I did not get beyond St. Columb that day, and, on arriving there, tried
to find out something about the Killigrews. I had not gone far enough
north, however. The main branch of the family, as all the country knows,
had lived at St. Erme, about five miles north of Truro, also at
Falmouth, but it had died out. Colman Killigrew was the descendant of
one Benet Killigrew, who, although he did not, like some of his
relations, become a courtier, was sufficiently fortunate to marry a
Mistress Scobell Rosecarrick, of Endellion, in which Endellion Castle
was situated. Through her this branch of the Killigrews became possessed
of a pleasant estate, and also became allied to an ancient race. This I
had learnt by reading Carew's survey of Cornwall after I had returned
from Peter Trevisa. Of their present condition, however, I knew nothing,
neither could I discover anything about them at St. Columb.
Arriving at Wadebridge the next day, my attention was attracted by an
inn called "The Molesworth Arms." As the name of the maid I had promised
to take from Endellion to Treviscoe was Molesworth, and as it was
moreover the chief inn in the town, I decided to rest there and partake
of some refreshment. Although it was scarcely noon, I found the common
room of the inn filled with a number of people. Mostly the occupants
were farmers, although I fancied one or two of them belonged to the
gentlefolk of the neighbourhood. I did not pay particular attention to
them, however, because my interest became centred in a hale-looking old
man, who was evidently a travelling story-teller and minstrel. He had
finished his singing, and was now telling a story before taking his
departure. There is no need that I should repeat the tale here; at the
same time I mention the incident because I was impressed by the wondrous
way he had of making us all look at him. One could have heard a pin drop
when he was speaking. I was fascinated by him too, partly, I expect,
because I did not understand him. As all the county knows, a
tale-teller, or a wandering singer, who is usually called "a droll," is
no unusual thing. Many of them had visited Trevanion, and I had always
given them food and a bed. Mostly they came when the house was full of
visitors, and regaled the company with song and story. But they were
mostly of the lower orders of life, and spoke the Cornish dialect.
Indeed their stories usually had but little charm apart from the
dialect, although occasionally tales were told which were interesting
because of their subject-matter. These were generally of a supernatural
order, and described the dead arising or spirits coming back to the
world to bring some message to their friends. I had never seen this man
at Trevanion, however, neither did he belong to the class who had
visited the house. It is true he spoke the Cornish dialect, but at times
he let words drop which showed he knew something of learning. He had an
air of authority with him, too, which suggested that he lived on terms
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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