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a house on the cliffs near the quay, has more than once, on stormy winter nights, been alarmed at his supper by a voice sharp and shrill, coming apparently through the key-hole- Robin! Robin! your boat's adrift!" He has risen and hastened down on the quay to find his boat riding safely at her moorings. The piskies would testify their joy at the success of their deceit by laughing and "tacking their hands.' Another story is told by our fishermen but many of its particulars are forgotten. John Taprail, long since dead, had moored his boat in the evening beside a barge of much larger size belonging to John Rendle, who traded in her between this place and Plymouth. In the middle of the night he was awoke by a voice requesting him to get up and "shift his rope over Rendle." He accordingly rose, but found to his chagrin that he had been called unnecessarily, for both the bcat and the barge were riding quietly at their ropes. On his way back again, when very near his home, he observed a number of the little people arranged in a circle under shelter of a boat that was lying high and dry on the beach. Each was holding his little cap in his hand, except one, who, sitting in the centre, was engaged in distributing a heap of money, throwing it into the caps after the manner in which cards are dealt. John Taprail crept slily towards them sheltered by the boat, and reaching round his own cap managed to introduce it into the circle. When it had received a good portion of the money, he slowly and cautiously withdrew it, and made off with the booty: the interloper, however, was discovered, and the whole circle joined in pursuing him. Having got a good start of the piskies, he managed to reach his house, and to close the door on his pursuers; but his escape was a narrow one, for he had left the skirts of his sea coat in their hands. The next tradition well shows their caprice, and that they are easily offended by an offer of reward, however delicately tendered. A farmer, residing at a particular farmhouse in this neighbourhood, was surprised at the extraordinary quantity of corn which was threshed during the night, as well as puzzled to discover the mysterious agency by which it was effected. His curiosity led him to enquire closely into the matter. One moonlight night he crept stealthily to the barn-door, looked through a chink and, to his astonishment, saw a little fellow, clad in a ragged green suit, wielding the flail with great skill and rapidity. The farmer crept away unperceived, feeling very grateful to the pisky for his services. All night he lay awake, thinking in what way he could best show his gratitude. He settled, at length, that as the

little fellow's clothes were somewhat the worse for wear, the gift of a new suit would be the proper way to lessen the obligation; so he had a suit of green made of what he judged to be the proper size, and this he carried early in the evening to the barn, and left there for the pisky's acceptance. At night he stole to the barn-door, to see how the gift was taken. He was just in time to see the elf put on the suit, with which he was very well pleased, for, looking down on himself, admiringly, he sang-

"Pisky fine, and pisky gay,

Now will pisky fly away." From thenceforth the farmer received no assistance from the fairy flail. Another version of the pisky's song, equally common with the above, is

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Pisky new coat, and pisky new hood, Pisky now will do no more good." It is said of another farmer that he discovered two piskies threshing lustily in his barn, now and then interrupting their work, and enquiring of each other, in the smallest falsetto voice, "I tweat! you tweat?" After a while the flails ceased, and they surveyed their work. "We've threshed enough," observed one. enough! and thank ye!" said the incautious farmer. The elves instantly vanished, and never more visited that barn. It will scarcely be necessary to remind the reader of the similarity of these tales and those which Milton speaks of as told by a country hearth. A farmer's boy, living at Portallow, was sent, one dark night, to procure some litle household necessaries from a shop at Polperro. He was trudging backwards, having executed his business at the grocer's, and had reached Talland-sand hill, when he heard some one say, "I'm for Portallow green! are going my way," thought the lad, "I may as well have your company." Accordingly he listened for a repetition of the voice, intending to hail it. I'm for Portallow green!" was repeated after a short interval. "I'm for Portallow green !" shouted the boy. Quick as thought he found himself on the green, surrounded by a throng of little laughing pixies. They were, however, scarcely settled before the cry was heard from several tiny voices, "I'm for Seaton beach!" (a fine expanse of sand on the coast between Looe and Plymouth, and about seven miles distant from Portallow). Whether he was charmed by this brief taste of pisky society, or was taken with their pleasant mode of travelling, is not stated, but he immediately rejoined, "I'm for Seaton beach!" Off he was whisked, and in a moment found himself on Seaton beach, engaged in a dance of the most lively and fantastic kind, for

