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(delwedd F1258) (tudalen 309)
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ANCIENT
CORNISH VOCABULARY.
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(delwedd F1259) (tudalen 311)
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ANCIENT
CORNISH VOCABULARY.
THE original Manuscript which constitutes the
groundwork of the following Vocabulary, forms part of
the Cottonian Library in the British Museum, where it
is marked Vespasian A *iv. The volume has nearly 360
pages, and it contains, besides fhe Vocabulary, much
legendary and religious matter, some treatises of Alcuin,
epistles of popes, proceedings of synods, some historical
notices, an account of Brecknock, and a calendar;
nearly all this various lore relates to Celts, and Celtic
affairs. The Vocabulary itself occupies only seven pages,
numbered on alternate sides, beginning on the first side
of the seventh folio, and ending on the tenth. Its date
cannot be later than the thirteenth century. The first
printed notice of this vocabulary, so far as is known to
the Editor, is in the Cprnish preface to Lhuyd's Archseo-
logia Britannica, p. 222 ; and as the learned Lhuyd has
clearly shewn there that tl*e work is neither "Welsh, as it
is named on the manuscript itself, nor Armoric, as some
zealous Celts of France have anxiously pretended, we
give the passage here, with a literal translation : —
Audz an trei skref-levro auartha, Mr Anstis a gavaz
neb 'Erlevran Brethonek, dorn-skrefyz aban ltaz uzo, en
Levarva Cotten en Loundrez, ha (del 'ryg e bypryz
heruedh e yolenejeth vaz uar an hevelep ahozhono kenz
hag udzhe) e 'ryg skrifa dhymmo uarnydha*. Pan
'ryguelaz an levar, mi a ueyan por-dha tro nag 6 e ger-
• Bibl. Cot. Vespas. A 14.
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(delwedd F1260) (tudalen 312)
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312 ANCIENT
levran Kembrtan, heruedh e hano Ladin (skrefyz en
termen deuedhaz) Vocabuiwriwn Wallicum; mez jer-
levran Kern&ak, an dra (heruedh ma tybyanz) yedh
reyz dhymmo ganz keniffar Lenner Brethonek 'ra medra
uar traillianzo an jerrio Ladin-ma. viz. Angelus, Ail;
Stella, steren; Membrum, ezel; Supercilium, abrcmz;
Collum, eonna; Palatum, stefemc ; Mentum, diet;
Tibia, elesker ; Vitricus, a&bro ; Regina, ftuivanes;
Vulgus, pobel tiogo ; Puer, floh ; Senex, coth ; Mercator,
guiccwr ; Prpra, flwrrag ; Umbra, ecod ; Milvus, word ;
Bufo, cromoc ; Rana, guihchm ; Passer, gohxm ; Pulhis,
Ydhwimc; Scomber, brethyl ; Lucius, Denstkoc dowr ;
Vulpes, louuem ; Ursua, ore ; Scrofa, guis ; Echinus,
sort; ha liaz gerrio erel nag idzhanz asuonfys emesk
nei Ttz Eimbra. Mi a uon pordha tr^ kaldzha uynin
tibiaz, a hedda gen moy 'ufrhevlepter tr'el an gerlevran
bfan Brethonek-ma boz Arvorek po Brethonek Pou
Lezou en Vrink; Bag ma an Dialek hedda n&s dhodho ;
ha en uir ma liaz ger anydha laveryz huath byz an
dedhma gen Tiz Lezau syl nag idzhanz iuzyz lebmyn en
pou Kernou, Mez an kabmdybianz hedda eu gqrryjs
kfcr, heb poan vraz, pan rauelan nei, b6z Skrepher an
jerlevran-na pan vydh faut dhodho jerrio Brethonek, a
skrefa aler jerrio Zouznak k6th ragta, gen rei dhodhaxu;
nep termen, diuath Kcrndak, ha nag odzha a tun jerrio
avfcz an Frenkek del a yendzha e heb mar, po veva e
Brethyn Arvorek. Lebmyn an re-ma ha 'n hevelep
idzhanz an jerrio anydha, kemeryz v&z dhoit an K&thr
Zouznak. Comes, Ywrl ; Lector, Redior ; Hamus, hye;
Fiala, har/el; Saltator, kvppior ; Sartor, seusyOfd; Con-
tentiosus, strivor; Spinther, broach; Fibula, streing;
Raptor, robbior; Noctua, hvie ; Halec, herring; Pra-
tum, bidin; Lagena, karma; Trutta, trud. An urzna
del na aldzha Brethyn Arvorek y^th, boz Skrefyaz an
gerleyran-ma, an della n' aldzha deu v&b Kembnom y
skrefa. Bag mar peya, e Kembriem e yendzha, hep pel
brederyanz skrepha; Darlhermydh, Breyr, bax, tdyn
[po krdth] neidmr, guniadydh, Kynhennys, guaeg,
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(delwedd F1261) (tudalen 313)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 513
aruesfr, yspeiliur, tylhyan, pennog, guerglodh, yst&n
\kynnog piser po Ko&reIK\ ha briihylh. En uAdh mar
vera e Breihyn Arvorek ny vendzha e besgueth hanual
an Trao kreiee en Ladin, Quercvs, rhammu, melts, lepus,
hcedus; GHastanen, eithinen, brdx, scouarnog, min ; mez
en le hedda Guezen daro, Ian, lus, gat & gavar Man. Mi
rygmarkia an gemo kemeryz vez a 'n h6th Erlevran-ma
an della (+) ha hedda yu gorrys enu&dh, arag nep gen-io
k6th erel tednyz dhort ithik kdth Levro Ladin skrefyz
heb mar gen Vrethon mez ne uon pa 'n Pou na Glaskor.
" Besides the three manuscripts above mentioned,
Mr. Anstis found in the Cottonian Library in London,
a British vocabulary written many ages ago, and, as
he has always very kindly done on similar occasions,
before and since, he wrote to me about it. When I had
seen the book, I knew very well that it was not a Welsh
vocabulary, as it appeared by the Latin title " Vocabu-
larium Walttcum," written at the end of it, but a Cornish
vocabulary. This will be admitted, it seems to me, by
any British reader who will look at the translation of
these Latin words : — Angelus, ail, ' angel ;' Stella, ste-
ren, 'star ;' Membrum, esel, ' limb ;' Supercilium, abrans,
'eyebrow;' Collum, conna, 'neck;' Palatum, stefenic,
' palate ;' Mentum, elgeht, ' chin ;' Tibia, elescher, ' shin-
bone ;' Vitricus, altrou, ' step-father ;' Begina, Kuifanes,
' Queen ;' Vulgus, pobel tiogo, ' common people ;' Puer,
flogh, child ;' Senex, coth, ' old man ;' Mercator, guic-
gur, 'trader;' Prora, flurrag, 'prow;' Umbra, scod,
' shadow ;' Milvus, scoul, ' kite ;' Bufo, croinoc, ' toad ;'
Rana, guilschin, ' frog ;' Passer, golvan, ' sparrow ;' Pul-
lus, ydhninc, 'young bird;' Scomber, breithil, 'macka-
rel ;' Lucius, denschoc dour, ' hake ;' Vulpes, louuern,
■ fox ;' Ursus, ors, ' bear ;' Scrona,
guis, ' sow ;' Echinus,
sort, ' hedgehog b ; w and many other words which are
b The Cornish words in this list and in another subsequent
paragraph are printed as they are read in the MS. Vocabulary,
not as given in Lhuyd's preface.
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(delwedd F1262) (tudalen 314)
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314 AKCEEST
not known among us Welsh folk. I know very well that
some may conjecture, and with greater probability, that
this little British book may be Armoric, or the British
of Lesou* in France d ; for that dialect is near to that
[of this Vocabulary,] and, in fact, many words of it are
spoken to this day by the people of Brittany, though
they are no longer used in Cornwall. But this erro-
neous opinion will be set aside without much difficulty,
when we see that the writer of the vocabulary, in cases
where he had no British words, wrote down old English
words for them, giving to them some Cornish termina-
tion, and did not bring words out of French, as he
would have done, without doubt, if he had been an
Armoric Briton. Now the following words of the vo-
cabulary, and others like them, are taken out of the
ancient English : — Comes, yurl; Lector, redior; Hamus,
hyc ; Fiala, harfel ; Saltator, lappior ; Sartor, aeuyad ;
Contentions, strifor; Spinther, broche; Fibula, streing;
Raptor, robbior ; Noctua, hule ; Halec, herring ; Pra-
tum, budin; Lagena, karma;' Trutta, trade.' Now
as no Armoric Briton could be the writer of this
vocabulary, so no Welshman could have written it;
for if he had been a Welshman, he would, without
long consideration, have written darUenydd, ' reader;
breyr, ' earl ;' bach, ' hook ;' tdyn, ' harp/ or, crurth,
e The Cornish name for Brittany, with the usual change of d
to 2, oorreBponding with the Welsh Llydaw, derived probably
from llydu, ' to extend.' The same change has given rise to the
name of the Lizard, from the Welsh lKdiart* ' a gate.'
d This sentence was translated by the joint efforts of Gwavaa
and Tonkin, and printed in Pryce's book, " I know fall well
that I could produce one, and that with more true likeness,
than can the small vocabulary of the British Armoric, or British
of the country of Lezou in France, be ; for that dialect is near
thereunto." A better evidence of the loss of the Cornish lan-
guage in 1700 can hardly be found than in the utter misunder-
standing of this easy passage, composed too, as it was, inten-
tionally in the corrupted idiom and spelling of the time.
e See note b . Some of the "ancient English" words are
doubtful.
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(delwedd F1263) (tudalen 315)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 315
' fiddle ;' neidkor, ( leaper ;' gumiadydd, ' stitcher ;'
cynhenys, * contentions ;' gwasg, * clasp ;' arwestyr y
'backle/ ysp&tiwr, 'robber;' tyUmm, 'owl; 9 pmwag,
'herring; 9 gumrgUnodd, 'meadow; 9 ytt&n, 'jar,' or,
ewmog, 'pail/ or, piser, 'pitcher,' or, cottrd, 'flagon ;'
and brtikyU, ' trout'.' Moreover, if he had been an
Armoric Briton he would not ever have named the
things called in Latin, Quercus, rhamnus, metis, lepus,
hcedus ; Qkstanneng, eytbinen, broch, scovarnoc, min,
but in their stead, gwezen derd, lawn, low, gad, and
gaw Horn. I have marked the words taken out of the
old vocabulary thus t, and this mark is also put be-
fore some other old words, taken out of great ancient
Latin books written without doubt by a Briton, but I
know not from what province or kingdom. 99
The vocabulary was probably intended rather to ex-
plain Latin words to Cornish men than used as a Cor-
nish dictionary. The words are not in alphabetical
order, but there is some attempt at classification,
though imperfectly carried out : it begins with Heaven
and Earth, proceeds to men, their conditions, and parts
of the body, mixing up some articles they use, and
then returns to a few things of the first class. Next
we have birds, (including insects,) fishes, beasts, herbs,
trees, followed by a second return to a few articles of
the first class. Ecclesiastical matters, dress, food, and
some adjectives close the list The last sentence of
the passage above given from Lhuyd shews that he
copied the vocabulary, and incorporated it in the dic-
tionary which he was preparing. Lhuyd no doubt found
English equivalents for the barbarous Latin words, and
put the whole in alphabetical order. In the subsequent
Appendix I propose to shew my reasons for believing
' These words are given in the usual orthography.
* Lhuyd is wrong in this instance : glastewntn is used in
Armoric ; the words are given in the orthography of Legonidec's
Dictionary.
P %
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(delwedd F1264) (tudalen 316)
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316 ANCIENT
that Lhuyd's manuscript formed the basis, and perhaps
very nearly the whole, of Tonkin's vocabulary, which
was discreditably published by Fryce in 7790 as his
own. The whole vocabulary was inserted by Zeuss in
his excellent Grammatica Celtica, with great accuracy,
but unfortunately in its original form, all running on
as a single paragraph, and without any attempt at ar-
rangement. Zeuss added to it on each page a valuable
commentary, chiefly conmflting of the cognate words in
Welsh and Armoric, with here and there a note in illus-
tration, but without any mark of reference to guide
the student; so that with the exception of its being
more accessible than the original, the edition adds less
to our means than it would have done, if Zeuss had
arranged his work, or merely added numbers of refer-
ence to the valuable mass of information he has accu-
mulated. The chief object of the Editor was to supply
the mechanical labour which Zeuss did not care for,
to number all the words in the vocabulary, to arrange
them in alphabetical order, and then to subjoin to each
word all that had reference to it.
The following observations will explain the plan
adopted in printing the vocabulary: — Each Cornish
word is inserted in its place, followed by its number
in the vocabulary, and the page of the manuscript,
beginning at 7 a and ending at 10*; this will enable
any one wishing to trace a word in the original codex,
to do so with little difficulty 1 . The Latin word fol-
lows in its original spelling, and then the English
word, which, unless quite erroneous, is taken from
Lhuyd (or Tonkin). Zeuss's note is then inserted
in brackets, consisting commonly of cognate words in
Welsh and Armoric ; to which the Editor has affixed
1 As an additional help, the numbers of the words on each
page of the manuscript are here given :—
7a. 1-154. 8*. 287-440. 9*. 563-695.
7 b . 155-286. 8 b . 421-562. 9 b . 696-831.
10*. 832-955*
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(delwedd F1265) (tudalen 317)
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CORNISH VOCABULAET. 317
the genders whenever he could ascertain them. After
this he has added any obvious remark or allied term,
which appeared to him likely to illustrate further the
word in question ; but this has been done incidentally
only, without the smallest pretence to completeness,
and he would refer to Diefenbach's Lexicon Compara-
tivum Linguarum Indo-germanicarum as a copious
source of analogies. Here and there he has ventured
to criticise a remark of Zeuss, and finally he refers to
any passage in the Dramas where the word under con-
sideration appears.
The orthography of the Cornish differs slightly from
what we find in the Dramas, but generally each work
differs from itself quite as much as from the other :
thus we find erv, sub voce, but ereu in gumtkiat ereu ;
and youone, sub voce, while iouenc is given in gur
iouenc, <fcc. Ac
An ancient feature about the language of the Voca-
bulary is the retention of the final t where later writers
used 8 ; thus, ' a duck' is hoet, written hos in the Drama,
and hcvwze in the last days of the language : spirit of
the Vocabulary became spyrys in the Dramas : tout be-
came tat. It is curious that, with one exception, when
the final t follows a consonant in Welsh and Armoric, it
is already changed to * in the Vocabulary, which 8 was
continued till the extinction of the language ; thus we
have als, arghans, dans, mols, nans, Ac. The exception
is scienty which is ekyena in the Ordinalia ; the doubtful
word tcwmcmt may be another exception.
The Editor is of Zeuss's opinion that the manuscript
was copied from an older one, and tjiat the older copy
was written with the alphabet called Anglo-Saxon, or
some modification of it. He is further of opinion that
the copyist, more used to the Latin alphabet, did not
well distinguish the p, p (v), }> (th) and A. He thus
wrote pun and Impel for hum, and fouhel, metyioges for
mehioges, dwp for dwv, erp for erv, &c. Whenever the
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(delwedd F1266) (tudalen 318)
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318 ANCIENT CORNISH VOCABULARY.
etymology requires it, the Editor does not hesitate to
change the consonant accordingly, always, however,
giving the word also as it appears in the MS., and,
where there is a difference, as read by Tonkin (Lhuyd)
and Zeuss.
At the end of the Vocabulary he adds the few words
which Lhuyd mentions as having extracted from old
Latin books, assuming that the words printed in Fryce's
Vocabulary with f, aad not included in the British
Museum Codex, are those alluded to by Lhuyd. He
has endeavoured to illustrate those words in the same
way as the others.
A.
Abaed, abakh ; see Parth.
Abat, 104, 7*. abbas, an abbot. From the Latin.
Aber, 737, g\ gwrges, gul£ whirlpool, [aber, m. W.
— aber, £ A.— anc. Welsh, aper.] Meaning now ' a
port' or 'creek,' or the 'junction of a tributary
stream with a river or with the sea* in Welsh and
Armoric.
Abbans, 38, 7». sup&rcUiwm, eye-brow, [amrant, m.W.
— abrant, £ A.] Amrant in Welsh is rather ' the
eyelid.'
Ach, 135, 7*. soboles, offspring, [ach, £ 'a pedigree/
' a stem :' achfen, £ anc. achmon, ' the groin/ W.]
Printed oho also in Pryce.
Aden, 748, g\ folium, a lea£ In the vocabulary the
word comes between 'letter' and 'page,' so that
Tonkin rendered it ' leaf of a book.' Zeuss says
alias incogwifom. The word was probably dden :
del in a loose handwriting, might easily be mis*
taken for ad. The Rev. Mr. Williams suggests the
Welsh aden, £ 'a wing,' used metaphorically for 'a
leaf'
Adlen, 698, 9 b . abie3, a firtree. Pryce prints the word
aidlm, and Zeuss aridtm, with the remark that
there is a circumflex over the a, but that reading
and meaning are both uncertain. The mark over
the a is like that which represents ri over a conso-
nant in MSS. of that age.
Aflavab, 373, 8*. rmtfu8, dumb, [amlabar, anc. Irish,
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(delwedd F1267) (tudalen 319)
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320 ANCIENT
from an and favor; negative an becomes a/ be-
fore L See mob ajfaoar, an infant, i. e. ' dumb
child/] aflafar, W.
Ail, 3, 7*. angdus, an angel [From the Latin, as
oin from agrvus.] Perhaps genuine Celtic : the
Welsh U means ' spirit, intelligence.'
Ex. El, D 2202 ; pi. eleth, O 586.
Airos, 266, 7 b . puppis, the stern of a ship, [aros, m. A
), ana Irish.]
^ LS > 73 1 * 9 b - toto*> the sea-shore- [ailt. f. W. ' a cliff']
Altor, 745, 9 b . altars, an altar, [allor. £ W.]
Ex. Alter, O 1289, 1322, 1386.
Altbou, 139, 7 a . victricu8, a step-father.
Altruan, 140, 7*. noverca, a step-mother. [atttrwo,
aMtrewen, W. quorum loco sunt Uysdad, Uysfcm;
lestad, lewanun, A. composita cum %*, les, que
vox simplex apparet in forma ek, elses, i. e. ks,
leses, privignus, privigna; lesvab, lesverc'h, Arm.
cf. Uysenw, 'agnomen,' Mab. 2. 375.] I think
aUtrmo and etttrew signify rather godfather and
godmother.
AxpBD, 765, 9*. daniswra, a key. [allwydd, W.
alc'houez, alcTiouS, pi. alhuesou. Buh/180, 11. non
nisi clavem significat.] The MS. appears to have
confounded this word with diattwoet, which fol-
lows it.
Ex. Alweth, R 31, 661 ; alwheth, R 324 ;
pi. alwethow, R 84 ; alwhethow, R 634 ; al-
wheow, R 650.
Amenen, 847, io a . bu&vrum, butter, [ymenyn, m. W. —
aman, amanen, m. A.] The vocabulary gives also
emenin.
Akseb, time. See Anser.
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(delwedd F1268) (tudalen 320)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 321
Akaf, 615, 9a. steUio, a newt, [any, m. Arm. salaman-
dra.] I believe the Armoric omv is the 'blind-
worm.'
Avauhel, 446, 8 b . proeeUa, a tempest, [auhel, 'the
air/ with the privative cm.] I should rather say
that cm is here the article, inadvertently joined to
the noun. See Auhel,
Axcar, hi, 7* anachorita, an anchorite. From the
Latin.
Ancar, 277, 7 b . cmcora, an anchor, [angor, m. W.
— e6r. m. A. — ingor, anc. Irish.] The present
Gaelic is ac<wr, £ and the Welsh has heor as well
as angor.
Ancou, 433, 8 b . mors, death. [agheu, angheu, W.
Mab. 1, 33 ; 2, 237. — ankeu, ankou, m. A] The
modern Welsh has cmgeu, m.
Ex. Ancow, R 612.
Ancbedjwb mob, 268, 7 b . pvrata, a pirate, [robber
- of the sea; cmgkrechvr, W. unbeliever, but cf.
hibern. vet. cmoride, ' wrong,' and Welsh craidd,
' heart/] Vur 9 as in many other words in the voca-
bulary, is gour, ' a man ;' it looks like pur in this
place, but the scribe not unfrequently confounded
the Saxon p with p, and sometimes with y and ]>.
If Zeuss's etymology be correct, as is probable, the
word means ' a sea-miscreant.'
Anfub, 415,8*. imprudem, imprudent. Fur/ prudent,'
with negative cm.
Aniach, 382, 8 a . inftrnms, infirm, unhealthy. lack,
' healthy,' with negative cm. afiach, W.
Anser, 464, 8 b . tempos, time, [lege amser.] amser, m.
W. — amzer, f. A. — aimsir, Gael. In spite of ety-
mology, this is cmser in the MS. ; the corruption
*3
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(delwedd F1269) (tudalen 321)
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322 ANCIENT
might have beoome vernacular, and I leave it, not
having found the word in use.
Antbomet, 21, 7* seat**, the sex. [Unknown else-
where.] The meaning would be 'unmerciful'
from its etymology ; see trutneth, ( mercy.* The
Gaelic cmtorom ia ' intolerable.' Did the author of
the vocabulary intend to be sarcastic!
Axvabat, 477, 8». stenHku 9 barrenness. [From arwab,
compounded of an and mob : cf. Welsh gwra&g
anfab, ' a childless woman.'
Akueik, 947, io». itwalidus, weak. [With privative an.
Welsh dwerth* Arm. dinerz.] The component
adjective was probably cognate with the Welsh
gtoain, ' lively;' the Armoric gtoSn also is used
in the sense of 'skilful/ 'industrious.' Gaelic
an/harm.
Apostol, ioo, 7s. apostolus, an apostle.
Ex. Abesteleth, pL S 893.
Aradab, 341, 8». araimm, a plough. [Welsh arad,
aradr, m.] In Breton, arat is the verb * to plough.'
Aradebuttb, 2*7, 7 b . orator, a ploughman. The usual
ending, as in aneredwur, but here written a/ur;
it occurs in the MS. in the various forms of vur,
our, ywr, and even pur and yur. aradwr, W.—
aradair, GaeL
Archail, 4, 7 s. arehangetus, archangel. Compounded
of arch and ail. See AiL
Abchesoop, ioi, 7s. a/rchiepiscopus, archbishop, [arc'h-
efckop, A.— ttroA and escop*] See Escop.
Abghans, silver. Under "gueidvur arghans," a silver-
smith. Arian, aidant, m, W. — arcluuit, m. A—
airgiod, m. Gaelic ; all connected with argenhm-
Ex. Arhans, G 771, 1097* agofc, R 1*31*
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(delwedd F1270) (tudalen 322)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 323
AxiDLEEr, 698, 9*. See Acflen.
Aeeutt, 187, 7 b . donwnus vel Aerttf, a lord, [arglwydd,
W.] arlwydd also is used in Welsh.
Ex. Arluth, 2582 ; arloth, 2595 ; pi.
arlythy, 2383.
Arludes, 188, 7 b . donvina, a lady, [arglwyddes, W.]
Ex. Arluthes, R 1701 ; arlothes, D 1965.
Ascient, in "guan asdent," energominus. I would
rather read guan a sclent. See skierU.
Ascokk, 43, 7* 088, (sic) a bone, [ascurn, ascwrn,
asgwrn, m. W.] askourn, m. A.
Ex. O 112, R 2598 ; pL escarn, 2743.
Asen, 82, 7*. costa, a rib. [pL asow, Pass. 2 18. 4. asen, f.
asenan, asau. pi. W.]
Ex. Asow, pi. 99.
Asen, 565. 9*. asinus vel asina, an ass. [assen, m.
assennoed, pi. W. — azen, m. azened, pi. A.] The
Welsh forms in present use are asyn, m. and
asm, £
Ex. D 176, 200.
Asen quill, 567, 9*. onager, a wild ass. See Guitt.
Askellen, 658, o*. cardus, a thistle, [ysgall, m. W. —
askol, m. A.] yscallen, £ W. provincially asgaU.
Auain, 364, 8 a . imago vel agcUma, an image. [Perhaps
from the Latin imagine.]
Auallen, 677, 9». modus, an apple-tree, [aballen, aval-
len, f. W.] avalen, £ A.
Auhel, 444, 8 b . aura, breeze, [awel, £ W. — avel £ A.]
Ex. Awel, ' the weather,' 1147.
& m > 57» 7* j#Mr, the liver, [afii, an, m. W,— *vu, an,
eo, m. A. 00, oa, aac. Irish.]
Auon, 729, 9 b . fiwmen v&jkwws, a river, [afon, £ W.
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(delwedd F1271) (tudalen 323)
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324 ANCIENT
— aven, f. A.] We may add the Irish abhwnn, and
the Latin amn-t*.
Auorow, 466, 8 b . eras, to-morrow, [avory, anc. W. now
y/ory- & b ™* toty' morning.]
Ex. Avorow, O 3299, 2843, E> 3240.
Apurr, 442, 8*\ cwr, the air. [perhaps an error for amr;
awyr, m. W. — ear, er, m. A. aer, anc. Irish ; but we
have aezen, £ A. a gentle breeze.] C£ the Welsh
chwyth, a ( puff' or ' gale.' Pryoe gives cnoyr.
B.
Badus, 385, 8*. Iwnaticus, a lunatic. [Derived from a
substantive, still extant in Armoric, bad, m. stupor,
Stourdissement.] Badt, in R 1886, certainly means
foolish or stupid ; and bad in R 1774 has probably
the same meaning, though I have failed in giving
the true rendering. In D 2284 the sense is obscure.
Bahet, 593, 8 b . aper vel wires, a boar. [In Davies
baedd is ' boar/ in Owen ' bear.'] In Welsh it is
decidedly a ' boar.' Zeuss was misled by a typo-
graphical error in the second edition of Owen's
dictionary. Recent form baeth.
Baiol, 356,8* enukbj elecampane. [Unknown elsewhere.]
Bal, 389, 8». pestis, pestilence, [bail m. W.] Anglo-
Saxon beahc, • bale.'
Banathel, 692, 9*. genesta, broom, [banadyl, m. W. —
banal, b6nal, balan. m. A.] Recent form banal.
Baneu, 591, 9*. 8U8, a sow. [banw, m. W. — bano,
banv, £ A.] Haneu in Pryce is an erroneous
reading for baneu.
Banne, 727, 9 b . gutiaYel stitta, a drop. [bannech,m.A.
Buh. 100, i2 9 now bcnme.] boinne, m. QaeL Re-
cent form badna. In the sense of " (not) at all"
Ex. D 398, 1078, 2321.
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(delwedd F1272) (tudalen 324)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 325
Bara, 849, io*. poms, bread, [bara, m. W. A. — bairgen,
anc. Irish.]
Ex D 62, 761 ; R 1318.
Bara can, 850, io». pcmis aJhua, white bread. [can,W.
— kann. A.]
Barp, 51, barep, 52, 7*. Barf, £ W. — bard, m. A. In
the MS. barf is rendered ' barba, ' and bare/, * bar-
bam.' This is curious, but there is no evidence of
the implied grammatical distinction haying been
really in existence. Zeuss refers to bis, ' a finger,'
q. v. Dowr, dover, is more exactly analogous, the
additional e in both cases, bare/, dover, appearing
to indicate the accusative case.
Barth, 263, 7 b . mirrws vel scwra, a mimick, buffoon,
[bardd, W. the ancient bardus, reduced to a mean-
ing of contempt.] The word was originally written
bartha in the manuscript, but the final is partly
erased. The Breton retains the word under the
form barz t but it is rarely employed : the Gaelic
has bard.
Barth hirgorn, 250, 7 b . tubicen, a trumpeter, [hir-
gorn, a long horn, from hvr and corn. Kdpvov tt)v
<rdkmyya. Tdkarai. Hesych. 2. 1 5 1, ob curyaturam.
Whence also Cornubia, Cerniu, Kernyw, names of
places, from the projection as promontories.] It
appears from this word that, in Cornwall at least,
the Bard was rather a musician than a poet.
Bat, 241, 7b. numisma, money. [Read bath; bath,
coin, bathwr, coiner, baihoriayth, privilege of coin-
ing, in Book of Llandaff, p. 173.] The Welsh
has several derivatives of bath, alluding to money,
but the root appears to signify rather the copying
than the stamping of the coin ; we have however
the Armoric baz, £ 'a stick,' and bazata, * to beat,'
so that our * beat' and the French ' battre' may be
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(delwedd F1273) (tudalen 325)
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396 ANCIENT
of Celtic origin. The French battre is used in the
sense of 'coining. 9 Compare the Swiss coin bate*
Bathob, 240, 7 b . trapezeta vel rnmularius, a banker
or coiner (!) [From bat] Next to this in the MS.
we have guae bathor Jvr, explained by soUers.
Zeuss adds properly guas, puer, servus ; Jur, Boi-
lers, prudens.
BsDEpEN, 691, 9*. popuUu, a poplar* [b$dwm, bedne,
m. W.—b&sven, t beed, m. A. implying an older form
fotitt, is rather the ' birch/ called in German birke,
Slavonic bereza, ancient Gaulish betulla. (Plin.
16, 18 ; gallioa haec arbor mirabili candore atque
tenuitate). bethe, anc. Irish (gL bums), modern
Irish beUh.] In the MS. the word is underlined,
and kerdinen written in the margin: cerdm or
oerddin in Welsh is 'the mountain ask'
Bbfeb, 57 a, 9*. fiber, a beaver. [Not found in Welsh
or Armoric. Befer=beber t biber; c£ Bibrax, a
town of the Mdui, in Caesar; beabhar(\) Gaelic,
biber Germ., beo/or Ang. Sax., bi/r Scand., bdber
Slav., bebrua Iith. ; butter in Latin.]
Belek, 654, 9*. corista vel ierso, water-cress. [berw(f)
berwr, berwy, pL W. — beler, m. A.] biolair, f.
GaeL
BflNEK, 202, 7 b . sponsa, a woman. Benyw, W. bean, Ir.
The Latin equivalent is not accurate; bmm is
"woman" only, without reference to marriage.
When " wife" is understood, the Cornish word is
gwrek, or gwrekty (housewife). C£ the JSolic pfoa.
Ex. 161, 315.
Brora bid, 20, 7». femina> a woman. [An unmarried
woman; rid^rhydd, W„ ( at liberty'.] See also
QwrruML
Bennek vat, 189, 7 b . mafrona, a matron. [Benen vat t
'a good woman'?] The meaning is obvious
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(delwedd F1274) (tudalen 326)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 327
Tonkin give* ft, and the mark of interrogation in-
serted by Zeuss is unnecessary. It is the Scottish
"gudewife." Vat is now va*, with the usual change
of the final dental.
Ber, 943, 10*. brevis, short [byr, m. ber, £ W. —
berr A.]
Ex. R 706.
Bjbr, 893, 10*. verv, a spit, [b&% f. W. m. A. Ir.] See
kigver, ( a flesh-fork or meat-spit.'
Bebn, 340, 8 a . acervusy a heap, [bera, m. a rick, W.
— bern, m. a heap. A.]
Beeri, 937, io». pinguedo, fatness, [Connected with
bar, but unknown elsewhere.] Perhaps the Welsh
gv&r, m. tallow. Fryce gives pronier berrU, ' a
gorbellied priest.'
Bebthtxait, 537, 8 b . parram, a screech-owl. Zeuss, in
p. 862, derives this from the Welsh berth, 'fair.'
Mr. Williams suggests p&rth, 'a bush.'
Bes, 77, 7 ft . digtiwn, the finger, [bys, m. bysedd, pi.
W>— bix, bes, m» biziad, pL A.] We have in the
MS. bis, digitus; bess, digiti; bes, digitum, as
though a declension were implied ; see bwrf. Bess
is followed by a mark of abbreviation, and Zeuss
suggests bessi, besses, or besavs : but it does not
appear that this would lead to any thing.
BiDNEpEiN, 497, 8 b . cmdpUer, a hawk. [Unknown else-
where.] This should be read probably bidnethem,
as a compound of ethyn, ' birds/ but I do not know
the other portion of the word. A more recent
hand adds occipiter in the MS.
Bixdork, 838, io a . refedorwm, a hall. [* Meeting and
eating room in a monastery;* a word unknown
elsewhere.] Perhaps buddorn, from butt, c food/ the
Welsh bwyd; for the termination see orn, wrn,
Zeuss, p. 794.
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(delwedd F1275) (tudalen 327)
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3*8 ANCIENT
Bib, 75> 7** digitus, a finger. See Bes.
Bis truit, 96, 7» o&kc, the toe. Literally " finger of
" foot" See Troet. Kecent form biztrus.
B18OU, 324, 8 a . anuhu, a ring, [byson, £ W. — bizou,
bizeu, £ A.] Printed besau also in Pryce.
Bistkl, 58, 7*. fd, the galL [bust! m. W. — bestl.£A.]
Recent form besU.
Ex. Bystel, D 2977 ; bystyl, R 2601.
Bit, see Enbit.
Biu, 430, 8 b . vita, life, [bywyt, W. — buez, buhez,£A.]
Now bywyd, m. W. — but the word means 'living,'
not * life ;' compare the Welsh byw.
Ex. Beu, D 1592, 3158 ; bew, R 74. The
last cited passage I rendered very doubtfully;
I would now read creynyn in 1. 73, instead of
treynyn, and translate the three lines in this
way : — " To go to prison we fear not, we living,
though we pierce all our flesh." I admit that
some doubt still remains.
Biu en lagat, 41, 7*. pupitta, the pupil of the eye.
Literally, " the life of the eye." See Lagat.
Bleit, 557, 8 b . htpus, a wolf [blaidd, m. W. — bleiz,
m. A.] This is followed by Zvnx, explained comisc
bleit hahchi, for which a more recent hand has sub-
stituted Jcymmysk bleid a chi, meaning " mixture of
wolf and dog."
Bleu yn pen, 31, 7*. capfflus, fyair of the head. — Bleu
en lagat, 39, 7 a . palpebre, eye-lash. The meaning
is plain enough in both, though the Latin palpebrce
is erroneous. The- Armoric equivalent of bleu is bled,
m. hair : a single hair is bleven, f. — Welsh blew,
blewyn, m. See the Gaelic clovmh, £ hair, wooL
English fine, provincially,/^'/ Lat. pktma, <fec. &c.
Ex. Blew, D 484, 521 ; blewennow (the
plural of Uewen, ' a hair/) D 2095.
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(delwedd F1276) (tudalen 328)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 329
Blij>ex, 463, 8 b . awn/us, the year, [blwyddyn, £ W. —
bloaz, m. blizien, pi. A.] bliadhna, £ Gael. The
Armoric blizen, £ still in use, is the cognate word.
Ex. Blythen, D 352, 3201, R 2494 ; blethen,
O 2103 ; blethynnow, pL O 657.
Blodok, 668, 9* fios, a flower, [blodon, W. — bleun,
bleuen, m. A. Other Welsh forms are blawd, m.
bloden, £ blodyn, m. blodau, pL blodeuyn, hl] In
Gaelic Math, £ Recent form bledghan. C£ the
German Bliithe.
Blonec. 6i, 7a adeps, lard, fat. [bloneg, m. W. —
blonek, m. A.] blonag, £ QaeL
Blot, 914, 10* forma, flour, [blawd, m. W. — bleud,
m. A.] More recent Cornish in Pryce, bleaze. The
Gaelic bleith, ' to grind/ is connected with this.
Boch, 586, 8 b . caper vel hyrcw, a goat or buck, [bwch,
m. W. — bouc'h, m. A. Also in old Irish in the
compound cwlewribocc, ' a goat ;' perhaps also in
the ancient Gaulish MrjXipoKos, in Ptolemy. The
Welsh melfoch, 'the honey-bear/ seems to be de-
rived from mock, 'pig.'] — The Armoric bovdk is
'a goat/ but the Welsh bwch, 'a buck' Caper
may have had both meanings. Recent form byk.
Bochqdoc, 296, 8*. inops vel pauper, a poor man.
[bychodawg, W. C£ ancient Irish bocht, bochtan,
which appears to be allied to the Welsh bychan,
Irish bee, < little.']
Ex. pi. boghesegyon, D 538, bohosugyon,
D 543> 3 IO &
Booh an, 945, io a . parvus, little, [bychan, W. — bihan,
bian, A.]
Ex. Bohes, O 384, D 3031, used adverbially.
The adjective is byhan, O810, D 91 ; byan, D
2082 ; byen, O 806.
Bob, 936, 10* pinguis, fat. See Berri.
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(delwedd F1277) (tudalen 329)
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390 ANCIENT
BofifiLES> 637, 9». coiuolda, comfrey. [bore, 'morning/
W.] Oonsolida in the dictionaries is variously
rendered, bat always with reference to some herb
with a thickening or strengthening quality. Pryce
translates boreles, " the herb cumfiry, the incras-
sating herb," taking it from bor, without doubt
Zeuss refers to the morning, but this is hardly so
plausible.
Bothab, 376, 8*. *wrdu8, deal [byddar, W.— bouzar,
A. — bodhar, G.] Recent form bythak.
Ex. 2013.
Bounder, 732, 9*. pa$cua, feeding ground, [qu. bour-
dir, the tir porfa, W. (porfa a v. pori) peur, peuri,
pfracTi, A.] Pryce translates also "a common, a
lane." The latter seems to be the meaning : there
is a lane in Penzance called Vownder vor; and
Pedn y rounder, ' end of the lane/ is the name of
a spot at the end of a lane near the Logan Stone.
Box, 67 1, 9*. bums, the box tree, [boccys, W.— beuz,
m.A.]
Ex. Byxyn, D 261.
Brag, 915, io». braiiwm, malt, [brig, m. W. (G. malz)
whence bragezi, 'to sprout, A.] Braich, £ Ir.
Brace, med. Lat. in Ducange. See Bregmtd
Ex. Brag, 2720.
Bras, 940, io B . grossus, large, [bras, W. A.] In Welsh
the meaning is rather 'coarse, fat,' than 'great.' In
Armoric it replaces the W. maw, but signifies also
big, gross. In Cornish usually « great," morally as
well as physically.
Ex. Bras, 1438, 2716, D 1128,1177, 1189,
R 2341. We have brasa, D 793 ; brassa, D
778, R 1096 ; brasse, D 773, in the superlative.
Bras is used adverbially in O 1416, 1494, i5 2 5>
and may be rendered "very."
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(delwedd F1278) (tudalen 330)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 331
BftAUD, 137, 7*» frater, a brother, [brawt, pL bfodyr,
W.] breur, brer, pi. breudeur, br6der, A. brathair,
Gael. The vocabulary gives brand vel broder, not
distinguishing singular from plural. In Lhuyd's
Grammar, p. 243, we have bredar, sing, brwkr, pi.
Pryce prints brauder, bredar; pi. bredereth.
Ex. Broder, O 449, 525 ; bruder, D 158 ; pL
breder, R 1163 ; pL bredereth, D 714, and bru-
dereth, D 1430, but rather meaning "brethren"
than " brothers."
Brech, 72, 7». brachiim, the arm. [breich (braich), f.
W.— brecli, breach t A.] Ppaxlw, Gr.
Ex. Bregh, O 262, D 3754, 2762. In dual
dyuvregh, O 688, D 6189 ; dywvregh, D 1179.
Bkechol, 820, 9b. rncmica, a sleeve. In the MS. the
word looks like brethot, and is so printed by Zeuss,
who adds, " alias incognitum ; an adj. cambr.
briihmd ?" But the Welsh breicheU, m. proves the
reading. In 1700 brehcd was in use. The word is
derived from brech.
Brkdiox, 897, io*. ooctio, a boiling, [an germ, brado,
aasatura? Compare the Welsh berwad, 'boiling,'
from berwi, ( to boiL'] The word was pronounced
bridzhan in 1700. The Armoric bird, berv, ber-
vaden, are still in use.
Bbeoaud, 860, 10*. idromeUwn vel rmUsum, sweet
drink, metheglin. [bracaut, ana W. bragawd, m.
modern W.] bragot and brakat were used in 1700.
In Bailey's Dictionary we have bragget, " a drink
made of honey and spice." Ancient receipts for
making bragget are given in Wright's Dictionary
of Obsolete and Provincial English, 1857. See
Brag.
Bbeilu, 661, 9». rosa, a rose, [breila, breilw, m. W.]
Breithil, 542, %\ nvugUus vel tntugU, a mackarel.
[brithyll, m. W. salmo fario,— brezel, m. A. scorn-
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(delwedd F1279) (tudalen 331)
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332 ANCIENT
ber.] BrithyU is rendered 'trout' in the Dic-
tionaries, and brezel ' mackerel ;' both from brith,
' spotted, mottled.' Although mugil is ' a mullet,'
the word really meant a 'mackarel,' under the
forms brethil, brethal, brithel, pL brilly.
Bbknntat, 274, 7 b . proreta, a steersman, [quaeritur an
discernendum sit a brenm, breennvn, et radicis sit,
cujus est yetustum nomen Brervmts.] In other
languages also, in Greek especially, the analogy
between "steering" and "reigning" is conspicu-
ously brought forward. See Ruifomaid.
Bbeuyonen, 901, io a . mica, crumb, [briwionyn, m.
W.] Brienen, £ A. We have brewyon, 'fragments,'
in K 126, 1893. The root is brew, 'to bruize.'
Arm. breva. See O 271a, 2735, 2744. The Welsh
brau, ' brittle/ is probably from the same root
Briansek, 49, 7 » gvtiwr, the throat. [=brianten; c£
breuant, £ a windpipe, W. — And perhaps brennid,
m. the bosom, A.]
Ex. Bryangen, D 1527. I think vryongen in
D 1007, which Pryce makes "circle," quoting
this very passage, is the word before us ; the ren-
dering would be, " Ye catch him by the throat."
Broch, 562, 8*>. taxo vel melus, a badger, [broch, m.
W. A.] broc, m. G. Brock is used in the north
of England and in Scotland ; in Lancashire there
is a family name Brockholes, bearing a badger in
the crest. I have sometimes thought that in
D 2926, we have this word, and that the doubtful
passage might be rendered, "a thousand times
worse used than a badger by some accursed
people." It is true that this could hardly apply to
St John ; but the writer may have carelessly ap-
plied the words to the speaker.
Bboche, 329, 8*. spinier, a buckle or clasp. Is not
this the English brooch f Compare broach, 'to
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(delwedd F1280) (tudalen 332)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 333
pierce/ and the French broche, 'a pointed spit/
supposing the ' tongue' of the buckle is meant.
Brodit, 176, 7 b . judex, a judge. [From braut, 'judg-
ment/ with termination it.] See breuth, 'judg-
ment/ R 1836. Pryce's Vocabulary renders brodU,
'a peer, a lord-lieutenant.' See breith, £ G. 'a
judgment.*
Bron, the breast See Chrit dnworon.
Ex. Bron, O 1755, D 892, pi. bronnow, D
2648.
Bros, 346, 8*. aculeus, the point of a goad, [alias in-
cognitum.] The Armoric broud, m. is the allied
word. Cf. bior, ' a sharp point/ G.
Brou, 905, io a . mola, a mill, [breuan, £ W. 'a hand-
mill.'] br6d, br6ou, £ A. Pryce renders this ' meal,
flour.' The root is brew. See Brmyonen.
Bruha, 907, io*. virtus, victuals. [Perhaps the Welsh
brwchcm, ' puis.'] In Pryce brmha.
Bruit, 485, 8 b . vcurvus, spotted, of various colours,
[brith, W.] briz, A A more recent hand has
added the Welsh word here, as in several other
cases.
Brunnen, 666, 9 a . jimcus vel scvrpus, a reed, [brwyn,
brwynen, £ W. — broenn, m. broennen, £ A.] See
R 2096, where I have translated pen brormen,
' rush-head/ after Mr. Williams ; I had at first
written ' wooden head.'
Buch, 597, 9 a . vacca YeljucaUa, a cow. [buwch, W. —
buc'h, bioc'h, buoc'h, A.] Latin biwida=boviciUa.
The juccula of the MS. is, no doubt, for juvencida.
Recent form byuh, pL bew.
Ex. Bugh, O 123, 1185.
Budin, 725, 9 b . pratum, a meadow, [bidhen in Pryce,
unknown else.] We find inPryce also bidhiJhvidn,
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(delwedd F1281) (tudalen 333)
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334 ANCIENT
trtfcm, vylkyn. In Lhuyd's Cornish Preface he
writes the word bidm, and consider* it to be old
English , The Anglo-Saxon mod or wiod is 'pas-
tore/ ' grass.'
Bugkl, 196, 7b. pastor, a shepherd, [bugail, bygel, W.
bugel, A. b6chail, anc. Ir.] Becent form bygd.
Ex. D893.
Burr, 874, 10*. cUms vel esoa, food, {bwyt, W.] Re-
cent form buz. See if oar buti.
Ex. Bos, O 378, D 695, 701; bous, D 688.
c.
Cadjwb, 178, 7 b . miles vel adletha, a soldier, [cad, £
'battle/ W.] cadwr, 'soldier/ W. cath, m. 'battle/
OaeL The word is written cadptir, as Zeuss prints
it ; he reads it, however, correctly.
Cafat, 870, io a . vas t a vesseL [cafad, m. W. 'a hol-
low.'] From cajus, ' to hold, contain.'
Cafob, 531, S\ brucus, a locust, a caterpillar. [The
German kafer, ' a beetle.'] The English chafer.
Caid, 192, 7 b . servus, a bondman. — Caites, 194. cm-
ciOa vel abra vel servo, a servant-maid, [caeth,
caethes, W. — kez, keaz, keyez, k&zez, 'a beg-
gar/A]
Caid phinu>, 191, 7 b . emptvus, a bought slave, [prmid,
emptius, Le. emtitius vel emtus, pro prim&j pemys
in Pass, pro prenys, partic. praet pass. — prynedigt
W.] The verb pren, 'to buy/ is frequent in the
Dramas. Prynu, W. — prena, A, 'to buy/ By an
easy change this becomes 'pay for' and 'suffer
for/ as in 524, " Abel shall pay for it" In
this sense the Gaelic verb crean, with the usual
change of initial, is allied to prm.
In Fryce we have Caidtpanid, <* little client :'
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(delwedd F1282) (tudalen 334)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 335
this error has arisen from the confusion between
p and Saxon p (u) in the MS., the p is sur-
mounted by the usual mark meaning ri, which
was mistaken for a by Tonkin (Pryce's author) :
' little client/ by a second mistake, was taken from
dientuku, the Latin equivalent of dencoscor, the
preceding word in the Manuscript.
Cal, 416, 8*. <*sfoUu8, cunning, [call W. 'wise,' 'pru-
dent. 9 ] Cfc the Latin eaUeo, caHidus.
Caltob, 886, io*. cacabus, a kettle, [callawr, m. W.
a caldron ; — kaoter, £ A. — the low Latin caldaria in
Gregory of Tours ; Italian caldaja.]
Cam, 379, 8*. sbrabo, squint-eyed, ['crooked' in W.
and A. C£ tamen hibern, v. A. camderc, (gl.
strabo) jvxt&JUtichderc (gl. lippus.)] Cam in Gae-
lic is now both 'crooked' and 'one-eyed.' In
Welsh it signifies "squint-eyed" also, and Sir
David Gam, a renowned knight of the times of
Owen Glendower, was so called from this peculi-
arity. See Williams's Dictionary of Eminent
Welshmen, sub voce. The word occurs frequently
in the Dramas with the signification of "wrong."
See O 281, 337, D 1403, R 40. Cf. Latin
camvwrvs.
Camhiksic, 305, 8». injwrioaus, injurious. — Cam hisic,
401, 8*. mjvstWy unjust. [Cf. eim hmric, 'just,'
and cam hmric, ' unjust ;' from hms, ' a way,' the
Welsh hynt.'\ Query hynse, in the doubtful line
O 2136.
Cam ntvet, 434, 8 b . yria vel wrcus, a rainbow. [I. e.
curva aula vel curva sacellum. Etiam arm. hod.
kcmeveden inde ortum, cujus pars posterior n&vedm
redit ad nemet, hibern, vet. nemed, dum cambr.
neuod, Mab. fq. hod. neuodd, aula, mediam deri-
vantem ostendit] I should prefer a derivation
from com, 'a bow/ and nev, 'heaven;' perhaps
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(delwedd F1283) (tudalen 335)
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338 ANCIENT
nivet may be an adjective of the form of eureit,
Welsh, ' golden.' See Zeuss, p. 807.
Cams, 788, 9 b . alba, a surplice. [Hibern. vet. caimmse;
camisia, low Latin ; camse, W., Mab. 2. 218.]
The Italian camicia, French chemise, <fcc. See Hems
and Hems.
Can. See Bora can.
Cancheb, 549, 8 b . cancer, a crab fish. [From the
Latin.] Recent plural cankrez.
CANORES, 115, 7 ft . cantrix, a singing woman. [From
conor, the Welsh canwr, with the feminine addi-
tion.] kanerez, A.
Cahtuil, 780, 9 b . comdela, a candle, [canwyll, f. W.]
Recent plural hynhdu.
Cantulbren, 754, 9 b . candelabrum, a candlestick,
canwyllbren, m. W.]
Capa, 809, 9 b . cappa, a cap. [kap (?) and kabel, m. pi.
kabeUou, A. l a cap ;' whence kabetta, * to cover the
head.' C£ the Welsh capom and capcmn m. ; also
the caparma, ' a cottage,' of Isidore, the Sp. cabcmna,
Fr. cabane ; and GapeUatium, the old Gaulish name
of the Limes Transrhenanus in Ammianus.]
Car, 156, 7 b . amicus, a friend, [car, W. 'friend ;' kar,
A. c relative.'] car, Irish. Recent plural kercws.
Car ooos, 155, 7 b . affirm vel consangumeus, 'a rela-
tion.' [car agos, 'a near friend/ W.] A recent
hand adds car agos, but the Cornish oges occurs in
O 184, 1 141, D 2660 ; and ogas in D 1102 ; all
meaning ' near.' Car occurs frequently as a verb
in the Dramas. See O 2154.
Carder, 124, 7*. speciosus vel decerns, comely. [Ap-
pears to be the adjective, but the syllable der is
suspicious, being the suffix of derivative substan-
tives.]
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(delwedd F1284) (tudalen 336)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 337
Cassbc, 564, 9*. equa, a mare, [caseg, W. — kazek, A.]
Recent form cazak, pL cassiggy.
