Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Part 1
CORNISH CHARACTERS AND STRANGE EVENTS
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME
DEVONSHIRE CHARACTERS AND STRANGE EVENTS
With 55 Full-page Illustrations Reproduced from Old Prints, etc.
CORNISH CHARACTERS
AND STRANGE EVENTS
BY S. BARING-GOULD, M.A.
WITH 62 FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS REPRODUCED FROM OLD PRINTS, ETC.
"We all are men, In our own natures frail, and capable Of our flesh; few are angels." HENRY VIII (Act V, Sc. 2).
LONDON: JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMIX
PLYMOUTH: WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PRINTERS
PREFACE
Cornwall, peopled mainly by Celts, but with an infusion of English blood, stands and always has stood apart from the rest of England, much, but in a less degree, as has Wales. That which brought it into more intimate association with English thought, interests, and progress was the loss of the old Cornish tongue.
The isolation in which Cornwall had stood has tended to develop in it much originality of character; and the wildness of the coast has bred a hardy race of seamen and smugglers; the mineral wealth, moreover, drew thousands of men underground, and the underground life of the mines has a peculiar effect on mind and character: it is cramping in many ways, but it tends to develop a good deal of religious enthusiasm, that occasionally breaks forth in wild forms of fanaticism. Cornwall has produced admirable sailors, men who have won deathless renown in warfare at sea, as "Old Dreadnought" Boscawen, Pellew, Lord Exmouth, etc., and daring and adventurous smugglers, like "The King of Prussia," who combined great religious fervour with entire absence of scruple in the matter of defrauding the king's revenue. It has produced men of science who have made for themselves a world-fame, as Adams the astronomer, and Sir Humphry Davy the chemist; men who have been benefactors to their race, as Henry Trengrouse, Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, and Trevithick. It has sent forth at least one notable painter, the miner's boy Opie, and a dramatist, Samuel Foote, and a great singer in his day, Incledon. But it has not given to literature a great poet. Minor rhymes have been produced in great quantities, but none of great worth. Philosophers have issued from the mines, as Samuel Drew, eccentrics many, as Sir James Tillie, John Knill, and Daniel Gumb. And Cornwall has contributed a certain number of rascals--but fewer in number than almost any other county, if we exclude wreckers and smugglers from the catalogue of rascality.
Strange superstitions have lingered on, and one very curious story of a girl fed for years by fairies has been put on record.
It is somewhat remarkable that Cornwall has produced no musical genius of any note; and yet the Cornishman is akin to the Welshman and the Irishman.
Cornwall has certainly sent up to London and Westminster very able politicians, as Godolphin, Sir William Molesworth, and Sir John Eliot. It furnished Tyburn with a victim--Hugh Peters, the chaplain of Oliver Cromwell, a strange mixture of money-grasping, enthusiasm, and humour.
It has been the object of the author, not to retell the lives of the greatest of the sons of Cornwall, for these lives may be read in the _Dictionary of National Biography_, but to chronicle the stories of lesser luminaries concerning whom less is known and little is easily accessible. In this way it serves as a companion volume to _Devonshire Characters_; and Cornwall in no particular falls short of Devonshire in the variety of characters it has sent forth, nor are their stories of less interest.
The author and publisher have to thank many for kind help: Mr. Percy Bate, Mr. T. R. Bolitho, Rev. A. T. Boscawen, Mr. J. A. Bridger, Mr. T. Walter Brimacombe, Mr. A. M. Broadley, Mr. R. P. Chope, Mr. Digby Collins, Mr. J. B. Cornish, Mrs. Coryton of Pentillie Castle, Miss Loveday E. Drake, Mr. E. H. W. Dunkin, F.S.A., Mr. J. D. Enys of Enys, the Rev. Wm. Iago, Mrs. H. Forbes Julian, Mrs. de Lacy Lacy, the Rev. A. H. Malan, Mr. Lewis Melville, Mr. A. H. Norway, Captain Rogers of Penrose, Mr. Thomas Seccombe, Mr. Henry Trengrouse, Mr. W. H. K. Wright, and Mr. Henry Young of Liverpool--and last, but not least, Miss Windeatt Roberts for her admirable Index to the volume.
