hauen, goeth vp to Perin, and at the end it breaketh into two armes,
whereof the lesse runneth to Glasenith, Viridis nidus, the gréene nest,
or Wagméere at Penrine: the other to saint Glunias the parish church of
Penrine. In like sort out of each side of Penrine créeke, breaketh an
arme yer it come to Penrine. This I vnderstand also that stakes and
foundations of stone haue béene set in the créeke at Penrine a little
lower than the wharfe, where it breaketh into armes: but howsoeuer this
standeth, betwixt the point of Trefusis and the point of Restronget is
[Sidenote: Milor.]
Milor créeke, which goeth vp a mile into the land, and by the church is
a good rode for ships. The next creeke beyond the point of Restronget
[Sidenote: Restronget.]
wood, is called Restronget, which going two miles vp into the maine,
breaketh into two armes. In like order betwixt Restronget and the creeke
[Sidenote: S. Feoks.]
[Sidenote: S. Caie.]
of Trurie be two créekes; one called saint Feokes, the other saint Caie,
next vnto which is Trurie créeke that goeth vp about two miles créeking
from the principall streame, and breaketh within halfe a mile of Trurie,
casting in a branch westward euen hard by Newham wood.
[Sidenote: Trurie créeke.]
This creeke of Trurie is diuided into two parts before the towne of
Trurie, and each of them hauing a brooke comming downe and a bridge, the
towne of Trurie standeth betwixt them both. In like sort Kenwen stréet
is seuered from the said towne with this arme, and Clements street by
east with the other. Out of the bodie also of Trurie creeke breaketh
another eastward a mile from Trurie, and goeth vp a mile and a halfe to
Cresilian bridge of stone. At the verie entrie and mouth of this créeke
is a rode of ships called Maples rode: and here fought not long since
eightéene ships of Spanish merchants, with foure ships of warre of
Deepe, but the Spaniards draue the Frenchmen all into this harborow. A
mile and an halfe aboue the mouth of Crurie creeke, is another named
[Sidenote: Moran.]
Lhan Moran of S. Morans church at hand. This créeke goeth vp a quarter
of a mile from the maine streame into the hauen, as the maine streame
goeth vp two miles aboue Moran créeke ebbing and flowing: and a quarter
of a mile higher, is the towne of Cregowie, where we found a bridge of
stone vpon the Fala riuer. Fala it selfe riseth a mile or more west of
Roche hill, and goeth by Graund pont, where I saw a bridge of stone.
[Sidenote: Graund pont.]
This Graund pont is foure miles from Roche hill, and two little miles
from Cregowie, betwixt which the Fala taketh his course. From Cregowie
to passe downe by the bodie of the hauen of Falamouth to the mouth of
Lanie horne pill or créeke, on the south side of the hauen is a mile,
and (as I remember) it goeth vp halfe a mile from the principall streame
of the hauen. From Lanihorne pill also is a place or point of sand about
a mile waie of fortie acres or thereabout (as a peninsula) called
Ardeuerauter. As for the water or créeke that runneth into the south
southeast part, it is but a little thing of halfe a mile vp into the
land, and the créeke that hemmeth in this peninsula, of both dooth seeme
to be the greater. From the mouth of the west creeke of this peninsula,
vnto saint Iustes creeke, is foure miles or more.
[Sidenote: S. Iustus.]
[Sidenote: S. Mawes.]
