S. Cleer parish, coasting Liskerd, brooketh his name by a more percing, then profitable ayre, which in those open wastes, scowreth away thrift, as well as sicknesse. Thither I rode, to take view of an antiquitie, called The other halfe stone; which I found to be thus: There are two moore stones, pitched in the ground, very neere together, the one of a more broade then thicke squarenesse, about 8. foote in height, resembling the ordinary spill of a Crosse, and somewhat curiously hewed, with diaper worke. The other commeth short of his fellowes length, by the better halfe, but, welneere, doubleth it in breadth, and thickenesse, and is likewise handsomely carued. They both are mortifed in the top, leauing a little edge at the one side, as to accommodate the placing of somewhat else thereupon. In this latter, are graued certaine letters, which I caused to be taken out, and haue here inserted, for abler capacities, then mine own, to interpret.
[image, approx d O n l
E R T : R O
3 a U I T
p R O a n
l m a
where 'a' is a Greek alpha character]
Why this should be termed, The other halfe stone, I cannot resolue with my selfe, and you much lesse. Howbeit, I haltingly ayme, it may proceede from one of these respects; either, because it is the halfe of a monument, whose other part resteth elsewhere: or, for that it meaneth, after the Dutch phrase and their owne measure, a stone and halfe. For, in Dutch, Ander halb, (another halfe) importeth, One and a halfe, as Sesqui alter doth in Latine. It should seeme to be a bound stone: for some of the neighbours obserued to mee, that the [130] same limiteth iust the halfe way, betweene Excester and the lands ende, and is distant full fiftie myles from either.
Not farre hence, in an open plaine, are to be seene certaine stones, somewhat squared, and fastened about a foote deepe in the ground, of which, some sixe or eight stand vpright in proportionable distance: they are termed, The hurlers. And alike strange obseruation, taketh place here, as at Stonehenge, to wit, that a redoubled numbring, neuer eueneth with the first. But far stranger is the country peoples report, that once they were men, and for their hurling vpon the Sabboth, so metamorphosed. The like whereof, I remember to haue read, touching some in Germany (as I take it) who for a semblable prophanation, with dauncing, through the Priests accursing, continued it on a whole yere together.
Almost adioyning hereunto, is a heap of rocks, which presse one of a lesse size, fashioned like a cheese, and therethrough termed Wringcheese.
I know not well, whether I may referre to the parish of S. Neot in this Hundred, that which Mat. West, reporteth of K. Alfred, namely, how comming into Cornwall on hunting, he turned aside, for doing his deuotion, into a Church, where S. Guerijr and S. Neot made their abode (quaere, whether he meane not their burials) or rather so resolue, because Asser so deliuers it, and there found his orisons seconded with a happy effect.
Next, I will relate you another of the Cornish natural wonders, viz. S. Kaynes well: but lest you make a wonder first at the Saint, before you take notice of the well, you must vnderstand, that this was not Kayne the man-queller, but one of a gentler spirit, and milder sex, to wit, a woman. He who caused the spring to be pictured, added this rime for an exposition:
In name, in shape, in quality,
This well is very quaint;
The name, to lot of Kayne befell,
No ouer-holy Saint.
The shape, 4. trees of diuers kinde,
Withy, Oke, Elme and Ash,
Make with their roots an arched roofe,
Whose floore this spring doth wash.
The quality, that man or wife,
Whose chance, or choice attaines,
First of this sacred streame to drinke,
Thereby the mastry gaines.
In this Hundred, the rubble of certaine mines, and ruines of a fining house, conuince Burchard Craneigh, the Duchmans vaine endeuour, in seeking of siluer owre: howbeit, hee afterwards lighted on a thriftier vayne, of practising phisike at London, where he grewe famous, by the name of Doctor Burcot.