[Bell Historians] Latin Inscription

[Peter Trent]

Although not on bells, the motto 
INTACTUM SILEO PERCUTE DULCE CANO
is certainly on instruments of the harpsichord family dating from 1579 and well into the 1750's and probably much earlier too 

PJT
 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Philip Denton 
  To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2011 1:19 PM
  Subject: [Bell Historians] Latin Inscription


    
        I would be interested to discover the earliest known uses of the Latin inscription 

        INTACTUM SILEO PERCUTE DUCE CANO

        (which translates approximately as "Untouched I am silent, when struck I sweetly sing.")

        It appears on the tenor at Hornchurch (my home tower), which is by William Mears 1779. I am aware of it appearing on bells by various other C18 founders, but I'm not sure whether it first came into use at that time, or was reused by these founders from older bells which had been recast. Was it used on pre-Reformation bells? I have had a quick look through the relevant parts of various county surveys, but haven't spotted it as a medieval inscription.

        Philip 


             
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