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* 1.1CORNVVALL (as Matthew of Westminster affirmeth) is so na∣med, partly from the forme, and partly from her people: for shoot∣ing it selfe into the Sea like a Horne (which the Britaines call Kerne) and inhabited by them whom the Saxons named Wallia; of these two compounded words it became Cornwallia. Not to trouble the Reader with the Fable of Corineus, cousin to King Brute, who in free gift received this Countie in re∣ward of his prowesse for wrastling with the Giant Gog∣magog, and breaking his necke from the Cliffe of Dover, as he of Monmouth hath fabuled.* 1.2
* 1.3(2) Touching the temperature of this Countie, the aire thereof is cleansed as with Bellows, by the Billows that ever worke from off her environing Seas, where-thorow it be∣cometh pure and subtill, and is made thereby very health∣full, but withall so piercing and sharpe, that it is apter to preserve then to recover health. The spring is not so early as in the more Easterne parts; yet the Summer with a tem¦perate heat recompenceth his slow fostering of the fruits, with their most kindly ripening. The Autumne bringeth a some what late harvest: and the Winter, by reason of the Seas warme breath, maketh the cold milder then else∣where. Notwithstanding, that Countrey is much subject to stormie blasts, whose violence hath freedome from the open waves, to beat upon the dwellers at Land, leaving ma∣ny times their houses uncovered.
* 1.4(3) The soile for the most part is lifted up into many hilles, parted asunder with narrow and short vallies, and a shallow earth doth cover their out-side, which by a Sea∣weed called Ovewood, and a certaine kinde of fruitfull Sea∣sand, they make so ranke and batten, as is uncredible. But more are the riches that out of those hills are gotten from the Mines of Copper and Tinne; which Countrey was the first, and continueth the best stored in that Merchandize, of any in the world. Timaeus the Historian in Pliny report∣eth, that the Britaines fetched their Tinne in wicker boats,* 1.5 stitched about with Lather. And Diodorus Siculus of Au∣gustus Caesars time writeth,* 1.6 that the Britaines in this part di••ged Tinne out of stony ground, which by Merchants was carried into Gallia, and thence to Narbone, as it were to a Mart. Which howsoever the English-Saxons neglected, yet the Normans made great benefit thereof, especially Richard brother to King Henry the third, who was ••arl•• of Cornwall, and by those Tinne-workes became exceeding∣ly rich: for the incursions of the Moores having stopped up the Tinne-Mines in Spaine, and them in Germanie not dis∣covered before the yeare of Christ 1240. th••se in Cornwall supplyed the want in all parts of the world.* 1.7 This Earle made certaine Tinne-Lawes, which with liberties and pri∣viledges were confirmed by Earle Edmund his sonne. And in the dayes of King Edward the third, the Common-weale of Tinne-workes from one body was divided into foure, and a LordWarden of the Stanniers appointed their Iudge.
* 1.8(4) The Borders of this Shire on all parts but the East is bound in with the Sea: and had Tamer drawn his course but foure miles further to the North, betwixt this Countie and Devon shire, it might have been rather accounted an Iland, then stood with the Mayne. Her length is from Launston to the Land-end,* 1.9 containing by measure sixtie miles: and the broadest part, stretching along by the Tamer, is fully fortie, lessening thence still lesser like a horne.
(5) The ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romans, were the Danmonii, that spread themselves further into Devon-Shire also,* 1.10 by the report of Diodorus Siculus, a most courteous and civill people: and by Michael their Poet ex∣tolled for valour and strength of limmes: nor therein doth he take the libertie that Poets are allowed, to adde to the subject whereof they write, but truely reporteth what we see by them performed, who in activitie surmount many other people.
When the Heathen Saxons had seated themselves in the best of this Land, and forced the Christian Britaines into these rockie parts, then did Cornwall abound in Saints, un∣to whose honour most of the Churches were erected,* 1.11 by whose names they are yet knowne and called. To speake nothing of Vrsula that Counties Dukes daughter, with her companie of canonized Virgin-Saints, that are now repu∣ted but to trouble the Calendar. These Britaines in Corn∣wall to fenced the Countrey,* 1.12 and defended themselves, that to the raigne of King Athelstane they held out against the Saxons, who subduing those Westerne parts, made Tamer the Bounder betwixt them and his English, whose last Earle of the British Bloud was called Candorus.
