell."3 Public rejoicings. On various occasions of public rejoicing, it was a common custom to ring a full peal. On GunpowderPlot day (Nov. 5) and on Coronation day (from the year 1734) there were regular peals every year. The former was stopped when the present incumbent took office. It cannot be said that the ringers received much from the parish funds on occasions of public festivities, as the following list includes all such notices mentioned in the accounts: "1666. in expenses one Ringers 29d of May Day 1674. of Reioysing pease in Candles and beere (Peace with Holland, Feb. 9, 1674.) 00 02 00 01 01 8 All works on Bells relate examples of their use for these purposes. Thus at Spalding, Lincolnshire, is the entry in the accounts: "1519. Item pd for ryngyng when the Tempest was iijd." Ch. B. of Lincoln 240. 91600. R. SVRFLET, The Countrie Farme, bk. ii. 397. 3 B. LOMAX, Bells and Bellringers (1879), 52. A curious anecdote of an occurrence at Peterborough, in 1643, is quoted in Ch. B. of Northampton, 365, where the neighbourhood was "continually disturbed with the Souldiers jangling and ringing the Bells auker [backwards], as though there had been a scare-fire." |