They place the adiective after the substantive, like the Grecians and Latines, as Father ours, March guiddn, horse white, &c.
1 2 3 4
In numbring they say, Wonnen, Deaw, Tre, Pidder,
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Pimp, Whey, Zith, Eath, Naw, Deag, Ednack, Dowthack,
13 14 15 16 17 18
Tarnack, Puzwarthack, Punthack, Wheytack, Zitack, Itack,
19 20 40 100. 1000. 10000.
Naunzack, Eygganz, Deaw Egganz, Cans, Mille, Molla.
Durdatha why, is Good morrow to you.
Trenestatha, Good night.
Fatlugan a why: How do you?
Da durdalathawhy: Wel I thanke you.
Betha why Iawanneck: Be you mery.
Benetugana: Farewell.
A sister, they call Whoore: a whoore, whorra: a priest, coggaz: a partridge, grigear: a Mare, cazock.
Relauta: by my troth.
Warrasay: by my fayth.
Molla tuenda laaz, ten thousand mischiefs in thy guts.
Mille vengeance warna thy, a thousand vengeances take thee.
Pedn ioll, deuils head:
Pedn brauze, great head:
pedn mowzack, stinking head:
and so in Infinitum.
Which termes, notwithstanding thogh they witnes their spite on the one side, yet retayne they as great a proofe of their deuotion on the other: for the Lords Prayer, the Apostles Creed, and the ten commaundements, haue beene used in Cornish beyond all remembrance. But the principall loue and knowledge of this language, liued in Doctor Kennall the Ciuilian, and with him lyeth buryed: for the English speach doth still encroche vpon it, and hath driuen the same into the vttermost skirts of the shire. Most of the Inhabitants can no word of Cornish; but very few are ignorant of the English: and yet some so affect their owne, as to a stranger they will not speake it: for if meeting them by chance, you inquire the way or any such matter, your answere shal be, Meea nauidua cowzasawzneck, I can speake no Saxonage. The English which they speake, is good and pure, as receyuing it from the best hands of their owne Gentry, and the Easterne Marchants: but they disgrace it, in part, with a broad and rude accent, and eclipsing (somewhat like the Somersetshire men) specially in pronouncing the names: as Thomas they call, Tummas & Tubby: Mathew, Mathaw: Nicholas, Nichlaaz: Reginald, Reinol: David, Daaui: Mary, Maari: Frauncis, [57] Frowncis: Iames, Iammez: Walter, Watty: Robert, Dobby: Rafe, Raw: Clemence, Clemmcowe, &c. holding herein a contrary course of extension to the Italians abridgement, who terme Frauncis, Cecco: Dominick, Beco : Lawrence, Renzo: as also to the Turks, who name Constantinople, Stampoli: Adrianople, Adrina: an Olifant, Fil: and the Sicilians, who curtayle Nicholas, to Cola.
Besides these, they haue taken vp certayne peculiar phrases, which require a speciall Dictionarie for their interpretation: of which kinde are,
Tis not 'bezibd' (fortuned) to me: Thou hast no 'road' (ayme), he will never 'scrip' (escape) it, he is nothing 'pridy' (handsome), 'boobish' (lubberly), 'dule' (comfort), 'lidden' (by-word), 'shune' (strange), 'thew' (threaten), 'skew' (shunne), 'hoase' (forbeare).
To reproue one of lazines, they will say, Doest thou make Idle a coate? that is, a coate for idlenes? In coniecturing what number may effect a thing, they adde, or same: as two, or some: ten, or some: twentie, or some: id est, thereabouts.
The other rude termes, wherewith Deuon and Cornish men are often twyted, may plead in their defence, not onely the prescription of antiquitie, but also the title of proprietie, and the benefit of significancy: for most of them take their source from the Saxon, our naturall language, and continue in vse amongst the Dutch: as Nimme commeth of Nimpt: Vang, of Fieng: the one importing a taking by ones selfe: the other by deliuery: both which we now confound. Ich to Ick, Cund to Cundigen, Lading, to Geladen: eruing goods, to Erbnuss. So Thwyting, is properly the cutting of little chippes from a stick. Pilme, the dust which riseth: Brusse, that which lyeth: which termes, as they expresse our meaning more directly, so they want but another Spencer, to make them passable.