Frauncis Earle of Bedford, solde to Sir William Mohun, who deriued
his pedigree from the ancient Barons of that name, and is also issued
from one of those Earles of Deuons sisters and heyres. This together
with other fayre possessions, now resteth in Sir Reignald Mohun his
sonne, one that by his courteous,iust, and liberall course of life,
maintayneth the reputation, and encreaseth the loue alwayes borne
his ancestours.
The most Cornish Gentlemen can better vaunt of their pedigree, then
their liuelyhood: for that, they deriue from great antiquitie, (and I
make question, whether any shire in England, of but equall quantitie,
can muster a like number of faire coate-Armours) whereas this
declineth to the meane. One cause there is of both proceeding from
the want of those supplies, which seruice, law and marchandise, afford
the more inward Inhabitants of the Realme, as I haue elsewhere
touched: yet this rule is not so generall, but that it admitteth his
exceptions: for there are diuers, whose patrimonies extend to a large
proportion; & for the residue, the cheapnes of their prouisions, and
their casualties of Tyn, and fines (which 2. later ordinarily treble
the certaine reuennue of their rents) enable them with their few
scores, to equall the expences of those Easterne dwellers, who reckon
by the hundreds: besides, they finde meanes by a suruey, to defray any
extraordinarie charge of building, marriage, lawing, or such like.
Yet I cannot denie, but that some, in gaping for dead mens shooes,
find their improuident couetous humour punished with going barefoot.
This angle which so shutteth them in, hath wrought many
interchangeable matches with eche others stock, and giuen beginning
to the prouerbe, that all Cornish gentlemen are cousins; which endeth
in an injurious consequence, that the king hath there no cousins.
They keepe liberall, but not costly builded or furnished houses,
giue kind entertainement to strangers, make euen at the yeeres end
with the profits of their liuing, are reuerenced and beloued of their
neighbours, liue void of factions amongst themselues (at leastwise
such as breake out into anie daungerous excesse) and delight not in
brauerie of apparrell: yet the women would be verie loth to come
behind the fashion, in [65] newfanglednes of the maner, if not in
costlynes of the matter, which may perhaps ouer-empty their husbands
purses. They conuerse familiarly together, & often visit one another.
A Gentleman and his wife will ride to make mery with his next
neighbour; and after a day or twayne, those two couples goe to a
third: in which progresse they encrease like snowballs, till through
their burdensome waight they breake againe.
And heere I thought requisite, to lay downe the names of such Cornish
gentlemen, as I find recorded to haue come in with the Conquerour.
Gentlemen descended from those, who came
in with the Conquerour, and now resi-
ding in Cornwall.
Arundell. Greinuile.
Basset. Karrow, alias, Carew.
Bluat, alias, Bluet.
Beauchamp. Mowne, alias, Mohun.
Bray. Malet.
Bellet. Miners.
Beuill.
Barret. Pomeray.
Courtenay. Rouse.
Chaumont, alias, Chamond.
Samtalbin, alias, Semtabyn.
Denis. Saulay, alias, Saule.
If the variety of Armes disclaime from any of these names, I will not
stand vpon a stiffe iustification: and yet it is to bee noted, that
diuers Cornish Gentlemen, borne yonger brothers, and aduanced by
match, haue left their owne coats, & honoured those of their wiues
with the first quarter of their shields. Which error their posteritie
likewise ensued, as also, that before these later petty differences
grew in vogue, the Armes of one stocke were greatly diuersified in the
younger braunches.
I had also made a more paynful, then perfect collection of most of
the Cornish Gentlemens names & Armes: But because the publishing
thereof might perhaps goe accompanied with diuers wrongs, to my much
reuerenced friends the Heralds, by thrusting my sickle into their
haruest; to a great many my Countrymen, whom my want of information
should be forced to passe ouer vnmentioned; and to the truth it selfe,
where my report (relying vpon other mens credits) might through their
errour intitle me the publisher (though not the author) of falshood:
I rather thought fit altogether to omit it, and to note onely, that of
diuers Gentlemen there haue bene in Cornwall, either their names are
worne out, or their liuings transferred by the females, into other
families: as likewise, sundry of those there now inhabiting, are
lately denized Cornish, being generally drawne thither (besides other
more priuate respects) through eyther the desire of change, which the
disease of discontent affecteth, or the loue of quiet in so remote
a corner, or the supposall of commodities there arising, and accruing,
or the warrantize from ouerlooking & bearing, where little difference
in quality tendeth to an [66] equality in estates.