Caul, 653, 9 a . couZa vel magdulans; 863, 10*. ofara,
cabbage, [cawl, cawlen, m. W. — kaol, m. kaolen, £
A. — German kohl, French chou.] All, no doubt,
from the Latin caulie.
Caur makch, 566, 9*. ccunelus, a cameL [cotmr/orcA,
'a giant horse ;' as, ecmrfU, 'elephant/ m. W.]
Caus, 846, io*. caseus, cheese, [caws, m. W. — kaouz,
A.] Also written cos in the vocabulary. From
the Latin. Recent form Jeez,
Chahen sit, 733, g\ terrene, a flood, [gwaz-rfd or
gwaz-r&len, £ A. in some dialects gwec'h or goee'h,
which corresponds better with chahen, but it is in
any case obscure.] Gtvec'h, <fec. is 'stream/ and red
or rid, ' flowing/ in modern Breton.
Cheber, 89, 7 3 . vulva. [Perhaps k6br, A. 'the girdle /
or it might be an error for ched&r, the Welsh
cedar, m. 'hair of pubes/ or A. kezowr, 'puberty.'
But compare the old Irish caebb, 00= liver ; the
old Bohemian kepp (gL vulva) Hanka Zbjrka,
p. 24 ; and old German chepis, chebis, chebisa,
kebisa, 'a concubine.'] Keb remains in several
(German words, such as Kebsehe, Kebs/rau, Ac.
Chefals, 80, 7*. (vrtua, a joint or limb, [cyfail, 'joined/
W. — kyfaillt, Mab. 'a friend'] Compare the
Welsh cymmal, m. ' a joint.'
Chefdidoc, 1, 7*. orrmipotens, Almighty, [cyfoethog,
adj. from cyfoeth, l power/ W.— cumacht, G.]
Chein, 70, 7». dorsum, the back, [cefh, m. W. — kein,
kefh, kevn, m. A.]
Ex. Keyn, O 895, 1298, 1593, 3 57°*
Chelioc, 515, 8 b . gafflus, a cock, [ceiliog, m. W.] coi-
lioch, G. — kilek, kilok, A.
Ex. Kullyek, D 903.
Q
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(delwedd F1285) (tudalen 337)
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338 ANCIENT
Chelioo-guit, 514, 8 b . anaer, a goose, [celiogwydd, m.
'gander/ W.] kilek-gwez or goufc, m. 'phea-
sant,' or ' heathcock,' A. Zeros makes this onset
mas, bat I think the meaning is 'wild cock,'
from W guydd, and A gsbcz. See Gudtfil, ' wild
beast,' and guytU, 'wild,' W. : perhaps also the
Irish gilt, and the Welsh gwUL
Cheuoo-rkden, 6 1 6, 9* locusto, a grasshopper, [cei-
liog rhedyn, W.] kilek-raden, A. literally, ' cock of
the fern.'
Chkn, 950, 10*. combo, cause, [cwyn, m. ' a cause' or
law-suit, W.] The place in the vocabulary, before
" plaintiff'' and " defendant,'' would seem to shew
the meaning in Cornish. See also kdna or kemi,
' to complain,' A. But it is frequently used in the
Dramas in the sense of cause or motive. See
O 1826, 2208, D 1589.
Chkniat, 114, 7» cantor, a singer, [ceiniad, W. from
canu, 'to sing.'] This would be hewyas in the
orthography of the Ordinalia, as sylwyas, <fec. See
canorrs, above. Keniat occurs in Keniat combrir
cam.]
Chereob, 289, 8*. Mtor, a shoemaker, [keY6, kereour,
A. old Irish cairem.] See cavrich, 'to mend/
Gaelic
Chkrhit, 499, 8 b . ardea, a heron, [crychydd, creyr,
cryr, m. W. — kerclieiz, f. A.] Becent form
kerhez.
Chsrjoat, 257, 7 b . cornicen, horn-blower. [From corn,
as cheniat from conn.'] The usual termination in
iat. See the Grammar, p. 237.
Chespab, 119, 7* conjux, a married person. [Perhaps
chemar, the Welsh cymhar; unless it be for chdr
par.] Ch appears to be used for k when coming
before e or % ; see cheniat, chein, and chemiat : I
would derive the word from he*, the Welsh eye,
and par, an equal, as in 104. See hes in D 2.
i
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(delwedd F1286) (tudalen 338)
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COBNISH VOCABULABY. 339
Chetua, 185, 7 b . convettiue vel corwentio, an assembly,
[cydfa, f. W.] In Pryce, "properly the place where
the synod or convention meet." Literally, "com-
pany-place." Chet is, I think, allied to the Welsh
cyd, and is frequently used in the Dramas for 'a
companion.' See O 2486, D 3050, 3068. But
the ch> almost exclusively limited in the Dramas to
English words, and the pi. cheUys, in D 3042,
seem to shew that the Celtic origin was forgotten.
Perhaps it was connected, in the opinion of the
writer, with ekat, gossip. Va, like the Welsh fa,
from ma, signifies * place.'
Chic, 66, 7* caro, flesh, [cig, m. W. — kig, kik, m. A.]
Ex. Eye, O812, 2713, D 1061 ; kyg, O 66,
112, 659, 944. See Kig.
Chil, 26, 7» cervix, the nape of the neck, [cul, 'the
back,' anc. Irish.] In recent Qaelic cul, m. means
the back of any thing ; and we have cil, m. W. —
kil, m. A.
Ex. Kyi, O1781.
Choch-dibbbi, 837, io*. cimbalom, a cymbal. [I
think this should be loch diberi=the Armoric lech
dibri, ' place of eating,' cimbahtan being incorrectly
put for locus cibandi.] The conjecture of Zeuss
does not look probable ; from the place of the
word in the vocabulary, immediately preceding
"refectory," it might be put for cloch dtberi, '&
dinner bell' The word diberi is abbreviated in
the MS., and may be read dibri. See Diberi.
Chuillioc, 309, 8*. awgwr, a soothsayer. — Cuillio-
ges, 314, 8 a . phitonism, a divineress. [From a
substantive signifying an omen, coel in Welsh :
see etncoilhaam in an ancient Welsh gloss on the
word cupicio, quasi cmspicio, where the writer
obviously understood etn to be=eden, 'a bird. 9 ]
chwiliog, ' a seer ;' chwilioges, ' a sorceress,' W.
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(delwedd F1287) (tudalen 339)
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340 ANCIENT
Clap, 383, 8*. egtr vel egrotus, sick, ill, bad. [cla£ W.
See also devet, and in ancient Armoric clevet and
eZg0M» 'disease/} klanv, Arm.
Ex. O 1337, 1568, D 2677, 2697 ; pi. cle-
vyon, O 2796 ; clefyon, D 3109.
Clafhohbo, 384, 8 a . hprosuB, leprous. [From a sub-
stantive da/or, in Welsh clafar, whence dafith
dafriaw, ' to be leprous ;' ancient Arm. loffr,
'leprous,' lofirnez, ' leprosy;' now lovr, lornez.]
The Armoric has also lov/vr, ( leprous/ lovrentez,
'leprosy/ and lovri or fort, 'to be leprous.' Lovrez
is a 'hospital for lepers,' and Legonidec derives the
name of the Louvre at Paris from this word.
Claubteb vel cloister, 877, 10* claustrum, a cloister.
[From the Latin or English.]
Clbchic, 784, 9 b . tintiimabulwm, a little bell. [dim. of
clock.] kloVhik, m. A. The change of the vowel
to e is the usual effect of the rule mentioned in the
Grammar, p. 221.
Clbchti, 783, 9 b . docccurium' Yel lucar, a belfry, cloch
df, m. W. — Simply the bell-house. The change of
to e as in the preceding word.
CLEpET, 388, 8 a . morbus, a disease, [clefyd, m.W. — See
claf.] klenvld, m. A. Recent form clevaz.
Ex. Cleves, O 1794, 2146; R 160a
Clin, 88, 7*. genu, the knee. See Pendm.
Ex. Dual, dewglyn, D 136.
Cloch, 785, 9 b . clocca, a bell, cloch, £ W. — MoVh, m.
A. — the German gloch, and French cloche.
Clochmtjer, 782, 9 b . cwnypcma, a great bell. [qu. dock
mawr.'\ The conjecture of Zeuss is just : mw k
the Cornish form of the word which is m&w in
Welsh, and mor in Irish.
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(delwedd F1288) (tudalen 340)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 341
Clof, 372, 8 a . claudus, lame, [clof£ W. in Armoric
karma.] The Armoric is rather "crooked," like
the Cornish cam, though now certainly used in the
sense of "lame."
Cloikbg, 107, 7 a . clericus, a clerk or clergyman. [From
the Latin. — Cloarec, A.]
Cloisteb, 877, io». See Claurtr.
Cluit, 836, 10*. cUta, a hurdle or basket, [clwyd, f.
W. — klou&L, t A.] Fryce prints cli/a also, the
Gaelic cUabh.
Cluit duivbon, 54, 7 a . pectus, the breast. [The basket
of the breast ; clwyd y ddwyfron, W. — dwwron is
the so-called dual of bran. The Gaelic cUabh sig-
nifies either ' basket* or the 'breast'] See Bron.
Clun, 87, 7 a . chmis, buttock or haunch. See Penchm.
Ex. R 523. I would now translate this line,
" Heavily ye have laid down your haunches."
Cobbb, 225, 7 b . copper. Clearly from the English. It
occurs under gueidvwr cober, f a worker of copper,'
which is explained by Erwrius.
Coiclinhat or coitlinhat, 648, 9*. archangdica, the
herb archangel Zeuss supposes the herb angelica,
in Armoric talbod, to be meant; he prints the
word coidinhat, but I assuredly see coiUvnhat. He
is, no doubt, right as to the meaning, but he says,
the word is unknown. May it be coit-Unhat,
* wood-nettle V I am not botanist enough to
judge of the probability. See Linhaden, which
in the MS. is made the equivalent of the Latin
wrtica; Mr. Williams, with greater probability,
suggests ttinhad, 'linseed,' and makes coitUnhat=
the Welsh ttmhad y coed.
Coifivel, 656, 9*. serpiUfwn, wild thyme. [Unknown
elsewhere.] Perhaps arit-Jmd, for wood-fennel.
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(delwedd F1289) (tudalen 341)
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342 ANCIENT
Coir, 779, 9 b . cent, wax. [cwyr, m. W. — koor, m. A.]
Collel, 868, 10* cultellus, a knife, [cyllell, pL cyllyll,
£ W. — kontel, £ A.] Kethd is inserted in the MS.
as a synonyme, and the same word appears at N°.
817 with the Latin equivalent ctdtdkim. Under
N°. 365 we have coUd grcmo against the Latin
9calprum vel acaXbeUum. The diminutive keUiUic,
in 869, is explained by the mediaeval artams,
'a penknife.'
Ex. Collam, R 2043.
Collet, 321, 8 a . jactwra, loss, [colled, £ W. — koll,
kollad, m. A.] The verb occurs in the Dramas.
See My re'n coUas, ' I have lost it,' D 149.
Coloin, 608, 9*. ectiuhu, a puppy, [colwyn, m. W.
' a cub.' — kolen, c. A.] cuilean, m. Gaelic, from
which perhaps the Scottish " collie."
Colom, 502, 8 b . cohimbOy a dove, [colom, colomen, f.
W. — koulm, klom, £. A. — colum, ancient- Irish.]
calaman, m. GaeL ; all from the Latin.
Ex. O 132, 1 109, 1 189. The gender is
shewn at 1109.
Colon, 55, 7 a . cor, the heart, [calon, £ W. — kalon,
kaioun, £ A]
Ex. O 511, 1758, <fec. <fec. The gender is seen
in 1. 1758.
Colter* 343, 8». eu^r, the coulter of a plough, [cultir,
ancient Welsh gloss.] Eecent Welsh cwlltor, m.
— Gaelic coltair, m. All direct from the English.
CoLpiDEN, 675, 9*. corittw, a hazeltree. [coldedlwyn,
(a typographical error for collwydden, £) W. —
kelw€zen, A. compounded with col, coll, which
is also old Irish. A corresponding Gaulish cod is
to be supposed, (cf. Coslwm, in Pardessus, dipl. 1.
119, now JTu*eZ)=Germ. nasal, Latin corylus. See
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(delwedd F1290) (tudalen 342)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 343
also the Slavonic shesl, 'a rod, staff/ (primitus
columus 1 Dobrowsk. Instit. ling. slay. p. 96.)
whence the local names Schesla, in capit. Caroli
Mag. (Pertz. 3. 133.) and Scheslitz, a frontier
town of Franconia.]
Combbicam, 260, 7 b . See Keniat.
Cokerioc, 390, 9*. rabidw, vel omens, vel demens, rag-
ing, mad, frantic. [An adjective from a substantive
concur, the Breton kowrmar, f. hydrophobia : see
Welsh cynddar, 'vertigo :' cynddeiriawg, c rabid/
Compare hi kanderawc, 'mad dog ;' Mab. 2, 221.]
Legonidec derives the Armoric word from kourm,
* dogs/ but is doubtful about the termination raw
or or. May it not be found in the Welsh dor, ' a
noise, a din V See cyndwedd, ' rage/ in 2 Chron.
xxviii.9.
Conna, 27, 7 a . colkim, the neck. No cognate word ap-
pears in the other dialects, but perhaps the Gaelic
coinne, a ' meeting, joining/ may be connected with
Conna.
Ex. Conne, O 2184, conna, O 2813. Conna
breg, ' the neck of the arm/ i. e. ' the wrist/ D
2762.
Cob, 246, 7b. nemos, a dwarf Jcor, m. cores, £ W.
See Mabinog. 1, 241, 243.] The Armoric equi-
valents are korr, m. korrigez, £ In the dialect
of Yannes korrigan. Is not this the Irish sprite %
The Latin equivalent in the MS. is erroneously
written namus, but the meaning is clear, from its
coming immediately after ' giant*
Corden, 247, 7 b . jidi8, a string, [cord, m. corden, £
W. a string. — korden, £ A.]
Corn, 258, j\ eornu, a horn, \jcdpvov ryr vakmyya,
raXarat, Hesych. 2. 151, ob curvaturam ; inde
etiam Corwubia, Camiu, Kernyw, nomina regio-
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(delwedd F1291) (tudalen 343)
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314 ANCIENT
nam ob prominentiam.] The recent plural was
kernow. See Hirgom.
Ex. D 13589 3055. In R 2163 it seems to
mean 'a corner.'
Cortjf, 855, Corkf, 858, io* cervisia vel cdea, beer,
[cwrw, m. W. C£ a&ppa, Athenaeus, 4, 13. — xovp/u
m€va(6fuwotf t* rip xpidtyf, Dioscor. 2, no. — cu/r-
men ap. Cangium, e gloasar. Latino-Graec. et Ul-
piano.] Also cwryf, W.
Cos, 846. See Caus.
Coscoe, 190, 7 b . den coscor, cli&ns, vel cHentidus, a
dependent [caegoard, a Welsh gloss on satellites :
cosgordd, m. 'a retinae.'] k6zgor, m. *a family,'
A. Den coscor will be therefore " a person apper-
taining to the family," or " one of the followers."
The unknown word wndamsi follows in the MS.
See Goscor.
Cobtb, 641, 9*. casta. Tonkin says (Pryce sub voc),
"I suppose the same as Costus, the herb com-
monly called Herba Maries." The word is usually
rendered in the dictionaries Zedoary. In has been
proved to be the hooih of Northern India, called
koost in Arabic, and sold in Calcutta by the name
of PutchuL The English in India frequently call
it ' orris-root,' from a resemblance in odour to the
orris-root of our shops. See Penny Cyclopaedia,
voce putchuk
Coth, 207, 7 b . senex, old. [kdz, A.]
Ex. 737, D 1695.
Couat, 445, 8 b . nimbus, a shower, [cawat, now cawad,
£ ' a shower,' W.] In Pryce we have ouas. The
word is used in Armoric as an adjective, as kaouad-
glady ' a sudden shower ;' haouad-avel^ ' gust of
wind.'
Ex. Cowes, 1080, with change of initial,
shewing the word to be feminine.
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(delwedd F1292) (tudalen 344)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 345
Copsn> Liter, 791, 9 b . mavrmale, a manual. [Perhaps a
song book : c£ the Welsh cowydd, m. • a poem,'
and cowyddaid (cowyddiad ?)] See Stottof.
Cbaf, 409, 8 a . axwrus, covetous. [Unknown ; cref is
' firm, tenacious.'] Craff, W. is ' grasping,' and the
Gaelic cruaidh is used both as "firm" and "nig-
gardly." Connected with gripe, greifen, <fcc. Crif
is probably akin to this.
Cbeadoe, 491, 8 b . creator, the creator. — Croadur,
492. creatwra, a creature. [Words taken from
Latin. Creawdwr and creadur, W. In the MS.
the second word is written croadur.'] Croadur
is probably the true reading. See the Armoric
krottadur in the same sense.
Ex. Creator, R 191, 259, meaning 'creature.'
Ckeft, 228, 7 b . are, art — Creftoh, 229, 7 b . artifex,
artificer. [Written crest and creator in the MS.
Crefft and crefftwr, W.] The MS. is perhaps not
very clear, but there can be no doubt about the
reading.
Ex. Creft, O 2491. This is clearly the Eng-
lish 'craft.'
Cbbg, 374, 8*. botbuSj a stammerer, [cryg, m. creg, f.
' hoarse, rough-voiced,' W.] Probably allied to the
English crook.
Crif, 946, 10*. fortis, strong, [cryf, W. — kr€, kren,
A.] The Armoric hrevder is the abstract sub-
stantive. See Graf.
Ex. Cref, O 1040, 1490, <fcc. &c.
Croadur, 492, 8 b . creatwra, creature. See Greador.
Crogen, 555, 8 b . concha, a shell [krogen, £ A.] pi.
cregyn. Lhuyd makes it feminine, p. 241. Appa-
rently this word is closely connected with croin,
' the skin.' Cragen, £ (provinc. crogan and crogen),
pL cregyn, W. Recent Cornish plural cregyn.
Q3
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(delwedd F1293) (tudalen 345)
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346 ANCIENT
Cboider, 917, io*. cribrwm vel cribdhtm, a sieve,
[kroer, kroner, krouzer, m. A.] Criathar, m. Q.
creear, £ Manks.
Cboin, 68, 7» pellis, the skin, [croen, pi. crwyn, m.
W. — krocTien, m. A.] Craiceann, m. Gael croi-
ceann, Ir.
Ex. Crohen, O 2713; croghen, D 2302, 2686.
Cbodtoc, 612, 9*. rvbeta, a toad, [i. e. pellita]. More
probable than Lhuyd's derivation from the Latin
rana. In Pryce the English equivalent is ' lizard.'
Ex. Cronek, 1778, D 2732.
Cbois, 753, 9 b . crux vel stawrus, a cross, [croes, £
W. — kroaz, kroez, f. A.] Recent forms, crous and
crou.
Ex. Crons, 1952, D 766, 2586. The last
example shews the gender.
Cruc, 716, 9 b . coUis, a hillock, a barrow, [crag, m.
W. — kr6acTi, m. kreVhen, £ A.] Recently cryk.
Ex. Cruk, R377.?
Cudin, 33, 7 a . coma, hair of the head, [cudyn, m. W.
— kuden, £ A.] The Armoric word means rather
" a skein," and the Welsh cudyn is ' a lock of hair.'
Cudon, 503, 8 b . pcUumba, a wood pigeon, [kndon, £ A.
— ysguthan, £ W. C£ ana Irish dadcholam.]
Tonkin (in Pryce) derives this from cos or cus, 'a
wood,' the Welsh coed; this is probable. See
Ouit. Ysguthom is a ring-dove \ the wood-pigeon
is cuddan, £ in Welsh.
Ouool, 821, 9 b . cucuUa, a monk's hood. From the
Latin word ; cwcwll, m. W.
CuhuJjudioc, 951, io a . accusator, an accuser. [Should
be cuhuthadioc, from cuhutJuti, 'an accusation;
conjecturing from huhuthas, P. 33, 2, and gvhvtha,
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(delwedd F1294) (tudalen 346)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 347
P. 34, 2 ; also the Welsh cykudded, ' accusation,'
cyhuddaw, 'to accuse,' cyhuddwr, 'accuser;' all
from the compound cy-hudd.]
Ex. Kuhuthe, O 160, kuhuthas, 0164, "to
accuse."
Cuic, 378, 8*. hucw vel monoptalmus, blind of one
eye. [coeg, * empty / coegddall, ' half blind/ W.]
Cuillioges, 314, 8*. See OhuiUioc.
Ctrrr, 703, 9 b . silva, a wood, [coed, W. — koat, koad,
m. A.] The word became cue by the usual change
of the final, and Pryce gives cotelle, equivalent to
the Welsh coed le, 'wood place.' Cotele, on the
Tamar near Plymouth, is probably this word ;
and possibly the Somerset Cothelston : perhaps
cotelle is allied to the Gaelic coille. C£ Bat's Coty
house in Kent, Penquite and Kilquite in Cornwall,
&c.
Ex. Cossow, pi. O 2558.
Cul, 939, io a . macer vel rnacilentue, lean. [cM, W. —
c6il, anc. Irish.] By a curious opposition the Ar-
moric kffl signifies " plump." The Gaelic cad is
" lean."
Culin, 916, i o* palea, chaff. [k&16, m. ' straw/ koloen?
A.] The MS. has a synonym usion, q. v.
Culubioneest, 63, 7 a. viscus, the bowel. [Perhaps cu-
hvrion&m, but unknown elsewhere.] We may com-
pare the Welsh cohiddyn, m. and the Gaelic caolcm,
m., both signifying "a gut" Tonkin gives kohneiou
as an existing plural.
Cuntellet, 1 84, 7 b . congregaiio vel concio, a congre-
gation, [cynnullaid, from cynnull, ' to collect/ W.
— cuntyllys in Pass. 88. 4.]
Cubun but, 326, 8*. corona regis, royal crown. The
MS. has ray for rwy, as Zeuss observes. In Welsh
we have coryn, m. coron, £ caran, £ ; and in Ar-
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(delwedd F1295) (tudalen 347)
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348 ANCIENT
mono, kurun, kurunen, £ In the Ordinalia we
have curyn, D 2137, & I2 47» both feminine. The
verb ewrene occurs in D 2064, curttm in D 2116,
and participle cwnmys in D 2124. See the Gram-
mar, p. 221.
Cusoadur desimpit, 395, 8* letargus vel letargicus, a
sleepy man. Desimpit is the adverb desympys,
' immediately :' it occurs in hwn desimpU, q. v.
Cuacadwr, ' a sleeper/ from cusk : see the following
word.
Cubcki, 798, 9 b . dorrmtoriwrn, a sleeping room. [De-
rived from the root cusk ; but may be erroneously
written for cusc to'.] No doubt Zeuss's conjecture
is right The verb occurs in 97, 2070, cask, im-
perative ; in O 1905, D 2148, ooske, in 2047,
euske, infinitive.
Cu88iN, 152, 7 a. oscukvm, a kiss. [A more recent hand
adds gvsscm in the margin ; cus, cusan, m! W.]
Perhaps from the Welsh cu, which means "ap-
proximation," and, as an adjective, " beloved." C£
mWcD, aor. 1, kvo-cu, &c.
Cusul, 216, 7 b . consitiwin, counsel Kuzul, m. A.
Ex. Cusil, O 188 ; cusyl, 1567, 2041/2267 ;
D 555* The word is clearly from the Latin, but
the gender is feminine. See O 1567 and D 555.
Cusulioder, 215, 7 b . C07mliariu8, a counsellor, from
cusuL Oonseler, conselar, is found with this sense
in O 1566, 2255, and elsewhere ; borrowed from
English.
D.
Da, 318, 8 a . bonwn, a good, [dag, Irish.] Common
in Welsh and Armoric. See also the Gaelic deagh
or deadh.
Ex. Da, 96, 141, <fec.
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(delwedd F1296) (tudalen 348)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 349
Da, 582, 8*>. dama vel damula, a fellow deer, [dam,
demm, m. A.] Perhaps the Welsh donas, m. and
Gaelic detank, m. ' a stag.'
Dal, 371, 8 a . cecus, blind, [dall, W. A.] dall, Gaelic.
Ex. O 2007, D 1658, 2393.
Dans, 44, 7*. dens, a tooth, [dant, m. W.] dant, m. A.
Danxet, 45, 7*. denies, the teeth, [dannedd, W.] dent,
A. Recent forms, danz, sing, denz, pL
Ex. Dyns, O 826, D 1218.
Danvon, in " Scbiven danvon," 352, 8 a . epistola, a
missive. [Danfon ysgrifen,W.] See Scrwen devnvon.
Ex. Danfon, ' to send/ O 690, <fcc
Dab, 673, 9*. quercm vel jllex, an oak. [dar, £ pi.
deri, and derw, derwen, £ W. — dero, derv, derf,
m. A. The Irish Killdara shews the a to be pri-
mitive.] Irish dair, darach. Glastomnen is given
in the MS. as a synonym.
Darat, 761. 9 b . hostiwm, the door. — Dabador, 762,
9 b . hostiarius, a door-keeper. [More correctly
dorat and doradwr ; ddr, £ W. A.] Doras, dorus,
m. Gaelic. Zeuss's conjecture, though supported
by analogy, appears to be wrong. We have daras
in O 349, 961 , D 187 1, 1985, and the plural dara-
80V) in D 3041. Found in Greek, German, Slavon,
Sanscrit, &c.
Datheluub, 217, 7 b . wneionctior, a speaker, orator.
[Concio in ancient glosses is explained by dadlt,
daily dadl; more recently dadl and dadyl are
found. Ancient Irish ddl, c curia, forum." See
also Gothic mathl, f concio.'] Dadleuwr, 'a de-
bater,' W. A more recent hand has added dadyhjwr
in the margin.
Dauat, 600, 9 a . avw, a sheep, [dafad, £ W. — davad,
danvad, c. A.]
Ex. Daves, O 127 ; davas, O 2230 ; deves,
D 894.
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(delwedd F1297) (tudalen 349)
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350 ANCIENT
Dshottlbs, 633, 9». aproiawum, southernwood, [herba
dexter*.] See Les.
Dxlc, 328, 8*. momle, a necklace, [qu, for cefcA, the
Armoric kelcTien f ]
Dels, 278, 7 b . amtompna, the yard (of a ship), [deles,
dele\ £ A.]
Delen, 670, 9». /<Mum, the leaf of a tree, [delien, pL
deliou, £ A.=duille, f. I, and dula, old Gaulish;
in the same way as den=duine, ' a man.' Welsh
irregularly dalen, deil, £] In modern Welsh usage
dalen, £ dalenom, is ' a leaf of a book,' and deHen,
£ dail, 'leaf of a tree.'
Ex. Delyow, pL O 30 ; dylyow, pL O 777 ;
deyl, pL O 250.
Den, i 8, 7*. homo, a man or woman, [dyn, W., which
is also added to the MS. in a more recent hand.]
den, A. — duinne, G. Recent plural denes.
Ex. O 94, 417, 475, <fec.
Dkneuoit, 599, 9*. jwoeneue, a steer, [dynawet, dynia-
wed, ' a steer or heifer/ W.]
Denshoc dotjb, 554, 8 b . hteeus, a lucy fish, a hake.
[L e. dentoc dour,=dentatus aquae.]
Dentjnchut, 334, 8 a . advena, a stranger. [Appears to
be a corruption ; perhaps for den areti, ' homo qui
advenit.'] Zeuss reads ekut, but I think I see
chut ; it might be possibly den <m cwit, ' a man of
the wood. 9
Desimpit, 395, 396, 8* immediately. The more re
cent deeempys, for which see the Grammar, p. 295.
In the vocabulary it occurs in cuecadw desimpU,
' a lethargic man, 1 ' one who sleeps immediately/
and in hun desempit, * lethargy.'
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(delwedd F1298) (tudalen 350)
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COBNISH VOCABULARY. 851
Det, 452, 8 b . dies, day. [Better ded; dydd, m. W. —
dez, deiz, m. A]
Ex. Dyth,0i7,2o, 144; deth, D 723, 1497 ;
dythyow, pL D 2644.
Diagon, 108, 7* diacowus Tel levita, a deacon. [The
Latin diaeomts, the surd usually becoming sonant
in the middle of a word; as, cugol, cucullus;
ladron, latrones ; ober, opera, &c]
Dialhyet, 766, 9 b . davis, a key. The reading of this
word may be dialhwet, {y like the Saxon p,) and
the meaning " unlock." There is apparently some
confusion with the word ahoed, which precedes in
the MS. The verb dyalwhethas in B 1445, which
I have translated * unlocked,' is probably derived
from this.
Diavol. See Sack diavol. Diafol, diawl, W.— diaoul,
A.— diabholl, Gaelic. Becent forms, dimU, dyoMas.
Ex. Deaul, B 2104, 21 11; deawl, D 137 ;
dyaul, B 132 ; dyowl, O 301 ; — pi. dewolow, B
2277, 2302 ; dywolow, D 77, B 301; deulugy,
B 2124, 2174. In imprecations, ioul, O 2700,
B 1564, 2130 ; jawl, O 2527.
Dibeb, 955, io a . sella, a saddle, [dibr, m. A] dibyr,
m.W.
Dibebi, to eat. In Choch dibebi. De*bri, dibri, A.
Cf. dybori, ' to browse,' W.
Ex. In£ dybry, O 171, 208, D 625, 671, Ac.
dybbry, O 183, D 738, 744.
1st tense, debbraf, B 1685.
dybbryth, O 81.
deber, D 799.
2d tense, debres, O 175.
5th line, debro, O 200.
deppro, O 187, D 795, 800.
Imperative, dybreugh, D 763.
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(delwedd F1299) (tudalen 351)
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353 ANCIENT
Diobevt, 243, 7 h - **rt> sluggish, [crest, crestor, and
dicrest, instead of croft, Ac] See crefl, supra.
Difbid, in Mordifeid, 1 6, j\ pdagw, the sea. [The
unquiet sea, opposed to spavm mor.] Probably
" desert, lonely," the Welsh diffaUK; or " barren,"
diffaeth. See Mordifeid.
Ditfenkor, 952, io*. excuscUor, a defendant [di-
fwynwr, from difwyn, 'to defend,' W.] difenner, A.
dichouennour is also in use.
Dihoo, 130, 7 a . proavus, a great-grandfather, [bengog,
dipog, gurbhog, seem all to be compounded of cog
(gurhhog == gurchog, and dipog = digog, qu. di-
chog ?) a word unknown to the Welsh, which has
caw, caweSy in the descending line ; as gorchcw), a
descendant of the fifth degree ; hengaw, ditto of the
sixth. A grandfather is gorhendat.]' The word is
certainly dihog or diwog, not dipog, as Zeuss reads
it : this was surmised by Tonkin, who conjectures
a derivation from diveth og, ' twice a grandfather.'
I do not find og in such a sense; he seems to
make og equivalent to oys (P. 10, i.), which was
variously written oydge, ooz, uze, meaning 'age.'
Dillat, clothes ; dillad, pL W.— dilad, m. A. See the
next head.
Ex. Dyllas, O 368, 416, 2633, D 221, 2532;
dylles, O1925.
Dillat Gueli, 804, 9 b . fulcra. The Latin, which
would signify " a bedstead," is obviously wrong, as
was observed by Tonkin, who says " I should rather
take it to be the bed clothes." See Gudi.
Dinaie, 909, 10*. wwoms, any coin, [diner, m. A.]
Numilum in the margin by a recent hand.
Ex. Dyner, D 505.
Dioc, 306, 8*. piger, a sluggard, [diawg, W.— -disk, A.]
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(delwedd F1300) (tudalen 352)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 353
Diogel, 949, 10*. securtM, sure, certain, [diogel, W.=
di-go-gel.] Very often used in the Ordinalia ad-
verbially, but rather to fill up a line than to en-
force the meaning. Dyogel, O 2432, 2725; dy-
owgel, D 330 ; dyougel, D 897, R 2120 ; dyhogel,
O 1 1 43. It should have been inserted among the
adverbs in the Grammar.
Diot, 875, 10*. potvs, 285, 7 b . potio, beverage, drink,
[diawt, diawd, diod, £ W.] Recent form dewas.
Ex. dywas, D 2980.
Diogenes, 320. 8 a . dispendvwrn, vel cfomvpwwn, hurt, loss.
[The letter between o and e is like the Anglo-
Saxon th. Unknown elsewhere ; perhaps a cor-
ruption of diormes, the Welsh dyormes, ' vexation,
trouble.'] It may be read diotheves, the Welsh
dyoddefuSj from dyoddef, 'to suffer.' In Pryce we
have diopenes.
Dipoo. See Dihog.
Discebel, 369, 8*. discipulus, a disciple. [From the
Latin.] Pryce gives disgibl, and desgibl, as still
in use. I do not find the singular, but the plural
is of frequent occurrence, written dyskyblyon, D i ;
dyscyblyon, D 69, 173, 462 ; dyscyblon, D 1258,
but more commonly dyskyblon, D 457, 636, 677,
R 884, <fcc.
Disclien, 354, 8*. plcmo. [An instrument for planing ?
In Owen, dysgloen, a chip, shaving.] The word
comes between quatemio and diploma, and must
therefore refer to books or papers; perhaps a
folder, or some tool for smoothing paper or parch-
ment.
Discorutjnait, 393, 8* rabies, madness. [Unknown
elsewhere, and uncertain ; perhaps connected with
the Armoric kwnm, £ thunder, making « thunder-
struck," as wfolterguske, q. v.]
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(delwedd F1301) (tudalen 353)
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354 ANCIENT
Diskient, 413, 8*. insvpiens, foolish. [The Latin sci-
ens, with di privative ; or perhaps dis, as in dis-
laian, ctidiu.] See Skierti.
Dklaian, 302, 8». infidelis, disloyal, unfaithful [From
laian, * faithful,' with die privative ; unknown in
the other dialects.]
Disliu, 125, 7 ». deformis, deformed. — 487, 8*>. discolor,
discoloured. Used in both senses, liu meaning
both c form 9 and ' colour.' disliw, W. — disliv, A.
D1URE8, 300, 8*. exuly an exile. [Incorrectly written
instead of diuro or diwroet; divro, divroet, A. —
difro, W. compound of di and bro!\ I hardly agree
with Zeuss in his charge of incorrect copying. The
final e, for f, might have crept in even after a
voweL
DipULEutrrr, 24, 7*. vertex, crown of the head. [Cambr.
hod. Uewydd, vortex, punctum radians, cum divu=
di-guo, anc. Ir. do-fo ; modern Welsh dyo.] The
Welsh Uewydd is defined to be " a point to which
any thing verges." Pryce prints dipideudnt, reading
the Saxon p as a p.
Drwoo. See Dihog.
Does, 12, 7» terram, the earth. \tvr adayar, a common
formula in the Welsh laws ; also in the Mabino-
gion.] daear, £ W.— douar, m. A. See Trevedw
doer.
Ex. Dor, O 64, 95, D 2441.
Dof, 159, 7b gener, a son-in-law. [dawf, W.] da£ denf,
dof, A.
Doferghi, 571, 9 ». hUr%U8, an otter, [dourgi and ki-
dour, A.— dobharchu Gaelic, d Welsh, cu Irish,
'a dog.'] dwrgi, dyfrgi, W. Literally water-dog.
Dour, 726, 9 b . aqua vel omnia, water or river. —
Doueb, 852, io*. oqwom. [dwfr, dwr, m. W. —
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(delwedd F1302) (tudalen 354)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 355
dour, m. A from anc. dubr.] Dofer, in the pre-
ceding compound, is clearly the same word, and
dwr is given as a synonym. See the remark on
tor/* and bare/.
Ex. O 1666, 1685, 2790.
Dot, 467, 8 b . Am, yesterday, [doe, W. — decTi, d6-
acTi, A] Recent form de.
Drain, 696, 9 b . spina, a thorn. — Dbbik, 693, 9* aentes,
thorns, draen, m. pL drein, W. and A.
Ex. Dreyn, pi. D a 119, 2137, R 2557.
Dbeis, 697, 9 b . vepres, brambles or briars, [drysien,
dyrysien, £ W.— driss, anc. Ir.] drezen, dreizen,
pi. drez, dreiz, A The Welsh drym is perhaps
nearer.
Drocger, 405, 8 a . vn/amia y reproach, [drygair, m.W.]
From droo and ger, ' evil word.'
Dboooebiit, 404, 8*. iwfamM, reproachful. [Termina-
tion vU is adjectival ; generally iat, as in wnsiai,
&c.] See Geriit da.
DboCh-oberor, 312, 8» maleficns, a worker of evil.
For the second part of the compound, see Oberor.
Droo, 319, 8 a . makvm, evil [drwg, W. a different root
from tru, 'unfortunate,' but the cognate Irish
terms drog and trog are confounded in old MSS.]
Ex. Drog, O 416; drok, O 291, 1230. Droga,
the superlative, in 868.
Druic, 609, 9 a . draco t a. dragon. [Should perhaps have
been written draic, the Welsh draig, £]
Duigluk, 83, 7 a . renes, the reins. [As in dmvron,
'breasts;' ghm is unknown elsewhere: qu. the
Armoric hmac'h.] 1 think it is clearly the Welsh
ckm, t 'hip or haunch,' and Armoric kkvn, t 'the
buttock.' The meaning is the same in Cornish ;
see Pendwfi in the Vocabulary, and in R 523.
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(delwedd F1303) (tudalen 355)
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356 ANCIENT
Duxvboh. See ChUt duivron and Bran.
Dup, 481, 8 b . niger, black, [du, W. dub, anc. Hib.]
Recent form diu.
Ex. Du, 1778, R 2101.
Dub, 85a, 10*. aqttam, water. See Dour.
Duy, 1, 7*. Deus, God. [duw, W.] dou€,A.— dia, L
Ex. Duv, R 1601 ; du, D 3028, but almost
always Deu 9 as in O 105. Plural dewow, 178,
1818 ; duow, 1840.
E.
Ebil-hoern, 767, 9 b . clavus, a nail [Epill, old Welsh.]
ebill, m. W. Hoern (written apparently hoera in
MS.) is 'iron f the Welsh haiarn, m. We have
horny D 2719, and hern, D 2938. Hoern was
added probably to specify the kind of nail, eW
meaning usually a ' peg.' See Obit.
Ex. Ebyl pren, * a peg of wood,' D 2563 ;
also in 2571, 2574.
Ebol, 518, 8 b . puHue, a colt, [ebawl, ebol, m. W; from
a root ep=ech, Irish.] Recent plural ebilli
Ex. Ebely D 177, 193, 321.
Eglos, 743, 9 b . ecclesia, a church. [eglwys,£W.] From
the Latin. Recent form egliz ; pi. eglysyow.
Ex. D 333.
Ehal, 604, 9 s . pecue vel jumentwn, all manner of
cattle. [May this be written for chatal, the Ar-
moric word, the English cattle?] The English
cattle is no doubt chattel, but its connection with
ehal is doubtful, unless Zeuss meant that the word
was ehal, abbreviated from chataL
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(delwedd F1304) (tudalen 356)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 357
Ehidit, 526, 8 b . ahmda, a lark. [For echidit, uche-
dydd, ehedydd, hedydd, m. W.— eVhouedez, m. A,
with several corrupt forms, prefixing al and chang-
ing z to r.] One of the corrupt forms cited by
Zeuss, atehoiiedery may be compared with the
French alouette, and was perhaps borrowed from
it The Gloss echdydd added in the MS. The
Welsh appears to be derived from ehed, 'flight/
rather than uch, ' high.' I write ehidii confidently,
trusting the etymology and the Welsh analogy,
rather than evidit, given by Zeuss, or Tonkin's
ewidit, though the Armoric would favour the latter
form of the word.
Ehoc, 541, 8 b . idciwt vel salmo, a salmon, [ehawc, old
W., now eog, m.— 4ok, eog, eaug, m. A.]
Elekhc, 507, 8 b . dor vel cigiws, a swan, [alarch, m.
W. A.] Eterch in Pryce.
Elescheb, 92, 7*. tibia, the shin bone, [esgair, f. W.
— esker, f. A. Ancient Welsh esceir. Sisillus
esceir hir, (Sytsyllt long-shanks,) Giraldus Itin.
Camb. 2, 2. All this makes the d suspicious.]
Printed in Pryce eles/er.
Elestren, 665, 9 a . carex> sedge, rush, [elestr, m. — ele-
stren, f. W. A.] Elester is found in strcdl elester,
matta, q. v. In Welsh and Armoric the meaning
is the " flag or iris." Printed elesbren in Pryce.
Elgeht, 50, 7 a . mentum, the chin, [elgeth, £ W. —
elgez, £ A.] Printed in Pryce elgent.
Elin, 73, 7*. ulnaythe elbow. — Elin, 744, 9 b . cmgukt&y
an angle, elin, m. W. These words are identical,
" elbow" being used for " angle" in many languages.
The word on its second occurrence being put be-
tween " church" and " altar," gives Zeuss occasion
to conjecture that angehis was intended ; and it is
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(delwedd F1305) (tudalen 357)
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358 ANCIENT
likely that Borne confusion existed in the mind of
the writer of the Vocabulary, from the resemblance
of el, 'angel/ to etin, s angle.'
Ex Elyn, D 2310.
Els, 141, 7 s . prwignus, a son-in-law. See AUrou.
Elsbs, 142, 7* Jiliaater, a step-son. (?) This is clearly
the feminine of the preceding, and should have
been rendered by privigria, as Zeuss remarks.
Exenin, 847, 10*. butirum, butter. See Amenen.
Emperub, 1 66, 7 b . vmperator, vel Cesar, vel Augustus,
an emperor. Welsh ymherawdwr.
Ex. Emprour, O 2053, B1668; emperour,
O 3055, R 1629.
Emperiz, 167, 7 b . imperatrix vel Augusta, an empress.
[Both this and the preceding from the Latin ; ter-
mination iz from the Latin ix, or else for es.]
Enbit, 10, 7 a . mundus vel cosmus, the world. [bit=
byd, m. W., with intensive particle.] b&l, m, A. —
bith, m. anc. Ir. Zeuss, p. 244. I think that en is
rather the Cornish article, as in anauhel, supra.
See en tas, O 1.
Ex. An beys, O 6 ; an bys, On, <fec.
Enchinethel, 245, 7 b . gigas t a giant [Compounded
of the intensive particle en and kmethd, ' tribe,
family.'] I doubt Zeuss's explanation, but have no
better to offer. See Kinethel.
Encois, 772, 9 b . this, frankincense, [ezcme (?), A., the
French encens.] The resemblance with eneem is
small ; the MS. may be read perhaps entois, from
the Latin thus, which is tuis in Gaelic ; en would
be the article.
Encoislester, 774, 9b. thniribulum, a censer, [tus-
lestar, anc. Ir.] Uestr, m.W. — lestr, m.A. ' a vessel.'
I
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(delwedd F1306) (tudalen 358)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 359
With the change suggested in cois, we should have
toislester, omitting the article ; very near the old
Irish word.
Enbb, 749, 9 b . pagma, a page of a book, [gwyneb, m.
1 face/ W. — enep, ' opposite,' A.] Enap, enep, * face,'
in recent Cornish.
Enedeken, 64, 7 a . exsfrum, entrail. [Peculiar to the
Cornish dialect] This may be an Old English
corruption of the Saxon vneddhas; such a plural
form as we have in brethren and children would
make irmedheren.
Enkf, 431, 8 b . cmvma, the soul, [anim, anc. Ir. — ene,
m. A] en, W. — anam, m. Gael. Recent form ena.
All from the Latin, or at all events connected
with it
Ex. Enef, O 479, 849, 1273, <fec. Ene, O
1356, 1629, 1649, 2179 ; this appears to be done
for the rhyme's sake. PI. enevow, D 144.
Engurbok, 752, 9 b . patena, a dish or plate. [Unknown
elsewhere.] May this be ciborvwn 9
EnIjIDAX, 649, 9* pfomtago, plantain. [he*dl6dan, h616-
dan, m. A.]
Enniou, 823, 9 b . commissivra, a joining, a seam. [Un-
known elsewhere.] If we read eimiou, which is
probable, we may compare this with the Gaelic
aanachd, f. ' union/ or Welsh imiad, m. from imo,
'to join.'
Ektbedes, 474, 8 b . ccwma, swoon, lethargy. [Entre
appears to be intensive, and <fe*=tes, ' warmth ;'
see vntesa, anc. Irish.] The conjecture hazarded
by Zeuss is hardly satisfactory.
Envoch, 37, 7 a. fades, the face, [en intensive, and
voch, the Welsh boch, f. 'the cheek.'] I believe
here too we have the article. C£ the Latin bucca.
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(delwedd F1307) (tudalen 359)
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300 ANCIENT
Eb, 494, 8 b . aquMa, an eagle, [eryr, erydd, m. W. — er,
Srer, m. A.] Recent plural erieu.
Ex. O133.
Erieu, 36, 7 s . tvmpus 9 the temple of the head. [Un-
known elsewhere ; the Armoric has ividik, m.]
The word may be read erieu, allied to the Welsh
arlais, pL arleisiau, m.
Enp, 719, 9 b . ager, a field, [ero, (erf, erv), m. 'a fur-
row,' pL irvi, A.] erw, f. W. — ervum, arvum, Latin.
Found in the form ereu, in gunithiat ereu, q. v.
The word is certainly erp in the MS., but there can
be no doubt that p is the letter meant
Esoop, 102, 7*. epiecopus, a bishop, [esgob, W. — eskop,
A. — anc. It. epscop, now easbog.] Recently ispak.
Ex. Epscop, O 2614, 2655, <fec ; pi. epscobow,
D 2005.
Esoop, 755, 9 h . I have some hesitation about inserting
this word ; Lhuyd does not notice it, and Zenss
reads only a letter or two of the Latin equivalent,
but suggests very doubtfully tester. I think the
word in the MS. is lefiste, which may probably be
a corrupt reading of the barbarous Latin lepista,
'a broad cup like a shell,' supposed from the
Greek Xaracrrq. As the word comes immediately
after mndelobrum, it may mean a 'snuffer pan,'
and may be derived from scyphus, or from the
English scoop; or else from cup, with es meaning
' lower,' an under-cup : cf. the Welsh isradd, * a
lower degree,' iswerth, an • under-sale.'
Esel, 22, 7 a . membrum, a limb, [asil, ana Ir.] esill,
W.— ezel, izel, m. pL izili, A.
Ex. Esely, pi. 2735 ; ysyly, 1797,
D 1733.
Eskidieu, 816, 9 b . sotvlares, shoes, [esgidiau, pi. W.]
Tonkin says, " shoes open above, such as the tin-
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(delwedd F1308) (tudalen 360)
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COBNISH VOCABULABY. 361
ners use." The recent plural form was eskiiiccs,
from a singular esgiz. The Welsh esgid is fe-
minine. Is this the English skid ?
Estren, 551, 8 b . ostrea vel ostreum, an oyster, [histr,
m. histren, £ A.]
Euhic, 581, 9 a . cerva, a stag, [ewig, W.] See Loch
euhic,
Evidit. See EhidnL
EpiNCABN, 97, 7 a . ungula, the hoof of a beast. [Com-
pound of ewwm, ' nail,' and ecvrn, *hoo£']
Euiteh, 148, 7 a . Occurs in eviter abard tot, "patruus,"
an uncle by the father's side ; followed by abwrh
mam, "avunculus," by the mother's side, [ewy-
thyr, W.— eontr, A.] See Pwrih.
Eunhinsic, 400, 8 a . Justus, just, upright. [Compounded
of &wn, c right,' and him, * a way,' the Welsh hynt.]
See Camhinsic.
Eure, 223, 7 b . awrifex, a goldsmith. [From ewr, 'gold,'
the termination e having the force of an appella-
tive, as in idne, q. v., like the Welsh ai. See Zeuss,
p. 799.]
Euuin, 78, 9 a . unguis y finger or toe-nail, [ewin, f. W.
ivin, m. A.]
Euynoc, having claws or nails, the Welsh eurinawg.
See Kenin munoc.
Eythiken, 695, 9 a . rcwwms, furze. [eithinen,W, 'furze.'
We have also eirynen, f. W. — irinen, hirinen, f. A.
' a prickly plum.'] Becent forms eithm, ython.
F.
Fadic, 299, 8 a . projugus, a fugitive, [ffoedig, W. from
jfoad, l flight,' which is from the verb jffo, c to flee.']
B
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(delwedd F1309) (tudalen 361)
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362 ANCIENT
Faints, 133, 7*. formoeus, beautiful, [faezoz, fezns, A.
"surpassing," in words: Corniah "in beauty."]
Also feazus in Legonidec In Welsh fiaethus is
1 luxuriant'
Falbun, 523, 8 b . falco vel capum, a falcon. [Put for
falhun. In Armoric, falcTioun or falcTian, m.]
Pryce gives Talbum, and renders it ' capon ;' pro-
bably a misprint
Fellet, see GhwnfeUet.
Fellores, 255, 7 b . fidicina, a female fiddler. This
word, coming after harfeUor, ' fidicen,' is apparently
abbreviated, for har/eUares : but Zeuss cites the
Welsh fibres with the same signification, derived
from the English fiddler. See ffar/eUores.
Fenester, 760, o b . fenestra, a window, [ffenestyr £ W.
— fenestr (?) A] No doubt borrowed from Latin.
Fenochel, 635, o*. femculwniy fennel [Borrowed from
Latin.] ffenigl, m. W.
Fer, 91, 7 a . cms, the leg. Ber, £ W. C£ Jf8r, m. the
ankle, W.
Febhiat, 297, 8 a . Jwr, a thief. [Unknown elsewhere.]
The termination is the usual form of the agent, as
in cheniat, <fcc. I do not know the verb ; possibly
an awkward loan from the Latin.
Fie been, 689, 9 a . ficus, a fig-tree. The Latin word
borrowed. The Welsh has ffigysbren, m. the At-
moricjE&en, £
Fiol, 872, io*. ciffiis, a cup. [ffiol, W. — fiol, A the
French fiole. C£ Gr. ^idX?, phiala.] We may add
our vial or phial.
Firmament, 8, 7 a . firmamenfom, the firmament Ffur-
fofen, £ W. In the margin fyrvcw. From the
Latin.
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(delwedd F1310) (tudalen 362)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 363
Flair, 773, 9 b . odor, a smell, [fler, flear, m. 'a stink, 1
A. Jlerius, in Buhez, ' fetid.'] fflair, £ W. Always
taken in a bad sense.
Ex. Verb, Flerye, O 2707, R 171 ; fleyrye,
D 1566.
