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, Derbyshire, 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 shilling.
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:--
If that to ring you do come here,
You must ring well with hand and ear;
Keep stroke of time and go not out,
Or else you forfeit, out of doubt.
Our law is so constructed here,
For ev'ry fault a jugg of beer.
If that you ring with spur or hat,
A jugg of beer must pay for that.
If that you take a rope in hand,
These forfeits you may not withstand.
Or, if that you a bell o'erthrow,
It will cost sixpence ere you goe.
If in this place you swear or curse,
Sixpence you pay--out with your purse.
Come! pay the clerk, it is his fee,
For one that swears shall not go free.
These laws are old, and are not new,
Therefore the clerk must have his due.
GEORGE HARRISON, 1694.
From the belfry of Dunster, Somersetshire, are the following lines:--
You that in ringing take delight,
Be pleased to draw near;
These articles you must observe
If you mean to ring here.
And first, if any overturn
A bell, as that he may,
He forthwith for that only fault
In beer shall sixpence pay.
If anyone shall curse or swear
When come within the door,
He then shall forfeit for that fault
As mentioned before.
If anyone shall wear his hat
When he is ringing here
He straightway then shall sixpence pay
In cyder or in beer.
If anyone these articles
Refuseth to obey,
Let him have nine strokes of the rope,
And so depart away.
The foregoing bears the date of 1787. We have a shorter set of orders from
Bowden:--
You ringers all, observe these orders well!
He pays his sixpence that o'erturns a bell;
And he that rings with either spur or hat,
Must pay his sixpence certainly for that;
And he that rings and does disturb ye peal,
Must pay his sixpence or a gun of ale.
These laws elsewhere, in ev'ry church are used,
That bell and ringers may not be abused.
It is stated in Halliwell's "Dictionary of Archaisms and Provincialisms"
_gun_ is a North country word for a large flagon of ale.
From All Saints' Church, Hastings, we have the following lines:--
I. H. S.
1.
This is a belfry that is free
For all those that civil be;
And if you please to chime or ring
It is a very pleasant thing.
2.
There is no musick play'd or sung,
Like unto bells when they're well rung;
Then ring your bells well, if you can,
Silence is the best for every man.
3.
But if you ring in spur or hat,
Sixpence you pay, be sure of that;
And if a bell you overthrow,
Pray pay a groat before you go.--1756.
Similar verses to the foregoing we have seen in several places. From the
parish church at Grantham we have the following example, dating back to
about the middle of the last century:--
He that in Ringing takes delight,
And to this place draws near,
These Articles set in his sight
Must keep if he Rings here.
The first he must observe with care
Who comes within the door,
Must if he chance to curse or swear,
Pay Sixpence to the poor.
And whosoe'er a noise does make,
Or idle story tells,
Must Sixpence to the Ringers take
For melting of the Bells.
If any like to smoke or drink,
They must not do so here,
Good reason why--just let them think
This is God's House of Prayer.
Young men that come to see and try,
And do not Ringing use,
Must Six Pence give the company,
And that shall them excuse.
So that his hat on's head does keep,
Within this sacred place,
Must pay his Six Pence ere he sleep;
Or turn out with disgrace.
If any one with spurs to's heels
Ring here at any time,
He must, for breaking articles,
Pay Six Pence for his crime.
If any overthrow a Bell,
As that by chance he may,
Because he minds not Ringing well,
He must his Six Pence pay.
Or if a noble minded man
Come here to Ring a bell,
A Shilling is the Sexton's fee,
Who keeps the church so well.
At any should our Parson sneer,
Or Wardens' rules deride,
It is a rule of old most clear
That such sha'nt here abide.
The Sabbath-day we wish to keep,
And come to church to pray;
The man who breaks this ancient rule
Shall never share our pay.
And when the bells are down and ceased,
It should be said or sung,
May God preserve the Church and King,
And guide us safely home.
