AN INTRODUCTION
to the Knowledge of
CROSSE PEALS.
These Peals are term’d cross in respect of their intricate methods; wherein several notes moving at one and the same time, do thwart or cross each other in their course and motion, some moving up, others at the same time down, gives this Denomination to the Peals. The end of pricking them is to make the compleat number of changes by a method differing from that of other Peals. For although five can be varied but 120 ways, and six but 720 &c. yet the methods by which they are varied, are differing, according to the several fancies of the Artist. And as order and method are the only basis on which this Art is founded; so the skilful Artists, the better to effect the aforesaid end, have thought fit in most peals to appoint one note to be as it were a Helm or Rudder, by which the course of the peal is steered; which note is term’d a Hunt, and hath one constant uniform motion throughout the peal, differing from that of the other notes. The manner of its motion is continually through the other notes, that is, from leading to strike behind, and from thence again to lead, which motion, first up and then down, is term’d one compleat Course. Some peals upon five bells, as old Doubles, &c. consist of single Courses; there being ten changes in every single Course, and twelve of those Courses in the peal. Other peals upon five bells, as London Paradox, &c. consist of double Courses; there being twenty changes in every double Course, and six of those Courses in the peal. Upon six bells there are also single and double Courses, viz. twelve changes in every single Course, as in Grandsire Bob &c. and twenty four changes in every double Course, as in Colledg Bob, &c. the change wherein the Hunt leaves leading being the first change of every Course. Now the methods of these peals being well considered, they will be found more easie than at the first view they may seem to be; for the first Course of any Cross Peal being judiciously viewed, the general method of the whole peal will thereby appear: for all the Courses in a Cross peal do agree in these three respects. First, in the motion of the Hunt; secondly, in the motion of the rest of the notes; thirdly, in the making of the changes, which will plainly appear in the following peals, (some few changes in each peal only excepted, as hereafter I shall shew in my Directions to the several peals:) for proof of which I will give an instance in the peal of new Doubles upon five bells, these being the three first Courses of the peal. Wherein ’tis observable, that the last change of the first Course which is 13524, I have set down again at the top of the second Course; and likewise the last change of the second Course which is 15432, I have also put at the top of the third course; which I have done for the plainer Demonstration of what I here intend. So that the ten lowermost changes are the ten changes of each Course.
| First Course | 2d Course | 3d Course |
|---|---|---|
| 12345 | 13524 | 15432 |
| 21354 | 31542 | 51423 |
| 23145 | 35124 | 54132 |
| 32415 | 53214 | 45312 |
| 23451 | 35241 | 54321 |
| 32541 | 53421 | 45231 |
| 23514 | 35412 | 54213 |
| 32154 | 53142 | 45123 |
| 31245 | 51324 | 41532 |
| 13254 | 15342 | 14523 |
| 13524 | 15432 | 14253 |
First therefore, as to the motion of the hunt, the 1 which is the hunt moves directly up behind, where it lieth twice, and then down again to lead, where it lieth also twice; as appears in each of these three Courses, and the like also throughout the peal.
Secondly, as the 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th bells move through the first Course, so the bells that lie in the 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th places in the last change of every course, moves in the same manner also through the next following course. For instance; first, for the bell in the 2d place: in the first course the 2d bell moves down to lead, where it lieth twice, and then dodges untill the treble comes down to it. So likewise in the second course, the 3d bell lying in the 2d place moves down to lead, where it lies twice, and then dodges until treble comes down to it; and also in the third course, the 5th bell lying in the 2d place, moves down to lead where it lieth twice, and dodgeth until the treble moves down to it. Secondly, for the bell in the 3d place. In the first course the 3d bell moves down to lead, and there dodgeth untill the treble comes down to it: so likewise in the second course the 5th bell lying in the 3d place moves down to lead, and there dodgeth untill the treble comes down to it: and also in the 3d course the 4th bell lying in the 3d place moves down to lead, and there dodgeth until the treble comes down to it. Thirdly, for the bell in the fourth place: In the first course, the fourth bell moves up behind, then down into the 3d place where it lieth twice, then up again behind; so likewise in the second course, the 2d bell lying in the 4th place moves up behind, then down into the 3d place where it lieth twice, then up again behind; and also in the third course the 3d bell lying in the 4th place, moves therefore up behind, then down into the 3d place where it lieth twice, then up again behind. And such uniform motion also hath the bell in the 5th place through every course.
