_Bells at Funerals_ (Vol. ii., p. 478.).--The following extract will
doubtless be interesting to MR. GATTY, if it has hitherto escaped his
notice:
"June 27 (1648).--The visitors ordered that the bellman of the
university should not go about in such manner as was heretofore used at
the funeral of any member of the university. This was purposely to
prevent the solemnity that was to be performed at the funeral of Dr.
Radcliffe, Principal of B. N. C., lately dead. For it must be known
that it hath been the custom, time out of mind, that when head of
house, doctor, or master of considerable degree was to be buried, the
university bellman was to put on the gown and the formalities of the
person defunct, and with his bell go into every college and hall, and
there make open proclamation, after two rings with his bell, that
forasmuch as God had been pleased to take out of the world such a
person, he was to give notice to all persons of the university, that on
such a day, and at such an hour, he was solemnly to be buried, &c. But
the visitors did not only forbid this, but _the bellman's going before
the corpse, from the house or college, to the church or chapel_."--A.
Wood, quoted in _Oxoniana_, vol. iv. p. 206.