The Queene wrote to Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerice, [1. Mar] praying and requiring him, that hee, with his friends and neighbours, should see the Prince of Spaine most honourably entertained, if he fortuned to land in Cornwall.
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[2. Mar.] Shee wrote to him (being then Sherife of Cornwall) touching the election of the Knights of the shire, and the Burgesses for the Parliament.
[2. & 3.] Shee likewise wrote to him, that (notwithstanding [P. & M.] the instructions to the Iustices) hee should muster, and furnish his seruants, tenants, and others, vnder his rule and offices, with his friends, for the defence, and quieting of the Countrie, withstanding of enemies, and any other imployment, as also to certifie, what force of horse and foote he could arme.
These few notes I haue culled out of many others. Sir Iohn Arundell, last mentioned, by his first wife, the coheire of Beuill, had issue Roger, who died in his fathers life time; and Katherine, married to Prideaux: Roger by his wife Trendenham left behind him a sonne, called Iohn. Sir Iohns second wife, was daughter to Erisy, and widdow to Gourlyn, who bare him Iohn, his succeeder in Trerice, and much other faire reuenewes, whose due commendation, because another might better deliuer then my selfe, who touch him as neerely, as Tacitus did Agricola) I will therefore bound the same within his desert, and onely say this, which all, who knew him, shall testifie with me: that, of his enemies, he would take no wrong, nor on them any reuenge; and being once reconciled, embraced them, without scruple or remnant of gall. Ouer his kinred, hee held a warie and charie care, which bountifully was expressed, when occasion so required, reputing himselfe, not onely principall of the family, but a generall father to them all. Priuate respects euer, with him, gaue place to the common good: as for franke, well ordered, and continuall hospitalitie, he outwent all shew of competence: spare, but discreet of speech, better conceiuing, then deliuering: equally stout, and kind, not vpon lightnesse of humour, but soundnesse of iudgement, inclined to commiseration, readie to relieue. Briefely, so accomplished in vertue, that those, who for many yeeres together wayted in neerest place about him, and, by his example, learned to hate vntruth, haue often deeply protested, how no curious obseruation of theirs, could euer descrie in him, any one notorious vice. By his first foreremembred wife, he had 4. daughters married, to Carew, Summaster, Cosowarth, & Denham: by his later, the daughter of Sir Robert Denis, 2. sonnes, and 2. daughters: the elder, euen from his young yeeres, began where his father left, and with so temperate a course, treadeth iust in his footesteps, that hee inheriteth, as well his loue, as his liuing. The younger brother followeth the Netherland wars, with so wel-liked a cariage, that hee outgoeth his age, and time of seruice, in preferment. Their mother equalleth her husbands former children, and generally all his kinred, in kind vsage, with her owne, and is by them all, againe, so acknowledged and respected.
Of Saint Peran, wee haue spoken before, which too well brooketh his surname, in Sabulo: for the light sand, carried vp by the North wind, from the sea shore, daily continueth his couering, and marring the land adioynant, so as the distresse of this deluge, draue the Inhabitants to remooue their Church: howbeit, when it meeteth with any crossing brooke, the same (by a secret antipathy) restraineth, and barreth his farder incroching that way.
In Withiell Parish of this Hundred, one Gidly, not many yeeres sithence, digged downe a little hillocke, or [149] Borough, called Borsneeuas, in English, Cheapfull, therewith to thicken his other ground. In the bottome of which he found three white stones, triangle-wise (as pillers) supporting another flat one, some two foote and a halfe square, and in the midst betweene them, and vnder it, an earthen Pot, halfe full of a blacke slymie, and ill-fauouring substance, which (doubtlesse) was once the ashes of some notable person, there committed to that maner of buriall.
Saint Agnes, one of the high hils, which I specially recited in my former booke, by his entrailes (like Prometheus) feedeth the Tynners pecking, or picking bils, with a long liued profit, albeit, their scarcle Eagle eyes sometimes mistake the shadow for the substance, and so offer vp degenerate teares, as a late sacrifice to repentance.
The neighbours haue obserued, that of two Lakes, neere adioyning to this hill, and so each to other, the one will foster fish, and the other none at all.
Neyther may I omit newe Kaye, a place in the North coast of this Hundred, so called, because in former times, the neighbours attempted, to supplie the defect of nature, by Art, in making there a Kay, for the Rode of shipping, which conceyt they still retayne, though want of means in themselues, or the place, haue left the effect in Nubibus: and onely lent them the benefit of Lestercockes and fisher-boates.