Subst., Fleyryngy, 'the smell/ R 2133.
Fleryys, 'a stinkard,' D 1 890, 27 3 9.
Adj., Flerys, ' fetid/ O 945.
Flam, 450, 8 b , and 881, io\ flwrmna, a flame. Fflam,
£ W. — flamm, m. A. Borrowed from Latin or
English.
Ex. O 2637.
Flogh, 197, 7 b . puer, a child. Flechet, 134, *j\ li-
beri, children. [flocli, A. 'a page.'] The word
seems peculiar to Cornish ; the Armoric expression
signifies rather "the esquire/' "the armourbearer,"
than " the page." It could hardly be connected
with " child."
Ex. Flogh, O 300, 390, 397, 647, 664, <fcc.
Flehes, pi. 932, 1258, D 2643; fleghys,
O 1553, *575; flehas, O 975.
Flehysygow, pL 'dim/ 1868. See the
note in p. 208, voc. II.
Flubbag, 275, 7 b . prora, the prow of a ship, [fflureg,
f. W. — araok, diaraok, m. A.] The Armoric word
is the Cornish adverb arak, wrag, ' forward/ used
sometimes as a substantive. See the Grammar,
p. 293. I think ftwr rag is "the floor forward."
Fodic, 303, 8 a . fdix, happy, [fodiawg, W. from a sub-
stantive fawd.]
Fol, 417, 8». 8tvJM3 y a fool. [Ml, W.— foil, A.— fou,
folle, Fr.] Used both as a substantive and an
adjective.
Ex. Fol, R950, 953, 973, 2 1 8a.
Folneth, 'folly/ R 961.
B %
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(delwedd F1311) (tudalen 363)
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3«4 ANCIENT
Foltkb OU8KB, 394, 8 ft . Jrmeticus, frantic. [Connected
with foultr, foueltr, foeltr, m. A 'a thunderbolt'
See discorwmait.] Cf. the French foudre, and the
Tjtimfsdgwr andjuhnen. The meaning would he
"thunder-sleep," or made lethargic by thunder.
Tonkin suggests " folly-struck;" he (or Pryce) also
pretends to correct Lhuyd, reading foU instead of
fdller; but the mark for er is perfectly clear over
t in the Ma
Ford, 709, 9*. vu*> a way. [ffbrdd, f. W.] Hebford
occurs in the vocabulary immediately after, with
the equivalent inviwn. Ford in Celtic appears to
be confined to a way by land, as in the Germanic
dialects, to one by water ; but the root, which is
fahren in German, appertains to both. Kecent
form ferdh, j>\.Jwru, vctros.
Ex. Forth, O 699, 713, 1677, D 2294. Ab-
breviated to for in D 2418, for the sake of
rhyme ; and in B 2324 without such motive.
Fork, 911, io a . fornox vel cUbcmus, an oven, [ffwrn,
m. W. — fbrn, fourn, £ A] From the Latin.
Fosaneu, 815, 9 b . ccUcios, breeches. [For hoscvneu.]
See H08.
Freg gans gur, 209, 7^. uxor, a wife. See Greg.
Friic, 30, 7 a . nam, the nostril, [ffroen, £ W. nostriL—
fri, m. A 'nose.' — sr6n, anc. Lr.] Zeuss reads Jruc,
but would prefer frm, I think I see friic in MS.
In Armoric the nostril is expressed by Jron, or
jren, £ ; friek is ' large-nosed.'
Fbot> 732, 9 b . afoeus, a channel or strait, [frwd, £ W.
' a stream ;' — sruth, anc. Lr.] sruth, m. ' a current,'
Gaelic. The word is probably the Latin jrefom,
Danish fjord; our frith.
Fruit, 679, 9* fructus, fruit, [flrwyth, m. W.— froues,
m. A] English.
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(delwedd F1312) (tudalen 364)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 3f 5
Fuelein, 646, 9* abdntvwm, wormwood, [vuSlen, hu6-
len, uc'helen, £ A.] The Armoric word means
"elevation;" with the addition of c'houerd, 'bitter/
the plant is signified. The old Armoric was huze-
len, which Legonidec derives from huzel, ' soot :'
probably from its bitterness. The Welsh form is
chwerw h/8, ( bitter plant. 9
Funtbn, 73S, 9 b . /oris, a fountain, [fynnawn, f. W. a
foreign word.] I am not quite satisfied by (Har-
nett's examples that jffyrmon is originally Celtic.
At all events fwrtim must be an adoption from
English. Recently Jwtion, pi. fentirviow.
Ex. Fenten, O 771, 1845.
Fub, 414, 8 a . prudem, prudent, [fur, flur, W. A.] See
Guasbathor fwr. Recent form fir.
Ex. O 1638, D 1 1 94. Adverbially D 1737.
Fubp, 488, 8 b . forma, form. [Usual change of m to/]
ffurf;f.W.
G.
Gahen, 631, 9 a . simphoniaca, henbane. [Not found
elsewhere.]
Galluidoc, 244, 7 b . potens, able, potent. [A derivative
from gattuid, substantive, which is from the verb
gaMu, ' to be able ;' like chejuidoc.'] Galloudek, A.
Recent forms gaUos and gaUosek.
Ex. Gallosek, O 1494, D 157, R 752 ; galo-
sek, R 108.
Gallos, D 1 601; gallus, O 2287, 'power.' In
O 70, galloys, for the rhyme.
Gans, ' with ;' occurs in Gwr gems grueg, q. v. and
written cans in Greg corns gwr. Frequent in the
Dramas, meaning "with" and "by." See Gram-
mar, p. 298.
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(delwedd F1313) (tudalen 365)
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3W ANCIENT
Gaban, 498, S\ grus, a crane, [garan, £ W. A.] Of.
the Greek y*pa*os.
Gabthou, 345, 8*. stimulus, a goad, [garthon, m.W.—
Gothic goad, old Germ, gart; whence garti, ( a
sceptre ;* gerta, gertia, 'a rod;' now gerte.'] Found
under the form of gerthi in a Welsh gloss (p. 1094
Z.) The Cornish word may perhaps be read
garthon, as in Welsh. Diefenbach enumerates
the English yard and gad among the allied
words.
Gauhoc, 308, 8 a . parasUuSy a parasite. [Corrected to
gouhoc, and the same as gouhoc, a liar, from gau,
gou ; anc. Ir. gau, goo, gd.] See Gouhoc.
Gavab, 587, 9 a . copra vel capella, a goat, [gafr, i W.
— gavr, gaour, f. A — gabar, f. I. The Latin
caper.] Becent plurals, gever, gour.
Ex. Gayer, O 126.
Geaweil, 353, 8 a . evangetiwn, the gospel, [aviel, m.
A. corrupted from evangel,']
Gblvin, 508, S\ rostrwn, the beak of a bird. [Old
Welsh geluin, now gylfin, gylfant, gyl£ m.]
Genau, 42, J*. 08, the mouth, [genou, m. A, from
Irish and Welsh gin, £ genau, a plural form used
by the Welsh for mouth, i. e. lips.] Becent pi.
genuow. Cf. ycW, the jaw, and yeVeioy, the
chin.
Ex. Ganow, D 1500.
Ger, a word : in Drocger and Gerda.
Ex. O 170, 1455, 1908 ; pi. Gerryow, D
2468.
Gerda, 403, 8 a . famo^ fame. [i. e. a good word, as in
the Welsh geirda, m.]
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(delwedd F1314) (tudalen 366)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 367
Gebiitda, 402, 8K famosvs, famous. [The same, with
adjectival ii£; see DrocgeriU*
Geuelhoebn, 781, 9 b . Twmctoriivm, snuffers. [Lit pin-
cers of iron, gefail haiarn W.] Diefenbach connects
geuel, the Welsh gefail, with Latin gemi/nus (ge-
mellus), rather than with gofaa& govel. Cf. W.
gefett, c a twin.' The Rev. Mr. Williams derives
gefail from the verb gqfaelu, ' to seize/ ' grasp.'
Ghel, 617, 9 a . somgmssuga, a leech, [gel, gell, gelen,
geleu, f. W. — gwelaouen, gweleouen, £ A.] The
Gaelic is giol, f., but having nearly the same pro-
nunciation as in Welsh.
Glan, 730, 9 b . rvpa, a bank, [glan, W. — glann, klann,
f. A.] Used as a ' side' in R 522.
Glas, 59, 7 a . stomacus, the stomach. [Peculiar to the
Cornish.] The word occurs in D 2716, 3074; in
both cases as an imprecation, " vengeance in thy
maw."
Glastanen, 673, 9 a . quercus vel jllex, the oak, the
scarlet oak. [glasdonen, f. W. — glastennen, f.
glasten, glazten, m. A. — glds in Welsh " green."]
Glastan is given in Pryce as the modern Cornish ;
it is merely the general substantive with omission
of en, as in Armoric. Bar is given in the MS. as
a synonym.
Gi^AU, 437, 8 b . pkma, rain, [gwlaw, W., from which
we have gwlyb, 'wet,' and gwlych, 'moisture.' —
glav, gla6, m. A.]
Ex. Glaw, O 23, 1028, 1076, 1092, 2488.
Glbsix, 652, 9 s . 8cmdix, the herb woad. [glesyn, 'any
thing blue/ from glds, W.]
Glibor, 476, 8 b . hwnwr, moisture, [gwlybwr, m., a
liquid, from gwlyb, W. — gl6bor and glebder, f. from
gl6b, glub, A.] The town of Umbra, mentioned
by Cicero in Lit. Fam. vii. 18, appears to have
s
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(delwedd F1315) (tudalen 367)
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3G8 ANCIENT
been in a moist situation, from the allusion to
frogs. The English glib is from this word.
Gluan, 8ao, 9 b . lana, wool [Pat for gtdan; gwlin,
m. W. — wlan, Slav. — vilna, Lithuan. — lana for
vUmay Lat] Recent form glaum.
Glut, 362, 8*. gluten, glue. [glyd,m.W. — glud,m.A]
God, 575, 9* tcdpa, a mole, [gw&dd, £ W. — gfo, i A]
Probably godh : in recent Cornish godh dha/r.]
Twrch daem is a common Welsh name for a mole.
Goden truit, 95, 7* pfanta, the sole of the foot [God,
or goden is unknown elsewhere.] Zeuss has over-
looked the Welsh gwadn, m. See Truit.
Gof, 219, 7 b . faber vel cudo, a smith. [g6f, m. W. A.]
gobha, Gaelic. See Walter Scott's Gow Chrom,
and the renowned blacksmith of Ispahan, Gam,
the conqueror of Afrasiab.
Ex. D 1695, 2712, 2724.
Gofail, 220, 7 b . ofinitiva, a smithy. [Latin should be
officina : gefail, W. — g&fel or g6vel, £ A.]
Goitkenin, 659, 9*. hermodachda vel tUodosa, dog's
bane, wild or meadow saffron. [Fortasse pro guiir
kenin, guidkenin, ' algium arboris,' ni subest goto,
goys, Pass. " sanguis."] I should be inclined to
derive the word from components equivalent to the
Welsh coed, ' a wood,' and cennin, ' a leek.'
Goiven, 84, 7 a . nervus, a nerve. [Unknown, unless
corrupted from colmen, ' a knot.' An ancient Irish
gloss is cofonme, nervus.] The Welsh gewyn, m. ' a
sinew,' or else gieuen £ giau, pi. will be the analo-
gous form. 1 believe ieyw in D 2681, h=goiv.
Pryce gives gey en as a recent form.
Golou, 448, 8 b . lux, light. Goleu, m. W. — goulou,
m. A.
Ex. Golow, 786, 2260, D 79, 609. .
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(delwedd F1316) (tudalen 368)
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COKNISH VOCABULAKY. 369
Goloulester, 776. 9 b . Iwmpas vel hicerna, vel latema,
a lamp. [A light vessel.] See Encoislester.
Gout, 32, 7\ cesaries, a head of hair, [gwallt, m. W. —
fait, m. Ir.]
Golvan, 511, 8 b . passer, a sparrow, [golfan, m. W. —
golvan, golven, m. A.] Becently gyhxm.
Gonidoc, 844, 10*. minister, a servant, [gweinidog, W.
— gonidek, gounidek, A From gweinid, W. gonid,
gounid, A ' service.'] See Guntihiat.
GorJ>fel, 611, 9a. coluber, a snake. [Not found else-
where.] May not this be a compound like gutifU,
the Welsh gwyddjU f gorth may be gvxvrdd, i for-
bidden,' or gordd, i fierce,' or gwyrdd, i green.'
Goscor, 136, 7 a . familia, a family. In the MS. we
have goscorpi teilu. Tonkin (in Pryce) reads gos-
corthi ; but Zeuss correctly divides goscor pi teilu,
meaning * goscor or teilu. 9 See Goscor.
Goth, 427, S\ superbia, pride. — Gothus, 426, 8 b . su-
perbus, proud, [goth, m. W.]
Ex. Goth, D 381.
Gothys, O 899, 2221.
Gouhoc, 421, 8*>. mendax, a liar. From gow, ' a lie,'
occurring in O 180, R 1392, 141 9, and elsewhere.
Welsh gau, m. Gaelic gd, m. Armoric gad, gaou.
The Welsh analogous form is geuog. It is probably
the same word which is rendered pa/rasitus in the
MS., the idea being "deceit" generally. See Gomhoc.
Ex. Gowygyon, plural, B1478, 1510.
Gouiles, 632, 9 a . mmdonia. [Perhaps we may com-
pare this with the Armoric louzaouen-ar-gouli,
i herba vulneris.' See Guyles.] I do not know the
Latin word avadonia, nor do I know libestica,
given in the MS. as the equivalent of guyles, which
Pryce's book renders " liquorice." It is the Welsh
gwylys.
b *
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(delwedd F1317) (tudalen 369)
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370 ANCIENT
Goulevebiat, 422, 8 b . fabidicw, a teller of lies.
[From gow, 'a lie/ and lavar, c to speak] See
GuMevmaL Gad or gaou, 'false, lying, 1 A.
Ex. Gow, D 600, 1729 ; gou, R 1393 ; pL
geuan, O 1338. Query gouaesaw, in D 885, given
in Pryce as a plural of gou.
GoupAW, 625, 9* #inea, a motL Zeuss reads gotUhcm,
and compares it with the Welsh euddon, a plural
word meaning "mites." But I think the word
must be Gouvan, the copyist having made no dis-
tinction between J> and p. The Welsh equivalent
is gwyfyn, m. Tonkin read goyan. If the reading
of Zeuss be preferred, the Welsh analogue will be
gwiddon.
Goyf, 462, 8 b . hyemps, winter. [Or gcrif, as kyniaf for
kynaif: gaem, gaim, gaya^ W.] The Welsh is
now gcmafy m. The recent Cornish was guav or
gwav.
Grat, 770, 9 b . gradus, a stair or step, [gradd, m. W.]
From the Latin word.
Gravio, 365, 8 a . Occurs in coUA grcwio, "scalprum
vel scalbeilum." Zeuss supposes an error for
gramor; but it seems unnecessary. In Pryce we
find a verb grama; in D 3156, gravy*, 'cut or
carved/
Gravior, 363, 8*. sculptor, a carver. [Perhaps a foreign
word, but see the Welsh crq/u, ' to scrape.'] There
can be little doubt that the Cornish word is foreign,
like our " engraver," but the root grab has a hun-
dred modifications. See Diefenbach, vol. II. p.
419-423.
Greg cans Gur, vel freg, 209, j\ uxor, a wife. [Li-
terally, "woman with a man."] A periphrasis
which might be required in a vocabulary to define
a married woman. In French such a periphrasis
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(delwedd F1318) (tudalen 370)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 371
would be necessary. Gwr and greg are allied to
vir and virago or virgo.
Ex. Gurek, O 265, 975, 2172; pi. guraget,
O 976. In all these cases, and I think gene-
rally, the Cornish word means "wife," while
" woman" is represented by the word benen. In
Welsh I do not think the distinction is so clearly
maintained. Freg is given as equivalent to greg.
Gbelin, 740, 9 b . locus, a lake. [Water for a flock,
compounded of gre, 'a flock,' and Imi, ' a lake/ as
in pisc-lvn.] Lyn occurs in Mount Calvary, 221,3.
cm goys han lyn cvrmotho del devero8> 'the blood
and the water from him as it dropped.' See Welsh
ttyn; Gaelic lirme, £; Irish, Jml Gre would be
from the Latin grex; the Gaelic has greigh;
Manks griagkt ; Welsh gre f.
Gronen, 685, 9 a , and 913, io*. grcmwm, any sort of
grain, [grainne, anc. Ir. gronyn, m. W. greunen,
f. A.]
Grou, 736, 9b. harena, sand, [graian, graean, m. W. —
groan, grouan, m. A.] Gro in Welsh means 'a
pebbly beach.*
Ex. O 2756. I am not sure whether we have
here grow or growyn.
Gruah, 210, j\ arms, an old woman, [gwrach, W.]
Grud, 35, 7*. maxilla, jaw. [grudd, W. — gruad, anc.
It.] The Gaelic gruaidh is ' the cheek.'
Grueg, 205, 7b. nvuMer, a woman, [gwraig, W. —
grouek, grek, A.] The form is more commonly
gurek, but we have gruek in* R 2227. See Pma
gruec, ' a woman's cloak.'
Grueiten, 686, 9 a . radix, a root, [gwreiddyn, m. W. —
grisien, grouien, gourien, grien, £ A.] Recent form
guredhcm.
Ex, Gurythyow, pL O 687, 782, 802.
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(delwedd F1319) (tudalen 371)
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372 ANCIENT
Orugis, 7 93, 9 b . dngulum vel zona vel (xnctoriwm, a gir-
dle or sash, [gregys, gwregyB,m. W. — gouriz, grouiz,
m. A.] The word is written Grwf ; Zeuss reads
it grugus; Tonkin read grugis, probably from the
analogy with Welsh.
Guaf, 730, 7*. castus, chaste. [Unknown ; in A gwaf,
m. is ' a lance.']
Guahalegh, 1 7 5, 9*. satrapa, a peer, a satrap. [Un-
known ; gwahardai in Welsh is ' prohibition.']
Guehelyth, f. W. a ' lineage or race ;' but the
conjecture is little better than Zeuss's ; the Rev. R
Williams suggests gwaleh, ' a hero/ W.
Guailen Kuifanaid, 164, 7 b . sceptrum, a royal sceptre.
See below for Guaylen, ( a rod,' and Ruifcmaid,
' kingdom.'
Guaintoik, 459, 8 b . ver, the spring. [Old Welsh forms
are guicmnuin, guahcmuyn, gucvycmuMn, gtoaicm-
rvwn ; now gwanwyn, m. from the substantive
gwaint, ' smart, vigorous.' Cf. wanton, English]
The recent Cornish form was Guainten.
Guan, 377, 8*. debUis, weak, [gwan, W. A.] fenn,
Gael. Cf the English wan.
Ex. 855, 2482, D 1334, K 132.
Guan a scient, 387, 8 a . energwmnw, possessed with
a devil. The literal meaning is certainly " weak of
mind." See JSkient.
Guar, 53, 7 a . coUwm, the neck, [gwar, f. 'nape of
neck,' W. — in A. gwar is ' bent' or ' a bend.']
Guakac, 35s, 8 a . diploma, a charter, patent. [Perhaps
gwarek, goarek, A. ' a bow,' from the verb gwara,
goara, 'to bend.'] Certainly from gwara, 'to
bend,' and if there be no mistake, diploma means a
' folded' or 'bent' document. Lhuyd gives guarrak,
'arcus,' p. 241, and derives the word from the
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(delwedd F1320) (tudalen 372)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 373
Latin : we have gwyraw, c to bend,' in Welsh, as
well as gwarwy, m. ' a bend,' guwry, m. ' a bow.'
Ex. Guarak, O 1244, a 'bow.'
Guasbathor fur, 242, 7 b . adders. The Latin gives
the equivalent of Jur only : as Zeuss observes, it
should have been wwrn/ularius serous setters. See
bat and bathor. Guas occurs frequently ; see O
544, 887. In plural guesyon, D 615, 1299.
Guathel, household stuff; Tonkin's reading of the
word, which is written gut" hell in the MS. See
Guthel.
Guaylbk, 681, 9 a . vvrga, a rod. [gwialen, f. W. A.]
Ex. Guelen, O 1444, 1729 ; guelan, 1676 ;
pi. guel, 1739, or gaellynny, O 1791 ; gue-
lynny, O 1931, D 1390.
Guedeu, 206, 7 b . vidua, a widow, [gweddw, W. —
fedb, anc. Ir.] The primary signification of gweddw,
which is ' marriageable,' and its certain connection
with gweddu, ' to marry,' from which the English
' wed* appears to be derived, induces a doubt as to
the usual, and, at first sight, obvious derivation of
c widow.'
Gubid, 230, 7 b . opus, work, [gweith, W. from gwei-
thio, to ' work.']
Ex. Gwyth, f. O 2572, D 383, 3029.
GuEiDVTJR,a workman, in GuEiDpuR argans, 224, 7 b . ar-
gentariu8, a workman in silver, Gubiduur cober,
225, erarius, a workman in copper, and pEiDpUR ti,
232, arckitectu8, a builder ; all formed from Gueid
by the usual addition of vur for gwr. Gweithiwr,W.
Ex. Guythor, O 2331.
Guein, 818, 9 b . vagina, scabbard, [gwain, f. pi. gwein-
iau, W. — gouin, gouhin, m. A.]
Ex. Gwon, DT156.
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(delwedd F1321) (tudalen 373)
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374 ANCIENT
Gueu, 799, 9 b . ledum vel lectodum, a bed. [gwely, m
W. — gue!6, m. A.] Recent plural gudiau.
Ex. Guery, O 2127 ; goyly, O 654, D 2203.
Guen, 721, o>. campus, a plain, a field, [gwswn, i
frequently found in the book of Llandaff, W.—
gueun, A. in Buhez. C£ Germ, font, veen, h>hes
veen.] The modern Welsh form is gvxvwn. Kecent
Cornish gdn, pi. guwiau.
Ex. Gwon, D 1544 ; goon, D 1552.
Guenenen, 528, 8 b . opw, a bee. [gwenynen, £ W.—
gw6nanen, f. A.] Becent form gucmaru Derived
from verb guene, * to sting or pierce.' See guenys,
D 2376, and guanheya, O 1756.
Guennol, 510, 8^. hvrwidO) a swallow. [gwennol,£ W.
— gw6nneli, gwennili, £ A. — fannal, anc. Ir.] la
Pryce the word is translated ' sparrow ;* the form
guenbol is also given, and the derivation "white
belly" attributed ; this is analogous to the Gaelic
gealbhonn,
GuUnoik-reiat, 3 1 1, 8*. veneficus, a poisoner. [Poison-
giver, Welsh gwenwyn roddiad.] See Beiat.
GuENpuiT, 41 1, 8*. dagax vel gncurw, sagacious, skilful.
[Perhaps gu&rwwt, the Welsh gorwydd, with the
intensive particle.] Pryce suggests "a white or fair
wit."
Gu BBET , x 3 , 7-.W,, the ground. [gwe^m.W.l
Guern, 280, 7 b . malus, a mast, [gwernen, W. — gW*,
f. A.] Made of alder tree f
Ex. B 2331.
Guernen, 676, 9* akms, an alder tree, [gwern^ ..*
W. A. Old Gaulish vem in Vernodubrum, a *fr er
of Gallia Narbonnensis, Pliny, iii. 4.] gwern, ok A«
— fearn, m. Gaelic.
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(delwedd F1322) (tudalen 374)
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CORNISH VOCABULAKY. 375
Guesbeuin, 174, 7 b . prima*, a primate. [Unknown.]
Tonkin reads gueshevin, but the 6 is dear.
GtiEUS, 48, 7* labia, the lips, [gweus, gwefus, f. W. —
gweuz, gwez, geuz, A.]
Guhien, 530, 8 b . veapa, a wasp. [Unknown elsewhere.]
Perhaps from guene> 'to sting/ like gumenen.
Lhuyd, p. 241, makes this feminine.
Guhit, 162, 7 b . rmrus, a daughter-in-law. [gwaudd,
W. — gouh6, gouhez, A.] Recent form guhidh.
Gutat, 824, o>. tela, cloth woven, [gwead, m. W. 'a
weaving.' — gwiad, A.] From the verb gwa, 'to
weave.'
Guiheden, 537, 8 b . scmifes, a gnat [gwibedyn, groyd-
bedyn, gwybedyn, m. in Mab.] gwiban, £ gwibed,
pi. W.
Guicgur, 266, 7 b . meroator vel negotiator, a merchant,
[gwicawr, ' a pedlar/ W.]
Ex. Guycoryon, D 331 ; guykcoryon, D 1304,
both plurals.
Guid, 85, 7 a . vena, a vein, [gwyth, m. W. — gwazen,
gwazien, f. A.] gwythien, gwythen, f. W.
Guiden, 347, 8 a . aUukis. I do not know the Latin
word ; it may be intended for cuUeUus, and would
signify some kind of knife, coming as it does after
implements of agriculture. Zeuss gives it as un-
known. I have received a more probable con-
jecture from the Rev. R. Williams, who suggests
catulus, 'a collar/ he strengthens his suggestion
by the etymology of the word, collars being fre-
quently made of twigs. Cf. the English wiihs.
Guidek, 667, 9 a . arbor, a tree, [gwydd, gwydden,f.W.
— gw6z, gw€zen, gw6, gw6en, £ A. fid. Ir. — anc.
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(delwedd F1323) (tudalen 375)
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37« ANCIENT
Gaulish virtu, in Viducasses, a town in Gallia Lug-
dunensia, Pliny iv. 18.] Recent form guedhm.
Ex. Guethen, £ O 29, 167, 176, 184, <fcc; pi.
gueyth, O 28, 37.
Guidthiat, 195, i\ custos, a keeper. [From a verb
gwethe ; in other dialects we have guil, gwyliwr, 'a
watchman/ <kc. W. Cornish golyas, golyough, in
Pass.] Guith and guil are different roots ; the first
signifying to " guard, keep," the second to " watch,"
gwytio, W. Both roots occur in the Dramas. See
GuUha, below.
Ex. Guythyas, O 692, guythyes, 609, guy-
thes, O 576, 'a keeper;' guet, O 394, 1024,
gueyt, O 2 1 56, R 1 345, 'take care ;' guyth, R 390,
present tense ; guythe, R 419, 'to guard, watch.'
Guil, 279, 7*>. velwm, a saiL [hwyl, £ W. — gwel, gwil,
£ A.] Cognate with Latin.
Ex. Goyl, R 2331.
Guilan, 505, 8 h . alcedo, a kingfisher, [gwylan, f. 'a
gull,' W. — gwylan, m. A. — foilenn, anc. lr.] The
English gull.
Guillua, 398, 8 a . vigilia, a watch station. [Allied to
the Welsh chwilfa, £ 'research.] Rather from the
root guil or gol, in Welsh gwyUo. Gwyllfa, £ W.
Ex. Gollyough, D 1025, goylyough, D 1056,
' watch ye ;' golsys, ' thou hast watched,' D 1054 ;
golyas, 'thou shouldst watch,' D 1055 ; golyas,
D 1067, 1068, infin. and participle.
Guilschin, 613, 9 a . rcma, a frog. [gwesklS, gwesklen,
gwesklev, f. A — gwelskler and glesker, m. are cor-
rupt forms ; cf. Bertrand du Guesclin.] Tonkin
reads guilkin, and adds quilkin, as if it were a
word still in use ; he also gives " welkin" as an
English equivalent. I find wiUey, ' a toad or frog/
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(delwedd F1324) (tudalen 376)
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COENISH VOCABULARY. 377
in Wright's Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial
English.
Guilter, 607, 9 a . moU>88Ud y a mastiff. [Orta videtur ex
assonantia cum adj. gwyJU 'ferus,' cum contra ger-
manice cum n pro r vel I factum sit wmt, ventus ;
windhund, cf. Graff, Thesaurus, 1,626.] I would
prefer to bring guilter from guil, ' to watch/ though
I hardly know how to explain the second syllable.
Guin, 856, io*. virvwm, wine, [gwin, m. W. — gwin, m.
A. — fin. Ir.] Cognate with the Latin and Greek.
Ex. Guyn, m. O 1904, 1914, D 723, 823 ;
guyyn, O 2435.
Guin-bren, 701, 9 b . vitis, a vine; literally, 'wine tree.'
[gwinwydden, f. W.]
Gunr fellet, 859, io*. acetum, vinegar, [i. e. "cor-
rupt wine," feUout, fattou, to be deficient, A.]
Guins, 443, 8 b . venktSy the wind, [gwynt, m. W.]
Cognate with Latin and English.
Ex. Guyns, m. D 1215, K 2292.
Guib, true, in Guirleveriat Guir, W. A. — fior, Gael,
cognate with Latin and German.
Ex. Guyr, O 2541, 2549.
Guyrder, O 1732 ; guyroneth, O 702,
740 ; guyryoneth, D 595 ; ' truth.'
Guibion, 418, 8 a . verax, true, [gwirion, W. A. — ffrian,
from fir, ana Ir.] The meaning is also "inno-
cent," in Welsh and Cornish. In D 1305, gueryon
is plural of guyr.
Ex. Guyryon, O 930, D 2625 ; guyron, E
2571.
Guibleveriat, 4 1 9, 8 a . veridicus, one that speaks
truth : compounded of guir, ( truth,' and leveriat,
' a speaker,' like goulevericti, q. v.
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(delwedd F1325) (tudalen 377)
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378 ANCIENT
Guitt, 484,8* fftrufts, green. [gwyrdd,W.] Cognate
with Latin. Recent form guar.
OuiB, 49a, 9*. torqffia, a sow. [gwis, gwez, A.] Pryce
has "an old bow that hath had many pigs."
Guise, 786, 9 b . vestiSy vel vestimentum, vel indwmen-
turn, vesture and clothing, [gwisg, £ W. A.] Re-
cent plural gusJcya.
Ex. Gwyske, to dress, D 2121, 2129 ; guys-
kys, participle, D 1780, 2133, 2533 ; guyakens,
let him dress, D 1788.
Guiscn, 902, 10*. vertiarium, a wardrobe. Zeuss
copies this word gwisca, and supposes it may 1*
for gtUscva. It is almost the only instance of in-
advertence in Zeuss's reading of this MS. Ti is
quite clear, but the xi may be closer than usual,
looking like a at the first glance.
Guistel, 173, 7b. elms, a hostage, [gwystyl, m. W.—
gwestl, 'a pledge/ m. A.]
Gurr, 65, 7*. sanguis, blood, [gwaet, gwaed, m. W.—
guad, gwed, goad, m. A.] Recent form goys.
Ex. Goys, O 66, 577 ; gois, O 2768 ; gons,
D 2498 1 gos, R 2593.
Gurr, 513, 8 b . cmca, a goose, [gwydd, f. W. — guaz, f.
A.] gfeadh, m. Gaelic. See Chdioc guit.
Ex. Goyth, 129.
Guitfil, 556, 8 b . /era, a beast, [gwyddfil, m. W.— The
word is made up of guid and mil, wild beast ; as
in rnor-vil, a whale=sea beast.] Printed gwrt/M
by Pryce. See GorthfeL
Gulat, 713, 9b. patria, a region, one's country,
[gwlad, f. W.] Gl&d, m. an estate, A.
Ex. Gulas, O 492, 518, 1503.
GuLsrr, 894, io». arswra, roast meat, [golwyth, m.
a chop, W.] Zeuss quotes a passage in the Mabi-
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(delwedd F1326) (tudalen 378)
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COENISH VOCABULAKY. 379
nogion, where the word is connected with spits,
shewing the meaning. In the vocabulary it follows
her, a spit.
Gxjnithiat, 337, 8 a . a labourer, in Gkmithiat ereu, " a-
gricola." [The same as gomdoc; gomd, govavid, m.
* labour/ A. Ere/a is erv, a field, q. v.] The root
is gon> We find derivatives in the Dramas ; as
gonetheugh, in O 1221, gonethons, O 2327, and the
plural substantive gonesugy, in O 2326, 2438.
Gub, 204, 7 b . vir, a man. Gwr, W. — gour, A. Recent
plural gorryth in Pryce ; but see Gwrrmd.
Ex. Gour, D 2810.
Gorty, L e. " the man of the house," "the
husband," O 175, 181, 295.
Gub gans gbueg vel fbeg, 208, 7 b . martins, a hus-
band. [Literally a man with a wife.] See Greg
cams gwr.
Gur pbiot, 201, 7 b . 8ponsu8y a bridegroom. See Priot.
Gub iovekc, 211, *j\ adolescens, a young man. See
Touone.
Gubbulloc, 391, 8*. insanw, madman, [gorfwyllawg,
W. from gur, guor, " over," and pulloe, bvttoc, de-
rived from subs. pwyU, " sense, reason."]
Gubhchel, 922, io & . in Lofgurhchel. q. v. We may
perhaps read gurhthd : see Guthel.
GuBHEMtN-RUiF, 1 83, 7 b, edictwm, a king's decree,
[gorchymyn, m. W. — gourchemenn, m» A. a com-
mand ; qu&men and qu&menet are found in the
Buhez.]
Ex. Gorhemmyn, O 298 ; gorhenmyn, O 353.
PI. Gorhemmynnadow, O 481.
Gurhhog, 131, 7 a . atUvou8 y the great grandfather's
father. [This word, like hengog and dvpog, appears
to be compounded with cog. The Welsh has ccw,
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(delwedd F1327) (tudalen 379)
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38d ANCIENT
m. cawes, £ in a line of affinity descending : son or
daughter of the fourth degree ; gorchaw, gorchawes,
of the fifth, and hengcno, hengafwe3 y of the sixth.
See gorhendat, gorhenvam, in Mabin. 2, 220.]
Gubhthit, 832, io a . fonts, a spindle, [gwerthyd, £ W.
— gwerzid, £ A.]
GuRBtrtD, 19, 7 a . mcts vel ma*culwm, a male, [gwryw,
W. It is perhaps a compound word, like be-
nermd.']
Ex. Gorryth, O 2837.
GtJRTHupER, 455, 8 b . ve&pera, evening, [ucher, m. W.]
The Welsh has also htm/r, m. echwydd, m. and
godechwydd. I am inclined to derive gwrthwwer
from gurth, allied to the Welsh gordd or gwrdd,
'intense/ or gorddu, 'dark,' and hwyr or ucher.
I do not find the word in the Ordinalia, but it oc-
curs in the two versions we have of the first
chapter of Genesis : in one of them it varies from
gwrthuher to gorthewhar and gathewer; and in the
other from gothuar to godhifvuar. The dh is sig-
nificant, shewing the connection with the Welsh
dd. Printed by Pryce gwrchwer.
Guthel, 925, io a . vupeHex, furniture. Above the t are
two little accents or commas, which induces Zeuss
to suppose the reading gutrahel. Tonkin reads it
guathd ; gurhekel of lofgurhchel is no doubt the
word in question. I would suggest gurthd, on
comparing the forms, and doubtfully propose some
derivative from guerth, value.
Guthot, 919, io\ fer, corn. [Unknown elsewhere.
The Latin word should be far.] Pryce has guihoc
without a translation, the author not understand-
ing far. No doubt Zeuss is right.
Guubr, 734, 9b. rivu8> a brook, [gofer, m. A. gouer,
g6er, goueren, £ A.] Pryce has gtmer.
Ex. Gover, 1845.
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(delwedd F1328) (tudalen 380)
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COBNISH VOCABULAET. 381
Guyles, 629, 9*. libestica, liquorice. Guylys, m. W.
See Gowles.
Guyn, 480, 8 b . aXbus, white, [gwin, W., ancient Gaul-
ish vind, in Vindobona, Vindonissa.]
Ex. D 1780, 3138, K 2205.
Guyraf, 718, 9 b . fewum, hay. [gwair, gwyran, gweiryn,
m. W.] Becent form gorha.
Ex. Gorra, or gorre, O 1058.
H.
Haf, 460, 8 b . estas, summer, [ham, haf, m. W.] Han
hanv, m. A. anciently written hdf. Becent Cornish
forms were hdv, hdn.
Ex. O 31, 488, B 1763.
Hail, 406, 8 a . largvs, bountiful, [hael, W.] See
Zeuss's notes on dihd, p. 1079.
Haloin or Halein, 848, io a . sal, salt, [halen, m. W.
— c'hoalen, hal, halen, holen, m. A. — salann, anc.
Ir.] Cf. A\s, Skas. Becent form halan.
Ex. Haal, 2708.
Haloineb, 288, 8 a . scdmator, salt-maker. [From ha-
loin.]
Hanaf, 871, io a . hcmapu8, a drinking-cup. [hanaf,
anaf, A. It is a measure for grains and liquids :
cf. Germ, hwmpen.] Our old word hanaper 9
Habfel, 256, 7 b . fiala, a viol. — Habfellob, 254, 7 b .
Jidicen, a fiddler.— (Hab)fellobes, 255, 7 b . fidi-
cina, a female fiddler. All from the Latin hcwrpa.
See FeUores.
He, 67, 7 a . cutis, the skin. [For che, chen, the Welsh
cm.] Perhaps allied to the Welsh hif y m.
Hebfobd, 711, 9 b . inviam, without a road. See Ford.
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(delwedd F1329) (tudalen 381)
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382 ANCIENT
Hebbenchiat luib, 169, 7b dux, a captain. [From
hebrvmg, conducting, hebryngydd, a conductor,
W.] I think the last word ought to read "luid,"
" army.* 1 The meaning would be ' leader of an
army.' See Luid.
Ex. The verb. — Hembronk, O 1874, to lead.
Hembrynkys, O 1973, led.
Hembrenkygh, D 204, ye
lead
Hembrynkeugh, D 11 95,
bring ye.
Hembrynkys, (qu. kynB) D
584, let them lead.
Hembroneas, D 1205, he led.
Hebbenchiat plxh, 105, 7*. presbyter, an elder. liter-
ally, " the leader of a parish." See Phri.
Hsibniob, 221, 7 b . ferrarku, a workman in iron,
[haiarnwr, W. — houamour, A. From haM/rn,
iron.] See Hoern.
Hel, 926, io a . aula, a hall. [From the English.] Cfc
eel, Anglo-Saxon.
Ex. O 1 501, 2 1 10.
Helhiat, 316, 8*. persecutor, a persecutor. [From an
old word, hdg, hela, hel, to pursue ; helghati, in a
a gloss ; — selg, anc. Ir.]
Helhpur, 236, 7 b . venatar, a hunter. [From the same
root as the preceding word.] The mial syllable
here is gur, as in so many other substantives;
helhiat is another form of the agent.
Heligen, 702, 9b. salix, a willow, [helygen, I W. —
halek, m. A.] Recently helak, heUUc.
Hems, 819, 9 b . colobium, a jacket or shirt. This is
Tonkin's reading of a word which is apparently
hems, given below, and which Zeuss conjectured to
be an error for levi& But hems is the Germanic
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(delwedd F1330) (tudalen 382)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 383
hemd, and is allied to the mediaeval oamisa : see
Cams. See also Diefenbach, vol. ii. p. 526, who,
from the absence of the word in English, conjec-
tures that it was borrowed by the Britons before
the coming of the Saxons. But the root appears
to belong to the original Indo-European stock.
SeeiTetrw.
Henbidxat, 408, 8a. parens, sparing. [The Welsh
arbedawl, from the verb orbed, arbedu, with the
preposition or instead of hen or en, which may be
the Cornish intensive particle.]
Hexdat, 1 38, 7*. wvus, a grandfather. [Compounded
of hen, old, and tad, father.] " Old" is generally
rendered by coth, but we have hen in D 39.
Henoog, 129, 7 a . abavus, a great grandfather's or
great grandmother's father. See Qwrhhog.
Hering, 543, S\ taricus vel aUee, a herring. [From
the English.]
Heschen, 644, 9*. canna vel anrndo, a bulrush, [hesg,
hesgen, £ W. — hesk, m. A.] Recent forms haskyn,
hoskyn.
Hesp, 768, g\ sera, a lock, [hespen, a button, W.]
English hasp.
Hethen, 493, S\ cms vel volatile, a bird, [etn, anc.
W.— evn, ezn, ein, m. A.— en, anc. Ir.] Eden, f.
W. — ean, Ir. — eun, Gael.
Ex. Ethen, 1111 ; ethyn,pL 1023,1051,
1067.
HeJjetj, 465, 8 b . hodie, to-day. [hediw, anc. W. —
heddyw, mod. W. — endez, A.]
Ex. Hethyu, O 5 ; hythew, D 147 ; hetbeu,
D 1 1 13; hethew, R 825.
Heuis, 819, 9b. colobiwm, a shirt or jacket. [Should
be levie; Uawes, f. llewys, pi. a sleeve, W.— lamos,
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(delwedd F1331) (tudalen 383)
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384 ANCIENT
a sleeve, anc Ir.] Ldmos, <fce. would be from the
root lam, ' hand;' but there is no reason to doubt
the reading of the text The Welsh hefys, m. and
the Armoric hwiz, £ a 'shift,' are both clearly
allied to hevis. But see Hems.
HEpuiL, 397, 8 a . vigil, watchful. [From the same ori-
gin as the Welsh chwUiau, ckwiUed, 'to reach.*]
Bather from gwylio, " to watch." See GvXOm.
Heutjl, 6, 7*. sol, the sun. [haul, m. W. — heol, hiaol,
m. A.] This word is found in nearly all the Indo-
Qermanic languages.
Ex. Herd, O 36, 38 ; houl, D 2992, 3083,
3«3.
HiCHHEpuiL, 399. 8 ft . pervigil, very watchful. \hemU,
compounded with hi or hy.] Hevuil appears before;
hick is the intensive particle, uch in Welsh.
Hnre, a way; hynt, £ W. See Camhmsic.
Hib, 942, io*. longus, long, [hir, W. A.]
Ex. Hyr, O 734, D 2760.
Hyrre, 'longer,' O 251 1.
Hibgorn, 251, 7 b . tuba, a trumpet. See Corn.
HihsSmet, 521, 8 b . vespertiUo, a bat. [Unknown:
perhaps from hi and the Welsh verb siomi, to dis-
appoint.] I do not understand this conjecture.
Hitadueb, 339, 8 a . messis, the harvest. [From hti,
the Welsh yd, Irish Wi, • corn,' and adv&r, the
Welsh adfer, i brought in.']
Hivin, 674, 9*. taxus, a yew-tree, [yw, ywen, f. W. —
ivin, ivinen, m. A. English yew, French if.]
Hoebn, iron, mEbil hoem, Gevel hoem, and Padd hoem.
Haiarn, m. W. — houarn, m. A. — iarunn, m. GaeL
Ex. Horn, D 2719, R 2135 ; hern, D 2938.
Hoch, 590, 9a. porous, a hog. [hwch, f. W. — houcTi,
m. A.]
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(delwedd F1332) (tudalen 384)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 385
Hochjujyu, 237, 7 b . venabuktm, a hog-spear. [For
hocfovayu=.ihe Welsh hwchwaew, from hwch, ' hog/
and gwaew, ' a spear.']
Host, 504, 8 b . cmeta, a duck, [hwyad, m. W. — houad,
houed, m. A.] Recent forms, hdz, kaioe, pL Mgi.
Ex. Hob, O 132.
Hob]?, 601, 9*. aries, a ram. [hwrdd, W.] Recent form
hor, pL hyrroz.
Hos, 794, g\ oorea, a boot, [hos, hosan, £ a stocking,
W. — heuz, m. boot, A-]
Hot, 327, 8 ft . capviiwm, a hat. [hod, hotan, f. hotyn,
in. W. Perhaps English.]
Htjchot, 469, 8 b . 8wrmm, upward, [uchot, W.]
Hudol, 313, 8a. magus, a sorcerer, [hudawl, from fatd,
enchantment, W.] Hud, m. ' enchantment/ A.
Ex. Hudor, R 1854 ; huder, R 183 1, 2004 ;
Huder, in O 565, I have rendered e hypocrite'
from Pryce, but doubtfdlly. Hudur, A. is * dirty.'
HpBRTHiN, 932, io a . rims, laughter, [chwerthin, m.
W. — cTiwarz, m. A.]
Ex. Wharthes, 'thou wouldst laugh/ O 153.
HpEGER, 161, 7 b . socrus, mother-in-law. [chwegr,W. —
svaihro, Goth. — e'jwpa, Gr.] See hpigeren, below.
Huibren, 447, 8 b . tmbesy cloud, [wybren, f. W. —
koabr, koabren, m. A.] Nuibren in Pryce.
HpiGEREK, 160, 7 b . socer, father-in-law. [chwegrwn, W.
— svaihra, Goth. — (Kvp6s, Gr.] We might add the
Sanskrit swasv/ra and swasru, and similar forms
. . . . 7
in several Indo-Germanic languages, though with
some modifications of meaning.
Hunt, 138, 7 a . soror, a sister. [Should be hvvur ;
chwior, anc. "W. — c'hoar, A.] Among the several
possible readings of this word, I select huir, be-
s
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(delwedd F1333) (tudalen 385)
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306 ANCIENT
kdr was certainly wed in the last days of the
language. Zeros prints piur, though he prefers to
read hviur; the analogy of the Gaelic piuthar, pro-
nounced piuar, would support the reading piwr,
and it looks like piur in the MS. Tonkin read
toutr, which is corroborated by the Welsh chwaer,
Armoric choar, and Manks chuyr. Huir, piwr,
and wuir are all defensible readings, and the
former is preferred solely for the reason above
mentioned. The analogy of the Celtic form to the
Persian and Sanskrit, and through these to Latin
and English, is well known.
Huis, 451, 8 b . secuhtm, an age. [oes, ois, f. oed, oet,
m. W. — oed, oad, m. A.] Oes is seculum, oed setae.
Hule, 522, #>. noctiualix stix, [Qu. noctua vel strix,]
an owL [The English word ; the British is tyU
luan.] The Welsh is rather dyUuan, from dyll,
1 blind/ and huan, ( the sun/ or Uuan, ' brilliant/
i. e. blinded with light. Recent Cornish form via,
Hun desimpit, 396, 8 a . letcvrgia, lethargy. [Literally,
sudden sleep.] The word appears in the MS. pun
rather, but the Saxon p or Latin p is often put
for A. The equivalent Welsh is hUtn, £ The Breton
is k&n> m.
Ex. Hun, O 1 92 1, 2074. I ought to have
rendered B 513, 514, "In my sleep I saw him
who was within the tomb."
Huuel, 428, 8^. humtiis, humble, [ufell, W. — vuel, A.
— umal, humal, anc. Ir.] The Welsh has also
hufyll.
Huueldot, 429, 8 b . humilitas, humility. [ufelMot, m.
W. — vueldet, A. — umaldoit, anc. Ir.]
Huheltat, 98, 7 a . patriarcha, a patriarch ; literally,
' high father. 9 [Zeuss reads hupel for huhd, and
makes the following observation : — in this and
r
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(delwedd F1334) (tudalen 386)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 387
the two following words it is carious that we
have p for ch ; the equivalent Welsh forms are
uchddad,**hdfair, and uchdwr, from the adj. uchel;
— Arm. buel; ane. Ir. nasal. From other words it
appears that p is written not only for v and w, hut
also more frequently for hv and chw, whence it is
sometimes used for ch alone. But perhaps the
copyist confounded p with v, and where p is im-
possible, we might always read v.] The truth is,
that the copyist often confounded A, the Saxon p,
and more rarely even J> (th), with p. In the two
preceding words he is careful to write htvuel,
where u (v) represents the Welsh /, sounded v ;
in the following he writes p for A, as in many
other words. I do not hesitate to write A or p (v)
whenever the analogy requires it, always however
mentioning the change. Hickel, 'high,' is found
in O 509, io88, D 1330, R 21 17, uhel in D 1324,
and huhelder in R 423.
Huhkluair, 171, 7 b. vicccomes, a viscount, [uchel-
faer, W.] Hukd mair, ' the high steward.' See
Mair or Maer.
HuHELpUB, 172, 7 b . cHto, a nobleman, [uchelwr, 'free-
holder/ W. — vasal, \r.=uchd!\ Looks like hvr-
pelpur, but huhdvwr is certainly the reading, ==
hvJiel gur.
HpANNEN, 623, 9». pulex, a flea, [chwain, chwannen, f.
W. — c'hoanen, c'hoenen, t AJ] Recent form whan-
non, pi. whidden.
HpiLEN, 533, 8 b . scarabceus, a beetle, [chwilen, £ W. —
c'houil, m. A.]
HpiSNOBES, 532, S\ scrabo, (sic) a hornet, [chwyrnores,
from chwyrnor, ' buzzing,' W.] ch'ouiliorez, A-
Hyc, 235, 7 b . hamus, a fish-hook, [higen, £ A,]
s %
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(delwedd F1335) (tudalen 387)
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388 ANCIENT
L
Iach, 39a, 8*. tonus, Bound, well. Iach, W. — iacTi, A.
Idke, 238, 7 b . auceps y a fowler. [From edyn or eten;
the termination e here, aa in ewre, designates an
agent]
Idnic, see Ydnic
Iein, 472, 8 b . Jrigus, cold, pain, from to, W. — ienien,
ie*nder, m. A.] i6n, A. is the adjective.
Ex. Yeyn, D 1209, 1622, 2729. yen, D 2060.
Substantive— vender, D 1223.
Ieu, 344, 8*. jugum, a yoke, pau, f. W.] ie^, ia£, £ A.
Iet, 441, S\ glades, frost, ice. pa, m. W. — aig, anc
Ir.]
Impinion, 25, 7a. cerebrum, the brain, [empenn, pi-
empennou, m. A., no doubt a plural form; in
Welsh ymenydd, m. omitting pi\ Cf. 'Ey-iw^oAo*-
Ex. Empynyon, D 2 1 20 ; empynnyon, D 2 140.
Impog, 152, 7*. osculum, a kiss, pmpog, m. W. — pok,
m. A. — b6c, anc. Ir. — p6g, mod. Ir.]
Inguinor, 231, 7 b . opifex, a craftsman. [Unknown,
unless inchivinor, from chwin, e labour,' W.] 1
believe the word is corrupted from the French
ingenieur.
Iot, 862, io». puis, a hasty pudding, pot, anc., uwd,
m. mod. W. — iot, iod, m. A.]
Iouenc, in Gub iouenc, 211, 7 b . adolescens, a young
man. See Youonc.
Irch, 438, 8 b . nix, snow, [eira, eiry, m. W. — ercTi, m.
A.] Becent form er.
