But let me lead you from these vnpleasing matters, to refresh yourselues with taking view of the Cornishmens recreations, which consist principally in feastes and pastimes.
Their feasts are commonly haruest dinners, Church-ales, and the solemnizing of their parish Churches dedication, which they terme their Saints feast.
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The haruest dinners are held by euery wealthy man, or as wee terme it, euery good liuer, betweene Michaelmas and Candlemas, whereto he inuiteth his next neighbours and kinred, and though it beare onely the name of a dinner, yet the ghests take their supper also with them, and consume a great part of the night after in Christmas rule: neither doth the good cheere wholly expire (though it somewhat decrease) but with the end of the weeke.
For the Church-ale, two young men of the parish are yerely chosen by their last foregoers, to be Wardens, who deuiding the task, make collection among the parishioners, of whatsoeuer prouision it pleaseth them voluntarily to bestow. This they imploy in brewing, baking, & other acates, against Whitsontide; vpon which Holydayes, the neighbours meet at the Church-house, and there merily feed on their owne victuals, contributing some petty portion to the stock, which by many smalls, groweth to a meetly greatnes: for there is entertayned a kinde of emulation betweene these Wardens, who by his graciousnes in gathering, and good husbandry in expending, can best aduauce the Churches profit. Besides, the neighbour parishes, at those times louingly visit one another, and this way frankely spend their money together. The afternoones are consumed in such exercises, as olde and yong folke (hauing leysure) doe accustomably weare out the time withall.
When the feast is ended, the Wardens yeeld in their account to the Parishioners, and such money as exceedeth the disbursments, is layd vp in store, to defray any extraordinary charges arising in the parish, or imposed on them for the good of the Countrey, or the Princes seruice. Neither of which commonly gripe so much, but that somewhat stil remayneth to couer the purses bottome.
The Saints feast is kept vpon the dedication day, by euery housholder of the parish, within his owne dores, each entertayning such forrayne acquaintance, as will not fayle when their like turne cometh about, to requite him with the like kindnes.
Of late times, many Ministers haue by their ernest inuectiues, both condemned these Saints feasts as superstitious, and suppressed the Church-ales, as licencious: concerning which, let it breed none offence, for me to report a conference that I had not long since, with a neere friend, who (as I conceiue) looked hereinto with an indifferent and vnpreiudicating eye. I do reuerence (sayd he) the calling and iudgement of the Ministers, especially when most of them concurre in one opinion, and that the matter controuersed, holdeth some affinity with their profession. Howbeit, I doubt, least in their exclayming or declayming against Church-ales and Saints feasts, their ringleaders did onely regard the rinde, and not perce into the pith, and that the rest were chiefly swayed by their example: euen as the vulgar, rather stouped to the wayght of their authoritie, then became perswaded by the force of their reasons. And first touching Church-ales, these be mine assertions, if not my proofes: Of things induced by our forefathers, some were instituted to a good vse, and peruerted to a bad: againe, some were both naught in the inuention, and so continued in the practise. Now that Church-ales ought to bee sorted in the better ranke of these twaine, maybe gathered from their causes and [70] effects, which I thus rasse vp together: entertaining of Christian loue, conforming of mens behauiour to a ciuill conuersation, compounding of controuersies, appealing of quarrels, raising a store, which might be concerted partly to good and godly vses, as releeuing all sorts of poore people, repairing of Churches, building of bridges, amending of high wayes; and partly for the Princes seruice, by defraying at an instant, such rates and taxes as the magistrate imposeth for the Countries defence. Briefly, they tende to an instructing of the minde by amiable conference, and an enabling of the body by commendable exercises. But I fearing lest my friend would runne himselfe out of breath, in this volubilitie of praising, stept athwart him with these obiections: That hee must pardon my dissenting from his opinion, touching the goodnesse of the institution: for taken at best, it could not be martialled with the sacred matters, but rather with the ciuill, if not with the profane; that the very title of ale was somewhat nasty, and the thing it selfe had beene corrupted with such a multitude of abuses, to wit, idlenes, drunkennesse, lasciuiousnes, vaine disports of ministrelsie, dauncing, and disorderly night-watchings, that the best curing was to cut it cleane away. As for his fore-remembred good causes and effects, I sawe not, but that if the peoples mindes were guided by the true leuell of christian charity & duetie, such necessary and profitable contributions might stil be continued gratis, & the country eased of that charge to their purse and conscience, which ensueth this gourmandise.