The Reformation of the Bells in Early Modern England by Robert Adam Hill Master of Arts, University of Calgary 1997 Bachelor of Arts, University of Calgary 1995 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Department of History Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Robert Adam Hill 2012 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2012 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for “Fair Dealing.” Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. Approval Name: Robert Adam Hill Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title of Project: The Reformation of the Bells in Early Modern England Examining Committee: ____________________________________ Chair Dr. Andrea Geiger, Assistant Professor Department of History ____________________________________ Dr. John Craig, Professor Senior Supervisor Department of History ____________________________________ Dr. Hilmar Pabel, Professor Supervisor Department of History ____________________________________ Dr. Paul Budra, Associate Professor Internal Examiner Department of English ____________________________________ Dr. John Money, Professor Emeritus External Examiner Department of History University of Victoria Date Approved: ____________________________________ ii Partial Copyright Licence Abstract This dissertation explains the significance of an important episode of aural history in early modern English society. Between 1530 and 1640, England, like many other nations in Europe, experienced profound religious change. Not least of these were fundamental changes to the soundscape as parish bell ringing in England was transformed during the years of the long Reformation. Bells, once believed to hold power and efficacy, became the objects of new restrictions and changing attitudes. Although these reforms sought to distance bell ringing from the doctrines and ceremonies of the Catholic Church in Rome, the prohibitions against the bells in England were not as restrictive as those advocated in Zurich. Yet the argument that English bellringing was nationalised and secularised fails to convince, for the bells tolled and pealed in Elizabethan and Stuart parishes retained their ability to communicate solemnity and to remind parishioners of life, death, and the power of prayer. Keywords: Reformation, Bellringing, Soundscapes, Aural History, Early Modern England iii Dedication For Lisa, Joe, and Clara iv Acknowledgements I am profoundly grateful to those who helped me with the research and writing of this dissertation. I am particularly indebted to my supervisor Dr. John Craig whose wisdom, clarity, and limitless knowledge of this period have guided me throughout this process. Over the years that we have worked together, John and I have been separated on numerous occasions by oceans, continents, and the duties and opportunities of life. Yet I am thankful for his enduring enthusiasm for this project. A special word of thanks goes to Dr. Hilmar Pabel who kindly served on my supervisory committee and read an early draft with great care and attention. His comments, criticisms, and suggestions were invaluable. I owe a debt of gratitude to the remaining members of my examining committee. The chair of my defence was Dr. Andrea Geiger, my internal examiner was Dr. Paul Budra, and my external examiner was Dr. John Money from the University of Victoria. I am grateful to each of them for their insights and constructive criticisms, and particularly to Dr. John Money who was willing to make the journey to the mainland and join us on the mountain for the defence. Throughout this process I have been very fortunate to have had the chance to develop my skills as an instructor of history at a number of institutions in the Pacific Northwest. I am very grateful to my many colleagues at Seattle Pacific University, Trinity Western University, Simon Fraser University, and Capilano University. They not only provided me with the opportunity to lecture, but also demonstrated a lively interest in my research and were a great encouragement as I worked to bring this project to a conclusion. It has been challenging to balance the duties of teaching with the demands of writing and research, nevertheless it has been a thoroughly rewarding experience. Therefore I am deeply indebted to those who have provided me with these opportunities to become a better student of history. I deeply appreciate all of the assistance that was given to me by the staff at the Simon Fraser University Library. The folks working in the Interlibrary Loans division were particularly patient and helpful as they tracked down my many requests. They went above and beyond the call of duty when they very selflessly allowed me to use their own desks and computers for days on end as I searched