Iskel, 889, io». jus, broth, [isgell, m. W.] Latin ft*'
culum. Recent form isgall.
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(delwedd F1336) (tudalen 388)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 389
Isot, 470, 8 b . deormm, downwards, [issot, W.]
Itheu, 884, io ft . ticio, a fire-brand. [Unknown.] See
Tewen, in the supplementary words at the end of
the Vocabulary.
K.
Kala Gueli, 800, 9 b . stramentum, a straw bed or
mattrass. [cala, calaf, £ 'a stalk/ thence c straw,' W.]
Cf. calamus, haulm, &c. See Gueli.
Ex. Cala, 'straw/ D 680.
Kanna, 921, 1 o*. lagena, a flagon. [From the English.]
Kabol, 769, 9k. chorus, a choir, a concert, [carawl, W.
whence cwroli, ' to sing praises.']
Kat, 576, 9 a . cattus yel mwilegus, a cat. [cath, £ W.
— caz, m. A-]
Kebeb, 834, io b . tigwum, a rafter, beam, [ceber, f. W.
— keHbr, m. A.]
Keghin, 878, 10*. coquina, a kitchen. [Borrowed ; the
Irish has cuccmn!\ cegin, 1 W. — k6gin, f. A.
Keibch, oats ; in baba keibch, 851, io a . pants avena,
oaten bread, [ceirch, m. W. — kerc'h, m. A.] coirce,
m. Gael.
Kelegel, 751, 9 b . oalix, a chalice. [From the Latin,
with a British termination.]
Kelin, 690, 9 a . tdcia, a holly tree, [celyn, m. W. —
kelen, m. kelennen, f. A.]
Kelionen, 534, 8 b . rrmsca, a fly. [cylionen, f. W. — k£-
lienen, £ A-]
Kellt, 707, 9^. nenws, a grove. [Unknown, unless it
be the anc. Ir. caill, a l grove or garden/ used in
compound words.] Zeuss has overlooked the Welsh
cetti, £ the same word.
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(delwedd F1337) (tudalen 389)
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390 ANCIENT
Kelliluo, 869, io a . afrtamuy a penknife. [The dimi-
nutive of cofld, a ' knife. 9 See Cottel and Kethd.
Keviat CSbriga, 260, 7 b . tibicen. This may mean a
player on the Combricctm, whatever that may be.
Lhnyd uses Kembra and Kcvmbrfom, as Cornish for
Wales and Welsh. Possibly a " Welsh singer" is
meant The word occurs in conjunction with mu-
sicians and musical instruments.
Kexixeuynoc, 627, o*. aUgiwm, garlic, [cenin ewinawg,
literally, " leeks with claws," W. — kinen, m. A,]
Kerd, 712, 9 b . iter, a journey, [cerddedi, m. W. —
kerz, kerzed, m. A.] Recent forms kerth and kergh.
Ex. Kerth, O 725, D 188, 1671.
Keroin, 924, io a . cupa, a pipe, tun. [cerwyn, f. W.]
Keser, 939, 8 b . grcmdo, haiL [cesair, m. W. — kazarc'h,
kazerc'h, A.]
Kethel, 868, io*. cvUelhis; 817, 9 b . cuUeUum, a knife,
[cyllell, £ W. — kontel, pi. kontilli, A.] See Collel.
Ki, 606, 9». cants, a dog. [ci, m. W.] ki, m. A. — cu,
m. Gael.] The plurals cwn, W. — kounn, A. — coin,
Gael — ten, recent Cornish, are in obvious rela-
tionship to the Greek kvw, Lat. ccmis, Germ, hund,
<fcc. <fcc. The English, Spanish, and Slavic appella-
tions are mysterious.
Ex. Ky, D 2242, R 2026 ; pi. kuen, It 172.
Kig, 888, io*. caro, flesh, [cig, m. W. — kig, m. A]
Ex. Kyg, O 66 ; kyc, O 928, 2713 ; kyk,
112,659,812.
Kigel, 831, 9 b . edits, a distaff, [cogail, cogeilyn, m. W.
— kigel, kegel, kegil, f. A.] cuigeal, Gael. Recent
form gigal.
Ex. Kygel, O 367 ; kegel, O 415.
Kigueb, 890, io a . ficinula, a flesh-fork. [Written kin-
i
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(delwedd F1338) (tudalen 390)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 391
guer, but the n underlined; kig ver=Irigber, a
' meat-spit.' Cigwain, t cigfach, m. W.] Tonkin
also gives " a pannier," guessing at the meaning of
the corrupt word Jlcimda, which Zeuss properly
re&dajuscinula. See Ber.
Kinethel, 158, 7 b . generatio, generation, [cenedyl,
t W.] Kenedel, £ A. Kinedyl on the margin.
Kog, 879, io\ cociw, a cook. [Apparently a borrowed
word, but we have an ancient Irish cuamni\ c6g,
m. W. See Keghin.
Koisen, 643, 9 a . calamus, a reed. [Error for korsen;
corsen, f. l a bog-reed,' from core, £ ' a bog,' W.]
kors, m. korsen, f. ' a reed/ A. Tonkin read this
korsen, and translated it ' a reed or stalk ;' he
derived the English gorse from it. But he gives
also hoilen in his Dictionary, with the mark indi-
cating the ancient MS. here edited, and the same
English ; to this he adds " a quill/' and a recent
form huilan.
Kkeis, 813, 9 b . ccmisia, a shirt, [crys, m. W. — kr6s,
krez, m. A.]
Kyntaf, 461, 8 b . autumpnus, autumn. [For kynaif or
kyngaif, the Welsh kynnhaeaf,=kynt-gaeaf, 'before
winter.'] The present Welsh is cynauaf, m. i. e.
cyn+gauaf. See Goyf.
Kytiobch, 584, 9 a . capreolus, a wild buck. [Should
perhaps be koetiorch, the ' wood-buck / as in Welsh
coed, c wood/ and iwrch, ( buck/ fern, iyrches.] No
doubt Zeuss's reading is right, but the English pro-
nunciation of the vowel y renders the Celtic sound
with sufficient accuracy. See Torch,
L.
Lad, 876, io a . liquor, liquor. [Had, m.W. 'a measure.']
Cf. latex, Latin.
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(delwedd F1339) (tudalen 391)
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399 ANCIENT
Lader, 298, 8*. latoroy a thief [Heidyr, W.— lair, A]
from Latin.
Ex. Lader, D 1174 ; ladar, D 2577 ;
PL laddron, D 336, 2255.
Laduit, 953, 10*. nihil, nothing. [Unknown.]
Lafboc, 805, 814, 9 b . JemoraKa, breeches, plafyr, m.
W. — lavrek, m. A.] Recent form lavrak.
Laprocpab, 806, 9b. perizomaia vel cmnpestria, drawers.
[The same, with the adjective guan or mtm,
making ' short hose.']
Lagat, ocfrtu*, vel Lbgext, octdi, 40, 7 ft . the eye ply-
gad, m. W. — lagad, m. A.]
Ex Lagas, O 1109 ; dual, dewlagas, O 2058,
D 396 ; deulagas, D 1 193 ; pi. lagasow, E 1492.
Lagkn, 728, 9 b . stagnum, a pond, pool, or lake, pagen,
tA.]
Laiak, 301, 8 a . fiddis, faithful. [Not used in the other
dialects.]
Ex. Len, O 294, 930, 1243.
Laicm, and its apparently equivalent len, I
should have read latum and leu, deriving it from
the old French toiau {loyal), but for the rhyme of
len with benen and ebren in O 294 and 1243. The
substantive form was lewte or leaute, O 611, D
1579, which was English enough in the fifteenth
century to appear in so English a composition as
the Vision of Piers Ploughman. This form appears
in Pryce's book as lante, Imts, lonte, launtet, and
once only loute, but the w in Q 611 is decisive.
However unlikely it may seem, we may perhaps
conclude that both forms were used.
jLaines, 113, 7 a. norma, a nun. [lleian, f., whence
Ueicmaethy Uewmcmd, W. — leanes, f. A. — Lleiandy
(Ileian ty), W., leandi, A. in the Buhez, ' a nun-
nery.']
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(delwedd F1340) (tudalen 392)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 393
Lait, 864, 10*. lac, milk. [More correctly laith, laeih;
in Welsh llaeth, m.] 16az, lez, m. A.
Ex. Leyth, O 1430 ; leth, D 3138.
Laxherch, 708, 9 b . saltus, a forest, [llannerch, m.W.]
Lappiob, 264, 7 b . saUator, a dancer. — Lappiobes, 265,
7 b . saltatrix, a dancing woman. [These are from
the English leap, according to Lhuyd, but qu. lam-
mior, lammiores?] See Lhuyd's Cornish Preface,
at p. 222 of the Archseologia Britannica, translated
at p. 314 of this volume. The suggested lammior
is not probable.
Lau, Lop, 74, 7*. mantis, a hand, [lam, anc. Ir.] Haw,
f. W. — lamh, Gael. — loof, Scotch provincial ; — qu.
English claw ? The dual is found under Lien dui-
lof, q. y. The form ttqf occurs in Welsh, in Uof-
rud, i a murderer,' i. e. ' red hand ;' and in ttofi,
1 to handle.'
Ex. Lef, O 421; luef, O 1442, D 2747, 2755,
R143.
Dual, dewluef, O 1534 ; dyulef, D 2375 ;
dole, D 2163, 2500 ; dyule, R 1542 ; deule, D
474.
Lavar, 425, 8 b . sermo vel locutio, a speech. Llafar, m.
W. — lavar, m. A. — labhairt, f. Gaelic. Cf. labrtm.
Ex. Lavar, f a word,' D 71, R 136 1.
PL levarow, ' words,' D 67.
Verb, lavar, c speak,' D 497.
lavaraf, ' I say,' O 490.
<
Leio, 118, 7 a . lawns, a layman. From the Latin.
Ex. Lek, D 38, 681.
Leid, 157, 7 b . progenies vel tribus, a tribe. [llwyth,W.
— luct, anc. It.] Luyte written in the MS. by an-
other hand. C£ German leute, Slav. liud.
83
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(delwedd F1341) (tudalen 393)
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3M ANCIENT
Len, 8oi, 9 b . sagwn, a blanket [lien, £ W.— lenn,
£A.]
Les, 322, 8*. commodum, benefit [lies, m. W.— les,
anc. It.]
Ex. R 876, 952.
Les, 626, 9*. herba, an herb, [llys, W, — louzou, lou-
zaou, m. A. — lus, m. Ir.] Recent plurals, ksow,
luzu.
Ex. Leys, O 761; pi. Iobow, O 28 ; losowys,
031,1742.
In DeKourlea, above, I ought to have noticed the
connection between the * South' and the 'Right-
hand' in Welsh and Irish ; as also in Arabic.
Lesdeith, 630, 9 ft . febrifugia, feverfew, pes tes, 'herb
of heat?] Printed by Pryce letderth.
Lesdushoc, 640, 9*. belonica, betony. [An adjectival
form.] Dushoc=-tvyy8og^ from twys, a 'tuft or
spike,' W. characteristic of the herb.
Lesengoc, 638, 9 a . soUeqwwm, marigold or sunflower.
[An adjectival form.] Tonkin says, "the gold-
coloured herb, from gocli, ' gold-coloured ;" of
course he means coch, which is 'red' in Welsh.
The Welsh name for marigold is rhvddos or rhvd-
dort, from its redness.
Lesluit, 650, 9 a . marrubriiun, horehound. [qu. brown
herb ; Welsh adjective llwyd.] See Lotles.
Lessebchoc, 651, 9 a . lappa, clotbur, hog's-herb. [qu.
herb of love, Welsh serchawg.] seregen, f. A. This
is read les-en-hoc by Tonkin, literally * hog's-herb :'
hoc=hoch, and en the article.
Lester, 270, 7 b . ntwis, a ship, [llestyr, pi. llestri,
m. W.] lestr, pi. listri, m. A. The plural form is
Ustri, as in the cognate dialects. See Lwu Hstori
See also Encoislester and goUndester, in which com-
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(delwedd F1342) (tudalen 394)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 395
pounds lester is used for a * vessel' or ' holder. 9 In
common Welsh usage also Uestyr signifies a vessel,
in both senses.
Ex. 956, 996.
Leu, 558, 8*>. ho, a lion. [Hew, m. W. — leon, m. A.]
The Latin word slightly altered.
Leu, 281, 7 b . claims f the rudder of a ship. [Corrupted
from cleu. Clo, m. W.— cl6i, anc. Ir.] llyw, m.
present Welsh. Tonkin (or Pryce) appears to have
read leu pi obit, meaning ' rudder or peg/ as one
word. See Obil.
Leverid, 865, io a . lac dvlce, sweet milk, [llefrith, m.
W. — livric'h, livriz, A.]
Lejklloit, 60, 7». splen, the spleen. [Not found in the
other dialects.]
Leuuit, 273, 7 b . gvbemaior vel nauderus, the master
of a ship, [llywydd, m. from Uyw, m. ' a rudder/
W.]
Lewenki, S35, 8 b . ciiwmia, a dog-fly. [Kw6pvta, r dog-
fly ; leven-ki is ' louse of dog.'] See Loven and Ki.
Lien, a linen cloth. Lliain, W. — lien, lian, m. A. Found
in the following compounds :—
Lien duilop, 867, io a . inarmtergium vel mantife, a
towel, [llian dwylaw.] Literally "linen for the
hands." See Lam.
Lien gueli, 803, 9 h . sindo, bed linen. See Gueli.
Ex. Lyen, D 3204, R1691.
Lifebn, 93, 7*. tabus, the heel or ankle bone. [Qu.
should be ufern ? Uffarn, f. ucharn, m. — ffer, m.
ffem, f. migwrn, W. all mean "ankle;" cf. the
anc. Irish odbrcmn.] Aobrunn, Gael ' ankle.'
LiLiE, 660, 9 a . lilium, a lily. [Borrowed.] lili, m. A.
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(delwedd F1343) (tudalen 395)
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396 ANCIENT
Lin, 828, 9*. Unum, flax, linen, plln, m. W.— lin,
m. A.]
Ex. Lyn, D 836.
Lin, a pond, in Piscttn, q. v. Uyn, 'a lake or pool/ W.
— linne, t ' a pool/ Gael See Fiac.
Linhaben, 647, 9 a . urUca, a nettle, [linad, lenad, m.
linaden, 16naden, f. A.] Kecent form Unachs. The
Welsh has danadlen, £ See Coiclinhat.
hums, 807, 9 b . ,/tfum, thread. [Uinyn, m. W.— linen,
£AJ
Listri, the plural of Lester. See Luu listri and Zeater.
Lithbren, 747, 9 b . litera, a letter. [Foreign word.]
Llythyren, t W. — liter, Ir.
Liu, 479, 8 b . color, a colour, dye, or hue. pliw, m.W.]
liou, liv, m. A.
Ex. Lyw, D 3083, 3123 ; R 2101.
Qu, Lyu, s to colour,' D 697.
Liu melet, 361, 8 a , mmium, red colour. See Melet.
Liuob, 360, 8 a . pictor, a painter. [From liu, ' colour.'
Uiw, m. W. whence lliwydd, m. ' a dyer.'] Lliwiwr,
m. W. — liver, m. A.
Liver, 746, 9 b . liber vel codex, a book. [Foreign word.
Llyfr, llyfyr, W. — libur, Ir.] levr, leor, m. A
Ex. Lyvyr, D. 95.
PL lyfryow, D 78, 101, R 241 1.
Llu, 179, 7 b . exercitus, an army. [This was left blank
in the MS., and the word has been inserted in a
blacker ink by a recent hand. The U is not found
in any other instance.] The Welsh Uu, m. signifies
" a host." See Luu listri.
Loch, 598, 9* uittdus, a cal£ [llo, m. W. — lu6, leue\
m. A.] laogh, m. Ir. Lho is written in the margin.
The recent form is leauch.
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(delwedd F1344) (tudalen 396)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 397
Loch euhic, 583, g\ Mrmvlus, a hind-calf. See Euhic.
Lodeb, 793, 9 b . caliga, a stocking, [llawdyr, m. W. —
lavrek, m. A.] Recent pi. lydrau. The Armoric
word is the la/roc of this vocabulary.
Loe, 775, 9 b . regvla, rule. [Unknown.] Qu. Welsh
llyw, m. 'a ruler.'
Lofgurhchel, 982, io a . utensilia, any thing for use.
[lof, 'hand/ and guthel,? q. v.]
Logel, 750, 9 b . hcvlus, a cupboard, a coffin, [llogell,
f. ' a drawer,' W., a place for depositing anything :
the verb logell, t to deposit/ in Pass. 233, 3.] This
word logell is incorrectly rendered in the passage
quoted by Zeuss; it is a substantive, meaning a
coffin. The line is in the MS. Corff Jesus Cryst
ynhrethe then logell a ve degys, { The body of Jesus
Christ was carried between them to the coffin.'
Ex. Logol, R 2166, 2179.
Logoden, 578, 9 a . clissemus vel mus,vel soorex, a mouse,
plygod, llygoden, f. W.— 16g6d, 16g6den, f. A.]
Logodenfeb, 90, 7* swra, the calf of the leg, [i. e.
mouse of leg.] This appears to be a strange com-
bination, but it is borne out by the Greek fivs,
which means < mouse' and * muscle / the Latin is
not very different, and the Welsh Uygoden means
1 mouse,' and UywetJicm, 'muscle.' The Armoric
has kdv, and the Gaelic ccdp ; cf. the English calf.
Lor, 757, 9 b . ywovmentvm vel solum,, a pavement, a
floor, [llawr, m. W.] Recently Mr, pi. lerou and
leriou.
Ex. Luer, D 680, 1515; lur, i abyss/ R 2330.
Lobch, 680, 9 a . baeulus, a staff, [lorc'hen, A apud Le-
pell.] Recent form lor. See Luworchguit.
Ex. Lorgh, D 914, 919.
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(delwedd F1345) (tudalen 397)
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398 ANCIENT
Lose,* 284, 7 b . evrsura vel ustodatio, a burning, ploeg,
m. W. — losk, m. A. — lose, loscad, I.]
Ex. Losco, 'that it may burn,' R 130.
Leaky, 'to burn, 9 0442,474; lesk,Oi290.
Lyskys, 'burnt,' 711.
Lotles, 657, 9*. artemisia, mugwort. plawd, ' luxu-
rious/ W.] Tonkin puts this word and leshrit
together ; but he writes " also white horehound."
Zeuss sees lodes in the MS., though he correctly
reads lotles. I certainly think I see lotles, as I see
tl and not d in coitlinhat, where he reads coidinhaL
Louan, 348, 8*. Junis vel funiculus, a rope, [loman,
anc. Ir.] louan, £ * a leather strap/ A.
Ex. O 1297, 1347, D 2060.
PL louonow, D 2520.
Loukn, 933, 10*. letus, glad, plawen, W. — laouen, A]
Ex. Lowen, 'glad,' D 3157 ; lowenne, c more
glad/ D 3158.
Subst. lowene, O 154, 319, 1542 ; lowyne,
D 226 ; lowenhe, D 1427.
Adj. yn lowen, O719, D191; yn lowhen,
2383-
lowenek, 'glad,' O449, R 1333, 1848.
The recent form of the last adjective was leunek
or leunik.
LopEK, 622, 9 a . pediculus, a louse, pleuen, W. — laouen,
leuen, £ A.] Recently luan, pi. lou, how.
Louekkak, 574, 9 a . mustda, a weasel. [Qu. loueman.]
We have llofen, f. and llofenan, c, rendered "lam-
* This word is clearly the root, and the vowel o is changed
to e and y in lesky, lyskys, &c, by umlaut 2 See the Gram-
raar, §. 3. p. 220. The remark at the end of the section was
founded on the erroneous supposition that the root was lesk.
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(delwedd F1346) (tudalen 398)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 399
prey" and " burbot 1 ' in Welsh dictionaries ; but the
weasel in Welsh is lloflencm, f.
Lotjebjt, 561, 8*>. wipes, a fox. [louarn, loam, m. A.]
Ex. Lowarn, O 895.
Lugarn, 777, g\ lichinus, a candle, lamp, light. [Hyg-
orn, m. W. — luacharnn, gen. lochairnn, ane. Irish.]
See a note of Zeuss at p. 28, where he points to
Locarno, near the head of Lago Maggiore, as exhi-
biting the Gallic form of the word ; while Lucerne,
at the foot of the lake of the same name in Swit-
zerland, gives the Latin form.
Luhet, 436, 8 b . fulgwr, lightning, pluched, f. W. —
luffet in Buhez, now lucheden, A. from lucha and
luia, ' to shine ;' luhas in Pass.] Zeuss gives luvet,
and Tonkin kiwet, but the third letter, though not
clear in the MS., is more like h.
Ex. Luhes, R 129, 296 ; luhesen, R 293.
Luid, 181, 7 b . procmcttts, a battle array. Qluydd,
Uuedd, m. ' warfare/ ' an army,' W.] See Hebren-
chiat luir.
Lura, 7, 7 a . luna, the moon, [lloer, £ W. — loer, loar,
f.A.] Recent form four.
Ex. Lor, O 36.
Luman, 468, 8 b . nimc vel modo, now. plyman, llyma,
W. as yman, yma, ' here.'] See Grammar, p. 294,
for examples of various forms of the word, viz.
lem.yn, lemmyn, and lerrvman.
Luu ustbi, 269, 7 b . classis, a fleet, i. e. an army of
ships, [sluag, m. Ir.] See Lester.
LupoRCHOUir, 682, 9*. virgultom, a shrub. Zeuss
translates "hortus arborum," reading luworch=
lowarth, 'a garden,' Pass. 140, 1, 233, 1, and makes
guit a plural of gueden. Tonkin translates "a
clump of young sprigs growing up together, q. d. a
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(delwedd F1347) (tudalen 399)
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400 ANCIENT
wood of staffs or Bhooters," looking at luworch=
lorch, 'a Btaff/ and guit=the Welsh coed. I think
a "wild garden*' the most probable rendering:
guit is the Welsh gwydd in several instances. See
GruitfU and Ohelioc guit.
M.
Mab, 132, 7*. JUius, a son. Mab, W. — mab, map, A.,
and, with the usual change of labial to guttural, the
Irish mac.
Ex. Map, O 606, 639, D 2948.
PL mebbyon, O 437 ; mebyon, O 1038.
Mab aflat ab, 203, 7*. in/cms, an infant. A child who
does not speak. See Aflavar.
Mab meidrin, 147, 7 a. alwmpnus, a foster-son. [Of.
the Welsh meithrin, ' to nourish,' and maeth, ' nur-
ture ;' and see Mamaid and Tatvat.~\
Madere, 634, 9 a . sinitia, the herb madder. [Unknown.]
Either from the Anglo-Saxon nweddere, or vice
versa. The word is not to be found in any other
language I know of.
Maebbuit, 291, 8 a . diapemator, steward. [See mair,
propositus, and buit, the Welsh bwyd> m. 'food.']
Maolen, 239, 7 b . laqueus, a gin, springe, halter, [mag-
len, maglai, magyl, f. W. — stagel, f. A.] Stagd is
used of the little ligament under the tongue.
Mahtheib, 199, *j\ virgo, a virgin. [Perhaps from
Anglo-Saxon magdh; cf. maighdean, Gaelic ; it can
hardly be from the Welsh machdaith, £ 'an em-
baakment for safety.' See maedaet, anc. Irish.]
Tonkin gives magtetk, maythys, and maithee as
recent forms.
Ex. Maghteth ; D 1727 ; maghtyth, D 3027.
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(delwedd F1348) (tudalen 400)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 401
*
Maidob, 294, 8 a . cawpo, a victualler. [For maithor,
with a d for th, as in mamaid and rneidrin ; Welsh
maetJm, 'to give food.']
Maib, 177, *j\ propositus, a mayor or chief. [Maer in
Mabinogion, — maire Fr.] The Latin major.
Maister, 349, 8 a . magieter, a master, [meistyr, W. —
mester in Buhez.]
Maister mebion, 369, 8 a . pedagogy*, a schoolmaster.
Literally, master of boys. See Mob.
Malott, 636, 9 a . malva, mallow, [malo, malv, m. A.]
Mam, 27, 7* mater, mother, [mam, W. A.}
Ex. O 324, 456, D 2949.
Mahaid, 146, 7 a . aUrix vel mUrix, a nurse, [mam
maeth, c mother of nutrition.' See Mob meidrvn
and Tatvat.] mammaetk in margin.
Mam teilu, 214, 7 b. materfamUias, the mistress of the
house. [In the MS. manteUu.'] See Teilu.
Manach, 109, 7 a . monachu8, a monk. From the Latin.
Manaes, 1 10, 7 a . monacha vel mmialis, a nun. [ma-
naohes, W.] manac'hez, A.
Mans, 381, 8 a . mancus, maimed. [The reading is clear,
but we should expect mane. Mank, monk, A.]
Mantel, 210, 9 b . manteUum, a mantle, [mantell, f. W:
— mantel, pi. mantellou, f. A.]
Manteilu, so in MS., but see Mam teilu.
Mabbuban, 495, 8 b . corvu8, a raven. [Perhaps error
for maurbran, as a distinction from morbrom, f. c a
cormorant,' now morfran, W. — muirbran, anc. Ir.
f a sea-crow.' Bran has the radical consonants of
German hrabom, Slavonic tvran.] See English
raven. The recent form was marvrani, f. See
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(delwedd F1349) (tudalen 401)
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402 ANCIENT
Lhuyd, p. 241, who interprets it as Zeros does,
* great crow. 9 Malvran, £ A.
Ex. Marghbran, £ O1106, lit. 'horse-crow,
opposed to the above derivation. March is used
in Welsh to strengthen the meaning ; as wwrch-
daran, ' loud thunder ;' marcJdeidyr, ' an arrant
thie£'
March, 563, 9*. equus, a horse. March, m.W. — marcTi,
m.A. — Marc, m. Gael Recent form mark. Cf.
mare, marshal.
Ex. Margh, O 124.
PL mergh, O 1065.
Maub, 944, xo a . magma, great. [raawr,W. — meur,A.
— mar, Ir.]
Ex. Mm-, O 299, 717,1986. Mur appears
to be a substantive in O 2510, D 44, and R 2310*
Mebion, plural of mob. See Mob and Mester mebion.
Medu, meddou, 857, io a . mcdum, mead, [medd, m.
W. — mez, A. ; but meddw is ' drunk,' and meddwi,
to ' intoxicate/ W.] C£ /u6v, and see the Sanskrit
madhu and mada.
Medhec, 282, 7 b . medicus, a physician. [Latin.]
Ex. Methek, R1648.
Medhecxaid, 283, 7 b . medicma, physic. [Latin.] The
Welsh form is meddyginiaeth, m.
Ex. Mythygyeth, R 1670.
Medinob, 930, io a . ccvrdo, a hinge, [mudurun, £ A.]
Mehil, 544, 8 b . muffins, a mullet [Foreign word.]
mel, m. A.
Mehin, 845, xo a . lardum, bacon, [mehin, m. W.]
Meidrin [mab,] 147, 7*. alumpnus. See Mob meidrin.
Mel, 906, io a . mely honey, [mel, m. W. — m61, m. A]
Ex. 1430, R 144.
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(delwedd F1350) (tudalen 402)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 408
Mblet [liu.] 361, 8*. murium, red lead, [melet, pL of
mel, m. the name of a fish ; called also mdru^m. A.]
Mil is the " mullet :" melrdz is rendered by L6-
gonidec "le rouget," which French dictionaries
translate by " red mullet" or " roach." Cf. piXro*.
Melhyonen, 662, 9 a . vigila, a violet, [meillionen, f.
W. — melchen, melchon, m. A " clover."] The Ar-
moric word appears to be unconnected ; the ch is
pronounced as in French.
Melix, 904, io a . molendinum, a mill [melin,m. W. —
m61in, milin, f. A]
MELpiOGES, 619, 9 a . testttdo, a tortoise, [mdwioges is
fern, of mdwiog, an adjective from mdwi, to creep,
W.] mdwioges is a snail. I do not know the word
melwi.
Mel yen, 618, 9 a . limax, a snail, [malw, malwod, me-
lyen, malwen, malaen, f. W. — melc'hou&len, f. A]
Menistror, 293, 8 a . pmcerna, a butler, [menestyr,
from menestru, " to serve," W.] From the Latin.
Menit, 715, 9 b . mom, a mountain, [mynydd, m. W. —
— menez, m. A.] Recent plural menedhiou.
Ex. Meneth, O 429, 1281, 1288.
PI. Menythyow, D 108,
Mente, 655, 9a. minte, the herb mint [mintys, W. —
ment, f. A — miontas, Ir. — meannt, meannd,
Gael. — menta, Gall. — " mentastrum Gr«ci lalamin-
then (sic), Hispani creobula, Galli merUam, Apulej.
Madaur. p. 219a."]
MsxpiONEN, 620, 9*. /ormicci, an ant. [mywionyn,
bywionyn, mywion, bywion, or morion, m. W. ; in
Mab. 2, 236, morgrugyn. MSrienen, m&ionen,
meYien, morion, f. A] The Welsh word induces a
conjecture that the reading may be meutmonem.
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(delwedd F1351) (tudalen 403)
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404 ANCIENT
Mesglebt, 55a, 8 b . rmuda, a muscle, [masgyl, £ mes-
glyn, m. a shell, W.] mesklen, £ A. Lhuyd makes
this word feminine ; see Archied Brit p. 241.
Mesen, 684, 9 a . glans, an acorn, [mesen, £ W. — mez,
m. m6zen, £ A.]
Metik, 454, 8 b . money the morning, [mintin, m. A. —
matin, anc. Ir.]
Ex. Myttyn, O 1533, 2074, 2279, R 1108.
Mythyn, O 1644.
Midil, 338, 8*. messor, a reaper, [mecler, m. from
midi, medi, "to mow," A.] medel, £ ' reaping/
from medi, * to reap/ W. Recent forms were mi-
dzhar and midzku
Mil, 605, 9*. animal, an animal, [mil, m. W. c. A.]
Perhaps myl in D 1618 and R 2506 may be this
word, but the meaning is not clear. Recent plural
milioto.
Milix, 483, 8 b . fuhu8 vel Jlama, yellow, [melyn, W.'
— melen, A.] In the margin melyn is written.
Ex. Melyn, 1965.
Mill, 645, 9*. papaver, a poppy. [Unknown ; the
Welsh is mabgoll.]
Mnr, 588, 9 a . hedue, a kid. [mynn, m. W. — menn, m.
A. C£ mind, mend, Ir., and meann m. Gael.]
Mintel, 642, 9 a . millefolvwn, yarrow, [minfel, m. W.]
From the Latin.
Mis, 498, 8 b . mensis, a month, [mis, mys, m. W. — mis,
anc. Ir.] miz, m. A.
Ex. Mys, O 1060, D 1646.
Modereb, 150, 7 a . occurs in modereb aharh mom,
" matertera," " an aunt by the mother's side," fol-
lowed by abarh tat, 'amita,' " by the father's side."
[modryb, W. — mo6r£b, mouerel), A.] See Parth.
I
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(delwedd F1352) (tudalen 404)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 405
Moderuy. 325, 8 a . arm/ilia, a bracelet [modrwy,
£ W.] The Rev. R Williams derives modrwy from
mod—bawd, £ 'a thumb/ and rhwy, £ ( a ring f
as breickrwy, 'an arm-ring.* Bodwry=zrnodwry 9
and modfedd, ' an inch,' i. e. bawd medd, ' thumb-
measure; confirm the equivalence of mod and
bawd.
Moelh, 501, 8 b . menda, a blackbird, [mwyalch, £ W.
— moualc'h, £ A. The name *A\icifio€vpU, a place
on the left bank of the Upper Danube, in Ptolemy,
appears to be the same word, with the component
parts transposed ; it was doubtless so called from
the river named Alcmona or AUvmona by the his-
torians of Charlemagne. There are also German
names of rivers and places derived from animals,
such as Ebraha, Uraha.]
Mols, 602, 9*. uerues, wether-sheep, [molt, anc. Ir. —
multo, med. Lat. — mouton, Fr.] In mediaeval Latin
we find also molto, monto, munto, mutto, and muto;
mollt, W. — mult, molt, Gael. — maout, meut, A.
Ex. Mols, O 1384.
Mob, 14, 7 a . mare, the sea. Mdr, m. W. — m6r, m.
A. — muir, £ Gael. — more, Slav. — mare, Lat. —
&c. <fcc.
Ex. O 26, 1675, D 2422, R 2256.
Mob difeid, 16, 7*. petagus, the main sea. [mor di-
faith, " disturbed sea," W. opposed to spaven mor,
"quiet sea, M rendered equor. See Spaven morJ]
See Difeid.
Mob hoch, 540, 8 b . ddphinus, a porpoise. [m6rhwch,
£ "W. — m6rhouc'h, m. A = sea-hog. In Irish, mucc
mora. The Irish mucc=Welsh moch, ' pig.']
Mob nader, 553, 8 b . rrwrena vel mwremda, a lamprey.
[Literally, sea-snake.] Morneidr, £ W. Mor nei-
dyr in margin. Feminine in Archseol. Brit. p. 241.
See Nader.
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(delwedd F1353) (tudalen 405)
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406 ANCIENT
Mob tot, 17, 7*. oceanm, the ocean. [C£ the Welsh
ten*, fcrorf, " extended, tranquil;" mor tawch is
"the foggy sea," L e. the German Ocean.]
Mob uil, 539, 8 b . cefau, a whale. [Sea-beast, as in
GuitfiL Morfil, m. (mor mil.) W.]
Mobboit, 86, 7 a . femur vel coxa, the thigh. [Should
be mordoit. Mordwyt, morduit, morduith, and
now morddwyd, m. W. — morzed, morzad, £ A.]
MoBOtsr, 198, 7 b . puetta, a girL [morwyn, W.]
Ex. Moren, O 2649 > nioran, B 1044.
Moyb bben, 700, 9 b . morus, a mulberry tree, a bramble
bush, [merwydden, £ W. — mouar, m., mouaren,
£ 'a mulberry/ A.] Mioyar, 'berries/ miar, t
mwyeriy miert,pl. 'brambles.' In Pryce Moyar, 'a
blackberry.' Recently moron diu was in use, with
a so-called plural rndr.
Much, 133, 7 a . JUia, a daughter, [qu. for merchf|
The examples seem to prove Zeuss's conjecture, but
I am informed by the Hey. B. Williams that in
Welsh pedigrees uch—muck is used for women in
the same way as ap=mab for men ; as, Elen uch
Gtven.
Ex. Myrgh, O 2736, D 1967.
PL Myrhes, O 1038.
Muin, 941, io a . gracilis, slender, [mwyn, W. — moan.
A.] Mwyn in Welsh is 'gentle, kind/ mam is
'slender.' Main is written in the margin. Re-
cent form main,
Muis, 841, io a . mensa, a table, [mwys, £ W.] Not
now used, I believe, in this sense.
N.
Nader, 610, 9 a . vipera, vel serpens, vel anguis, a viper,
[neidyr, neidr, £ W. — nathir, anc. Ir.] Anglo-
Saxon rweddre. The English word adder seems to
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(delwedd F1354) (tudalen 406)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 407
be a mistake, arising from a confusion between
a nadder and cm adder ; as a newt and cm eft. Cf.
air, f. A., and nathair, £ Gael., pronounced naer.
Ex. O 1756.
Nans, 717, 9 b . vallis, a valley, [nant, m. W. — in Ar-
moric traon, tracnm, in Buhez tnou.]
Naun, 935, io». /amis, hunger, [newyn, m. W. — naon,
naoun, f. A.]
Ex. Nown, O 400.
Nebtra, 954, io\ aliquid, something. This was first
written nebtra, but corrected to nebtra.
Nep, 2, 7*. celwm, heaven. Nef, m. W.— env, m. A. —
neamh, m. Gael — nebo, Slav., &c. &c.
Ex. O 1, 105, D 81.
Neid, 520, 8 b . nidus, a nest, [nyth, m. W. — neiz, m.
A.] Recently nyth, pi. nythow.
Nenbren, 835, io a . laquear, a roof of a chamber,
[nenbren, m. W. from nen, m. a ceiling, and pren,
a beam.] See Pren.
Nesheuin, 154, 7*. propincus, a neighbour. [Perhaps
from the superlative nesaf, ' the nearest :' or an
erroneous writing for cesevin, the Welsh cyssejm,
in car kysseuin, (consanguineous) Mab. 2, 226.]
Nesefin, the same word, is regular Welsh.
Noden, 837, 9 b . JHwm, thread, [snoden, see mod,
1 vitta.'] noden, f. W. — neuden, f. A.
Noi, 143, 7 a . nepo8, a nephew, [nai, m. W. — niz, A.]
Analogous forms exist in the Aryan tongues, but
generally signifying ' grandson.'
Norr, 144, 7* neptiSy a niece, [nith, f. W. — nizez, A.]
Nisi in margin.
Nos, 453, S\ nox, night, [nds, f. W. — noz, £ A.]
Ex. O 39, 458, 1 51 6.
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(delwedd F1355) (tudalen 407)
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408 ANCIENT
0.
Oberor, 2 1 8, 7 b . operarius, a workman. Oberour, A.
Ober in Armoric is the verb < to do. 9 Also a sub-
stantive masculine signifying 'a work,' as in Corn-
ish. See O 445, 6io, D 816 ; pi. oberow, 1682,
and oberet, O 604 : a recent plural was oberiou.
Cf. obair, t Gaelic. See Droch-oberor.
Obil, 281, 7 b . clavus, a peg. See Ebil. Obit is entered
in the vocabulary as one of the equivalents of
clavus, the other being leu. The Latin word was
rendered in its two meanings. See Leu,
Odion, 596, 9*. bos, an ox. [eidion, W. — ejenn, A.]
Recent form udzheon, odgan y pi. ohan.
Ofergugol, 787, 9 b . casula, a cope. Tonkin reads
this ' overhood,' taking the first part of the word
to be English ; but Zeuss correctly makes it
' priest's hood.' See the next word.
Oferiat, 105, 7 C . presbiter, a priest, [offeiriad, W.]
Ojlet, 896, io*k JHxorium, a frying-pan. [Unknown
elsewhere.]
Oin, 603, 9 a . agnus, a lamb, [oen, m. W.— oan, m. A.]
uan, m. Gael. Query otv, the Latin ovem. Recent
plurals earty ermes.
Ex. Oan, D 697 ; on, D 707.
Oir, 854, io». frigidum, cold, [oer, m. W.]
Oleu, 861, io a . oleum, oil. [olew, m. W. — oleo in
Buhez j edl, eid y evl, m. A. — ola, anc. Ir.]
Oleu bren, 699, 9 b . olea vel oliva, an olive tree,
[olewwydden, W. — olivez, olivezen, A.]
Ex. Olyf, O 1 1 22, D 244.
Oliphant, 568, 9 a . elephant, an elephant. [Latin*
Elifeint in Mabinog.] Olifant, m. A.
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(delwedd F1356) (tudalen 408)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 409
Onnen, 672, 9* fraocus, an ash tree, [on, onen, f. W.
— ounn, m. ounnen, f. A.] Recent pi. enivith, in
which we have gvdih, l trees.' See Gulden.
Obohixat, 795, 9 b . catriamentwni, a shoe, [archenad,
m. * clothing;' archen, £ 'a shoe;' archenu, 'to
shoe/ W. — arcliennad, m. * shoe/ A.]
Obs, 569, 9 a . wm, a bear. [Latin. Ourz, ours, A.]
Arth, m. W.
p.
Padel hoebk, 895, io*. 8artago, a frying pan. [padell,
f. haiarn, m. 'a pan of iron,' W.] See Hoern. Pa~
ron, palarm, f. A. appear to be corruptions of the
same compound. Padel is clearly the Latin patella.
Recent form padal.
Palp, 79, 7 a . pakna, the palm of the hand. [Latin
pafona.] Pal£ f. W. — pal£ paly, m. A.
PaIjOkes, 525, 8 b . gracuhw, a Cornish daw or chough.
[Possibly derived from ckivalores, from the verb
chwahi, to strew, W. or from pahi, to dig.] Pa-
lores, f. W.
Pabchemin, 357, 8 a . pergamenum vel mefmbranvm,
parchment. The French word.
Pabot, 898, io a . coctoM, boiled, [parawd, W.] Rather
means ' ready.'
Ex. Parusys, D 458, 690.
Pabth, a part, or side, occurs in the MS. four times, in
cases exactly alike ; in three of these it is written with
h, and in one with d, so that the original had pro-
bably the Saxon |>=th. The examples are JHviter
abard tat, ' uncle on the part of the father ;' abarh
mam, ' on the part of the mother ;' modereb abarh
mam, ' aunt on the part of the mother ;' abarh tat,
T
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(delwedd F1357) (tudalen 409)
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410 ANCIENT
'on the part of the father.' See Eviter and Modereb.
Zeus* compares the identical Armoric usage a berz
tot, and mom, and the Welsh brawl y arthur o
barth y ucm> 'brother of Arthur on his mother's
side/ of the Mabinogion, 2, 206. Abarth is often
found in the Dramas, meaning, ' on the part of/ or
'name of: 9 as, abarth dev, 'in God's name,' O
2539. See ft k° O x 79 2 > 2700, D 1322, 1348.
In R 1725, it appears to signify ' of value.'
Paugeht, 822, 9 b . pedula, a sock, [pawgen, £ W.] De-
rived from paw; the Armoric pad or pav signifies
the paw of an animal, as does the Welsh pawen ;
but in Cornish it must have meant a human foot
See R 1666 ; the dual dyu baw is found in R 2076.
Pauk, 506, 8 b . pavo, peacock, [pawan, paen, m. W. —
paun, hl A.]
Ex. Payon, O 132.
Peber, 912, 10*. pistor, a baker, [pobwr, W. from
pobi, to bake. Arm. pober, a baker.] Cf. the
Greek root ir«r, Sanskrit pack.
Peis, 812, 9 b . tunica, a jacket, [pais, pi. peisiau, f. W.]
The Dutch pey, the English joeo-jacket See Peus
gurec
Ex. Pous, £ D 2846, 2854, R 1921, 1924.
Pellen, 830, 8 b . globus, a ball (of wool), [pellen, f.
W. A.] PeUan in Pryce.
Pellistgur, 8 1 1, 9 b . peUicia, a leathern pilch. — Pellist-
keb, 825, 9 b . mastruga, a fur coat. Pellist in
these two words appears to be the English pilch,
or pelisse. PeUistker in the Vocabulary is made
synonymous with pengugh grec, a ' woman's cloak,'
while pellistgur probably means a 'man's cloak/
The gwr is clear enough, but 1 do not see the
meaning of her ; Zeuss appears to consider the two
compounds as one. See the Welsh pilysyn, m.
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(delwedd F1358) (tudalen 410)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 411
The English words are given from Pryce, and were
probably supplied by Lhuyd.
P* 1 ^ 2 3> 7*« capud, the head. Pen, m. W.— penn, m.
A. — ceann, m. Gael. »
Pexcakguer, 315, 8 a . centwrioy the captain of a hun-
dred. [Literally, head of a hundred men : Pen
ccmgwr.]
Penclin, 88, 7 ». genu, the knee. [More correctly
penglvn. The Irish is glvn, anciently glUn ; the
Welsh penlin, the Armoric permglin, m. meaning
properly the 'prominence of the knee.'] Welsh
glin, m. See D 136, war pen the thew glyn, ' on
the head of thy knees/ (dual form). See also pen
y dew glyn, 1. 247.
Pencluit, 87, 7». chmis, the hip, haunch, [clun, f. W.
— klun, f. A. In Mabinog. 2, 201, o benn y glun.]
The line in R 523, pos re teuUeugh agas dun,
marked as doubtful, should have been rendered,
" Heavily ye have laid down your haunches."
Pryce gives, quoting this line, "but cast off your
complaint !" probably from Keigwyn's version.
See Duighin.
Pendeuig, 168, j\ princep8, a prince, [pendefig, m.
tefig, W.] Recent forms pemdvik and penzhivik,
pi. penzivygkm.
Pengughgrec, 825, 9 b . mmtruga, a fur coat, [pen-
guwch, m. W.] Literally, cloak of a woman. See
PeUistker.
Pentbilu, 213, 7 b . paterfamilias, the master of the
house. Literally, the head of the family. See Teiiu.
a I have rendered Tiy ben in O 2649 by ( his head/ but the
translation reads awkwardly. I now believe that we have here
a further instance of the pronoun hyben, * another ;' but it
must be decidedly masculine in this case, as at O 28 t 6 ; See
Grammar, p. 255. The version will be, " But thou, jade
" girl, makest another a God to thyself.' 9
T %
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(delwedd F1359) (tudalen 411)
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412 ANCIENT
Pjbh, 887, 10*. Ube8, a caldron, kettle, [pair, m. W. —
per, £ A.] coire, m. Ir.
Perbbev, 687, 10*. pirua, a pear tree. Perbren, m. W.
C£ per, pir, a pear, A. See Pren.
PKB8EIT, 920, io\ amfora, a jug with two ears. [Com-
pounded of per and seti] See Seti.
Peus gurec, 824, 9 b . toral, a woman's dress. The
English is given from the Cornish, not as a trans-
lation from the Latin. See Pets.
Pi, the conjunction " or." It is found in goscor pi teUu,
' family or household f leu pi dbil, ' a rudder or
peg ;' pengugh grec pi peUistker, * a woman's cloak
or pelisse.'
Ex. Pfc O 95, 364, 2053.
Pib, see Vib. Pib, £ W.
Piphit, see Viphit.
Pillen, 808, 9 b . Jmbrium, a fringe, [pilyn, £ W. — pil,
m. pilen, £ a rag, A.] Perhaps the English pi£U<m
is from this word.
Pinbren, 678, 9 a . pimw, a pine tree, [pinbren, W. —
pin, pinen A.] Cf. perbren.
Pirgirin, 335, 8». peregrinm, a stranger. [A word
borrowed from Latin, like the Germanic pilgrin
and pilgrim.] Pererin, W. — Pirc'hirin, A.
Pise, 538, 8 b . piscis, a fish, [pysg, m. W. — pesk, m. A.
iasg, m. Ir.] Recent plurals, pysgyz, pyzgaz.
Ex. Pysg, O 139.
PI. puskes, O 43, 52, 135.
Piscadur, 233, 7b. piscator, a fisherman. [From Latin.]
See the Welsh pysgadwr, and Armoric pesketer or
peshitaer.
Tisclin, 738, 9 b . vivarium, a fish-pond, [pysgodlyn,
m. W.] From pise and lin. See Lin.
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(delwedd F1360) (tudalen 412)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 413
Pnra, 138, 7*. soror, a sister. See Hwr.
Plufoc, 802, 9 h . pidvinar, a bolster, [plumauc, anc.
W.] Modern Welsh plufog, from pluf, pL feathers.
— pMt, plun, m. A.
Plui, in Hsbbekchiat plui, the leader of a parish,
[plwy, plwyf, m. a parish, W. ; ploue*, plo6, m.
village, A. plebs.]
Ex. Plu, R 245, 2198, 2584.
Pluhbben, 688, 9 a . pkwnbus, a plum tree. From the
English See Pren.
Pluven, 359, 8 a . peima, a pen. [plufen, f. W.=pluma.]
Recent plural plyv, ' feathers.' Cf. bleu.
Pobel tioqou, 183, 7 b . vulguB, the common people.
[Latin.] Zeuss reads here pobel I. iogou, but I
see clearly pobel tiogou. Pobel is from the Latin
populus, and perhaps the last word is allied to the
Welsh tatiog, ' rude, rustic.*
Poccuil, 153, 7* barivan, a kiss, (jpoc, pocan, pocyn,
m.W. — pok, m.A. — boc, anc. lr.— p6g, £ mod. Ir.
Allied to impog.]
Pol, 739, 9 b . puteus, a well, (jpwll, m. W. — poull, m.
A.] The English pool
Pou, 714, 9 b . See VoU
Pons, 723, 9 h . pons, a bridge, [pont, £ W.] Pont,
pount, m. A.
Ex. 2804, 281 1.
Popei, 910, io a . pistrmum, a bakehouse. I think this
must be written instead of popti, as printed by
Pryce ; the Welsh pobt^, m.
Popel, 180, 7 b . popuhu, people. See Pobd in Pobel
tiogotc
m
Pobchel, 595, 9 a . poroelhu, a little pig. [porchell,
parchell, m. W. — porc'hel, m. A.]
Pobth, 763, 9 b . jcmua vel vdhta, a door. [Latin.]
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(delwedd F1361) (tudalen 413)
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414 ANCIENT
Porth, hl W. The meaning in recent Cornish was
" a bay or creek :" and the word still remains as a
name. See Porth Carnow, near the Land's End.
Ex. Port, 962.
PL porthow, D 3040.
Portheres, a portress, D 1225.
Pobuit, 758, g\ partes, a wall [parwyd, m. W.]
paroi, £ French.
Post, 764, 9 b . colwnpna, a pillar, [post, m. W. A.]
Ex. D 2058.
Pren, 704, 9 b . ligrwm, timber, tree. [Pren, m. W. —
prenn,m.A.] cran,m.I. SeeMoyrbren ) perbren i &c,
Ex. O 1444, 2493, D 2542.
Priderys, 948, io a . 8oUicUus t pensive, anxious, [pry-
derus, W. — pred€riuz, A.]
Ex. Prederys, O 227.
Pryderow, D 261 1, anxieties.
Prydyrys, D 2540, let him consider.
Pridit, 262, 7 b . poeta, a poet, [prydydd, m, from
prydu, ' to compose,' W.]
Prip, 579, 9*. vermis, a worm, [pryf, m. W. — prev or
prenv, m. A.] cnuimh, £ (pron. cruiv), Gaelic.
Recent forms prev, pi. previon.
Prifpren, 621, 9 a . eruca, a caterpillar, [pryf pren, W.
timber worm.] pr6v, pr&Iv, m. A. See Pren.
Primusdoo, 380, 8*. Uppus, blear-eyed. [Not clearly
written, but it must be the Armoric pikouzek, from
pikouz.] This odd word is abridged in the first
syllable as in prinid; the 8 may be f, and d looks
quite as much like cl. Of. Gaelic prab and prabach.
Prinid, 191. See Caid prinid.
Priot, in Gurpriot, 201, 7 b . ' sponsus, a bridegroom-
[priawt, W.] priod, W. — pried, A.
Prit, 456, S\ hora, an hour, time, [pryd, m, W.—
prtd, pr6t, m. A. 'time.']