The publisher wishes me to say that he would much like to discover the whereabouts of a full-length portrait of Sir John Call, with a view of Bodmin Gaol in the background.
S. BARING-GOULD.
CONTENTS
PAGE
WILLIAM PENGELLY, GEOLOGIST 1
SIR CHARLES WILLS, K.B. 12
LIEUTENANT GOLDSMITH AND THE LOGAN ROCK 18
HUGH PETERS, THE REGICIDE 26
JAMES POLKINGHORNE, THE WRESTLER 54
HENRY TRENGROUSE, INVENTOR 59
THE BOTATHAN GHOST 72
JOHN COUCH ADAMS, ASTRONOMER 83
DANIEL GUMB 91
LAURENCE BRADDON 96
THOMASINE BONAVENTURA 108
THE MURDER OF NEVILL NORWAY 117
SIR WILLIAM LOWER, KNT. 126
THE PIRATES AT PENZANCE 130
DAME KILLIGREW 133
TWO NATURALISTS IN CORNWALL 141 John Ralfs George Carter Bignell
SIR JOHN CALL, BART. 154
JOHN KNILL 169
THOMAS TREGOSS 176
ANTHONY PAYNE 181
NEVIL NORTHEY BURNARD 186
SIR GOLDSWORTHY GURNEY, KNT., INVENTOR 192
THE JANES 206
THE PENNINGTONS 222
DOCTOR GLYNN-CLOBERY 228
THREE MEN OF MOUSEHOLE 232
DOLLY PENTREATH 238
ROBERT JEFFERY OF POLPERRO 247
ADMIRAL RICHARD DARTON THOMAS 258
COMMANDER JOHN POLLARD 269
THE CASE OF BOSAVERN PENLEZ 270
SAMUEL FOOTE 280
THE LAST LORD MOHUN 298
THE LAST LORD CAMELFORD 318
WILLIAM NOYE 329
WILLIAM LEMON 342
SAMUEL DREW 346
THE SIEGE OF SKEWIS 364
THE VOYAGE OF JOHN SANDS 370
CHARLES INCLEDON 375
THE MURDER OF RICHARD CORYTON 388
SIR JAMES TILLIE, KNT. 399
LIEUTENANT JOHN HAWKEY 408
DR. DANIEL LOMBARD 424
THE DREAM OF MR. WILLIAMS 427
SIR ROBERT TRESILIAN 432
PIRATE TRELAWNY 441
JAMES SILK BUCKINGHAM 455
MARY ANN DAVENPORT, ACTRESS 466
THE ROYAL FAMILY OF PRUSSIA 470
CAPTAIN RICHARD KEIGWIN 479
THE LOSS OF THE "KENT" 489
VICE-ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES V. PENROSE 500
SIR CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS, BART. 515
ANNE JEFFERIES 531
THOMAS KILLIGREW, THE KING'S JESTER 544
NICOLAS ROSCARROCK 554
LIEUTENANT PHILIP G. KING 559
HICKS OF BODMIN 569
CAPTAIN TOBIAS MARTIN 579
THE MAYOR OF BODMIN 586
JOHN NICHOLS TOM, _ALIAS_ SIR WILLIAM COURTENAY, K.M. 593
THE BOHELLAND TRAGEDY 614
MARY KELYNACK 620
CAPTAIN WILLIAM ROGERS 623
JOHN BURTON OF FALMOUTH 627
THE FATE OF SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL 637
FRANCIS TREGIAN 652
ANN GLANVILLE 663
JONATHAN SIMPSON, HIGHWAYMAN 670
DAVIES GILBERT 675
JAMES HOSKIN, FARMER 682
JOHN HARRIS, THE MINER POET 692
EDWARD CHAPMAN 701
JOHN COKE OF TRERICE 704
THOMAS PELLOW OF PENRYN 707
THE ORIGIN OF THE ROBARTES FAMILY 718
THEODORE PALEOLOGUS 727
ILLUSTRATIONS
THOMAS PITT, LORD CAMELFORD _Frontispiece_
TO FACE PAGE
WILLIAM PENGELLY 2
From a painting by A. S. Cope, reproduced by permission of Mrs. H. Forbes Julian
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR CHARLES WILLS 12
From an engraving by Simon, after a picture by M. Dahl
A VIEW OF THE CELEBRATED LOGAN ROCK, NEAR LAND'S END IN CORNWALL 18
Taken after the Rock was displaced on the 8th of April, 1824. From a lithograph by Vibert, after a drawing by Tonkin
