Part 21

Another belief, which still holds good, is that when a child is born in the interval between an old moon and the first appearance of a new one, it will never live to attain to puberty. A recent observation confirms this as well to animals as children. Hence the saying of “no moon no man.” Other popular notions, among old folks, are that when a boy is born on the waning moon the next birth will be a girl, and vice versâ; they also say that when a birth takes place on the “growing of the moon,” the next child will be of the same sex. Many of these fancies, however, may be astrological notions, handed down from ancient times and common to many places. Here much of such lore has been learnt from Sibley’s “Treatise on the Occult Sciences,” which is the oracle of our western astrologers; though they seldom let their study of that and similar works be known for fear of the ridicule with which it is now the fashion to regard such pursuits.

CORNISH CONJURORS’ CHARMS AGAINST WITCHCRAFT.

The following are some of the spells supplied by West Country “Pellars” to those who seek their protection, as stated in a notice of “Cornish Observances with regard to the Sun.”

A strip of parchment, inscribed with the words SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS, is regarded as a protection from many evils when worn as an amulet; all the more so because these magical words read the same backwards as forwards. These words also form a magical square, and can be read up or down, backwards or forwards, or any way—thus

S A T O R A R E P O T E N E T O P E R A R O T A S

At the time of an old lady’s decease, a little while ago, on her breast was found a small silk bag containing various charms; among others, a piece of parchment, about three inches square, having written on one side of it NALGAH. Under this is a pen-and-ink drawing of a figure somewhat like a bird, with two pairs of wings, a pair extended and the others folded beneath them. The creature appears to be hovering, and at the same time brooding on a large egg, sustained by one of its legs; whilst it holds a smaller egg at the extremity of its other leg, which is outstretched and long. Its head, round and small, is unlike that of a bird; from the rudeness of the sketch, and its faded state, it is difficult to trace all the outlines. Under this singular figure is the word TETRAGRAMMATON. On the reverse, in large letters,

JEHOVAH JAH, ELOHIM, SHADDAY, ADONAY, HAVE MERCY ON A POOR WOMAN.

A Pellar of great repute in this neighbourhood tells me, however, that this precious document is inscribed with two distinct charms—that the Nalgah is the figure only.

The ABRACADABRA is supplied by our “white-witches” for the cure or prevention of some diseases; the letters, arranged in the usual way, are enclosed in two intersecting triangles.

Another potent spell is a rude draft of the planetary signs for the Sun, Jupiter, and Venus, followed by a cross, pentagram, and a figure formed by a perpendicular line, and a divergent one on each side of it, united at the bottom. Under them is written, “Whosoever beareth these tokens will be fortunate and need fear no evil.”

The charms are folded in a paper on which is usually written, “By the help of the Lord these will do thee good,” and enclosed in a little bag to be worn on the breast. Bed-ridden folks have them placed in their pillows, and the conjurors visit such infirm ones yearly to “renew their protection.”

Western Pellars are ignorant of the meaning of the above formulas, but regard them as powerful words and signs that have been handed down from wise men of ancient times who followed a like profession.

There is one practitioner in the vicinity of Penzance who is well versed in Astrology, from having made this science the study of a long life.

Besides the above-mentioned counter spells to sorcery and other mysterious evils, persons are furnished with witch powders, to be cast over such children or cattle as may be ill-wished, begrudged, or “over-looked;” with regard to the latter, holding two forked (spread) fingers towards a person that has evil eyes, is believed to be a safeguard from their blasting influence.

A short time ago one might obtain blood-stones, milpreves, or snake-stones, but these are become rare; the blue stone or glass rings, in which were seen the figure of an adder, or the pattern of a snake, were much prized, because it was believed that those who wore them were by that means safe from being harmed by any of the serpent tribe, and that man or beast having been stung, if given water to drink wherein this stone had been infused, would soon recover from the poison.

