of superstition, because they are held vpon those Saints daies,
by whose names the parish Churches are stiled, I will ward that blow
with the shield of Arch-Saint Austines authoritie, who in his 8. booke
of Gods Citie, and 27. Chap. in the like case, iustifieth a lesse
allowable practise of the primitiue Christians. Summa, he closed his
discourse with this protection, that hee appealed not from, but to
the honourably respected censure of the reuerend Ministery, desiring
his speach might receiue, not the allowance of a position, but the
licence of a proposition: which my friends modest submission, I could
not but embrace my selfe, and recommend it ouer to your fauourable
acceptation.
My last note touching these feasts, tendeth to a commendation of the
ghests, who (though rude in their other fashions) may for their
discreete Judgement in precedence, and preseance, read a lesson to
our ciuilest gentry. Amongst them, at such publike meetings, not
wealth but age is most regarded: so as (saue in a verie notorious
disproportion of estates) the younger rich reckoneth it a shame
sooner then a grace, to step or sit before the elder honest,
and rather expecteth his turne for the best roome, by succession,
then intrudeth thereto by anticipation.
Pastimes to delight the minde, the Cornish men haue Guary miracles,
and three mens songs: and for exercise of the body, Hunting, Hawking,
Shooting, Wrastling, [72] Hurling, and such other games.
The Guary miracle, in English, a miracle-play, is a kinde of
Enterlude, compiled in Cornish out of some scripture history,
with that grossenes, which accompanied the Romanes vetus Comedia.
For representing it, they raise an earthen Amphitheatre, in some open
field, hauing the Diameter of his enclosed playne some 40. or 50.
foot. The Country people flock from all sides, many miles off,
to hear and see it: for they haue therein, deuils and deuices,
to delight as well the eye as the eare: the players conne not their
parts without booke, but are prompted by one called the Ordinary,
who followeth at their back with the booke in his hand, and telleth
them softly what they must pronounce aloud. Which maner once gaue
occasion to a pleasant conceyted gentleman, of practising a mery
pranke: for he vndertaking (perhaps of set purpose) an Actors roome,
was accordingly lessoned (before-hand) by the Ordinary, that he must
say after him. His turne came: quoth the Ordinary, Go forth man and
shew thy selfe. The gentleman steps out vpon the stage, and like a
bad Clarke in scripture matters, cleauing more to the letter then the
sense, pronounced those words aloud. Oh (sayes the fellowe softly in
his eare) you marre all the play. And with this his passion, the
Actor makes the audience in like sort acquainted. Hereon the prompter
falles to flat rayling & cursing in the bitterest termes he could
deuise: which the Gentleman with a set gesture and countenance still
soberly related, vntill the Ordinary, driuen at last into a madde
rage, was faine to giue ouer all. Which trousse though it brake off
the Enterlude, yet defrauded not the beholders, but dismissed them
with a great deale more sport and laughter, then 20. such Guaries
could haue affoorded.
They haue also Cornish three mens songs, cunningly contriued for
the ditty, and pleasantly for the note.
Amongst bodily pastimes, shooting carrieth the preeminence; to which
in mine yonger yeeres I caried such affection, as I induced Archery,
perswading others to the like liking, by this ensuing Prosopopeia:
My deare friends, I come to complaine vpon you, but to your selues:
to blame you, but for your good: to expostulate with you, but in the
way of reconciliation. Alas, what my desert can justify your
adandoning my fellowship, & hanging me thus vp, to be smoke-starued
ouer your chimnies? I am no stranger vnto you, but by birth,
your countrywoman: by dwelling your neighbour: by education,
your familiar: neither is my company shamefull; for I hant the light
and open fieldes: nor my conuersation dangerous: nay, it shields you
from dangers, and those not the least, but of greatest consequence,
the dangers of warre. And as in fight I giue you protection, so in
peace I supplie you pastime; and both in warre and peace, to your
lymmes I yeelde actiue plyantnesse, and to your bodyes healthfull
exercise: yea I prouide you food when you are hungrie, and helpe
digestion when you are full. Whence then proceedeth this vnkinde
and vnusuall strangenesse? Am I heavy for burden? Forsooth, a fewe
light stickes of wood. Am I combrous for carriage? I couch a part of
my selfe close vnder your girdle, and the other part serueth for a
walking-staffe in your hand. Am I vnhandsome in your sight?