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the nimble manner in which his feet were flung about, in measure with the fairy tune which was played by one of the elves, was a perfect wonder to himself. After they had for a while danced "their ringlets to the whistling wind," the cry was changed to " I'm for the King of France's cellar!" Strange to say, he offered no objection even to so long a journey. "I'm for the King of France's cellar! shouted the adventurous youth, as he threw his parcel on the edge of the beach, near the tide. Immediately he found himself in a spacious cellar engaged with his mysterious companions in tasting the richest of wines, after which they passed through grand rooms, fitted up with a splendour which quite dazzled him. The tables were covered with fine plate and rich viands, as if in pectation of a feast. Thinking it would be as well to take away with him some small memorial of his travels, he pocketed a rich silver goblet. After a short stay, the piskies said, "I'm for Seaton beach," which was repeated by the boy, and he was taken back as quickly as he went, reaching the beach in time to recover his parcel from the flowing tide. Their next destination was Portallow Green, where they left our wondering traveller, who soon reached his home, delivered his message, and received a compliment from the good wife for his dispatch. "You'd say so, if you only know'd where I've been," said he. "I've been with the piskies to Seaton beach, and I've been to the King of France's cellar, and all in five minutes." "The boy is mazed," said the farmer. "I thought you'd say I was mazed, if I didn't bring something with me to show vor't," he replied, at the same time producing the goblet. The farmer and his family examined it, wondered at it, and finished by giving a full belief to the boy's strange story. The goblet is unfortunately not now to be produced in proof to those who may still doubt, but we are told that it remained the property of the boy's family for generations after. Our legend of the pisky midwife is so well related by Mrs. Bray, in her book on the "Tamar and Tavy," that it need not be again told, the only material difference being, that it was the accidental application to her right eye of the soap with which she was washing the baby that opened to her the secrets of fairy-land. I have been unable to discover any traces of a belief in water spirits. An old man, just deceased, was accustomed to relate that he saw on a stormy day a woman, her face buried in her long dank locks, sitting on the rocks at Talland sand, and weeping. On his approach, she slid into the sea, and disappeared. The story is

easily accounted for by supposing that he saw a seal (an animal that has been noticed in that locality on more than one occasion), the long hair being an allowable embellishment. Our fishermen talk of "môrmaids," and the egg-cases of the rays and sharks are popularly called "môrmaids' purses." It is extremely doubtful whether they formed a part of the old mythology.

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Besides the piskies, but of a widely different character and origin, are the spectre huntsman and his pack, known as the "Devil and his dandy dogs." The genius of this tradition is essentially Scandinavian, and reminds us of the "Wirtend heer," and the grim sights and terrible sounds which affright the peasant at night in the forests of the north. Though at first the frightful spectres were the ghosts of slain warriors speeding from Valhalla, and pursuing their prey through the murky air, the tradition has become variously altered in different countries, but in all retaining enough of the terrible to mark its derivation. The "Devil and his dandy dogs frequent our bleak and dismal moors on tempestuous nights, and are also occasionally heard in the more cultivated districts by the coasts, where they are less frightful in their character. They are most commonly seen by those who are out at nights on wicked errands, and woe betide the pcor wretch who crosses their path. An interesting legend will illustrate the little we have heard of this superstition in its wilder forms. A poor herdsman was journeying homeward across the moors one windy night, when he heard, at a distance among the tors, the baying of hounds which, time and circumstances considered, he immediately recognised as the dismal chorus of the dandy dogs. Very much alarmed, he hurried onwards as fast as the treacherous nature of the soil and the uncertainty of the path would allow; but the melancholy yelping of the hounds, and the holloa of the huntsman as it sounded across the waste, became every moment nearer and nearer. After a considerable run, they had so gained upon him, that on looking back he could distinctly see hunter and dogs. The former was terrible to look at, and had the usual complement of saucer eyes, horns, and tail, accorded by the common consent of story-tellers to the legendary devil. He was, of course, black, and carried a long hunting-pole. The dogs, too, were black, many in number, each of them snorting fire. and uttering a yelp of peculiarly frightful character. With no cottage, rock, or tree to give him shelter, in despair he was about to abandon himself to their fury, when at once a happy thought