Cornish folks have such confidence in their conjurors’ mysterious science, that many go a great distance to consult them, and the mere threat of “going to the Pellar” is often sufficient to procure the restitution of stolen goods, or compensation for injury; and, after all, their remedies may be as beneficial as those usually prescribed for imaginary ailments.

Most Cornish folks are familiar with the following lines, or others of the same import:—

Born on a Sunday a gentleman. Monday’s child is fair in face. Tuesday’s child is full of grace. Wednesday’s child is sour and sad. Thursday’s child is merry and glad. Friday’s child is loving and giving. Saturday’s child works hard for its living.

Another version says—

Wednesday’s child is full of woe. Thursday’s child has far to go.

The assumed principles of astrology furnish a key to the above; as the subject is supposed to be influenced according to the nature of the planet or divinity after whom the day is named, and which is regarded in medical astrology, as lord of the first house for the respective day.

ALL ON ONE SIDE, LIKE SMOOTHY’S WEDDING.

Some eighty or ninety years ago a male member of a well-known family was about to be married. He was a soft-spoken individual, and, in the days when nearly every one had a nickname, he was called and known generally as “Smoothy.” When the wedding-day came it was found that all the invited guests were his relatives and friends—not one the bride’s. Hence the saying.

“All on one side, like Smoothy’s wedding,” is often applied to cases of biassed judgment, or an unfair award from a prejudiced view of the subject.

“Smoothy” is a nickname commonly given to a double-faced, fair-spoken hypocrite,—one who runs with the hare and holds with the hounds.

PISKIES, SPRIGGANS, SMALL PEOPLE, AND KNOCKERS.

According to the Fairy belief of the old Cornish folk, the Piskey has seldom been seen in any other shape than that of a weird, wizzened-looking, little old man. As such he has often been spied of moonlight winter’s nights threshing the corn in the barns of lonely places. Boslow and Lejarn are often spoken of as being favourite haunts of the goblin. Another of his well-known pranks is to mount on the necks of the colts, where he plaits his Piskey stirrups in the winter, and rides the colts after the cows like mad in the summer. Leading the folks into the bogs, by appearing like a person with a lantern or light from a window, were of constant occurrence unless the night wanderer took the precaution to turn some garment inside out, to break the spell.

The Spriggans, quite a different class of beings, are the dourest and most ugly set of sprights belonging to the elfin tribe; they are only seen about old ruins, barrows, giant’s quoits and castles, or other places where treasure is buried, of which they have the charge. They also steal children, leaving their own ugly brats in their place, bring bad weather to blight the crops, whirlwinds over the fields of cut corn, and do much other mischief to those who meddle with their favourite haunts.

The innocent Small-people, on the contrary, are always described as being extremely beautiful by all who have had the luck to see them, holding their merry fairs and sprightly dances on the velvety turf of the greens, sheltered glades between the cairns, or in other secluded pleasant places, dressed in their bright green nether garments, sky-blue jackets, three-cornered hats on the men and pointed ones on the ladies, all decked with lace and silver bells. They are as lovely as the flowers of the fields. These good small folks often showed great kindness to those people to whom they took a fancy, and have frequently been known to come into poor cottages, divert good old bed-ridden folks with their merry pranks and gambols, and fill the air with the delicious odours of flowers, and such sweet melody as few but angels ever hear and live.

The Bockles, or Knockers, can scarcely be classed as fairies; they seem rather to be a hybrid race between ordinary ghosts and elves, as the miners believe them to be the restless souls of the Jews who formerly worked in the tin-mines of Cornwall. The tinners often hear them working when underground; sometimes, these ghostly workers may be heard even from the surface; yet they so rarely make their appearance now that we hardly know what they are like.

There are a few other mythical beings belonging to our elvin creed, but they have been so seldom seen of latter days, that very little is now known of the Buccas, Browneys, Mermaids, &c. Probably the mermaids so much dislike steam ships that the fair syrens have taken themselves off, with all their combs and glasses, to the China seas, so as to be out of the way of the fiery monsters of the deep.

OLD CORNISH WORDS.