From Gentility, we wil descend to ciuility, which is or should be in
the townesmen. Those in Cornwall do no more by nature, then others
elsewhere by choyce, conceiue themselves an estranged society from
the vpland dwellers, and cary, I will not say a malice, but an
emulation against them, as if one member in a body could continue his
wel-being without a beholdingnes to the rest. Their chiefest trade
consisteth in vttering their petty marchandises, & Artificers labours
at the weekly markets. Very few among them make vse of that
oportunity, which the scite vpon the sea proffereth vnto many, for
building of shipping, and traffiking in grosse: yet some of the
Easterne townes piddle that way, & some others giue themselues to
fishing voyages, both which (when need requireth) furnish her
Maiesties nauy with good store of very seruiceable Mariners.
There are (if they be not slaundered) that hunt after a more easie
then commendable profit, with little hazard, and (I would I could
not say) with lesse conscience. Anno 32. H. 8. an act of Parliament
was made for repayring, amongst others, the Borough townes of
Launceston, Liskerd, Lostwithiel, Bodmyn, Truro, and Helston
in Cornwall, but with what fruit to their good, I cannot relate.
Within late yeeres memorie, the sea-coast Townes begin to proclaime
their bettering in wealth, by costly encrease of buildings; but those
of the Inland, for the most part, vouch their ruined houses, and
abandoned streets, as too true an euidence, that they are admitted
no partners in this amendment. If I mistake not the cause, I may
with charitie inough wish them still the same fortune: for as is
elsewhere touched, I conceyue their former large peopling, to haue
bin an effect of the countries impouerishing, while the inuasion of
forraine enemies draue the Sea-coast Inhabitants to seeke a more safe,
then commodious abode in those Inland parts.
Strangers occasioned to trauaile through the shire, were wont, no
lesse sharply then truly, to inueigh against the bad drinke, course
lodging, and slacke attendance which they found in thosehouses that
went for Innes: neither did their horses better entertainment, proue
them any welcomer ghests then their masters: but in stead of remedy,
they receyued in answere, that neither such an outcorner was
frequented with many wayfarers, nor by hanging out signes, or
forestalling at the Townes end, like the Italians, did they inuite
any; and to make great prouision vpon small hope of vtterance, were
to incurre a skorne-worthy losse, seeing Aspettare, & non
venire (saith the same Italian) is one of the tre cose da morire.
Touching the Yeomanarie of Cornwall, I can say little, worth the
observing, for any difference from that of other shires, and therefore
I will step downe the next staire to husbandmen.
These in times not past the remembrance of some yet liuing, rubbed
forth their estate in the poorest plight, their grounds lay all in
common, or onely diuided by stitch-meale: little bread-corne: their
drinke, water, or at best, but whey: for the richest Farmour in a
parish brewed not aboue twyce a yeere, and then, God wotte what
liquor: their meat, Whitsull, as they call it, namely, milke, sowre
milke, cheese, curds, [67] butter, and such like as came from the cow
and ewe, who were tyed by the one legge at pasture: their apparell,
course in matter, ill shapen in maner: their legges and feet naked
and bare, to which sundrie old folke had so accustomed their youth,
that they could hardly abide to weare any shooes; complayning how it
kept them ouer hote. Their horses shod onlie before, and for all
furniture a pad and halter, on which the meaner countrie wenches of
the westerne parts doe yet ride astride, as all other English folke
vsed before R. the 2. wife brought in the side saddle fashion
of straw.
Suteable hereunto was their dwelling, & to that their implements of
houshold: walles of earth, low thatched roofes, few partitions, no
planchings or glasse windows, and scarcely any chimnies, other then
a hole in the wall to let out the smoke: their bed, straw and a
blanket: as for sheets, so much linen cloth had not yet stepped ouer
the narrow channell, betweene them and Brittaine. To conclude,
a mazer and a panne or two, comprised all their substance: but now
most of these fashions are vniuersally banished, and the Cornish
husbandman conformeth himself with a better supplied ciuilitie to
the Easterne patterne, which hath directed him a more thriuing forme
of husbandrie; and our halcion dayes of peace enabled him to applie
the lesson: so as, his fine once ouercome, he can maintaine himselfe
& his familie in a competent decencie to their calling, and findeth
monie to bestow weekely at the markets, for his prouisions of
necessitie and pleasure: for his quarterlie rent serueth rather as a
token of subiection to his Land-lord, then any grieuous exaction on
his tenement.
