Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-01
LEGENDS OF BELLS.
THOSE OF FoRRAeURY GIVE WARNING
OF COMING STORMS
A Soldiers Life Saved by ST. raurs
Striking Tbirtocn-Heard 100 Miles
at Sca-wcstminster He'll.
ladies Treasury.I

One of the most interesting legends
IL that relating 20 the Silent Tower Of
Bot,resux. In days long ago the IN
habi,snts OF the parish of Forrabury de-
termined to have peal OF bells which
should rival those of the neighborng
church of Tintagel, which are said to
have rung morrily st the marriage and
tollcd solemnly ut the death OF Arthur.
The bells were cast they were blesi and
shipped for Forrabury. All went well.
The voyage was favorable. the ship
clided with fair wind along the north
crn shores Of Cornwall, and waited
Tor the tide 10 carry her safely into
The hArbor Of Rot,reaux. The vespcr
bells rang ont at TIntage, and when tho
pilot heard them he bent his knee and
thanked God for the safe and quic6
voyage that they had made. The cap
tam laughed him 90 scorn, saying that
they had only themselves to thank Tor
their speedy voyage, aud with MS arm
nj the helm and hls judgment TO guide
them they would soon have happy land
ADks III llAiNt AiN'Ne'h AAa' iA't'"
speech. but the impious captain swore
more profanely still that all WAS due to
himself: "May God forgive you, was
the pilots reply.
WITH MUFILED SOUND.
While yet the captains oaths wero
heard. while vet the inhabitants on the
shore were looking out from The ellis eX-
pecting 20 see the vessel charged with
their bells safe in their harbor, onward
came, IN oil :he terror of It's power and
mightiness. one of those huge waves
which are no, unknown on the northern
chores of Cornwall. The ship rose not
npon the waters as il came onward. She
was overwhelmed, and sank in en in
slant close 10 the land. " As the vessel
sank the bells were heard tollIng with a
unified sound. rs If ringing the death
knell Of the ship and sailors, OF whom
the good pilot alone escaped with life
when storms are comilg--and only
then-the bells of ForraDury. with the
dull, mufled sound, are heard from he
meath the heaying sea. "a warning to the
wicked but the tower mas remelned u
this day silent
Many superstitions were attached 10 q
bell belonging 10 the Chapel OF ~. lie
Ian they were made known by the MN
lister of KILN Parish. Pehhshlre, III
J779. AT which time it appears the ideas
mentioned had not wholly died away.
The bell was usually laid on grave
stone in the cLurch-yard. Insane people
were brought 10 10 10 be cured. They
we're frst dipped with certain ceremo-
mics into the SAINTS Pool The bell
was placed in the chapel, where IT re-
manned, bound with ropes, all night
Next day il was placed upon the heads
of the lunatics with great solemnlty, but
with what results is not made known.
II was the popular opinion that II stolen
this bell would eXtricate itself from the
hands of the thief and return home, nng-
ing all the way.
Most learned writers in bell lore tell
che story of the Raleigh bells, or rather
of those in village near Raleigh, witch
many wears ago was swallowed up 10y an
earthquake. AS lately rs the year 1877
II was the custom Of the people to as.
semble on Christmas-day III the valley
caused by the earthquake, where they
declared that 10y placing the ear to the
ground and listening sttentively, they
could hear the ringing of the buried
bells. The villagers really heard the
ringing OF the bells OF q neignboring
church.
With the sound of bells and peals OF
bells n likeness 10 certain words and
phrases has fallen on the ear. The fol-
lowing are examples Of this fancy
There is a saying that the Burton bells
used to call across the Trent TO Lud-
dington, in Lincolnshire, "Who rings
best !? Who rings best ? b" TO which Lud-
dington replied, eve two, we two
The bells of North Thorcsby and OF an
other adjacent village with three bells
each are supposed TO ask each other,
"Who rings best? Who rings best % tc
which the bells Of another place reply
1--WE do. we do" And We are all moro
or less familiar with the old rhymes be
ginning
Pancakes AMI irluors,
Say the bcls OF ~ Peters
In Chambers's "Book Of Days We
find the well-known story of the senhne
whose life was saved by the incorrec
striking of St Pauls clock, J. H., who
died June Is, 1870, at the age of ont
hundred and two. was, when a soldier
in the time Of William and Mary, tire,
by court-martial for having fallel
asleep when on duty upon the terrace Il
Windsor. He denied the charge. De
claring as a proof that he heard st Paul
clock strike thirteen Fortunately, sew
eral persons had heard 1t also, and th
mans life was saved. The be
that struck on this important oC
casion was Tom Of WestmiI
ster and it is suggested that such
thing might have happened through sti
ness or some mechanical obstacles. Ii
truth of the story has been doubted
many persons believing that 81. Paul
clock could not be heard Mt Windsor, bI
Sir Edward Beckett thinks that it mlgl
have been heard and gives instances
confirmation Of his opinion, adding I'M
"nobody has vet solved the probiel
why a wind--which you can hardly feel
will make the difference OF your hearln
bells half a mile or ten miles, accordiI
as the wind is with YOU or against.
With respect 10 the distance at whlc
bells may be heard it is recorded 10y ID
Arnott and quoted by Climbs that
once happened that on board a ship Sal
ing along the coast of Brazil 100 mil
from land the sound OF bells was ID
tinotly heard by the persons walking {
deck. Some months afterwards it W
ascertained that at the time these pc
sons had heard the bells ringing Il
bells of 81. Salvador on the Brazilit
coast, had been ringing on the occasiC
OF festival. II is believed that Il
sound, favored 10y a gentle wind, hS
travelled over 100 miles Of water
In connection with the London sto
already given Chamberss recalls
"freak OF the grea. bell at Westmi
ster. He says: +" Ii Is we'll remember
that on the morning of March IA, 49,
the new great bell OF Westminster stru
several times, and most irregularly."
proved 70 be arrangement OF the cloC
for at or 5 ten or twelve strokes W,
strpok ,pe+and ~ the prOnar numb