Euery piece of mee is comely, and the whole keepeth [73] an
harmonicall proportion. Lastly, am I costly to bee prouided?
or hard to bee maintayned? No, cheapnesse is my purueyour,
easinesse my preseruer, neither doe I make you blow away your charges
with my breath, or taynt your nose with my sent, nor defile your
face and fingers with my colour, like that hellborne murderer,
whom you accept before me. I appeale then to your valiant Princes,
Edwards, and Henries, to the battayles of Cresey, Poyters, Agincourt,
and Floddon, to the regions of Scotland, Fraunce, Spaine, Italy,
Cyprus, yea and Iury, to be vmpires of this controuersie: all which
(I doubt not) will with their euidence playnely prooue, that when
mine aduerse party was yet scarcely borne, or lay in her swathling
clouts, through mee onely your auncestours defended their Countrey,
vanquished their enemies, succoured their friends, enlarged their
Dominions, aduanced their religion, and made their names fearfull to
the present age, and their fame euerlasting to those that ensue.
Wherefore, my deare friends, seeing I have so substantially euicted
the rightof my cause conforme your wils to reason, conforme your
reason by practise, and conuert your practise to the good of your
selues and your Country. If I be praise-worthy, esteeme me:
if necessary, admit me: if profitable, employ me: so shall you
reuoke my death to life, and shew your selues no degenerate issue
of such honourable Progenitours. And thus much for Archery,
whose tale, if it be disordered, you must beare withall, for she
is a woman, & her mind is passionate.
And to giue you some taste of the Cornish mens former sufficiency
that way: for long shooting, their shaft was a cloth yard, their
pricks 24. score: for strength, they would pierce any ordinary
armour: and one master Robert Arundell (whom I well knew) could shoot
12. score, with his right hand, with his left, and from behinde
his head.
Lastly, for neere and well aimed shooting, Buts made them perfect in
the one, and rouing in the othe: for prickes, the first corrupter of
Archery, through too much precisenesse, were then scarcely knowne,
and little practised. And in particular, I haue heard by credible
report of those, who professed and protested themselues to haue bene
eye-witnesses, that one Robert Bone of Antony shot at a little bird,
sitting upon his cowes back, and killed it, the bird (I meane) not
the cowe; which was either very cunning in the performance, or very
foolish in the attempt. The first of these somewhat resembled one
Menelaus, mentioned by Zosimus, lib. 2. who nocking three arrowes,
& shooting them all at once, would strike three seuerall persons,
and might haue deserued a double stipend in the graund Signiors gard,
where the one halfe of his archers are left-handed, that they may
not turne their taile to their Sultan while they draw. The other may
in some sort compare with that Auo, reported by Saxo Gramaticus,
for so good a markman, as with one arrow he claue the firing of his
aduersaries bowe, the second he fixed betweene his fingers, and with
the third strooke his shaft which he was nocking: or with that
exploit of the fathers piercing an apple on his sonnes head,
attributed by the same Saxo, to one Toko a Dane: and by the Switzers
histories, to Guillaum Tell, the chiefe occasioner, and part-author
of their libertie.
[74]
Hurling taketh his denomination from throwing of the ball, and is of
two sorts, in the East parts of Cornwall, to goales, and in the West,
to the countrey.
For hurling to goales, there are 15. 20. or 30. players more or lesse,
chosen out on each side, who strip them- selues into their slightest
apparell, and then ioyne hands in ranke one against another. Out of
these ranks they match themselues by payres, one embracing another, &
so passe away: euery of which couple, are specially to watch one
another during the play.
After this, they pitch two bushes in the ground, some eight or ten
foote asunder; and directly against them, ten or twelue score off,
other twayne in like distance, which they terme their Goales. One of
these is appoynted by lots, to the one side, and the other to his
aduerse party. There is assigned for their gard, a couple of their
best stopping Hurlers; the residue draw into the midst betweene both
goales, where some indifferent person throweth vp a ball, the which
whosoeuer can catch, and cary through his aduersaries goale, hath
wonne the game. But therein consisteth one of Hercules his labours:
for he that is once possessed of the ball, hath his contrary mate
waiting at inches, and assaying to lay hold vpon him. The other
thrusteth him in the breast, with his closed fist, to keepe him off;
which they call Butting, and place in weldoing the same, no small
poynt of manhood.
If hee escape the first, another taketh him in hand, and so a third,
neyther is hee left, vntill hauing met (as the Frenchman sayes)
Chausseura son pied, hee eyther touch the ground with some part of
his bodie, in wrastling, or cry, Hold; which is the word of yeelding.