In September, 1875, we visited Holy Trinity Church, Hull, to ascertain if
any Ringers' Regulations were to be found in the church. We learned, on
enquiry, a number of quaint orders were hung up in the ringing chamber
some years ago, but a mischievous boy mutilated them with a knife, so that
they were taken down. The person in charge, however, kindly submitted for
our inspection the disfigured orders, and after considerable trouble, we
were able to make a transcript which, we think, will prove interesting:--
ORDERS.
Agreed upon by the sexton and ringers of the Holy Trinity Church,
Kingston-upon-Hull, approved of and allowed by the Rev. William Mason,
vicar, Mr. George Maddison, and Mr. Thomas Bell, churchwardens, of
the same church, the first day of May, Anno Domini 1730, and confirmed
by the Rev. John Healey Bromby, vicar, Thomas Mitchell, and Charles
Anthy. Forrester, churchwardens, the first day of May, 1838.
It is ordered, that every person who shall ring any bell with hat or
spurs on, shall forfeit and pay sixpence for the use of the ringers.
It is ordered, that every person who shall pull any bell from off her
stay and cannot set her again, shall forfeit and pay for use
aforesaid, one shilling.
It is ordered, that every person who shall throw any bell over, shall
forfeit and pay for the use aforesaid, sixpence, and over and above
this in case anything be broken by such overthrow, such person shall
also pay the charge of repairing the same again.
It is ordered, that every person so soon as he has set his bell shall
immediately hank up the strop or rope, or in default thereof shall
forfeit and pay for use aforesaid, sixpence.
It is ordered, that if any person shall untruss himself upon the lead
in any part, or cut and mark the same with a knife or any other thing,
such offender shall forfeit and pay for the use aforesaid, sixpence.
It is ordered, that any person who shall have read any of these orders
with his hat upon his head shall forfeit and pay for the said use,
sixpence.
Next appears the names of the vicar, churchwardens, ringers, who held
office in 1730, and a similar list is given for 1838, when the above
orders were reprinted at the expense of Mr. W. Green, a sidesman.
The following "Articles and Orders to be Observed by Ringers" at Stow, in
the county of Lincoln, were written by William Swift, school-master, and
used to hang in the ringing chamber of the church:--
All you who hath a mind to Learn to Ring s. d.
Must to the sexton Admission Money bring. 2 6
These Articles observed strict must be,
Or your expelled this society.
Two Nights a Week, Sirs, you must meet, or pay
This Forfeiture to us without delay, 0 2
Or when the Sexton for you tolls a bell
You must appear, or else this Forfeit tell. 0 2
And when you come upon this Belfry
If that you noise or talk, this forfeit pay, 0 1
When you Round peals can Ring, you must pay down
To be a change man, Sirs, Just half-a-crown, 2 6
On the first change that you have Learned to Ring,
One shilling more must pay, Sirs, that's the thing, 1 0
And every Ringer must spend more or Less,
As he thinks meet, to wish you good Success, 0 2
If you would learn to prick a peal in score,
Unto these College youths you must pay more. 1 0
When you know Bob, Hunt, Single Dodge compleat
You'll not deny our College youths a treat, 2 6
On our Feast-Day, the Twenty-ninth of May,
Each member must, Sirs, just one shilling pay, 1 0
When our accompts are passed, Sirs, for Truth,
And you are stiled a College youth,
New Stewards then are chose, and by and by
If that you do the Stewardship deny,
Your fine must pay--as in the margin see, 1 6
Then from your Stewardship one year are free.
These Rules peruse well before you enter,
It's a hard task on which you venture.
When once a member you are freely made,
These Articles must justly be obey'd.
So now, my Lads, admission money bring, 2 6
And we will Learn you presently to ring.
JOHN MARSHALL, WILLIAM SMITH,
MASTER. NOTARY.
March 1st, 1770.
The following on a card was also placed in the belfry of Stow Church:--
We ring the quick to church, the dead to grave,
Good is our use, such usage let us have.