A VIEW OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF CASTLE TRERYN, SHOWING THE MACHINERY ERECTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPLACING THE LOGAN ROCK 22
From a lithograph by Vibert, after a drawing by Tonkin
HUGH PETERS 26
From an old engraving
JAMES POLKINGHORNE, THE FAMOUS CORNISH WRESTLER 54
From a drawing as he appeared in the Ring at Devonport on Monday, 23 October, 1826, when he threw Aḇͫ. Cann, the Champion of Devonshire, for a stake of 200 sovereigns
HENRY TRENGROUSE, THE INVENTOR OF THE ROCKET APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA 60
From an oil painting by Opie the younger, reproduced by permission of Mr. H. Trengrouse
THE WRECK OF THE "ANSON" 66
From a sketch by Mr. H. Trengrouse
"PARSON RUDALL" 72
From a painting in the possession of the Rev. S. Baring-Gould
JOHN COUCH ADAMS 84
From a mezzotint by Samuel Cousins, A.R.A., after a picture by Thomas Mogford. From the collection of Mrs. Lewis Lane
JOHN COUCH ADAMS 88
THE CHEESE-WRING 92
From an etching by Letitia Byrne, after a drawing by J. Farington, R.A.
NEVILL NORWAY 118
From a painting in the possession of Miss A. T. Norway
SIR WILLIAM LOWER 126
THE KILLYGREW CUP 134 "1633. FROM MAIOR TO MAIOR TO THE TOWNE OF PERMARIN, WHERE THEY RECEIVED MEE THAT WAS IN GREAT MISERY" JANE KILLYGREW
This cup has been recently valued at the sum of £4000. It measures just two feet in height
GEORGE CARTER BIGNELL 142
From a photograph
JOHN RALFS 146
Reproduced by permission of Miss Loveday E. Drake
SIR JOHN CALL, BART. 154
From a portrait (by A. Hickle) in the possession of his great-granddaughter, Mrs. de Lacy Lacy
WHITEFORD--THE RESIDENCE OF SIR JOHN CALL 164
From a drawing in the possession of Mrs. de Lacy Lacy
JOHN KNILL 170
After a picture by Opie in the possession of Captain Rogers, of Penrose
GLASS INSCRIBED "SUCCESS TO THE EAGLE FRIGATE, JOHN KNILL, COMMANDER" 172
From the collection of Percy Bate, Esq., of Glasgow
ANTHONY PAYNE 182
From a painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, purchased by Sir Robert Harvey, High Sheriff of Cornwall, 1901, and presented to the Institute of Cornwall
NEVIL NORTHEY BURNARD 186
From a bas-relief by the sculptor himself, in the possession of S. Pearn, Esq., Altarnon
WESLEY'S HEAD OVER THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE, PENPONT, ALTARNON. Cut by Burnard when 16 years of age 188
TOMBSTONES CUT BY BURNARD 188
That on the right is upon the grave of his grandfather in Altarnon Churchyard, and was cut when the sculptor was only 14 years old; the one on the left is in Bodmin Churchyard
TOMBSTONES IN ALTARNON CHURCHYARD. Cut by Burnard 190
SIR GOLDSWORTHY GURNEY 192
From a lithograph by W. Sharp, after a drawing by S. C. Smith
DOROTHY PENTREATH OF MOUSEHOLE IN CORNWALL. THE LAST PERSON WHO COULD CONVERSE IN THE CORNISH LANGUAGE 232