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suggested a resource. Just as they were souls of unbaptized children; the modern about to rush upon him he fell on his name of the spectre huntsman and his knees in prayer, earnest no doubt. Imme-hounds; and the efficacy of prayer in drivdiately, as if resistance had been offered, ing off the latter. From the little I know of the whole pack stood at bay, howling the fairy superstitions of Cornwall (which loudly and dismally. The hunter shouted little has been gleaned entirely from oral "bo shrove!" "which," says my inform- tradition), it would not be easy to classify ant, means in the old language, the boy the beings of the popular creed: still there prays!" and at the words they all drew are characteristics which, when more is off and disappeared. The dandy dogs are known of them, may serve to distribute not unfrequently seen on the sea-coast, them into classes resembling those of the and the stories told are so well attested, continental nations, whose mythology has that there is reason to conclude the narra- kept its distinctions more definitely than tors have really seen a pack of weasels, of our own. Our domestic spirit, who rewhich it is well known that they hunt gre- wards the thrifty servant, and punishes gariously at night, and when so engaged the slattern, and who, in the old manor do not scruple to attack man. house at Killigarth, when the family was at church, was wont to watch the joint as it roasted on the spit, and to admonish the servant to remove it when sufficiently drest, agrees with the gobelin of Normandy, the kobold of Germany, the nisse of Norway, the Tomte gubbe of Sweden, and the brownie of Scotland, and may be found distinct from our little pastoral fairy, whose chief amusement is music and dancing, laughter and mischief, and who makes those rings in our meadows "of which the ewe not bites."

It is certainly surprising to find those stories which we have been taught to associate with a particular house or family told of persons and places very remote. There is, however, only space here to point to certain instances of this community of fable. There is a great similarity, for instance, between the story of Colman Grey, and that of Gilpin Homer, as given in the notes to the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," and we are reminded of the same story when reading of the "Killcrops," in Luther's" Colloquia Mensalia." Our story of the pisky thresher has its counterpart in the fairy lore of almost all the countries in Europe, and so close is the resemblance, that the pisky song would seem almost a verbatim translation from one language to another. In England, at Hilton Hall, the fairy sang

"Here's a cloak, and here's a hood!
The cauld lad of Hilton will do no more
good."

The brownie of Scotland is offended in like
manner at a present of clothes, and cries :
"A new mantle and a new hood!
Poor Brownie! ye'll ne'er do mair
gude."

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The tale of the midwife is also of very wide distribution, and may be found, with slight variation, in Gervase of Tilbury. The legend of "I'm for Portallow green resembles, in many points, that told of Lord Duffus, in the " Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border"; and that related of a butler in the noble house of Monteith. The reader will also be reminded of the story of the "Haunted Cellar," by Crofton Croker. These curious superstitions have received many modifications in the course of ages. The promulgators of later creeds appear to have despaired at the task of rcoting out old and stubborn prejudices, and to have preferred grafting their new doctrines on the old. As instances of these modifications may be mentioned, the widely spread belief that piskies are the

In Cornwall we might expect to find the "swart fairy of the mine" occupying a prominent place in our mythology. It would therefore be interesting to know whether this is the case from those who are acquainted with the "folk lore" of our mining districts, especially as it has been a disputed point whether the Duegars or dwarf tribe dwelling in hills and caverns, and distinguished for their skill in metallurgy really formed a portion of the old belief, or were, as Sir Walter Scott thought them, the diminutive natives of the Lappish and Finnish nations, driven to the mountains by their invaders. The general belief seems to be " that they are personifications of the subterraneous powers of nature" for. as Keightley observes, "all parts of every ancient mythology are but personified powers, attributes, and moral quali

ties.'

There is "An account of Anne Jefferies, now living in the county of Cornwall, who was fed for six months by a and of the strange and wonderful cures she small sort of airy people called fairies; performed, with salves and medicines she received from them, for which she never took one penny of her patients: In a letter from Moses Pitt to the right reverend Father in God, Dr. Edward Fowler, Lord Bishop of Gloucester: 1696." This tract states that Anne Jefferies (for that was her maiden name) was born in the parish of St. Teath in the county of Cornwall, in December, 1626, and is still living, 1696, aged 70. She is married to one William

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touching the Corporale, or cloth which covered the consecrated elements."