In like maner from saint Iustes pill or créeke (for both signifie one
thing) to saint Mawes creeke is a mile and a halfe, and the point
betwéene them both is called Pendinas. The créeke of saint Mawes goeth
vp a two miles by east northeast into the land, and beside that it
ebbeth and floweth so farre, there is a mill driuen with a fresh créeke
that resorteth to the same. Halfe a mile from the head of this downeward
to the hauen, is a créeke in maner of a poole, whereon is a mill also
that grindeth with the tide. And a mile beneath that on the south side
entereth a créeke (about halfe a mile into the countrie) which is barred
from the maine sea by a small sandie banke, and another mile yet lower,
is an other little créekelet. But how so euer these créekes doo run,
certeine it is that the bankes of them that belong to Fala are
meruellouslie well woodded. And hitherto Leland, whose words I dare not
alter, for feare of corruption and alteration of his iudgement. Being
past Falmouth hauen therefore (as it were a quarter of a mile beyond
Arwennach, maister Killegrewes place which standeth on the brimme or
shore within Falmouth) we came to a little hauen which ran vp betwéene
two hilles, but it was barred: wherefore we could not learne whether it
were serued with anie backe fresh water or not.
[Sidenote: Polwitherall.]
From thence we went by Polwitherall creeke (parted into two armes) then
[Sidenote: Polpenrith.]
to the Polpenrith, wherevnto a riueret falleth that riseth not farre
from thence, and so goeth to the maine streame of the hauen at the last,
whither the créeke resorteth about thrée miles and more from the mouth
of the hauen, and into which the water that goeth vnder Gare bridges,
doo fall in one bottome (as Leland hath reported.) Vnto this hauen
[Sidenote: Wike.]
[Sidenote: Gare.]
[Sidenote: Mogun.]
[Sidenote: Penkestell.]
[Sidenote: Callous.]
[Sidenote: Cheilow.]
[Sidenote: Gilling.]
also repaireth the Penkestell, the Callous, the Cheilow, and the
Gilling, although this latter lieth against saint Mawuons on the hither
side hard without the hauen mouth (if I haue doone aright.) For so
motheaten, mouldie, & rotten are those bookes of Leland which I haue,
and beside that, his annotations are such and so confounded, as no man
can (in a maner) picke out anie sense from them by a leafe togither.
Wherefore I suppose that he dispersed and made his notes intricate of
set purpose: or else he was loth that anie man should easilie come to
that knowledge by reading, which he with his great charge & no lesse
trauell attained vnto by experience. Thus leauing Fala hauen, as more
troublesome for me to describe, than profitable for seafaring men,
without good aduise to enter into, we left the rocke on our left hand,
and came straight southwest to Helford hauen, whose water commeth downe
[Sidenote: Haile.]
from Wréeke (where is a confluence of two small rilles whereof that rill
consisteth) by Mawgan and Trelawarren, and then it receiueth a rill on
the north ripe from Constantine, after whose confluence it goeth a maine
vntill it come to the Ocean, where the mouth is spoiled by sand comming
from the tinworks. See Leland in the life of S. Breaca. Beneath this
also is another rill comming from S. Martyrs, by whose course, and
another ouer against it on the west side that falleth into the sea by
Winniton, all Menage is left almost in maner of an Iland. From hence we
go south to the Manacle point, then southwest to Lisard, and so north
and by west to Predannocke points, beyond which we méet with the fall of
the said water that riseth in the edge of Menag, and goeth into the sea
by Melien on the north, and Winniton on the south. By north also of
[Sidenote: Curie.]
Winniton is the Curie water that runneth short of Magan, and toucheth
with the Ocean south of Pengwenian point.
[Sidenote: Loo.]
From hence we sailed to the Loo mouth, which some call Lopoole, because
it is narrower at the fall into the sea, than it is betwéene the sea and
Hailston. It riseth aboue S. Sethians, and comming downe by Wendron, it
hasteth to Hailston or Helston, from whence onelie it is called Loo: but
betwéene Helston and the head, men call it commonlie Cohor. Of this
riuer Leland saith thus: The Lopoole is two miles in length, and betwixt
it and the maine Ocean is but a barre of sand that once in thrée or
foure yéeres, what by weight of the fresh water, and working of the sea
breaketh out, at which time it maketh a wonderfull noise: but soone
after the mouth of it is barred vp againe. At all other times the
superfluitie of the water of Lopole (which is full of trout and éele)
draineth out through the sandie barre into the open sea: certes if this
barre could alwaies be kept open, it would make a goodlie hauen vp vnto
Haileston towne, where coinage of tin is also vsed, as at Trurie and
Lostwithiell, for the quéenes aduantage.