From a drawing by R. Scadden
MONSCHOLE, IN MOUNT'S BAY, FROM THE ISLAND 238
From a drawing by Captain Tremenhere
SAMUEL FOOTE 280
THE LAST LORD MOHUN 298
From a mezzotint by I. Faber, after a picture by Sir Godfrey Kneller
THE DUEL BETWEEN LORD MOHUN AND THE DUKE OF HAMILTON 312
From a contemporary mezzotint in the British Museum
SIR WILLIAM NOYE, ATTORNEY-GENERAL TO KING CHARLES THE FIRST 330
SIR WILLIAM LEMON, BART., M.P. FOR CORNWALL 342
From an engraving by J. H. Meyer
SAMUEL DREW 346
From an engraving by R. Hicks, after a painting by F. Moore
HENRY ROGERS, PEWTERER 364
CHARLES INCLEDON, AS MACHEATH 376
From an engraving by J. Thomson, after a painting by Singleton
SIR JAMES TILLIE, KNT. 400
SIR JAMES TILLIE'S MONUMENT AT PENTILLIE 406
EDWARD JOHN TRELAWNY 442
From a drawing by D. Lucas
JAMES SILK BUCKINGHAM 456
MRS. DAVENPORT, IN THE CHARACTER OF MRS. GRUNDY 466
From an engraving by Ridley, after a picture by De Wilde
AT PRUSSIA COVE. "BESSY'S" COVE FROM BATTERY POINT 470
From a drawing in the possession of J. B. Cornish, Esq.
JOHN CARTER'S HOUSE AT PRUSSIA COVE. (DEMOLISHED IN 1906) 476
From a photograph by Gibson & Sons, Penzance
VICE-ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES V. PENROSE, K.C.B. 500
From a picture by Allingham
THOMAS KILLIGREW, GROOM OF THE BEDCHAMBER TO KING CHARLES THE SECOND 544
From an engraving by I. Vander vaart, after a picture by W. Wissens
LIEUTENANT PHILIP GIDLEY KING 560
From an engraving by W. Skelton, after a drawing by J. Wright
WILLIAM R. HICKS 570
WILLIAM R. HICKS OF BODMIN 576
From a Caricature
JOHN THOMAS, OTHERWISE SIR WILLIAM COURTENAY, WHO SHOT LIEUTENANT BENNET IN BASENDEN WOOD, BOUGHTON, NEAR CANTERBURY, AND THE CONSTABLE MEARS, ON THURSDAY, MAY 31ST, 1838. 594
PERCY HONEYWOOD COURTENAY, KNIGHT OF MALTA, ETC. ETC., AS HE APPEARED AT THE ELECTION IN 1832 608
MARY KELYNACK 620
CAPTAIN W. ROGERS 624
From an engraving by Ridley and Blood, after a picture by Drummond
JOHN BURTON OF FALMOUTH 628
SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL 638
ANN GLANVILLE 664
DAVIES GILBERT 676
From a mezzotint by Samuel Cousins, A.R.A., after a picture by Henry Howard, R.A. From the collection of Mrs. Lewis Lane
JOHN HARRIS, THE MINER POET 692
THE RIGHT HON. JOHN EARL OF RADNOR: BARON ROBERTS OF TRURO 718
After Sir Godfrey Kneller
MEMORIAL BRASS IN THE CHURCH OF LANDULPH. 728
Reproduced by permission of E. H. W. Dunkin, Esq., F.S.A., from his book on Cornish Brasses
CORNISH CHARACTERS AND STRANGE EVENTS
CORNISH CHARACTERS AND STRANGE EVENTS
WILLIAM PENGELLY, GEOLOGIST
William Pengelly was born at East Looe on January 12th, 1812, and was the son of the captain of a small coasting vessel and nephew of a notorious smuggler. The Pengellys had, in fact, been connected with the sea for several generations. His mother was a Prout of the same family as the famous water-colour artist.