Ex. Prys, 338, 674, D 15.
J
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(delwedd F1362) (tudalen 414)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 415
Profuit, 99, 7». propketa, a prophet. Prophwyd, W.
Ex. Profus, O 1799, D 325, 489.
PL profugy, D 1480.
Prouxder, 106, 7 a . nacerdo*, a priest. [Latin prceben-
dariw.] Recently pronter.
R.
Racca, 891, io a . wmedia, a comedy, [rhaca, m. W.
This word is collocated with several others belong-
ing to the kitchen and dining-room; the Latin
may have been some word connected with comedo,
and the Cornish perhaps an adopted French ragout.]
Zeuss's conjecture is ingenious, and probably true.
The ancient copyist seems to have endeavoured to
improve the reading.
Redegva, 9, 7 *. cur8U8, a course or race. [Compounded
of redeg and va, 'running place.'] In Pryce it is
rendered "Course of the sun and moon," which
was probably intended," as the word is inserted
among celestial terms. Rhedegfa, f. 'a race-course,'
rhedeg, f. and rhed, f. 'a race,' W. — re*d, m. 'a race,'
A. C£ Rheda or reda, 'a chariot,' a word bor-
rowed by Rome from the Gallic.
Redbn, 664, 9*. JUix, a fern, [rhedyn, m. W. — rath,
raith, Ir.=ratis, in MarcelL Burd. c. 25.] raden,
£ A. See Ohelioo-reden.
Redic, 663, 9* raphamvm, a radish. [A borrowed
word ; in Welsh rhuddugl, m.]
Redior, 116, 7*. lector, a reader. — Rediores, 117.
lectrix, a female reader. [From the English.]
Rboihten, 882, 10*. prima, a burning coal, [reg&sln,
m. A.] C£ rhysyn, m. W.
Reiat, a giver, in Guenoin reiat, q. v. Reiat ia
from the verb rey, ' to. give,' with the usual ending,
as in Cheniat.
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(delwedd F1363) (tudalen 415)
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416 ANCIENT
Renxiat, 843, 10*. dueifer, a dish-bearer ; in 292, 8*,
the same word is given as the equivalent of divisor }
no doubt the 'carver.' C£ the Welsh rhcmu, 'to
divide, carve,' the Annoric ranna, and the Gaelic
roinn*. In Pryce Bewvmat.
Ex. Ranne, 'to divide,' O 2 181, D 2841;
ran, 'a part,' O 426, 493.
Rku, 440, 8 b . gehi, frost, ice. [rhew, W. — riou, m. A. —
reud, anc. Ir.] reodhadh, m. (pron. reoa) Gaelic.
Rid, 724, 9 b . vadwn, a ford, [rit, old Welsh, — rodo,
m. A. formerly roton.] A recent form was red.
The modern Welsh is rkya\ m.
Rid, ruid, at liberty, in bknenrid, and gubbuid, q. v.
rhydd, W. The Armoric rid, on the contrary,
means ' constraint.' See Benenrid and GwrrvtiL
Rikc, 517, 8 b . coturnis, a quail, [rhinc, W.]
Robbiob, 410, 8*. raptor, a robber. [English word]
Roche, 547, 8 b . fawnm, a sort of fish. Probably a
roach, but the word/armus is quite unknown to me.
Rud, 482, 8 b . rt*oer,red. [rhudd,W. — ruz,A.] Recent
forms roozy ruth, rydh.
Ex. Ruyth, 1622, 1635.
Ruth, R 2489, 2512.
Ruid, 234, 7 b . rethe y a net. [rhwyd, £ W. — roued,£ A
from Latin rete, as rhwyf, from remv*.] Recent
form rdz, pi. ruzow.
Ex. Ros, D 54.
Ruif, 271, 7 b . remus, an oar. [rhwy£ m. W.] ro$f,
roenv, f. A. — ramh, m. Ir. Rhwyfm Welsh is both
' a ruler' and ' an oar ;' and it appears from Gw-
hemin-ruif, q. v. that it was the same in Cornish also.
Ruifadur, 272, 7'. remex vel ncmta, a waterman,
rower. Rhwy&dwr, W. ' one who rules or sways.'
Ruifanaid, 103, 7 a . regrmm, a kingdom. — Ruifanes,
165, 7 b . regina, a queen. Zeuss connects these
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(delwedd F1364) (tudalen 416)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 417
words with ruif, ' an oar/ rather than with my, 'a
king.' The Welsh stems would be rhwyfwh, [qu.
Sansk. rajan,] as shewn in rkwyfam, 'to rule/
rhwyfammdy m. ' domination/ <fcc. He cites rwyf,
meaning '& king/ in the Mabinogion, 2, 390 :
Gwilym uab rwyf firevnc, 'William, son of the
French king.* To this he compares the name of
Remus. In Gaelic ' an oar' is ramh, and ' a rower'
ramhadavr. But I am of opinion that rem (rev)
and reg were once allied, however ancient the sepa-
ration may haye been.
Roten, 716, 9 b . collis, a hillock, [rhyn, m. W. — run,
reun, m. A.] A recent form was rhynen,
Ex. Runyow, pi. D 2654.
Ruse, 669, 9* cortex, the bark, [rhisg, m. W. — rusk,
m. A. — rfisc, anc. Ir.]
Rute, 639, 9* ruta, the herb rue. [Foreign word.]
Ruy, 163, 7 b . rex, a king. [Roen, anc. A. — rou6 ; mod.
A.— righ, Ir.] Rhi, W. <a chief
S.
Sach diatjol, 386, 8 a . demoma/mSy one possessed with
the devil, [sach diawl, " saccus diaboli/' in Owen.]
sach, f. W. — sac'h, m, A. e a sack or bag*
Saibpben, 222, 7 b . lignoMrvus, a carpenter or wood-
man. [8aerpren or prensaer, W. 'a carpenter/
8aermaen or maemaer, l a stonemason, &c.' Saer,
pensaer, ' a workman, a headworkman/ Mabinog.
2, 243.] Saer, 'an artizan/ saeri, m. 'artisan's
work / W. — saor, m. * a carpenter/ Gael.
Saithob, 509, 8 b . mergus vel mergtdus, a diver, a cor-
morant. [Perhaps from the rapid flight, Welsh
saeth, an * arrow.' This bird is the morfran, f. W.
muirbran, Ir. and poc'han, m. A.] Printed swrtfwr
in Pryce.
T5
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(delwedd F1365) (tudalen 417)
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418 ANCIENT
Sant, 892, 10*. daps, vel obsorwm, yel ferdwn, a ban-
quet [saig, pL Belgian, m. W.]
Bart. See Sort
Soala, 873, io». patera, a dish. [The German word
achale.] Printed by Pryce scafa.
Scaukl, 771, 9b 9oabeHum y a bench. [yBgafell, £ W. —
skabel, £ A.]
Sceuens, 56, 7* putmo, the lungs, [ysgyfiunt, W. —
skevent, sklent, m. A. — sgamhan, Ir.]
Scinen, 33a, 8*. inauris, earring, [qu. skin, nx A. 'a
radios.'] Pryce has slciney, 'an earring/ and ski-
nan, 'a pin.'
Scod, 490, 8 b . umbra, a shadow, [ysgawd, W. —
skeud, m. A.] I do not find ysgod in the Dic-
tionaries, but cysgod, m. The word may be a com-
pound, and ysgod one' of the component parts. In
the margin yscod. C£ rarfftfop and shade. Recently
shez.
Scol, 366, 8 a . scola, a school [From the English.]
Scolheio, 367, 8 a . scholasticus, a scholar, [yscolheic,
m. W.] ysgolhaig, m. the modern form.
Scorrkn, 683, 9*. ramus, a bough, [skourr, m. skour-
ren, A.]
Ex. Scoren, O 805.
PI. scorennow, 780, 2444.
Scouabn, 34, 7* auris, the ear. [ysgyfern, £W.—
skouarn, £ A.]
Ex. Scoforn, D 1144, 11 50, 1254.
Scoyabkoc, 589, 9 & . lepus, a hare, [i. e. eared.] ysg-
yfarnog, £ W. According to Grimm the names of
animals generally, as well as of other material ob-
jects, are taken from some quality, rather than ori-
ginal. Thus Uwynog, ' a fox,' from Uwyn, ' a bush.'
Scoul, 496, S\ milvus, a kite, [skoul, A. rapax ; cf.
ysglyf, m. W.]
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(delwedd F1366) (tudalen 418)
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COBNISH VOCABULAEY. 419
Scbiuek danuon, 352, 8*. epistola, letter, missive, [dan-
fon ysgrifen, W.] See Dammon.
Ex. Danvon, 'to send/ D 118.
Danvonas, ' he sent/ D 17 1.
Scbiuiniat, 350, 8*. scriptor, a writer, [ysgrifenydd,
m. W.] scrivaner, m. A. From the verb, with the
usual ending.
Scriuit, 351, 8 a . scriptom, a writing, [ysgrifiad, m.W.]
skrid, skrit, m. A.
Scubilen, 797, 9b. flagrwn vel flageWum, a whip,
[ysgubell, f. ysgubellan, W. — skubelen, £ A.]
Scudel, 842, io». discus, a dish, [ysgudell, dysgyl, f.
W.— disk, m. A.] Another form was skidal.
Scuid, 69, 7*. scapula, the shoulder, [ysgwydd, £W. —
skoaz, f. A.]
Ex. Scouth, D 658, 2623.
Dual; dywscouth, D 3068 ; duscoth, D 2583.
Scuidlien, 790, 9 b . swperhwm&rale, a hood. [Literally,
shoulder-linen. Ysgwyddlian, W.] Skycttien in the
margin.
Seit, 885, io a . oUa, a pot. [saith, W.] Recent form
zeath.
Seithum, 457, 8 b . ebdomada, a week, [sizun, £ A. —
sechtmaine, £ anc. Ir. — seachdmhuin, mod. Ir. —
seachduinn, £ Gael., all meaning seven days or
times, while the Welsh wythnos, £ signifies eight
nights.] Cf. the French hwtijowrs.
Ex. Sythyn, R 30.
Sel, 756, 9^. fundcm&ntmn, a foundation, [sail, m.W.]
sdl, m. A.
Selli, 546, S\ cmguiUa, an eel. [llyswen, £ W. — sili.
m. silien, £ A.] sil, m. silod, pi. ' young fish/ W.
Sened, 186, 7 b . sinodw, a synod. [From Latin syn-
odtis.]
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(delwedd F1367) (tudalen 419)
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420 ANCIENT
Sbrkic, 694, 9*. fruteXy a shrub. [Possibly this should
be spermOy from spern.] Servic in Pryce.
Seuyad, 290, 8*. sartor, a tailor. [Perhaps from syw,
* smart,' and sywiaw, ' to adorn,' W.] Rather from
the English verb 'to sew/ with the usual termina-
tion signifying the agent
Sibuit, 698, 9b abies, a fir-tree, [sybwydd, pL W.—
sap, sapr, sapren, A. — mod. Lat. sapus, sappus,
sappinus, sappetus; sapin, French.] The recent
Cornish waa Zaban.
Sicer, 866, io a . sicera, cyder, [sidr, sistr, m. A —
cidre, Fr.] It seems doubtful if dcera and cyder
be the same. What the Hebrew shecar was is
quite uncertain, and the Latin sicera in the medi-
aeval writings is often connected with hops. Cf.
o-iKtpa, Luke i. 16.
Sichob, 475, 8 b . siccitas, drought, [sych, m. W. —
sec'h, A.]
Ex. Sygh, l dry; O 761.
Sim, 570, 9*. simiOy a monkey. [From the Latin.]
Sinsiat, 407, 8 a . tenax, tenacious. [From sint, as hin~
sic from hvni : perhaps connected with scvrmt, Gael.
' covetousness,' though the Welsh and Armoric have
ckuxmt.] The word is certainly from syjisy, ' to
hold fast, bind,' with the ordinary termination.
See 23, 1 1 26, 1444.
Skient, mind, knowledge, occurs in Gucm a acient,
1 weak of mind,' and diskient, ' foolish.'
Ex. Skeyens, O 80 ; skyens, O 82 ; skyans,
O167.
Skientoc, 412, 8 a . sapiens, wise. [From substantive
skiertt, the Latin scientia. See Diskient.]
Snod, 331, 8 a . vitta, a ribband, [ysnoden, f. W. —
neud, neuden, m. A. — snath, anc. Ir.] The lowland
Scotch has snood x
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(delwedd F1368) (tudalen 420)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 421
Soch, 342, 8 a . vomer, ploughshare. [swch,f.W.] souc'h,
socTi, m. A. — soc, French.
Soler, 928, io a . solarivm vel solium, a ground room.
[Latin.] See Set.
Sols, 908, 10* pecunia, money, [swllt, m. W. — med.
Latin, solta, ' small change.'] C£ sou, soldo, solidus.
Sort, 577, 9*. hyricus vel ermatirus, a hedgehog. [Not
found in other dialects. In Lepelletier we find sort,
pi. sortet, the French sowrd, a salamander.] An-
other form is Sari. Qu. sorth, ' rough/ W.
Spauen mob, 15, 7 a . equor, smooth sea. [yspai, yspaith,
f. ' clearness, prospect,' W.]
Spirit, 432, 8 b . spvritus, a spirit. From the Latin.
Ex. Spyrys, O 985.
SquENip, 121, 7*. incestus, unchaste. [Unknown.] Al
though we have p in the manuscript, I have no
hesitation in restoring v, as in diw, and erv, where
there can be no doubt, unless we would determine
from these instances that in early Cornish a final
v became p. In either case the word before tts
appears to be the negative of guaf, i chaste,' in p.
372 ; and guaf is cognate with the Gaelic geanm.
The two forms then would be theoretically gvxmv,
dfoguemv, or perhaps guamm, disguewm; in ana-
logy with laicm, dislaian.
Stepenio, 47, 7 a . palatum, palate, [ystefaig, f. W. —
stan, staon, f. A. for stavn, stam.] In Fryce we
have stevaic.
Steren, s, 7 a . steUa, a star, [seren, f. W. — steren, f. A.]
Margin has seren.
Ex. Stergan, O 36.
Steuel, 927, io a , truMwum, a dining-room, [ystafell,
f.W.]
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(delwedd F1369) (tudalen 421)
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432 ANCIENT
Stlaf, 375, 8*. Menu, a stammerer, [stlabeza, 'to pro-
nounce ill/ A. Hardly known in other dialects ;
Stoo, 706, 9 b . stirbs, the stock of a tree. [English.]
Stol, 789, 9*. stola, a stole, scar£ [A borrowed word ;
ystol, £ 'a stool,' W.] Tonkin translates "a
stool," and Zeuss gives the Welsh word corre-
sponding to it ; but this is merely an inadvertence.
The word is placed among articles of vesture,
and the meaning must be "stole," the Welsh
ystcla, £ ; Armoric 8(M, £
Stollop, 791, 9 b . manuale, a sleeve or handkerchief,
[stol-lof, a dress for the hand.] The Latin mww-
ale has led Tonkin to render this word ' a little
book.' But the meaning is clear enough. It is how-
ever singular that the compiler of the vocabulary
has taken the manuale in different senses, and has
added coweidliver, 'a book of singing/ as if it
were a synonym to rtoUqf. The word was used in
the middle ages to signify a handkerchief, or nap-
kin, or sleeve covering the hands.
Storc, 500, 8 b . ciconia, a stork. [English.]
Stkail, 839, ro a . tapeta, tapestry, [ystraill, m. W.]
Strail-elesteb, 840, io*. matta, a mat of rushes.
See Elestrm, and cf. seileastar, m. Gael.
Streing, 330, 8*. fibula, a buckle. [English.] If it
be an English word, I suppose it was used in the
sense of a 'shoe tie.' The Welsh equivalent is
ystraig, m.
Stbeil, 931, io a . strigU vel strigihw, a horse-comb.
[From Latin.] May be screil, the Welsh ysgra-
fdl y £, the Armoric skrwd, £
Stret, 741, 9 b . latex, a fresh spring. [Streat, stret, £
A., though the meaning is different ; like the
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(delwedd F1370) (tudalen 422)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 423
Welsh ystryd, f. a street, or way.] Strvnk, m. a
jet d'eau, A. is more probable, but not much. Cf.
truth, m. * stream/ Gaelic
Ex Streyth, 772.
Stbifor, 304, 8*. conUntiosus, a wrangler, [striv,
strif, m. A. English strife.]
Ex. Stryf, 'strife/ D 30.
Stut, 536, 8 b . culex, a gnat. [Unknown.]
Suben, 900, io a . qffa, a mass, a morsel, [sob, soban,
m., sopen, t a mass, W.] C£ Armoric souben, f.
from 80uba, to soak. English sop.
Sudeonen, 529, 8 b . fucus, a drone. [Writing not very
certain ; the Armoric has safronenJ]
Suie, 62, 7 a . arwna, tallow, [swyf, m. W.] soav, m.
A The French has borrowed this word. A re-
s cent Cornish form was 00a.
T.
Taienant, 287, 7 a . malagma, a fomentation or poul-
tice. [Unknown.] The Welsh would be twym-
enaint, m. a hot lotion, or ointment. We should
have here some corruption of this : perhaps torn-
naint.
Tal, 28, 7*. from, the forehead, [tal, m. W. A.]
Ex. O 1781 ; taal, 2705.
Talch, 918, io a . jfurftvres, bran, [talch, m. W.] The
Armoric uses brenn.
Talgel, 903, io a . sigiHum, ceUarium, a pantry, but-
tery, [talgel, a seal (?) A.] I do not find the
Armoric word quoted by Zeuss, but I find the
Welsh talgeU, f. a ' pantry* or 'buttery.' No doubt
this is ceUarium, and sigiUum has been entered by
mistake. Talgel occurs in a miscellaneous list of
Jo • <•
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(delwedd F1371) (tudalen 423)
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424 ANCIENT
words, the meaning of which is generally connected
with eating and drinking.
Talhoo, 548, 8 b . rocea, a rock fish, [talawg, W. « hay-
ing a large forehead.']
Talon, 71, 7*. venter, the belly, [talon, W.]
Talsoch, 307, 8 a . hebes, dull. [Not found elsewhere,
unless we take the A. tolzennek, 'dense 9 from
token, t a mass, with a root tolsJ] C£ also the
. German toU. Qu. tal, 'forehead,' eouc'h dull.' A.
Tan, 880, 10*. ignis, fire, [tan, m. W. A. — tene, anc.
Ir.] teine, m. Gaelic
Ex. O 1290, 1305, 2637, R 291.
Tanteb, 200, 7 H . proem, a suitor. [Not found in other
dialects. The Welsh tantawr is a musician.] Qu.
tauter, the English touterr.
Taper, 778, 9 b . eereus, a taper. [English.]
Taran, 435, 8 b . tonitrwwm, thunder, [taran, £ in Ir.
and W. — kurun, f. (cwnm, Buhez) A.] Tarcm,
'lightning/ A. Tarcmis, if that be the name,
was probably named from taran. See Lucan, I.
446.
Ex. B 129, 294, 296.
Tarnutuan, 489, 8 b . phantasma, a phantom. [Qu. a
Welsh root tarnu, to absorb.] I am inclined to
think the word should be written taruuhcan : the
n and u are so easily confounded. It would be
read tarwctvan, and this would come very near to
tarofVan, O 2364, and tarosfan, R 1450.
Tat, 126, 7 a . pater, a father. Tad, W. — tad or tat, A.
Ex. Tas, O 1, 835.
PI. tassow, O 1409.
Tatuat, 145, 7 a . altor vel ntUritor, a foster-father,
[tatmaeth, ' father of nutrition :' maeth, W. ; see
Mammaeth.] Tadmaeth in the margin.
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(delwedd F1372) (tudalen 424)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 425
Tauot, 46, 7». lingua, a tongue. [tafawd, m. W.]
t6dd, m. A.
Ex. Taves, 767 ; tavas, 826.
Tauolen, 628, 9*. diUa, dock-herb, [tafawl, m. tafolen,
£ W.] I give the English from Pryce. Ditto, is
unknown to me, but the author probably took the
meaning from the Welsh.
Teg, 122, 7* pulcher, fair. Teg, W.
Ex. Tek, O 87, 141, 267.
Tekke, fairer, O 1177.
Teilxj, 136, 7 a . familia, a family, [telu, anc. W.] See
^ Mcvmteikt, and PenteUu. The present Welsh is
tetdu, m. Teaghlach, m. Gaelic.
Teithioc, 1 Q3, 7 b . vemacuhts, a servant. [A servant
born in the family, not purchased. C£ Brenhin
teUhiawc, 'legitimate king,' Mab. 2, 201, 222.]
Telein, 249, 7 b . cUhcvra, a harp, [telyn, f. W. — telen,
f. A.]
Teleikior, 248, 7^>. titharista, a harper, [telynawr,
telyniwr, telynwr, m. W.]
TENEpEN, 81, 7 a . lotus, the side, [tenewyn, m. W. —
tevenn, m. A. a coast.]
Ex. Tenewen, O 214, 746, 2063.
PL tenwennow, 2442.
Tbs, 473, 8 b . fervor, warmth, heat. [t6s, m. W. — tez,
m. A.] teas, m. Gaelic.
Ti, 742, 9b. domuBy a house, [ty, m. W. — ti, m. A. —
tigh, m. Gael.] Always chy in recent usage, and
in the Ordinalia.
Tiogou [pobel]. See Pobd tiogou.
Tib, 11, 7 a . tettus, the earth, [tir, m. W. — tir, ter, m.
A.] Recent plural terroz.
Ex. Tyr, O 7, 376, 581.
PI. tyryow, O 26.
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(delwedd F1373) (tudalen 425)
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426 ANCIENT
TiST, 423, 8 b . testis, a witness. [tyBtiwr, m. W. — test,
m. A. — C£ test, anc Lr.] Becent form test
Tistum, 424, 8*>. testimonium, testimony, [tystiolaeth, f.
W. — testas, testemin, testimin, anc. Ir.] teisteanas,
m. Gael The word appears to be tistum in the
MS., as Fryce prints it ; Zeuss gives tistmn ; and
it may also be read tistum.
Tipuioou, 449, 8 a . tenebre, darkness, [temel, anc. Ir.]
tywyllwch, m. W.— diswel, m. A. The form of
this word is clearly plural, as it is in Latin. The
ancient Irish form connects it with the Sanskrit
tama and the Slavonic tma. Zeuss rightly corrects
the reading to tkoulgou, Fryce gives titouigon,
adding a typographical error ; under teual, ' dark,'
he also gives teuolgow. In the two existing ver-
sions of the first chapter of Genesis we have fodder
and tewlder. If the Armoric be allied, Legonidec's
derivation of dis, neg. and gwel, 'to see*' will
hardly be admissible. The Welsh gwyU, gloom,
and tew, thick, may afford a more probable origin.
Ex. Tewolgow, O 546, 558, 889, D 142.
To, 579, 9 b . tectum, a roof [to, m. W. A.] To 'roof
or ' tile' is toi in Welsh, tei in Armoric, and ty in
Cornish. See O 2475. Tyorryon, 'tilers,' occurs
in O 2486. Cf tubh, or tugh, Gaelic The French
toit is probably tectum; but perhaps the Latin
tegere and the Celtic tugh, tigh, may be connected.
"Tom, 853, 10*. calidam, hoi [twym, W. — tomm,
tuem, A.]
Ex. Tommans, ' let him heat,' D 833.
Tommys, 'heated,' D 839.
Toll, a hole. See Tolcorn.
Tolgobn, 261, 7 b . linihuus, a fife or flute, [linthuue
for lituus; literally, 'a horn with holes.' Twll, m.
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(delwedd F1374) (tudalen 426)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 427
W. — toull, m. A. a hole. But lituw is rather a
curved tube.] toll, m. Gael. See Corn.
Ex. Tol, D 2740, 2754 ; toul, R 2131.
Tollob, 317, 8 a . theolenarius, a receiver of tolL [tollwr,
W.] tellou, pi. £ ' taxes/ A. Probably from the
English toll, allied to the German zoU.
Toxxel, 923, io». dolivm, a cask, [tunell, W. — tonel,
f. A. the French tonnecm.] Tynnd is added in the
margin of the MS.
Toe, 7 1, 7 a . venter, the belly, [tor, £ W. — teur, tor, m.
A.]
Ex. O 2070, D 2057.
PL torrow, D 2646.
Torch, 594, 9*. magaMs, a hog. [twrch, m. W. —
tourc'h, m. A.] Tore, m. Gaelic.
Trait, 736, g\ harena, sand, [traeth, m. W. — trez,
tr6az, m. A.] Recent form traith.
Trech, 705, 9 b . truncu8, a stem.— 899, io a . fructus,
a fruit. [Unknown in the other dialects in either
sense.] In the first case it may be the English
trunk, omitting the nasal ; we have trok, a 'trunk 1
or 'box,' R 2135 and 2177. In the second case
I now believe the word in the MS. should be
read Freeh, as printed by Pryce, and I regret not
having inserted it in its place. Frec'h, m. A.
Trein, 29, 7 a . newts, the nose, [trwyn, m. nose, snout,
W.] Recent form iron.
Trevedic, 226, 7 b . ruBticuB ; 336, 8 a . colowus, a
dweller, a countryman. Trevedic doer, 333, 8 a .
incola, literally, ' an inhabitant of the land.' [tre-
fedig, inhabited, trefedigion, dwellers : from tref,
a hamlet, W. — treb, anc. Ir.] treubh, £ Gaelic,
pronounced trev. See Doer.
Ex. Tre, town, O 2003, 2565, 2571,
PL trevow, D 132.
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(delwedd F1375) (tudalen 427)
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423 ANCIENT
Thibet, 883, 10". andena, an andiron, [tribedd, m.W.
— trlbez, m. A.] Evidently the tripod, which wt
have altered to trivet.
Trist, 934, 10* trisHs, sad. [trist, W. A.]
Ex. Tristys, ' sorrow,' D 123.
T* * 3 3 3> 8». res, a thing. The copyist perhaps wrote
inadvertently tro for Pro. Tra is 'thing ;' as in
Armoric, and at O 189, D 471. Tro is ' occasion'
in D 2692, 3066, R 158.
Tboc, 370, 8*. miser, wretched, [akin to tru and dis-
tinct from drwg, c evil,' the drog of this vocabulary,
anciently droc ; not confounded in ancient Irish,
where drog is ' evil,' and tr6g ' wretched.' (Zeuss
gives here several instances.) C£ Tragus Pom-
peius, a Qaul ; and Trogmi.]
Tboet, 512, 8 b . ttwrtwr, a. turtle-dove, [turtur, W. —
turzunel, f. A.]
Tboster, 833, io a . Probes, a beam, [trostyr, trawst, m.
W.— treust, m. A.] The English trestle.
Ex. PI. tresters, O 963.
Tbud, 545, 8 b . tructa, a trout. [A foreign word.]
Tbuit, 94, 7 a . pes, the foot, [troet, traet, m. W. — traig,
anc. Ir.] troat, troad, m. A. — troidh, £ Gael Be-
cent forms, Pruz, troys, pi. treiz. See Goden fruit.
Ex. Troys, O 63 ; tros, O 262, D 98.
PL tryys, O 711 ; treys, O 760.
Tbulebch, 710, 9 b . semita, a path. [Unknown, unless
it be a mistake for truterch, from truit, ' foot.'] I
am reminded by the Rev. R. Williams of wwr lergh,
(war lerc'h, A.) literally, c on the trace.' See Gram-
- mar, p. 300. In Armoric and Cornish lergh occurs
only in this combination ; but the Irish and Gaelic
cognate lorg, f. shews the meaning c trace' or ' foot-
step.' Trvlerch will be from truit lerch, l foot-
trace/ like the Weigh troedfforch, ' a footpath,'
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(delwedd F1376) (tudalen 428)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 429
Tullob, 420, 8 R . faUax, a deceiver, [twyllwr, W. —
toueller, A]
Ex. Tolle, ' to deceive/ O 294.
Tollys, ' deceived,' D 604.
Tunder, 471, 8 b . color, heat. [Rather tomder, from
toim. Tomder, tnemder, f. A] twymder or
twymnder, m. W. A recent form was torn/ma, the
Welsh twymdra. Pryce has twmder. See Toim.
Tub, 929, io a . twrrUy a tower, [twr, m. pi. tyrau, W.
— tour, pi. touriou, m. A.]
Ex. Tour, O 2030, 2 1 10, 2389, D 1711.
Turen, 524, 8 \ twrtrwr, a turtle-dove. See TroeL
U. V. w.
Paltoj>at, 487, S\ fertUtias, fertility, [gwallawiad,
gwallofiad, m. profusion, W.] Printed by Pryce
Paltowat.
pAROE, 267, 7 b . merXy merchandize. [The English
ware.]
pEDRESiP, 614, 9 a . lacerta, lizard, [gwedresi, f. W.]
Printed Pedreriffia Pryce.
pEiDj>UR ti, 232, 7 b . architecttis, architect. Literally,
'housemaker.' Yeidvur here is the guelchwr of
gueidvwr organs and cober, q. v. Printed by Pryce
Pddimura, the ti being read a by the compiler, as
by Zeuss in gwsca for guiscti.
piB, 253, 7 b mum, a pipe. The initial letter of this
word and of pipMt, which precedes it in the manu-
script, may be either p or v ; for the former Zeuss
gives the Welsh cognate term pib, f., for the latter
the Welsh chwib, f. allied to the Breton c'howibcm.
I do not see the difference of distinctness in the
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(delwedd F1377) (tudalen 429)
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430 ANCIENT
manuscript* which Zeuss noticed ; I think we have
either pib and piphit, or vib and vvphit. In Pryce
Fib. See Viphti.
piBANOR, 796, 9*. 9uUulaTt8 9 a sock or slipper, [chwi-
banor, 'what hisses' or 'creaks/ from the noise
made by a sock or slipper.] Printed Dibanor in
Pryce.
piBONOUL, 259, 7 b . fistula, pipe or flute. [Appears to
be corrupt, and that it should be corrected by the
Welsh chwibcorsaul from corsen, a reed.] A much
more ready analogue is the Welsh chwibcmogl, f. a
flute, as in Daniel iii. 5.
Piphit, 252, 7 b . tibicen, a piper. See the note on Vib.
Observe also that we have ckwiffio and piffio of
similar meaning : the English whiff is allied to
this. The termination U designates the agent.
Pilecub, 308, 8 a . pcvrasUus, a parasite. [Should be
vileduTy the Welsh gwleddwr, a ' banquetter,' from
gwledd, W. and fled, Ir., a 'feast.'] In Pryce
WUecwr.
pOLi, 714, 9 b . provincia, a province, [gwely, m. W. 'a
bed, family, tribe.'] This looks like Poli, and the
analogy suggested by Zeuss seems so far-fetched,
that I am almost induced to think the writer pe-
dantically used a word from the Greek ttoXis.
puia. See Huir.
pULUDOC, 295, 8 a . dives, rich, [gwladog, 'having land/
from gwlad, W. — flaith, anc. Ir. See also gwledig,
anc. guletic, and wledig, added to the name of a
ruler. Found also in ancient Armoric charters,
in the forms of guoletec, vooletec.] The cognate
Welsh is gohtdog, from golud, 'wealth.' Printed
Pwludoc in Pryce.
pUN. See Hun.
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(delwedd F1378) (tudalen 430)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 4M
Ulaib, 827, 9 b . pepktm, a woman's mantle. [Unknown;
the Armoric has mizer.] It may perhaps be ulain;
cf. the Gaelic falhiinn, £
Uncokn, 560, 8 b . unicornis, a unicorn. [like the Welsh
imberm in the Mabinogion, ' a monarch/ i. e. one
head.]
Undamsi, 190, 7 b . dims vel clienttdus, a dependent.
[Unknown.] This word is probably corrupt, but
it is certainly connected with yn dan, 'under.' See
D 251, 260, R 31.
Unliu, 486, 8 b . warn color, of one colour. [See
disliu, ' discoloured/ and cf. imberm, wworn.]
Urat, 286, 7 b . ungumtvm, ointment, [iraid, m. W. —
treat, tret, A.] Pryce prints yrat.
Ex. Uras, ' did anoint,' D 526.
Ure, 'to anoint,' D 473.
Usion, 916, io a . palea, chaff, [us, pL usion, m. W. cf.
eusinion, now eisin, m. 'bran,' W. — French son,
'bran.']
Uy, 519, 8 b . ouvm, an egg. [wy, m. W. — vi, ui, u, m.
A.] ugh, f. Ir. — ubh, f. Gael. Cf. ey, German, and
egg, English. In Pryce Wiy.
Win, 856, io a . vinum, wine, [gwin, m. W. A. — fin, Ir.]
fion, m. Gael.
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(delwedd F1379) (tudalen 431)
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Y.
Yak, 516, 8 b . gaUina, a hen. [iar,f.W. A.] The recent
plural was yer, like the Welsh ievr.
Ex. O 129.
Yd, 720, 9 b . seges, standing corn, [yd, m. W. — id, ed,m.
A. — fth, Ir.] The recent form was yz.
Ydnic, 518, 8 b . pidktf, a chick or young bird, [dimin.
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(delwedd F1380) (tudalen 432)
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423 ANCIENT
of etm or edyn. It is written ydninc in the MS.,
but with a dot under n, to shew that it was not to
be read.] evnik, m. A.
Yeugek, 573, 9*. feruncus, a ferret [ieugen, £ W.]
Ymbithionkn, 358, 8* aoeda vel scedtUa, a sheet of
paper. [Unknown.] Peithynen, £ W.
Yorch, 585, 9*. capreci, a roe. [iwrch, m. W. — iourcTi,
m. A.] See Mpxoi, in a line from Oppian quoted in
Scapula : — «u Mpxovs Zpvyas T€ 9 Kal alyX^tpras I6p~
govt. See Kytiorch.
Youonc, 212, 7 b . jtwenis y a youth, [ieuanc, W. —
iaouank, A.] Analogous forms are found in nearly
all the Indo-European languages. Recent forms
iwngk, iouenc. See Gwr iouenc.
Ex. Yonk, D 1184, R 1639 ; yowynk, D 29.
Yubl, 170, 7 b . comes vel consul, an earl. [Should be
yarl. Iarll, m. W., whence iarUaeth, m. ' an earl-
dom , from the English.]
The few words which follow, although not in the
Manuscript, appear in Pryce's Vocabulary with the
mark f ; and these are, in all likelihood, those alluded
to by Lhuyd in his Archseologia ; see the translation
above, p. 315. About forty more may be found in
Pryce with the same mark, but they are merely various
readings of words included under other forms, and are
therefore not entered here ; some of them are but
slightly changed, such as cog, eal, sort, for hog, ehcd,
sort : others are quite wrong, such as tosomea for hosa-
neu, boawhoe for gcmhoc, hcmeu for bcmeu, and the like.
It is clear from their place in the Vocabulary that these
words are not the result of typographical errors ; such
gross blunders could not have been the work of a man
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(delwedd F1381) (tudalen 433)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 433
like Lhuyd, but must be attributed to Tonkin, the com-
piler of tbe Vocabulary, who had Lhuyd's Manuscripts
before him as the basis of his work. Such variations are
mentioned under the headings to which they belong.
Ancouyns, death. This word was probably found in a
passage where it was used as a verb, like the Welsh
angeuo, from angeu.
Argraphy, to print. Argraflu, W. Cf. ypd<f>u>.
Bernigan, a limpet, pi. brennick. Brenigen, f. brenig,
pi. W. — brennigen, f. brennik, brinnik, m. A. L6-
gonidec derives the word from bran, 'a breast.'
Cf. bq/rnade, bernide.
Brathgye, a badger. Recent form brakgye. I believe
the word signifies " mastiff 1 ' or " hound," and that
"badger" has been taken from the likeness to
broch. Price says the derivation is u hedge dog ;"
the last syllable is certain, and for the first some
word may be understood allied to the Welsh perth;
I would suggest rather broth, from brathu, 'to
bite.'
Ex. Louuern py brathky, 'fox or mastiff/
O895.
Vyl brathky, ' vile hound,' D 2087.
Brakgye is doubtful in R 2018.
We find a plural in Mount Calvary, 96, 3.
Avel brathken aga dyns orto y a theskerny.
' Like mastiffs their teeth at him they gnashed.'
Coual, cowal, coul, &c, quite, fully. See the Gram-
mar, p. 289.
Forh, a fork or prong. Fforch, f. W. — forc'h, f. A.
Probably from the Latin.
Frech, fruit. Frec'h, m. A. in the dialect of Vannes.
This must be the true reading at N° 899, io a , in the
MS., where Zeuss reads trech. See Trech.
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(delwedd F1382) (tudalen 434)
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434 ANCIENT
Huitel, a tale, pL whetlow. Chwedl, W., appears to
mean foolish or false stories. I have translated
whetlow ' deceit 9 in O 466 and 2560 ; it would
have been better to use the word ' ambiguities,' or
some similar expression. The Armoric adjective
gwidiluz, « tortuous, twisting, not straight forward,'
must be allied to huitel. In translating whetlow a
' dissembler' or ' talebearer,' Tonkin came near to
the meaning, though he supposed the word to be
in the singular number.
Ex, Whethlow, D 2054, R 901, 1355 ; whet-
low, D 1392, 1898.
Kaxpiek, a champion. Campwr, W. — kampfer, Germ.
— kaemper, Dan.
Kentar, a nail, spike, pi. kentrow. Cethr, m., cethren,
f. W. — kentr, f. ' a spur,' A. C£ Ktrrpov.
Ex. Renter, D 2676, 2746.
PL kentrow, D 2517, R 2588.
Kerhidh, a heron. Creydd, W. — Kerc'heia, f. A
Kyvedhiad, a colleague, copartner. Cyfedd, ' drinking
together/ W.
Lahvelet, a rudder. Unknown. See Leuuit, p. 395*
The words are perhaps allied ; there may be an
error in the writing.
LupER, a^peer or viceroy. Perhaps arktih, ' a lord,' or
Uwydwr, ' a warrior,' W.
Menas, except.
Ex. Marnas, O 948 ; menas in the "Crea-
tion,'' p. 164.
Pow, country. Pau, m. W.
Ex. Pou, O 1599, 1914 ; pow, D 127, n74-
Savarn, a smell : in Drog savarn. Sawr, sawyr, W.
Perhaps from savour.
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(delwedd F1383) (tudalen 435)
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CORNISH VOCABULARY. 436
Sengys, bound, obliged.
Ex. D 510. This is a corruption of sensys,
the participle of seney. See O 130, D 11 76.
Splan, clear, bright. Ysplan, W. — splann, A. From the
Latin.
Ex. O 40.
Stl, the mn. Sol, Ir. Still used in the word for Sun-
day : — Dydd sul, W. — disul, A.— dezyl, Cornish.
Tej>en, a quenched firebrand. In Pryce Tehen. I think
this is the word which Zeuss reads Uheu, corre-
sponding with ticio in the manuscript. It is really
Uheu in the Codex, but it looks like teheu at the
first glance, and might have been read tehen by
Lhuyd, who would connect it with the Welsh tewyn
of the same meaning. Knowing how often the h
and p are confounded in the manuscript, I have
little hesitation in restoring tewen, believing that
this was the word of the original, notwithstanding
the violent change requisite. The " quenched fire-
brand" which explains titio in our old Dictionaries,
renders it probable that the compiler of Pryce's vo-
cabulary had this word before him, however it may
be read.
Yolacit, a bird. In the manuscript we have " Avis 1.
Volatil," (i. e. avis vel volatile), as the equivalent
of hethen, 'bird.' Volatil looks very much like
YolacU, the initial V having a tail, and t re-
sembling c. This would account for so singular a
word finding its way into the printed vocabulary.
The form of the initial v caused a similar mistake
in the word urat, which is printed by Pryce, as it
was probably read by Lhuyd, yrat.
u %
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APPENDIX.
I. EEMAINS OF CORNISH LITERATURE
On a subject so little known as Cornish literature, which
comprises only two or three compositions, in an obsolete
language whose existence is forgotten by all but a few Celtic
scholars, even in the county where it was spoken little more
than a century ago, the Editor believes that some brief ob-
servations will be acceptable to the few who may look at the
present work. All the monuments of this obscure literature
may be summed up in half a page : — one is, A Poem, which
we may by courtesy call Epic, entitled Mount Calvary ; the
oldest copy of this is pretty certainly of the fifteenth century :
it contains 259 stanzas of eight lines each, in heptasyllabic
metre, with alternate rhymes, usually continued on the same
sounds throughout the stanza. The subject of this poem is
the Trial and Crucifixion of Christ. Another is the series
of Dramas contained in these volumes, representing Scrip-
tural subjects from the Creation to the Death of Pilate. The
oldest MS. of these Dramas is apparently of the same age as
the one just mentioned, and they hardly differ perceptibly in
language and orthography. The date of the composition of
these works is nowhere stated, but from the condition of the
language, the form of the English words introduced into it,
and a comparison with an ancient Cornish Vocabulary in the
British Museum, reproduced in the preceding pages, it may
be inferred that it cannot be much older than the age of the
Manuscripts; certainly it cannot be assigned to a period
earlier than the fourteenth century.
The next work known is another Drama, called "The
" Creation of the World with Noah's Flood," which was
written, as stated upon the MSS. containing it, " on the 1 2th
" of August, 161 1, by William Jordan." This work is in
several passages an imitation of the Dramas now published,
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438 APPENDIX.
occasionally almost a copy ; it is written in a language far
more corrupt than the other compositions, and is full of
English words : the language was evidently breaking down,
and genuine Celtic was largely giving place to the intrusive
Saxon. After these writings of some pretension and consi-
derable length, we have two versions of the Lord's Prayer,
Commandments, and Belief, one called ancient, and the*
other modern, without any very apparent reason for the dis-
tinction, two very poor translations of the first chapter of
Genesis, a few songs, some familiar proverbs, and a short
tale. This is all.
The Manuscripts generally known which contain the
writings above enumerated are in the Bodleian Library and
the British Museum. Of the Poem of Mount Calvary there
are four copies : the oldest, in the British Museum, is marked
N 1782 of the Harleian Collection: it is a small quarto on
vellum, containing twenty-one folios, written in a small hand
by no means easy to read, and here and there almost de-
faced. It is described in the Harleian Catalogue as having
" some rude pictures at the bottom of the page." They are
indeed very rude, being merely such figures as schoolboys
scrawl upon their copy-books, smeared over with a few
patches of colour ; they are nine in number, each about an
inch and half long. The first represents the Deity, holding
out the Crucifix with both hands ; the next exhibits Adam
and Eve in the Garden : there is a Flagellation, and a Christ
bearing the Cross : it is not easy to say what the others
represent. There is no translation in this MS. except ten
lines at the foot of folio 3*, made from the 30th and 31st
stanzas, written apparently a century after the work itself. I
describe it as written in verses of seven syllables ; in the
Codex two such verses are written in one line, with a rhyme
in the middle.
The other MSS. of the Mount Calvary appear to be copies
taken from the above, often unskilfully ; all are on paper,
and two are in the Bodleian Library. One of these is marked
Gough, Cornwall 4 ; it is in quarto : it contains 57 ff., and
there is a translation by John Keigwyn facing each page;
the first chapter of Genesis is given at the end of the MS.
The other copy is also in quarto ; it contains 40 ff., and is
marked Gough, Cornwall 3 ; it seems to be copied from the
preceding. There is a translation to this also facing each
page, but it wants a few stanzas at the beginning, and there
J
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(delwedd F1386) (tudalen 439)
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APPENDIX 439
is no chapter of Genesis at the end. A third paper copy has
recently been found in Cornwall ; it is in folio, and has the
English translation, which is not carried quite to the close of
the work. This copy is now (July, 1858) in the possession
of Mr. Hotten, bookseller, of Piccadilly, who purchased it
from the Cornish owner, and who allowed the Editor to
inspect it. He observed some various readings, which ap-
peared to be changes arbitrarily made by the copyist where
he could not understand the original ; but his examination of
all the MSS., excepting that of the Dramas, has been very
cursory. This volume contains also the " Creation" of Wil-
liam Jordan, and a translation of Lhuyd's Preface to his
Cornish Grammar in the Archaeologia Britannica, made by
the joint labours of Gwavas and Tonkin: it is the one
printed by Pryce in the Archaeologia Cornu- Britannica.
Of the Dramas contained in the present work, the only
copy which was known to exist, until after the whole of the
text was printed off, is in the Bodleian Library. It is a hand-
some copy on vellum, containing 83 ff. The mark is Bodley
791 : it was formerly B 40, and is so referred to by Lhuyd
and others ; as a facsimile is given in this work, it requires
no further description. The whole is very legible, except in
a few places, where some words have been purposely erased
and others inserted in their places by a later hand.
By the kindness of the Rev. H. O. Coxe, one of the
Librarians of the Bodleian, the Editor has received intelli-
gence of another copy of these Dramas, which has been re-
cently presented to that Library by u Edwin Ley, Esq. of
Bosahan." This Codex contains not only the complete
text of the Dramas, but also an English translation made
by the above-named Keigwyn, of a great part of the work ;
the only gap being a portion of the last Drama, commenc-
ing at line 1587, and ending at the speech of the sixth
Angel, line 2540. The MS. is on paper, in two small
quarto volumes, the first of 446 pages, and the second
of 556. The first volume begins with the text and transla-
tion of William Jordan's " Creation of the World" before-
named, and it contains all that was made of the version of the
Ordinalia, completed, as the writer says, in the year 1695.
The second volume contains the text of the Dramas, copied
by the writer, as he tells us himself, from the Bodley original,
which he refers to under B 40, the old press mark. The
volumes are full of corrections by the writer.
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(delwedd F1387) (tudalen 440)
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440 APPENDIX.
It might have been inferred from a passage in a letter
from Lhuyd to Tonkin, dated the 26th July, 1703, printed
by Pryce, that Keigwyn had made the alterations and era-
sures noticed in the preceding paragraph. Mr. Lhuyd says,
" As for the old MS. (or Ordinate), I find that Keigwyn,
" when he transcribed it, altered it as he pleased where he
" did not like it, or understand it, and then translated it ; on
" which account his translation does but [not ?] sometimes
" agree with the old copy." But the Editor understands from
the authorities of the Bodleian Library, that the writing is of
a century older than that of Keigwyn, so that Lhuyd must
have referred to alterations made by him in his transcript
only. Keigwyn, however, appears to have adopted these
changes in his own copy, and to have made further altera-
tions whenever it suited his purpose.
Of the Creation of the World only two copies were, until
recently, known to exist. The oldest is in the Bodleian Li-
brary ; it is a small folio, in the royal binding of James I.,
with the initials I. K., not I. R. as usual; the present mark
is N 219, the older mark was B 31. There is no translation
with it, and it is in a handwriting somewhat difficult to read.
It appears not to have been seen by the Editor of the printed
edition.
The other copy is in the British Museum, Harleian Col-
lection, N1867. This also is on paper, and it contains 58
folios, many of which are blank ; the pages written upon are
only 94. This MS. is executed by several different hands,
none of them very good, and in addition to the proper close
at the end, there is another conclusion in ff. 5 and 6. At the
top of folio 5 b is written, " This is the last page of all ;" and
at the bottom of 6 a , " This translation was finished by John
" Keigwyn, Gent., in the year 1693," so that the translator
did not attack the more ancient Or din alia until the modern
and easy Creation was ended. At the beginning is written
Angwreans an bys, an kensa eoregwawy [wre gwary] ; correctly
rendered, ' The Creation of the World, the first Act of the
' Play.' The author is in several places called Gordon, but
in the titlepage, which is carefully executed, ' Gordon' is
erased, and ' Jordan' is inserted. This copy was collated by
Lhuyd with the older Bodley copy in 1702, which Lhuyd him-
self attests by a note at the end in Welsh : "Mia gydbrovays
hwn a'r kyskriv, yn akedhev R-Ychen yr igeinved vis
Hwefror, an°. 1701-2. E. Lh d ." In English, * I have col-
11
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(delwedd F1388) (tudalen 441)
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APPENDIX. 441
' lated this with the original Manuscript in the Oxford Aca-
' demy, the twentieth of the month of February, 1 701-2.
' Edward Lhuyd.'
The recent discovery of Mr. Ley's MS. has added another
copy of this Drama, made, as stated by the copyist, from the
" Exemplar Codicis MSti Bibl. Bodl. in Archivis B 31 ;"
and Mr. Hotten's MS. of Mount Calvary, mentioned above,
adds a fourth copy of the same Play. Zeuss in his Gramma-
tica Celtica makes no mention of having seen this work.
Of these three works, the poor remains of Cornish Litera-
ture, perhaps indeed all that ever existed, two only have
hitherto been printed: — the Mount Calvary in 1826, and
the Creation in 1827, by Mr. Davies Gilbert ; both so
disgracefully swarming with errors, that Zeuss, in p. xlv,
says of Mount Calvary, that it seems never to have been
corrected after leaving the hands of the compositor. I
would go still further than Zeuss, and say that the person
who prepared the manuscript for the printer was quite unable
to read the work he was copying; moderately speaking,
there are eight errors in every stanza. The carelessness or
ignorance of the editor was such, that he did not see that the
22 lines which he printed on p. 3 as a preface (misled, it is
true, by the Bodley MS.) are a repetition of the stanzas
5-io.
The following transcript of a couple of lines from the two
readings given by Gilbert, followed by the reading of the
MS. itself, will give some notion of the inaccuracy of the
edition : —
P. 3. Beha doryon rag perna o desevijs dre Satnus
P. 5. Pehadoryon rag perna o deserijs dre Satnas
MS. Pehadoryon rag perna o desevijs dre Satnas
P. 3. Rag henna gorthyn neffra Jesus neh agan pernas
P. 5. Rag henna gorthgu weffra Jesus neb agan pernas
MS. Rag henna gorthyn neffra Jesus neb agan pernas.
The Creation is printed somewhat more correctly, and the
average number of errors is not more than 20 in a page.
The Dramas in these volumes have never till now been
printed, probably because no version of them was known to
be in existence.