Being passed the Loo, I came to another water that descendeth without
[Sidenote: Simneie.]
anie increase from Crowan by Simneie, whose whole course is not aboue
thrée miles in all. Then going by the Cuddan point, we entered the
mounts Baie, and going streight north (leauing S. Michaels mount a
[Sidenote: Lid.]
little vpon the left hand) we came to the Lid, which rising short of
Tewidnacke, descendeth by Lidgenan, and so into the sea. Certes the
course of these waters cannot be long, sith in this verie place this
breadth of land is not aboue foure miles, and not more than fiue at the
verie lands end. There is also a rill east of Korugie, and Guluall, and
another west of the same hard at hand, and likewise the third east of
Pensants: and not a full quarter of a mile from the second, southwest of
Pensants also lieth the fourth that commeth from Sancrete ward by
Newlin, from whence going southwest out of the baie by Moushole Ile,
that lieth south of Moushole towne, we come to a water that entreth into
the Ocean betwixt Remels & Lamorleie point. Trulie the one head thereof
commeth from by west of Sancrete, the other from by west of an hill that
standeth betwéene them both, and ioining aboue Remels, it is not long
yer they salute their grandame. After this, and before we come at
Rosecastell, there are two other créekes, whereof one is called
Boskennie, that riseth south of saint Buriens, and an other somewhat
longer than the first, that issueth by west of the aforesaid towne,
wherein is to be noted, that our cards made heretofore doo appoint
S. Buriens to be at the very lands end of Cornewall, but experience now
teacheth vs, that it commeth not néere the lands end by thrée miles.
This latter rill also is the last that I doo reade of on the south side,
and likewise on the west and north, till we haue sailed to S. Ies baie,
[Sidenote: Bresan Ile.]
which is full ten miles from the lands end, or Bresan Ile eastward, &
rather more, if you reckon to the fall of the Haile, which lieth in the
very middest and highest part of the baie of the same. The soile also is
verie hillie here, as for saint Ies towne, it is almost (as I said) a
byland, and yet is it well watered with sundrie rilles that come from
those hilles vnto the same.
[Sidenote: Haile.]
The Haile riseth in such maner, and from so manie heads, as I haue
before said: howbeit I will adde somewhat more vnto it, for the benefit
of my readers. Certes the chéefe head of Haile riseth by west of
Goodalfin hilles, and going downe toward saint Erthes, it receiueth the
second, and best of the other three rilles from Goodalfin towne:
finallie, comming to saint Erthes, and so vnto the maine baie, it taketh
[Sidenote: Clowart.]
in the Clowart water from Guimer, south of Phelacke, which hath two
heads, the said village standing directlie betwixt them both.
[Sidenote: Caine.]
The Caine riseth southeast of Caineburne towne a mile and more, from
whence it goeth without increase by west of Gwethian, and so into the
sea west of Mara Darwaie. From hence we coasted about the point, & left
the baie till we came to a water that riseth of two heads from those
hilles that lie by south of the same: one of them also runneth by saint
Vni, another by Redreuth, and méeting within a mile, they fall into the
[Sidenote: Luggam.]
