M. Camden obserueth, that neere hereunto, stood the watch-towre, mencioned by Orosius, and oppositely placed to such another in Galitia.
Stepping ouer to the South-sea, (for the distaunce [155] is in comparison, but a step) S. Michaels mount looketh so aloft, as it brooketh no concurrent, for the highest place. Ptolomey termeth it Ocrinum, the Cornish men, Cara Cowz in Clowze, that is, The hoare rocke in the wood. The same is sundred from the mayne land, by a sandy playne, of a slight shoot in breadth, passable, at the ebbe, on foote; with boat, on the flood. Your arriuall on the farther side, is entertayned by an open greene, of some largenesse, which finishing where the hill beginneth, leaues you to the conduction of a winding and craggy path; and that at the top, deliuereth you into a little plaine, occupied, for the greatest part, by a fort of the olde making. It compriseth lodgings for the Captayne and his garrison, and a Chappell for deuotion. This latter, builded by Will. Earle of Morton, to whom William the Conquerour his vncle, gaue much lands in those quarters, and greatly haunted, while folke endured their merits, by farre trauailing. They haue a tye pit, not so much satisfying vse, as relieuing necessitie. A little without the Castle, there is a bad seat in a craggy place, called S. Michaels Chaire, some what daungerous, for accesse, and therefore holy for the aduenture.
Vntill Richard the firsts raigne, the mount seemeth to haue serued onely for religion, and (during his imprisonment) to haue bene first fortified by Henry de la Pomeray, who surprized it, and expulsed the Monks: howbeit soone after, when hee became ascertained of his Soueraignes enlargement, the very feare of ensuing harme wrought in him a present effect of the vttermost that any harme could bring, namely, his death: whereon, the olde cell and new fort, was surrendred to the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Kings behalfe. Thus Houeden reporteth. But the descendents from this Pomeray, alias, Pomeroy, make a somewhat different relation of this accident: for they affirme, that a Sergeant at armes of the Kings, came to their auncestour, at his Castle of Bery Pomeroy, in Deuon, receyued kind entertaynment for certaine dayes together, and at his departure, was gratified with a liberall reward: in counter-change whereof, he then, and no sooner, reuealing his long concealed errand, flatly arresteth his hoaste, to make his immediate appearance before the King, for answering a capitall crime. Which vnexpected and il-carryed message, the Gent, tooke in such despite, as with his dagger hee stabbed the messenger to the heart: and then well knowing in so suparlatiue an offence, all hope of pardon foreclosed, he abandones his home, gets to a sister of his abiding in this mount, bequetheth a large portion of his land to the religious people there, for redeeming his soule: and lastly, causeth himselfe to be let bloud vnto death, for leauing the remainder to his heire: from which time forward, this place continued rather a schoole of Mars, then the Temple of peace. For shortly after the discomfiture of H. the 6. party, by Ed. the 4. [11. E. 4.] at Barnet field, Iohn Earle of Oxford, who had made one, and one of the principall on the weaker side, arriued heere by shipping, disguised himselfe, with some of his followers, in Pilgrims habits, therethrough got entrance, mastred the garrison, and seyzed the place. Which, thus politikely wonne, hee as valiantly kept, and kept a long time defended against the Kings power, vntill reasonable conditions swayed him to a surrender.
[156]
A like surprize, but of later date, I read in Popeliniere [2. Vol. Lib. 31.], touching the like named and seated mount, in Normandy.
During the last Cornish commotion, diuers Gent. with their wiues and families, fled to the protection of this place, where the Rebels besieged them, first wynning the plaine at the hils foote, by assault, when the water was out, and then; the euen ground on the top, by carrying vp great trusses of hay before them, to blench the defendants sight, and dead their shot. After which, they could make but slender resistance: for no sooner should any one within, peepe out his head, ouer those inflanked wals, but he became an open marke to a whole showre of arrowes. This disaduantage, together with the womens dismay, & decrease of victuals, forced a surrender to those Rakehels mercy, who, nothing guilty of that effeminate vertue, spoyled their goods, imprisoned their bodies, and were rather by Gods gracious prouidence, then any want of will, purpose, or attempt, restrayned from murdering the principall persons.
Heere also [13. H. 7.], was the Lady Katherine Gordon (an vnfit yoke-fellow for that counterfeit Prince, Perkin Warbeck) taken by the L. Daubney, and conueyed to the King. Of this, as the last wonder.
Who knowes not Mighels mount and chaire,
The Pilgrims holy vaunt:
Both land, and Iland, twise a day,
Both fort, and port of haunt.
Vnder the mount extendeth a bay, for lesser vessels to lie at: and betweene it and the Westerne shoare, there is an indifferent good road for shipping, sauing vpon some winds, called the Mounts bay: where, by Froissarts report, Sir Robert Knolles landed, what time his returne out of Fraunce, was by K. Ed. the 3. commaunded, and for his valiant exployts there, atchieued, very graciously welcomed.
Ouer-against the Mount, fronteth a towne, of petty fortune, pertinently named Marcaiew, of Marhas diow, in English, the Thursdaies market; for then it vseth this traffike. At the beginning of K. H. the 8. raigne, it felt the Frenchmens fiery indignation, who landed there with 30. sayle. But the smoke of those poore houses, calling in the country to the rescusse, made the place ouer hote for the enemies any longer abode.