Cornish Feasts And Folk-Lore - free ebook by M. A. (Margaret Ann) Courtney

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Cornish Feasts And Folk-Lore

M. A. (Margaret Ann) Courtney

55 chapters

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55 chapters

PREFACE.

PREFACE.

Few Cornish people are probably aware how wide-spread still with us is the belief in charms and charmers, ghosts, and all other superstitions; nor that there are witches in our county, shunned and dreaded by some who fear their supposed power to ill-wish those who offend them, and sought out by others who want by their aid to avert the evil eye, or by their incantations to remove the spells already cast on them and their cattle by an ill-wisher who has “overlooked” them. Folk-lore is an almost i

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‘The Morning-Song.

‘The Morning-Song.

‘Unite and unite, and let us all unite, For summer is comen to-day; For whither we are going we all will unite, In the merry morning of May. ‘Arise up, Mr. ——, and joy you betide, For summer is comen to-day; And bright is your bride that lays by your side, In the merry morning of May. ‘Arise, up Mrs. ——, and gold be your ring, For summer is comen to-day; And give us a cup of ale, the merrier we shall sing In the merry morning of May. ‘Arise up, Miss ——, all in your smock of silk, For summer is c

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Cornwall Stone.

Cornwall Stone.

Of him the Rev. C. A. Johns writes:—“This Thomas Flavel, during his life, attained great celebrity for his skill in the questionable art of laying ghosts. His fame still lingers in the memories of the more superstitious of the inhabitants through the following ridiculous stories. On one occasion when he had gone to church his servant-girl opened a book in his study, whereupon a host of spirits sprang up all round her. Her master observed this, though then occupied at church, closed his book, and

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FAIRIES.

FAIRIES.

Here in the west he is a ragged merry little fellow (to laugh like a pisky is a common Cornish simile), interesting himself in human affairs, threshing the farmer’s corn at nights, or doing other work, and pinching the maidservants when they leave a house dirty at bed-time. Margery Daw, in our version of the nursery-song, meets with punishment at his hands for her misdoings— “See saw, Margery Daw, Sold her bed and lay upon straw; Sold her bed and lay upon hay, And pisky came and carried her away

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SUPERSTITIONS: Miners’, Sailors’, Farmers’.

SUPERSTITIONS: Miners’, Sailors’, Farmers’.

A miner, going underground with shoes on, will drive all the mineral out of the mine.— Cornubiana , Rev. S. Rundle. In 1886, at St. Just in Penwith two men of Wheal Drea had their hats burnt one Monday morning, after the birth of their first children. Three hundred fathoms below the ground at Cook’s Kitchen mine, near Camborne, swarms of flies may be heard buzzing, called by the men, for some unknown reason, “Mother Margarets.” From being bred in the dark, they have a great dislike to light. Swa

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For Tetters.

For Tetters.

This charm is thus continued until it comes to the last, which is,— “Tetter, tetter, thou hast no sister,” etc.—Bottrell. In prose and verse slightly varied, common in all parts of the county,— “Christ passed by his brother’s door, Saw Peter his brother lying on the floor; What aileth thee, brother?— Pain in thy teeth? Thy teeth shall pain thee no more: In the name of,” etc. This is to be worn in a bag around the neck. Mr. T. Q. Couch gives this charm in prose. It begins thus: “Peter sat at the

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Toothache.

Toothache.

Slippers on going to bed are, when taken off, for the same complaint often placed under the bed with the soles upwards, or on their heels against the post of the bed with their toes up. The following is from Mr. T. Q. Couch: “The cramp is keenless, Mary was sinless when she bore Jesus: let the cramp go away in the name of Jesus.” All the charms published by the above-named author in his History of Polperro were taken from a manuscript book, which belonged to a white witch. When a foot has “gone

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For a Strain.

For a Strain.

When our Saviour saw the cross, whereon he was to be crucified, his body did shake. The Jews said, “Hast thou an ague?” Our Saviour said, “He that keepeth this in mind, thought, or writing, shall neither be troubled with ague or fever.”...

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For Ague.

For Ague.

