a little fresh rillet into the sea, receyueth for recompence,
a large ouerflowing of the salt water tides. This place is deepened
to a pond, by casting vp part of the Ose to the heades, part to the
middle, and part to the sides: the vpper head stoppeth out the
fresh water, the lower keepeth in the salt: the middle rayseth
an Iland for the Workmens [105] ease, the owners pleasure, and the
fishes succour. The Ose thus aduaunced, within short space,
through the sunne and winde, changeth his former softnes,
to a firmer hardnesse. Round about the pond, there is pitched a
frith of three foote heighth, sloped inwards, to barre any Otter
from issuing, if hee there aduenture his naturall theft, as it would
foreclose his entrance, but lose the pastime of his hunting, if the
same declined outwards. In one of the corners next the sea,
standeth a flood-gate, to bee drawne vp and let downe through
reigles in the side postes, whose mouth is encompassed with a
double frith, of two foote distance, eche from other, and their
middle space filled vp with small stones: this serueth to let in
the salt water, and to keepe in the fish, when the flood-gate is
taken vp: and therefore you must not make the frith too close,
nor the compasse too little, lest they too much stop the waters
passage. It riseth of equall heighth with the banks, & they must
outreach the highest full sea mark, by two foot at least: neyther
ought your flood-gates foote to stand euen with the pondes bottome,
lest emptying the water, it wholly abandon the fish, but must leaue
about three foot depth within. In the halfe circle enclosed between
the flood-gate and the compasse frith, there is digged a round pit,
of three foot diameter, and foure foot depth, frithed on the sides,
which is continually fedde with the water soaking from the sayd
flood-gate, and serueth to keepe any fish aliue, that you haue
before taken, and so to saue ouer often drawing. The floodgate will
hold water best, if his sides be walled vp with Cob. The pond may
not carry one continuall depth, but containe some shallow places,
to protect the smaller fish from the greater, and for them all to
play in, when the weather is hote. In the higher banke there is
also a flood-gate, to let in the fresh water, during Summer season,
which the fish then best affecteth; the rest of the yeere it is
carryed away by a trench, for auoyding diuers discommodities.
Thus much for the making: now to the vse. Such as haue the meanes,
may best benefit themselues, by letting in the salt water euery tyde,
which is easily done, in making that place, where the water entreth,
lower then the bankes and frith, and so suffering the tyde to
take his course forth and back, without stop or attendance: and in
this case, you may place your flood-gate euen with the floore of
your pond, and neuer take it vp, but when you are disposed to view
all your store. But mine lieth so high from the mouth of the hauen,
as I am driuen to detayne the last prouision, vntill the comming
spring-tyde haue taken two daies encrease; at which time, the
flood-gate is hoysed vp, the old water let out, and the new admitted.
At full sea downe goeth the flood-gate againe, and there abideth,
vntill the next day minister the like ocasion: and after this maner
is opened and closed, for sixe dayes in the whole, continuing from
thenceforth other ten dayes vnmedled withall, to wit, 8. daies of
the neap, & two of the spring. Neither doth al this require
ouer-long, or busie paines or attendance: for if the former water be
let out (sauing in extreme cold weather) before any new come in,
or stopped somewhat too late, it little skilleth, so as on the last
day you keepe the aduantage, which the flood, then at highest,
doth giue you.
And all these seruices about my pond, together with sundry other,
are performed by an old fellow whome I [106] keepe for almes,
and not for his worke. The best meanes of preuenting leakage,
is to let three or foure shouels full of earth fall softly downe,
by the inner side of the flood-gate, which will quurt vp his chinkes.
In winter season, sixe foote depth of water, at least, is requisite.
