A scholar referred to only as "the bachelor" mentions a long
ago benefactor who donated to the church "a peal of bells".

From the definitions below, that in defintion 2
a set of bell that has been tuned, seems to fit best.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Definition: \Peal\, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zo["o]l.)
A small salmon; a grilse; a sewin. [Prov. Eng.]


\Peal\, v. i.
To appeal. [Obs.] --Spencer.


\Peal\, n. [An abbrev. of F. appel a call, appeal, ruffle
of a drum, fr. appeller to call, L. appellare. See {Appeal}.]
1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells,
thunder, cannon, shouts, of a multitude, etc. ``A fair
peal of artillery.'' --Hayward.

Whether those peals of praise be his or no. --Shak.

And a deep thunder, peal on peal, afar. --Byron.

2. A set of bells tuned to each other according to the
diatonic scale; also, the changes rung on a set of bells.

{To ring a peal}. See under {Ring}.


\Peal\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Pealed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Pealing}.]
1. To utter or give out loud sounds.

There let the pealing organ blow. --Milton.

2. To resound; to echo.

And the whole air pealed With the cheers of our men.
--Longfellow.


\Peal\, v. t.
1. To utter or give forth loudly; to cause to give out loud
sounds; to noise abroad.

The warrior's name, Though pealed and chimed on all
the tongues of fame. --J. Barlow.

2. To assail with noise or loud sounds.

Nor was his ear less pealed. --Milton.

3. To pour out. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.