Helston Borough Bounds, page 20.--At the close of this ceremony eleven
dozen buns are thrown amongst the crowd to be scrambled for. One is
always reserved for the Mayor.
Wells, page 65.--Some wells in Cornwall (not holy) were famed for
their wonderful virtues: I will mention two. The water of the first,
which was west of Penzance, was esteemed a sovereign cure for sore
eyes. People from far and near visited it, and even carried away the
water in bottles. It was, however, best if possible to walk to the well
before breakfast, and there bathe the eyes. The second was at Castle
Chûn, between Penzance and St. Just; its water endowed the drinkers
with perpetual youth. Both have dried up within the last fifty years.
Ghosts, page 99.--The following quaint story was told me by a girl
whose grandmother was the friend mentioned.
In the last century there lived in Trezelah (a hamlet in the
parish of Gulval, near Penzance), a widow who had been deprived of
her rights. Walking one day in the fields near her home she saw a
strange spotted dog who seemed to know her; she met it a second time,
and decided when she next went out to take a friend with her. Again
she saw it (her friend did not), and said "In the Name of the Lord,
speak to me." It changed into her husband, who told her to be ready at
a certain time, when he would fetch her. Soon after, her friend being
in the house, the woman, who was giving her children their supper, said
"The time is come, I must be gone;" she then put on her sun-bonnet and
went out. She was away about an hour, when she suddenly appeared with
a great noise, as if someone had hurled her in through the door. Her
story was that her husband had taken her up in his arms and carried
her over the tree-tops as far as Ludgvan Church, where he deposited
her on the Church-stile, from whence she saw a great many spirits,
some good and some bad. The latter wanted her to join them, but her
husband bade her remain where she was. What they told her was never
known; but by their aid she got back her rights. Then her husband
bore her home again by the way they had come; but before he parted
from her said "I must take something from you; either your eyesight,
or your hearing." She preferred losing the latter, and from that hour
could never hear a word. One of her shoes that in her flight through
the air had caught on a tree-top, seven years after was placed on
her window-sill.
Farmers' Superstitions, page 141.--"If you can throw fire over a
witch you will break the spell." "Bleeding a white hen on a millstone
prevents danger from the mill; for they say a mill will have blood
every seven years."
Charms, page 144.--"Some were provided with little bags of earth,
teeth, or bones taken from a grave." "Most of the very religious
folks had a verse of scripture, concluded with the comfortable
assurance that by the help of the Lord the white witch hopes to do
them good."--Bottrell.
Epilepsy, page 154.--Another authority says that the thirty pence
collected by thirty young men at the Church door is deposited for a
half-crown, from which the centre is cut. The flat ring left is worn
by the epileptic person day and night.--Through Rev. A. H. Malan, M.A.
"The Bundle of Charms," Rev. A. H. Malan, M. A., is unavoidably
omitted.
Burning the Witch, page 180.--Still played. A pole about five feet
long is placed with its ends resting on low stools, or bottles. On
this a person sits lengthways with crossed ankles. He (or she) holds
in his hand a long stick with a slit at one end, into which the paper
effigy of the witch is stuck. This must be burnt at a candle placed
on the floor at a short distance from the sitter; he must not support
himself in any way, nor leave his perch.