2°'J S. No 98., Oct. 10. '57.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



285 



Founder, of th' other prte. lu pris, That he the said 

 Roger Purdy, for and in consideracon of the some of viijZ. 

 of currant english money, and One hundred pounds of 

 Bell mettall, shall take downe the Tenor Bell now hang- 

 inge in the Tower of the P'ishe Churche of St. Cuthb'te, 

 and him weigh ther w'th sufficient marchantable weighte, 

 and after the weying therof, carry the same vnto the 

 place wher he doth intend to cast him in Wells afforesaid, 

 *nd ther cast him, and make retorne of the same Bell and 

 mettall in full weight as he receaveth the same, and by 

 the same weight. And all wch is to be done at the pper 

 cost and charge of the said Purdy, excepting the charg 

 of the Stock weele, rope, and clipper. And that he may 

 • agree in Musicall tune and harmony w* the first and 

 second bells hanging in the said Tower. And soe that 

 likewise the said five bells may agree in true musicall 

 tune and harmony w'thin three monethes next after such 

 takinge downe of the said Tenor. And likewise that the 

 said Purdue shall geve sufficient securitye to the likeinge 

 of the said Mayor and churchwardens in three hundred 

 pouflds, for the aunsweringe and deliv'ringe back againe 

 of the same Bell w'thin one wyke after the del'vie in full 

 weighte. And alsoe geve other securitie for th' main- 

 tayninge of the same Bell w'thin one wyke after the de- 

 liv'rie in full weighte. And alsoe geve other securitie for 

 mayntaininge the same Bell for the space of seaven yeares. 

 And likewise the said Roger Purdue to allow Ane hun- 

 dred of Tynn to the Castinge of the same Bell, yf occasion 

 shalbe, for wch he is to be allowed One hundred of bell 

 mettall owte of the said Tenor by the said Mayor and 

 Churchwardens. And that the said Roger is to gett all 

 such other moneys as he cann in the Town by voluntary 

 contribucons." 



"30 Dec. 1624. 



" Request was made by Roger Purdy to have the money 

 dew to him from the P'ish for Castinge the Bells ; And 

 theruppon it is thought fitt that ther shalbe a Rate made 

 by the P'ish forthw'th, to pay that wch by relacon is 

 abowte viijZ. viijs. And that Rate shalbe paid f 'thw'th." 



There is a field a short distance from the church 

 called " Bell Close," where it is probable the bells 

 were cast. Ina. 



THE BEV. MB. THOm's MODE OF JUDGING IN THE 

 "great DOUGLAS CAUSE," ETC. 



Mr. Thom, Minister of Govan (see " N. & Q.," 

 2"^ S. iv. 104.), discussing the question whether 

 the committee of his dead brethren who sat in the 

 Laigh Kirk of Glasgow were saved or damned, 

 proceeds in part of his arguments as follows : 



" If (p. 22.) our dead brethren had been heretics the 

 case would have been different. On that supposition it 

 would have been extremely hard to prove that they died 

 in the Lord. For my part I confess it would have ex- 

 ceeded my abilities, and I should never have attempted 

 it. Indeed it is probable, and partly for that very reason, 

 that in such an event I would not have been employed to 

 deliver the funeral oration. But the afi'air standing as it 

 does my task is much easier. As the cause is not con- 

 cerned I am under no necessity to believe them damned ; 

 on the contrary I ought in charity to believe that they 

 are saved. Accordingly I confess 1 do incline to believe 

 so." 



In a foot-note deduced from the last sentence 

 in italics of the preceding paragraph, the reverend 



author (through his printers) delivers the follow- 

 ing commentary : 



" This is the learned manner of expression. The miti- 

 gated form of speech possesses great dignity and — espe- 

 cially when one is not sure of a point — is an infallible 

 mark of candour. It is much more effectual with all in- 

 genious minds than the most peremptory assertions. It 

 is besides the mark of a true philosopher, who ought 

 never to appear positive upon any subject; neither ought 

 he to appear much concerned. Our author accordingly 

 observes this rule here. In demonstrable cases, indeed — 

 and such cases occur not unfrequently to him — he is 

 very confident, and with reason ; but what is merely pro- 

 bable he always delivers as such. At the same time, as 

 the point he is at present labouring is of very great con- 

 sequence to his deceased brethren, he neglects no argu- 

 ment, however minute, which gives it the least addition 

 of strength; keeping in his eye this material rule of rea- 

 soning that, though a single argument may be good for 

 nothing taken by itself, yet a number of such arguments 

 bound together will make up a very good evidence ; — 

 an evidence on which not merely heaven and hell in the 

 future state, as in the present case, but, which to people 

 who balance evidence is still more conclusive, even life 

 and fortune in this world do often depend, see the pro- 

 ceedings in the D — g — s C — se." 



Mr. Thom lived at the period when the Douglas 

 Cause was going forward in the legal courts of 

 the two kingdoms, and there is no doubt observed 

 the proceedings with a scrutinising eye. It would 

 appear yet necessary to apply his mode of ba- 

 lancing evidence in forming our judgment on a 

 piece of conduct alleged against the then Chief 

 Justice of England, as to whether the latter (like 

 Mr. Thorn's clerical brethren) is to be saved or 

 damned, by including in our estimate the cha- 

 racters of Camden, Fox, Home Tooke, and 

 Wilkes, along with the fiery temper, prejudices, 

 and vindictive nature of Sir Philip Francis, who 

 under such influence is supposed to have been 

 unable to speak the truth of anyone, and hence 

 any charge made by him to be regarded as un- 

 founded. (See " N. & Q.," 2°<> S. iv. 209., M. D.C.) 

 However valuable may be the rules of balancing 

 arguments, cumulative and circumstantial evi- 

 dence, the doctrine of probabilities, and so forth, 

 we are not quite so helpless as to be forced en- 

 tirely to depend on these ; the serious and im- 

 portant charge against the Chief Justice having 

 seemingly been repeated by Sir Philip Francis in 

 the House of Commons without receiving contra- 

 diction, together with the long^ almost prevalent, 

 belief in the public mind that in respect to the 

 decision given there was a screio loose somewhere. 

 It would certainly be desirable that those who 

 possess the best opportunities and skill for inves- 

 tigating the truth or falsehood of the much 

 agitated point, would meet it boldly in the face, 

 and communicate their sentiments, which if not 

 done, the suspicions of the less informed may be 

 still more confirmed, and who may undertake the 

 solution of the mysterious problem for themselves, 

 and in tiieir own way adopt the words of the re- 