Now touching the fish, this is the maner: when the Pilcherd Sayners
cut the most impayred pieces out of their nets, they are bought for
a trifle, and serue to make a lesse Sayne, of fome 30. or 40. fathom
length, and 2. in depth, for this purpose, wherewith, betweene
Midsummer and the end of August, when the full sea falleth in the
after-noones, my people make draughtes on the shallow places within
harbour, and taking small fishes, cast them into the pond: they are
kept & brought thither aliue, in a boat halfe full of water, which
entreth thorow a little augre hole in the bottome, and so continueth
new. The fish thus taken, are commonly Basse, Millet, Guilthead,
Whiting, Smelts, Flouk, Plaice, and Sole. The pond also breedeth
Crabs, Eeles, & Shrimps; and (in the beginning) Oysters grew vpon
boughs of trees (an Indian miracle) which were cast in thither,
to serue as a houer for the fish. The Basse and Millet do also
spawn there, but whether they ouerliue their breeders rauening,
to any big growth, I am not certayne. The pond will moreouer keepe
Shote, Peale, Trought, and Sammon, in seasonable plight, but not
in their wonted reddish graine. They feed on salt vnmarchantable
Pilcherd, small fish, called Brit, and Barne, Tag-wormes, Lugges,
little Crabs, & the liuers of beasts: the rest deuoure their meat,
but the Millets content themselues with sucking it, and chawing of
the sedge. Euery euening they come to a place certain in the pond,
for receiuing their allowed pittance, and in Summer, approche very
neere, and in the top of the water plainly discouer themselues.
They were first trayned hereunto, by throwing in their bayte at the
ponds mouth, as they resorted thither, to take pleasure of the new
entring water, and are now become alike tame, with those in the
Sicilian riuer Elorus, for which, Leonicus voucheth the testimony
of Apollodorus. If they be absent, a knocking, like the chopping
of their meat, serueth for a summons to call them, & confirmeth
Plynies assertion, that fishes do heare. In the hotest Summer
weather, they swimme with the ryme of the water; and in the Winter,
keepe the depth. Lymy, or thicke puddelly water, killeth them:
they grow very fast, and fatte, which also bettereth their taste,
and deliuereth them to the demaunders ready vse, at all seasons,
seasonable.
They are taken generally, by a little Sayne net: specially the Eeles
in weelies: the Flowks, by groping in the sand, at the mouth of
the pond, where (about Lent) they bury themselues to spawn; & the
Basse and Millet by angling.
The pleasure which I took at my friends pleasure herein, idlely
busied me thus to expresse the same.
I Wayt not at the Lawyers gates,
Ne shoulder clymers downe the stayres;
I vaunt not manhood by debates,
I enuy not the misers feares:
But meane in state, and calme in sprite,
My fishfull pond is my delight.
Where equall distant Iland viewes
His forced banks, and Otters cage :
[107]
Where salt and fresh the poole renues,
As Spring and drowth encrease or swage:
Where boat presents his seruice prest,
And net becomes the fishes nest;
There sucking Millet, swallowing Basse,
Side-walking Crab, wry-mouthed Flooke,
And flip-fist Eele, as euenings passe,
For safe bayt at due place doe looke:
Bold to approche, quick to espy,
Greedy to catch, ready to fly.
In heat the top, in cold the deepe:
In spring the mouth, the mids in neap:
With changelesse change by shoales they keepe,
Fat, fruitfull, ready, but not cheap :
Thus meane in state, and calme in sprite,
My fishfull pond is my delight.
And againe.
STench-louing Flies, their father heat,
On mother, moysture doth beget;
Who feeling force of Sunne too great,
Their course vnto some water set,
There meane of calmy ayre to proue,
Twixt coole below and warmth aboue.
But carelesse of foresight in weale,
The euening deaw droplodes their wing,
So forst, downe-falne, for flight to fayle,
With buzzing moane their bane they sing,
Fluttering in waue, swimming in ayre,
That, weake to drowne, and this, to beare.
While thus they can nor liue nor dye,
Nor water-gieu'd, escape away,
[107]
The fish and swallowes it espie,
And both them challenge for their pray;
The fish as caught within their toyle,
The Swallowes as their kindely spoyle.