Corpus Christi Day. Corpus Christi Day, a moveable feast, is in all Roman Catholic countries celebrated with music, lights, flowers strewed all along the streets, their richest tapestries hung out upon the walls, &c. In the Municipal Records of York, there are vestiges of the performance of the Corpus Christi Play in that city as far back as 1388, and from a fragment of the Chamberlain's Account for 1397, which is extant, we learn that in the latter year the King was present at the spectacle; but from the general tenor of later entries among the archives, there can be no question, that the practice was of far higher antiquity than the reign of Richard II. Mr. Davies, who enters into long details on this subject, says: "The Corporation took great pains to render the exhibition acceptable to their royal visitor. Barriers were erected for the King's accommodation; the pageant was repaired and newly painted; four new scenes and a new banner were provided; the players and the city minstrels were paid additional rewards; and the minstrels of the king and his suite, which probably took part in the performances, received a liberal gratu

Warren, formerly hind to the late eminent physician Dr. Richard Lower, deceased, and now to St. Andrew Slanning of Devon, Bart.-That A.D. 1645, as she was one day sitting knitting in an arbour in the garden there came over the hedge of a sudden, six persons of a small stature all clothed in green, which frighted her so much as to throw her into a great sickness. They continued their appearance to her, never less than two at a time, nor never more than eight, always in even numbers, 2, 4, 6, 8. "She forsook eating our victuals (continues the narrator in whose family she lived as a servant) "and was fed by these fairies from the harvest time to the next Christmas Day; upon which day she came to our table and said, because it was that day she would eat some roast beef with us, which she did, I myself being then at table. One day," he adds, "she gave me a piece of her fairy bread, which I did eat, and think it was the most delicious bread that ever I did eat, either before or since. One day," the credulous narrator goes on, "these fairies gave my sister Mary a silver cup which held about a quart, bidding her give it my mother; but my mother would not accept it. I presume this was the time my sister owns she saw the fairies. I confess to your lordship Iity." In the Extracts, 18 Edward IV., never did see them. I have seen Anne in the orchard dancing among the trees; and she told me she was then dancing with the fairies." Morgan's "Phoenix Britannicus," p. 545. Morgan tells us that the copy from which he reprinted it had at the bottom of its title-page this N.B in MS. "Recommended by the Right Rev. to his friend Mrs. Eliz. Rye." He means, no doubt, the above Bishop of Gloucester, who it should seem had tacked to his creed this article of belief in fairies. It is with great diffidence that I shall venture to consider Anne's case en Medicin; yet I presume some very obvious physical reasons might be given why a wench of nineteen should fall into sickness and see objects that were green without the smallest necessity of calling in the aid of the marvellous. It appears that Anne was afterwards thrown into gaol, as an impostor, nor does even the friendly narrator of her singular story, Moses Pitt, give us any plausible account why the fairies, like false earthly friends, forsook her in the time of her distress.

Cornlaiters.-Hutchinson, speaking of the parish of Whitbeck, says: Newly married peasants beg corn to sow their first crop with, and are called cornlaiters." Cumberland, i., 553.

Corporal Oath is supposed to have been derived "not from the touching of the New Testament, or the bodily act of kissing it, but from the ancient use of

are two entries relative to the performance of the Corpus Christi play at York in that year: "And paid for a banner of Thomas Gaunt, for the Corpus Christi play, at the inn of Henry Watson, 4d. And paid Margaret the sempstress for the repair of the banners of the Corpus Christi play, 3d." Mr. Davies observes: "We possess no authentic information of the time, when the observance of the festival was first introduced into England."

The Chronicle of Sprott, which IV., whose pontificate commenced in notices its institution by Pope Urban 1261, records the confirmation of the festival of Corpus Christi' in the year 1318; and perhaps, during this interval, it was transplanted from Italy into other parts of the Christian world. . . In the year 1313, Philip the Fair gave in Paris one of the most sumptuous fêtes that had been seen for a long time in France. The King of England, Edward II., was invited expressly, and crossed the sea with his Queen Isabella, and a splendid train of nobility. . . In the reign of Edward II. was written the miracle play of the Harrowing of Hell,' the earliest dramatic composition hitherto discovered in the English language. It seems therefore not improbable that the celebration of the Corpus Christi festival on its first introduction into this country was accompanied by the exhibition of pageant plays produced by the several companies, into

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which the tradesmen and artizans of cities and towns were then incorporated." Extracts from the Records of York, 1843, Appendix," p. 228-9; York Plays, edited by Miss Toulmin Smith, 1885, Introduc

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tion.

But tell me, mast person, one thing, and you can;

What Saynt is Copsi Curtsy, a man or a woman?"

