BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF MenrQ W. Sage 1891 ,?,.5u..o%.o •z.^AnaX.vI *i^( ^l- CM : CORNISH FEASTS AND FOLK-LORE. BY MISS M: A-^COURTNEY, AUTHOR OF "GLOSSARY OF WORDS USED IN WEST CORNWALL. REVISED AND REPRINTED FROM THE FOLK-LORE SOCIETY JOURNALS, 1886-87. PENZANCE BEARE AND SON, 21, MARKET PLACE. 1890. T BEARE AND SON, PRINTERS, PENZANCE. ; 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 inexhaustible subject. There must be many charms in use here that have not come under my notice a few are too coarse to record, as are some of the tales. A book on folk-lore cannot in this century contain original matter; it must be compiled from various sources. I have when quoting from other writers given my authority, and to communi- cations from friends generally appended their names. To " One and All" I beg leave to tender my sincere thanks. M. A. Courtney. The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029890575 ;; INDEX. AccROSHAY, game, 187. [of, 14. Buzza'shill (Scilly), legend of, 113. Advent, Sunday, 5 ; Monday, custom wise A fox went forth, ballad, 196. Camelford, battle near, 58 ; Agnes, St., well of, 64; Scilly, 118; woman at, 155. of, game at, 18 St. Warna's well at, 119; Troy- Camborne, feast S ; near, town, ib. Bassetts of Tehidy, 105 Ague, charm for, 150. superstition at, 154. Card, games, ; table superstitions, 169. Allan, apples, 2 ; Allantide custom, 3 ; 17 AH Hallow's day, divinations, ib. Cam Brea, legend of, 56. St. Columb, ; near Altarnon, legend of, 97. Castles, An-dinas, 58 Treryn, Pen- Alter Nunne, St., well of, 61. [100. Penzance, 78 ; 77 ; Cromwell's (Scilly), Anthony, St. (in Meneage), church of, gersick, 86; Chfln, Addenda. Apple orchards, blessing of, 9. 118; Charles, King, 1 18. Arthur, King, birth of, 57 ; castles of, Charms, 16, 42, 68, 127, 139; ib. ; legends of, 58. 3, 25, Arundell, legend of, 109. various, 143 to 171, Addenda. Austell, St., wishing well, 19; Long- Chewidden Thursday, 6. superstitions about, 156 stone, legend of, 58 ; superstition Children, christening, 157; May children, at, ISS- rhymes, 1 ; diseases, charms Avery, buccaneer, 95. 159; 60 against, ib. ; superstitions, 162. Baari.ey mow, harvest song, 203. Childermas day, 14. [168. yard superstitions, Bad leg, charm for, 153. Church, ales, 38, 46 ; Bassetts, legend of, 105. Christmas customs, 6, 19. of, 21 Longstone, Bat and ball, game of, 12. Cleer, St., legend ; well, 61. [188. Bathes of Kilkhampton, legend of, 109. 60 ; Holy cock-haw, game of, Bees, superstitions about, 137. Cock-fighting, 23 ; custom at, 21 ; Shrove Birds, 14, 60, 131, 138, 163, 167, 205. Columb, St., King Arthur, Blanchminsters, of Stratton, 109, 113. Tuesday, 23 ; 58. Blazey, St., feast of, 19. Col-perra, 22. 26. Blind-buck-a-davy, game of, 184. Conerton, manor of, 83. [at, feast of, tenure Board-em, card game, 17. Constantine, St., 25; wrecker, Boconnoc, oak at, 104. Coppinger, 89. 26. Bobby Bingo, game of, 185. Cornish pies, 8, Bodmin Riding, 46. Corns, charm for, 148. ; on a Duke's Body, superstitions about, 169. Cornwall, stone, 93 daughter (ballad), 192 ; Stout Bonfires, 40, 44. Bottreaux (Boscastle), legend of bells, Cripple of, 200. house, legend of, 106 ; Dupath 106; St. Nighton's Kieve, near, Cottrell near, ib. 107. well, in, to Cramp, charm for, 149. [at, 154. Breage, St. , Pengersick castle 86 Crowan, taking-day, 48 ; superstition 88 ; bells of, 88 ; wreckers, 89. Holywell, Brownie, 123. Cubert, St., 3. Curls (carols), Bucca (a spirit), 79, 85, 129. 7. Trucklers, game of, 187. Buck-shee-buck, game of, 186; Buckey- Cutters and how, 187. Danes, 74. Bull-baiting, 5. Myin (Merry Maidens), 77. Buryan, St., legend of, 77; Dawns Dawns man's hand (charms with), 152. Myin, in, ib. Dead ; ; Index. Delabole, superstition at, 130. Groaning cake, 157. Dennis, St., Churcli of, 104. Grylls, Rev., ghost-layer, 98. Dipping day, 29. Gunpowder plot, 4. Dodge, Rev. Richard, ghost-layer, 97. Gunwalloe, Church of, 94. [iS9- at, Dorothy Dinglet, legend of, 99. Gwennap pit, 38 ; parish customs Dowsing (divining with the rod), 131, Gwenvor, legend of, 73. Dreams, 163, 164. Drop the handlierchief, 178. Hal-an-tow, 34. Ducking chair, 119. Halgaver Moor, carnival at, 47. Duffy and the Devil, 10. Hallowe'en superstitions, 3, 159. Hall Monday, 21. [110,135. Earwigs, superstitions about, 164. Hares, superstitions about, 60, 77, 87, Easter customs, 26. Harlyn, customs at, 25. Elicompane, rhyme, 205. Harvest customs, 52. Ene, mene, etc., game formula, I75' Hayle, May-day at, 29. [lOO. Ennor Church, 119. Helford, Good Friday at, 25 ; river of, Enodock, St., Church of, 67. Helston, hurling at, 20 ; Flora-day, 34; Epilepsy,charms against, 154, Addenda. Loe-pool, near, 73 ; Meneage dis- Epiphany customs, 15. trict, superstitions at, 157 ; town Erisey, legend of, 93. bounds. Addenda. Eye diseases, charms for, kinning stones, Hiccough, cure of, 150. 