Church Bells : Their Antiquities And Connection With Architecture.

not used by the Norwich , or Bury foundries . At Elsenham , in Essex , is a very pretty bell of this date , bearing the letter S , thrice repeated in beautifully illuminated character , and crowned . This is no doubt an ancient sanctus bell . I have sever seen a similar example .

During the latter part of the sixteenth century , and up to 1630 , we find some very good inscriptions also in Latin ; many of these ivould well bear reproducing at the present clay . At Cherry Hinton , near Cambridge , the two heaA T iest bells have leg-ends from the " Venite ; " the remaining three were probably once similarly treated . On those that remain

are" Omms populus tcaro plaudite Domino , Cum psalmis venite ad Dominuni . " At Oxbury , Norfolk , Ave find legends from the " Te Deum" similarly employed . Other pleasing inscriptions of this period are"JTon clamor sed amor ctmtat in sure Dei

, Sonoro sono meo sono Deo . Cantabo landes tuas Domine . Domini laudes non verbo sed voce resonabo . Jubilate Deo salutari nostro , Cant . ito Domino cnnticvmi novum . Merorem mccstis , letis sic leta sonabo . Domine dirigo nos . "

To this period belongs the well-known legend—C " Lauflo Deum verum ( , Populmn voco : congrego clerum . " In the eastern counties , tho stronghold of Puritans , ive find the following : — f " IsTon sono animabus mortuoruin

1 Sed auribus viventium , " by way of a fling at the old faith . Also the following , which I have never heard satisfactorily translated" Oano trista niori Cum pulpeta vivere desi . "

Another is very good—( " A ocem ego do vobis , \ 1 G 38 . St . Brinda , I A os date verba Deo J Cornwall . " At- Norwich , All Saints ' , is the curious inscription—' ( " Galhis vocor ,

( . Super omnia sono . " The English legend , though it peeped out as an exceptional thing in the fifteenth centuryinstance the beautiful tenor at Minster , Thanet , " Holy , pray for ns ; " and another at Long Sutton , Hants" Hail ! Mary full of gras ! "—did not come

, into general use till quite late in the sixteenth century . In the next fifty years English and Latin ivere used pretty equally , some foundries supplying one , the others tho other . The English ones are usually very short ancl simple ,

as" Jesus be our speede , God save His church , God save the King , Laud the Lord alwaies , Pear God , & c . " But sometimes more extensive . At Attleboro '

Norfolk , cast by Wm . Brend , of Nonvichj in 1617 , Ave find on the three heaviest—, ( " It joyeth mo much , ( . To go to God ' s church . " 9 f " Do not slack thee * " I To repent thee . "

„ „ ( " I wish to die __ enord . £ To live heavenlie . " To this elate belong the tenor inscriptions , — C " I sweetly tolling men do call , t To taste of meats that feed the soul . " « j f " My roaring sound doth notice give , Aii live

_ £ Hint men cannot hero alwaies . " C " God save the church , Also \ Our Queen , and realme , ( . And send us peace in Xt . Amen . 1601 . " . -. _ T " I sound to bid thc sick repent , t In hope of life when breath is spent . " < " First I call to Govd ' s word

you , ( . And at last unto the Lord . " These examples might be multiplied to any amount . After 1680 nearly all interest in inscriptions ceases . We find little more than the founder ' s name and date of castingadded to whichon

, , the tenor , avc usually the names of the rector and churchwardens . Those that do occur are usually vulgar , as , — " Pull on , brave boys , I am metal to tho backbone . I'll be hanged before I'll crack . " " My sound is good , my shape is neat ,

So-and-so made me allcompleat . " ' ¦ I sound aloud from day to day , My sound hath praise , and well it may . " "All ye who hear my solemn sound , Thank Lady Hopton ' s hundred pound . " Bath Abbey . c : I ring to sermon with a lusty boom , That all may come and none may stay at home . "

A founder , early in the last century , named Pleasant , was for ever punning upon his own name . Another , named Penn , of Peterborough , of the same date , was much more successful . Some of his Latin verses are very well turned . He also occasionally condescended to English , as

at St . Ii r o's , Hunts . " Sometimes joy , sometimes sorrow , Marriage to-day and death to-morrow . " " When backward rung I tell of fire , Think how thc world shall thus expire . " " AA'hen souls are from their bodies torn ,

"lis not to die , but to be born . " These , perhaps , led to the Avriting of the wellknown A erses for the Whitechapel foundry , about 1750 , which they have placed upon most of their bells since . I ¦ will onl y give two other examples—one from St . Helen , Worcester , ivhere

a peal of eight Avas cast in 1706 , and dedicated in honour of the Duke of Marlborough ' s victories ; the other example is from Masham , Yorkshire , cast by Harrison , of Barrow , in 1776 , and containing a set of rules for singing ( vol . i ., p . 136 , No . 676 ) . It is very desirable that some steps should be taken to ensure decent inscriptions on