We must also spare a roome in this Suruey, to the poore, of whom few Shires can shew more, or owne fewer then Cornwall. Ireland prescribeth to be the nurserie, which sendeth ouer yeerely, yea and dayly whole Ship-loades of these crooked slips, and the dishabited townes afford them rooting: so vpon the matter, the whole County maketh a contribution, to pay those Lords their rent. Manie good Statutes haue beene enacted for redresse of these abuses, and vpon the first publishing, heedfully and diligently put in practise: but [68] after the nine dayes wonder expired, the law is forgotten, the care abandoned, and those vermine swarme againe in euerie corner: yet those peeuish charitable cannot be ignorant, that herethrough, to the high offence of God and good order, they maintaine idlenes, drunkennesse, theft, lecherie, blasphemie, Atheisme, and in a word, all impietie: for a worse kind of people then these vagabonds, the realme is not pestered withal: what they consume in a day, wil suffice to releeue an honest poore parishioner for a week, of whose work you may also make some vse: their staruing is not to be feared, for they may be prouided for at home, if they list: no almes therefore should be cast away upon them, to the robberie of the needy impotent; but money least of all: for in giuing him siluer, you do him wrong, by changing his vocation, while you metamorphize him from a begger to a buyer. Lacks he meat, drinke, or apparrell? (and nothing els he ought to be owner of) he must procure them of the worst by free gift, and not make choice, for a iust price, of the best. Well, though the rogue laugh you to scorne at night, the alewife hath reason the next day to pray for you.
Surely we finde by experience, that this so hainous an enormitie may be both easily and quickly reformed: for let the Constables execute upon the rogues that last most beneficiall Act of Parliament, with due seueritie for one weeke, and the terror thereof will free the parish for a month: vse it a month, and you are acquited for the whole yere. If the Constables persift in their remisnesse, let the Iustices lay the penalty vpon them, and they will no longer hoodwinke themselues at their neighbours faults. Let the neighbour be so pinched by the purse, but once or twise, and he will become a great deale the more sensible to season his charity with discretion for a long time after.
Vpon the first statute, there was a house of correction erected at Bodmin, to the great charge, but little benefit of the Countrey. Which experience lessoneth them to illude this later, by appoynting certaine cotagers houses in euery parish to serue, nomine tenus, for that purpose.
Lazer-houses, the deuotion of certaine Cornish Gentlemens ancesters erected at Minhinet, by Liskerd, S. Thomas by Launceston, and S. Laurence by Bodmyn: of which, this last is well endowed & gouerned. Concerning the other, I haue little to say, vnlesse I should eccho some of their complaints, that they are defrauded of their right. The much eating of fish, especially newly taken, and therein principally of the liuers, is reckoned a great breeder of those contagious humours, which turne into Leprosie: but whence soeuer the cause proceedeth, dayly euents minister often pittifull spectacles to the Cornishmens eyes, of people visited with this affliction; some being authours of their owne calamity by the forementioned diet, and some others succeeding therein to an haereditarius morbus of their ancestors: whom we will leaue to the poorest comfort in miserie, a helplesse pittie.
But let me lead you from these vnpleasing matters, to refresh yourselues with taking view of the Cornishmens recreations, which consist principally in feastes and pastimes.
Their feasts are commonly haruest dinners, Church-ales, and the solemnizing of their parish Churches dedication, which they terme their Saints feast.
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The haruest dinners are held by euery wealthy man, or as wee terme it, euery good liuer, betweene Michaelmas and Candlemas, whereto he inuiteth his next neighbours and kinred, and though it beare onely the name of a dinner, yet the ghests take their supper also with them, and consume a great part of the night after in Christmas rule: neither doth the good cheere wholly expire (though it somewhat decrease) but with the end of the weeke.
For the Church-ale, two young men of the parish are yerely chosen by their last foregoers, to be Wardens, who deuiding the task, make collection among the parishioners, of whatsoeuer prouision it pleaseth them voluntarily to bestow. This they imploy in brewing, baking, & other acates, against Whitsontide; vpon which Holydayes, the neighbours meet at the Church-house, and there merily feed on their owne victuals, contributing some petty portion to the stock, which by many smalls, groweth to a meetly greatnes: for there is entertayned a kinde of emulation betweene these Wardens, who by his graciousnes in gathering, and good husbandry in expending, can best aduauce the Churches profit. Besides, the neighbour parishes, at those times louingly visit one another, and this way frankely spend their money together. The afternoones are consumed in such exercises, as olde and yong folke (hauing leysure) doe accustomably weare out the time withall.
When the feast is ended, the Wardens yeeld in their account to the Parishioners, and such money as exceedeth the disbursments, is layd vp in store, to defray any extraordinary charges arising in the parish, or imposed on them for the good of the Countrey, or the Princes seruice. Neither of which commonly gripe so much, but that somewhat stil remayneth to couer the purses bottome.