Then must he cast the ball (named Dealing) to some one of his
fellowes, who catching the same in his hand, maketh away withall
as before; and if his hap or agility bee so good, as to shake off or
outrunne his counter-wayters, at the goale, hee findeth one or two
fresh men, readie to receiue and keepe him off. It is therefore a
very disaduantageable match, or extraordinary accident, that leeseth
many goales: howbeit, that side carryeth away best reputation, which
giueth most falles in the hurling, keepeth the ball longest, and
presseth his contrary neerest to their owne goale. Sometimes one
chosen person on eche party dealeth the ball.
The Hurlers are bound to the obseruation of many lawes, as, that they
must hurle man to man, and not two set vpon one man at once: that the
Hurler against the ball, must not but, nor hand-fast vnder girdle:
that hee who hath the ball, must but onely in the others brest: that
he must deale no Fore-ball, viz. he may not throw it to any of his
mates, standing neerer the goale, then himselfe. Lastly, in dealing
the ball, if any of the other part can catch it flying between, or
e're the other haue it fast, he thereby winneth the same to his side,
which straightway of defendant becommeth assailant, as the other,
of assailant falls to be defendant. The least breach of these lawes,
the Hurlers take for a iust cause of going together by the eares,
but with their fists onely; neither doth any among them seek reuenge
for such wrongs or hurts, but at the like play againe. These hurling
matches are mostly vsed at weddings, where commonly the ghests
vndertake to encounter all commers.
[75]
The hurling to the Countrey, is more diffuse and confuse, as bound
to few of these orders: Some two or more Gentlemen doe commonly make
this match, appointing that on such a holyday, they will bring to
such an indifferent place, two, three, or more parishes of the East or
South quarter, to hurle against so many other, of the West or North.
Their goales are either those Gentlemens houses, or some townes or
villages, three or foure miles asunder, of which either side maketh
choice after the neernesse to their dwellings. When they meet, there
is neyther comparing of numbers, nor matching of men: but a siluer
ball is cast vp, and that company, which can catch, and cary it by
force, or sleight, to their place assigned, gaineth the ball and
victory. Whosoeuer getteth seizure of this ball, findeth himselfe
generally pursued by the aduerse party; neither will they leaue,
till (without all respects) he be layd flat on Gods dear earth:
which fall once receiued, disableth him from any longer detayning
the ball: hee therefore throwet the same (with like hazard of
intercepting, as in the other hurling) to some one of his fellowes,
fardest before him, who maketh away withall in like maner. Such as
see where the ball is played, giue notice thereof to their mates,
crying, Ware East, Ware West, &c. as the same is carried.
The Hurlers take their next way ouer hilles, dales, hedges, ditches;
yea, and thorow bushes, briers, mires, plashes and riuers whatsoeuer;
so as you shall sometimes see 20. or 30. lie tugging together in the
water, scrambling and scratching for the ball. A play (verily) both
rude & rough, and yet such, as is not destitute of policies, in some
sort resembling the feats of warre: for you shall haue companies layd
out before, on the one side, to encounter them that come with the
ball, and of the other party to succor them, in maner of a fore-ward.
Againe, other troups lye houering on the sides, like wings, to helpe
or stop their escape: and where the ball it selfe goeth, it resembleth
the ioyning of the two mayne battels: the slowest footed who come
lagge, supply the showe of a rere-ward: yea, there are horsemen placed
also on either party (as it were in ambush) and ready to ride away
with the ball, if they can catch it at aduantage. But they may not so
steale the palme: for gallop any one of them neuer so fast, yet he
shall be surely met at some hedge corner, crosse-lane, bridge, or deep
water, which (by casting the Countrie) they know he must needs touch
at: and if his good fortune gard him not the better, hee is like to
pay the price of his theft, with his owne and his horses ouerthrowe to
the ground. Sometimes, the whole company runneth with the ball,
seuen or eight miles out of the direct way, which they should keepe.
Sometimes a foote-man getting it by stealth, the better to scape
vnespied, will carry the same quite backwards, and so, at last, get
to the goale by a windlace: which once knowne to be wonne, all that
side flocke thither with great iolity: and if the same bee a
Gentlemans house, they giue him the ball for a Trophee, and the
drinking out of his Beere to boote.