Strangers are often puzzled to know what we Cornish people mean by some of our words. Let us take some old Cornish words still in common use, as skaw for the elder-tree; skaw-dower, water-elder; bannel, broom; skedgewith, privet; griglans, heath; padzy-paw (from padzar, four), the small grey lizard; muryan, the ant; quilkan, the frog (which retains its English name when in the water); pul-cronack (literally pool-toad) is the name given to a small fish with a head much like that of a toad, which is often found in the pools (pulans) left by the receding tide among the rocks along shore; visnan, the sand-lance; bul-horn, the shell-snail; dumble-dory, the black-beetle (but this may be a corruption of the dor-beetle). A small, solid wheel has still the old name of drucshar. Finely pulverized soil is called grute. The roots and other light matter harrowed up on the surface of the ground for burning we call tabs. Guldaize, harvest feast. Plum means soft; quail, withered; crum, crooked; bruyans, crumbs; with a few other terms more rarely used.

Many of our ordinary expressions (often mistaken for vulgar provincialisms) are French words slightly modified, which were probably introduced into the west by the old Norman families who long resided there. For instance; a large apron to come quite round, worn for the sake of keeping the under clothing clean, is called a touser (tout serre); a game of running romps, is a courant (from courir). Very rough play is a regular cow’s courant. Going into a neighbour’s for a spell of friendly chat is going to cursey (couser) a bit. The loins are called the cheens (old French, echine.) The plant sweet-leaf, a kind of St. John’s wort, here called tutsen, is the French toute saine (heal all). There are some others which, however, are not peculiar to the west, as kick-shaws (quelque chose), &c. We have also many inverted words, as swap for wasp, cruds for curds, &c. Then again we call a fly a flea; and a flea a flay; and the smallest stream of water a river.

Ishan is a genuine old Cornish word; it is only given to such dust as comes from winnowing, the result of which process is husks, chaff, &c.

Refuse, consisting of defective grains, seeds, &c., on the “tail” (leeward end) of a winnowing sheet, was, by old “winsters,” called attal.

Harvest-time reminds one of our free-hearted old farmers and their bountiful goolthise, at which all comers were welcome to eat, drink, and be merry. This name for an entertainment given on the principal corn-carrying day—generally the last—is preserved from our ancient language.

In Scilly a harvest feast is called Nicklethise.

In addition to the above we have the following terms connected with harvest work and the preparation of corn for mill or market. Dram, a swathe of cut corn; croust, the afternoon’s refreshment, generally of hot fuggans (cakes) and ale (Latin crusta).

Collebrands, defective and smutty ears, supposed to be blighted by the fine weather lightning, called by the same name.

Pederack and brummal, arish mows. The former is conical in shape, with the ear ends of all the sheaves turned inward and upwards; the latter, which is also called a culver-house mow, is in shape much like an old-fashioned, round, stone-built pigeon-house; having the part which answers to a culver-house roof finished with the sheaves turned, ear end, downwards and outwards. A brummal mow is the best for continued moist weather, because the ears on a mow-top are less liable to sprout when reversed. An ill-shaped, bulging pederack mow is said, in derision, to be “like an old culver-house,” by those who don’t know what the object of their comparison means.

Brummal is so much like a Gallic name for the sort of weather we call slaggy (full of misty rain), that they are, probably, offshoots from the same old root.

Colp, a short rope for carrying sheaves from a mow-hay to the barn; also a blow. Keveran, a strip of hide or leather which unites the two sticks of a “threshal” (flail) here called the “hand staff and slash-staff.” Liners, threshed wheaten sheaves. Kayer, a coarse sieve (probably a modern corruption of Cadar a-Chair, e.g., Cader Michel; St. Michael’s Chair on St. Michael’s Mount). Layer, a winnowing-sheet. To reeve, to separate with a fine sieve, small corn, seeds, &c., from the good grain.

