[Bell Historians] Re: Nicolaus Angelus

[Timothy Hurd]

Thanks - from sparse evidence in F. Uldall's (1906) 'Danmarks
 middelalderlige Kirkeklokker' pp.68-70, I surmise that Nicolaus might just have been one of a number of bell-founders making the rounds of major centres in the Haseatic League in the 14th c. 

The earliest DK example listed by Uldall is dated 1340, the latest 1420. So whether 'Nicolaus' just drank a lot & lived to be 100 or had heaps of foundry elves to help him ot remains to be seen; also, a distinction must be discerned between 'Nicolaus' (den Gamle, the Elder) and another 'Magister Nicolavs' who was active around the start of the 14th c.

Certainly the spelling 'Nicolaus' could indicate Prussian/Polish origins, possibly from Danzig (Gdansk) region. There were certainly trade routes established with Scandinavia & Kiev Rus from there & the other Imperial Cities, via the Baltic & North Seas. There is no way to establish whether the bell was cast on-site for the Stavkirke in Hedalen, Norway or arrived there otherwise. As
 the bell is
 undated, there are still a lot of question marks about this one.

So the (extra word) 'Angelus' is probably not the founder's surname or a descriptor at all, but could refer to the bell itself as in: 'Nicolaus' made me (an 'Angel') or a bell made for ringing
 the Angelus (hence, a 'Messenger'). 

I'll keep hunting. Thanks again.

TH




  

--- On Fri, 22/2/13, John Camp
 <camp at XpixqsVpLmy6j1aE_MhwVssOWPX1T2K0ld_B_8l2fiMLgfbo3_fdGd5Nh7o38Mb05g_6pplJ23-sCGJ9HQ.yahoo.invalid>
 wrote:

From: John Camp <camp at XpixqsVpLmy6j1aE_MhwVssOWPX1T2K0ld_B_8l2fiMLgfbo3_fdGd5Nh7o38Mb05g_6pplJ23-sCGJ9HQ.yahoo.invalid>
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Re: Nicolaus Angelus
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Received: Friday, 22 February, 2013, 4:33 PM

At 16:15 on 22 February 2013, Brian Meldon wrote:

> Is this the medieval bell at Hedal Stave Church? (Hedal stavkyrkje)

> If so the inscription reads:

> Nicolaus Angelus me fecit

> This translates to:

> Nicolaus the Englishman made me.

No it doesn't.  "Angelus" is an angel or messenger.  The Latin for
"English" is "Anglicus" or "Anglus".

As Pope Gregory said:  "Non Angli, sed angeli – 'They are not Angles,
but angels'"

John Camp



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