Ocean beneath Luggam or Tuggan. A mile and a halfe from this fall we
come vnto another small rill, and likewise two other créekes, betwixt
which the towne of saint Agnes standeth; and likewise the fourth halfe a
mile beyond the most easterlie of these, whose head is almost thrée
miles within the land in a towne called saint Alin. Thence going by the
Manrocke, and west of saint Piran in the sand, we find a course of thrée
miles and more from the head, and hauing a forked branch, the parts doo
méet at west aboue saint Kibbard, and so go into the sea. I take this to
[Sidenote: S. Pirans créeke. Carantocke.]
be saint Pirans créeke, for the next is Carantocke pill or créeke, whose
head is at Guswarth, from whence it goeth vnto Trerise, and soone after
taking in a rill from by west, it runneth into the sea coast of saint
Carantakes. Beyond this is another créeke that riseth aboue little saint
Colan, and goeth by lesse saint Columbe: and east and by north hereof
commeth downe one more whose head is almost south of the Nine stones, &
going from thence to great saint Columbes, it passeth by Lamberne, and
so into the sea. S. Merous créeke is but a little one, rising west of
Padstow, and falling in almost ouer against the Gull rocke. Then turning
[Sidenote: Padstow.]
[Sidenote: Locus bufonis.]
betwéene the point and the blacke rocke, we entred into Padstow hauen
thrée miles lower than port Issec, and a mile from port Ewin, whose
waters remaine next of all to be described.
[Sidenote: Alannus.]
The Alan ariseth flat east from the hauen mouth of Padstow, well néere
[Sidenote: Eniam.]
eight or nine miles about Dauidstone, neere vnto which the Eniam also
issueth, that runneth into the Thamar. Going therefore from hence it
passeth to Camelford, saint Aduen, saint Bernard (both Cornish saints)
and soone after receiueth a rill at northeast, descending from Rowters
hill. Thence it goeth to Bliseland, and Helham, the first bridge of name
that standeth vpon Alin. Yer long also it taketh in one rill by south
from Bodman, another from saint Laurence, the third by west of this, and
the fourth that commeth by Wethiell, no one of them excéeding the course
of thrée miles, and all by south. From hence it goeth toward
Iglesaleward, and there receiueth a water on the east side, which
commeth about two miles from saint Teath, by Michelston, saint Tuchoe,
saint Maben (mo Cornish patrons) and finallie south of Iglesall, méeteth
with the Alen that goeth from thence by S. Breaca to Woodbridge.
Hereabout I find, that into our Alein or Alen, there should fall two
[Sidenote: Carneseie.]
[Sidenote: Laine.]
riuerets, whereof the one is called Carneseie, the other Laine, and
comming in the end to full notice of the matter, I sée them to issue on
seuerall sides beneath Woodbridge almost directlie the one against the
other. That which descendeth from northwest, and riseth about saint Kew,
is named Carneseie, as I heare: the other that commeth in on the
southwest banke hight Laine, and noted by Leland to rise two miles aboue
S. Esse. But howsoeuer this matter standeth, there are two other créekes
[Sidenote: Pethrike.]
[Sidenote: Minner.]
[Sidenote: Dunmere.]
on ech side also, beneath these, as Pethrike creeke, and Minner créeke
(so called of the Cornish saints) for that soile bred manie, wherewith I
finish the description of Alen, or (as some call it) Dunmere, and other
Padstow water.
From Padstow hauen also they saile out full west to Waterford in
Ireland. There are likewise two rockes, which lie in the east side of
the hauen, secretlie hidden at full sea, as two pads in the straw,
whereof I think it taketh the name. Yet I remember how I haue read that
Padstow is a corrupted word for Adlestow, and should signifie so much as
Athelstani locus, as it may well be. For it is euident that they had in
time past sundrie charters of priuilege from Athelstane, although at
this present it be well stored with Irishmen. But to our purpose. Leland
supposed this riuer to be the same Camblan, where Arthur fought his last
and fatall conflict: for to this daie men that doo eare the ground
there, doo oft plow vp bones of a large size, and great store of armour,
or else it may be (as I rather coniecture) that the Romans had some
field (or Castra) thereabout, for not long since (and in the remembrance
of man) a brasse pot full of Romane coine was found there, as I haue
often heard. Being thus passed Padstow hauen, and after we had gone
three miles from hence, we came to Portgwin a poore fisher towne, where
I find a brooke and a péere. Then I came to Portissec aliàs Cunilus two
miles further, and found there a brooke, a péere, and some succor for
fisher boats. Next of all vnto a brooke that ran from south east,
directlie north into the Sauerne sea, and within halfe a mile of the
same laie a great blacke rocke like an Iland. From this water to
Treuenni is about a mile, where the paroch church is dedicated to saint
Simphorian, and in which paroch also Tintagell or Dundagie castell
standeth, which is a thing inexpugnable for the situation, and would be
made with little reparations one of the strongest things in England. For
it standeth on a great high terrible crag inuironed with the sea. There
is a chappell yet standing in the dungeon thereof, dedicated to saint
Vlet. Tintagell towne and Treuenni are not a mile in sunder.