Most West Country folk use many other words connected with husbandry which sound very unlike English, and are unknown in the eastern part of the county, as Colpas, anything which serves as a prop, or an underset, to a crowbar, or other object when used as a lever. Visgey (mutation for Pigol), a large pick, or mattock; tubble is another name for the same. Piggal, a beat-axe. Monger, a straw horse-collar, &c., &c.

GLOSSARY OF LOCAL WORDS.

Aree faa, exclamation: “dear me.”

Bal, a mine. Bannel, a broom, a yellow flowering shrub. Beety, to mend nets. Benen-vat, a good woman. Benkeyl, a living stream. Ben-ma-brea, woman of my heart. Balsh, small rope. Boobun, wick of the “chill.” Bowjowler, a place in the fishing-boat, to keep the foot-line. Breal, mackerel. Breedy, to make nets, by meshing with needle and pin-roller. Broaze, on the point of boiling. Broazen, briskly; the fire burns briskly. Bruz, small furze; remnants. Bucca-boo, a fool; a bogey. Bussa, a salting pot for meat. Bussa-head, a blockhead.

Caboolen, a stone used by seiners. Caboose, portable fishing-boat’s fire-place. Capis, very large meshes in a trammel-net. Cavers, the darnel. Chea, word used in calling swine to feed. Chea-chanter, hold your tongue. Chill, a lamp. Clibby, sticky, like molasses. Clomb, earthenware. Clunk, to swallow. Cobesta, a part of fishing tackle. Codgy or Clidgy, adhesive; gummy. Coits, a pile of rocks; group of stones. Costan, straw and bramble baskets. Cowal, fish basket, with a band for the head, carried by fishwomen. Cowl, fish-bladder. Cowleck, a glutton. Cravel, mantel-beam. Croggan, limpet-shell. Crowse, refreshment, carried to field in hay, corn, and potato harvests. Crum, crooked. Crush, shrunk with age.

Derns, a door-frame. Didgen, a bit; a small portion. Dien, a man. Dowse, to throw on the ground. Dowsing-rod, divining rod, used to discover minerals, water, &c. Drethen, a sand-pot, a sand-area ’neath the sea. Drizzle, small rain. Drizzling-dour, small stream.

Enys, an island.

Flucan-courses, a term in mining; cross-courses. Freathed out, frayed. Friday cum-sennet, next Friday week. Fuggan, a cake; dinner cake. Fun, a small kind of rush. Fusy, good.

Geek, a sly look; a peep. Ging, to fasten a fish hook to line with wire. Gord, a nine-feet rod to measure land. Griglens, remains of a heath broom. Guldize, harvest home. Gurry, a four-handled barrow with enclosed sides. Gwarrah, the farthest, the most distant. Gweean, perry-winkle.

Hayl, a river. Heevil, three-prong fork, a stable implement. Hilla, the nightmare. Hogan, miners’ dinner. Huel, a mine.

Ianken, walking quickly.

Jonic, fair, straightforward. Jsenequick, italian-iron. Jouder, fish overboiled. Jowdy, to walk in water with boots and stockings on.

Kanker, a small crab. Kay-yer, a coarse winnowing machine. Keals (quilles) nine-pins. Keal-alley, a bowling-green. Keddened and Cabageed, booted with mud; dirty. Keg, a dog. Kente-pathen-gy, wooden pins belonging to the stone anchor used in punts. Keygans, small refuse roots. Kibbal, a mine bucket. Kibbin, to steal. Kicker, fishing boats’ small mizen sail. Keggil, a piece of wood used by thread-spinners. Kiskey, a rotten stick. Kist-vaen, stone chest. Ku-lar, to lend.

Laggen, to splash in the water. Laister, yellow iris, or water flag. Lasking, keep near shore, a term used by fishermen. Lenth, shelter, cover from the weather. Ligge, broth; soup. Ludras, a frame for the (Killick).

Meanolas, a fire-place, a square box made of stones and clay, made by fishermen. Midge-go-morrah, hesitation, doubt, excuse. Miggle-cum-par, mixed fuel—a term used in swine feeding; confusion, a mixture. Minch, to play truant—shun school. Moppeneede, hide and go seek, a game. Mowaz, a maid. More, the root. Muryan, an ant, emmet.