Who swears or curses, or in chol'ric mood
Quarrels or strikes, although he draws no blood,
Who wears his hat, or overturns a bell,
Or by unskilful handling mars a peal,
Let him pay sixpence for each single crime,
'Twill make him cautious 'gainst another time.
So, when the bells are ceased, then let us sing
God bless our Holy Church--God save the Queen.
The foregoing are a few examples of the many curious ringers' regulations
which found a place in belfrys in bygone times. Mr. J. Potter Briscoe, in
his "Curiosities of the Belfry" (London, 1883), gives a complete
collection of these old-time rules in prose and poetry.
Ringers' Jugs.
BY ISAAC J. REEVE.
The old time belfry laws were the means of many persons being fined, and
the money so obtained was spent in ale. Ringers' Jugs were by no means
uncommon, and some were curious examples of the potters' art.
There is a curious jug or pitcher belonging to the ringers of Hadleigh. It
is a "vas ansatum" having two ears, is circular in shape, swelling out in
the middle, and being more contracted at the ends. It is brown earthenware
glazed. It holds sixteen quarts, and bears this inscription, very rudely
indented, apparently with a chisel when the clay was soft, the first word
M E, or perhaps M. E. I., is in italics, the rest in Roman capitals:--
Me, Thomas Windle, Isaac Bunn, John Mann, Adam Sage, George Bond,
Thomas Goldsborough, Robert Smith, Henry West. (No doubt the names of
the eight ringers.)
Below the names,--
If you love me doe not lend me,
Euse me often and keep me clenly,
Fill me full or not at all,
If it be strong, and not with small.
Below all, in the front, is the word Hadly, underneath one handle is the
date, 17 F. G. 15, and under the other, 17 R. O. 15, the letters probably
the initials of the potters. The jug is in the possession of Mr. Pettitt,
of the Eight Bells Inn, who holds it for the ringers, of whom he is the
leader. It is still occasionally used on the occasion of any profitable
wedding, and filled every Christmas by mine host, when the ringers
assemble for a frolic, with strong beer, which goes by the name of old
King William, and strangers going in are expected to pay sixpence to
assist in keeping it full, according to its own request.
The ringers' pot--a brown glazed jug with handle, holding about two
gallons--having the following inscription in rude letters--
Here you may see what
I request of Hanst (honest) Gentlemen
My Baly (belly) filed of the Bast I com
But now and then, 1716,
was formerly carried from house to house by the bell-ringers of Ixworth,
in Suffolk, to receive whatever beer the liberal parishioners might be
disposed to bestow. It has been disused about thirty years. It was
probably made at the celebrated pottery in the neighbouring parish of
Wattisfield.
A similar kind of jug, both in shape and size, to that of Hadleigh,
belongs to the ringers of Clare. On one side is a crown in faint relief,
under that a bell in large proportion, and on it impressed in italics:--
Campane
Sonant canore.
Beneath the clapper is this,--
Clare Ringers,
1729.
Near the base there is an aperture for a tap to draw off the beer, there
being no spout or lip.
At Hinderclay, in Suffolk, is a ringers' pitcher, still preserved in the
church tower, of form and size similar to the Hadleigh jug: it is thus
inscribed:--
By Samuel Moss this pitcher was given to the noble society of ringers,
at Hinderclay, viz., Tho. Sturgeon, Ed. Lock, John Haws, Ric. Ruddock,
and Relf Chapman, to which society he once belonged, and left in the
year 1702.
From London I was sent
As plainly doth appear,
It was to this intent--
To be filled with strong beer.
Pray remember the pitcher when empty.
A similar pitcher is in the adjoining church tower of Garboldisham,
Norfolk.
At the Mackworth Arms, at Swansea, a similar kind of jug may be seen in a
niche on the staircase, but the colour is light yellow, and the
workmanship of a superior order, it has but one handle, and the following
inscription in two lines:--
Come fill me well with liquor sweet, and that is good when friends do
meet,
When I am full then drink about, I ne'er will fail till all is out.
