First, for the Stock, much need not be said, but of placing the Cannons or Crown of the Bell into it, which is called Hanging of a Bell, I shall speak something: First, find out whether the Cannons be upright and true, then raise the Bell up by some Rope tyed to the Cannons, and so that the Bell hang level, which you may find, by applying a Plumet to the brim, then fasten a string to the Crown-staple within the Bell, then (a Plumet being tyed to the other end of the string) if the string hang in the midst between the two sides of the Bell whereon the Clapper should strike, the Crown-staple is cast into the Bell true: Now when you have hung the Bell, and let the Gudgeons in true by Keys (for therein consists the main point of the going of a Bell) then if the Clapper hang in the midst between the two striking sides, and the Stock stand upright, the Bell is well hung.

If a Bell have a longer stroke on the one side, than the other, truss up that side which hath the short stroke more, or let the other side down, and put a piece or two of Leather in, according to the stroke; but sometimes the fault of the stroke is in the Sally, which you may remedy, by tying the Fillet (or little Cord about the rim of the Wheel, which causeth the dancing of the Rope) nearer, or farther off the main Spoke; nearer makes a short stroke, farther off the Spoke, a long one.

And observe, that the trussing or taking up of a great Bell far into the Stock by a notch, makes the Bell go easier, and lie lighter at hand (that is) when it is set, for the farther the brim of the Bell is from the centre of gravity, the heavier it is: Now the centre of gravity is a supposed line drawn through the Stock from one Gudgeon to the other; but note, if you truss a Bell up, that the Crown-staple be much above the Gudgeons, you must fasten a false Eye to the Crown-staple, and to this false Eye hang the Clapper, otherwise it will not strike so freely: Now small Bells must be trussed up short, for else the Bell hanging low, and fetching a great Compass in the swing, and having but little Compass in the brim, the Clapper keeps along by the side of the Bell, and gives no blow at all; but being hung short, the Bell fetches a quick and short Compass, equal to the bigness of the brim, and the Clapper strikes well.

Now for the tempering of the Gudgeons, I leave it to the judgment of the Workman; but a word or two of the polishing of it. After it is filed, or turned exactly round, take two pieces of Oak, and oyl one side of each, and strew fine Sand thereon, and clap them in a Smiths Vice, with the round of the Gudgeon between, then turn it about, until you think it is sufficiently polished, then oyl the sides of the pieces of Oak wherein there is no Sand, and so clap them in a Vice, with the Gudgeon between, as before, then turn it round, and it will polish the Gudgeon wonderful smooth; and if the Brasses are likewise well polished, the Bell will go as well at the first, as ever: Now by the neglect of this, the roughness of the Gudgeon will wear the Brasses so unequally, that the Bell will never go smooth and steddy.

Now I would advise all Bell hangers to hang Bells with bolts of Iron to come from the Cannons through the Stock, and to fasten them with Keys at the top of the Stock, and not with plates nailed on the sides; for they are mighty inconvenient to fasten a bell that is loose in the Stock, or to alter the stroke.

As for the Rowle, let it not be without, nor within the hollow of the side of the Wheel; nor above, nor below the hollow at the bottom of the Wheel. Now the bigger a Wheel is, if the Frame will permit, the bell will go the better; when the wheel is new, nail Stays from the Stock to each Spoke, to keep it from warping.

'Tis very convenient (if the Frame will permit) to fasten a piece of Timber about half a foot long on the end of the main Spoke at the top of the Wheel (whereon the end of the bell-rope is fastned) with a notch on the end of it; so at the setting of the bell, the Rope will hit into that notch from the Rowle, and this will make the bell lie easier at hand when it is set, and flie better.

FINIS.