On the Ingenious Art of RINGING.

What Musick is there that compar'd may be
To well-tun'd Bells enchanting melody!
Breaking with their sweet sound the willing Air,
And in the listning ear the Soul ensnare;
The ravisht Air such pleasure loth to lose,
With thousand Echoes still prolongs each close;
And gliding streams which in the Vallies trills,
Assists its speed unto the neighbouring Hills;
Where in the rocks & caves, with hollow gounds,
The warbling lightsome Element rebounds.
This for the Musick: In the Action's Health,
And every Bell is a Wit's Common-wealth
For here by them we plainly may discern,
How that Civility we are to learn.
The Treble to the Tenor doth give place,
And goes before him for the better grace:
But when they chance to change, 'tis as a dance,
They foot A Galliard, à la mode de France.
An Eighteenscore's a figure dance, but Grandsire
Hath the Jig-steps! & Tendrings Peal doth answer
The manner of Corants: A plain Six-score,
Is like a Saraband, the motion slower.
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
For when all talk, there's none can lend an ear
The others story, and her own to hear;
But pull and hall, straining for to sputter
What they can hardly afford time to utter.
Like as a valiant Captain in the Field,
By his Conduct, doth make the Foe to yield;
Ev'n so, the leading Bell keeping true time,
The rest do follow, none commits a Crime:
But if one Souldier runs, perhaps a Troop
Seeing him gone, their hearts begin to droop;
Ev'n so the fault of one Bell spoils a Ring,
(And now my Pegasus has taken Wing.)

Upon the Presentation of
GRANDSIRE BOB
To the
COLLEDGE-YOUTHS,
By the
AUTHOR
Of that PEAL.

Gentlemen of the Noble Crew
Of Colledge-Youths, there lately blew
A wind, which to my Noddle flew
(upon a day when as it Snew;)
Which to my Brains the Vapors drew
And there began to work and brew,
'Till in my Pericranium grew
Conundrums, how some Peal that's New
Might be compos'd? and to pursue
These thoughts (which did so whet and hew
My flat Invention) and to shew
What might be done, I strait withdrew
Myself to ponder—whence did accrue
This Grandsire Bob, which unto you
I Dedicate, as being due
Most properly; for there's but few
Besides, so ready at their Q——
(Especially at the first View)
To apprehend a thing that's New;
Though they'l pretend, and make a shew,
As if the intricat'st they knew;
What Bob doth mean, and Grandsire True,
And read the course without a Clue
Of this new Peal: Yet though they screw
Their shallow Brains, they'l ne're unglue
The Method on't (and I'm a Jew)
If I don't think this to be true,
They see no more on't than blind Hugh.
Well, let their tongues run Titere tu,
Drink muddy Ale, or else French Lieve,
Whil'st we our Sport and Art renew,
And drink good Sack till Sky looks blew,
So Grandsire bids you All adieu. R.R.

THE ART OF RINGING.

Of the Beginning of Changes.

It is an ancient Proverb with us in England (That Rome was not built in a day) by which expression is declared, That difficult things are not immediately done, or in a short time accomplished: But for the Art of Ringing, it is admirable to conceive in how short a time it hath increased, that the very depth of its intricacy is found out; for within these Fifty or Sixty years last past, Changes were not known, or thought possible to be Rang: Then were invented the Sixes, being the very ground of a Six score: Then the Twenty, and Twenty-four, with several other Changes. But Cambridge Forty-eight, for many years, was the greatest Peal that was Rang or invented; but now, neither Forty-eight, nor a Hundred, nor Seven-hundred and twenty, nor any Number can confine us; for we can Ring Changes, Ad infinitum. Although Philosophers say, No Number is infinite, because it can be numbred; for infinite is a quantity that cannot be taken or assigned, but there is (infinitum quoad hos) as they term it, that is infinite in respect of our apprehension: Therefore a Ringers knowledge may seem infinite to dive so infinitely into such an infinite Subject; but least my Discourse should be infinite, I will conclude it, and proceed to the Peals following.

Before I Treat of the method and diversity of Peals, I think it not impertinent to speak something of the Properties wherewith a Young Ringer ought to be qualified, and then proceed to the Peals. First then, before he is entred into a Company, it is presupposed, that he is able to Set a Bell Fore-stroke and Back-stroke, as the terms are: Next, that he know how to Ring Round, or Under-sally: Then, that he may be complete, it is convenient, that he understand the Tuning of Bells; for what is a Musician, unless he can Tune his Instrument, although he plays never so well? To do which, let him learn on some Instrument, or Wyer-Bells, to know a Third, Fifth, and Eighth, which are the principal Concords: Or otherwise, let him get a Pipe called a Pitch-pipe, which may be made by any Organ-maker, to contain eight Notes, or more, (according to his pleasure) with their Flatts and Sharps, which will be very useful in the Tuning of Bells. And then this is a general Rule, begin at the Tenor, or biggest Bell, and count 3 whole Notes, then a half Note, or Sharp, 3 whole Notes, then a half Note, or Sharp; and so on, until you come to the least Bell or Treble. For example on four Bells, 1:234, here the 432 are whole Notes, and the half Note or Sharp is between 1 and 2. On Five Bells, 12:345 the 543 are whole Notes; and the half Note or Sharp is between 2 and 3. On Six, 123:456 the half Note or Sharp is between 3 and 4. On Eight Bells, 1:2345:678, one half Note or Sharp is between 5 and 6, and the other between 1 and 2. On Ten, 123:4567:8910; here one half Note is between 7 and 8, and the next between 3 and 4. On Twelve Bells, 12:345:6789:10 11 12. Here one half Note or Sharp is between 9 and 10, the next between 5 and 6, and the other between 2 and 3, which last is made contrary to the former Rule, it being but two whole Notes from the next half Note to it; the reason is this, the Ninth is one whole Note below the Eighth, therefore the 2 must be a whole Note below the Treble, otherwise they would not be a true Eighth, therefore the half Note is put between 2 and 3. Now he that hath these Rules, and a good ear to judge of the Concords, may at any time cast his Verdict (as to Bells, whether they are well in Tune or not) amongst the chief of the Company.