The following inscription, which is engraved on a brass plate, and is
perfectly well preserved, is placed above the door at the foot of the
staircase.
En lan de lincarnarian nee segour. mil ccc.xx.iiii. et neuf. fu
comence rest berfrop: et Es ans ensuiuas iusques en lan mil.
ccc.xx.iiii. et xviii. fu fait et parfait. ou quel temps noble home
mess. Guille de Bellengues rheunllier chambellen di Roy nostre
Sire estoit cappitaine de reste ville. honorable home pourneu et
sage Johan de la tuille bailly. et sire Guillaumealorge. Johan
mustel. Guille de gaugy. Richart de sommery. Nicolae le roux.
Gaultier campion, ronseillers de la Dicteville. et pierres hermes
reseueur d'icelle.
Proceeding on, we ascend the tower of the belfry, by a flight of two
hundred steps, at the top of which is the bell, with the following
inscription:
+JE SUI: NOMME: ROUVEL: ROEJEN:
LE SENON: ME SJSE: SERE: REGAN:
DAMJENS: ME FJST+
We perceive by this inscription, that this bell was named _Rouvel_, and
not _Rembol_, as tradition would have it; but it is better known under
the name of the Cloche d'argent (silver bell), although not a grain of
silver entered into the composition of it. It rings every night at nine
o'clock. It also rings peals on occasion of any national rejoicings or
public calamities. This bell was made in the year 1447; it was then
called the _horloge du Beffroi_. The stone vault, which crosses the
street, at the place still called _porte Massacre_ (the murder gate) was
erected in 1527. On each side of this arcade, we perceive the dial
plates and medallions.
Under the Vault, in the centre, we see sculptures representing a
shepherd tending sheep. On each of the sides, are other sheep grazing.
To the left, and facing the old market place, we may read the following
inscription: _Animam suam ponit pro ovibus suis_, which indicates
sufficiently the allegory of this composition, if we did not also see on
the opposite side these other words: _Pastor bonus_.
Beside the arcade, but nearer to the rue des Vergetiers, the tower of
the Belfry rises. We perceive a platform at the top of the tower,
surrounded by an iron railing, from whence is a view of the whole town.
Above is a dome, surmounted by a small steeple.