Page:Cornish feasts and folk-lore.djvu/39

 dice, called here "Lilly-bangers." Fifty years since a man, nicknamed Harry Martillo, with his wife, the "lovelee," always kept one of these "lilly-banger stalls" at Penzance on market day. He would call attention to his gaming-table by shouting—

I have heard that both used tobacco in three ways, and indulged freely in rum, also "tom-trot" (hardbake), strongly flavoured with peppermint. Of course a lively market would influence the dose, and as for "lovelee," it must have been in Harry's partial eyes.—(H.R.C.)

"Upon little Easter Sunday, the freeholders of the towne and mannour of Lostwithiel, by themselves or their deputies, did there assemble, amongst whom one (as it fell to his lot by turne), bravely apparelled, gallantly mounted, with a crowne on his head, a scepter in his hand, a sword borne before him, and dutifully attended by all the rest also on horseback, ride thorow the principal streete to the Church; there the Curate in his best 'beseem' solemne receiud him at the Church-yard stile, and conducted him to heare diuine seruice; after which he repaired with the same pompe to a house fore-prouided for that purpose, made a feast to his attendants, kept the table's end himselfe, and was serued with kneeling, assay, and all other rites due to the estate of a Prince; with which dinner the ceremony ended, and every man returned home again."—(Carew.)

The ancient custom of choosing a mock mayor was observed at Lostwithiel, on loth October, 1884, by torchlight, in the presence of nearly a thousand people. The origin of both these customs is now quite forgotten. " A custom still existing at St. John's, Helston, and also at Buryan. The last mayor of the Quay, Penzance, was Mr. Robinson, a noted authority on sea fishing, etc. He died about ten years ago."—(H.R.C.)

April 1St. The universal attempts at fooling on this day are carried on in Cornwall as elsewhere, and children are sent by their schoolfellows for penn'orths of pigeon's milk, memory powder, strap-oil, etc., or with a note telling the receiver "to send the fool