Page:Devon and Cornwall Queries Vol 9 1917.djvu/259

 Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries. 201 letter says: "I sang as a boy in the choir of Stratton Church with the ' all sorts of music' The remarks before the playing of the hymn were somewhat amusing at times when the violin or 'baaze' viol players were not quite in tune — * Y'um hardly 'igh enough, Jack — screw her up a mite.' The Clerk used to leave his seat in the church at the beginning of the Third Collect, and, if he was sharp, was in the gallery in time to say * Amen ' at its close, if not, the Amen resounded from the gallery stairs somewhat muffled ! He then gave out the hymn and the chord was sounded by the instruments, the clarionet or flute leading. I remember Mr. Honey"'' as a flute player ; he was excellent, was quite a remarkable man, and one of nature's gentle- men. The Clerk gave out the hymn — as mentioned in Mr. Crosse's article — ' Let us zing, etc' It was rather strange sometimes to hear the cxix Psalm given out, ' Let us zing — the one hundred and twenty first — one and twenty second — one hundred and twenty third — one hundred and twenty fourth verses, with Gloria — Praaze God from whom all blessings flow ! ' " Our great bass singer was Sam Peardon, the same man of whom I speak in my book as beating the drum. Sam had a very deep voice and gloried in the lower C — and I as a boy was keenly on the look out to see him do it ; he made an extraordinary grimace over it, but when he got the note you could hear it well. I cannot remember much about Mr. Saunders, though I knew him, and his stout figure comes to my memory. I never heard what became of the instrument he invented or to what pitch of perfection he brought it. It was a species of harmonium. He was working some twelve years at it, and the village youths gathered outside his windows on the winter nights to listen to the awful noises which emanated from within the house. They probably imagined Mr. Saunders had some caged beast he was tormenting. Apropos of that, a farmer told me many years ago that he had a maid who went to Poundstock Church. She had not been accustomed to go to church, but one afternoon she sallied forth, and on her return told how she turned westward with the people to hear the music and was much astonished to hear a noise
 * Referred to in Mr. Crosse Crosse's article, p. 163, ante.