Of Cross-Peals
Art, being a curious Searcher and Enquirer into the hidden and abstruse Arcana’s of Difficulties, having found out that dark and remote Corner of Obscurity, wherein the nature of these Cross-Peals lay at first invelopped, has exhibited by its Proselytes the ensuing Demonstrations of that which before lay mantled up in Doubt: And to effect this, these Favourites of Art have, like ingenious Architects, made Order and Method the Basis, on which the whole Structure depends: For in these Cross-Peals we must observe the prime Movement, which sets the whole Frame a going, and that is called the Hunt, which hath One constant Uniform Motion throughout the Peal, and different from that of the other Notes; and indeed by this the whole Course of the Peal is Steered. This keeps a continual motion through the other Notes, i. e. From Leading, to strike behind, and from thence again to Lead; which is called one compleat Course.
Some Peals upon five Bells consist of single Courses, wherein are ten Changes, and twelve Courses make the Peal. Others upon Five, consist of Double Courses, wherein are twenty Changes to every Course, and six Courses in the Peal.
Upon six Bells there are likewise single and double Courses, viz. Twelve Changes in every single Course, as in Grandsire Bob, &c. and Twenty-four Changes in every Double Course, as in Colledge Bobs, that being the first Change of every Course, wherein the Hunt leaves Leading: In short, judiciously observe the first Course of any Cross-Peal, and you will soon see the general Method of the whole Peal: All Courses in Cross-Peals agreeing in these following three Respects. First, In the motion of the Hunt. Secondly, In the motion of the rest of the Notes: And Thirdly, In making the Changes. Which three things being well (to omit Instances of Demonstration) and narrowly observed, will be very helpful both in pricking and ringing Courses; the first and third for directing you in Pricking them, and the first and second in Ringing them.
There is one Difficulty to be removed e’re I can come to prick down those Peals I design to be the Subject of the Discourse of this Epitome, and that is, How to make the first Changes at the beginning of each Peal; I mean to make the Second, Third, Fourth, &c. whole Hunts; and this in short is thus directed: In any Cross-Peal the Whole Hunt may move either up or down at the beginning; and the Motion of the Whole Hunt, in the first Course of each of the following Peals, will direct the first Motion of any Cross-hunt, and by Consequence of making the first Changes in that Peal. Taking along with you this Observation.
That whensoever the first Change of any Peal happens to be single, it must be made at the back-stroke, to prevent cutting Compass; and the like when a double Change happens first in a Peal of Triples and doubles: But when it happens, that the first Change is made at the Back-stroke, then Consequently the Bells at the end of the Peal will come round at a Fore-stroke Change.
I shall omit speaking to any of the several Peals on four or five Bells; for that in my Opinion little Musick is heard, though much practical Observation is made, from them; and therefore shall begin with Grandsire-Bob, as having mentioned it but just before in my general View I made of Cross-Peals.