The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #3990   Message #21068
Posted By:
09-Feb-98 - 05:57 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Bellringing / The Bell Ringing
Subject: Lyr Add: BELLRINGING
Here goes and I hope this first attempt at posting a song and tune will work.

X: 1
T:BELLRINGING
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:120
K:D
A| dBd|cAc/2c/2|GBA|EGF|DFA|GBA|EGF|D2A/2A/2|dBd| cAc|GBA|EGF|DFA|GBA|EGF|D2||A/2A/2|dBc|A2A|dBc| A2A|DFA|GBA|EGF|D2A/2A/2|dBd|cAc|GBA|EGF|DFA| GBA|EGF|D2

BELLRINGING

One day in October, neither drunken nor sober,
O'er Broadbury down I was wending my way,
When I heard of some ringing, some dancing and singing,
I ought to remember that Jubilee Day.

'Twas at Ashwater Town the bells they did sound
They rang for a belt and a hat laced with gold
But the men of North Lew rang so steady and true,
That there never was better in Devon, I hold.

'Twas misunderstood for the men of Broadwood
Gave a blow on the tenor that never should have been
But the men of North Lew rang so steady and true,
That a difficult matter to beat 'em 'twould have been.

Those of Broadwood being naughty, they said to our party
We'll ring you a challenge again in a round
We'll give you a chance in St. Stephen's -by -Launceston (Pronounced Lawnson or Lanson)
A prize to the winner, a note of five pound.

'Twas at Callington town ...etc

When the match it came on at good Callington,
The bells they rang out o'er the valleys below
And the old and young people, the hale and the feeble,
They came out to hear the sweet bell-music flow.

Those of Broadwood once more were obliged to withdraw,
They were beaten completely and done in a round.
But the men of North Lew rang so steady and true
That no better than they in the West may be found.

As Ian Marshall a local Cornish sage says in his book, there are a few puzzles here! It doesn't seem possible that the tenor bell would be rung 'out of order' in rounds, change-ringing is more complex but not used for contests. Why did the re-match take place at Callington and not at Launceston as scheduled. But never mind it's all in Cornwall eh?
I hope you enjoy
regards from Baz.