"Sometimes joy, sometimes sorrow.
Marriage to-day, and Death to-morrow."
They generally lose their point when they lose their Latinity.
The mottoes on old bells, other than those which were dictated by the reverential feeling of the middle ages, comprise instances of vanity, ignorance, and silliness, such as would hardly be expected in these matters. Sometimes a kind of moral aphorism is attempted, with more or less success.
"Mankind, like us, too oft are found
Possessed of nought but empty sound.
When backward rung, I tell of fire;
Think how the world shall thus expire.
When souls are from their body torn,
'Tis not to die, but to be born."
One, very short, bids us to
"Embrace trew musick."
A bell-founder named Pleasant used to put all kinds of punning mottoes on his bells suggested by his name. Some record the financial virtues of the persons who supplied the money for casting the bell:
"I'm given here to make a peal,
And sound the praise of Mary Neale."
"All ye who hear my solemn sound.
Thank Lady Hopton's hundred pound."
"Robert Forman collected the money for casting this bell:
I'll surely do my part as well."
The name of the founder is sometimes supplanted by that of the churchwarden, or they may appear in companionship.
"John Martin of Worcester he made wee,
Be it known to all that do wee see."
"John Draper made, as plainly doth appeare.
This bell was broake and cast againe wich
tyme churchwardens were,
Edward Dixon for the one who stode close to his tacklin.
And he that was his partner then was Alexander Tacklyn."