[Sidenote: Tredwie.]
The next créeke is called Bosinni, which is a mile from Tintagell, and
to the same Tredwie water resorteth, and so they go to the sea betwixt
two hils, whereof that on the one side lieth out like an arme or cape,
and maketh the fashion of an hauenet or peere, whither shiplets sometime
doo resort for succour. A frier of late daies tooke vpon him to make an
hauen at this place, but in vaine. There lie also two blacke rocks as
Ilets, at the west northwest point, or side of this créeke, the one
(sauing that a little gut dooth part them) ioining with the other, and
in these by all likelihood is great store of gulles. I can not tell
whether this be the water that runneth by Boscastell or not, but if it
[Sidenote: Boscastell.]
be not, then haue I this description of the latter. Boscastell créeke
that lieth east of Tintagell, is but a small thing, running at the most
not aboue two miles into the land, yet it passeth by foure townes,
whereof the first is called Lesneth, the second saint Juliet, the third
Minster, and the fourth Boscastell or Bushcastell, as some men doo
pronounce it.
[Sidenote: Bede.]
In Bede baie I find the Bedewater, whose chiefe head is not farre from
[Sidenote: Lancels.]
Norton. Thence running to Stratton, it receiueth the Lancels rill before
it come at Norham. And here also it crosseth another whose head is east
of saint Marie wijke, from whence it runneth by Wolston and Whalesborow,
and thence into the sea betweene Efford and Plough hill. And thus much
of the waters that lie betwéene the point of Cornewall, and the Hartland
head vpon the north side of Cornewall. Now let vs doo the like with
those that remaine of Deuonshire, whereo the said Hartland is the verie
first point in this our poeticall voiage. Hauing therefore brought
Hartland point on our backs, we come next of all to Barstable bar, and
so into the hauen, whereinto two principall streams doo perpetuallie
vnburden their chanels.
[Sidenote: Ocus.]
The first and more westerlie of these is called Ocus, whose head is not
farre west of the head of Darnt, and Loth in Darntmore. Rising therefore
in the aforesaid place, it runneth northwest to Snorton, and so to
Okehampton, beneath which towne it méeteth with an other water comming
from southeast, & riseth not much west from the head of Tawe. From hence
it goeth to Stow Exborne, Moonke Okington, & Iddesleie, where it taketh
[Sidenote: Tanridge.]
[Sidenote: Turrege.]
in the Tanridge a verie pretie streamelet, whose issue is not full a mile
by east from the head of Thamar, thrée miles by north east from
Hartland. Comming therefore by west and east Putford, Bulworthie,
Bockington, Newton, and Shebbor, it receiueth a forked rill that runneth
from ech side of Bradworthie by Sutcombe, Treborow, Milton, & so to
Thornebirie, where méeting with an other forked water (whereof one head
comming from Dunsland, ioineth with the other north of Cockbirie) it
goeth with speed into the Tanridge water. After this confluence it
[Sidenote: Buckland.]
runneth on to Shéepewash (by west whereof falleth in the Buckland water
from by north) thence to high Hainton, and so to Haitherlaie, north
wherof it taketh in a rill from by south, and endeth his race at
Iddesleie, by ioining with the Oke. Hence then the Ocus hasteth to
Dowland, and betwéene it and Doulton, receiueth one rill from by east,
as it dooth an other betwéene Doulton and Marton from by west, and so
procéeding on with his course, it commeth east of Torrington the lesse,
and taking in a water at east, that runneth from thrée heads (by Wollie
parke) betweene which Combe and Roughborow are situat, it descendeth to
[Sidenote: Langtrée.]