“Christ, he walketh over the land, Carried the wildfire in his hand, He rebuked the fire, and bid it stand; Stand, wildfire, stand (three times repeated): In the name of,” etc.—T. Q. Couch. Mr. Robert Hunt gives in his book on Old Cornwall a Latin charm for the staunching of blood. I find, however, on making inquiries that it is not the one generally used, which is as follows: “Christ was born in Bethlehem, Baptised in the river Jordan; There he digged a well, And turned the water against the hi

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For Wildfire (Erysipelas).

For Wildfire (Erysipelas).

Mr. Robert Hunt gives in his book on Old Cornwall a Latin charm for the staunching of blood. I find, however, on making inquiries that it is not the one generally used, which is as follows: “Christ was born in Bethlehem, Baptised in the river Jordan; There he digged a well, And turned the water against the hill, So shall thy blood stand still: In the name,” etc. There are other versions all much alike. A prose one runs thus: “Baptised in the river Jordan when the water was wild, the water was go

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Pray, pretty Miss.

Pray, pretty Miss.

Occasionally three or four in turn refused. When the request was granted the words were changed to— “Now you are a good Miss! Now you are a good Miss! Now you are a good Miss! To help me in my dancing.” The handkerchief was then carefully spread on the floor; the couple knelt on it and kissed: the child formerly in the middle joined the ring, and the other took his place, or if he preferred it, remained in the centre; in that case the children clasped hands and sang together— “Pray, pretty Miss

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“Friskee, friskee, I was, and I was.”

“Friskee, friskee, I was, and I was.”

All the children in this game, except one who left the room, called themselves by the name of some bird, beast or fish. The child outside was brought in, and one chosen as schoolmaster said— “Fool! fool! come to school, And find me out the ——:” giving the assumed name of one of the players. If the fool fixed on the right person, he stayed in and the other went out, which of course involved re-naming; but if he made a mistake they all cried out— “Fool! fool! go back to school, And learn your lett

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“Fool, fool, come to School.”

“Fool, fool, come to School.”

For the first, one of the children stood in the centre, whilst the others danced around him in a circle, saying, “Pig in the middle and can’t get out.” He replied, “I’ve lost my key but I will get out,” and threw the whole weight of his body suddenly on the clasped hands of a couple to try and unlock them. When he had succeeded he changed the words to, “I’ve broken your locks, and I have got out.” One of the pair whose hands he had opened took his place, and he joined the ring. For the second, t

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“Scat” (Cornish for “slap”).

“Scat” (Cornish for “slap”).

A person, who did not know the trick, was blindfolded, another stood in the corner of the room with his mouth open. The forefinger of the blindfolded player was carefully guided around the walls of the room to find the hole, until at last it was put into the open mouth, when it was sharply bitten....

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Hole in the Wall.

Hole in the Wall.

The players sat in a circle. One acquainted with the trick took a poker in his right hand, made some eccentric movements with it, passed it to his left, and gave it to his next neighbour on that side, saying, “Malaga, Malaga raisins, very good raisins I vow,” and told him to do the same. Should he fail to pass it from right to left, when he in his turn gave it to his neighbour, without being told where the mistake lay he was made to pay a forfeit....

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Malaga, Malaga Raisins (a forfeit game).

Malaga, Malaga Raisins (a forfeit game).

This required a confederate, who left the room. The other in the secret asked a person inside to whisper to him whom she (or he) loved, then called in his companion, and the following dialogue was carried on:— “She said, and she said! And what did she say?” “She said that she loved.” “And whom did she love? Suppose she said she loved ——?” “No! she never said that, whatever she said.” An indefinite number of names were mentioned before the right one. When that came, to the surprise of the whisper

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She Said, and She Said.

She Said, and She Said.

An indefinite number of names were mentioned before the right one. When that came, to the surprise of the whisperer, the answer was— “Yes! she said that.” The secret was very simple, the name of a widow or widower was always given before that whispered. The two next are played everywhere, but the words I believe are peculiar to Cornwall. This is much too common to require a description. I will therefore only give the doggerel, which is recited by the holder of the handkerchief as he walks around

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Drop the Handkerchief.

Drop the Handkerchief.

Throws the handkerchief, and chases the girl. To this game, known elsewhere as “Thread the Needle,” the following lines are chanted:— “How many miles to Babylon? Three score and ten. Can I get there by candle-light? Yes! if your legs are long and straight. Then open your gates as high as the sky, And let King George and all his troops pass by.”...

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How Many Miles to Babylon?

How Many Miles to Babylon?

