Page:Cornish feasts and folk-lore.djvu/78

 66 Lege^ids of Parishes, etc. Michael's chair, but it is not as popular as the one before quoted ; it is about "Richard Penlake and Rebecca his wife," "a terrible shrew was she." In pursuance of a vow made when Richard "fell sick," they went on a pilgrimage to the Mount, and whilst he was in the chapel, " She left him to pray, and stole away To sit in St. Michael's chair. " Up the tower Rebecca ran. Round and round and round ; 'Twas a giddy sight to stand atop And look upon the ground. " ' A curse on the ringers for rocking The tower ! ' Rebecca cried. As over the church battlements She strode with a long stride. " ' A blessing on St. Michael's chair ! ' She said as she sat down : Merrily, merrily rung the bells. And out Rebecca was thrown. " Tidings to Richard Penlake were brought That his good wife was dead ; ' Now shall we toll for her poor soul The great church bell ? ' they said. " ' Toll at her burying,' quoth Richard Penlake, ' Toll at her burying,' quoth he ; ' But don't disturb the ringers now In compliment to me.' " Old writers give the name of " Caraclowse in clowse" to St. Michael's Mount, which means the Hoar Rock in the Wood ; and that it was at one time surrounded by trees is almost certain, as at very low tides in Mount's Bay a " submarine forest," with roots of large trees, may still be clearly seen. At these seasons branches of trees, with leaves, nuts, and beetles, have been picked up. Old folks often compared an old-fashioned child to St. Michael's Mount, and quaintly said, " she's a regular little Mount, St. Michael's Mount will never be washed away while she's alive." Folk-lore speaks of a time when Scilly was joined to the mainland, which does not seem very improbable when we remember that within the last twenty-five years a high road and a field have been washed