The fish, like Swallowes, mount on high,
The Swallowes, fish-like diue in waue,
These, finlesse swimme, those, winglesse fly,
One bent their diuers ventures haue,
Fish in the drye, Swallowes in wet,
By kinde 'gainst kinde their prey to get.
Their push a bubble vp doth reare,
The bubble driues the Fly to brinke:
So Fish in vaine deuoure the ayre,
Swallowes in vayne the water drinke,
While Fly escapes, this sport I take.
Where pond doth th' Ocean captiue make.
I carried once a purpose, to build a little woodden banqueting house,
on the Iland in my pond, which because some other may (perhaps)
elsewhere put in execution, it wil not do much amisse, to deliuer
you the plot, as the same was deuised for mee, by that perfectly
accomplished gentleman, the late Sir Arthure Champernowne.
The Iland is square, with foure rounds at the corners,
like Mount-Edgecumb. This should first have bene planched ouer and
rayled about, with ballisters. In themidst, there should haue risen
a boorded roome, of the like fashion, but lesser proportion, so to
leaue sufficient space betweene that and the rayles for a walke
round about: this square roome should within side haue bene sieled
roundwise, and in three of the places where [108] the round joyned
with the square, as many windowes should haue bene set; the fourth
should haue serued for a dore. Of the 4. turrets, shut out by
this round, one should haue made a kitchin, the second, a store-house,
to keepe the fishing implements, the third, a buttery, & the fourth
a stayre, for ascending to the next loft: which next loft should haue
risen on the flat roofe of the lower, in a round forme, but of a
lesser size againe, so to leaue a second Tarras, like the other:
and as the square roome below was sieled round, so should this vpper
round roome be sieled square, to the end, that where the side walks
and sieling ioyned, three windowes and a doore might likewise find
their places. The voyd spaces be- tweene the round and square,
hee would haue turned to Cupboards and boxes, for keeping other
necessary vtensiles, towards these fishing feasts.
Ouer-against this pond, lyeth beggers Iland, so called (as our
neighbours relate) euer since my great grandsire espying 2. of that
idle occupation, at a hote combate on the shore, while he was rowing
homewards from Saltash, tooke them into his boat, & there set them
on land, to try (as in a lists) the vttermost of their quarrell:
which place they could not quit, vntil the low water should
enfranchise them by wading & the respite, vent out the alye fume
of their fury.
About 40. yeres agoe, it chanced, that a boat ouer-fraighted
with people, in rowing downe the riuer from Saltash market, was by
the extreme weather, sunk, neere to a place called Henpoint, and all
the folke drowned, sauing one onely woman, named Agnes, the wife of
one Cornish, whom it pleased God so to protect and direct, that in
her first popping vp againe (which most liuing things accustome)
shee espyed the boat (after it had discharged his burthen) risen
likewise, and floting by her, full of water, whereon she got holde,
sate astride vpon one of his sides, and by the winde and tyde,
was vnusually, and almost miraculously driuen athwart the chanell,
to a place called Wilcoue, where shee no sooner stepped ashore,
but the boat (as hauing done his enioyned errand) presently
recommited it selfe to the stormes disposition.
The woman thus freed from one peril at sea, aduentured another
of little lesse consequence at land; for being not yet thoroughly
restored to her sense, she clymed vp the cliffe in such a steepe
place, as the very consideration thereof, doth euer sithence halfe
amaze the beholders. But that ground was fore ordained to her good:
for not long after, her husband tooke the same, with the rest of
the tenement, in lease; and it now serueth her for a dwelling,
and many others, by her charitie, for a reliefe.
Her sayd husband, & their two onely sonnes, at seuerall times,
by one kind of misfortune, found their buriall in the waues.
