The history of Cornwall: civil, military, religious, architectural, agricultural, commercial, biographical, and miscellaneous / [Richard Polwhele].

  • Richard Polwhele
Date:
1803
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of Cornwall: civil, military, religious, architectural, agricultural, commercial, biographical, and miscellaneous / [Richard Polwhele]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    531/540 (page 53)
    sport, and existing in Cornwall, long before the Romans. The fighting of cocks was more the sport of gentlemen than the common people.^]- The sports of wrestling and hurling* were, perhaps, almost entirely confined to the inferior classes of the community. And, in these sports, the agility and skill of the Cornish were more especially displayed, at their parish-feasts,-^ and on saints days. William Fitz-Stephen, who wrote the life of archbishop Becket, in the reign of Henry II. describes cocking as the sport of school-boys, on Shrove-Tuesday. The theatre was the school; And the master was the director of the sport. * « Among the general customs, we must not forget the manly exercises of wrestling and hurling, the former more generally practised in this county than in any part of England, the latter peculiar to it. The Cornish have been remarkable for their expertness in athletic contentions for many ages, as if they inherited the skill and strength of their fabulous first duke Corinaeus, whose fame consists chiefly in the reputation he won by wrestling with, and over- coming the giant Gogmagog: And that fable perhaps was founded five hundred years since upon the then acknowleged and universal reputation of the people of this county for wrestling. But to leave fables ; what should have implanted this custom in such a corner of Britain, and preserved it hitherto in its full vigour, when either never affected at all, or with indifference in other parts of the island, we cannot say ; certain it is the Grecians, who traded hither for tin, and hither onlv, had the highest esteem for this exercise. The arts of the Palaestra were chiefly cultivated by the Lacede- monians, and yet Plato himself among the Athenians was so far from disapproving the exercise, that he recommends it to the practise of old as well as young women, and thinks it proper for them oftentimes to wrestle with men, that thereby they might become more patient of labour, and learn to struggle with the difficulties incident to a warlike state. The ardour for this exercise so prevailed at last, that all Greece devoted their time and inclinations to the gymnasia and patestra, and chose rather to be accounted the most expert wrestlers, than to be celebrated as the most knowing and valiant commanders. Whether the Cornish borrowed this custom from the Grecians, or whatever else was the cause, you shall hardly any where meet with a party of boys who will not readily entertain you with a speci- men of their skill in this profession. Hurling is a trial of skill and activity between two parties of twenty, forty, or any Indeterminate number ; sometimes betwixt two or more parishes, but more usually, and indeed practised in a more friendly manner, betwixt those of the same parish; for the better understanding which distinction, it must be premised, that betwixt those of the same parish there is a natural connexion supposed, from which (cceteris panlusJ no one member can depart without forfeiting all esteem. As this unites the inhabitants of a parish, each parish looks upon itself as obliged to contend for its own fame, and oppose the pretensions, and superiority of its neighbours. It is so termed from throwing or hurling a hall, which is a round piece of timber, (about three inches diameter) covered with plated silver, sometimes gilt. It has usually a motto in the Cornish tongue alluding to the pastime, as Guare wheag, yw Guare teag, that is, fair play is good play. Upon catching this ball dexterously when it is dealt, and carrying it off expeditiously notwithstanding all the opposition of the adverse party, success depends. This exercise requires force, and nimbleness of hand, a quick eye, swiftness of foot, skill in wrestling, strength and breath to persevere in running, address to deceive and evade the enemy, and judgment to deliver the ball into proper hands, as occasion shall offer : In short, a pastime that kindles emulation in the youngest breast, and like this requires so general an exertion of all the faculties of the body, cannot but be of great use to supple, strengthen, and particularly tend to prepare it for all the exercises of the camp,” Bor last, pp. 299, 300, 301. + The famous festival of Hockeday has been the subject of much conjecture. In the Teutonic language, hockzeit is particularly applied to a wedding-feast: And to this day the German word for a wedding is hockzeit. At the celebration of the feast at the wedding of a Danish lord Canute Prudan with lady Githa, the daughter of Osgot