Many sleights and tricks appertaine hereunto, in which, a skilfull weake man wil soone get the ouerhand of one that is strong and ignorant. Such are the Trip, fore-hip, Inturne, the Faulx, forward and backward, the Mare, and diuers other like.
Amongst Cornish wrastlers, now liuing, my friend Iohn Goit may iustly challenge the first place, not by prerogatiue of his seruice in her Maiesties gard; but through hauing answered all challenges in that pastime without blemish. Neither is his commendation bounded within these limits, but his cleane made body and actiue strength, extend (with great agility) to whatsoeuer other exercise, of the arme or legge: besides his abilitie (vpon often tryall) to take charge at Sea, eyther as Master, or Captayne. All which good parts hee graceth with a good fellowlike, kinde, and respectfull carriage.
[77]
Siluer prizes for this and other actiuities, were wont to be carried about by certaine Circumforanei, or set vp for Bidales: but time or their abuse hath now worne them out of date and vse.
The last poynt of this first booke, is to plot downe the Cornish gouernment, which offreth a double consideration: the one, as an entire state of it selfe; the other, as a part of the Realme: both which shal be seuerally handled.
Cornwall, as an entire state, hath at diuers times enioyed sundry titles, of a Kingdome, Principality, Duchy, and Earledome; as may appear by these few notes, with which I haue stored my selfe out of our Chronicles.
[Anno mundi 2850.] If there was a Brute King of Brittaine, by the same authority it is to bee proued, that there was likewise a Corineus Duke of Cornwall, whose daughter Gwendolene, Brutes eldest sonne Locrine tooke to wife, and by her had issue Madan, that succeeded his father in the kingdome.
[3105.] Next him, I finde Henninus Duke, who maried Gonorille, one of King Leirs daughters and heires, and on her begat Morgan: but whiles he attempted with his other brother in law, to wrest the kingdome from their wiues father, by force of armes, before the course of nature should cast the same vpon them, Cordeilla, the third disherited sister, brought an armie out of Fraunce to the olde mans succour, and in a pitched battell bereft Henninus of his life.
[3476.] Clotenus King of Cornwall, begat a sonne named Mulmutius Dunwallo, who, when this Iland had beene long distressed with the ciuil warres of petty Kings, reduced the same againe into one peaceable Monarchy.
[3574.] Belinus, brother to that great terror of the Romanes, Brennus, had for his appannage (as the French terme it) Loegria, Wales, and Cornwall.
[3908.] Cassibelane, succeeding his brother Lud in the Kingdome, gaue to his sonne Tennancius, the Duchy of Cornwall.
[Anno Dom. 231.] After this Iland became a parcell of Iulius Caesars conquests, the same rested it selfe, or was rather vexed a long time, vnder the gouernment of such rulers, as the Romanes sent hither. But the Bretons turning, at last, their long patience into a sudden fury, rose in armes, slewe Alectus, the Emperour Dioclesians deputy, and inuested their leader Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall, with the possession of the kingdome.
[329.] Conan Meridock, nephew to Octauius, whome the Emperour Constantine appoynted gouernour of this Iland, was Duke of Cornwall.
[351.] At the Sinode of Arles in Fraunce, there was present one Corinius, sonne to Salomon Duke of Cornwall.
[383.] After the abouenamed Octauius his decease, Maximianus, a Romane, who maried his daughter, succeeded him also in gouernment: betweene whome, and the fore-remembred Conan, grew great warres; which concluding at last in a peace, Maxim. passed with an armie into Fraunce, conquered there Armorica (naming it little Brittaine) and gaue the same in fee to Conan; who being once peaceably setled, wrote ouer vnto Dionethus, or Dionotus Duke or King of Cornwall, (as Mathew of West, termeth him) to send him some Maidens, whom he might couple in mariage with his people; whereon S. Vrsula & her companions the 11000.