The ball in this play may bee compared to an infernall spirit:
for whosoeuer catcheth it, fareth straightwayes like a madde man,
strugling and fighting with those that goe about to holde him: and no
sooner is the ball gone from him, but hee resigneth this fury to the
[76] next recyuer, and himselfe becommeth peaceable as before.
I cannot well resolue, whether I should more commend this game for
the manhood and exercise, or condemne it for the boysterousnes and
harmes which it begetteth: for as on the one side it makes their
bodies strong, hard, and nimble, and puts a courage into their hearts,
to meet an enemie in the face: so on the other part, it is accompanied
with many dangers, some of which do euer fall to the players share.
For proofe whereof, when the hurling is ended, you shall see them
retyring home, as from a pitched battaile, with bloody pates, bones
broken, and out of ioynt, and such bruses as serue to shorten their
daies; yet al is good play, & neuer Attourney nor Crowner troubled
for the matter.
Wrastling is as full of manlinesse; more delightfull, and lesse
dangerous: which pastime, either Cornish men deriued from Corineus,
their first pretended founder, or (at least) it ministred some stuffe
to the farcing of that fable. But to let that passe, their continual
exercise in this play, hath bred them so skilfull an habit, as they
presume, that neither the ancient Greek Palestritae, nor the Turks
so much delighted Peluianders,not their, once countrymen, and stil
neighbours, the Bretons, can bereaue them of this Laurell: and
matchlesse, certes, should they be, if their cunning were answerable
to their practise: for you shall hardly find an assembly of boyes,
in Deuon or Cornwall, where the most vntowardly amongst them, will not
as readily giue you a muster of this exercise, as you are prone to
require it. For performing this play, the beholders cast themselues
in a ring, which they call, Making a place: into the middle space
whereof, the two champion wrastlers step forth, stripped into their
dublets and hosen, and vntrussed, that they may so the better
commaund the vse of their lymmes, and first shaking hands in token of
friendship, they fall presently to the effects of anger: for each,
striueth how to take hold of other, with his best aduantage, and to
beare his aduerse party downe: wherein, whosoeuer ouerthroweth his
mate in such sort, as that either his backe, or the one shoulder,
and contrary heele do touch the ground, is accounted to giue the fall.
If he be endangered, and make a narrow escape, it is called a foyle.
This hath also his lawes, of taking hold onely aboue girdle, wearing
a girdle to take hold by, playing three pulles, for tryall of the
mastery, the fall-giuer to be exempted from playing again with
the taker, and bound to answere his successour, &c.
Many sleights and tricks appertaine hereunto, in which, a skilfull
weake man wil soone get the ouerhand of one that is strong and
ignorant. Such are the Trip, fore-hip, Inturne, the Faulx, forward
and backward, the Mare, and diuers other like.
Amongst Cornish wrastlers, now liuing, my friend Iohn Goit may iustly
challenge the first place, not by prerogatiue of his seruice in her
Maiesties gard; but through hauing answered all challenges in that
pastime without blemish. Neither is his commendation bounded within
these limits, but his cleane made body and actiue strength, extend
(with great agility) to whatsoeuer other exercise, of the arme or
legge: besides his abilitie (vpon often tryall) to take charge at
Sea, eyther as Master, or Captayne. All which good parts hee graceth
with a good fellowlike, kinde, and respectfull carriage.
[77]
Siluer prizes for this and other actiuities, were wont to be carried
about by certaine Circumforanei, or set vp for Bidales: but time or
their abuse hath now worne them out of date and vse.
The last poynt of this first booke, is to plot downe the Cornish
gouernment, which offreth a double consideration: the one, as an
entire state of it selfe; the other, as a part of the Realme:
both which shal be seuerally handled.
Cornwall, as an entire state, hath at diuers times enioyed sundry
titles, of a Kingdome, Principality, Duchy, and Earledome; as may
appear by these few notes, with which I haue stored my selfe out of
our Chronicles.
[Anno mundi 2850.]
If there was a Brute King of Brittaine, by the same authority it is
to bee proued, that there was likewise a Corineus Duke of Cornwall,
whose daughter Gwendolene, Brutes eldest sonne Locrine tooke to wife,
and by her had issue Madan, that succeeded his father in the kingdome.
[3105.]
Next him, I finde Henninus Duke, who maried Gonorille, one of King
Leirs daughters and heires, and on her begat Morgan: but whiles he
attempted with his other brother in law, to wrest the kingdome from
their wiues father, by force of armes, before the course of nature
should cast the same vpon them, Cordeilla, the third disherited
sister, brought an armie out of Fraunce to the olde mans succour,
and in a pitched battell bereft Henninus of his life.
