More certaine, though lesse wonderfull, and yet, for the strangenesse, wel worth the viewing, is Mainamber: Mayne, is a rocke, amber, as some say, signifieth Ambrose. And a great rocke the same is, aduaunced vpon some others of a meaner size, with so equall a counterpeyze, that the push of a finger, will sensibly moue it too and fro: but farther to remooue it, the vnited forces of many shoulders are ouer-weake. Wherefore the Cornish wonder-gatherer, thus descrybeth the same,
BE thou thy mother natures worke,
Or proofe of Giants might:
Worthlesse and ragged though thou shew,
Yet art thou worth the sight.
This hugy rock, one fingers force
Apparently will moue;
But to remooue it, many strengths
Shall all like feeble prooue.
Helston, in Cornish, Hellaz, in English, the greene hall, is a well seated and peopled towne, priuiledged, secundum vsum, with the rest, and one of the 4. Coynage places.
Vnder it runneth the riuer Lo, whose passage into the sea, is thwarted by a sandy banke, which forceth the same to quurt back a great way, and so to make a poole of some miles in compasse. It breedeth a peculiar kind of bastard Trought, in bignesse and goodnes exceeding such as liue in the fresh water, but comming short of those that frequent the salt.
The foreremembred bank serueth as a bridge, to deliuer wayfarers, with a compendious passage, to the other side; howbeit, sometimes with more haste then good speed: for now and then, it is so pressed on the inside, with the increasing riuers waight, and a portion of the vtter sand, so washed downe by the waues; that at a sudden, out breaketh the vpper part of the poole, and away goeth a great deale of the sand, water, and fish: which instant, if it take any passenger tardy, shrewdly endangereth him, to flit for company: and some haue so miscarried.
To this poole adioyneth M. Penrose his house, whose kind entertainment hath giuen mee, and many others experience of these matters. He maried the daughter of Rashleigh: he beareth A. 3. Bendes S. charged with 9. restes.of the field.
Those 2. riuers of Haill and Lo, rising not farre asunder, doe enclose betweene them, as they runne into the sea, a neck of land, particularized with the name of Meneag: and in regard of his fruitfulnesse, not vnworthy of a seuerance.
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Within this circuit, lie Trelawarren M. Viuians house, and Erisy, seated in 2. parishes, and descended, by a long ranke of ancestours, to the Gent, of that name, now in ward. His father married Carew: his graundsire, one of Militons coheires, who ouerliuing her husband, ended the course of her long and well commended widdowhood, in becomming Lady to Sir Nicholas Parker. The Enzies beare S. a Cheuron, betweene 3. Griffons Sergreant O.
Clowance (deriued from Cloow, which signifieth, to heare) is the possession and dwelling of M. Saintabin, whose very name (besides the conquest roll) deduceth his first auncestours out of Fraunce. His graundfather married Greinuile: his father, one of Whittingtons coheires: which later couple, in a long and peaceable date of yeeres, exercised a kinde, liberall, and neuer discontinued hospitality. Himselfe tooke to wife the daughter of Mallet, and with ripe knowledge and sound iudgement, dischargeth the place which he beareth in his Countrey. Hee beareth O. on a crosse G. fiue Bezaunts.