Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/251

Rh arrested, for his appearance before the Maior of Halgauer, where he is charged with wearing one spurre, or going vntrussed, or wanting a girdle, or some such felony. After he had been arraygned and tryed, with all requisite circumstances, iudgement is given in formal terms, and executed in some one vngracious pranke or other, more to the skorne than hurt of the party condemned. Hence is sprung the prouerb when we see one slouenly appareled to say he shall be presented at Halgauer Court (or take him before the Maior of Halgauer).

"But now and then they extend this merriment with the largest, to preiudice of ouer-credulous people, persuading them to light with a dragon lurking in Halgauer, or to see some strange matter there, which concludeth at least with a trayning them into the mire."—(Survey of Cornwall.)

"Taking-day."—"An old custom about which history tells us nothing is still duly observed at Crowan, in West Cornwall. Annually, on the Sunday evening previous to Praze-an-beeble fair (July 16tli) large numbers of the young folk repair to the parish church, and at the conclusion of the service they hasten to Clowance Park, where still large crowds assemble, collected chiefly from the neighbouring villages of Leeds-towns, Carnhell-green, Nancegollan, Blackrock, and Praze. Here the sterner sex select their partners for the forthcoming fair, and, as it not unfrequently happens that the generous proposals are not accepted, a tussle ensues, to the intense merriment of passing spectators. Many a happy wedding has resulted from the opportunity afforded for selection on 'Taking-day' in Clowance Park."—(Cornishman, July, 1882.)

On the 25th July, St. James's-day. At St. Ives they have a quiennial celebration of the "Knillian games." They have been fully described by the late J. S. Courtney in his Guide to Penzance, as follows:—

"Near St. Ives a pyramid on the summit of a hill attracts attention. This pyramid was erected in the year 1782, as a place of sepulture for himself, by John Knill, Esq., some time collector of the Customs at St. Ives, and afterwards a resident in Gray's Inn, London, where he died in 1811. The building is commonly called 'Knill's