In regard to the composition of these Plays, there does not
appear to be much to distinguish them from the many Scrip-
u 3
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(delwedd F1389) (tudalen 442)
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442 APPENDIX.
tural Dramas in English, French, and Latin represented in
the middle ages, and of which several collections have been
printed under the name of Mysteries in recent times. We
find the same absence of originality, the same outward
respect for the themes of Sacred History, occasionally mixed
up with what we should call scandalous ribaldry, and the
same curious travesty of Scripture truth in all these com-
positions ; the pseudo-Gospel of Nicodemus, which appears
to have been a favourite reading of the times among the few
who could read, furnished many of the scenes represented,
and there was much copying of one set of Dramas from
another. Where originality exists, it is usually found in the
comic or sarcastic parts. There is on the whole less of life
and vigour about the Cornish dramas than in the English
works of the same sort, a look as of a task done to order
by one whose vernacular tongue was not the language in
which he was composing, and who was doing an academic
exercise; at the same time, and perhaps from the same
reason, there is not so much of that gross comedy, so
diverting to the audiences of those days. This it was which
excited the indignation of the reformed clergy, and was pro-
bably the main cause of the discontinuance of these repre-
sentations. Every serious man will share that indignation;
but it would be unjust to our ancestors to measure the
feelings of the fourteenth century by those of the sixteenth,
and to leave out of view the consideration that what was dis-
gusting to the educated men of Elizabeth's days, would not
have aroused the scruples of a pious ecclesiastic of the times of
the Fourth and Fifth Henrys. The words of a recent historian,
speaking of these Mysteries, will be applicable here : — " To
" us, who can measure the effect of such scenes only by the
impression which they would now produce upon ourselves,
these exhibitions can seem but unspeakably profane $ they
" were not profane when tendered in simplicity, and received
" as they were given *." It is true that such representations
were already censured in the thirteenth century, and the
words of an Anglo-Norman poet quoted in Wright's Preface
to the Chester Mysteries, vol. i. p. xi., shew that this was the
case ; but the censure is directed against the place of repre-
sentation, and the disguise of masks, rather than against the
thing itself. The following version of the rude poet's rhymes
a Froude's History of England, vol. I. p. 59.
«
it
<(
«
tt
t<
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(delwedd F1390) (tudalen 443)
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APPENDIX. 443
will shew this : — " The foolish clerks have invented another
4
" open folly, called Miracles : these fools disguise their faces
" by masks, which is forbidden in the Decretal ; the greater
" is their sin. They may make Representations ; but let it be
done discreetly, during the office of holy church, in the
time of divine service, shewing Jesus Christ the Son of
God placed in the tomb, and the Resurrection, for increase
of devotion. But when they meet like maniacs in the city
" streets, or in churchyards after dinner, a time when fools
" love to congregate, they may say they do it for a good pur-
pose, but you must not believe them. It is not done for
the honour of God, but on the contrary, really for the
" honour of the Devil b ."
The work before the Reader comprises nominally three
Dramas, each named Ordinate, a word used to signify the
order of church service, or the service itself, and in this case
expressing the sense entertained of the nature of the Dramas.
All three ostensibly form a trilogy, and at the close of the
first and second piece the principal personage on the stage at
the time calls upon the audience to come again " to-morrow
" morning early" to hear the next play. But although we
have only three pieces in form, they are four in fact ; the
third, which should have been called the " Resurrection and
" Ascension," being interrupted by the " Death of Pilate,"
(R 1587 to 2360), the action of which is entirely detached.
The Editor would perhaps have done better if he had printed
the Death of Pilate as a separate piece, but the immediate
connection of the first and last divisions did not strike him
until the whole was in print.
The first piece, the Origo Mundi, begins with the Crea-
tion, and is continued by the Temptation and Fall, the death
of Abel, the birth of Seth, the death and burial of Adam,
the building of the Ark, the Deluge, and the Temptation of
Abraham. Here the narrative is interrupted, or, in dramatic
language, the first act closes. The second act begins with
the history of Moses, and is continued through the Exodus
to his death, when we have another interruption. The third
act commences with the reign of David, and goes on to his
death and the accession of Solomon, who builds the Temple,
and consecrates a bishop to take care of it ; the Drama
b Quoted from MS. Harl. N 273. fol. 14 r.
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(delwedd F1391) (tudalen 444)
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444 APPENDIX.
closet by the bishop's putting to death the martyr Maximilla
for refusing to abjure her belief in Christ. The second
Ordinate represents the history of Christ from the Tempta-
tion to the Crucifixion, without any break in the action, and
the subject of the third is the Resurrection and Ascension,
with the interposition of the death of Pilate, as mentioned
before.
In all this the Editor has seen nothing that may not be
found in other mediaeval works of similar purport ; and it
would not very much surprise him if it should be discovered
by some adept in mediaeval lore that these Ordinalia were
mainly translated, or at least directly imitated, from French
or Latin originals ; for his acquaintance with this branch of
literature is almost wholly limited to the works on the sub-
ject printed in France and England. All the compositions
of this nature, the pastime of the middle ages, being founded
on the same subjects which were known to everybody, could
hardly afford matter for much variety; the same events were
generally represented in the same order, and a conventional
treatment appertained to each action, which it would pro-
bably have been deemed sinful to depart from ; no doubt any
glaring deviation from the sacred text, or the then almost
equally sacred legend, would have been disapproved and
discouraged.
As a sample of the little variety of treatment usual in these
compositions we may remark, that in the small compass of
the Cornish Drama, comprising only the present publication
and Jordan's " Creation of the World," the work of Jordan
written in 1611 has several adaptations and imitations, and
is often a direct copy of the earlier work, whenever the sub-
ject matter is common to both; the diction is slightly altered,
and the obsolete expressions are replaced by others better
known, as noticed in p. 204 of this volume, where sixteen lines
of Jordan's play are compared with the same number of lines
of this work, O. 57 to 72. Of course our first drama alone
has been thus imitated, as determined by the subject of
Jordan's play. In p. 30 of the Creation we have a copy
of the lines beginning at 0. 117, with a strange mistransla-
tion, and in p. 32 another passage taken from O. 141, almost
in the same words, except that * we' is changed throughout
to ' I'. In this passage the word dysquythyens, ' a declara-
tion', is corrupted to dowethyans, and rendered into English
by ' the latter end'. The succeeding lines, beginning at 149,
_j
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(delwedd F1392) (tudalen 445)
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APPENDIX. 445
are less exactly copied in p. 40. The lament of Adam after
eating the forbidden fruit, 1. 249, is imitated at p. 40. In
pp. 64 — 72 there is full imitation and much copying of the
scenes from 1. 257 to 340. A passage beginning at 1. 417,
and repeated with a little change 500 lines later, is imitated
at p. 161. The curse of Cain, beginning at 1. 577, is nearly
copied at p. 84, and a mistranslation is there made of ' voice'
instead of ' blood', which led the Editor to a similar error
in this work, corrected by his friend the Rev. R. Williams.
Above two hundred lines, beginning at 685, are imitated
and copied at pp. 124 — 146, including the legendary stories of
the Oil of Mercy, the Three Kernels of the Forbidden Fruit,
and the Wonderful Tree of Paradise, which, as he learns
from the notes to the Chester Mysteries, are all found in the
old English poem the Cursor Mundi. The command to
build the ark, 1. 941, and the death of all mankind, 1. 1089,
are taken with more or less accuracy, and the coming out
from the ark, 1. 1 157, is closely imitated at p. 180 of Jordan's
play, which ends with this passage.
The pseudo-Gospel of Nicodemus, already mentioned as
being so popular in the middle ages, has been a rich store-
house of material for the writers of those times. The legend
of the Oil of Mercy promised to Seth in the last day (O.
328, &c.) is found at ch. xiv. 4; the names of the two thieves
crucified with our Saviour (D. 2233) occur with little change
in vi. 23. The imprisonment of Joseph of Arimathsea (R. 56),
his escape without breaking the loek (R. 330), and the offer
of the soldiers to produce the body of Christ, if Joseph be
brought out of his prison (R. 627) ; all this is duly detailed
in the same Gospel, at he. 12, x. 1, and x. 12. We have then
the unsuccessful defence of the Gates of Hell by Beelzebub
against the triumphant entry of Christ (D.3067, R. 125) in
ch. xvi.; the presence of Enoch and Elijah, with their in-
tended battle against Antichrist (R. 191, 223, 250), in xx. 3,
4 ; and the deliverance of the good thief (R. 265) in xx. 5. 7.
All these legends and others from the same source are found
in many compositions of the period preceding the date of
the Ordinalia, as well as in several French and English
Mysteries ; and a person well versed in the literature of those
times might be able to say to which of these writings the
author of the Ordinalia was chiefly indebted. Perhaps the
Cursor Mundi, mentioned above, may have furnished the
groundwork of some portion at least ; a comparison of four
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(delwedd F1393) (tudalen 446)
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446 APPENDIX.
lines quoted in that poem in the ist volume of the Chester
Mysteries, p. 233, with the stanza beginning R. 2493, will
shew some reason for supposing that the writer had seen
that work. The lines as quoted there are these : —
Bot Bede sais, fra erth to heven
Es seven thusand yeir and hundret seven,
Bi jornes qua that gang it may
Fourti mile on ilk day.
The Editor has too little acquaintance with these subjects
to be able to decide, and he is too much taken up with his
ordinary occupations to be able to supply his deficiencies.
In the composition of these Dramas more art has been
used in continuing the series of events than we find in
the Townley, Chester, and Coventry Mysteries, the three
Collections which have appeared in England, and which are
sufficiently well known ; each of these collections consisting
of twenty or thirty pieces of small extent, usually quite
detached from each other, without any attempt at combi-
nation. It is probable that this diverse treatment arose
from the practice of representing these Mysteries in England
in an unconnected way ; each piece being the peculiar pro-
vince of a separate trade or guild, whose members had the
honour or profit of constituting the persons of the drama,
and each guild performing in its own separate locality, in
the streets of a town or city; whereas the Cornish plays
were represented in the open country, in extensive amphi-
theatres regularly constructed for the purpose, and were
attended by large assemblages of spectators who came from
considerable distances, and pitched their tents in and near
the place; combining the pleasure of a modern racecourse,
or great picnic, with what they would consider to be a
religious duty.
These Dramas are distinguished from the contemporary
English Collections by the simplicity and regularity of the
metre in the general dialogue of the scene, and by the arti-
ficial arrangement adopted whenever the writer wished to be
more lyrical or operatic, and to distinguish the diction from that
of ordinary recitation. Two or three verses in a hundred
perhaps have four syllables only; but with this exception,
the versification is made up wholly of seven-syllable lines ;
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(delwedd F1394) (tudalen 447)
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APPENDIX. 447
this rhythmical simplicity is maintained with barely a single
exception throughout the 10,000 lines of the composition,
and, monotonous as it appears, it constitutes the raw material
out of which the whole metrical system is built up; it is
never varied with the unaccented or uncounted syllables so
common in the English Mysteries, which give such a variety
to the old dialogue, where the verses may be perhaps scanned
by feet, rather than by counting syllables. Nothing of the
kind is seen in the Cornish rhythm ; in this the number of
syllables is adhered to as strictly as in the syllabic rhythm of
Pope and his imitators . It would seem that no attention
was paid to the accent : at least the Editor has failed to dis-
cover any law which could have regulated the position of a
polysyllabic word in a verse. The rhyme, as a rule, is in
the last syllable only, which appears to have been unac-
cented, as in Welsh, when there is more than one syllable in
the word ; so that it then forms really no rhyme at all in our
sense of what rhyme should be: lavaraf and vynnaf, in O.
1338, or Yethewon and Crystyon in D. 11 10, would no more
rhyme together than would the words speaking and thinking,
or brethren and children in English. Luckily the Cornish
language had a large proportion of monosyllables, which
enabled the poet to make true rhymes. The versification is
made up by combinations of such rhymes, so arranged that
an agreeable variety is maintained, which occasionally rises,
in emphatic passages, to what must be felt, even now, as a
musical recitation ; producing the belief that such stanzas
were sung, or at least declaimed in operatic style, and per-
haps accompanied by music.
Considerably more than one half of the whole work is
composed of verses of seven syllables, arranged in stanzas of
eight or of six lines. The eight-lined stanza is constructed
on two rhymes only, recurring alternately; the first drama
opens with eleven stanzas and one half-stanza of such verses,
and the first of these may serve as an example : —
e There is an apparent exception in words beginning with yul
or gw ; but as the syllable is always superfluous, there is every
reason to believe that the vowel was nearly mute : that gvlan,
for example, in O. 96, was pronounced much like glan, and
gures in O. 98, like gres. This belief is strengthened by the fact
that the u is sometimes omited in writing, as glcu, O. 2055, and
grens, D. 371, for gulas and gurens.
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(delwedd F1395) (tudalen 448)
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448 APPENDIX.
En tas a nef y*m gylwyr,
Formyer pup tra a vyt gurys,
Onan ha try on yn gn yr,
En tas ha'n map ha'n spyrys ;
Ha hethyu me a thesyr
Dre on grath dalleth an beys.
Y lavaraf nef ha tyr
Bethena formyys orth ou biys.
Dr. Borlase in his Natural History of Cornwall, p. 296,
compares this metre to Dryden's "tenderest numbers",
quoting
Softly sweet in Lydian measure,
Soon he sooth'd his soul to pleasure.
He might more accurately have taken such lines as these
from the Allegro : —
These delights if thoa canst give,
Mirth, with thee I mean to live.
His parallel of Horace's "non ebur neque aureum" is
better. The Doctor learnedly adds, " It is the Trochaic
Heptasyllable, otherwise called the Trochaic Dimeter Cata-
lectic". As he most probably heard the verses read by some
one to whom the language was vernacular, it may be of
interest to give his scansion of the first lines above quoted :
it is as follows : —
En Tas-5 ngf-ym Gyl-wyr
F5nny-6r pub-tra vyth-gwrys, &c.
The eleven stanzas and half mentioned above are followed
by eight six-lined stanzas, in which the third line always
rhymes with the sixth, and the remaining four either all
rhyme together, or go in pairs. An example of the former
is found at O. 899 : —
Adam ty a ve gothys,
Pan eses yn Paradys,
Avel harlot ou lordye d ;
Ha rag henna, desempys
Ny a'th deg, bys gorfen vys
Yn ponow the wrowethe.
d I now think ou lordye is the participle here, and that the
line should be translated " Lording it like a rogue." This seems-
to be an improvement.
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(delwedd F1396) (tudalen 449)
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APPENDIX. 449
Similar stanzas occur at O. 93, 111, 123, &c. Three such
occur in succession at O. 893. More commonly however
the rhyme is in pairs, as at D. 2019 : —
Ty re leverys an guyr ;
My gh tern of war wlas ha tyr ;
Yn henna y fuf genys,
Rak henna the'n bys y tuyth,
Rag don dustiny ha guryth
The'n lendury yn pup prys.
Occasionally we find the third and sixth lines of four syl-
lables only; an example of this variety occurs at O. 911,
with the other four constructed on a single rhyme : —
Ou banneth theugwhy pup prys,
Mar tha y wreugh ou nygys
Prest yn pup le.
Gorreugh an fals nygethyt)
Grans Abel a desempys
The yssethe.
There are many more examples with the rhyme in pairs,
as O. 587, 66o, 1579, 19 1 7, &c. One solitary instance of
five-syllable verses is found in O. 881, which we give for its
rarity : —
Aha ! Belsebuc, aha !
Ou otte un purvers da
Lemyn wharfethys ;
Awos ol roweth Adam,
Bys thy'n umma yn un lam
Ef a vyth kyrhys.
Sometimes the couplets in this metre become triplets, and
then we have stanzas of eight lines ; not however at all re-
sembling the eight-lined stanzas first described, but merely
modifications of the usual six-lined stanzas; they partake
of the changes noticed above. Of the variety in which the
rhymes of both parts of the stanza are alike, we have examples
in O. 71 t and 917. The former is as follows : —
Sew olow ou thryys lyskys ;
Ny dyf guels na flour yn bys
Yn keth forth-na may kyrthys,
Ha ny ou tos a le-na,
My ha'th vam sur kekyfrys,
Ty a wylfyth an toknys.
Kyn wylly mur wolowys,
Na thout ny fyth ken ys da.
Similar stanzas with the triplets rhyming separately are
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(delwedd F1397) (tudalen 450)
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450 APPENDIX.
found at O. 873, 1277, "d 1325; in the last-cited cases
several stansas follow in the same metre. Sometimes the
closing lines have only four syllables; cases occur at R. 581,
2001, and three of these follow in succession in the lament of
the three Maries at R. 755.
The six-line metre, though less common than that of
eight lines, is very frequently used ; and both together con-
stitute three fourths of the whole work. All this is for the
ordinary dialogue. The other varieties are used chiefly in
declamatory or lyrical passages, and it is felt at once that we
are on different ground. Sometimes they seem to be like
the bits of rhyme occurring mingled with the blank verse
in the writings of our old dramatists, or the songs in what is
sometimes called the English Opera.
Of such declamatory passages many are constructed
wholly of four-syllable verses variously arranged. Being so
short, the writer of the manuscript has placed two together
in one line, with a dot between to shew the distinction, and
a line is put by itself only when there is an odd one; this
collocation has been followed by the Editor. The simplest
arrangement is where such double lines follow each other in
stanzas of four lines, rhyming alternately; three such stanzas
occur at D. 35, and ten at R. 835, the last two of which vary
in their rhymes ; another is found at 0. 1907, which we give
as an example t —
Ou arluth ker, * Na vyth serrys,
Kettoth an ger, * My a thue thy'e.
Yn pup teller * Thy'm may fo res,
Prest hep danger * Vethaf parys.
Occasionally the first half line rhymes with the second
half, and an odd line follows, then a third line like the first,
which may or may not rhyme with it, and lastly a fourth
line rhyming with the second. The following stanza found
at D. 169 is an instance : —
Gorthyans ha gras • The Deu ow thas,
Luen a vercy,
Pan danvonas, * Yn onor bras,
Thy'm servysL
Seven such stanzas in succession occur at R. 307 ; and
similar ones are found, but without the continued rhyme, at
0. 1305. 1357* !3 8 7> D- 2 35» * 8 9» 3°i9> & c-
It is plain that if it were not for the inconvenience of
arranging the short lines of four syllables separately, all
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(delwedd F1398) (tudalen 451)
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APPENDIX. 451
these last metres would appear, in every thing but the mea-
sure of each line, to be of precisely the same kind as the first-
mentioned eight and six-lined stanzas; and to make the
parallel more exact, we have, though very rarely, the triplet
also ; as in D. 2600,
Rag y fynner,
Mara kyller,
Grans paynys mer,
Ow dyswul glan.
And in D. 2940,
Ea byth deyth braes
Mur a anfues,
Y kyk ha'y kues
Nep a'n guerthas.
The only further instance of a triplet of four-syllable verses
is at O. 2110: these however are not independent metres;
but they all follow and rhyme with verses of a different con-
struction.
In a few instances stanzas occur of six lines, made up of
four double lines of those first mentioned, and two single
lines ; or if scanned in single verses, the stanza would be
one of ten lines, eight of which would be in alternate rhymes,
with the fifth and tenth rhyming together : we shall give as
an example the stanza commencing at 0. 1271 : —
Dynythys of • The'th volungeth ;
Arluth porth cof • Yn deyth dyweth
A'm enef vy.
Lavar thy'mmo * Pandra wrama ;
Y'n guraf ytho, • Scon yn tor-ma,
Yn pur deffiy.
Another instance is found at O. 1441, and three such
stanzas in succession commence at R. 875.
The Editor has not noticed any other metres than those
mentioned ; but he has found here and there combinations of
two species in one stanza, as at O. 2105, and, with some
differences, at 0. 1983 and 2377; these combine the seven-
syllable and four-syllable verses. In a few instances different
metres follow in a series : one instance occurs at 0. 1441,
where a ten-lined stanza of four syllables is followed by a
six-lined stanza, twice in succession; and another at D. 1103,
where three such six-lined stanzas alternate with four-lined
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(delwedd F1399) (tudalen 452)
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452 APPENDIX.
stanzas. The second Drama begins with a combination of
rhymes which appears to be particularly pleasing, and which
the editor thinks must have been sung to music. In this
case the composition begins with an eight-lined stanza of
short verses, closed by a long one ; then a long-lined triplet
follows, closed by another long verse rhyming with the
former; — this series is repeated four times, with the only
difference, that in the second part couplets are used instead
of triplets ; it is ended by three stanzas of short lines. The
Drama here represents Christ as teaching and comforting
his disciples, who reply with praise and thanksgiving; and
according to a stage direction (which however in this instance
is made by a later hand than that of the original writer) the
scene begins on Mount Quarentana near the Jordan, and
continues while the performers come down from the Mount
upon the stage. When this peculiar metre is ended, Satan
appears, and speaks in the ordinary six-syllable stanza, which
forms so large a portion of the work.
Other unusual combinations will be found in other places,
but what is here set down will be found enough, and perhaps
too much.
II. REPRESENTATION OF THE DRAMAS.
It appears from allusions made by writers of the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries that Mysteries or Miracle-plays
were then exhibited in churches ; but in the fifteenth century
and subsequently they were certainly represented in the open
air. Stowe, in his Chronicle, anno 1409, says, " This yeare
was a great play at the Skinners well neare unto Clarken-
well, besides London, which lasted eight dayes, & was of
matter from the creation of the world : there were to behold
the same the most part of the Nobles and Gentiles in Eng-
lande 6 ." In 151 1 we find them performed on a stage in an
open field at Bassingborne in Cambridgeshire'. But more
generally they were exhibited in the streets of large towns,
"with mighty state and reverence;" there were "theaters
for the Beveral scenes very large and high, placed upon
wheels and drawn to all the eminent parts of the city."
e Page 144, ed. 1604.
f Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet. vol. iii. p. 326, quoted in Mar-
riott's Miracle Plays, Basel, 1838, p. xxix.
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(delwedd F1400) (tudalen 453)
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APPENDIX. 453
This extract is from Dugdale's History of Warwickshire,
quoted by Dr. Marriott in p. xli, and it refers to the city of
Coventry; but Marriott, in p. li, quotes a more particular
notice of the performance of these dramas at Chester from
Archdeacon Rogers, who saw what he describes. " The
maner of these playes weare, every company had his pagiant,
which pagiants weare a high scaffolde with 2 rowmes, a
higher and a lower, upon four wheeles. In the lower they
apparelled themselves, and in the higher rowme they played,
beinge all open on the tope, that all behoulders might heare
and see them. The places where they played them was in
every streete. They begane first at the Abay gates, and
when the first pagiante was played, it was wheeled to the
highe crosse before the mayor, and so to every streete, and
soe every streete had a pagiant playinge before them at one
time, till all the pagiantes for the daye appoynted weare
played, and when one pagiant was neere ended, worde was
broughte from streete to streete, that soe they mighte come
in place thereof, exceedinge orderlye, and all the streetes
have their pagiantes afore them all at one time playeinge
togeather; to se which playes was great resorte, and also
scafoldes and stages made in the streetes in those places
where they determined to playe theire pagiantes." A great
deal of interesting matter regarding Mysteries is - given in
Dr. Marriott's book, from which the editor has extracted
much of what he has here stated.
We have no notice of the performance of the Cornish
plays earlier than that of Richard Carew, whose survey of
Cornwall was first printed in 1602. In his time they were
played in regular amphitheatres, and the account he gives is
well worth extracting, as it affords a vivid picture by one
who was in all probability an eyewitness, nearly three cen-
turies ago. " The Guary miracle, in English, a miracle play,
is a kinde of Enterlude, compiled in Cornish out of some
Scripture history, with that grossenes which accompanied the
Romanes vetus Comedia. For representing it, they raise an
earthen Amphitheatre in some open field, hauing the Diameter
of his enclosed playne some 40 or 50 foot. The Country
people flock from all sides, many miles off, to hear & see it ;
for they haue therein, deuils and deuices, to delight as well
the eye as the eare ; the players conne not their parts with-
out booke, but are prompted by one called the Ordinary,
who followeth at their back with the booke in his hand,
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(delwedd F1401) (tudalen 454)
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454 APPENDIX
and telleth tbem softly what they must pronounce aloud.
Which maner once gaue occasion to a pleasant conceyted
gentleman, of practising a mery pranke : for he vndertaking
(perhaps of set purpose) an actors roome, was accordingly
lessoned (beforehand) by the Ordinary, that he must say
after him. His turn came: quoth the Ordinary, Goe forth
man, and shew thyselfe. The Gentleman steps out upon the
stage, and like a bad Clarke in scripture matters, cleaning
more to the letter then the sense, pronounced those words
aloud. Oh (saye8 the fellowe softly in his eare) you marre
all the play. And with this his passion, the Actor makes the
Audience in like sort acquainted. Hereon the prompter
falles to flat rayling & cursing in the bitterest terms he could
deuise : which the Gentleman with a set gesture and counte-
nance still soberly related, vntill the Ordinary, driuen at last
into a madde rage, was faine to giue ouer all. Which
trousse, though it brake off the Enterlude, yet defrauded not
the beholders, but dismissed them with a great deale more
sport and laughter, then 20. such Guaries could haue af-
foorded*."
Dr. Borlase, who wrote a century and a half later than
Carew, mentions the ampitheatres in which the Cornish
dramas were represented, and describes in detail two of
those places, which were popularly styled Rounds, one in
the parish of St. Just, near the Land's End, and the other at
Piranzubuloe ; illustrating his description with plans drawn
to a scale, shewing that Carew had by no means exaggerated
the dimensions of these theatres, or rather had seen only the
smaller specimens. The following is extracted from Borkse's
Antiquities of Cornwall h : "In these continued rounds or
Amphitheatres of stone. (not broken as the cirque of stones
erect) the Britans did usually assemble to hear plays acted,
to see the sports and games, which upon particular occasions
were intended to amuse the people, to quiet and delight
them ; an Institution (among other Engines of State) very
necessary in all Civil Societies : these are called with us in
Cornwall (where we have great numbers of them) Plan an
guare; viz. the level place, or plain of sport and pastime.
The benches round were generally of Turf, as Ovid, talking
of these ancient places of sport, observes —
In gradibus sedit populus de cespite iactis,
Qualibet hirsute fronde tegente comas.
* Carew, fol. 71*. h Second edition, p. 207.
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(delwedd F1402) (tudalen 455)
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APPENDIX. 455
" We have one whose benches are of stone, and the most
remarkable monument of this kind which I have yet seen ;
it is near the church of St. Just, Penwitb, now somewhat
disfigured by the injudicious repairs of late years; but by
the remains it seems to have been a work of more than usual
labour and correctness. [Here a plate is referred to, which
accompanies this account.] It was an exact circle of 126
feet diameter; the perpendicular height of the bank, from
the area within, now seven feet; but the height from the
bottom of the ditch without, ten feet at present, formerly
more. The seats consist of six steps, fourteen inches wide,
and one foot high, with one on the top of all, where the Ram-
part is about seven feet wide. The plays they acted in these
Amphitheatres were in the Cornish language, the subjects
taken from Scripture History, and ' called Guirimir, which
Mr. Llhuyd supposes a corruption of Guari-mirkle, and in
the Cornish dialect to signify t miraculous play or interlude.
They were composed for begetting in the common people a
right notion of the Scriptures, and were acted in the memory
of some not long since deceased. 9 "
In a note, the last few lines quoted are stated to be from
Bishop Nicholson's Letter to Dr. Charlett, dated November
14, 1700, in the possession of Mr. Ballard of Magdalen Col-
lege, Oxford.
The Rev. Geo. Hadow, vicar of St. Just, has very kindly
favoured me with a notice of the amphitheatre above de-
scribed by Dr. Borlase: — "This old structure still remains
" in St. Just Church-town, close to the principal inn ; the
" clear outline of the circus is quite apparent, being formed
externally by a stone wall of about four feet perpendicular
height, whilst a green bank slopes inwards ; there is now
no outside ditch, nor are there any steps. It is the usual
resort of all the idle boys of the town to play their games,
" and a pathway leads right through it from the town to the
" marketplace : — no one can pass through that part of the
" town, or go to Cape Cornwall without seeing it, though it
" has been sadly neglected as regards any repairs."
Another amphitheatre of larger dimensions is figured and
described by Dr. Borlase in his Natural History of Cornwall,
published in 1758, where he gives an elaborate account of
the ancient dramas contained in these volumes. After some
detail, commencing at p. 295, he says, " The places where
" they were acted were the Rounds, a kind of amphitheater,
«
tt
tt
««
tt
tt
4«
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(delwedd F1403) (tudalen 456)
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486 APPENDIX.
" with benches either of stone or turf. Of the former sort
that exhibited in the Antiquities of Cornwall (p. 196.
PI. xvi. fig. 1.) served this purpose; but a much larger
one, of higher mound, fossed on the outside, and very
regular, is the amphitheater in the parish of Piran-sand,
" which, as it has some peculiarities, I have planned with the
" following references."
A plan of the amphitheatre is given in the work, exhibiting
a perfectly level area of 130 feet diameter; this was sur-
rounded by a continued earthen mound, eight feet high,
having seven turf benches on the inside; the top of the
mound or rampart was seven feet in width. A peculiar
feature of this Round was a pit in the area, described as "a
circular pit, in diameter thirteen feet, deep three feet, the
sides sloping, and half way down a bench of turf, so
" formed as to reduce the area of the bottom to an ellipsis :"
this hollow was connected with the circular benches by a
shallow trench four feet six inches wide, and one foot in
depth; the length is not given in the text, but the scale
shews it to have been forty feet : where it reaches the side, a
semicircular breach about ten feet in diameter is made in the
benches. Borlase suggests that the hollow pit might have
generally served for representing Hell, and that in the drama
of the Resurrection it might have served for the Grave. The
trench he conjectures to have aided in representing the
Ascension, but he does not clearly shew how this was done.
These extracts will allow us to figure to ourselves the
scene and the performance of Cornish Mystery-plays : the
bare granite plain of St. Just, in view of Cape Cornwall, and
of the transparent sea which beats against that magnificent
headland, would be a fit theatre for the exhibition of what in
those days of simplicity would appear a serious presentation
of the great History of the Creation, the Fall, and the Re-
demption of Man, however it might be marred occasionally
by passages of lighter, or even of ludicrous character. The
mighty gathering of people from many miles round, hardly
showing like a crowd in that extended region, where nothing
ever grows to limit the view on any side, with their booths or
tents, absolutely necessary when so many people had to
remain three days on the spot, would give a character to the
assembly probably more like what we hear of the so-called
religious revivals in America, than of anything witnessed in
more sober Europe. No doubt there was a good deal of
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(delwedd F1404) (tudalen 457)
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APPENDIX. 457
readiness for sport and merriment, as there is generally in
all large bodies of men assembled for receiving impressions
rather than for action; but in times of less refinement,
transitions of feeling are proportionately more rapid, and the
comic parts of the drama would afford scope enough for
laughter and mirthful excitement. The ludicrous scene de-
scribed by Carew, where the Ordinary, whom Borlase calls
the chief manager, was excited to violent rage by the inde-
corous behaviour of a performer, is a proof that in general
good order was maintained. We may assume on the whole,
that the representation of the Mysteries was more suitably
made under circumstances like these, than with cumbrous
machinery in the crowded streets of a city.
III. THE LANGUAGE.
The Cornish is one of the Celtic languages; these are
divided into two distinct classes, which may be conveniently
called the Cymric and the Gaelic. The Gaelic class includes
the Irish, Scottish, and Manks languages; the Cymric com-
prehends Welsh, Cornish, and Armoric: the two classes
differ from each other perhaps as much as Latin and Greek.
Of such notions as must necessarily exist in all human com-
munities, a proportion may be found represented by words
common to Gaelic and Cymric, as large as of those common
to Latin and Greek, and the paradigms of the verbs, together
with other grammatical relations, have a like analogy in the
two classes of language respectively : the alleged absence of
declension in the Cymric class, which appears to separate it
from the Gaelic in so trenchant a manner, is removed by the
existence of a genitive case in Cornish, in exact analogy with
Irish, a fact mentioned by Lhuyd more than a century and
half ago, but hardly noticed e . It may be asserted without
hesitation that the Cymric was separated from the Gaelic
before the division into Cornish and Welsh was effected:
and the writer is of opinion that the Cornish is the repre-
sentative of a language once current all over South Britain
at least.
c See the Grammar, p. 233.
X
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(delwedd F1405) (tudalen 458)
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458 APPENDIX.
In the Gaelic class the Irish and Scottish may be called
one language ; they differ from each other little more than
English does from Lowland Scotch, and a student who reads
one will find little difficulty with the other : Masks appears
to he a corrupted and uncultivated Irish, of which O'Donovan
says in the Introduction to his Irish Grammar, p. hrxx, " An
" Irish scholar would find it difficult to understand a Manx
" book without studying the language as a distinct dialect."
Of the Cymric class, the Welsh differs from the two others
as much as French from Spanish, while Cornish and Armoric
stand in a closer relation ; these resemble each other more
than Dutch and German, as much perhaps as Portuguese
and Spanish, but not so closely as Irish and Scottish. In
spite of statements to the contrary, the writer is of opinion
that a Breton, within the historical existence of the two dia-
lects, could not have understood a Cornishman speaking at
any length, or on any but the most trivial subjects ; he is
himself unable to read a sentence in Armoric of more than
half a dozen lines without the help of a dictionary. Mr.
Scawen, near the close of the seventeenth century, made a
similar remark, as quoted in the Preface to Pryce's Vocabu-
lary : he observes, "Words of one another, 'tis true, all those
" three sorts of people [Welsh, Cornish, and Bretons] do
"understand alternately (mutually?); not all, but mostly
" Buch as are radical. Colloquies of one another they do not
" enjoy."
A consideration of the affinity and divergence of the Celtic
languages appears to be the only way of arriving at anything
like a probable solution of the question, how were Great
Britain and Ireland peopled ? A few pages may be af-
forded to this consideration, but any opinion here given
must be received as a suggestion merely, the writer being
fully aware of the very speculative nature of such researches
in general, and of the incompleteness of his own in par-
ticular. As he is now treating of an epoch preceding the
invasion of Reuda a , when Gaelic was probably confined to
Ireland, it may here be convenient to follow Zeuss, putting
all the Gaelic dialects under the name of Irish, and calling
all those of the Cymric class British.
The superior antiquity of the Irish over the British Ian-
• Bede, Eccl. Hist. I. I.
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(delwedd F1406) (tudalen 459)
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APPENDIX. 459
guages is now scarcely doubted ; it is seen as well in their
grammatical as in their glossarial relations. The declension of
the Irish noun is even yet in existence, and it is shewn with
much probability to have been closely allied to that of the
oldest Indo-European forms at an early period b ; of the
British the only remnant left is a Cornish genitive, and a
scarcely discernible trace in Welsh. The British verbal
forms were maintained in a state of preservation very much
better than those of the nouns, but not equal to that of the
Irish verbs. In the Vocabulary also the antiquity of Irish is
seen everywhere: — letters are dropped in British which
remain in Irish ; such as it from teagh, ' a house ;' nos from
nochd, 'night; 9 uy from ubh or ugh, 'an egg; 9 teulu from
teaghlach, ' a household ;' reu from reodhadh, ' frost/ and the
like, although some of these dropped letters are found in the
earliest British remains, as the g of tig, in an Oxford gloss of
the eighth century , and the Welsh really pronounce all the
letters they use in writing, while the Irish drop so many of
theirs. Instead of s the weak h is found as it exists in many
Greek and Persian words, where the Latin and Sanskrit
retain the sibilant : — cf. hen and sean, ' old ;' hurt and suan,
' sleep ;' helig and seileach, 'willow ;' helg and sealg, ' hunt ;'
but the name of Sabrina in the days of Rome for the Severn,
called Hqfren in Welsh, indicates an epoch when the s -was
still in force ; perhaps in proper names only. The guttural
* becomes labial, as in Greek contrasted with Latin : — see pen
from ceann, 'head;' pluf from clumh, 'feather;' pren from
cran, 'tree;' map from mac, 'son;' prif from cnmmh (pro-
nounced cruv), ' a worm ;' — we find u or v for m, as lauan for
loman, 'rope; 9 teuel for temel, 'dark;' huvel for humal,
' low :' and here again we find a British m in the Roman
period, as in the name of Damnonii, for the people of Devon-
shire. Some of the changes are such as we find invading
Latin in its downward progress to Italian, or in Sanskrit be-
coming Pali ; others shew a difference more like that be-
tween Latin and Greek. This last analogy the writer con-
siders the most real, inasmuch as there is an affinity between
nine tenths of the vocables of Latin and Italian, and even a
larger proportion in Sanskrit and Pali ; whereas in Irish and
b See H. EbePs Paper in Kuhn and Schleicher's Beitrfige,
&c. 1857. p. 155.
c See Zeuse, p. 1079.
X 2
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(delwedd F1407) (tudalen 460)
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460 APPENDIX.
British, as in Latin and Greek, the connection exists mainly
in words of frequent usage, such as parts of the body, com-
mon trees, domestic utensils, near relatives, numerals, and
the like, while the majority is distinct, and even such words
a* father and mother appear to be unconnected in Irish and
British. Zeuss considers the difference between the two to
be somewhat less than between Lithuanic and % Sclavonic
(page v), in which he seems rather to underrate it.
On the question, to what should we attribute such a dif-
ference in the vocabulary of two languages, when their gram-
matical characteristics are so nearly allied, the writer would
reply, that it should be attributed to contact on the part of
one of them with a language totally distinct, spoken by a
nation of a more feeble organization. He believes that this
is the case with all the classes of the great Indo-European
family, and that Germanic, Greek, Slavonic, and Sanskrit
differ in their vocables because each has got a mass of bor-
rowed, and not self-developed words ; the lender being dif-
ferent in each case, generally not ascertained, and perhaps
not ascertainable. In the case under consideration any spon-
taneous change which wrought such a departure in vocables
would, he thinks, have produced a far greater divergence in
grammar than we really find.
The separation between the two Celtic tongues the writer
believes to have been effected after the arrival of the primitive
stock in Britain; and he further is inclined to believe, that .
the people with whom the amalgamation took place were the
men of the " stone period," the men of narrow skulls, whose
skeletons, flint weapons, and tools, have been frequently dug
up in Britain. These men, he would suggest, were prae-
Celtic; but there is no evidence to shew that they were
extinct when the first Celts arrived; the balance appears
rather to preponderate the other way. All the accounts left
us by ancient writers indicate two different races simulta-
neously inhabiting Britain ; the one a tribe who went naked
and painted their bodies, who dwelt in tents, and indulged
in promiscuous intercourse, were ignorant of agriculture,
used stone hatchets and arrows, and probably were can-
nibals ; the others men who built houses, dressed in black
garments or in skins, coined money, constructed chariots,
grew a good deal of corn, extracted metals from the ore,
made bronze tools, and had probably some use of letters. It
seems difficult to believe that these were one people, though
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(delwedd F1408) (tudalen 461)
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APPENDIX. 461
confounded by the classical writers, who received without
criticism the accounts brought home by casual travellers.
But this was in early times, and the less civilized race may
have been destroyed or absorbed by the time the Romans
became better acquainted with the island ; and yet St. Jerom
in his # youth, about the middle of the fourth century, saw in
Gaul the Aticotti d " gentem Britannicam" feeding on human
flesh; and he Bays that these savages, though they had
plenty of swine and cattle in their forests, preferred the flesh
of men and women for their horrid feasts.
The amalgamation here supposed would effect a change in
the manners and language of the earliest Celtic wanderers
into Britain, great enough to make them foreigners to sub-
sequent immigrants; and these coming in the unimpaired
strength of their original stock, would expel the mixed mul-
titude, enfeebled by the absorption of an inferior race. The
objection usually made to such supposed expulsions is the dis-
placement required, but this need not be large ; a hundred
families might be the nucleus of a nation, and placed in a
fertile country like Ireland, they would amount to millions in
a dozen generations. It might be refining too much to
speculate on the race of the supposed Prse-celtic people ; but
if they were of that class which is still spread over the ex-
treme north of Europe and Asia, the peculiar principle of
vocalic harmony which pervades nearly all their languages
would account for the singular orthographical rule known in
Irish as "leathan le leathan agus caol le caol." It is true
that this rule is not observed in the most ancient manu-
scripts, but it is at all events very old, and, according to
Bourke, it is in many instances required by the natural tone
of the language of the " simple country Irish-speaking
" people e ."
The superior antiquity of Irish as compared with British
is obvious to an investigator possessing but a superficial
knowledge of both ; but the affinity between Welsh and
Cornish is much too close to allow of so ready a decision. Of
d Usually named Attacotti. Zeuss, p. 837, restores Atticotos
or Aticottos to the text of Jerom. May not this name be de-
rived from Athi cot, ' out of the woods V The recent Cornish
form would be A thy cos, with the usual change of t to * ; a
Breton would now say euz a goat ; a Welshman oddi goed.
* See Bourke s College Irish Grammar, Dublin, 1856. p. 6.
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462 APPENDIX.
the difference between them we know nothing positive during
four centuries at least after the Romans quitted Britain ; but
the close resemblance of Cornish to the Breton spoken at
this day in France, justifies us in believing that a language
akin to the Cornish of our oldest Manuscripts was the idiom
of South Britain when the Roman departure took place.
Whether any people of Germanic race then dwelled here is
doubtful; the name of Belgae has given rise to some specu-
lation tending that way, but the word has a suspicious re-
semblance to Welsh, Wallach, Gaulish, and some other
variations of an appellation generally given by Germans to
their neighbours of Celtic or Roman kindred:
It may look like the partiality of an editor to ascribe a
greater antiquity to Cornish than to Welsh, in the face of the
universally adverse opinion; but the writer confesses that he
is inclined to consider the Cornish the older of the two;
meaning of course such Cornish as is common to Armoric
also, without the mixture of French and English, which dis-
figures the two dialects, The arguments on which he grounds
this opinion, or rather inclination, are the following : —
Cornish retained a genitive case in exact conformity with the
Irish, of which nothing but the merest trace is found in
Welsh ; — Cornish retained the ancient initial s impure, in
words like scol, scavel, scod, scouth, spyryt, which the Welsh
weakened to ysgol, ysgafeU^ ysgawd, ysgwydd, yspryd, just as
the recent French turns spiritus into esprit : — Cornish kept
the simple vocalic form in tron, torn, scouth, and similar
words, where the Welsh write and pronounce trwyn, twym,
and ysgwydd, as the modern Spaniard converts partus and
focus into puerto and fuegoj — Cornish retained radical con-
sonants in a few cases where the Welsh has lost them, as in
hanter, steren, valtovat, cantuil, which the Welsh makes
hanner, scren, gwattawiad, canwyll.
The opinion which an investigator would be inclined to
adopt from a view of such examples as these would be
strengthened if he found that the Welsh glosses, which exist
in Latin codices four or five centuries older than the oldest
Welsh manuscripts, are written in a dialect and orthography
approximating to more recent Cornish ; he would infer, that
if in the eighth century Welsh had Cornish forms and words
which were lost or altered in the twelfth, Welsh was a
departure from Cornish, and that at a more ancient period,
when the causes which had so fatally impaired the pure
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APPENDIX. 463
Celtic tongue had not begun to operate, the Welsh was still
more like Cornish. Now what do we find ? On a cursory
examination of the three hundred words existing in these
glosses, most of which are in the Bodleian, and all are
printed in Zeuss's Grammatica Celtica, the writer believes
that such an approximation to Cornish does exist He would
cite the omission of the initial vowel in strutuguar, p. 1091,
and strotur, p. 1094 of Zeuss, modern Welsh ystrodur ;
strovis, p. 1098, now ystraffais; and scruitiam, p. 1077,
Welsh ysgrydiaf. He finds also the Cornish forms of han-
ter, p. 1098, hanther, p. 109 1 ; bahell, 'an axe/ p. 1092, the
Cornish baal, ' a spade,' O 380 ; tru, p. 1085 (See O 249, and
D 1 41 7, 1434 ; buck, 'a cow/ p. 1082 ; guaroima, p. 1083, ' a
theatre/ literally play-place; eunt, p. 1080, 'just/ 'right/
now eun, see O 678, 1972, 2525, &c; diprim from dipri, 'to
eat/ p. 1098 ; cuntellet, p. 1098, 'an assembly, 9 and its plural
cuntelletou, p. 1099; clot, p. 1096, 'glory/ found in the
recent form clos, at D 3234 and R 164. He would also par-
ticularly adduce the formation of a dative case by adding di,
in di Litem, ' to Latium/ p. 1086, &c, in close accordance
with Cornish usage. See Grammar, p. 235.
These cases of approximation are significant, though few;
but all the glosses accessible are not many. The only infer-
ence he can draw from them is, that when the Saxon invasion
divided the Britons of Wales from those of the South and
West, the language of the former suffered changes which did
not affect that of South Britain in an equal proportion; that
the Welsh became a separate dialect, while in Brittany and
Cornwall a language remained in use more nearly represent-
ing that from which the ancients drew the Gallic words
which they occasionally inserted in their writings. The
writer would be much gratified if what he has hinted here
should induce a competent Celtic scholar to examine the
glosses we have, and to search for others that are probably in
existence, though unknown.
At the epoch when the Ordinalia and Mount Calvary were
written, the writer believes that Cornish was as free from ad-
mixture of English, as the Welsh is at the present day. A
patriotic Welshman, or a foreigner who reads a Welsh book,
may demur to this statement, when he sees the number of
English words in the pages of the Ordinalia; but on a closer
investigation, he will find that most of these English words
appear in whole phrases, that they are generally quotations
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(delwedd F1411) (tudalen 464)
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464 APPENDIX.
or asseverations used ornamentally by the speaker, much in
the same way that French was dragged in, right or wrong, by
the fashionable characters in some of our old plays. He will
also find that such quotations do not appear in the Poem of
Mount Calvary, which was probably of the same age. It
must also be remembered, that a Welshman has always be-
fore him a pure and ancient literature for his guidance and
imitation, enabling him to select a Celtic word for his ideas
in writing, when in speaking he might have used an English
synonym; that a Cornish writer had no such model, but
that he probably wrote for the vulgar only, and would prefer
an English word if he thought it would be better understood ;
perhaps he might wish to display his superior knowledge.
Public notices printed at the present day in Wales for the in-
formation of the people, such as may now and then be seen
in the larger Welsh towns, will be found to have as many
English words incorporated as we meet with in the early
Cornish Poem.
With the exception of a very copious admission of English
words and idioms, the later Cornish does not appear to have
altered so much from the old compositions, as we should
infer from the words of Scawen, who says, speaking of the
ancient Poem of Mount Calvary, " As to the speech itself
" preserved in this writing, it is such as the common speakers
" of the Cornish now used here, and in Wales, and Armorica
do not understand it ; nor any but such as will be studious
in it : No more than the common speakers of the vulgar
tongue of the Greeks do at this day Homer's Iliads/ 9 No
doubt the Cornish men of Scawen's day would not under-
stand it, any more than the uneducated English peasantry
would understand Bacon or Shakespeare; but not entirely
because the language had changed by lapse of time : it was,
partly at least, because the subject was beyond the range of
their usual thoughts and habits. An English peasant would
find Macaulay or Tennyson as unintelligible as the writings
above alluded to.
It is a curious fact, that the English words admitted in
Cornish are more commonly those of French origin than of
Saxon growth. No doubt both kinds were borrowed imme-
diately from English usage, but the French synonym was
selected in preference. Whether these favoured terms were
found more easy of utterance than the others, or whether the
old hostility of Celt and Saxon operated to check the adoption
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(delwedd F1412) (tudalen 465)
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APPENDIX. 465
of any thing that could be referred to the hated race, we are
unable to say ; but such is the fact, though we should hardly
attribute to the Cornish people the philological acumen re-
quisite to distinguish the etymology of a word used in
English. The truer reason may perhaps be found in the
preference of the ecclesiastical author for the phraseology of
the higher classes, who, being mostly of Norman origin,
would use a language more largely infected with French
words : it appears clear from comparing two contemporaneous
works intended for the upper and lower ranks, such as
Chaucer's Tales, and Piers Ploughman's Vision, that the
former abounds in French words, which are far more
sparingly employed in the latter. As a specimen of the
larger admixture of French than English words in the text of
the Ordinalia, we open the first volume casually at p. 194,
and find musur (measure), comonnd, enour (honour), temple,
peyn, carpenter, dspy, certan, and gentyl. Against these in
the same page we have only the Saxon gyst (joist), schapys,
and settye. In the next page appear plas, gras, loute (loy-
alty), thron, son (sound), chartour, gromersy, par; in English
only prout, unless scon (soon) be also English. I do not
include in this enumeration phrases such as by myn hout, and
by Godys fo j these are quotations, and not part and parcel
of the language, and even in these one word fo (foi) is
French. Here are the French words taken out of half a
dozen pages, beginning at p. 198, and it will be seen that
nearly all remain in English to this day. Sel (seal), pryve,
menteyn, servys, servonnth, dygnyte, avonsye (avancer), benfys,
sacre (consecrate), mytour (mitre), resseve, mersy, vyngeans,
felen, person, grevye, vertu, plynsys (planted), cusyl (coun-
sel), gay, tormonnt, vyl, houtyn (hautain), flour, vyag, sefryn
(sovereign). The English words in the same space, the quo-
tations excepted, are scout, stout, keyl, brest, smyllyng, nader,
gronntye, draght.
A very few words are found in Cornish, which appear to
the writer to be neither English, i. e. Saxon, nor of Latin
origin, but which are yet found in French. He states this
with hesitation, because these words may after all be found
to have a Latin or German affinity. They are flerye, c to
smell,' maillye, ' to wrap,' crenna, ' to fear,' trovia, ' to find,'
buzl, ' dung,' and perhaps a few others. These words ap-
pear to have crept into French from the Armoric ; whether
or not there existed in France any remnant of ancient Gaulish
x 3
Cf
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(delwedd F1413) (tudalen 466)
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466 APPENDIX.
allied to the Cymric of Britain when the British name and
language paased over into Armorica, may be maintained or
disputed : but judging from the similarity of the languages
as we now find them, the writer is of opinion, that whatever
Gaulish existed was at an early period absorbed in the British
dialect, without producing any very sensible effect upon it.
Of the sound of the Cornish language we have little evi-
dence to guide us in forming a notion. Scawen, a native of
the country, and, like all those who speak languages nume-
rically or politically decaying, somewhat enthusiastic in his
love for his mother tongue, said, almost two centuries ago,
" The Cornish is not to be gutturally pronounced as the
" Welsh for the most part is, nor mutteringly as the Anno-
" rick, nor whiningly as the Irish (which two latter qualities
seem to have been contracted from their servitudes), but
must be lively and manly spoken, like other primitive
" tongues 1 ." But the judgment of Mr. Scawen may hardly
be accepted without a demur, either in regard to his own or
the other Celtic tongues. The opinion of Carew, who wrote
a century earlier and was not a Cornishman, may be accepted
with greater confidence; he says of it, "The Cornish is more
" easy to be pronounced, and not so unpleasing in sound,
" with throat letters, as the Welsh*." t The singular and
inharmonious conversion of n to dn, occurring to this day so
frequently in Cornish names of persons and places, as Lande-
wednack, Tol Pedn Penwith, Bospidnick, &c. is found in
the Creation, written in 1611 ; and several years before that,
in a phrase given by Carew, as "meea nauidua cowza
" Sawzneck," evidently intended to be " mi a na vidna cousa
" Saosnak," which he translates, * I can speake no Saxonage.'
