that it is peopled with 12. dwellings, and 13. cuckolds: for as the dwellings are more then doubled, so (I hope) the cuckolds are lesse then singled.
Howsoeuer, many wayfarers make themselues glee, by putting the Inhabitants in minde of this priuiledge; who againe, especially the women (like the Campellians in the North, and the London Bargers) forslow not to baigne them (vnlesse they plead their heels the faster) with a worse perfume, then Iugurth found fault with in the dungeon, where the Romanes buried him aliue, to attend his languishing and miserable death.
Vpon Sheuiock abbutteth S. Germanes, the greatest parish in Cornwall, if you ioyne to the store of people, the quantity and quality of the soyle, wherethrough it affoordeth commodious dwellings to sundry ancient Gentlemen, and wealthy Farmours; amongst which first sort, I may not (without withdrawing my testimony due to vertue) omit M. George Keckwitch of Catch-French, a house so named (by likelyhood) for some former memorable, though now forgotten accident, whose continuall, large, and inquisitiue liberality to the poore, did in the late deare yeres, extraordinarily extend it selfe to an inuiting emulation, but beyond the apprehensiue imitation of any other in the shire. He hath issue by Blanch, the daughter of Sir Frauncis Godolphin: his father George, maried Buller: his graundsire [blank] their ancient dwelling was in Essex, where this Gentleman enioyeth fayre possessions, & beareth for his armes, Ar. two Lyons in bend passant Sa. cotifed, G.
The Church towne mustreth many inhabitants, and sundry ruines, but little wealth, occasioned eyther through abandoning their fishing trade, as some conceiue, or by their being abandoned of the religious people, as the greater sort imagine: for in former times, the Bishop of Cornwals See, was from S. Petrocks in Bodmyn, remooued hither; as from hence, when the Cornish Dioces vnited with Deuon, it passed to Crediton: and lastly, from thence to Excester. But this first losse receyued reliefe through a succeeding Priory, which at the general suppression, changing his note with his coate, is now named Port Eliot, and by the owners charity distributeth, pro virili, the almes accustomably expected and expended at at such places. Neither will it (I thinke) much displease you to heare, how the gentlemans ancestour, of whom master Eliot bought it, came by the same.
[110]
Iohn Champernowne, sonne and heire apparent to Sir Philip of Deuon, in H. the 8. time, followed the Court, and through his pleasant conceits, of which much might be spoken, wan some good grace with the King. Now when the golden showre of the dissolued Abbey lands, rayned welnere into euery gapers mouth, some 2. or 3. gentlemen, the Kings seruants, and master Champernownes acquaintance, waited at a doore where the King was to passe forth, with purpose to beg such a matter at his hands: Our gentleman became inquisitiue to know their suit: they made strange to impart it. This while, out comes the King: they kneele down, so doth master Champernowne: they preferre their petition; the King graunts it: they render humble thanks, and so doth M. Champernowne: afterwards, he requireth his share; they deny it; he appeales to the King: the King avoweth his equall meaning in the largesse; whereon, the ouertaken companions were fayne to allot him this Priory for his partage.
The parish Church answereth in bignesse, the large proportion of the parish, & the surplusage of the Priory; a great part of whose chauncell anno 1592. fel suddenly downe, vpon a Friday, very shortly after publike seruice was ended, which heauenly fauour, of so little respite, saued many persons liues, with whom immediately before, it had bene stuffed: and the deuout charges of the well disposed parishioners quickly repayred this ruine.
At the townes end, Cuddenbeak, an ancient house of the Bishops, from a well aduanced Promontory, which intituled it Beak, taketh a pleasant prospect of the riuer.
In this parish lyeth Bake, the mansion of the foreremembred M.