Four children hold a handkerchief by the four corners, one moves a finger over it saying, as fast as possible— “Here I go round the rules of contrary, Hopping about like a little canary, When I say ‘Hold fast’ leave go; When I say ‘Leave go’ hold fast.” Any player making a mistake pays a forfeit....

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Rules of Contrary.

Rules of Contrary.

A very pretty version of this old English game is often played at juvenile parties in Cornwall. One child is chosen to remain in the room, whilst the others go outside and consult together as to whom shall hold the ball (some small thing). They then troop in, with their hands either hidden under the skirts of their dresses, or clasped in such a way that Lady Queen Anne, by looking at them, cannot tell which has it; all repeating— “Here come we to Lady Queen Anne, With a pair of white gloves to c

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Lady Queen Anne.

Lady Queen Anne.

L. Q. A. “The king sent me three letters, I never read them all, So pray, Miss ——, deliver the ball.” Should she have guessed correctly, all the party curtsey , and say— “The ball is yours and not ours, You must go to the garden and gather the flowers.” And the child who had the ball takes the queen’s seat, whilst she retires with the others; but should she have made a mistake, the same party go out again, saying as they curtsey — “The ball is yours and not ours, ( Repeat ) We,” etc. Mr. Halliwe

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Old Witch.

Old Witch.

O. W. Your stockings are too dirty. O. W. Your feet are too dirty. M. I will cut them off. O. W. Then the blood will stream over the floor. The mother at this loses patience, and pushes her way in, the witch trying in vain to keep her out. She, with all her children, then chase the witch until they catch her; when they pretend to bind her hand and foot, put her on a pile, and burn her, the children fanning the imaginary flames with their pinafores. Sometimes the dialogue after “Here we are, moth

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Ghost at the Well.

Ghost at the Well.

I thought this game was a thing of the past, but I came on some children playing it in the streets of Penzance, in 1883. It may be played by any number, and, as in the two former games, one is chosen for mother. This is the dialogue: C. Mother, mother, may I (or we) go out to play? M. No, child! no, child! not for the day. C. Why, mother? why, mother? I won’t stay long. M. Make three pretty courtesies, and away! begone! C. One for mammy, one for daddy, one for Uncle John. The child, as she menti

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Mother, Mother, may I go out to Play?

Mother, Mother, may I go out to Play?

M. What have you been doing there? The answer to this is often “Washing dolls’ clothes,” but anything may be mentioned. M. What did she give you? The reply is again left to the child’s fancy. M. Where’s my share? C. The cat ate it. What’s in that box, mother? M. Twopence, my child. C. What for, mother? M. To buy a stick to beat you, and a rope to hang you, my child. The child at this tries to snatch at the box, the mother chases her until she has caught her (when there are several children, unti

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Here I sit on a cold green Bank.

Here I sit on a cold green Bank.

Or, “Pray, whom will you send to take me away?” Circle. “We’ll send Mr. —— to take you away.” This is repeated three times with the refrain, “On a cold,” etc. after which the dancing and singing cease, and the child is asked, “Sugar, sweet, or vinegar, sour?” Her answer is always taken in a contrary sense, and sung, as before, three times, whilst the children circle round. The one in the middle then rises to her feet. The boy (or girl) named advances and kisses her, they change places, and the g

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Joggle along.

Joggle along.

I am indebted to the Rev. S. Rundle, vicar of Godolphin, for another set of words to this game, which he calls— And, under this title, a lady, two years since, saw some children playing it at St. Ives, in Cornwall. “There was a jolly miller, lived by himself, By grinding corn he got his wealth; One hand in the upper, the other in the bag, As the wheel went round, they all called ‘Grab.’ ” In this county “Tom Tiddler’s Ground” is known as “Mollish’s Land,” “Cat and Mouse” as “The Duffan Ring,” an

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The Jolly Miller,

The Jolly Miller,

“What colour are they?” A. Red, white, and grey. ( Whirling him round. ) “Then turn about, and twist about, and catch whom you may.” To make barley bread (in other districts, “Cockley bread”) this rhyme is used in West Cornwall:— “Mother has called, mother has said, ‘Make haste home, and make barley bread.’ Up with your heels, down with your head, That is the way to make barley bread.” Of this, which is a very common game at school-treats in some parts of West Cornwall, I have only lately, throu

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Bobby Bingo.

