134 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 



The ffouerth Bell ii AJ (tons) cxilil at x ^ xn p cwt = VAJ i c 

 The Lady Bell iii AJ xxili. J i* T xivli. (112 Ibs.) 



The weyght of the belles receved ffrom Purdewe 

 The ffouerth Bell iiAJ cccxxxli. 

 The Lady Bell iiiAJ LXixli. 



"V"V" 



At xuli p cwt = VAJ me ill qr xvili (sic) it should be 

 i5lbs., and so received over 2 cwt. more metal than was 

 delivered. Besides these bells a panne bell (probably an hemis- 

 pherical bell) and a salve bell are mentioned, the ropes for which 

 cost is. each. 



In 1653 Robert Austen and his sons were paid 55 95. 6d. 

 for casting bells and for metal for the Panne Bell. 



A brasse put on the Great Bell in 1653 cost 2 75. 



The Great Bell was recast by Thomas Purdy (Purdue) in 1670 

 at Closeworth as the account for that year says. The casting 

 alone cost 21. 



The following from the account of 1570-1 illustrates the use 

 of the Great bell at funerals : 



Item receyved of Jones Jones for the buryyng of Joan Barton 

 yn the Church and for rynging of the greate bell and her gifte 



XX s . 



Item receyved of Mr. Assheley for burying his sonne yn the 

 Churche and rynging the great bell x s . 



Item receyved for the buryinge of Mr. Assheley in the 

 Churche and for rynging of the great Belle and his gifte xx s . 

 In 1715 if the great tolled at a funeral the charge was IDS. 



>, 5th 6s. 8d. 



;> 4-th ,, ,, ,, ,, 55. 



> 3 r d ,, ,, ,, ,, 35. 4d. 



2nd ,, ,, ,, 2S. 6d. 



*st ,, ,, ,, ,, is. 



The custom of ringing the curfew is still retained in Sher- 

 borne ; the third bell was formerly used for that purpose, but in 

 1885 it was found that the clapper was much worn, and since 

 that time the 4th bell has been used instead. 