Nacken, pocket handkerchief. Nuddick, back part of the neck.

Padger-paw, a lizard. Pag-ae, please. Peacher, a lure, an enticement. Pedna-a-mean, heads and tails, a game of pins. Pedn-borbas, cod’s head. Pigal, a farm implement. Piler, a farm implement, used to pound, or cut the beards from barley in winnowing. Pilles, naked oats (avena nuda). Planchen, wood floor. Podn, mine dust; tailings. Pol, a pool. Polyn, a stick. Punick, a small person; a dwarf. Purvans, shreds of cotton used in wick-making for a “chill.”

Quail, withered. Quilken, a young frog.

Raf, refuse, waste. Riggling, cleaning out the fire-place with the poker. Rût, to rub; friction.

Scabby-gullion, a stew. Scat, to knock; break to pieces. Schecojan, call; invitation. Scraggen, straggling. Scrof, the refuse. Scroggan, a worthless person. Scud, to spill any liquid. Scruff of the nuddick, nape of the neck. Shong, a broken mesh. Shethen, any thing long; a piece of hake used as bait. Skillet, small tin saucepan. Skubmaw, small parts; bits of wreck. Slag, small driving rain (drizzle). Slintrim, an incline; going down an incline. Slotter, a sticky wet mess. Stag’d, booted in mud. Stroath, wild haste. Strop, string; a piece of rope. Swap, a wasp. Sabs, to burn tabs,—grass tufts, raked together into piles for burning, in preparing ground for seed.

Tabs, turf, harrowed fine. Thurl, leary. Timmy-noggy, a notched square piece of wood, used to support the lower end of the Vargord. To garm, to shout in anger; scold. Tolyer-predu, baking-dish. Toust, toiled or rumpled. Towse, noise; tumult. Towser, coarse apron. Trantums, friskiness; wildness. Tre, a farm. Tubbal, double ball-pick. Tubban, a tuft of earth. Tummels, large quantity, applied in agriculture to crops of straw and hay. Tut, hassock.

Vargord, a spar, used as a foresail; bowline in fishing-boats. Vean, little; “child vean,” little child; kerris vean, little kerris; treveneth vean, &c. Vezy, without; distant; away. Vumfra, blow; a heavy slap.

Widden, white. Widdles, nonsense; foolishness; romancing. Whinz, mine-winch.

Zawn, a cavern. Zelli, a conger eel.

SUBSCRIBERS’ NAMES.

Allen, C. B., Kilburn, London. Allsop, Miss, Penzance, 3 copies. Anderson, T., Penzance. Andrews, William, F.R.H.S., Hull.

Barwis, J. C., Penzance. Batten, Joseph Childs, London. Bennett, E. G., Plymouth. Berryman, Alexander, Penzance. Blewett, J. P., Penzance. Boase, Francis, J.P., Penzance, 2 copies. Boase, Geo., Queen Anne’s Gate, Westminster. Boase, Rev. Charles W., Exeter College, Oxford. Bolitho, Mrs. W., Polwithen. Bolitho, William, Jun., J.P., Ponsandine, 3 copies. Borlase, John, Castle Horneck. Borlase, W. C., Larrigan. Borlase, Rev. William M., Zennor, 2 copies. Botheras, R. Gorton, Manchester. Brokenshire, E., Penzance. Brooks, William, Reigate, Surrey. Brune, Charles G. Prideaux, Prideaux Place, Padstow, 2 copies.

Carne, Henry, Penzance. Chevely, J. C., Madron. Chope, Rev. R. R., Wilton House, London. Colenso, Richard, 2 copies. Colenso, W. Commins, Thos. T., 3, St. Paul’s Churchyard. Cornish, Miss, Penzance. Cornish, C. H., Skaton Chapel. Cornish, Henry R., Penzance. Cornish, James M., Penzance. Cornish, Thomas, Penzance, 2 copies. Cornish, Thomas R., Buenos Ayres. Couch, J. Q., M.R.C.S.E., Penzance. Coulson, J. B., Penzance. Courtenay, James, Bristol. Craig, Mrs. S., 11, Parliament Street, Liverpool.