144 ; kenning herb, 147 ; club- Hobby-horse day, 30. moss, 151 ; cat's tail, ib. ; wedding Hole in the wall, game of, 177. ring, a. ; dead man's hand, 152; Holy Thursday, 25. rope, 153 ; well's water, Addenda. Holy wells, St. Cuthbert,3; St. Austell, 19 ; St. Maddern, 32 ; St. Uny, Fairies, 120. 33, 127 ; St. Cleer, St. Nunne, Falmouth, Christmas custom at, 6 Scarlet, 61 ; St. Nunn, 62; St. whist, 1 7 ; legends of, loi ; river Jesus, St. Martin, St. Agnes, St. Fal, 102. [170. Neot, St. Piran, St. Keyne, 64; Fire-works, 40, 43, 46 ; superstitions, St. Warna, 118; Addenda. [179. Fishermen's superstitions, 132. How many miles to Babylon ? game of, Flavel, Rev. Thomas, ghost-layer, 95. Hurling, game of, 20, 25. Flora-day, 34. [176. Fools'-day, 27 ; Fool, fool, etc., game, ILL-WISHING,I39; charms against, 140, Friday in Lide, 24. Addenda. Friskee, game of, 175. Ives, St. , fair-mo, 5 ; Christmas day, 1 1 ; hurling, 20 ; Knillian-games, Games, 4, 17, 20, 172. 48 ; legends of, 68, 75. Garrick Zans, 74. George, St., play of, 10. Jack's alive, game of, 16; the giant Gerennius, legend of, 102. killer, 57; Harry's lights, 134; Germans, St., May-day at, 37. o'-Lent, 24. Germoe, St., chair of, 88; mine near Jago, Rev., ghost-layer, 97. 89 ; wreckers, i6. James' day, St., 48. Ghost-layers, 95. [93, Addenda. Jaundice, charm for, 155. Ghosts, 60, 68, 76, 77, 79, 82, 85, 91, John, Dory, ballad, 191 ; of Gaunt, 56; at the well, 182. Ghost game, John's day, St., customs, 39 ; fires, Giglet fair, 14. 40; fairs, 41 ; superstitions, 42. Godolphin house, tenure of, 92. Jolly miller, game of, 184. gooding, Going a 6. Just, St., in Penwith, feast, 3 ; legend Good Friday, 25, 150, of, cairn at, ; 159. 9 ; 70 cove near, 74 ; Goose or geese dancers, 10. legend of, and St. Keverne, 94 of, Gorran, wise men 107. custom at, 131 ; superstition at, 154. Grace, St., rhyme of, 54. Grade, St., tenure, 93. Kenegie, legend of, 77. Grenville, Sir Seville, 1 10. Keverne, St., legend of, 94. ;. ;; . Index. Keyne, St. , well of, 64 ; chair of, 66. Michael, St., legend of, 34; Mount of, Kimbly (an offering), 157. Miners' superstitions, 130. [65. King Arthur, legends of, 57, 74. Mock mayors, 27, 37, 45. Kinning stones, 144 ; kenning or kin- Morvah, feast of, 51. [of, no. ning herb, 147. Morwenstow, Church of, 108 ; legend Knockers, legends of, 8, 61, 120, 128. Mother may I go out to play ? game of, Knillian games, 48. 182. Kook, game of, 4. Mullion, 95 ; legend of, 100. Mylor, custom at, 45. Lady Queen AnNe, game of, 179. Land's End, rocks at, 75 ; legend of, Nails, to cut, 162. «33- Nelson, death of, 8l. [lOJ. Landewednack, Shrove Tuesday at, 22. Neot, St., Holy well, 64; Church of, Landrake, May-day at, 29. Nettle stings, 162. Langarrow, tradition of, 67. Newlyn West, bonfires, 43 ; legend of, Lanhadron Park, oak at, 104. 79 ; Laregan river, 84. Lanivet, Lanivrey, feasts of, 54- New year customs, 14. Launceston, superstition at, 34;" witch's Nicky Nan night, 21. tower, 146. Nighton's Kieve, St., tale of, 107. Leed's-town, ghost at, 91. Nunne's, St., Holy well, 61 ; Nunn's, Levan, St. , carols, 8 ; legend of, 76. St., 62. Libbety, game of, 186. Nut-tree hill, St. Germans, 37. Little Colan, Palm Sunday at, 24. Lizard district, loo. Oak-apple day, 37. Loe-pool, 73- Old Witch, game of, 180, Addenda. Looe, East and West, May-day at, 28, 30; superstition at, 158. Padstow, skip-skop night, J ; May- Logan rock, 68, 77, 145. day at, 30 ; church near, 67. Long hundred, rhyme of, 204. [104. Palm Sunday, 24. Lostwithiel, custom at, 27 ; oak near, Par-chapel well, carols, 8 ; legend of, 76. Lyonnesse, tradition of, 67. Paul's, St., eve, pitcher night, 19. Paul, St. (Pol-de-Leon), feast of, 2 Mabyn, St., legend of, 59. legend of, 78. Madron, Maddern, St. , feast of, 5 Peasen Monday, 21.