[3476.]
Clotenus King of Cornwall, begat a sonne named Mulmutius Dunwallo,
who, when this Iland had beene long distressed with the ciuil warres
of petty Kings, reduced the same againe into one peaceable Monarchy.
[3574.]
Belinus, brother to that great terror of the Romanes, Brennus, had for
his appannage (as the French terme it) Loegria, Wales, and Cornwall.
[3908.]
Cassibelane, succeeding his brother Lud in the Kingdome, gaue to his
sonne Tennancius, the Duchy of Cornwall.
[Anno Dom. 231.]
After this Iland became a parcell of Iulius Caesars conquests, the
same rested it selfe, or was rather vexed a long time, vnder the
gouernment of such rulers, as the Romanes sent hither. But the
Bretons turning, at last, their long patience into a sudden fury,
rose in armes, slewe Alectus, the Emperour Dioclesians deputy, and
inuested their leader Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall, with the
possession of the kingdome.
[329.]
Conan Meridock, nephew to Octauius, whome the Emperour Constantine
appoynted gouernour of this Iland, was Duke of Cornwall.
[351.]
At the Sinode of Arles in Fraunce, there was present one Corinius,
sonne to Salomon Duke of Cornwall.
[383.]
After the abouenamed Octauius his decease, Maximianus, a Romane,
who maried his daughter, succeeded him also in gouernment: betweene
whome, and the fore-remembred Conan, grew great warres; which
concluding at last in a peace, Maxim. passed with an armie into
Fraunce, conquered there Armorica (naming it little Brittaine) and
gaue the same in fee to Conan; who being once peaceably setled,
wrote ouer vnto Dionethus, or Dionotus Duke or King of Cornwall,
(as Mathew of West, termeth him) to send him some Maidens, whom
he might couple in mariage with his people; whereon S. Vrsula & her
companions the 11000. virgins, were shipped, & miscaried, as their
wel known hiftory reporteth.
[page 78]
Nicholas Gille, a French writer, deliuereth (vpon the credit of our
British Historians) that about this time, Meroueus, a Paynim king of
Fraunce, caused his owne sonne to be throwne into the fire and burned,
for that he had slayne the king of Cornwall, as he returned from
a feast.
[433.]
Hee also maketh mention of one Moigne, brother to Aurelius and
Vter-pendragon, Duke of Cornwall, & gouerner of the Realme, vnder
the Emperour Honorius.
[443.]
Carodoc Duke of Cornwall was employed (sayth D. Kay) by Octauius,
about founding the Vniuersitie of Cambridge.
[500.]
And vpon Igerna wife to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, Vter begat the
worthy Arthur, and a daughter called Amy.
[526.]
This Arthur discomfited in fight, one Childerick, a king of the
Saxons, and afterwards, vpon certaine couenants, suffred him quietly
to depart the Realme. But Childerick violating the word of a king,
bound with the solemnity of an othe, inuaded eftsoones the Westerne
coasts, harrowing the Country as he passed, vntil Cador, Earle of
Cornwall, became Gods Minister, to take vengeance of his periury,
by reauing off his life.
That Marke swayed the Cornish septer, you cannot make question,
vnlesse you will, withall, shake the irrefragable authoritie of
the round tables Romants.
[603.]
Blederic Duke of Cornwall, associated with other Welsh kings,
darrayned a battel against Ethelferd, king of the Northumbers,
& by the valiant forgoing of his life, got his partners the victory.
[688.]
Iuor, sonne to Alane king of little Brittaine, first wan from the
Saxons, Cornwall, Deuon, and Somerset shires, by force of armes,
and then, taking to wife Ethelburg, cousin to Kentwin, king of
Westsex, enioyed the same by composition.
[720.]
Roderic, king of the Bretons in Wales and Cornwall, (vnder whom,
Bletius was Prince of this last, and of Deuon) valiantly repulsed
Adelred, king of Westsex, what time he assayled him in Cornwall:
yet in the end, being ouer-matched in number, and tired with
continuall onsets, he was driuen to quit the same, and retire
himselfe into Wales.
[866.]
Polidor Virgill maketh mention of one Reginaldus Comes Britannorum,
in the time of king Etheldred.
[872.]
Dungarth king of Corn, by mischance was drowned.
[900.]
Alpsius is recorded (about this time) for Duke of Deuon and Cornwall.