One point of their former roughnesse, some of the Westerne people
do yet still retaine, & therethrough in some measure, verifie that
testimonie which Mathew Westm. giueth of them, together with the
Welsh, their auncient countrimen: namely, how fostering a fresh
memorie of their expulsion long agoe by the English, they second
the same with a bitter repining at their fellowship: and this the
worst sort expresse, in combining against, and working them all the
shrewd turnes which with hope of impunitie they can deuise: howbeit,
it shooteth not to a like extremitie in all places and persons, but
rather by little and little, weareth out vnto a more milde and
conuersable fashion. Amongst themselues they agree well, and
companie louingly together: to their gentlemen they carrie a verie
dutifull regard, as enured in their obeysance from their ancestors,
and holding them as Roytelets, because they know no greater.
Onelie it might be wished, that diuers amongst them had lesse spleene
to attempt law-suits, for pettie supposed wrongs, or not so much
subtiltie and stiffenesse to prosecute them: so should their purses
be heauier, and their consciences lighter: a reporter must auerre
no falshood, nor conceale any truth.
We must also spare a roome in this Suruey, to the poore, of whom
few Shires can shew more, or owne fewer then Cornwall.
Ireland prescribeth to be the nurserie, which sendeth ouer yeerely,
yea and dayly whole Ship-loades of these crooked slips, and the
dishabited townes afford them rooting: so vpon the matter, the whole
County maketh a contribution, to pay those Lords their rent.
Manie good Statutes haue beene enacted for redresse of these abuses,
and vpon the first publishing, heedfully and diligently put in
practise: but [68] after the nine dayes wonder expired, the law
is forgotten, the care abandoned, and those vermine swarme againe
in euerie corner: yet those peeuish charitable cannot be ignorant,
that herethrough, to the high offence of God and good order, they
maintaine idlenes, drunkennesse, theft, lecherie, blasphemie,
Atheisme, and in a word, all impietie: for a worse kind of people
then these vagabonds, the realme is not pestered withal: what they
consume in a day, wil suffice to releeue an honest poore parishioner
for a week, of whose work you may also make some vse: their staruing
is not to be feared, for they may be prouided for at home, if they
list: no almes therefore should be cast away upon them, to the
robberie of the needy impotent; but money least of all: for in giuing
him siluer, you do him wrong, by changing his vocation, while you
metamorphize him from a begger to a buyer. Lacks he meat, drinke,
or apparrell? (and nothing els he ought to be owner of) he must
procure them of the worst by free gift, and not make choice, for a
iust price, of the best. Well, though the rogue laugh you to scorne
at night, the alewife hath reason the next day to pray for you.
Surely we finde by experience, that this so hainous an enormitie may
be both easily and quickly reformed: for let the Constables execute
upon the rogues that last most beneficiall Act of Parliament, with
due seueritie for one weeke, and the terror thereof will free the
parish for a month: vse it a month, and you are acquited for the
whole yere. If the Constables persift in their remisnesse, let the
Iustices lay the penalty vpon them, and they will no longer hoodwinke
themselues at their neighbours faults. Let the neighbour be so
pinched by the purse, but once or twise, and he will become a
great deale the more sensible to season his charity with discretion
for a long time after.
Vpon the first statute, there was a house of correction erected
at Bodmin, to the great charge, but little benefit of the Countrey.
Which experience lessoneth them to illude this later, by appoynting
certaine cotagers houses in euery parish to serue, nomine tenus,
for that purpose.
Lazer-houses, the deuotion of certaine Cornish Gentlemens ancesters
erected at Minhinet, by Liskerd, S. Thomas by Launceston, and
S. Laurence by Bodmyn: of which, this last is well endowed & gouerned.
Concerning the other, I haue little to say, vnlesse I should eccho
some of their complaints, that they are defrauded of their right.
