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)
Joan told them how they all enjoyed their entertainment.
"Bad luck to them all!" murmured he; "our cellar-floor is like
mud with spilt liquor, and not a gallon of beer or cider left in
the casks. What mother said was true enow; the Queen, for all
her fine clothes, is much like another woman, especially when
drunk." Next morning he could hardly be persuaded that Her
Majesty had been there at all, till his mother showed him what
fine things she had as keepsakes. "My thimble, as thou knowest,
was brass," said she, "and my bodkin silver; but see, here's my
gracious lady's silver thimble and golden bodkin:" then, with[72]
great pride, drawing from her pocket the Queen's huzzey, she
continued "if anything more is wanted to assure thee how I've
been honoured by my gracious lady, behold this!" She then
displayed what one may conjecture to have been a remarkable
contrivance for containing many requisites of a lady's work-box
or bag, and several toilet articles besides. It was a yard long
when unfolded; every little pocket and flap of a different sort of
rich stuff, all worked in elegant designs, with gold and silver
thread, coloured silks, intermixed with pearls and precious stones,
or what passed for such. It folded into strong leather covers,
fastened with silver clasps like a book; and the upper cover was
lined with a mirror.
Hundreds of people came to see it suspended, at full length,
the looking-glass at top, over the parlour fire-place, where it was
kept in remembrance of the Queen's visit.
The shell-room was built after, and some say it was intended
to commemorate that honour. This apartment was incrusted with
shells,—mostly from Parcurnow. Among other devices, a cavalier
was pourtrayed, as if pursued by robbers; and under this shell-picture,
the legend,—"This is the heir, come let us slay him,
that the inheritance may be ours."
We have frequently remarked to old persons, who related the
above story, that nothing is said in any county or other history
of a Queen having visited Baranhual. "Perhaps your history-makers
never heard of it," they reply: "no one belonging to
Buryan saw her plainly, that's true, except the two old women."
Squire Pendar and his servants only had a glimpse in the
twilight of a company on horseback passing down the road, which
was then overhung with large spreading sycamores,—three rows
of them on each side,—which soon hid his royal guests. But
the Pendars, even in our time, poor as they were,—many of them
labourers and fishermen,—had always preserved something
among them that the Queen was said to have left with old
Madam hundreds of years ago; and all of the name, that we
have met with, say that Pendre, Baranhual, Trevider, and other
lands in Buryan, once belonged to their forefathers.
[73]
The Small People's Cow.
They are fairies; he that speaks to them shall die.
I'll wink and couch; no man their works must eye.
Merry Wives of Windsor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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