At the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi, at Aix in Provence, there is a procession of saints, among whom St. Simeon ing in his left hand a basket of eggs. Hist. is represented with a mitre and cap, carry

Bus ("Popish Kingd. " transl. by Googe, 1570, fol. 53 verso) describes at some length the customs prevalent in his day in Germany on Corpus Christi Day.

Corpus Christi Eve.-In North Wales, at Llanasaph, there is a custom of strewing green herbs and flowers at the doors of houses on Corpus Christi Eve.Pennant.

Corvina Stone.-A sort of amulet named in the work of John Florio, 1625, as having been given by Ferdinando, Grand Duke of Tuscany, to Anne of Denmark, and as having passed into the possession of the testator who bequeathed it to William Earl of Pembroke. Florio describes it in his Italian Dictionary, 1611, as a stone of many virtues, which they say is found in a raven's nest, fetcht thither by the raven, if in her absence a man have sodden bad eggs, and laid them in the nest again, to make them new again. Corvina readily suggests the etymology corvo.

The following is an account of the expenses incurred on the occasion: "And in expenses incurred this year by the Mayor, aldermen, and many others of the Council of the Cham-de la Fête Dieu, p. 100. Douce. Naogeorber at the Feast of Corpus Christi, seeing and directing the play in the house of Nicholas Bewick, according to custom, together with 40s. 4d. paid for red and white wine, given and sent to knights, ladies, gentlemen, and nobles then being within the city; and also 9s. paid for the rent of the chamber, and 3s. 4d. paid to one preaching and delivering a sermon on the morrow of the said feast, in the Cathedral Church of St. Peter of York, after the celebration of the procession, according to the like custom. £4 18s. 11d." In the churchwardens' and chamberlain's accounts at Kingston occur these entries: "21 Hen. VII. Mem. That we, Adam Backhous and Harry Nycol, amountyd of a Play. £4 Os. Od. 27 Hen. VII. Paid for pack-thred on Corpus Christi day, 1d." "This," Lysons observes, "was probably used for hanging the pageants, containing the History of our Saviour, which were exhibited on this day, and explained by the Mendicant Friars." In the Coscinomantia. Of coscinomansame accounts for St. Mary at Hill, London, 17 and 19 Edw. IV., the following entia it is said, that this method of divinatry occurs: "Garlands on Corpus Christi tion is assisted by spirits, and that it was Day. xd." I find also among the Church considered a surer one than any other by disbursements: "For four (six, or eight) the people on the continent. The process men bearing torches about the parish was accomplished by two persons holding this day, payments of 1d. each. Among the sieve with a forceps or pair of pincers the same accounts, for the 19 and 20 Ed-by their middle fingers, and repeating six ward IV., we have: "For flaggs and garunintelligible words over it; whereupon, londis, and pak-thredde for the torches, of the theft, act of violence, or whatever the names of all those who are suspected upon Corpus Christi Day, and for six men to bere the said torches, iiijs. vijd." it may be that they seek to discover, being in 1845, "For the hire of the gar- utensil moves, trembles, or turns round called, at the mention of the culprit the ments for pageants, is. viijd." the Wax-Chandlers' account, 1512, under the influence of the presiding charge of 2s. 8d. is made for gar(though invisible) spirit, and the divinanishing eight torches on Corpus Christi similar, Disguis. Magico, 245; and it has tion is completed. Delrio's account is Day. Rose-garlands on Corpus Christi been merely translated (as it were) by Day are also mentioned under 1524 Grose. Holiday, an English author, who and 1525, in the accounts of St. Martin Outwich. In "John Bon and the ceremony was also employed for the repeats the same description, adds, that Mast Person" (1548), by Luke Shepherd, purpose of ascertaining whom such an one the parson commends John for leaving his was to have in marriage. Marriage of the work early in order to attend the celebra- Arts, 1618, ed. 1630, 92. The charm is not tion of Corpus Christi, for, says he:- overlooked by Mason and Melton. Anotomie of Sorcerie, 1612, 9; Astrologaster, 1620, 45. Lodge seems to intimate that it was sometimes performed by a sieve and key, Wits Miserie, 1596, p. 12, which was no doubt the case, as this other form of the operation is explained in a later work

on

And

In

a

"Surely some ther be wyl go to ploughe an carte,

And set not by thys holy Corpus Christi

even.

John. They are more to blame, I swere by saynt Steuen,

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