Bobby Bingo.

is rather dangerous, and now but rarely played. Two children stand back to back with their arms locked. One stoops as low as he can, supporting the other on his back, and says, “Weigh the butter;” he rises, and the second stoops in his turn with “Weigh the cheese.” The first repeats with “Weigh the old woman;” and it ends by the second, with “Down to her knees.”...

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Weigh the Butter, weigh the Cheese,

Weigh the Butter, weigh the Cheese,

A game of a very different character, which pleases young children. The child stands before a hassock, and as if he were going up-stairs puts on it first his right and then his left foot, gradually quickening his steps, keeping time to the words:— “Libbety, libbety, libbety-lat, Who can do this? and who can do that? And who can do anything better than that?” This ends the games in which children of both sexes join. I must next give those exclusively for boys. I will begin by a very old one:...

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Libbety, libbety, libbety-lat.

Libbety, libbety, libbety-lat.

is a game usually played with marbles; one boy puts his hand into his trousers pocket and takes out as many marbles as he feels inclined; he closes his fingers over them, and holds out his hand with the palm down to the opposite player, saying, “Ship sail, sail fast. How many men on board?” A guess is made by his opponent; if less, he has to give as many marbles as will make up the true number; if more, as many as he said over. But should the guess be correct he takes them, and then in his turn

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Ship Sail

Ship Sail

is another game of chance, and is generally played by three boys in the following way. One stands with his back to a wall, the second stoops down with his head against the stomach of the first boy, “forming a back,” the third jumps on it, and holds up his hand with the fingers distended, saying— “Buck shee, buck, shee buck, How many fingers do I hold up?” Should the stooper guess correctly, they all change places and the jumper forms the back. Another and not such a rough way of playing this gam

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Buck shee, buck,

Buck shee, buck,

A cap or small article is placed on the back of the stooping boy by each in turn as he jumps over him. The first as he jumps says “Accroshay,” the second “Ashotay,” the third “Assheflay,” and the last “Lament, lament, Leleeman’s (or Leleena’s) war.” The boy who in jumping knocks off either of the things has to take the place of the stooper....

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Accroshay.

Accroshay.

For this the boys divide into sides; one “stops at home,” the other goes off to a certain distance agreed on beforehand and shouts “Buckey-how.” The boys “at home” then give chase, and, when they succeed in catching an adversary, they bring him home and there he stays until all on his side are caught, when they in turn become the chasers....

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Buckey-how.

Buckey-how.

A remembrance of the old smuggling days. The boys divide into two parties; the “trucklers” try to reach some given point before the cutter catches them....

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Cutters and Trucklers (Smugglers).

Cutters and Trucklers (Smugglers).

is a favourite recreation with the young fishermen in West Cornwall; “Pits” and “Towns” are the common games. Boys who hit their nails are looked on with great contempt, and are said “to fire Kibby.” When two are partners and one in playing accidentally hits the other’s marble, he cries out “no custance,” meaning that he has a right to put back the marble struck; should he fail to do so, it would be considered out of the game. To steal marbles is “to strakey.” To make ducks and drakes with a sto

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Marble Playing

Marble Playing

This game is, I believe, known in other counties as “Cob-nut,” but in Cornwall the boys give the name of “Victor-nut” to the fruit of the common hazel, and play it to the words: “Cock-haw! First blaw! Up hat! Down cap! Victor!” The nut that cracks another is called a “cock battler.” Children under the title of “Cock battler” often in country walks play a variation of Cock-haw with the “Hoary plantain,” which they hold by the tough stem about two inches from the head; each in turn tries to knock

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Cock-haw.

Cock-haw.

A rural game, played in the spring. An egg taken from a bird’s nest is placed on the ground, at some distance off—the number of paces having been previously fixed. Blindfolded, one after the other, the players attempt with a stick to hit and break it....

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Winky-eye.

Winky-eye.

When the writer was a boy, the following were the words used in the boys’ game of fox-hunting. When the hounds (the boys) were “at fault” the leader cried— “Uppa, uppa holye, If you don’t speak My dogs shan’t folly.” (East Cornwall. F. W. P. Jago, M.B. , Plymouth.) Boys here, as probably elsewhere, are very fond of hitting each other and then running away, shouting— “Last blaw, never graw, For seven years to come.” The old Cornish game of “Hurling” I have already described under the head of “Fea

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Uppa, Uppa Holye (pronounced oopa, oopa holly).

