England Described, Treatise · County 6 – County 7
Cornwall.
IT extends in length to about ſeventy miles, the breadth in the largeſt place paſſeth not thirty. Carews Surveigh of Cornwall.
Speed computes the length ſixty miles, and the breadth forty.
It is called by later Writers Cornubia Cornwallia, The fartheſt Shire of England weſtwards, ſo called from Cornu Galliae, being caſt out into the Sea, with the ſhape of a Horn. Carews Surveigh of Cornwall. Vide Polyd. Verg. Camden in the cloſe of Cornwall commends that Carew, and acknowledgeth he received much light from his Deſcription of this Countrey.in Latine, of all Britain it doth bear moſt Weſtward, becauſe it waxeth ſmaller and ſmaller in manner of an Horn, and runneth forth into the Sea, with little promontories, as if they were Horns on every ſide. Others would have it ſo called of one Corin, and do call it Corinea. Camd. Brit.
There is digged here wonderfull ſtore of Tin, yeelding exceeding much profit and commodity, whereof are made houſhold Pewter veſſels, which are uſed thorowout many parts of Europe in ſervice of the Table, and for their glittering brightneſſe, compared with ſilver-plate.
Terra admodum ſterilis, fructum magis ex cultorum induſtria, quam ex ſua bonitate praebet: ſed fert uberius plumbum nigrum & album, hoc eſt, ſtannum, in quo effodiendo maximè conſiſtit vita incolarum. Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hiſt. l. 1.
The Kings of England, and Dukes of Cornwall, in their times have reſerved to themſelves a praeemption of Tinne (by the opinion of the learned in the Law) as well in regard of the Propriety, as being chief Lords and Proprietaries; as of their Royal Prerogative.
Not only Tin is here found, but therewith alſo Gold and Silver; yea and Dyamonds ſhaped, and pointed angle-wiſe, ſmoothed alſo by Nature it ſelf: whereof ſome are as big as Wall-nuts, and inferiour to the orient Dyamonds, in blackneſſe and hardneſſe only.
So plentifull is this Countrey of grain, although not without great toil of the Husbandman, that it hath not only ſufficient to maintain it ſelf, but alſo affordeth often times great ſtore of Corn into Spain.
Beſides a moſt rich Revenue and Commodity they have by thoſe little Fiſhes that they call Pilchards, which ſwarming, as one would ſay, in mighty great skuls about the ſhores from July unto November, are there taken, garbaged, falted, hanged in the ſmoke, laid up, preſſed, and by infinite numbers carried over into France, Spain, and Italy, unto which Countreys they be very good chaffer, and right welcome merchandize, and are there named Fumados.
Michael a Corniſh Poet, and of Rhymers in his time the chieſ, hath theſe Verſes of Cornwall.
Non opus eſt ut opes numerem quibus eſt opulenta,
Et per quas, inopes ſuſtentat non opulenta:
Piſcibus & ſtanno nuſquam tam fertilis ora.
The people thre are civil, valiant, The Corniſh are a race of men, ſtout of ſtomack, mighty of body and limb, which live hardly in a barren countrey. Sr Francis Bacon in his Hiſt. of H. 7th.hardy, well pitcht in ſtature, brawny and ſtrong limbed: ſuch as for wreſtling (to ſpeak nothing of that manly exerciſe, and feat of hurling the Ball, which they uſe) ſo farre excell, that for ſlight and clean ſtrength together, they juſtly winne the prize and praiſe from other Nations in that behalf.
Godolphin-Hill right famous for plentifull veins of Tin, but much more renowned in regard of the Lords thereof, bearing the ſame name, who with their vertues have equalled the ancientneſſe of that Houſe and Linage. That name in the Corniſh Language came of a white Eagle, and this Family hath anciently born for their Arms in a Shield Gules, an Aegle diſplayed Argent, between three Flower-deluces of the ſame Shield.
Falemouth-Haven is as noble as Brunduſium it ſelf in Italy: of exceeding great capacity; for it is able to receive an hundred Ships, which may ride therein ſo apart by themſelves, that out of never an one of them the top of anothers Maſt can be ſeen: and moſt ſafe withall under the wind, by reaſon that it is encloſed on every ſide with brims of high riſing banks.
The Gullet on either hand, as well for the defence and ſafety of the place, as for terrour to enemies, is fortified with Block-houſes: to wit, the Caſtle of Maudit Eaſtward, and toward the Weſt, the Fort Pendinaes, both built by King Henry the Eighth.
Foy a Town moſt renowned in former ages, for Sea fights: which the very Arms of the Town do witneſſe, as being compounded of the Cinque-ports Arms.
Padſtow a pretty Market Town, ſo called ſhort for Petrockstow of one Petroch a Britan, canonized a Saint by the people: who ſpent his dayes here in the ſervice of God.
Edward the Third erected Cornwall into a Dukedome, and inveſted Edward his Sonne, a Prince moſt accompliſhed with Martial Proweſſe, in the yeer of Chriſt, 1336. Duke of Cornwall, by a Wreath on his Head, a Ring upon his Finger, and a ſilver Verge.
Since which time, the King of Englands eldeſt Sonne is reputed Duke of Cornwall by birth.
Launſton the chief Town.
The Promontory named the Lands end, the moſt Weſtern point of the Kingdom.
It containeth nine Hundreds, two and twenty Market Towns, an hundred ſixty and one Pariſhes.
Cumberland.
IT took the name of the Inhabitauts, The places every where bear Britiſh names.who were the true and natural Britans, and called themſelves in their own language Kumbri.
This Countrey although it be ſomewhat with the coldeſt, as lying farre North, and ſeemeth as rough by reaſon of Hils, yet for the variety thereof it ſmileth upon the beholders, and giveth contentment to as many as travel it.
Of all the Shires we have, it is accounted the beſt furniſhed with the Roman Antiquities. Burtons Comment. on Antoninus his Itin. p. 13.
At Newlands there are copper or braſſe Mines.Black-lead is alſo found there.
Skiddaw-Hill is very high.
Skiddaw, Lauvellin, and Caſticand,
Are the higheſt hils in all England.Two other Hils in that Tract.
Solway Frith, ſo called of Solway a Town in Scotland ſtanding upon it.
Under this Burgh, within the very Frith where the ſalt water ebbeth and floweth, the Engliſhmen and Scotiſh, by report of the Inhabitants, fought with their Fleets at full Sea, and alſo with their Horſemen and Footmen at the ebbe.
Hard by the Riveret Dacor, ſtandeth Dacre-Caſtle, of ſignal note, becauſe it hath given ſurname to the honourable Family of the Barons Dacre.
Carlile. This ancient City is fortified with ſtrong walls of ſtone, In Latine Carleolum.with a Caſtle, and Citadel, as they terme it.
Here begun Picts-wall, or ſimply by It flouriſhed in the time of the Romans, as divers tokens of Antiquity now and then digged up there, and the famous mention of it in thoſe dayes do ſufficiently prove.way of excellency, The Wall, the limit of the Roman Province, continued through this Countrey, and Northumberland, and ending in Walls-end.
Here are nine Market Towns, and fifty eight Pariſhes.