The much eating of fish, especially newly taken, and therein
principally of the liuers, is reckoned a great breeder of those
contagious humours, which turne into Leprosie: but whence soeuer the
cause proceedeth, dayly euents minister often pittifull spectacles to
the Cornishmens eyes, of people visited with this affliction; some
being authours of their owne calamity by the forementioned diet,
and some others succeeding therein to an haereditarius morbus of
their ancestors: whom we will leaue to the poorest comfort in miserie,
a helplesse pittie.
But let me lead you from these vnpleasing matters, to refresh
yourselues with taking view of the Cornishmens recreations, which
consist principally in feastes and pastimes.
Their feasts are commonly haruest dinners, Church-ales, and the
solemnizing of their parish Churches dedication, which they terme
their Saints feast.
[69]
The haruest dinners are held by euery wealthy man, or as wee terme it,
euery good liuer, betweene Michaelmas and Candlemas, whereto he
inuiteth his next neighbours and kinred, and though it beare onely
the name of a dinner, yet the ghests take their supper also with them,
and consume a great part of the night after in Christmas rule: neither
doth the good cheere wholly expire (though it somewhat decrease) but
with the end of the weeke.
For the Church-ale, two young men of the parish are yerely chosen by
their last foregoers, to be Wardens, who deuiding the task, make
collection among the parishioners, of whatsoeuer prouision it pleaseth
them voluntarily to bestow. This they imploy in brewing, baking,
& other acates, against Whitsontide; vpon which Holydayes, the
neighbours meet at the Church-house, and there merily feed on their
owne victuals, contributing some petty portion to the stock, which by
many smalls, groweth to a meetly greatnes: for there is entertayned
a kinde of emulation betweene these Wardens, who by his graciousnes
in gathering, and good husbandry in expending, can best aduauce the
Churches profit. Besides, the neighbour parishes, at those times
louingly visit one another, and this way frankely spend their money
together. The afternoones are consumed in such exercises, as olde
and yong folke (hauing leysure) doe accustomably weare out the time
withall.
When the feast is ended, the Wardens yeeld in their account to the
Parishioners, and such money as exceedeth the disbursments, is layd
vp in store, to defray any extraordinary charges arising in the
parish, or imposed on them for the good of the Countrey, or the
Princes seruice. Neither of which commonly gripe so much, but that
somewhat stil remayneth to couer the purses bottome.
The Saints feast is kept vpon the dedication day, by euery housholder
of the parish, within his owne dores, each entertayning such forrayne
acquaintance, as will not fayle when their like turne cometh about,
to requite him with the like kindnes.
Of late times, many Ministers haue by their ernest inuectiues,
both condemned these Saints feasts as superstitious, and suppressed
the Church-ales, as licencious: concerning which, let it breed none
offence, for me to report a conference that I had not long since,
with a neere friend, who (as I conceiue) looked hereinto with an
indifferent and vnpreiudicating eye. I do reuerence (sayd he) the
calling and iudgement of the Ministers, especially when most of them
concurre in one opinion, and that the matter controuersed, holdeth
some affinity with their profession. Howbeit, I doubt, least in
their exclayming or declayming against Church-ales and Saints feasts,
their ringleaders did onely regard the rinde, and not perce into
the pith, and that the rest were chiefly swayed by their example:
euen as the vulgar, rather stouped to the wayght of their authoritie,
then became perswaded by the force of their reasons. And first
touching Church-ales, these be mine assertions, if not my proofes:
Of things induced by our forefathers, some were instituted to a good
vse, and peruerted to a bad: againe, some were both naught in the
inuention, and so continued in the practise. Now that Church-ales
ought to bee sorted in the better ranke of these twaine, maybe
gathered from their causes and [70] effects, which I thus rasse vp
together: entertaining of Christian loue, conforming of mens
behauiour to a ciuill conuersation, compounding of controuersies,
appealing of quarrels, raising a store, which might be concerted
partly to good and godly vses, as releeuing all sorts of poore people,
repairing of Churches, building of bridges, amending of high wayes;
and partly for the Princes seruice, by defraying at an instant, such
rates and taxes as the magistrate imposeth for the Countries defence.