Uppa, Uppa Holye (pronounced oopa, oopa holly).

The old Cornish game of “Hurling” I have already described under the head of “Feasten Customs.” Cricket, football, and lawn tennis are of course played in Cornwall. an old drinking game, now I expect known to but few. Each person in succession has to drink a glass of beer or spirits, on the top of which a piece of lighted candle has been put, whilst the others sing— “Tom Toddy es come hoam, come hoam, Tom Toddy es come hoam, Weth es eyes burnt, and his nawse burnt, And es eye-lids burnt also. To

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Tom Toddy,

Tom Toddy,

T here are a few well-known old Cornish ballads, which have already been printed and reprinted; my apology for again introducing them here, must be, that a work of this kind would not be complete without them. “John Dory,” “An old ballad on a Duke of Cornwall’s Daughter,” “The Stout Cripple of Cornwall,” and “The Baarley Mow,” may all be found in Specimens of Cornish Provincial Dialect , by Uncle Jan Trenoodle (Sandys); “Tweedily, Tweedily, Twee,”—Through Rev. S. Rundle, in Transactions Penzance

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John Dory.

John Dory.

The first man that John Dory did meet, Was good King John of France a; John Dory could well of his courtesie, But fell down in a trance a. A pardon, a pardon, my liege and my king, For my merry men and for me a: And all the churls in merry England I’ll bring them bound to thee a. And Nichol was then a Cornish man A little beside Bohyde a; He manned him forth a goodly bark, With fifty good oars of a side a. Run up, my boy, into the main top, And look what thou can’st spy a; Who, ho! who, ho! a go

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An Old Ballad, ON A DUKE OF CORNWALL’S DAUGHTER; WHO AFTER HER MARRIAGE TO A KING OF ALBION, WAS DIVORCED FOR THE SAKE OF A FAVOURITE MISTRESS; AND HER EXEMPLARY REVENGE ON THEM BOTH.

An Old Ballad, ON A DUKE OF CORNWALL’S DAUGHTER; WHO AFTER HER MARRIAGE TO A KING OF ALBION, WAS DIVORCED FOR THE SAKE OF A FAVOURITE MISTRESS; AND HER EXEMPLARY REVENGE ON THEM BOTH.

At vantage great he met him then, And with his host beset him so, That he destroyed his warlike men, And Humber’s power did overthrow; And Humber, which for fear did fly, Leapt into a river desp’rately; And being drowned in the deep, He left a lady there alive, Which sadly did lament and weep, For fear they should her life deprive. But by her face that was so fair, The king was caught in Cupid’s snare: He took this lady to his love, Who secretly did keep it still; So that the queen did quickly p

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Ye Sexes give ear.

Ye Sexes give ear.

He had all things for food that was wanting, Which give us content in this life; He had horses and foxes for hunting, Which many love more than a wife. He’d a garden so planted by nature, As man can’t produce in this life; But yet the all-wise great Creator Saw still that he wanted a wife. Old Adam was laid in a slumber, And there he lost part of his side; And when he awoke, in great wonder He beheld his most beautiful bride. With transport he gazed all on her, His happiness then was complete; A

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A Fox went forth.

A Fox went forth.

So off he set to a farmer’s yard, The ducks and the geese were all of them scared; The best of you all shall grease my beard, Before I get home to my den O. He seized the great goose by the neck And flung it all across his back, The young ones cried out, quack, quack, quack, And the fox went home to his den O. Old mother Slipper-slopper jumped out of bed, She open’d the window and popp’d out her head,— John! John! John! the great goose is dead. And the fox has gone home to his den O. So John wen

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Tweedily, Tweedily, Twee (North Cornwall).

Tweedily, Tweedily, Twee (North Cornwall).

Now this old man came home at last, And found his door and windows fast, Tweedily, tweedily, twee. Ah, I’ve bin sick whilst you’ve gone, If you’d bin in the garden you could’ve heard me groan. Tweedily, tweedily, twee. An I’m sorry for that, cries he; An I’m sorry for that, cries he; Tweedily, tweedily, twee. Then pluck me an apple from yonder tree, That will I willingly do, cries he; That will I willingly do, cries he; Tweedily, tweedily, twee. Pop goes the ladder, and down goes he, An that’s c

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When shall we be Married?