The Oysters dredged in this Lyner, finde a welcomer acceptance,
where the taste, & not appetite, is Cater for the stomack, then
those of the adioyning Tamer, which groweth (as I coniecture) because
Lyners lesser streame leaueth them to bee seasoned, with a more
kindely and better relished saltnes.
The next parish vpon this riuer, is called Sheuiock, somtimes the
ancient Dannyes inheritance & inhabitance: by whose daughter and
heire, the same (together with other faire possessions) descended
to the Earles of Deuon. In [109] the church there lie two Knights
of that name, and one of their ladies by her husbands side,
having their pictures embossed on their tombes in the side walles,
and their Armes once painted round about; but now by the malice,
not of men, but of time, defaced. They are held to be father and
sonne, and that the sonne slayne in our warres with Fraunce,
was from thence brought home to be here interred. There runneth also
a tale amongst the parishioners, how one of these Dannyes ancestours
vndertook to build the Church, and his wife the barne adioyning,
and that, casting vp their accounts, vpon finishing of their workes,
the barne was found to cost three halfepence more then the Church:
and so it might well fall out: for it is a great barne, and a
little Church.
In this parish standeth Crasthole, which by the high site, might more
fitly be termed Open hill, a poore village but a much frequented
thorow-fare, somewhat infamous, not vpon any present desert,
but through an inueterate byword, viz. that it is peopled with 12.
dwellings, and 13. cuckolds: for as the dwellings are more then
doubled, so (I hope) the cuckolds are lesse then singled.
Howsoeuer, many wayfarers make themselues glee, by putting the
Inhabitants in minde of this priuiledge; who againe, especially the
women (like the Campellians in the North, and the London Bargers)
forslow not to baigne them (vnlesse they plead their heels the faster)
with a worse perfume, then Iugurth found fault with in the dungeon,
where the Romanes buried him aliue, to attend his languishing and
miserable death.
Vpon Sheuiock abbutteth S. Germanes, the greatest parish in Cornwall,
if you ioyne to the store of people, the quantity and quality of
the soyle, wherethrough it affoordeth commodious dwellings to sundry
ancient Gentlemen, and wealthy Farmours; amongst which first sort,
I may not (without withdrawing my testimony due to vertue) omit
M. George Keckwitch of Catch-French, a house so named (by likelyhood)
for some former memorable, though now forgotten accident, whose
continuall, large, and inquisitiue liberality to the poore, did in
the late deare yeres, extraordinarily extend it selfe to an inuiting
emulation, but beyond the apprehensiue imitation of any other in
the shire. He hath issue by Blanch, the daughter of Sir Frauncis
Godolphin: his father George, maried Buller: his graundsire [blank]
their ancient dwelling was in Essex, where this Gentleman enioyeth
fayre possessions, & beareth for his armes, Ar. two Lyons in bend
passant Sa. cotifed, G.
The Church towne mustreth many inhabitants, and sundry ruines,
but little wealth, occasioned eyther through abandoning their
fishing trade, as some conceiue, or by their being abandoned
of the religious people, as the greater sort imagine: for in
former times, the Bishop of Cornwals See, was from S. Petrocks
in Bodmyn, remooued hither; as from hence, when the Cornish Dioces
vnited with Deuon, it passed to Crediton: and lastly, from thence
to Excester. But this first losse receyued reliefe through a
succeeding Priory, which at the general suppression, changing his
note with his coate, is now named Port Eliot, and by the owners
charity distributeth, pro virili, the almes accustomably expected
and expended at at such places. Neither will it (I thinke) much
displease you to heare, how the gentlemans ancestour, of whom
master Eliot bought it, came by the same.