Underneath were representations of flowers, birds, and fishes.
There is in the Norfolk and Norwich Museum a large jug, which was
presented in July, 1831, by the Rev. G. R. Leathes, of Shrophan. It is of
brown earth, glazed, dated 1676, and inscribed:--
John Wayman,
J.F.
Come Brother, shall we join?
Give me your twopence--here is mine.
This most likely belonged to a company of Shrophan ringers. It has but one
handle, and is rather curiously ornamented.
NOTE.--This article was written about twenty-five years ago.--EDITOR.
Customs and Superstitions of Baptism.
BY THE REV. CANON BENHAM, B.D., F.S.A.
The present paper is, of course, in no sense a discussion of the
_doctrine_ of Christian Baptism. The names by which this Sacrament has
been called, however, express, to some degree, the views which have been
taken of it in the Christian Church, and these names must be briefly
recounted. One of the earliest titles was _Indulgentia_, "remission of
sin." This is a title as old as the third century, and the idea has found
expression in the Nicene Creed. _Palingenesia_, "new birth," is an
expression equally old. It will be remembered that one of the earliest
symbolical names of our Lord Jesus Christ was _Ichthus_, "Fish;" it is
found on the walls of the Roman Catacombs. Now this is really an acrostic,
the letters which made it up are the initial letters of the sentence,
"Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Saviour," and Tertullian, the first writer
of the Latin Church, says, "We are fishes, born in water, conformable to
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ichthus." Justin Martyr (middle of the
second century) speaks of the baptismal water as "the water of life," and
Cassiodorus (fifth century) calls it _fons divinus_, "the divine
fountain," whence comes our name "Font." S. Chrysostom and other Greek
fathers use the name "Illumination," (_Photismos_,) and S. Augustine calls
it _Salus_, "Salvation," as he calls the Lord's Supper "Life." Another
word was _Sphragis_, "Seal," because it was the seal of a covenant made
between God and man. This title is as old as the second century. The same
idea is conveyed in Augustine's expression, _Character Dominicus_, "the
Divine, _i.e._, stamp mark."
Baptism was rejected by some of the early heretics, chiefly by the
Gnostics, who asserted that all religion lay in knowledge, and under
pretence of exalting spiritual worship, would admit of no external or
corporeal symbols whatsoever, and also by the Manichaeans, who, holding
that all matter is in itself evil, consistently rejected the religious use
of water. Some early heretics also objected to the use of water only,
asserting that this was no better than the baptism of John, whereas our
Lord was to baptize also with fire, and they seem, while baptizing with
water, to have also touched the ears with fire. Others, by some chemical
art, created an appearance of fire on the surface of the water. (Bingham,
iii. 414.)
But to come down to later times, there are curious records which tell how
the matter used in the Baptismal rite was not always water as it is with
us. A letter of Pope Gregory to Archbishop Sigurd of Norway (A.D. 1241)
says "Forasmuch as we learnt from you, that it is sometimes the custom, on
account of the want of water, for infants in your country to be baptized
in ale, we hereby decree that as according to the Gospel Doctrine, it is
necessary that they be born of water and of the Holy Spirit, they ought
not to be accounted as baptized who are baptized in ale." And there are
Bulls and decrees of Councils to the same effect. In _Notes and Queries_
(ii. 5, 524) is a quotation from an unpublished diary of the sixteenth
century, telling how "at Prestone, Aug. 30, 1574, one Griffith ap Bedo Du,
which dwelt at Pilleth, at the christening of his son would not have the
same to be christened as the manner is, in water, but upon a proud stomach
caused the water to be voided out of the font, and filled it with wine,
and so caused his son to be therein christened." And the diarist goes on
to say that all the country round noted from that time that "he and his
continued to grow to decay in substance and credit until his race was
extinguished."
Controversies concerning Infant Baptism, as well as concerning Immersion
as distinguished from affusion, or pouring water upon the baptized, would
be out of place here. The latter practice, rendered necessary in our
northern climate, has led to the use of the font. Nevertheless, baptism by
immersion is not unknown in the Church of England. Under the Church of S.