There is no trace of this change in the Ordinalia.
Very many years ago the writer heard an old Cornish man
repeat the Lord's Prayer and a part of the Creed, which he
had been taught by his father or grandfather when a child.
The language seemed to him then to sound like Dutch, as
he had heard it spoken by an Englishman who had resided
a considerable time in Holland, but his recollection of any
passage is very vague. He remembers Dew an Tas OU
gallosak, * God the Father Almighty,' because he wrote them
down at the time, as Duan taza gdUasack; and had often
repeated them, many years before he ever saw or heard of a
* Mount Calvary, p. xxi. k Carew, fol. 55 a.
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APPENDIX. 467
Cornish book. That man was probably the last person living
who had learned Cornish words from one to whom they had
been the vernacular idiom, and even he repeated the words
without any definite notion of their purport.
The helps to a knowledge of the language have hitherto
been few. Lhuyd, in his Archaeologia Britannica, printed
a Grammar, which was a practical treatise, though defi-
cient in arrangement ; but unfortunately it was adapted to
the corrupt dialect spoken in his day, oddly described by
Scawen as " altogether obsolete and almost obliterate,"
rather than to the purer Cornish of the manuscripts. More
assistance might have been got out of Keigwyn's literal
translations of Mount Calvary, Jordan's Creation, and the
Ordinalia, but the two former remained in manuscript till
1826 and 1827, and were then so wretchedly printed as often
to mislead instead of instructing; and the version of the last,
though occasionally mentioned in the earlier part of the last
century, had disappeared, and was supposed to be lost, until
a copy was discovered in August, 1857. The Vocabulary
printed by Pryce in 1790 was more useful; but the Gram-
matica Celtica of Zeuss, published at Leipzig in 1853, is the
only work which furnishes a good and scientific view of the
language. This work of extraordinary acumen and un-
wearied industry has rendered a far greater service to Celtic
literature than any thing ever published, and native Celts
who would advance the claims and the knowledge of their
own languages, will hardly succeed without following in the
steps of Zeuss. The Cornish portion of this grammar is
small compared to the mass of information contained in the
whole work, and it is founded almost entirely on Keigwyn's
version of the Mount Calvary, as printed in 1826; it i6
generally of perfect accuracy, and in the few cases where
Zeuss has erred, he has been misled by the ignorance of Keig-
wyn and his editor, whose frequent blunders he has often >
corrected with intuitive sagacity.
Of Scawen, Gwavas, and Tonkin, we have no occasion to
speak; not much is known of them; and although they
were zealous in collecting relics of the dying dialect, and
instrumental in preserving the 'little that has come down to
us, they do not appear to have written much which has sur-
vived them, with the exception of the additions to and per-
haps arrangement of Lhuyd's materials for a Vocabulary, as
we find it in the publication of Pryce. This statement the
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(delwedd F1415) (tudalen 468)
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468 APPENDIX.
reader will accept only so for as he may be satisfied with the
inferences drawn by the writer which will presently be laid
before him relative to that publication.
The Cornish student has much greater obligations to
Keigwyn, who was a painstaking and earnest labourer in the
preservation of the language; without whose industry in
copying and translating the existing remains of the literature
of Cornwall, we should most probably be now as ignorant of
Cornish as we are of the language of Cumberland and of
the Picts. We cannot speak so highly of his knowledge as
of his zeal, but if we might draw conclusions from a com-
parison of his attainments with the high opinion expressed
of them, we should be inclined to assent to the judgment
pronounced a hundred years earlier by Carew, though know-
ing nothing of the learned man he alludes to, when he said,
" The principal love and knowledge of this language lived in
" Doctor Kennall, the Ciuilian, and with him lyeth buryed."
John Keigwyn, who was born in 1641 and died in 1710,
and who must have learned his language more than a century
before its total extinction, was renowned as knowing Cornish
better than any other man then living A Lhuyd in the pre-
face to his Cornish Grammar says, with some caution, " He
" is judged to be, without an equal, the most skilful of our
" age in the Cornish language." [fiarnyz an skienteka,
which is not " the most skilful judge," as rendered by Ton-
kin and Gwavas, but much less positive.] Borlase rises to
a higher pitch in his estimate of Keigwyn's learning, and in
the memoir prefixed to Gilbert's edition of Mount Calvary,
his knowledge of the language is rated as " profound and
complete." But Lhuyd was an excellent Celtic scholar, and
more chary of his commendations : in a letter to Tonkin,
dated the 3rd February, 1703, he says, "I find the old
gentleman did not always keep to his text, .but varied
sometimes as he could make sense;" and on 4th of May
following, " So I believe Mr. Keigwyn must sometimes have
" mistaken his author." We do not mean to depreciate
Keigwyn, but only to shew good cause for fault-finding,
and to justify our imputation- of his ignorance of the old
language, of which we here <bring forward some instances,
that may excuse any departure from his authority.
The following passages are all taken from the printed
edition of Mount Calvary (correcting the Cornish from the
MSS.), those being selected which are of easy construction
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(delwedd F1416) (tudalen 469)
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APPENDIX. 469
and obvious meaning. The first line in each case is the
Cornish, the second is Keigwyn'e translation, the third the
correct rendering, as understood by the writer.
vi. i.
A peynys a wothevys ny ve ragtho y honan.
From the pains and miseries we felt for 'twas his pity.
The pains which he suffered, it was not for himself.
xliii. 3, 4. — Our Saviour speaking of Judas Iscariot : —
Ha Jesus a worthebys, am scudel dibbry a wra,
Gwef vyth pan veva genys.
And Jesus answered, Out of the dish to eat I shall cause him,
And it shall be that he was born, (or better it were that he were
not born.)
And Jesus answered, Out of my dish he is eating ;
Wo to him that ever he was born !
ci. 1, 2. — Our Saviour addresses Pilate : —
In meth Christ an kueff colon, pur wyr te re leverys.
Te a wothye the honon, pe dre gen re ves guarnys ?
Says Christ with sorry heart, Very true that some have told
Thou knowest thyself what by some thou wert warned.
Says Christ the wise heart, Truly thou hast spoken.
Didst thou know thyself, or wast thou warned by others ?
civ. 2, 3. — The Jews urge the blacksmith to make nails for the
Crucifixion : —
Gorthewyth te an prenvyth,
Awos guthyll wheyl mar scaff, yn ethom thyn mar fyllyth.
Let bed sickness seize thee,
Since thou workest so nimbly necessity to us if it fayl.
Indeed thou shalt smart for it,
Notwithstanding thy nimble work, if thou fail us in our need.
clxxx. 2. — The executioners would nail the hands to the cross : —
Y fylly moy ys tres heys then toll guris hy na hethe.
They ought move it out, [or, more it cutt,] to the hole made it
not reached.
It wanted more than three lengths, of reaching to the hole that
was made.
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(delwedd F1417) (tudalen 470)
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470 APPENDIX
ocxxviii. 3, 4.— If a man would repeat fifteen pater-nosten
every day, —
Yn blythen y a vye ha bederow kenever
Hag a owleow era yn coif Jesus worth never.
With blowB it should be and by beades every one,
For the marks were on his body without number.
In a year there would be as many prayers in number,
As there were wounds on the body of Jesus.
ccxxxvii. 9. — The stone that covered the tomb of Christ: —
Leden o ha poyB ha bras, moy agis gavel trodden.
Broad it was and heavy, and big more of foul rubbish.
Broad it was, and heavy, and large, more than three men could
grasp.
The above instances of gross misunderstanding will suffice
to prove our imputation of ignorance of the language; but
as it might be considered fairer to examine a consecutive
portion of the work than to pick out particular passages, we
will briefly shew the errors of the six stanzas in the first
page only :
i. line 3. For " obtain/* read shew.
ii. ... 3. " For our frequent rebellions and despised bit-
terly," should be, For he was much persecuted,
and cruelly used.
iii. . . . 2. " He took flesh to help :" should be, he took the
flesh of the virgin.
iv. ... 3. The same error.
v. ... 4. For " love,' read worship.
vi. ... x. Mentioned in the preceding page.
We believe it may be safely asserted that there is not a single
page of the whole translation which does not exhibit as many
errors, at the very least, as those here shown to be in the
first.
In the course of his labours, the Editor has frequently
made reference to Dr. Pryce's Vocabulary, as a work to
which he has been under great obligation, and without which
he would not have ventured on a translation of the Cornish
Dramas. He has also had frequent occasion to notice the
gross and even ludicrous errors in the work. He had long
conceived vague suspicions of Pryce's claim to the author-
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(delwedd F1418) (tudalen 471)
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APPENDIX. 471
ship of this Vocabulary from certain parts of the Preface,
more particularly where he speaks of an old man at Mouse-
hole, " at this time .... capable of holding half an hour's
" conversation .... in the Cornish tongue ;" and the con-
cluding paragraph in which he talks of " the vulgar Cornish
" now spoken ;" this, be it observed, ostensibly written in
1 790, twenty years after the reputed death of the last solitary
speaker of the language. The doubts caused by these pas-
sages were removed by the inspection of a manuscript in the
Library of the Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte, purchased a
few years ago from the descendants of Mr. Scawen. This
manuscript contains the whole of Pryce's publication ; and
the Preface, which is dated in 1736, and signed by Tonkin
himself, is, as I understand from the Prince, identical with
that printed, excepting only a phrase or two altered to suit
the alteration of circumstances. The allusions to the spoken
language, so unintelligible in 1790, became quite obvious
when made fifty years earlier.
Such a discreditable assumption of the work of another
man would hardly have been hazarded unless the author of
it had been persuaded that the original manuscript was
destroyed. The probability is that Pryce had in his posses-
sion a copy of the manuscript, and from the long interval of
time, more than half a century, since the work had been
heard of, coupled with the belief that all the writings of
Lhuyd had been burnt, he thought his copy was the only
one in existence, and that he might pass it off as his own
without fear of detection.
The borrowed plumes being thus plucked away from
Pryce by the discovery of the original manuscript, the ques-
tion remains, who was the author? The reply should be,
in the writer's opinion, Lhuyd himself. Lhuyd in a letter
to Tonkin dated the 29th November, 1700, printed by Pryce,
says, " I am engaged in composing a dictionary of the British
" language ;" and in another dated the 8th February, 1 703,
he says, speaking of Cornwall, " a Vocabulary as copious as
" I can make it I design to insert (God willing) in my
" Archaeologia Britannica." On the 8th December of the
same year, he says, " I am now upon the Cornish Vocabu-
" iary promised in the proposals ;" meaning " proposals for
" printing the Archaeologia," mentioned in a letter of 26th
July, 1703. Now in the Address to the Gentlemen of Corn-
wall, printed without a translation in the Archaeologia, at p.
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(delwedd F1419) (tudalen 472)
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472 APPENDIX.
232, he says, " mi rykavaz me honan kelmez dho skrefa neb
" 'ramatek ha Jerlevar rag 'ox Tavax huei;" i.e. I have
felt myself bound to write a Grammar and Vocabulary for
your Language 1 . Finally, at p. 253 of the Archaeologia, he
says, " I find that I must recall the promise made, p. 222.
of a Cornish-English Vocabulary. I have one by me,
written about six years since, and have lately improvM it
" with what Additions I could ; but there being no room
" for it in this Volume, which is not much, if at all, to ex-
" ceed a hundred sheets, it must be deferred to the next"
The next was never published, and Lhuyd's Vocabulary was
no more heard of. The remark of Lhuyd, translated at p.
315 of this volume, that he had marked with f the words
taken out of the old Vocabulary, appears to identify his work
with that printed by Pryce, where all the words taken out of
that manuscript are so marked.
But it is further the opinion of the writer, that the work
of Lhuyd received many additions from persons very inferior
to the original author. It abounds with errors which it is
impossible to attribute to so intelligent a man as Lhuyd,
whose Archseologia Britannica must place him in a high
rank among comparative philologists, at a period when com-
parative philology, in any other hands, was little better than
crude conjecture. Several instances of gross blundering
are pointed out in the course of the translation, but there are
some which it would be impossible for a Welshman to make:
such as nuibren, 'a cloud/ instead of huibren, the Welsh
wybren ; guner for guver, * a brook,' the Welsh gofer ; elgent
instead of elgeht, ' the chin,' Welsh elgeth ; and many
others.
The conclusion must be that Tonkin or Gwavas, perhaps
both in conjunction, took Lhuyd's Vocabulary and enlarged
it, and that what we have under Pryce's name is the result.
1 "Vocabulary' 1 is omitted in the translation printed by
Pryce.
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(delwedd F1420) (tudalen 473)
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NOTES
ON THE NAMES OF PLACES, &c.
MENTIONED IN THE
PKECEDING DKAMAS.
By E. Hoblyn Pedler, Esq.
Cwrn suyow ha Trehembys. O 231 1.
Carnsew is now a farm in the parish of Mabe, and is about
two miles from Penryn. It was once a manor of some note,
as the property of an ancient family of the same name, who
removed to Bokelly in St. Kew, in or before the reign of
Queen Elizabeth. A Carnsew was sheriff of Cornwall
18 Ed. IV, 3 Hen. VIII, 17 Car. I, also V. Warden of the
Stannaries 1584 — 1603. The family became extinct in the
elder branch in the 17th century. — (Lysons, D. Gilbert.)
Carew says "Carnsew, rightly Carndew, purporteth in
Cornish a black rock;" and Mr. Tonkin adds, "rather a heap
of rocks : this parish and estate abounding in great rocks of
moorstone." Hals suggests " Carnsew, i. e. Dry rock"
Dr. Pryce, " the Bream rock.
The estate of Carnsew consists of elevated land where the
Granite crops out, the rock heaps would therefore be no in-
appropriate term. Granite for exportation is now raised on
this property.
Trehembys. My endeavour to find this place has not been
successful. There is a Manor of Tregembes or Degembris
in Newlyn, a parish the advowson of which is vested in the
see of Exeter, but the name does not appear to establish
its identity with the place mentioned in the text, unless we
could regard the g as marking the aspirate only, which
sometimes occurs in the Celtic tongues. Trehembys seems
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(delwedd F1421) (tudalen 474)
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474 APPENDIX.
to read as Tre-hen-bys, that is, the old world dwelling.
" Auld warld," for any thing old or ancient, is an expression
still in use in the Scottish Lowlands. In the pedigree of the
Carnsew family, which will be found inserted in M. Polwhele's
History of Cornwall, the earliest ancestor is Walter Carn-
sew de Tenbrise in parochia de . The pedigree makes
no mention of Carnsew as the family seat, while Bokelley,
to which the family removed, appears late in the descent.
It is possible that this Tenbrise, the situation of which is not
named, may be Trehembys, and that it was part of the pos-
sessions of the Carnsew family.
bosuene
Lostuthyd ha Lanerchy. O 2399.
Bosuene. — Several places in Cornwall bear this name. We
have the Manor of Bosuen in St. Columb Major, long in the
possession of the Arundell family ; the Manor of Bosvennen
in Sancred, which, in the reign of Ed. IV, belonged to the
family of Phelip ; also a farm called Bosswen in Wendron
(Lysons).
Mr.Carew observes of the hundred of Trigg, "his chief
"town is Bodmyn, in Cornish Bosvenna" Camden and
Norden have a similar statement, but I cannot find that this
assertion is supported by any other authority. The earliest
name known of this town, and which was certainly in use
before the Conquest, was Bodmine, which has no connection
with Bosvenna. I can account for Carew's statement only
by supposing Bos to be read for Bod, both forms being used,
and V to be substituted for tyf , which the Cornish language
admits of. We should then get Bodmenna. Adopting this
view, Bosuene might be read Bodmene j but I am inclined to
identify Bosuene with Bosvannah, now a small farm in the
parish of Gluvias, and close to Penryn : the situation of this
place creating a strong presumption in its favour.
Boswen is interpreted by Dr. Pryce'as the white house, and
Bosvennen as the women's house,
Lostuthyel. Although Lostwithiel is an ancient borough,
and until recently the county town, its history cannot be
traced so far back as the Conquest. About the close of the
twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth, it be-
longed to Robert de Cardinam. Soon afterwards, and in the
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(delwedd F1422) (tudalen 475)
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APPENDIX. 475
reign of Hen. Ill, the vill or town of Lostwithiel belonged to
Richard, earl of Cornwall, and king of the Romans, under a
grant from Isolda de Cardinam ; and it must then have ac-
quired some little importance, since we find that the Earl
conferred upon it a charter of liberties, and made it a "free"
borough. Subsequently it devolved on the crown, and King
Edward I, in the 33rd year of his reign, constituted it one
of five towns for the coinage of tin. By royal charter of
11 Edward III, a.d. 1337, it was made part of the inalien-
able possessions of the duke of Cornwall, and so continues at
this day.
The origin and meaning of the name have not been satisfac-
torily ascertained. In a public record of the time of king John
it is spelt Lustodielj but in a return to a royal commission of
2 Edward I, it appears as Lowydiel and Lostuthiel, the latter
agreeing nearly with the text of the Drama. While in an
inquisition post mortem of 29 Edward I, and in the charters
of earl Richard and 33 Edward I, referred to above, the or-
thography accords with that now in use.
Lanerchy. I apprehend this place to be either the same as
or else to be locally connected with Laner, in the parish of St.
Allen. The name occurs in the Domesday survey, and now
attaches to several places in Cornwall ; but that in St. Allen
is most to our purpose. From a very early date it belonged
to the bishops of Exeter, who had a mansion there, and
founded the church of St. Allen, which afterwards was con-
ferred by the see on the college of Glazeney at Penryn. In
the ordination of this vicarage, a. d. 13 14, the bishop in-
cludes in his endowment the whole tithe of the park of La-
nergh, " de parco de Lanergh ;" and in the same document
the church of St. Allen is described to be nigh the park,
" ecclesia Sancti Aluny juxta parcum." (Oliver's Monast.
p. 50.) William of Worcester, a. d. 1478, speaks of the
castle of Laner, " in villa Laner" as then in ruins.
Dr. Pryce interprets Lannar and Lanherch as " a forest or
grove, also a lawn, a bare place in a wood;" and adds, "pro-
bably Lannar in St. Allen is named from this last." He evi-
dently associates the word with the Welsh Llanerc of similar
meaning.
Lanerchy appears to be the plural of Lanerch or Lanergh.
It is stated by Lysons that there was a Cornish family of
the name of Lenhorgy, whose arms are quartered by Beville,
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(delwedd F1423) (tudalen 476)
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476 APPENDIX.
a family which is said to have come to England with the
Conqueror, and which was anciently seated at Gwarnike in
the parish of St Allen.
Synt Gyhnyn. O 2413.
I have not found any notice of this saint in the Calendar or
elsewhere. Mr. Noma's conjecture that he is a fabrication
of the author may possibly be correct. St. Columb is known
in Cornwall as the patron saint of two parishes bearing the
name, though doubts have been expressed who this per-
sonage was : whether, according to Hals, " an Irish gentle-
" man by birth," or Sancta Columba, virgin and martyr,
who died in Gaul at the end of the third century. I believe
however that there is no ground for controversy, and that
the latter is intended. Besides the well-known St. Columba
of Iona, there will be found in the Hagiologies several other
saints bearing this name. Kylobman is the Cornish word
for ' a dove' (Columba). If the middle syllable were dropped
for brevity sake, we should get a word something like that
in the text. But this explanation is more unsatisfactory
than St. Workstone. Possibly by this sobriquet St. Thomas
may have been intended. He was recognised as the patron
saint of builders and architects. Dr. Pryce reads St. Gylmyn
as St. Golman.
Phi Vuthek
HcHn GovrraJc Ruen gems hy thyr. O 2463.
Vuthek. I have no hesitation in reading this word as
Budock, now the parish of St. Budock, at the mouth of Fal-
mouth harbour, and contiguous to Penryn. Dr. Pryce, on
the authority of Lhuyd, observes (p. 16), " The initial B is
" frequently changed into V consonant ; nor is there any
" Cornish word whose primary or dictionary initial begins
" with V consonant."
According to Hals and Pryce, Budock signifies ' the creek
' or haven or oaks.' The latter in his vocabulary of parishes
gives us " Budock, Byth'ick, oak haven, or the border or
" skirt of the harbour." Even now we may sometimes hear
the word Budock pronounced Bythick in that neighbour-
hood.
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(delwedd F1424) (tudalen 477)
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APPENDIX. 477
Budock is supposed by Hals to be the same as Bowidoc in
Domesday; which does not seem very probable.
But this parish, so early as the taxation of pope Nicholas,
A. D. 1 29 1, was rated by the name of Saint Budock, (ecclesia
de Sancto Budoco.) As too frequently happens with Cornish
saints, the name is not to be met with in the Calendar, yet
we are told by Leland that this Saint Budocus "was an
" Irisch man, and cam into Cornwall and ther dwellid." If
that were so, he seems to have derived his name from the
place of his abode. (But see note on Ruen hereafter.) It
may be added, that a personage of the name of Budic is
mentioned in the liber Landavensis (A. D. 1132), who went
to Armorica, and was made king of Cornouailles, whence he
obtained the name of Cerniw Budic.
Notwithstanding the above authorities, since we find
Vuthek or Buthek to be the original form of the word, it
would seem not unreasonable to refer Buth to the Welsh
Bwth, a hut, cottage, or booth, and to treat the last syllable
as the ordinary adjectival termination, or else, as the Cornish
word ek or ick, signifying, according to Pryce, a creek, rivulet,
or brook.
Opposite to Saltash, and on the Devonshire side of the
Tamar, is the parish of St. Budeaux, also dedicated to St.
Budock.
Oarrak Ruen. This name appears to have some reference
to that portion of Falmouth harbour which is now known as
Carrick Roads.
According to Pryce, Ruan, Ryne, Rine, Rin, signify 'a river,
' or the channel of a river/ The word appears to occur in this
sense in several instances in the names of Cornish places.
Thus Penryn, s the head of the river channel. 9 Leryn, e the
' river channel place,' a creek on the Fowey river. Polruan,
'the river pool,' in Fowey harbour. Arrowan, 'on the
* river,' near the Lizard. Rhean also, in Welsh, stands for
' a streamlet, or that which runs,' and Ryne, in A. Saxon, for
'a water-course, or that which runs.' Du Cange gives
Rueno as * rivulus canalisve.'
Ruen or Ruan in this sense must be carefully distinguished
from the use of the same word for St. Rumon in Ruan Major
and Ruan Minor, parishes in the district of Meneage, or the
peninsula of the Lizard ; while in Ruan Lanyhorne, a
parish seated on the Falmouth estuary, both senses appear to
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(delwedd F1425) (tudalen 478)
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478 APPENDIX.
be confounded. St. Rumon is the patron saint of all these
parishes. The two former appear in the taxation of pope
Nicholas, A.D. 1 291, as "Eccl. Sancti Rumoni," and the
last as " Larghesthorne or Lanyhorne/' and this church,
according to Dr. Oliver, was consecrated A. D. 132 r.
Of this St. Rumon we know next to nothing. William of
Malmesbury styles him a bishop, and says he preached at
Tavistock, where he lay interred in a handsome shrine; but
he admits that no written records of him then existed.
Leland, ages afterwards, professed to have gathered some few
additional particulars of him, extracted from a memoir of the
saint, but which probably was founded on nothing more than
oral traditions. On these imperfect data the scene of St.
Rumon'8 ministry has been fixed at St. Ruan, near the
Lizard, though I confess I am more inclined to prefer the
parish Of Rumonsleigh or Romansleigh in North Devon, also
dedicated to this personage.
One cannot avoid the conclusion, that in many instances
in Cornwall a particular saint was adopted on account of the
resemblance of his name to the preexisting name of the
locality where the church was placed, sometimes as the
result of accident, by confounding one word with another,
and sometimes doubtless proceeding from design. It is
evident that a practice of this kind would be likely to be
favoured, as tending to give increased sanctity to the spot,
by inducing a belief that it was already hallowed by the
memory of the saint. But it is to be feared that it may too
often have been abused, by elevating to the dignity of saints
obscure persons, unknown to the Hagiologies, or even such
as were fictitious, and never had any real existence. A
modern writer observes: — "The ignorant monks made
saints of every thing. In Ireland they made St. Kenny,
from Cell Chainnigh or Kilkenny. From the Shannon or
Senus they made St. Senanus, and from Down or Dunum,
" St. Dunus." (Higgins' Celtic Druids.)
It was the current use of Ruen or Ruan for the estuary of
the Falmouth river, or some of its branches, which gave
occasion, I apprehend, to Ruan Lanyhorne being dedicated
to St. Rumon.
If Borlase's authority may be depended on for giving to
the Cornish word Rouan the sense of Roman, we may here
see an additional connecting link between Ruen or Ruan and
St. Rumon, whose name in the Devonshire parish is also
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(delwedd F1426) (tudalen 479)
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APPENDIX. 479
spelt as Roman and Romero. It is somewhat remarkable,
that in this parish there are traces of a Roman road extending
through the north of Devon, and known as " the Romans-
" leigh ridge/ 9 Coincidences of this kind go far to destroy
what little belief we may have in the reality of many Cornish
saints. In the present instance we must conclude that St.
Rumon, if his residence was at Rumonsleigh, must have
derived his name from the place where he was located.
According to Leland, he was by birth an Irish-Scot. Ireland
as usual is resorted to as the prolific birthplace of every saint
whose history is unknown.
Garralt. Assuming this word to be the original of Car-
ried, in the term " Carrick Roads/' now in use, for the chief
roadstead of Falmouth harbour, we ought to refer it, in the
opinion of Leland, to those large foreign vessels called Caracks
(carraca, Port, caraque, Fr.) which formerly traded to this
country.
The bigger whale, like some huge carack lay,
Which wanteth sea room with her foes to play. — Walleb.
King Richard is said to have had a hundred " carikes or
" busses" in his fleet when he joined the crusades at the end
of the twelfth century. Leland describes Falmouth harbour
thus : —
" Falemuth ys a haven very notable and famose, and yn a
" maner the most principale of al Britayne; for the chanel of
" the entre hath be space of ii myles ynto the land ziiii
" fadum of depes, which commonly is caullyd Caryk-Road
" by cause yt ys a sure herbero for the greatest shyppes that
" travayle by the ocean."
Notwithstanding this opinion of Leland, it must be ob-
vious, I think, that at the early date of this drama, the
number and size of the vessels frequenting Falmouth harbour
could not have been such as to render the deeper waters, and
other advantages of Carrick Roads, of any great importance,
and to confer a name upon this roadstead on that account.
It is true that the produce of the tin mines had much in-
creased towards the end of the thirteenth century, and
Richard earl of Cornwall is said to have derived from this
source the wealth by means of which he obtained the lofty
but barren title of " Kyng of Alemaigne." We know that
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(delwedd F1427) (tudalen 480)
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480 APPENDIX
Truro and Helston had been made two of the coinage towns
by Edward I., but we also learn that so late even as towards
the end of the fifteenth century, when these dramas had
become antiquated compositions, the entire produce of the
Cornish mines barely exceeded 400 tons a year. (De la
Beche's Report, 1839. p. 587.) It is clear therefore that we
must refer Garrak of our text, if not Carrick in Carrick
Roads, to some other origin than "Carack;" and we are
naturally led to treat it as the genuine Cornish word which
is constantly met with in the names of Cornish places.
According to Dr. Pryce, Garrik, Carak, Carrik, signify ' a
rock, 9 and it may be thought that this interpretation would
apply sufficiently well to Falmouth harbour on account of its
rocky shores, but I do not think its character in this respect
is so remarkable or peculiar as to give it any special claim to
this distinctive term.
. I have already noticed that there are many places in Corn-
wall bearing the name of Garrick, or some compound of it ;
and yet they are not always remarkable for rocks. I take
it therefore that the word was occasionally used, not so
much to indicate rocks, as high and steep land, where the
rock is but barely covered with the soil, and the latter has
more than its usual complement of stones. Such lands are
in common parlance termed rocky and stony ground, and
are not at all attractive in the eyes of the farmer. We must
not forget that our British as well as Saxon predecessors, in
bestowing names on their lands, often had regard to the
character of the soil. The title Garrak Ruen would seem
then to have belonged to some such high ands teep land,
of the description suggested, in the parish of Mylor, abutting
upon Carrick roads, and which, from being formerly distin-
guished by the name Garrak or Carrick, bestowed it also
upon the adjacent roadstead. The high land near Trefusis
point may have been intended, or possibly the site of this
ground is indicated by the tenement in Mylor which still bears
the designation of Crego or the Cragoes, contiguous to Carrick
road, and on which a house stood not many years since;
the name possibly representing Carregou, the plural of
Carreg. In confirmation of this view of Garrak Ruen, I
may observe, that near the western limits of the parish is
some lofty ground known as Mylor down, the summit of
which is strewed with a considerable layer of comminuted
quartz, provincially termed spar, which in fact is greatly pre-
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(delwedd F1428) (tudalen 481)
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APPENDIX. 481
valent in the soil in this parish. On the eastern slope of
this high land is a farm, bearing the name " Garrick," well
characterized by an abundance of quartz, and on the northern
slope, extending down to the shores of Perranarwarthel
Creek, is the domain of " Carclew," the seat of sir C. Lemon :
this term signifying the Garrak or Carrick-loe, that is, the
Garrak of the loe, loo, or lake, being the creek just named,
while the Garrak-ruen implies the Garrak of the Ruen or
principal water channel. As more places than one within
the parish bore the name of Garrak, (the propriety of whicli
is, I believe, fully justified by the prevailing character of the
soil,) so the additions of loo and ruen became necessary as
distinctions. It may be as well to remark that, in the Cornish
idiom, the adjective usually follows the noun it qualifies.
The phrase "with its land" implies that, besides the
Garrak-ruen properly so called, which probably was but of
little value, there was other land which had usually been
connected with it and treated as an adjunct.
The patronage of the church of Mylor is vested in the
bishop of Exeter, having belonged to the see from the earliest
times. The church is enumerated in the census of pope
Nicholas, a. d. 1291, and, in fact, at the earlier date of 1287,
it had been added to the other endowments of the adjacent
college of Glazeney at Penryn, by the then bishop. The
bishop's manor of Penryn is said to extend within this parish.
It is likely therefore that this church was founded by the
Exeter see; and as the church and parsonage are close to
the Cragoes, the Garrak-ruen, at the date of the Drama, may
have been episcopal property.
Gued behetMen
ha coy 8 penryn
hag ol guer-thowr. O 2588.
BehetMen. This place is in the parish of St. Gluvias, close
to the church, as well as to Penryn. It is stated by Norden
that St Gluvias was but a chapel appendant unto Budock
called Capella de Behelland, because it was built "upon
" certayne lande called Behellande feyldes" Dr. Oliver
gives the name as " Behethelan, Bethedlan, or Bohellan ;"
(Mon. Exon. p. 48.) and we find in Pryce the following in-
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(delwedd F1429) (tudalen 482)
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482 APPENDIX.
terpretation, " Beheathland, Bohellan, a dwelling by the water
nigh the church," evidently founded on the last form of the
word, while that of the text seems to suggest hethe, " to
stretch out or extend," and ten, lam, Ian, " a space or tract
of land; 99 descriptive terms not inappropriate to a field.
From the term ' field/ it may he inferred that this property
at the age of the Drama, or whenever the name was imposed,
must have been of considerable extent. At the present day
some small inclosures only, near to Gluvias church and to
Penryn, bear the name of ' Bohelland fields.' The deeply
sunk and narrow footways by which they are now inter-
sected, of the nature of ancient dikes, attest the antiquity of
the place. Adjacent to them is an inclosure known as
* Bohelland,' on which there was formerly a dwelling-house,
which acquired an unhappy notoriety as the supposed scene
of the murder of a son by his unconscious though guilty
parents (a. d. 1618), which was made the subject of Lillo's
tragedy of the " Fatal Curiosity." The recollection of the
crime seems to have desecrated the spot. I was told that
the house remaining uninhabited it was pulled down, and
not a vestige of it is now visible, though its site was pointed
out.
The church of St. Gluvias is mentioned in the pope's sur-
vey of 1 29 1. The borough of Penryn is within its parochial
limits ; and there also, close to the town, formerly stood the
collegiate church of Glazeney, founded by Walter Brones-
combe, bishop of Exeter, a. d. 1267, (Oliv. Monas.) and en-
dowed by him with the churches of St. Budock and St.
Feock.
The wood of Penryn — and all the watercourse. I have
already referred to the etymology of ' Penryn,' as signifying
the head of the creek or watercourse. — (See note on Garrak
men.) But it is also capable of another solution : ' Ryn,' or
' Rhyn,' means a cape or promontory, as used in ' Treryn/
and some other names of places on the Cornish coast, as
also in ' Penrhyn' in Wales. The Cornish town being built
on a steep point of land projecting into the tidal waters of
the creek, this interpretation seems as much suited to it as
the other, and the reader must determine between them.
The exact site of " the wood of Penryn," it is not very
easy to ascertain. This wood must have been the same as
the bishop's " wood of Penryn," alluded to in the year 1278,
and which will be adverted to hereafter. There is a wood
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(delwedd F1430) (tudalen 483)
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APPENDIX. 483
in Budock called "the college wood/' which would seem
from the name to have been part of the possessions of Glaze-
ney college, and therefore not the one we require. It is at
some distance from Penryn. There are also in Gluvias some
extensive woods called " Cttssawes wood," which have given
their name to the adjoining Barton, as well as to the manor
of Cossawes. (" Cos, coys, cus, a wood, pi. cosow, cosaws,
" hinc Cosaws in Gluvias," Pryce, Vocab.) The preserva-
tion of the name implies great antiquity, and affords a pre-
sumption of its being the wood in question. But if it be,
it must have been alienated from the see at an early period,
since we find the manor of Cossawes, very long ago, in the
possession of the Bodrugans ; and in the attainder of sir
H. Bodrugan, in the reign of Hen. VII, it passed to sir R.
Edgcumbe. It is, moreover, two miles from Penryn. The
name, " Penryn wood," may imply that it was near that town,
and possibly it lay along the shores of the creek of which
there are some indications at this day.
What was meant by the additional words, " and all the
" watercourse," (I presume the singular number may be
understood,) is not quite clear. A gift must necessarily have
been of something of value, that is of money value, and we
are therefore left to infer that some kind of profit, in the
nature of tolls or dues, was then derived from the use of the
navigable waters of the creek. The term guer-thour, ' water-
course/ seems to be synonymous with ryn, and thus supports
that derivation of the word in s Penryn.' But this explana-
tion, though the best I can give, does not satisfy me.
For reasons which will be apparent hereafter, it will not
.be out of place to introduce here a very brief sketch of the
history of Penryn, so far as it is known or may be reasonably
conjectured.
The manor of Penryn is admitted to have been the pro-
perty of the see of Exeter from time immemorial. It is pro-
bable that at some very early period, perhaps not long after
the conquest, the episcopal lords of the soil established a
little settlement at the spot where the town now stands,
selected, as it should seem, on account of its pleasant verdure
and quiet seclusion; for so much may we infer from the
ancient Cornish name of ' Glazeney/ or rather ' Glazenith/
signifying ' the green nest,' which was in use in that locality.
This little settlement at the outset could have consisted only
of the families of the bailiffs or other agents, who had the
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(delwedd F1431) (tudalen 484)
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484 APPENDIX.
charge of the large episcopal property in this neighbourhood,
whose numbers would hare been reinforced from time to
time by the artisans and labourers whose services were de-
manded on the estates or were rendered necessary by the
wants of an increasing population. This little community,
deriving its life and activity from the Exeter bishoprick as
its head and source, must have been as it were an English
settlement in the midst of a Celtic population. Here must
have been held the bishop's courts, and here the tenants of
the manor must have been wont to resort, and all manorial
business to have been transacted. As time advanced, the
domain of Penryn must not only have participated in the
general progress and improvement which this country under-
went, but must have specially profited by the fostering
patronage of its powerful high lords, and thus the little
colony by degrees have grown into a populous village. It
could not have been long after arriving at this stage of its
advancing prosperity, that Penryn first acquired historical
notoriety by its name appearing among the public records.
I am not aware that any notice of its existence is to be found
antecedently to the reign of Hen. III. (1258), when the
Bishop of Exeter obtained a royal charter for holding a
market at his manor of Penryn, The place does not seem
at this time to have attained to the rank of a town. This
event was soon followed by another, which must have been
regarded as an important epoch in the history and fortunes
of this little place. In 1264 was commenced, and in 1267
was finished, the building of the collegiate house of Glazeney,
under the auspices of Walter Bronescombe, then bishop of
Exeter, and endowed by him with the adjacent churches of.
St. Budock and St. Feock, and about to be thereafter en-
riched with still further acquisitions. Although Penryn
cannot be said to owe its existence to this ecclesiastical esta-
blishment, as St. Germans probably did to its priory, and
Bodmin to St. Petrock's, we may be sure that the influence
of the college must have had its usual effect in drawing
around it an increased population, and promoting the traffic
and general prosperity of the place. The body of thirteen
canons and thirteen vicars of which it consisted, as church-
men and men of learning, must have been actively instru-
mental in diffusing a better knowledge of the scriptures, and
promoting secular education throughout the surrounding
district; and they may not have thought it beneath them
APPENDIX. 4t
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(delwedd F1432) (tudalen 485)
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o
to patronize the introduction of such industrial arts as were
either unknown or unpractised in that neighbourhood .
Whether it may have been part of their policy to hasten the
extinction of the native vernacular, and to substitute the
English language in its place, is not very obvious. Certain
it is, and it may occasion some surprise that we find it re-
corded, that, so late as the year 1640, the aged inhabitants of
St. Feock required the sacrament to be administered to them
in the Cornish tongue, the formula used for this purpose
having been preserved to this day. (Hals, St. Feock.) Yet,
this parish was included in the endowments of the college
and lay in its immediate vicinity, and, until the dissolution
of this house, must have been under its direct influence.
About the time of establishing the college, Penryn became
distinguished as a xviU or town, and we hear of the bishop's
court or manor house, which existed there, and which must
have been a mansion suitable to the residence of a titled
family. For it appears that in 1278 bishop Bronescombe
granted to sir William de Eglosheyl, knight, and his wife
Mirabella, the use of his court-house, with its appurtenances
in villa de Penryn, with fuel from his wood of Penryn during
their residence. (See note, p. 48, Dr. Oliver's Monast.) The
subsequent progress of the town is apparent by its acquiring
the right of sending representatives to parliament in the
reign of Queen Mary, and receiving a charter of incorporation
from King James I.
An Enys hag Arivermek
Tregenver ha Kegyttek. O 2592.
An Enys. Enys, Ennis, Innis, Ince, in strictness signify
an island, but they are often used for a peninsula, and by a
somewhat loose interpretation, even for places partially sur-
rounded by small rivulets. There are many places in Corn-
wall bearing this name. Dr. Whitaker proposed to identify
the Enys of our text with the domain of Enys in St. Gluvias,
now and for a long time past the residence of the family of
that name. (See Cath. of Cornw. chap. v. p. 25.) Its near
proximity to the places enumerated in the same stanza of the
drama, and the coincidence of the name, are a strong primd
facie evidence in its favour. But it must be acknowledged
that the geographical character of the spot cannot, even with
the utmost stretch of fancy, or the widest latitude of inter-
it
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486 APPENDIX.
pretation, be deemed an island. The circumstances in its
favour are however of so great weight, that the objection
might perhaps have been waved, had there been no other
means of identifying the site in question. But in fact there
is another place equally suitable to the text, and not open to
this objection. It may also be noticed, that. the prefixing of
the article an (the) to Enys implies that the latter word did
not mean a place called " Enys" or " Island," but a place
possessing the character of an island. For these reasons I
feel no hesitation in giving a preference to the peninsula on
which now stands the fortress of Pendennis, a place which.
Leland thus describes : —
It is a mile in cumpace, and is almost environed by the
se, and where it is not, the ground is so low, and the cut to
" be made bo little, that it were insulated." Norden goes
so far as to suppose that it had been an island, and took its
name from that circumstance. "It hath bene," he says,
as it seemeth an Ilande, whereof it may take the name
Pen-innis, the chief or head ilande, in the whole province
no Ilande comparable." This conjecture of complete insu-
lation has nothing to support it, but there may be some
ground for interpreting Pendennis as Pen (or rather Pedn),
enys signifying the Island-head, in reference to its extreme
point or headland. But I am not disposed to attach any
great weight to this derivation. It is said that some ancient
fortifications, consisting of earthworks, once existed there,
and these may have given rise to the name Pendinas, or ' the
' fortress-head.' The peninsular point of land at St. Ives
likewise bears this name. Pendennis castle, it should be
observed, was erected by King Henry VIII., and long
after these Dramas were written. Outside the extreme point
of Pendennis, and in the centre of the embouchure of the
Falmouth river, is a sunken rock, visible at low water,
which is known as the Black rock. This rock, according to
Hals, is the Enys of the Drama, and, what is more, he
contends, ridiculously as we may well think, with Dr. Whi-.
taker, that it is the island named "Iktis, mentioned by Dio-
dorus Siculus, to which the tin was brought for exportation
to the continent.
The peninsula of Pendennis is immediately contiguous to
Arwennack, the place coupled with it in the same verse of the
play, and to which we will now advert.
Arwennek. The manor of Arwennack is coextensive with
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APPENDIX. 487
the parish of Falmouth, and formerly included Pendennis
also. It was detached from Budock, and constituted a
separate parish by an act of parliament in 1664. The manor
possesses some note in Cornish history, as the residence
long since, of the ancient family of Killigrew or Kelligrew
(the Eagle's Grove), originally seated at Kelligrew in St.
Earme, from which place they removed to Arwennack as a
preferable residence in the reign of Richard II., in conse-
quence of an alliance with the heiress of this property.
The family of Killigrew appear as landowners in a record
of 20 Edward III., and are said to have descended from a
natural son of Richard earl of Cornwall, and king of the
Romans (see Lysons, lxix, and Carew.) William Killigrew,
Esq. was created a baronet in 1661. The title, with the
family, became extinct in 1704, and the estates are now the
property of lord Wodehouse. The town of Falmouth is of
modern origin. In the beginning of the seventeenth century
a few houses only existed on its site ; but under the patronage
of the Killigrews, to whom it belonged, this village, then
known by the name of Smithick, was enlarged, its trade and
opulence rapidly increased, and in a few years it took a
position among the principal towns of the county. It was
incorporated by the name of " Falmouth" in 1661 by royal
charter, and in 1664, as already mentioned, was made a
separate parish.
Pendennis castle was for some time held by the crown of
the family of Killigrew, at a small rent and fine. John Kil-
ligrew, Esq. was appointed the first governor. He built at
Arwennack a very costly mansion, and on his death, in 1567,
Sir John Killigrew, knight,, succeeded him. As lords of
Pendennis castle, the heirs of Killigrew were obliged to keep
a pole on the Black rock to warn mariners of the danger.
Some remains of the ancient mansion are said to be still
existing, adjacent to the town of Falmouth.
If Messrs. Lysons have correctly placed the removal of
the Killigrews to Arwennack in the reign of Richard II.,
that event must have been subsequent to the time when
these Dramas are likely to have been written, and we may
infer that the previous possessors were then residing there.
Hals construes Arwinnick as " the victorious lake, cove or
" bosom of waters." Dr. Pryce as At winnick, " upon the
" marsh." There is a part of the town of Falmouth still
called "the Moor," which is believed to have been once over-
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(delwedd F1435) (tudalen 488)
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488 APPENDIX.
flowed by the tide. Mr. Noma thinks Arwinnick may be
4 happy, blissful,' from Arwyn, W.
Tregenver ha Kegyllek. Both these places still exist bearing
the same names. The former is in the parish of Falmouth,
and the latter in St. Budock, but near the boundary dividing
it from Falmouth. On referring to the map, it will be seen
that Pendennis, Arwennack, Tregenver and Kegyllek succeed
each other in this order nearly in a line, the dwelling-houses
being about a mile apart. Their relative position affords a
strong presumption of the identity of Pendennis with the
island mentioned in the text.
Tregenver appears to be Tre kenvar, ' the house upon the
* ridge.* Pryce gives Kegyllek as the ' copse hedge.' I sus-
pect that this place, as it is close to the boundary of Fal-
mouth parish, that is of the manor of Arwennack, took its
name therefrom. Ke (a hedge) referring probably to the
boundary, or perhaps the fence which surrounded the manor.
Gyl seems to be identified with Gyllingdown, shewn in the
ancient map of the time of Henry VIII. (inserted in Lysons'
Cornwall) to be close to the manor boundary. Possibly the
gyl or copse then extended over it. Gyllek appears to be the
adjective derived from gyl. It is suggested by Mr. Norris,
that Kegyllek is the same as the Welsh cat gyllic, ' dividing
* hedge,' in which sense it would appear to be very ap-
propriate.
BehetJdcm ha Bosaneth. O 2767.
Behethlan. The slight variance in the spelling is not such
as to create a doubt of this place being the same as Be-
hethlen mentioned in line 2588. It probably meant the pro-
perty on which stood the house known as " Bohelland," to
which reference has already been made. (See Note on Gueel
Behethlen.)
Bosaneth is the name of a farm in the parish of Mawnan,
which adjoins Budock parish on the south. It is about four
miles from Penryn. Pryce explains anneth as a ' drinking-
cup,' but it is considered by Mr. Norris to be identical with
the Welsh annedd, signifying 'a dwelling.'
01 Chennary cm clos. O 2772.
Dr. Pryce evidently refers henna in ' Boskenna,' and ken
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(delwedd F1436) (tudalen 489)
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* APPENDIX. 489
in ' Kenwyn* to Kein, Chein, signifying ' the back, the ridge
' of a hill.' Ary appears to be identical with ery, ert, or erw,
* an acre or field,' (or Welsh, ' ploughed land,') meaning
perhaps cultivated and inclosed land, as distinguished from a
field being open and uncultivated.
The additional words an clos, ' of the ring or circle,' imply
something encircled or inclosed as by a continuous or ring
fence.
01 Chennary an clos would thus signify 'all the field ridge
' inclosed,' and we may presume that the inclosure was a
recent fact at the date of the Drama, and that this land had
just then been brought under the plough.
I believe the place indicated by these words to be identical
with the farm in the parish of Mylor, now called Canera or
Canara, about two miles from f enryn. Its position justifies
the interpretation just given. It lies on the steep slope of the
high land of Mylor Downs, already referred to, (see Note on
Garrak Ruen), and adjoins the farm of Garrick. It appears
to have been extended as near to the summit of the Down as
the nature of the soil was thought to admit, although some
further inclosuree from the Down appear to have been
recently made. I was informed by the tenant that his farm
was surrounded by a ring fence, the whole of which he kept
in repair, and, in fact, that it was for the most part bounded
by the public roads : and on referring to the parish map, I
found his statement confirmed, the entire farm approximating
to a circular form. The worthy woman his wife assured me
" that a young man in to Pereen (Penryn) had told her, that
" he had searched all through the history of England, and
" that there was no other such old place to be found as
" Canara," but she prudently added, after a moment's pause,
" in the county of Cornwall."
Fekend, 61 yn tyen
Ccvrvmow, inwet M&rthyn. R 93.
Fekenel. This word may be 'resolved into Feke 'n el, that
is, 'Feock on the salt-water river.' Norden has "Feage called
" in records Feock, a parish standing at the head of Fal-
" mouth haven." In his map it appears as Feake, Hals
observes, " As for the name Feock or Feighe, Veage, Feage,
" it signifies the top of a house or high mountain as this
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(delwedd F1437) (tudalen 490)
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490 APPENDIX *
" parish is on ; and there is still extant the lofty local place
called Le Feock, Le Feage" Hals likewise states, " St.
Feock, the presiding guardian of this church, lived at the
local place aforesaid, called Le Feock, i. e. Feock's place
or dwelling, hut who or what his parents were, when and
" where born, &c. I must plead ' non sum informatus.' "
Le is a Cornish word for place, locus. The grounds for
Hals' interpretation of ' a high mountain/ &c. are not very
obvious. Possibly the word is connected with the Welsh
Faig, ' an extremity or furthest point;' Le Feock being on a
point of land formed by the junction of two creeks. I have
not been able to find any thing respecting the supposed Saint
Feock. (See remarks under Garrak Ruen.)
An el. By the latter word, I apprehend, is meant the river
or creek which separates tho. parish of St. Feock from that
of Mylor. We see in Pryce's Vocab. that Halan signifies
' salt,' and Hail, Hade, Hayle, ' a salt-water river,' that is, a
river which receives the waters of the sea. He gives as ex-
amples, Hayle by St. Ives, and Hertford or Heffbrd near
Helston ; and to these may be added the Padstow river which
also is known to have formerly borne this name. The only
difficulty in this interpretation of the particle el arises from
the want of the letter h. But the Padstow river, which in
this Drama is termed heyl, is found, in a record of the time
of Edw. I., spelt Eyle, and Tywarnhayle is found, in docu-
ments of the same reign, spelt as Twernayl and Tywernail.
The interpretation is further supported by the name of the
parish adjoining Feock, viz. ' Perranarworthal,' anciently
spelt ' Perranarworthel,' seated at the termination of the same
creek. It should be read Perran arworth el, that is, ' Per-
ran,' meaning the church or parish of St. Piran, 'upon the
' salt-water river.' The preceding derivation is given in
deference to Dr. Pryce and others, but I strongly incline to
think that the word, though meaning ' an estuary,' is the
same as el, ' a limb,' in the sense of " a limb or arm of the
" sea."
Le Feock, once the seat of admiral Penrose, a distin-.
guished officer during the Commonwealth, is now a farm
house. It is near the point of land mentioned above, and
is probably the place indicated by tne words of the text.
It is about three miles from Penryn.
The church of St. Feock, as already mentioned, was an-
nexed to Glazeney college on its foundation in 1267. The
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(delwedd F1438) (tudalen 491)
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APPENDIX. 491
great tithes, as well as the advowson, are still vested in the
see of Exeter.