[110]
Iohn Champernowne, sonne and heire apparent to Sir Philip of Deuon,
in H. the 8. time, followed the Court, and through his pleasant
conceits, of which much might be spoken, wan some good grace with
the King. Now when the golden showre of the dissolued Abbey lands,
rayned welnere into euery gapers mouth, some 2. or 3. gentlemen,
the Kings seruants, and master Champernownes acquaintance, waited at
a doore where the King was to passe forth, with purpose to beg such
a matter at his hands: Our gentleman became inquisitiue to know
their suit: they made strange to impart it. This while, out comes
the King: they kneele down, so doth master Champernowne:
they preferre their petition; the King graunts it: they render
humble thanks, and so doth M. Champernowne: afterwards, he requireth
his share; they deny it; he appeales to the King: the King avoweth
his equall meaning in the largesse; whereon, the ouertaken companions
were fayne to allot him this Priory for his partage.
The parish Church answereth in bignesse, the large proportion of
the parish, & the surplusage of the Priory; a great part of whose
chauncell anno 1592. fel suddenly downe, vpon a Friday, very shortly
after publike seruice was ended, which heauenly fauour, of so
little respite, saued many persons liues, with whom immediately
before, it had bene stuffed: and the deuout charges of the well
disposed parishioners quickly repayred this ruine.
At the townes end, Cuddenbeak, an ancient house of the Bishops,
from a well aduanced Promontory, which intituled it Beak, taketh a
pleasant prospect of the riuer.
In this parish lyeth Bake, the mansion of the foreremembred
M. Ro. Moyle, who maried Anne daughter of M. Lock, as he did
mistris Vaughan, a Gentlewoman suppressing her rare learning,
with a rarer modesty, & yet expressing the same in her vertuous life
and Christian decease. Iohn father to Robert maried Agnes,
daughter of Semtabyn : and his father [blank] daughter of Forteskew,
to whom that dwelling first descended. He beareth for his Armes, G.
a Moyle passant, Ar. a part of this parish confineth on the maine sea
& offreth a faire landing place, called Seaton, howbeit, by a
handsome fence forbidding any foes inuasion: it is ouerlooked,
vpon the one side of the riuer (which there dischargeth his streame
into the Ocean) by Keuerel, the ancient house of the Langdons, Gent,
in former times, of faire reuennues, whose Armes are Ar. a Cheuron
betweene 3. Beares heads erased Sa. The house perhaps, borowing his
name of Cheuereul, a French word, signifying a wild Goat (as those
high clifs affoord them a commodious inhabitance) and on the other,
by Tregonnock, the dwelling of M. Tho. Smith, who in a quiet and
honest retirednes, findeth that contentment, which many ambitious
heads, far and wide doe vainely seeke for: hee maried Tremayn:
his father Robert [blank] one of the daughters and heires to
Killigrew: and his sonne Iohn, Priscilla the daughter of
M. Geo. Wadham. His Armes, B. a Saultier Ar. betweene 4. Martlets O.
Leauing S, Germanes, and passing through Laurake parish, in which
M. Peter Courtney hath an high seated house, called Wotton,
you descend to Noddetor bridge, where the riuer Lyner first mingleth
his fresh streame with the brinish waues: touching whose name
and quality, one delighted in the solitary solace of his banks,
& more affecting his owne recreation, then hunting after any others
good liking, descanted thus:
[111]
WHo first gaue Lyners name,
Or from what cause it came,
Hard 'tis for certaine to expresse:
Experience yet directs,
By tryall of effects,
Thereat to ayme, and frame a gesse,
Is't, that as she thee bear'th,
So thou doest line the earth,
With purseld streames of blew and white:
Or, as a line doth guide,
So thou doest leuell slide,
And throw'st into the sea thy mite?
Is't, that with twisted line,
The Angler doth vntwine
The fishes life, by giuing breath.
Or, as the threshing lout,
Rusheth his Lyners out,
So Lyner on his course rusheth:
Or, as some puppy seat,
Lineth a mastiue great,
And getteth whelps of mongrell kinde:
Lyner, the sea so lines,
And streame with waue combines,
Begetting waters freshly brin'de.
Item.