As a child his career was almost cut short by fire. An aunt came to stay with the Pengellys, arriving a day before she was expected. Early on the following morning, when sitting in her bedroom window, wrapped in a thick woollen shawl, she saw her little nephew William rush out of the house enveloped in flames. She hurried after him, and managed to smother the fire with her woollen garment, and thus saved the child's life, though she was herself so badly burnt that she carried the scars to her dying day. The little boy had risen early, and had kindled a fire so that he might go on with his lessons before any one else was astir in the house, with the result that he set light to his clothes, and except for the premature arrival of his aunt, must certainly have been burnt to death.
At the age of twelve he went to sea. He says:--
"Our voyages were short. I do not remember an instance of being at sea more than three consecutive days; so that, except when windbound, we were almost always taking in or taking out cargo. The work was hard, but the food was abundant, and on the whole the life, though rough, was not unpleasant.
"To me--thinking nothing of the pecuniary aspects of the question--the most enjoyable occasions were those which fierce contrary winds brought us, when we had to seek some harbour of refuge. These were by no means necessarily holidays, for, if the weather were dry, advantage was taken of the enforced leisure to give our craft a thorough cleaning, or to repair her rigging, or to make up the books. Moreover, the crew employed me to write letters to their wives from their dictation. These epistles were generally of a remarkable character, and some of them remain firmly fixed in my memory. The foregoing labours disposed of, and foul winds still prevailing, we had a washing day, or, better than all, a bout of tailoring, which did not generally get beyond repairing, though occasionally the ambitious flight of making a pair of trousers was attempted. On tailoring days it was understood that my clothes should be repaired for me, in order that I might read aloud for the general benefit. We assembled in our little cabin, where the stitching and smoking went on simultaneously, and with great vigour. My poor library consisted of a Bible, the eighth volume of the _Spectator_, Johnson's _English Dictionary_, a volume of the _Weekly Miscellany_, the _History of John Gilpin_, _Baron Munchausen's Travels_, Walkinghame's _Arithmetic_, and a book of songs. My hearers were not very fastidious, but allowed me to read pretty much what I pleased, though, truth to tell, the _Spectator_ was not a favourite; some portions of it were held to be nonsensical, and others were considered to be so lacking in truthfulness that it was generally termed the 'lying book.' This ill repute was largely due to the story of Fadlallah (No. 578). Walkinghame was by no means unpopular. I occasionally read some of the questions, and my shipmates endeavoured to solve them mentally; and as the answers were all given by the author, I had to declare who had made the nearest guess, for it was very often but little more. Of all the questions, none excited so much interest as that which asks, What will be the cost of shoeing a horse at a farthing for the first nail, two for the second, and so on in geometrical progression for thirty-two nails, and which gives for the answer a sum but little short of four and a half million pounds sterling. This was so utterly unexpected that it went far to confer on Walkinghame the same name that Fadlallah had given to the _Spectator_."
William Pengelly tells a curious story of his father, Richard Pengelly:--
"After completing his fifteenth year he was thinking of going to sea. When he was sixteen, his father, who was a sailor, was drowned almost within sight of his home. The effect on the boy was to make him pause, and on his friends, to urge him to give up the idea. For some months these influences kept him quiet, but at length his restlessness returned so strongly, that he would have gone to sea at once, had he felt satisfied that his father would have approved the step. To ascertain this point he prayed frequently and earnestly that his father's spirit might be allowed to appear to him, with a pleasing or frowning aspect, according as he might approve or disapprove. At length he believed his prayer to have been answered, and that when in the field ploughing he saw his father, who passed by looking intently and smilingly at him. This decided him. He became a sailor at seventeen, and as such died at a good old age."