By the Rev. W. C. Lukis. 



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By the way, I may mention some curious qualifications for a 

 Royal Chaplaincy. Mr. Aubrey, in his 'Natural History of Wilts, 9 

 tells us that " Mr. Ferraby, the minister of Bishop's Cannings, was 

 an ingenious man and an excellent musician, and made severall of 

 his parishioners good musicians both for vocall and instrumental! 

 music. They sung the Psalms in consort to the organ which Mr. 

 Ferraby procured to be erected. When King James I. was in 

 these parts, he lay at Sir Edw. Baynton's at Bromham. Mr. Ferraby 

 then entertained his Majesty at the Bush in Cotefield, with bucoliques 

 of his own making and composing, of four parts, which were sung 

 by his parishioners, who wore frocks and whippes like carters. 

 Whilst his Majesty was thus diverted the eight bells (of which he 

 was the cause) did ring, and the organ was played on for state; 

 and after this musicall entertainment, he entertained his Majesty 

 with a foot-ball match of his own parishioners. This Parish in 

 those dayes would have challenged all England for musique, foot- 

 ball, and ringing. For this entertainment his Majesty made him 

 one of his Chaplains in ordinary." 



It is calculated that seven hundred and twenty changes can be 

 rung on twelve bells in one hour, and that it would require, at this 

 rate, seventy- five years, ten months, and ten days, to ring all pos- 

 sible changes (viz. 479,001,600) on the same number of bells. I 

 desire to add one or two remarks by way of caution and advice to 

 ringers in parishes where there exists a good ring of bells, properly 

 clappered, which are often rung. You cannot bestow too much 

 care upon them. Yery frequently examine the condition of the 

 stocks, iron- work, gudgeons, frame, wheels, and clappers. Do so 

 every month, if not every week, and particularly in those cases 

 where there has been any new work done to them. New gear 

 requires much more constant watching than old. A month's neglect 

 may cost the parish many pounds. And as regards chiming for 

 service, which is sometimes practised in the country on Sundays, 

 unless you have a proper apparatus for it, let me beg of you to 

 discontinue tying the clappers. Incalculable mischief is done to 

 them by this method of chiming. You know that a clapper is 

 suspended from the staple in such a manner as to move backwards 



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