through texts too valuable to be borrowed. Finally, on a personal note, I would like to thank my family. I am profoundly grateful for their love and encouragement. I dedicate this work with love to my dearest Lisa and my darling Joe and Clara, and I owe a debt of gratitude to the unfailing love of my parents who forever encouraged me to think. v Note on the Text In the text, original spelling and punctuation from manuscripts and printed works has been retained. All abbreviations and contractions have been silently expanded. All dates have been retained as found, however the year has been taken to start on January 1st. I am aware of Christopher Marsh’s excellent discussion of bells in Chapter 9, “Parish Church Music: Bells and their Ringers”, in his monograph, Music and Society in Early Modern England (Cambridge, 2010). Unfortunately this research came to my attention too late to incorporate into my dissertation. vi Table of Contents Approval…ii Abstract…iii Dedication…iv Acknowledgments…v Notes on the Text…vi Table of Contents…vii *** INTRODUCTION Ringing the Bells in Reformation England -1- CHAPTER ONE Listening to Bells -7- CHAPTER TWO Believing in Bells -46- CHAPTER THREE Reforming the Bells -91- CHAPTER FOUR Pealing the Bells -170- CONCLUSION Persistence of Bells -221- WORKS CITED -231- vii Introduction Ringing the Bells in Reformation England The parishioners of St. Botolph’s Bishopsgate in Elizabethan London were jealous of their parish bells.1 In 1587 the old sacring or sermon bell of this parish was taken down to carry out some minor repairs to the wheel at a cost of 16d.2 While removed from its frame, the bell was stolen. A beadle was paid a shilling to search without success for the missing bell, and within six months the parish purchased a new sermon/sacring bell at a cost of 26s. A new baldric and rope were purchased, and the frame was duly repaired. An additional 3s. was then spent to repair a lock, a door, and a key, all of which presumably had been compromised during the theft. In a curious twist, the following year the stolen bell was found, and despite the significant cost of the newly purchased bell, the parish spent an additional 11s. 2d. to return the old bell to its rightful place. We lose sight of this tale in 1589 when the clerk was paid 2s. “for recognizance against him that stole the bell”, and an additional 2s. “for entering the action against him (the thief) in the mayor’s house and for the precepts”.3 The theft, replacement and recovery of the sacring bell are intriguing for a number of reasons. Although it is clear that bells were worth stealing, the motive for this theft remains 1 London Church Records, St. Botolph’s Bishopsgate, MS 4524/1, fol. 67r. 2 In the pre-Reformation years the saunce, sanctus, or sacring bell would have been rung at the elevation of the Host during the celebration of the eucharist. By 1587 it would have been commonly rung to announce the sermon. There were 12d. (pence) in 1s. (shilling) and 20s. in 1l. (pound): d=denarius, s=solidus, l=libra. 3 London Church Records, St. Botolph’s Bishopsgate, MS 4524/1, fol. 73r. 1 unclear. Since the thief was apprehended nearly a year after the event, and since the stolen bell was successfully recovered, it is probable that the bell was still in the possession of the thief almost a year after the event. As the bell had been neither sold nor destroyed for profit, it was clearly no easy matter to fence a church bell in late sixteenth-century London. Nevertheless it is hard to believe there was little or no demand for bells or bell metal in London. No doubt the thief feared that his identity would be discovered should he place a bell, which most likely bore an inscription, onto the market. Assuming that the bell was serving as the sermon bell, was the bell stolen to disrupt the announcement of sermons in this parish? The repair of the door and lock suggest that the theft was not opportunistic. While much is obscured, what emerges most clearly is the attachment on the part of the parish authorities in St. Botolph’s Bishopsgate to their old sacring bell. Not only was the bell being used, there must have been something about the sound of this bell that was vitally important to this parish. Did the old bell have a purer, clearer, more distinctive sound than the new? Or did the parish have ties to this old bell that transcended monetary value or particularity of sound? Despite being left to speculate about the motives of both parish and thief, the tale demonstrates the significance of two bells to the parish. The prompt replacement of the old sacring bell demonstrates the continuing functional importance of such a bell to the parish, while the re-replacement demonstrates the importance and attachment to the old bell itself.