WHen Sunne the earth least shadow spares,
And highest stalles in heauen his seat,
Then Lyners peeble bones he bares,
Who like a lambe, doth lowly bleat,
And faintly sliding euery rock,
Plucks from his foamy fleece a lock:
Before, a riuer, now a rill,
Before, a fence, now scarce a bound;
Children him ouer-leape at will,
Small beasts, his deepest bottome sound.
The heauens with brasse enarch his head,
And earth, of yron makes his bed,
But when the milder-mooded skie,
His face in mourning weedes doth wrap,
For absence of his clearest eie,
And drops teares in his Centers lap,
Lyner gynnes Lyon-like to roare,
And scornes old bankes should bound him more.
Then, second Sea, he rolles, and bear's,
Rockes in his wombe, rickes on his backe.
Downe-borne bridges, vptorne wear's,
Witnesse, and wayle, his force, their wracke.
Into mens houses fierce he breakes,
And on each stop, his rage he wreakes.
Shepheard adiew's his swymming flocke,
The Hinde his whelmed haruest hope,
The strongest rampire fear's his shocke,
Plaines scarce can serue to giue him scope,
Nor hils a barre; whereso he stray'th,
Ensue, losse, terrour, ruine, death.
In following the course of Lyner, you fall downe by Master Bonds
auncient house of Earth, descended to his auncesters, from the
daughter and heire of that name, to that of Master Wiuels,
newly and fayrely builded, on which abbutteth Ma. Bullers Shillingham,
not so much beholden to the owners inhabitancy as to natures pleasant
and commodious seating.
Bond married with Fountaine, his father with Fits: his [112] Armes
are Ar. on a Cheuron Sa. three Besants.
Next, wee take view of Trematon Castle, as it doth of the Hauen,
and Countrie adioyning. It is, or rather was, one of the Dukes
foremencioned foure houses: for now all the inner buildings are
sunke into ruine: onely there remaine the Iuie-tapissed wals of
the Keepe, and base Court, and a poore dwelling for the keeper
of the Gayle, to which prisoners are brought vpon actions,
from al places appurtenant to that large Lordship, if they cannot
by suretiship discharge themselues, from the Bailiefes arrest.
I haue receiued information, from one auerring eyewitnes, that about
fourscore yeres since, there was digged vp in the Parish Chauncell,
a Leaden coffin, which being opened, shewed the proportion of a verie
bigge man, but when the hands went about to ascertaine themselues,
as well as their eyes, the body verified, that Omnis caro puluis.
The partie farder told me, how, a writing graued in the Lead,
expressed the same to bee the burial of a Duke, whose heire was
married to the prince. But who it should bee, I cannot deuise,
albeit my best pleasing coniecture, lighteth vpon Orgerius,
because his daughter was married to Edgar.
At the last Cornish commotion, S, Richard Greynuile the elder did,
with his Ladie and followers, put themselues into this Castle,
& there for a while indured the Rebels siege, incamped in three
places against it, who wanting great Ordinance, could haue wrought
the besieged small scathe, had his friends, or enemies kept faith
and promise: but some of those within, slipping by night ouer
the wals, with their bodies after their hearts, and those without,
mingling humble intreatings with rude menaces, he was hereby wonne,
to issue forth at a posterne gate for parley. The while, a part of
those rakehels, not knowing what honestie, and farre lesse,
how much the word of a souldier imported, stepped betweene him
and home, laid hold on his aged vnweyldie body, and threatned to
leaue it liuelesse, if the inclosed did not leaue their resistance.
So prosecuting their first treacherie against the prince, with
suteable actions towards his subiects, they seized on the Castle,
and exercised the vttermost of their barbarous crueltie (death
excepted) on the surprised prisoners. The seely Gentlewomen,
without regard of sexe or shame, were stripped from their apparrell
to their very smockes, and some of their fingers broken, to plucke
away their rings, and Sir Richard himselfe made an exchange from
Trematon Castle, to that of Launceston, with the Gayle to boote.