Dent, Mrs., Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe. Dingley, Mrs., Beachfield House, 2 copies. Drake, Rev. W. N., Ruan, 2 copies. Drew, J. E., Penzance.

Fagan, Rev. H. S., St. Just Vicarage. Field, Thomas W., Marazion. Fisher, Edward, Sidmouth.

Geoffroi, H. M., School of Science and Art, Penzance. Gilbert, Hon. Mrs., Trelissick. Green, William, 9, Cullum-street, London, E.C. Grylls, Thos., Penzance.

Harry, R., London. Harvey, Miss, Penzance. Harvey, J. S., Penzance. Hattam, Thomas, St. Anthony. Hosking, Samuel, Bank Buildings, Hull. Hudson, Robert S., Redruth.

James, Arthur H., St. Just. James, John, Rosevean House, 2 copies. James, Stephen H., St. Just. James, Stephen H., B.C.S. Jennings, E., Linares, Spain.

Kevern, J. T., 2 copies.

Lach-Szyrma, Rev. W. S., Newlyn. Lanyon, J. J., Penzance. Lea, Henry Carey, Philadelphia, U.S. Lovell, James, Jun., Chyandour, Penzance.

Mann, Capt. Benjamin P., London. Matthews, Robert, Penzance. Matthews, R., Jun., Tregoose, Helston. Mauleverer, Miss, The Mall, Armagh, Ireland. Menneer, Miss A., 7, Trewartha Terrace, Penzance. Michell, A. O., Marazion. Michell, W. H., Penzance. Millett, George Bown, M.R.C.S., Penzance. Millett, J. N., Lelant. Mitchell, W., “Western” Hotel, Penzance. Montgomery, H. M., 5, Clarence Place, Penzance. Morewood, R. D., Trinity House, London. Müller, Professor Max, Oxford. Nance, Capt. Francis, St. Martin’s, Scilly Isles. Ninnis, Paul C., Linares, Spain. Noy, W. D., London.

Paull, A., M.R.C.S.E., Truro. Paull, Nicholas, Penzance. Pellew, W. H., Penzance. Pentreath, Dr. F. R., Head Master of Winborne School. Pentreath, Capt. Wm., Pentreath Villa, Mousehole. Pentreath, Richard, Australia Villa, Exmouth, Devon. Pentreath, Richard, H.M.C., London, 2 copies. Pentreath, William B., H.M. Customs, London. Peter, Thurstan C., Redruth, 2 copies. Preston, R. H., Penzance, 3 copies. Price, Charles, Birmingham. Prynne, C. M., The Republican, Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.

Ralfs, John, M.R.C.S.E., 2 copies. Rawlings, W. J., Downes, Hayle. Richards, Mrs., Newlyn. Rickarby, James W. B., Brixton, S. W. Rundle, Rev. S., Ladock.

Stewart, Henry, Penzance.

The Penzance Public Library. Thomas, Henry, Clarence place. Trenoweth, Captain James, Jun., London. Trenwith, Charles, Hayle. Trevail, Silvanus, Tywardreath. Trowsdale, T. B., Young People’s Institute, Hull.

Uren, J. C., Penzance. Uren, J. G., Penzance.

Victor, H., Penzance.

Wellington, R., Penzance. White, Miss, Penzance. White, W. N., Covent Garden. White, R., Jun., 6, Cornwall Terrace, Penzance. Wildman, A. C., Penzance. Wildman, Henry E., R.N., Halifax, Nova Scotia. Williams, Henry, Penzance. Williams, J. H., London. Williams, J. H., Higher Penrose Farm, near Helston. Williams, Major, Washington, U.S.A. Williams, T., Trinity House, London.

NOTES