132 Transactions:. 



described, is yet a clean, sharp casting, the second in order of 

 artistic merit of those under notice ; and, thanks to those who 

 had the care of the recasting, it bears an interesting inscription 

 recording its history, which would otherwise have been lost. We 

 learn that the bell was recast in 1818, and again in 1839, and 

 that the time of its original founding reaches back to within eiglit 

 years of the date on the Carliel bell, viz., the year 1451. The 

 letters are Roman, and the inscription, the first part of which 

 relates to the original founding, and the second to the recasting, 

 is — 



HJECCE CAMPANA QUAM WILLIELMUS A.D. MCCCCLI EXCUDENDUM 

 CUEAVERAT IN USUM ECCLESI^i; ST. JIICHAEUS DUMFKISIENSIS. 



ROBERTO WALLACE D. D. PRESBYTERO SACRA PROCURANTE. UAVIDE 

 ARMSTRONG ARMIGERO PR.EPOSITO. GEORGIO DUNBAR, THOMA MILLICAN, 

 ET JOSEPUO BECK BALIVIS. JACOBO GIBSON DECANCS SOCIETATIS. LIE 

 DEAN OF GUILD, ET JOANNE m'KIE THEASAURO, BURGI DUMFRIS. FRAN- 

 CISCO SHORTT ET JACOBO BROOM CLERICIS KJUSDEM. 



NOVATA A.D. MDCCCXVIII ET RENOVATA A.D. MDCCCXXXIX. 

 THOMA MEARS LONDINI. 



(This bell, William, a.d., 1451, caused to be cast for the use of 

 the Church of St. Michael's, Dumfries. 



Robert Wallace, D.D., minister of the parish j David Arm- 

 strong, Esquire, Provost ; George Dunbar, Thomas Milligan, and 

 Joseph Beck, Bailies ; James Gibson, Dean of Guild ; and John 

 M'Kie, treasurer of the burgh of Dumfries ; Francis Shortt and 

 James Bro jUi, clerks of the same. 



lie-cast \.D. 1818, and cast again a.d. 1839. Thomas Mears, 

 London. ) 



The re-casting and hanging of the bell in 1818 cost the sum of 

 £126 12s 5d, of which the Town Council paid one half, the other 

 being paid by the landward heritors. Thomas Mears, London, 

 was the founder, and the details of the account show that where- 

 as the new bell weighed 8 cwt. 1 qr. 6 lbs., the weight of the old 

 bell was only 4 cwt. 2 qrs. 16 lbs. 



In 1839 the bell being cracked, a committee was appointed by 

 the Town Council to make inquiry, and on 6th Se])tember, 

 " Bailie Milligan reported answers to the application for the 

 expense of re-casting the Old Churcli bell from Mears, of London, 

 showing that, taking the metal of the old bell weighing 8 cwt. 1 

 stone 10 lbs., the expense of re-casting may be about twenty-four 

 pounds, and that over and above tlie expense of taking down. 