Lawrence, Reading, there is a baptistery under the pews, and in 1866,
these pews were temporarily removed and a family of Quakers were baptized
in it. At Trinity Church, Marylebone and at Scarborough, there are records
within the last few years of adults baptized by immersion. In the parish
church of Cranbrook, in the Weald of Kent, is a curious bath for
immersion, of which the following is the history. John Johnson, who was
Vicar there at the end of the seventeenth century, found on entering upon
the incumbency that there were many of his parishioners who were
unbaptized, and who, though they were desirous of attending his ministry,
were in favour of being baptized by immersion. The Anabaptists were strong
in that district during the Commonwealth. He therefore resolved to meet
their views. There was a flight of steps leading up, on the inside, into
the Parvise or room over the southern porch. At the top of these steps, on
the landing so to speak, he constructed a deep bath, reaching down in fact
to the floor of the church, so that the minister could take the person to
be baptized up the steps and there immerse him. This charitable concession
to the convictions of his people is still to be seen. I believe, however,
that there are only two records of it having been used since its erection.
Similar baptisteries are to be seen at Ebbw Vale, Aberdare, and elsewhere.
The Canons of the Church order that the font shall be of stone. In some
churches may still be seen a small vessel of plaster or earthenware, in
which a little water is put for baptism, so as to save filling the font.
But it is illegal, and is now rarely seen. Bishop Wilberforce, wherever he
found them on Visitations, ordered their removal. In the case of private
baptisms, some clergy keep a basin which they carry with them, similarly
to a pocket Communion set, and use it for no other purpose. And this
certainly seems the more reverent method. Others however use any basin
which may be handy, and then send it back to its ordinary use with a view
to prevent any feeling of superstition. It seems from the following
passage in Pepys's diary, that the clergy were in the habit of performing
public as well as private baptisms in private houses:--
"Lord's Day. My wife and I to Mr. Martin's where I find the company almost
all come to the christening of Mrs. Martin's child, a girl. After sitting
long, till the church was done, the parson comes and then we to christen
the child.... After the christening comes in the wine and sweetmeats,
etc...."
A statute dating from the time of Henry III. runs as follows:--"If really
from necessity the child shall be baptized at home, the water on account
of the sanctity of baptism shall either be poured into the fire, or
carried away to the church to be poured into the Baptistery and _the
vessel shall be burnt at the same time, or shall be deputed to the use of
the Church_."
One of the most confessedly difficult passages in the New Testament is S.
Paul's question, "What shall they do who are baptized for the dead? If the
dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?" (1 Cor.
XV. 29). Bingham discusses this text at some length. Two main lines of
interpretation have been followed by the various commentators. The one is,
that there was a custom among some of the early heretics, that when anyone
died without baptism, another was baptized in his stead. S. Chrysostom
says that this was practised among the Marcionites with a great deal of
ridiculous ceremony, which he thus describes:--"After any catechumen was
dead, they hid a living man under the bed of the deceased, then, coming to
the dead man, they spake to him and asked him whether he would receive
baptism? And he making no answer, the other answered for him, and said,
'He would be baptized in his stead.' And so they baptized the living for
the dead, as if they were acting a comedy upon the stage; so great was the
power of Satan in the minds of these vain men. Afterward, when anyone
challenged them upon this practice, they had the confidence to plead the
apostle's authority for it." Bingham proceeds to reject this
interpretation on two grounds; 1st, that it was superstitious and
delusive, "Any Jew or Gentile might easily be made a Christian by having
another, after his death, baptized for him." This objection, however, is
not conclusive, it does not follow that S. Paul approved of the practice,
no doubt he would account it a superstition. But he is employing the
_argumentum ad hominem_. "What do these people mean by their practice if
they do not believe in a resurrection?" The second objection is more
cogent, viz.: that the interpretation in question was not accepted by any
early Christian writer.