Briefly, they tende to an instructing of the minde by amiable
conference, and an enabling of the body by commendable exercises.
But I fearing lest my friend would runne himselfe out of breath,
in this volubilitie of praising, stept athwart him with these
obiections: That hee must pardon my dissenting from his opinion,
touching the goodnesse of the institution: for taken at best,
it could not be martialled with the sacred matters, but rather with
the ciuill, if not with the profane; that the very title of ale was
somewhat nasty, and the thing it selfe had beene corrupted with such
a multitude of abuses, to wit, idlenes, drunkennesse, lasciuiousnes,
vaine disports of ministrelsie, dauncing, and disorderly
night-watchings, that the best curing was to cut it cleane away.
As for his fore-remembred good causes and effects, I sawe not,
but that if the peoples mindes were guided by the true leuell of
christian charity & duetie, such necessary and profitable
contributions might stil be continued gratis, & the country eased
of that charge to their purse and conscience, which ensueth this
gourmandise. His reply was, that if this ordinance could not reach
vnto that sanctity which dependeth on the first table, yet it
succeeded the same in the next degree, as appertayning to the second.
Mine exception against the title, he mockingly matched with their
scrupulous precisenes, who (forsooth) would not say Christmas,
nor Michaelmas, as other folk did; but Christs tide, and Michaels
tide: who (quoth he) by like consequence must also bind themselues
to say, Toms tide, Lams tide, and Candles tide. But if the name of
ale relish so ill, whereas the licour itselfe is the English mans
ancientest and wholesomest drinke, and serueth many for meate and
cloth too; he was contented I should call it Church beere, or Church
wine, or what else I listed: mary, for his part hee would loqui cum
vulgo, though hee studied sentire cum sapientibus. Where I affirmed,
that the people might by other meanes be trayned with an equall
largesse to semblable workes of charitie, he suspected lest I did
not enter into a through consideration of their nature and qualitie,
which he had obserued to be this: that they would sooner depart with
12. pennyworth of ware, then sixepence in coyne, and this shilling
they would willingly double, so they might share but some pittance
thereof againe. Now in such indifferent matters, to serue their
humours, for working them to a good purpose, could breed no maner
of scandall. As for the argument of abuse, which I so largely
dilated, that should rather conclude a reformation of the fault,
then an abrogation of the fact.
For to prosecute your owne Metaphore (quoth hee) surely I holde him
for a sory Surgeon, that cannot skill to salue a sore, but by taking
away the lymme, and little better then the Phisicion, who, to helpe
the disease, will reaue the life of his Patient from him. Abuses,
doubtlesse, great and many [71] haue, by successe of time, crept
hereinto, as into what other almost, diuine, or ciuill, doe they not?
and yet in these publike meetings, they are so presented to euery
mans sight, as shame somewhat restrayneth the excesse, and they may
much the sooner bee both espied and redressed. If you thinke I goe
about to defend Church-ales, with all their faults, you wrong your
iudgement, & your iudgement wrongeth mee. I would rather (as a
Burgesse of this ale-parliament) enact certaine lawes, by which such
assemblies should be gouerned: namely, that the drinke should neither
be too strong in taste, nor too often tasted: that the ghests should
be enterlarded, after the Persian custome, by ages, yong and old,
distinguished by degrees of the better and meaner: and seuered into
sexes, the men from the women: that the meats should be sawced with
pleasant, but honest talke: that their songs should be of their
auncestours honourable actions: the principall time of the morning,
I would haue hallowed to Gods seruice: the after-noones applied to
manlike actiuities: and yet I would not altogether barre sober and
open dauncing, vntill it were first thoroughly banished from mariages,
Christmas reuels, and (our Countries patterne) the court: all which
should be concluded, with a reasonable and seasonable portion of the
night: and so (sayd hee) will I conclude this part of my speech, with
adding onely one word more for my better iustification: that in
defending feasts, I maintayne neither Paradox, nor conceite in
nubibus, but a matter practised amongst vs from our eldest
auncestours, with profitable and well pleasing fruit, and not onely
by our nation, but, both in former ages, by the best and strictest
disciplined common wealth of the Lacedemonians, who had their
ordinary Sissitia, and now in our dayes, as well by the reformed,
as Catholike Switzers, who place therein a principal Arcanum imperij.