When shall we be Married?

Who shall we have to dinner, Willy, my pretty lad? Father and mother, if you think it fit. Shan’t we have anyone else, Willy, my pretty lad? Would you have me ask the king and queen? I should think the girl was mad. My sweetheart, come along, Don’t you hear the fond song, The sweet notes of the nightingale flow? Don’t you hear the fond tale Of the sweet nightingale, As she sings in the valley below? Pretty Betty, don’t fail, For I’ll carry your pail Safe home to your cot as we go; You shall hear

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Sweet Nightingale.

Sweet Nightingale.

Pray let me alone, I have hands of my own, Along with you, Sir, I’ll not go, To hear the fond tale Of the sweet nightingale, As she sings in the valley below. Pray sit yourself down With me on the ground, On this bank where the primroses grow; You shall hear the fond tale Of the sweet nightingale, As she sings in the valley below. The couple agreed, And were married with speed, And soon to the church did they go; No more is she afraid For to walk in the shade, Nor sit in those valleys below. WHE

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The Stout Cripple of Cornwall.

The Stout Cripple of Cornwall.

He was of a stomach courageous and stout, For he had no cause to complain of the gout; To go upon stilts most cunning was he, With a staff on his neck most gallant to see. Yea, no good fellowship would he forsake, Were it in secret a horse for to take; His stool he kept close in a hollow tree, That stood from the city a mile, two, or three. Thus all the day long he begg’d for relief, And all the night long he played the false thief; For seven years together this custom kept he, And no man knew h

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The Baarley Mow (a harvest song).

The Baarley Mow (a harvest song).

We’ll drenk et out of the nepperkin, 1 boys, Here’s a health to the baarley mow. The nepperkin, and the jolly brown boul. Chorus. —Here’s a health, etc. We’ll drenk et out of the quaarter pint, boys, Here’s a health to the baarley mow. The quaarter pint, nepperkin, and the jolly brown boul. This goes on through very many verses until all the different parts of liquid measure are exhausted; the three last verses are— We’ll drenk et out of the well, my braave boys, Here’s a health to the baarley m

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The Long Hundred.

The Long Hundred.

“The song, it will be seen, consisted of twenty six-line stanzas; hence when it was completed, each man had thrown on board one hundred and twenty, i.e. ‘a long hundred,’ shovelfuls of ballast. After a pause both the song and the ballasting were resumed, and so on to the end.”—W. Pengelly. There are a great many jingling local rhymes and modern dialect poems not worth recording; I will only quote two of the first:— “What is your name?—Elicompane. Who gave you that name?—My master and dame. How l

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Elicompane.

Elicompane.

“I’ll tell ‘ee a story ‘bout Uncle Jan Dory, Who lived by the side of a well, He went to a ‘plomp’ (pump), and got himself drunk, And under the table he fell.” The Cornish peasantry of the last century were very fond of riddles, but most of them will not bear repetition; they are (as well as many of their sayings and rhymes) much too broad for the taste of this generation, and would only be tolerated in the days when “a spade was called a spade.” There are two exceptions that I know worth transc

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Uncle Jan Dory.

Uncle Jan Dory.

Answer. —A young woman made an appointment to meet her sweetheart; arriving first at the place, she climbed into an ivy-covered tree to await his coming. He came in company with another man, and not seeing her “the two old foxes” began to dig a grave, in which from her hiding-place she heard that after murdering they intended putting her. The “chin-champ” was the horse on which they rode away, when they failed to discover her. “Working hisself idle,” is working in vain. “As I went over London br

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ADDENDA.

ADDENDA.

Farmers’ Superstitions , page 141.—“If you can throw fire over a witch you will break the spell.” “Bleeding a white hen on a millstone prevents danger from the mill; for they say a mill will have blood every seven years.” Charms , page 144.—“Some were provided with little bags of earth, teeth, or bones taken from a grave.” “Most of the very religious folks had a verse of scripture, concluded with the comfortable assurance that by the help of the Lord the white witch hopes to do them good.”—Bottr

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Corrections

Corrections

The following corrections have been applied to the text:...

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Abbreviations

Abbreviations

Overview of abbreviations used....

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