This is not material for a Learner to know, it being only for the instructions of those that know how to Ring it, but yet are ignorant of the true grounds thereof; therefore I have dissected it, and shewed the grounds of each part of it.
In this place, I will add a word or two to those that practise to Ring the Changes.
They that Ring the extream bells in the Twenty-four changes, must mind and observe the motion of the hunt, that they may the better know when to make the extream changes; and likewise in a six-score on five bells, he that Rings the half hunt, must observe the motion of the whole hunt; and they that Ring the extream bells, must observe the motions both of the whole hunt, and half hunt, that they may know when the half hunt is to move, and also when to make the extream changes; or else he that does Ring the half hunt, may give notice of the extream changes (by saying Extream) the change next before the extream is to be made. The same is to be observed in the changes on six bells. The whole hunt is the easiest bell to Ring in any changes, the half hunt is more plain and easie to Ring, than an extream bell. All changes are to be Rang either by walking them (as the term is) or else Whole-pulls, or Half-pulls. By walking them, is meant, that the bells go round, four, six, eight times, or more, in one change, which is commonly used by young Practisers; it may be sometimes on five bells, Ringing the Twenty-four changes on the treble, second, third, and fourth, the fifth bell striking behind every change; and many other changes of the like nature may be practised this way by young Ringers. Whole-pulls, is to Ring two Rounds in one change, that is, Fore-stroke and Back-stroke, and in a change; so that every time you pull down the bells at Sally, you make a new change differing from that at the Back-stroke next before; this Whole-pulls was altogether practised in former time, but of late there is a more quick and ready way practised, called Half-pulls, which is—only one round in a change, that is, one change made at the Fore-stroke, and another at the Back-stroke, which way is now altogether in use (unless it be at some great bells, which are too weighty to be managed up so high a Compass at the Back-stroke, as Half-pulls requires) it being now a common thing in London to Ring the 720 Changes, Trebles and Doubles, and Grandsire Bob, Half-pulls, (which is commonly Rang with so round and quick a Compass, that in the space of half an hour, or little more, the 720 Changes are Rang out from the beginning to the end.) And also the Six-scores Doubles and Singles, Old Doubles, Grandsire, and many other cross Peals on five bells, are commonly Rang Half-pulls.
In Ringing Half-pulls some Peals do cut Compass, that is—the whole hunt comes to lead at the Back-stroke, to remedy which, make the first change of the Peal at the Back-stroke.
By these following Rules, you shall know what Peals do cut Compass, and what not (i.e.) of plain and single changes. On six Bells,
In hunting either the treble, the third, or the fifth bells down, cuts Compass; hunting them up, does not cut Compass.
In hunting the second, fourth, or sixth bells up, cuts Compass; but hunting them down, does not cut Compass.
These Rules (leaving out the Tenor) serves for five bells; and leaving out the fifth and Tenor, they serve for four bells.
The
Twelve score Long Hunts:
Or the
ESQUIRE'S Twelve-score.
This Peal is to be Rang on six bells, having two whole hunts, and one half hunt; the common way of Ringing, it is to make the fifth and Tenor the whole hunts, and the Treble the half hunt. The Tenor and fifth does each hunt down by turns, and when either of them comes down before the bells, it leads twice, and then hunts up again.