(6) But William the Bastard created Robert (his halfe∣brother by Herlotta their mother) the first Earle of the Normans race:* 1.13 and Edward the Blacke Prince, the ninth from him, was by his Father King Edward the third invest∣ed the first Duke of Cornwall, which Title ever since hath continued in the Crowne.
(7) The commodities of this Shire,* 1.14 ministred both by Sea and Soyle, are many and great: for besides the abun∣dance of Fish that doe suffice the Inhabitants, the Pilchard is taken, who in great skuls swarme about the coast, whence being transported to France, Spaine, and Italie, yeeld a year∣ly revenew of gaine unto Cornwall: wherein also Copper and Tinne so plentifully grow in the utmost part of this Promontory, that at a low water the veines thereof lie bare, and are seene: and what gaine that commoditie be∣gets, 1s vulgarly known. Neither are these Rockes destitute of Gold nor Silver,* 1.15 yea and Diamonds shaped and pointed Angle-wise, and smoothed by Nature her selfe, whereof some are as bigge as Walnuts, inferiour to the Orient onely in blacknesse and hardnesse.
Many are the Ports, Bayes, and Havens that open into this Shire, both safe for arrivage, and commodious for transport; whereof Falmouth is so copious, that an hun∣dred Ships may therein ride at anchor apart by themselves, so that from the tops of their highest Masts they shall not see each other, and lie most safely under the windes.
(8) This Countie is fruitfull in Corne,* 1.16 Cattle, Sea fish, and Fowle: all which, with other provisions for pleasures and life, are traded thorow twenty-two Market-Townes in this Shire, whereof Launston and Bodman are the best; from which last, being the middle of the Shire, the Pole is eleva∣ted to the degree of Latitude 50.35. minutes, and for Lon∣gitude from the first West point, 15.13. minutes, as Mer∣cator hath measured them.
(9) Memorable matters both for antiquitie and strange∣nesse of fight,* 1.17 are these: At Boskenna upon the South-west of her Promontory, is a Trophy erected, which are eighteene Stones placed round in compasse, and pitched twelve foot each from others, with another farre bigger in the very cen∣ter. These doe shew some Victory there attained, either by the Romans, or else King Athelstane. At the foot of the Rocks neere unto S. Michaels Mount, in the memory of our Fathers, were digged up Speare-heads, Axes, and Swords of Brasse,* 1.18 wrapped in linnen, the weapons that the Cimbrians and ancient Britaines anciently used.
At Camelford likewise peeces of Armours both for horse and man, are many times found in digging of the ground, imputed to be the signes of that fight wherein Mordred was slaine, and wherein great Arthur received his deaths wound, And at Castle-Dennys are the Trenches wherin the Danes lodged when they first minded to subdue the Land. In the Parish S. Clare, two stones are pitched, one of them inscribed with a strange Character,* 1.19 and the other called the other halfe stone: the formes whereof we have expressed in the Mappe. The Hurlers also, fabuled to be men metamor∣phosed into stones; but in truth shew a note of some victo∣rie, or else are so set for Land-markes Bounders. There also the Wring cheese doth shew it selfe,* 1.20 which are huge Rocks heaped one upon another, and the lowest of them the least, fashioned like a Cheese, lying pressed under the rest of those Hilles, which seemeth very dangerous to be passed under. But neere to Pensans, and unto Mounts bay,* 1.21 a farre more strange Rocke standeth, namely, Main Amber, which lyeth mounted upon others of meaner size, with so equall a counterpoize, that a man may move it with the push of his finger, but no strength remove it out of his place.
(10) Religious houses built, and suppressed within the limits of Cornwall, the fairest and greatest for account, were Launston, S. Neotes, S. Buriens, S. Michaels Mount, and S. Germans a Bishops See: so was Bodman also, from whence King Edward the Confessor removed it unto the Cities of Excester.
(11) The division of this Shire is into nine Hundreds, wherein are seated twentie-two Market-Townes, and 161. Parish-Churches, whose names are Alphabetically ga∣thered in the Table of this Chapter annexed.