Thirdly, that the changes in all the courses of the peal are made alike, will here also plainly appear in the three courses. For the first change of every course is made on the two first and two last bells; the second change of every course is made on the four last; the third is made on the four first; the fourth on the two first and two last; the fifth on the four first; the sixth on the two first and two last; the seventh on the four first; the eighth on the four last; the ninth on the two first and two last; and the tenth single.
And thus in every Cross-peal the Courses do all agree, first in the motion of the Hunt, secondly in the motion of the rest of the notes, and thirdly in the making of the changes, as before I have showed. So that these three things being well observed, will be very helpful both in pricking and ringing them; the first and third being most proper to direct the pricking of them, and the first and second the ringing of them. Therefore if the Practitioner do but observe how the changes are made in the first course of a peal, wherein he must have particular regard to the motion of the Hunt, (with a little further help from the following directions to each peal, as to the making of Extreams and Bob-changes) he may easily prick down all the following Courses of the same peals and therefore in the following peals I have onely prickt down two or three of the first courses for an example, and then have abridged the rest of the peal by setting down only the changes that are made at the leadings of the Hunt. But note, there are some few Cambridg-peals upon five bells, wherein all the courses of each peal do not agree in the aforesaid three respects: For although as to the motion of the whole-hunt they do, yet in the motion of the rest of the notes, and consequently in the making of the changes they do not.
It being very difficult to begin the following peals with cross hunts, that is, to make the 2d, 3d, 4th &c. whole-hunts, I will therefore set down a general rule for making the first changes at the beginning of each Peal, wherein consists the great difficulty. In any Cross-peal the whole-hunt may move either up or down at the beginning; and the motion of the whole-hunt in the first course of each of the following peals will direct the first motion of any cross hunt, and consequently of making the first changes in that peal. For Example, admit the 4th were made the whole-hunt in the peal called Old doubles and singles upon five bells, and to hunt up at first: now to know how to make the first changes, observe how the change is made wherein the treble (which is there the whole-hunt) moves up out of the 4th place, and in the same manner must the change be made wherein the 4th bell also moves up out of that place: therefore as the change wherein the treble moves up out of the 4th place is a single behind; so likewise must the change wherein the 4th bell moves up out of that place, be also a single behind thus, 12354: and then as the next change wherein the treble lieth still behind is double of the four first bells; so likewise the next change wherein the 4th bell lieth still behind, must also be made on the four first, thus, 21534, &c. Or admit the 4th were to hunt down at the beginning, then observe how the change is made wherein the treble hunts down out of the 4th place, and so in like manner must the change be made wherein the 4th hunts also down out of that place: therefore as the change wherein the treble hunts down out of the 4th place, is double of the four first bells; so likewise must the change wherein the 4th bell hunts down out of that place, be also double of the four first thus, 21435; then as the treble makes a single when it moves down out of the 3d place, so likewise must the 4th next make a single change in moving down out of the 3d place thus 24135, &c. which observations will guide the making of the first changes in any cross peal with any Hunts; but observe whensoever the first change of any peal happens to be single, it must be made at the back-stroke to prevent cutting compass; and the like when a double change happens first in a peal of Triples and Doubles. And moreover by the way observe, that all the following peals are so prickt, that in ringing them at half-pulls, if the first change of each peal is made at the fore-stroke, the single changes in each peal will always be made at the back-stroke; and also the double changes in Triples and Doubles, excepting some few Single in two or three peals. But when it happens that the first change of a peal is made at the back-stroke, then consequently the bells at the end of the peal will come round at a fore-stroke change.
In such peals on five bells where singles are made in the 3d and 4th places at the leadings of the whole-hunt, the extreams may there be made three ways in each peal; viz. every time the half-hunt lieth next to the whole-hunt; secondly, every time it lieth behind; thirdly, every time the half-hunt lieth next the whole-hunt, and also behind: in this last way there are six extreams in each peal, but in other ways only three in each; the extreams being always made when the whole-hunt leads, and betwixt the two farthest extream bells from the half-hunt.
In such peals upon five bells wherein there are three extreams, and made in the 3d and 4th places at the leadings of the whole-hunt; the rest of the singles at the leadings of the whole-hunt may be made two ways in each peal, viz. either in the 2d and 3d, or the 4th and 5th places; if they are made in the 2d and 3d, then the extreams must be made when the half-hunt lyeth behind; but if the singles are made behind, then the extreams must be made when the half-hunt lieth next the whole-hunt, the extreams being always made between the two next extream bells to the half-hunt.