Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second SeriesBottrell, William
General
Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second Series
Bottrell, William
Cornwall (England : County) -- Social life and customs; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
"In the winter of 1860 we were invited to a wedding at a
place called the Grambler in Sancreed; with strict orders to be
in time to accompany the "weddenars" to church at ten o'clock
the following Saturday morning.
Not caring to take part in the ceremony, we only left Penzance
at one o'clock in the afternoon. On our arriving at New Bridge
we found a messenger awaiting our arrival to guide us to the
bride's parents' house where the wedding was being held. He
also brought a bottle of brandy which An' Nancy, the bride's
mother, sent for the "strangers from Penzance to drink on the
way, to keep out the cold."
On nearing the house, we heard music and dancing, when our
guide hastened on before to let the party know we were come.
"My dear boys," said An' Nancy, meeting us at the door, "come
'e in quick out of the cold, we've ben afeerd you woddan coman."
All the company received us with hearty kindness; being
placed at the board, our host said, "We've had dennar, my dears,
but there's plenty left for 'e," at the same time pitching on each
of our plates a piece of roast beef of not less than four pounds,
"Aet that fust," he continued, "then you shall have some more."
My companion looking rather surprised at the liberal supply,
An' Nancy exclaimed, "What's the matter weth thee my boy,
dossena like et? Well than thee shust have somethan else;"
and without waiting a reply, took away the plate of beef and
replaced it with one of roast goose and a dish of boiled pudding,
saying, "Now there, my dear boy, aet that, I s'ppose the beef
was too tough for 'e."
Meanwhile the wedding-party—most of whom were young
people—awaited us in another room; we soon joined them and[238]
found good drink and cakes in abundance. Uncle Will, the
bride's father, being called upon for a toast, he gave:—
"Here's to the bridegroom and the bride,
May they stick to each other's side;
I hope their life will be of joy,
And that the fust will be a boy."
which was received with roars of laughter and stamping of feet.
Aunt Nancy took from a buffet several bottles of cordials for the
women and others who liked them; amongst others were poppy
and blackberry syrups, sweet-drink (mead),—that had been
kept some years for this happy occasion—and peppermint water,
of her own distilling. Presently the fiddle struck up with a jig.
"Les have the double shuffle, Uncle Will," said the young
people. Up he jumped as lively as a kid, though he was near
eighty, and footed it out to the delight of all.
Young Jan of Santust (St. Just) followed, making the fire fly
from the heels of his boots, like flashes of lightning; and all
the company were quickly whirling, in reels, without much
order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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