Torington the more, and meeting with the Langtrée water on the one side,
[Sidenote: Were or Ware.]
and the Ware brooke on the other, it procéedeth to Bediford, crossing a
rill by the waie that commeth vnto it betwéene Annarie & Littham. From
Bediford bridge it goeth without anie increase to Westleie, Norham,
Appledoure, and so into the hauen.
[Sidenote: Taw.]
The Taw of both is the more noble water, notwithstanding that his hauen
be barred with sand; and thereby dangerous, and hath most rils
descending into his chanell. Howbeit, by these two is all the hart of
Deuonshire well watered on the northside of the moores. The Tawy riseth
directlie at south west of Throwlie, and north of the head of Darnt, or
(as Leland saith) in Exmore south east from Barstable. From thence also
it runneth to Sele, South Taueton, Cockatre, Bath, Northtaueton,
Ashridge, Colridge, and soone after receiueth the Bowmill créeke, wherof
[Sidenote: Bowmill.]
one head riseth at Bow, the other at Mill, and meeting beneth Bishops
Morchard, they fall into the Taw north of Nimeth Rowland, as I haue
béene informed. From hence then it runneth by Edgeforth, to Chimligh, by
south whereof it méeteth with a rill comming downe of two heads from
about Rakenford, by Wetheridge and Chawleie. Thence it goeth to
[Sidenote: Moulebraie.]
Burrington, and Chiltenholtwood, and there taketh in the Moulebraie
water consisting of two in one chanell, wherof the Moll dooth rise aboue
north Moulton, and comming to Moulton receiueth another rill running
from Molland, and soone after the second that growing by two brookes
(the head of one being at Knawston, and of the other west of Crokeham,
and both vniting themselues beneath Mariston) dooth fall into the same
yer long also, and so go togither till it crosse the Braie, which (being
[Sidenote: Braie.]
the second of the two that maketh the Moulbraie) riseth at Braie,
commeth by Buckland, and south of Holtwood dooth make his confluence
with Taw. Being past the wood, it goeth on to Brightleie hall, Taueton,
Tauestocke, & Berstable, sometime a pretie walled towne with foure
gates, but now a little thing; and such in déed, as that the suburbes
thereof are greater than it selfe. I suppose that the name of this towne
in the British speach was Abertaw, bicause it stood toward the mouth of
Taw, and Berdnesse pronounced short (as I gesse) for Abernesse. As for
Staple, it is an addition for a market, & therefore hath nothing to doo
in the proper name of the towne. King Athelstane is taken here for the
chiefe priuileger of the towne. This is also worthie to be noted hereof,
that the houses there are of stone, as most are in all the good townes
thereabout.
But to proceed with our purpose. Beneath this towne there falleth in a
water that hath one head néere about Challacombe, & another at east
Downe, whereof this descending by Stoke riuer, and the other by
Sherwell, they vnite themselues within thrée miles of Berstaple. Soone
after also it taketh in another that descendeth from Bitenden by
Ashford, and the last of all east of saint Anthonies chappell, named the
[Sidenote: Doneham.]
Doneham, bicause one head is at west Done, and the other at Ham, both of
them méeting west of Ash. And thus is Taue described, which is no great
water nor quicke streame, as may appéere in Low water marke at Berstable
and yet is it a pretie riueret. This also is worthie to be noted
thereof, that it receiueth no brooke from by west, whereof I would
somewhat maruell, if Taurige were not at hand.