Page:The parochial history of Cornwall.djvu/164

122 i, v. 1, "Paul a knava of Jesus Christ;" and the like, 2nd Timothy, chap. i. v. 1, "Paul a nava of Jesus Christ;" which words, in the translation of the Bible in James l.'s time, the translators have rightly rendered into new English, by the names of "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ;" and "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ;" that is, a messenger, an ambassador, or servant, sent, as apostolus; in the original Greek (doulos), servus et (apostolus); and in all other places in the Old and New Testament, where they met with the Greek words doulos and apostolus, they are by them so rendered.

From the British names nave, nava, nawe, knawe, the old name or distinction of this tribe or family may be plainly inferred, for that the first ancestor or progenitor thereof was of a mere British extraction; a servant, steward, ambassador, minister, or messenger of God, Christ, his king, prince, or other master, (for those words are all synonymous, only by the dialect varied with the transposing of a vowel,) and is a name of office of one that is a substitute or vicegerent, and acts under another.

But more certain I am that John Knava, of Godolphin, Esq. was struck Sheriff of Cornwall by King Henry VII., 1504, who declared his great liking of that gentleman in all circumstances for the said office, but discovered as much dislike of his name after the English, not understanding the import thereof in Cornish, and so further said, that, as he was pater patriae, he would transnominate him to Godolphin, whereof he was lord; and accordingly caused or ordered that in his letters patent under the broad seal of England, for being Sheriff of Cornwall, he should be styled or named John Godolphin, of Godolphin, Esq. and by that name he accounted at the year's end with that king for his office in the Exchequer, and had his acquittance from thence, as appears from the record in the Pipe Office there.