Après Messieurs en plain Chappitre assis Ont ordonné de pierre me reffaire A grant voultes et pilliers bien massifs Par Jehan de Beausse, maçon qui le sut faire.
L’An dessu dist après pour l’euvre faire Assouar firent le vint quatrième jour Du moys de mars pour le premier affaire Première pierre et aultres sans ce jour.
Et en avril huitiesme jour exprès René d’Illiers évesque de regnon Pardist la vie au lieu duquel après Feust Erard mis par postulacion.
En ce temps là que avoys nicessité Avoit des gens qui pour moy lors vieilloient Du bon du cœur feust yver ou esté, Dieu le pardont et à ceulx qui s’y emploient. 1508.’
The fourth storey, lit by four large bays, contains two great bells cast in 1840, Marie (C., 13,228 lbs.) and Joseph, the tenor, who sounds the Angelus throughout the year.
The fifth storey, pierced on each of its eight sides by a large bay, contains four large bells of 1845, Anne (D., 2040 kilos.), Elizabeth (E., 1510 kilos.), Fulbert (F., 1510 kilos.), Piat (G., 870 kilos.). The first-named bell is always known as Anne of Bretagne. For she, when visiting the Cathedral in 1510, was so delighted with the voice of one of the lads singing in the choir that she begged him of the canons, and when they granted her request she thanked them in these words: ‘Messieurs, you have given me a little voice, and I in return wish to give you a big one.’ This she did, giving them the bell which has ever since been called by her name. It was known also by the name of the _Cloche des biens_, for at one season of the year it was rung for an hour every evening to secure an abundant harvest. ‘At the first stroke of the bell,’ wrote Sablon, in 1697, ‘all the people make the sign of the cross and recite an Ave Maria for the products of the soil.’
The fifth storey marks the beginning of the spire, and is itself octagonal. The transition is ingeniously concealed by the richly-ornamented pinnacles at the four corners, which tie the balustrade to the tower and support, each of them, three colossal statues (John the Baptist and the eleven Apostles). Light flying buttresses, adorned with graceful mouldings and admirable grotesques, connect the pinnacles with the tower. Over one of the lights is a Christ in the act of benediction.