Carvenow. Although " Carvean " and " Carwen " are
found among the names of Cornish places, I have not dis-
covered a Carvenow. We know however that it is in accord-
ance with the genius of the Cornish language to substitute
the letter v for m, of whieh innumerable examples may be
found. At this day, I believe, the parish of " Mabe" (the
son), may be heard pronounced as " Vabe," in that neigh-
bourhood. We may therefore with confidence read Carvenow
as Carmenow, especially as we know that there is a place
bearing this name in the vicinity of those mentioned before,
and which formerly possessed considerable notoriety. Car
signifies 'a rock/ or else the same as caer, 'a city, town,
' or fortification,' and menow, 'very little.' Hence Pryce,
following Carew, interprets Carminnow, as ' the little city.'
Hals, on the contrary, disputes this interpretation, and pre-
fers ' the rock, hill, or mountain,' apparently referring menow
to men, ' a head or hill.'
Carmenow, Carmynow, Carminow, (for the ordinary ortho-
graphy varies much,) is the name of a manor and barton in the
parish of Mawgan, which is separated from that of Budock
by the parish of Constantine. This manor was once the
residence of a distinguished family bearing the same name,
and from their large territorial possessions occupying a pro-
minent position in the county at an early period. But there
is no authentic notice of them until the reign of Hen. III.
(a. d. 1256), when the name of "Robertas de Carmeneu"
appears in the roll of the greater landowners of the county.
There was a tradition that he accompanied King Edward to
Palestine in the holy war. Ralph Carmenow was sheriff of
Cornwall a. d. 1379. It was this gentleman who was en-
gaged in the notable trial with the lord Richard Scrope of
Bolton Castle (lord chancellor of England in the time of
Edw. III.), in the course of which the antiquity of the Car-
menow family was incidentally brought in issue. Ralph
Carmenow was charged in the court of Chivalry by the lord
Scrope with unlawfully assuming and bearing the arms of
the latter, Azure a bend or, which he alleged his family had
borne since the time of William the Conqueror, whom his
ancestor followed to England. The Defendant pleaded in
justification that his ancestors were Cornish Britons, living
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(delwedd F1439) (tudalen 492)
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492 APPENDIX.
at Carmenow long before the Conquest — that one of them
was sent by King Edward the Confessor as ambassador either
to the French king or the duke of Normandy, who gave him
those arms for his device or shield; and that he and his
posterity had ever borne the same from that time to the time
(if King Edw. III., a period of three hundred years, without
interruption. 1o this the Plaintiff replied, that there was no
record in the office of arms to substantiate this statement,
and that in fact the office for granting and registering arms
had not been instituted but just before this action was
brought. That if Ralph Carmenow gave those arms, they
were personal badges only, and not hereditary. Further,
that if Carmenow'8 ancestors lived at Carmenow before the
Conquest, he could not appropriate those arms by the name
of De Carmenow, as it was not the custom of the Britons,
until about a hundred years afterwards, to style themselves
from local names with the particle de, after the manner of
the French. Upon due inquiry and deliberation, judgment
was given by the earl marshall in Westminster Hall in favour
of the Plaintiff, " and, as tradition saith, Carmenow paid
" costs," and the Defendant was not permitted any more to
give the arms aforesaid without "a label of three points
" Gules*' for a distinction. The disappointed Defendant
perpetuated the memory of his chagrin by assuming for his
new arms the motto Cola rag ger-da, that is ' A straw for
' fame !*
In another controversy touching the right to these arms
in the time of Rich. II., a witness deposed that he had heard
from old people, that his relation Thomas Carmenow proved
the arms to have belonged to his ancestors from the time of
King Arthur ! (See Lysons, also Hals and Mr. D. Gilbert's
History of Cornwall.)
We may justly smile at the assertion of bearing arms from
the time of that shadowy personage King Arthur, and even
from that of King Edw. the Confessor, when, as yet, embla-
zonry had no existence. But we may be sure that the
allegations made for the defence must have been founded on
long standing family traditions; and though in some re-
spects absurd, they are sufficient to shew that the Carmenows
must at that time have been of ancient lineage, and probably
dating, as was insisted on, from the Anglo-Saxon age.
Were we to admit so much, the Carmenows would furnish
an instance, perhaps the only one of which we have any
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(delwedd F1440) (tudalen 493)
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APPENDIX.- 493
account, of a purely Cornish family which had survived the
shock of the Norman Conquest.
Sir Thomas Carmenow, in the reign of Rich. II., filled
the poet of lord chamberlain to the King. But families as
well ae individuals have a limit prescribed to them, beyond
which it is not permitted to them to endure. The last male
heir of this ancient house died at Trehannick, in St. Teatb,
in the year 1646, the elder branch having failed so long pre-
viously as the reign of Rich. II. A farm house in Mawgau,
still bearing their name, marks the spot where, some six or
seven centuries ago, the Carmenows dwelt, and where for
generations they received the respect due to their station
and wealth, but now the place " knowetb them no more."
From the preceding statement it may be concluded that
the family must have been resident at Carmenow at the time
these Dramas were composed.
Merthyn. This name is found in Cornwall at two or
three places, but the one we are in search of readily presents
itself. It is the manor of Merthen in Constantine (a parish
which, as already stated, divides Budock from Mawgan),
and is on the northern shore of Helford creek. If must
have been once a place of some importance, as Leland speaks
of its "manor house then ruinous (circ a. d. 1540), and well
" wooded park." We may infer with some probability, that
at the date of these Dramas it was the property of the Car-
menows. At all events we find it in their possession in
the 20th year of King Edw. III., as appears by an entry in
the roll of knights' fees inserted in Carew's History of Corn-
wall : " Rogerus de Carminou ten. 20 part. 1 feo. Mort.
" extra 10 part, illius 20. in Wynnenton, Marthyn et
" Tamerton."
Of this person Tonkin observes: "Sir Roger de Car-
" menow, for he was a knight, left this manor (Merthyn),
" inter alia, to his eldest son and heir, Sir Thomas Car-
menow of CarmeAow, knight, who leaving only three
daughters his heirs, this manor fell to the share of Phi-
lippa, the wife of John Treworthen." From the latter
family it seems to have passed by marriage to the ancient
family of Reskymer, in whose possession it was in Leland's
time.
It is somewhat strange that this word Merthyn, so unmis-
takably Celtic as it seems to be, is not noticed in our
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(delwedd F1441) (tudalen 494)
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494 APPENDIX.
Cornish Glossaries, nor do they furnish any thing directly
assisting to its explanation. In Welsh, Mer, according' to
Dr. Davies, appears to signify ' water.' He observes : " nam
merydd ubique adjective positum invenio pro humido,
liquido, humoribus pleno, aquoso, torpido, inerte, deside,
ignavo. Mer forte est humor, liquor. Pryce treats the-
nick and dennick as the same, and derived from den, < a hill.'
In this view Merthen or Merthyn would signify ' the hill by
' the water/ Both Merthen in St. Austell, and Merthen in
Berian are close to the seashore. And with regard to this
Merthyn Leland remarks, that the park is " upon a 3 partes
surrounded by water.
Since the preceding remarks were written, it has been
suggested to me by Mr. Norris, that Merthyn may stand for
Merdhin, the British name of Merlin, the famous Welsh en-
chanter: a view which would give rise to some curious specu-
lations, which it may be worth while to notice.
The parish of Constantine, in which Merthyn is situate, as
well as its vicinity, possesses some remarkable stone monu-
mental supposed to have been connected with Druidical
superstitions. On the tenement of Men in this parish is a
large stone resting on a flat base, but wrought above into a
spherical form, giving the appearance, according to Borlase,
of a Greek Omega (Q). It is 11 feet high, and 30 in circum-
ference. On the same tenement there is also a stone of huge
dimensions, being 33 feet long, and 14$ feet thick near the
middle, but tapering towards the extremities, and thus of
a somewhat egg-like shape, which is seemingly poised in
air, as it rests only on the points of two small rocks, between
which there is a sufficient space for persons to creep through,
in the observance of certain superstitious rites. Dr. Borlase
deems this apparently natural structure to be what is called a
Tolmen, or hole of stone. In the adjacent parish of Sithney
is a pile of rocks, of which the uppermost is stated to have
been a logan, or rocking stone, until overturned by the sol-
diers of Cromwell. It is called M$n amber.
The coincidence of this name with Ambres, the British
name of Stonehenge, whence Ambresbury, nowAmesbury, near
which place it stands, has not escaped observation. Geoffry of
Monmouth, in his fabulous history, ascribes this monument
to the magic art of Merlin, who, he declares, transported
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(delwedd F1442) (tudalen 495)
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*
APPENDIX. 495
it from Ireland. Merlin is first noticed by Nennius (ojtlTcen-
tury ?), who calls him f€ Ambrose, in British Embreis ff luetic"
[Gwledig, Rex or regalis]. Besides Stonehenge, other places
appear to bear this name, such as the entrenchments called
Ambresbury banks in Essex, Dinas Emrys, a singular hill
with ruins of a fort near the source of the Conway in Wales,
&c. These facts may be accounted for on the supposition
either that it was formerly usual to attribute whatever was
wonderful in art or nature to the potency of this magician, or
else that such things being found distinguished by this name,
it was accepted as that of some wonder-worker, by whose
spells they had been created, which would leave the word
itself in the same obscurity as before.
Dr. Borlase rejects all connection of Men Amber with
Merdhin Embreis, as well as with the Ambrosia peine, a term
found on a Phoenician coin, and explained to mean "anointed
stones." He resolves the word by the aid of the Cornish
alone into Men-an-bar, 'the stone of the top or the top stone, 1
that having been a logan stone.
It is certainly not impossible that the local designation
Merthyn, signifying Merlin, may in the present case have
been selected on account of the marvels in stone which exist
in this neighbourhood, one of which might seem to be called
by the name of this magician, whom Geoffry describes as a
native of Kaer-Merdin or Caer-Marthen in Wales. The
tenement of Men (stone) may likewise have been so termed
from the same circumstance, and the name of the parish
(which vulgarly is not Constantine, the saint to which the
church is dedicated, but) Constenton or Custenton is ex-
plained by Hals as " the wood stone town." It may be ob-
served, that other places in England bear this Saxon name of
Stanton or c Stonetown,' where Celtic stone monuments are
known to exist, such as Stanton Drew, Somerset, Stanton
Harcourt, Oxford, &c. But after all it should be remembered
that Kaer Merdin or Caermarthen, which Geoffry asserts to
be the birthplace of Merlin, is generally admitted to be iden-
tical with the Maridunum of Ptolemy, and the Muridunum
of Antonine, names which lend some support to the deri-
vation I have given, and lead us to suspect that Geoffry's
assertion was a stroke of fiction only, founded on the re-
semblance of name.
It may here be noticed, that these three places, Fekenel,
Carmenow, and Merthyn, are made the subject of donations
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(delwedd F1443) (tudalen 496)
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496 APPENDIX.
from Pilate to the gaoler who incarcerated Joseph and Nico-
demus, and are consequently the reward of villany. It may
therefore be suspected that these places were chosen on
account of some opprobrium which attached to them or their
owners, and that some stroke of wit or satire was intended.
If so, it is difficult to discover wherein it lies.
Re synb Iouyn, R 349.
By Saint Jove. St. Jovian, Joavan, or Joevin, is stated to
have been a native of this country, and an ardent follower of
St. Paul of Leon, who was a Cornishman by birth, and of
noble family. St. Jovian accompanied this St. Paul to Ar-
morica, and was associated with him -in the duties of his
bishoprick when the latter retired, shortly before his death.
St. Jovian survived him but one year. The death of St.
Paul is stated to have taken place 12 March, about A. D.
573-
I am not aware that there is any church dedicated to St.
Jovian either in Cornwall or Devon.
Gon Bansotha ha Crvk Heyth. R 377.
Gon dansotha. This highsounding name will probably
create an expectation that it relates to some place of great
importance 5 but our forefathers at the age of these dramas
were not likely to have paid much regard to aesthetic effect.
The reader ought therefore to be under no disappointment,
when he learns the trivial import of this term, whatever
opinion it may give him of the euphony of the Cornish
tongue.
Gon, gUn, or goon, is well known in Cornwall to signify an
extensive tract of open and uncultivated land, such as is
ordinarily termed a down. It seems also to have been used
for any extended plain surface ; hence the poetic expression
goon-glaze, ' the grey or green down,' for the sea.
Sotha I imagine to be the same as soa, respecting which
we find in Dr. Pryce, "soa,. suet, tallow, soath, fat, greasy.
" Nansoath in Ladock, the fat valley.*' On this local name
Tonkin observes, "The manor of Nansoath signifies the
" fat (i. e. fertile) valley, and soath or soa, fat, tallow,
&c."
Dan, the particle connecting these two words is of some-
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(delwedd F1444) (tudalen 497)
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APPENDIX. . 497
what indefinite meaning. Its ordinary sense is ' under,' to
which may be added ' to/ ' unto the/ &c.
With these explanations Gon dansotha may be interpreted
as 'down under-fat/ implying 'the fertile down.' But the
name clearly has reference to a distinct locality. About two
miles from Penryn, and in the parish of Budock, is a place
called Tresooth, respecting which we find in Pryce's Vocabu-
lary, " Tresooth, soath, the fat or fruitful place." Close to it
there is still a small patch of down, which at an earlier period
may have been more extensive. At all events this down has
given rise to the name of the adjoining place Trewoon, that is
Tregoon, or ' the down house.' " Woon, the down or com-
" mon." (Pryce's Vocabulary.) This interchange of the
letters g and to, which is of common occurrence in several
languages, will probably be familiar to the reader. See the
Grammar in this volume, p. 226. Woon is sometimes found
further softened to oon and tin, thus " Boscawen-un."
There can be little room for doubting that gon dansotha
refers to the spot indicated above, and that it should be read
in modern equivalents as " the down at Tresooth."
Sotha or sooth is certainly more applicable to land than a
habitation ; and the place was probably designated by it be-
fore the house existed.
Cruk heyth. Cruk or cruc in Cornish means " a hill, hil-
lock — a barrow." Heyth is apparently the English word
heath. But by Cruk heyth I understand what is now the
farm of Grugith in the parish of St. Keverne, about ten miles
from Penryn. It is a place of great antiquity, and, long an-
tecedently to the date of these Dramas, bore the name of
Cruc-w<eth, that is, " the woody hill," from wethan, " a
tree."
It lies within the remarkable district of the Serpentine, and
its associated magnesian rocks, by which the peninsula of
. the Lizard is distinguished, a district in general noted for its
sterility, with this exception, that where the diallage formation
displays itself, which happens at Grugith, and indeed over a
large portion of the parish of St. Keverne, the soil is unusu-
ally productive.
Adjoining the farm of Grugith, on the south, is a down,
whereon is an ancient stone monument, locally known, and
also marked in the county maps as " the three brothers of
Grugith." It consists of three rude blocks of diallage rock,
such as are seen numerously scattered over the surface of the
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(delwedd F1445) (tudalen 498)
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498 • APPENDIX.
down ; two are very near together, their bases sunk in the
soil, apparently in situ, the third is laid upon them in the
manner of an impost. The down where this monument
stands appears to have been formerly part of what is now
called Crswzft down, a name obviously derived from Crotis,
" a cross."
The apparent ambiguity of meaning which belongs to the
names Gon dansotha and Cruk heyth may possibly have had
an object These equivocal terms may have been purposely
put into the mouth of Pilate in jesting mockery to the sol-
diers, that he might appear to cajole them with the belief of
their being rewarded with the " fruitful down" and " the
farm of Grugith," whilst he was promising them only such
worthless things as " the down at Tresooth" and a " barrow
" heath."
Hellas. K 673.
Leland informs us that Hellas is another name for the
borough of Helston. As much diversity of opinion has pre-
vailed respecting its meaning, it may be as well to offer some
remarks with a view to its elucidation.
Hals, assuming the name as Helleston or HeUaston, inter-
prets the former word as "the town with a large hall or
palace, court or manor," and the latter as " the green hall,"
&c. Browne Willis rejects these interpretations, and con-
siders both names as identical in meaning. He supposes that
the word Hel refers to the salt-water or tidal river, that is,
the Loo river, on which it is placed, though this river does
not, but on extraordinary occasions, admit the waters of the
sea. Pryce adopts Hallaston, signifying "the hill by the
green moor." Polwhele deems none of these opinions of
any value, and presents the matter in an entirely new light,
by inventing a founder for the place in some supposed, but
unknown, Saxon Ella, so that Helleston means nothing more
than "Ella's town." The distinguished editor of Hals,
Mr. D. Gilbert, has added one more to these numerous expla-
nations, and pronounces with some decision, that Hellaston is
" the fortress on the marsh."
In this conflict of opinion among men of acknowledged learn-
ing and reputation, it may seem to savour somewhat of pre-
sumption to make any further attempt to unravel the etymon
of this local name. Yet, so far from its presenting any extra-
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(delwedd F1446) (tudalen 499)
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APPENDIX. 499
ordinary difficulty, there are, I believe, few names of Cornish
towns which are capable of so obvious and satisfactory an
explanation as this.
Besides this manor and borough of Helston, usually dis-
tinguished as Helston in Kerrier, there is another Cornish
manor of the same name near Camelford, known as Helston-
in-Trigg. If we refer to Domesday we shall there find two
entries of Henlistone, which, I believe, has been generally ac-
cepted as representing Helston ; and as it occurs twice, we
may presume that both manors of Helston are designated.
One is stated to have been then in the possession of the
King ; this, it may be inferred, indicates Helston in Kerrier,
which is known to have been the King's when the town re-
ceived its first charter of enfranchisement in the reign of
King John. The other is stated to have been in possession
of the Earl, that is the Earl of Mortaigne or Moreton, the
Conqueror's half-brother. Both manors at a later period
fell into the possession of the earls of Cornwall, and finally
formed part of the endowments of the Duchy of Cornwall
when that dukedom was created in the person of the Black
Prince, a. d. 1337. Now Hen-lis-tone, primo intuitu, explains
itself as Old- court-town. If any doubt of this interpretation
could exist, it must be only on the word lis, which is not found
in the Cornish vocabularies. But we have Ihys in Welsh and
les lez in Armoric (see Lhuyd's Arch), all signifying a court,
hall, palace, &c. Accordingly Dr. Pryce observes, " We
" often meet with this word (les, lis) in the names of our
" places, and, I believe, it sometimes doth signify the same as
" in the Armoric, as Les or Liskeard, which I interpret ' the
" ' castle court ;' Lesnewith, ' the new court/ as being a new
" hundred."
This opinion receives a complete confirmation in the fact
that among the Anglo-Saxon manumissions, at St. Petrock's
recorded in the ' ancient volume of the Gospels, recently
discovered and now placed in the British Museum, we find
Liskeard spelt in the first syllable Lys, thus identifying the
word with the Welsh. For this y, the Domesday Survey
substitutes t (Liscarret), as it now stands.
But how are we to account for the change from Henlistone
to Helston? That seems obvious enough. The letter »,
resisting coalescence with Z, was dropped for facility of pro-
nunciation, and thus there would be a natural transition
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(delwedd F1447) (tudalen 500)
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500 APPENDIX
from " Henlistone" to " Hellistone or Hellestone," the
middle word being spelt indifferently with e or t, and finally,
this vowel being also dropped for brevity sake, together with
such other letters as had become superfluous, the word took
its present form of Helston. After Domesday, I believe there
is no notice to be found of Helston until the reign of King
John, a period of something more than a century. In this
reign Helston was made a free borough by the King, and its
name occurs on several occasions in the public records spelt
as " Helligton," (an evident tending to the Saxon halig,
4 holy,') " Elleston," and " Hellesten," and other still
more
perverted forms may be afterwards met with ; but " Helle-
ston," certainly the least corrupt, finally prevailed, until
abbreviated into " Helston."
Hellas, which is found in the Drama, is obviously nothing
more than a curtailed expression for Hellaston, the last syl-
lable being omitted for shortness, or, which is not unlikely,
ton or tone being a plant of Saxon growth, engrafted on the.
old Cornish name, the people of Helston, with true Cornish
spirit, may have disdained the use of this badge of subjection
to a foreign master, and may have taken pride in adhering to
what they considered to be the ancient and proper name of
their town.
Henlistone is highly suggestive of meaning. The Saxon
adjunct of tone or town is an indisputable proof that the two
Cornish places bearing this name fell into the hands of Saxon
owners when the county succumbed to that power. From
the Cornish name, implying "Old Court or Castle," we may
infer a centre of authority, exercised by some previously
ruling power, and indicating, if not a Roman, certainly an
ancient British town.
The preceding interpretation of the name of " Helston,"
although it gives some countenance to those claims to a re-
mote antiquity which have been set up for this place, is
entirely destructive of all erudite speculations founded on the
supposed obscurity of the word Hellas, and its coincidence
with 'EXX&, the classic land whose muse is thus apostro-
phized by Byron,
Oh thou ! in Hellas deem'd of heav'nly birth,
xcould we suppose such speculations to have been ever enter-
tained otherwise than in pleasantry. The annual celebration
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(delwedd F1448) (tudalen 501)
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APPENDIX. 501
at Helston on the 8th of May of the Furry dance, now
modernized into the Flora dance, is doubtless an old custom,
and has been thought by some persons to be a remnant of
paganism transmitted from the Roman age. But the word
Furry has been rightly referred to the Cornish word fer,
' a fair,' in Latin feria, signifying also ' a holiday or festival,'
which is in fact its primitive sense. The festivities of the
Furry dance are wont to be ushered in with a well-known
song (printed in Polwhele), which from its modern allusions
can have no pretensions to antiquity; but the refrain is
thought remarkable from the occurrence of the supposed*
mysterious and cabalistic term Halantow, 'with Halantow,
' &c.,' in which the name of the town is thought to be indi-
cated. Some persons may shrewdly suspect it to mean no-
thing more than "heel and toe," to the active exercise of
which in these saltatory diversions it was appropriate enough
that the assembled multitude should be stimulated by the
aid of music and song. If this be the true interpretation,
we are compelled to think that the knowledge either of
orthography or of orthoepy in the English tongue had
made no great advances at Helston when this lyric effu-
sion was first reduced to writing. It is important to bear in
mind that the practice of annually celebrating the saints' days
of parish churches by feasting and jollity is of very long
standing, and is still kept up in many parts of Cornwall.
The day on which the Furry dance is celebrated is the 8th of
May, which in the Romish calendar is appropriated to the
commemoration of what is called "the apparition of St.
" Michael," and to him the present church of Helston is
dedicated, and so, as it is said, was the ancient chapel which
previously existed there ; and, what is more, the effigy of the
Archangel figures in the seal of the borough, thus clearly
identifying this personage as the acknowledged tutelar saint
of the town. Under these circumstances, it is impossible to
regard these annual festivities at Helston as differing in their
origin from those ordinary ferial observances which still
prevail in the county.
Of the " apparitions" or appearances of St. Michael, four
are recorded in legendary tale, of which the second is said to
have occurred about A. D. 710, at St. Michael's Mount in
Cornwall, about nine miles from Helston. It is this " appa-
• rition" to which Milton is thought to allude in the following
often-quoted passage in Lycidas : —
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(delwedd F1449) (tudalen 502)
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502 APPENDIX.
Or whether thou, to our moist vows deny'd,
Sleep'st by the &ble of Bellerus old, i
Where the great vision of the guarded mount
Looks tow'rd Namanoos and Bayona's hold.
With that " quidlibet audendi potestas" which is the privi-
lege of poets, Milton Has here associated the Mount with the
Bite of the Land's end, the Bfktpiov of Diodorus Siculus,
though some eight or ten miles distant, a liberty with which
Mr. Polwhele is not very well pleased. In justice to truth it
is necessary to add, that this legend of St. Michael does not
rightly belong to the Cornish Mount, but to that in Nor-
mandy. While by great vision nothing more seems to be
understood than extended view; else, why the words looks
tow'rd?
The town of Helston, as already mentioned, was enfran-
chised by King John, A. D. 1201. In the reign of King
Edward I. it was appointed one of five towns for the coinage
of tin. It was also one of the seven Cornish towns which
sent members to parliament in the same reign. King Edward
III., on creating the Black Prince duke of Cornwall, A. D.
1337, conferred this manor, with several others, on that
personage, as a perpetual endowment of the Duchy. Helston,
at the time these Cornish plays were written, though a small
place, must clearly have ranked among the chief towns of the
county.
Alemma by 8 yn Tryger. D 2274.
From this place to Trigger. There are several places in
Cornwall bearing the name of Tregearej but I presume
the one alluded to in the text is what is now the hun-
dred of Trigg, and in earlier times was called Trygershire.
The addition of shire was formerly borne by several of the
Cornish hundreds, this word, signifying "a share or divi-
sion," being used not only for counties, but sometimes for
smaller districts. In the Great Roll of the Pipe, believed to
be of the date of 3T Henry I (a. d. 1130), and the oldest
Exchequer record in existence, we shall find mentioned
" Trigerscire bdr." and likewise " Piderscire hdr." The
name continued in use for some ages, for the Inquisitors
under a royal commission of 2 Edward I state, among other
things, " Trygershire for the King. — That the hundred of -
Trigershire, when it was in the hands of the lord the King,
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(delwedd F1450) (tudalen 503)
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APPENDIX. 503
was worth 8/., now it is in the hands of the Earl, and was
worth for .the year last past, by the extortion and malice of
the bailiffs, 40/., whereby the country is utterly ruined."
(Concanen's Report of Rowe y. Brenton. Appendix, pp.
8,9.)
The hundred of Trigg in the thirteenth century was the
same in extent as it is now, and comprised the district
around Bodmin, but the ecclesiastical division of the dean-
eries of Trigg Major and Minor, which probably dates from
an older period than Ihe hundred, comprehended in the
thirteenth century, and does still, all the north-east part of
the county from Bodmin to Stratton. The meaning of the
passage in the text is obviously equivalent to saying " from
this place to the extremity of Cornwall."
Trig and Treger in Cornish signify "an inhabitant or
dweller." The name was probably given to the part of the
county just mentioned in reference to the Saxon dwellers or
settlers who appear to have intruded and settled there at
some very early period. (Trega, "to inhabit," tregva, "a
dwelling place." Pryce.)
West the Heyl. D 2744.
West of Hayle. This word has been already adverted to
as signifying "a salt-water or tidal river," from halan,
" salt," though I believe it ought to be assigned to quite a
different root. (See note on Fekenel.) There are two
estuaries in Cornwall, now known by this name, one at
St. Ives and the other at Helford, but as they are near
the western extremity of the county they do not suit the
text. Th£ place here meant by heyl is evidently the Pad-
stow creek, into which flows the river Alan or Camel.
It is known to have had the name of Heyl in early times.
There is on its shores the parish of Egloshayle, that is, " the
church on the salt-water river." A record of the reign of
Edward I mentions the water " of Aleyn and Eyle," which
seems to imply that the Camel or Alan river took the name
of Heyle after meeting the tide. As this estuary forms the
western boundary of the deaneries of Trigg, a part of the
county populated by English foreigners, the expression
" west of Hayle" is tantamount to saying " in any part of
Cornwall." Trigg being deemed no part of it. (See note on
Tryger.)
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(delwedd F1451) (tudalen 504)
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504 APPENDIX
Concluding Note.
In the preceding attempt to identify the sites of the several
places mentioned in these Cornish plays, and to explain the
meaning of their names, I am conscious that I have not
always been successful, and that the result in many respects
falls short of the object sought to be attained. But the task
is not without its difficulties. The fact of two languages
haying been spoken concurrently in this county for many
ages, until the newer and aggressive one had driven its elder
rival from the field, must necessarily have given rise in
many instances to a modification of local names, and some-
times to their falling entirely out of use. It is hardly to be
expected therefore that success should always be met with in
seeking to identify or explain a designation which we meet
with in Cornish writings, now probably more than five cen-
turies old. Indeed it is a proof of the remarkable perma-
nency of local appellations, that most of those alluded to in
these Dramas, often unimportant places, are still found
to exist.
A question has sometimes occurred to me, whether the
places which are the subject of the pretended donations were
selected at random, or at most to suit the metre or rhyme, or
whether they were chosen on account of some special appro-
priateness. And I have in a few instances adverted to it
in the notes. There are however some inferences capable of
being derived from the places introduced, which tend to
throw light upon the circumstances under which these dra-
matical works were written, and which on that account it will
not be uninteresting to notice. *
It will be seen that the majority of the places included in
the donations lie within a tract of country extending along
the western shores of Falmouth harbour, from Pendennis to
Feock, and all grouping round Penryn as the centre, thus
indicating with great probability, as was pointed out by Dr.
Whitaker, that the author was a resident of that place.
First we have the Island or Pendennis, then Arwennack, a
manor coextensive with Falmouth parish, jncluding Tre-
genver, then Kegyllek and the whole parish of Budock, with
the exact boundaries of which, as they then existed, we are
not acquainted. Then follow Behethelen, and the field of
Behethelen, Bosuene or Bosvannah, all in Gluvias, and the
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(delwedd F1452) (tudalen 505)
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APPENDIX. 505
wood of Penryn, whatever may have been the site and extent
of that property, but certainly near to Penryn. Then Garrak
Ruen, or lands adjacent to Carrick Roads, and Chennary an
clos, all in the parish of Mylor ; and lastly Fekenel, repre-
senting either the parish of Feock or le Feock, the tract form-
ing the angle between Perranarworthel creek and the Falmouth
river. There are also some outlying places, such as Bos-
aneth in Mawnan, Merthynin Constantine, Carnsew in Mabe,
Grugith in St. Keverne, Carmenow in Mawgan, all parishes
adjoining Budock, or very near to it.
On referring to the Taxation of pope Nicholas, A.D.1291,
we shall find that these parishes of Budock, Gluvias, and
Mylor, with Gerrans and Antony on the eastern side of Fal-
mouth harbour, then constituted a separate ecclesiastical
division, removed from the jurisdiction of the archdeacon,
and under the peculiar authority of the diocesan, and so they
have continued down to our own times. I have already no-
ticed that the churches of Budock and Feock were conferred
by the bishop of Exeter on the house of Glazeney, on its
foundation in 1267, and Gluvias is believed to have been in-
cluded in this endowment as then part of Budock. But the
church of Gluvias is mentioned in the census of 129 1, and
consequently must have been founded shortly after Glazeney
college. The patronage of the churches of Budock, Gluvias,
Feock, Mylor, Mabe, and Constantine, is at present episcopal
or chapter property; and such was the case, as we have seen,
with regard to Budock, Gluvias, and Feock, so long back as
the thirteenth century. I am not aware whether the patronage
of the others was also episcopal property at that time, or was i
subsequently acquired. /"Of the manor of Penryn, seated just
in the midst of these places, and which is known to have be-
longed to the bishops of Exeter from the earliest times, I
have already spoken at some length. (See note on Wood
of Penryn.)
We see enough in all these facts to satisfy us that the
possessions, and consequent weight and influence of the see
of Exeter, in and around Penryn in the thirteenth century,
must have been very great ; and to them must be attributed
the rise of Penryn to the rank of a town, as well as the erec-
tion of the collegiate house of Glazeney, and, with some pro-
bability, the founding of the several parish churches just
enumerated. Looking at all the circumstances, it seems very
likely that the possessions of the see in the neighbourhood
vol. 11. z
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(delwedd F1453) (tudalen 506)
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506 APPENDIX.
of Peniyn at the age of these Dramas, or at some still earlier
period, were of much greater extent than they axe known to
have been in more recent times.
The fact then that most of the places mentioned in the
Dramas were chosen out of a district with which the see of
Exeter was thus intimately connected, and throughout which
it must hare been regarded as the presiding genius of the
place, implies that the author of those compositions was not
only a resident of Penryn, but that he was an ecclesiastic
also ; which is the more probable, as it is generally admitted
that works of this kind were the productions of the ckrgy.
It is much to be desired that the date of these Dramas
could be fixed with something like certainty, but it is feared
that this is not quite practicable. An approximation to it
however seems to be attainable. The use of the barbarous
and scarcely recognizable word Vuthek for Budeck and of
Fekenel for Feock, notwithstanding that the names of Budock
and Feock are to be found in the census of 129 1, and the
occurrence of Lostuthyel for Lostwithiel, when we know
that the former word was superseded by the latter in the
reign of Edw. I., are so many independent grounds for pre-
suming that these writings cannot well be assigned to a
period much later than the last quarter of the thirteenth
century. The Anglo-French words which are found inter-
spersed throughout the text furnish another criterion,
though perhaps an imperfect one, whereby an opinion may
be formed of the date, and from such portions of the Drama
as I have seen, it does not appear that this test would lead
to a conclusion adverse to that already stated.
Now the latter portion of the thirteenth century, as already
noticed, was a memorable era in the history of Penryn and
its neighbourhood, and was more especially distinguished by
the college of Glazeney having been then established. If
then we are to ascribe to an inhabitant of Penryn and to an
ecclesiastic, the authorship of these plays, in as much as we
find them written apparently shortly after the college of
Glazeney was founded in that very place, we may conclude,
with something like certainty, that they were the productions
of that house. The body of educated men pf which it con-
sisted, must have possessed whatever learning and skill were
required for the task, and as we know that compositions of
this kind were written with a view to the instruction of the
people in the Scriptures, the composing of these dramas by
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(delwedd F1454) (tudalen 507)
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APPENDIX. 507
the college, would seem to have been nothing more than
die fulfilment of an ordinary duty. Nor ought it to be
thought beneath the dignity or incompatible with the cha-
racter of this religious body to be concerned in their pro-
duction, because we find in them much that we must con-
demn, as vulgar ribaldry and profane jests* For these were
such only as were demanded by the prevailing tastes of
that period, and must be set down as the faults of the age
rather than of the writer. They too plainly reveal how ob-
tuse and dark must have been the intellectual condition of
the people, that they could be approached and acted on
only by these objectionable means, which in the present day
appear revolting and intolerable. Even the writers them-
selves were probably unconscious of the improprieties in
their works.
That those who undertook the labour of writing these
Dramas would not fail to give effect to them by causing
their representation, we may well believe ; and that this must
have taken place in, or at no very great distance from Pen-
ryn is more than probable. Many of the places named
would not have been recognised or understood, excepting in
that neighbourhood. The theatres or places where perform-
ances of this kind took place in Cornwall are well known,
the remains of several being still visible. Their construction
consisted of a circular area inclosed by a raised bank of
earth, the inner and sloping sides of which were converted
into rows of benches or seats for the spectators, while the
central space served for the stage. Though now more usually
called Rounds, their proper Cornish name was Plenanguare,
which still survives as a local name near Redruth and at some
other places. PUn-an-guare signifies 'the plain, floor or
* stage for the play.' It is evidently referred to in the stage
directions annexed to Mr. Jordan's modern Cornish plays,
where we find " every degree of Devils and lost Spirits on
" cords running into the plain /' also " let the Serpent
" wait in ike plain."
It has been usual with writers on our county antiquities
to adduce these Cornish plays and the remains of the Plen-
anguare, as singular and curious facts illustrating, not only
the peculiar habits and tastes of the Cornish as a Celtic
people, but the antiquities of the county. This view how-
ever can be accepted only in a very qualified sense. I pre-
sume that it will not be denied that these Dramas were
z 7,
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(delwedd F1455) (tudalen 508)
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508 APPENDIX.
written on the model of those religious plays usually termed
Mysteries or Miracle-plays, which in the opinion of some few
persons, were almost coeval with Christianity, hut which are
certainly known to have prevailed in this country soon after
the Conquest, and in France and Italy somewhat later, and
were for centuries the delight of the people both here and
abroad. And admitting it to be highly probable that the
authors of these Cornish Dramas were natives of the county,
they were, as is equally probable, ecclesiastics, who, as mem-
bers of the Anglican church, must have imbibed English no-
tions as well as learning ; and by education, habits, and disci-
pline, must have been thoroughly Anglicized. As it was the
prevailing fashion in England to attract the uneducated masses
to the Sacred Volume by dramatic representations of some of
its most affecting stories, we may be almost sure that the
Cornish clergy would not have been backward in adopting
for their own flocks similar modes of instruction ; and that
for this purpose they would have undertaken the task of
composing original Dramas in the Cornish tongue, or of
translating into that language some of those existing in
English. It must have been in this manner that the Cornish
plays first originated, and in the instance of those contained
in the present volumes, by the agency, we may presume, of
the college of Glazeney. So far then from these productions
having any claim to be considered offshoots of the native
genius or character, they are clearly exotics transplanted
from English soil.
The subject of the Rounds, their origin and purpose, can-
not perhaps be disposed of so summarily as that of the
Dramas, but there seems to be no reason for doubting that
they belong to each other, and that the Plenanguare was
designed and constructed for no other object than for the re-
presentation of plays.
I do not know if there be any one at the present day who
would seriously contend that they were courts of judicature
belonging to some remote and undefined age, or that they
were arenas for judicial combats in the trial by battle. (See
Borlase and Polwhele.) With scarcely any better show of
reason can we connect them with those educational exer-
cises of the British youth, said to date from the time of
" the Emperor Arthur," which under the name of the twenty-
four excellencies, are mentioned in some old Welsh writings
of doubtful authority : among which twenty-four, are reck-
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(delwedd F1456) (tudalen 509)
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APPENDIX. 609
traed certain feats of strength and of arms, such as running,
jumping, wrestling, fencing with the sword, &c. The fact
that the Rounds are found nowhere but in Cornwall, must
assuredly be deemed a conclusive proof that they are of
purely Cornish origin, and consequently of a date subsequent
to the Cornish becoming a locally distinct and separate
people, by the extension of the Saxon conquests to the
shores of the Tamar. Had they been borrowed from the
English, together with the plays, some vestiges of these
structures might be expected to exist in England ; but we
find none. From the earliest times to which it has been
traced, it was the practice in England for the representations
of those great events recorded in Scripture, which on account
of their connection with the fall and redemption of mankind,
might emphatically be termed Mysteries, to take place within
the churches and chapels, the clerks and monks being the
actors, and with the evident purpose of producing a greater
amount of devotional feeling among the people. It is true
that there also existed a practice of playing in the streets and
public places, other performances under the name of Miracles,
founded, we may believe, on the supposed miracles of saint6 ;
which, however well-intentioned they may have been, on
account probably of the profanity with which the subject was
then treated, were strongly condemned by cotemporary
writers, and declared to be such as no minister of the church
ought to take part in. But even for these exhibitions we
nowhere learn that any thing like the Cornish Rounds was
brought into requisition. At a later period we find that the
representation both of Scriptural pieces, and of Miracles,
under the general denomination of Miracle-plays, had very
much fallen into the hands of the laity, especially of the
great trading companies in large cities, who engaged in it
with great zeal and earnestness; and thus becoming as it
were, secularized, and converted in great measure to pur-
poses of diversion, the religious drama we may presume, was
more and more withdrawn from the churches and from
clerical interference; a change which is likely to have been
accelerated, if not occasioned, by a growing sense of the un-
fiuitableness of dramatic performances to places of divine
worship. Accordingly we now read of stages erected on
wheels, and drawn along the streets of great towns, and in
one instance of a stage erected in a field, (at Bassingbourne,
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(delwedd F1457) (tudalen 510)
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510 APPENDIX.
Cambridgeshire, in 151 1,) as the means adopted to bring
these popular entertainments within the reach of the largest
number possible of the eager multitudes. Why in this county
the singular expedient of the Plenanguare should have been
devised for their exhibition, would seem perhaps to demand
an explanation. But it may reasonably enough be accounted
for, if we bear in mind that the limited use of their lan-
guage, combined with the isolation of the locality, restricted
the people for whom the plays were written, in the choice of
their resources ; that with them there were no wealthy guilds
to undertake these performances ; that in such small towns
as then existed where the ambulatory theatre could have
been used, the English race may have predominated ; while
the Celtic population lay for the most part scattered over
the fields, engaged in agricultural or mining pursuits.
For them the Rounds must have been best suited to afford
the requisite accommodation. They could be easily con-
structed on some waste spot of land by the pick and shovel
of the miner, and at less cost than if the carpenter's craft
had been appealed to. The choice of the spot was doubt-
less dictated by the general convenience, and probably
those parishes were selected where the annual feasts had
acquired the greatest celebrity, and drew together the largest
numbers of the population. Whether the Dramas now pub-
lished were the first which appeared in Cornwall, whether
we now have them in the form in which they were originally
written, and free from subsequent alterations or additions
(the MS. is said to have been brought to Oxford in 1450),
whether they were exhibited in the Plenanguare as soon as
they appeared, or only from such time as they were excluded
from the churches, if they were ever admitted there, are
questions which it is impossible to decide. At the period of
the Reformation, Miracle-plays had lost much of their hold
on the minds of the people ; the Moralities had long com-
peted with them for popular favour; and both were then
about to give place to the legitimate drama. Religious
representations had come to be regarded as a burlesque on
religion, and the church had withdrawn from them its
patronage. Bonner, bishop of London, in 154a prohibited
all plays and interludes being acted in the churches and
chapels of his diocese ; and although this injunction may not
have been directly aimed at the old religious dramas, it must
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(delwedd F1458) (tudalen 511)
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APPENDIX. 511
necessarily have included them, if in any churches they still
continued to exist; and from this time Miracle-plays appear,
with some few exceptions, to have fallen everywhere into
disuse. Among the exceptions Cornwall must be reckoned ;
for though the plays had lost the countenance of the clergy,
and had ceased to be regarded as a vehicle of religious in-
struction, they continued in this county to retain their popu-
larity as sources of pastime and amusement for the masses
for some considerable time longer.
Mr. Carew, writing in 1602, gives us the earliest account
we have of these representations in Cornwall. He evidently
regards them as a peculiarly Cornish custom ; from which it
may be inferred, that Miracle-plays elsewhere in England
had long fallen into oblivion. He informs us that "the
" Guary miracle, in English a miracle-play, is a kind of En-
" terlude compiled in Cornish out of some Scripture history.
" For representing it they raise an earthen amphitheatre in
" some open field, having the diameter of his enclosed playne
" some 40 or 50 foot." He makes no suggestion of these
play-places being relics of antiquity, but, on the contrary,
speaks of them as if they were constructed in his day.
Though the plays were in the Cornish tongue, Mr. Carew
elsewhere observes, that " most of the inhabitants can speak
" no word of Cornish." It is clear that the language was
then on the point of disappearing; and it seems extremely
probable, that it was owing to their attachment to it, as the
only surviving mark of their race, that the Cornish adhered
to these plays with such remarkable pertinacity. To all but
those of strictly Cornish descent, the representations must,
from ignorance of the language, have been unintelligible, so
that none others were likely to have witnessed them. They
served therefore for a test whereby the Cornish Celt could be
known from the Saxon; and, as a custom, handed down
through many generations, which was thus characteristic of
the race, it is not suprising that there should have been a
manifest opposition to their being laid aside.
Besides the dramas contained in these volumes, no others
in the Cornish tongue are known to exist, excepting the one
intituled "The Creation of the World, with Noah's Flood,"
which purports to have been written by Mr. Jordan in 161 1,
evidently with the view of its being acted, as the stage
directions are annexed. But it may be doubted if he was the
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(delwedd F1459) (tudalen 512)
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512 APPENDIX.
original author. The apocryphal tales it contains, with
other matter, accord more with Romish than protectant
times. It is certainly almost entirely free from the low
buffoonery which disfigures the older Cornish dramas now
published. Mr. Jordan's play, with Mr. Keigwin's transla-
tion, was printed through the instrumentality of Mr. D. Gil-
bert in 1827.
/ That the Rounds did not originate until a comparatively
late period, appears probable from the fact that they are
met with only in the western parts of Cornwall, just those
parts to which it might be expected that the use of the
Cornish tongue was then limited. It is stated by Mr. Nor-
den, whose surrey of the county is supposed to have been
made in 1584, " that of late the Cornishe men have much
" conformed themselves to the use of the Englishe tongue :
" from Truro eastwarde it is in manner wholy Englishe."
I am not aware that there is any trace of the Plenanguare to
be met with eastward of Truro. It may likewise be as well to
notice, that the word Platea used in the stage directions of
the older plays [deus sit in platea] does not make that direct
reference to the Plenanguare which the word Plain does in
Mr. Jordan's plays, and we might therefore infer that they
were not then played in the Rounds.
It is evident that these representations in Cornwall did not
continue in use many years after Mr. Carew's publication. y
Mr. Scawen, a Cornish gentleman, (whose MS., written
soon after the Restoration, n printed in D. Gilbert's
history,) assigns, among many causes for the decay of the
Cornish tongue, the disuse of the Guirremears, (that is, not
" the great speeches," as the word has been erroneously ren-
dered, but " the play-shows or spectacles,") u solemnized,*'
he says, " not without shew of devotion in open and spacious
" downs, of great capacity, encompassed about with earthen
" banks, and in some part stonework of largeness to contain
" thousands t the shapes of which remain in many places at
" this day, though the use of them long since gone."
From the time of Scawen* s testimony to that of Dr. Bor-
lase, whose histories were published in 1754 and 1758,
nearly a century elapsed, and a century and half from that of
Mr. Carew's, an interval long enough to render the Plays
and the Plenanguare things altogether of the past. Accord-
ingly Dr. Borlase adduces the remains of the Rounds as cu-
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(delwedd F1460) (tudalen 513)
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APPENDIX. 513
rious relics of Cornish antiquities, and by placing them in
his chapter on circular monuments, supposed to be of the
British period, has produced an erroneous impression of
their true character. It is remarkable that these play-places,
which Carew described as having a diameter of " some 40 or
" 50 foot," seem shortly afterwards to have acquired greater
dimensions, sufficient, according to Scawen, to contain thou-
sands of spectators, the benches in some instances being
made of stone instead of turf; and thus it would appear
that they must have suddenly assumed an importance much
greater than they possessed before. If this were the fact, it
must have arisen out of an attempt to regain popularity for a
declining pastime, by producing it* on a grander scale, and
with increased attractions : it was the last effort of an ex-
piring race to preserve the only mark of distinction which
then remained to them, and to save themselves from sinking
into, and finally disappearing among the general mass of the
community. To the same cause may possibly be owing
Mr. Jordan's work of 161 1; for at this period the old dramas
of these volumes, could scarcely have been understood by the
people, so greatly had the language been deteriorated. Dr.
Borlase has described minutely, and illustrated with draw-
ings, the remains of two of these Rounds in the parishes
of St. Just, near the Land's End and Perranzabulo, both
famous mining parishes; that in St. Just having stone
benches, but disfigured, he says, by " recent injudicious re-
" pairs." Their diameters are 126 and 130 feet, with seven
and eight rows of benches, and as they would accommodate
at a rough estimate, some two thousand spectators, they fully
support Mr. Scawen's statement. This large number of
sight-seers, it may be remarked, would be but little con-
sistent with the scanty population of a very early period.
These two examples of the Plenanguare were doubtless se-
lected by Dr. Borlase on account of their striking character,
and their better state of preservation ; and we may conse-
quently conclude that they were the newest of those con-
structions which had survived to his day.
The preceding brief review of such historical notices as we
possess of the Cornish Rounds, will tend to place these struc-
tures in their true light both in relation to the Plays, and to
the county antiquities. It may be concluded, that while the
Plays were clearly borrowed from the English, both these
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(delwedd F1461) (tudalen 514)
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514 APPENDIX
and the Rounds can be regarded as illustrations of Cornish
habits and customs, only so far as they bear witness to a
practice continuing in full activity in Cornwall long after it
had become obsolete elsewhere, and which the Cornish
appear to have persisted in, to preserve from perishing the
last badge of distinction which separated them from the sur-
rounding population.
E. H. P.
Li8kbard, July, 1858.
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(delwedd F1462) (tudalen 515)
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ADDENDA.
P. 253. Add to the first clause " Nep sometimes
takes a preposition ; as in the nep, ' to him who/ D 22."
See also 1. 540, 1260, 2078.
P. 302. The conjunction bo, ' or/ is the verb substan-
tive, like the French soit. I am not sure that py, ' or/
and the indefinite pronouns may not originate in the
same way ; pypynag may be really ' whether or not.'
P. 329, 1. 9. For bledghan read bledzhan.
P. 349. Under cunteUet, I have omitted the glosses
given by Zeuss in p. 1098 and 1099.
P. 356. Under eglos insert egVusyow, D 1175.
P- 357- Under elestren insert the cognate Gaelic
word seileastar, m.
P- 377* Under guilter insert velPra, veltrcms, veltris,
veltrix, velter, from Zeuss.
P. 380. Under gwrthu/wer, take out the remark that
the word is not found in the Dramas, and insert the
Example Gortfouer in K 1304.
P. 381. Under haf insert samhradh, Gaelic ; and in-
sert feMe, m. ' bounty/ Irish, under haM.
P. 382. Under helhiat insert sealg, ( to hunt/ Gaelic ;
and seUeach, m. G. under heligen.
P- 383. Under hendat insert seem, ' old/ Gaelic.
P. 384. Under h&wuU insert faichiU, 'watchfulness/
Gaelic.
P. 386. Under Jmn insert main, f. Gaelic.
The following forms of irregular verbs may be added
to those inserted after the Grammar in p. 308.
dora, I should bring, R 1789.
drew, bring ye, D 178.
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(delwedd F1463) (tudalen 516)
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516 ADDENDA.
drewh, bring ye, R 1776.
druthj brought, R 2492.
druyth, brought, O 162 1.
dres, brought, D 1569.
dues, to come, R 647.
deve, I come, R 2620.
de, will come, O 2431, D 541.
dy, will come, D 1654.
dufe, (if) he come, R 7.
den, let us come, O 2543.
deugk, ye come, D 1 1 15.
duegh, come ye, R 323.
dens, let them come, D 694.
clothe, may come, O 1744.
dothye,1 R 2450.
ow tos, coming, D 370, R 145.
eth, he went, 3rd tense, R 835.
ytty, thou shalt go, 5th tense, R 2452.
ou mos, going, R 2298.
gothyen, I knew, 2nd tense, R 254 4, 2559.
gothyan, I knew, 2nd tense, R 2614.
gothfen, I should know, 4th tense, D 1287.
gothfye, he would know, 4th tense, D 490.
gofh/ough, ye should know, 4th tense, D 2156.
gother, the passive, 2332.
guren, I would do, 2nd tense, D 1622, R 1894.
gure/a, he may do, 2nd tense, R 2473.
gurellough, you may do, 2nd tense, D 2196.
grussyn, we did, 3rd tense, R 1341.
gruga (that) I did, 3rd tense, D 1434.
When the present participle governs a pronoun, it is
made by orth or worth, instead of ou or ow : as ymons
y orth y sywe, they are following him, 1688 ; ythese
gems Ihesu worth y servye, he was with Jesus serving
him, D 1406. See also D 342, 442, 1141, 1333, 2994.
r.
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