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From Gentility, we wil descend to ciuility, which is or should be in
the townesmen.  Those in Cornwall do no more by nature, then others
elsewhere by choyce, conceiue themselves an estranged society from
the vpland dwellers, and cary, I will not say a malice, but an
emulation against them, as if one member in a body could continue his
wel-being without a beholdingnes to the rest.  Their chiefest trade
consisteth in vttering their petty marchandises, & Artificers labours
at the weekly markets.  Very few among them make vse of that
oportunity, which the scite vpon the sea proffereth vnto many, for
building of shipping, and traffiking in grosse: yet some of the
Easterne townes piddle that way, & some others giue themselues to
fishing voyages, both which (when need requireth) furnish her
Maiesties nauy with good store of very seruiceable Mariners.

There are (if they be not slaundered) that hunt after a more easie
then commendable profit, with little hazard, and (I would I could
not say) with lesse conscience.  Anno 32. H. 8. an act of Parliament
was made for repayring, amongst others, the Borough townes of
Launceston, Liskerd, Lostwithiel, Bodmyn, Truro, and Helston
in Cornwall, but with what fruit to their good, I cannot relate.

Within late yeeres memorie, the sea-coast Townes begin to proclaime
their bettering in wealth, by costly encrease of buildings; but those
of the Inland, for the most part, vouch their ruined houses, and
abandoned streets, as too true an euidence, that they are admitted
no partners in this amendment.  If I mistake not the cause, I may
with charitie inough wish them still the same fortune: for as is
elsewhere touched, I conceyue their former large peopling, to haue
bin an effect of the countries impouerishing, while the inuasion of
forraine enemies draue the Sea-coast Inhabitants to seeke a more safe,
then commodious abode in those Inland parts.

Strangers occasioned to trauaile through the shire, were wont, no
lesse sharply then truly, to inueigh against the bad drinke, course
lodging, and slacke attendance which they found in thosehouses that
went for Innes: neither did their horses better entertainment, proue
them any welcomer ghests then their masters: but in stead of remedy,
they receyued in answere, that neither such an outcorner was
frequented with many wayfarers, nor by hanging out signes, or
forestalling at the Townes end, like the Italians, did they inuite
any; and to make great prouision vpon small hope of vtterance, were
to incurre a skorne-worthy losse, seeing Aspettare, & non
venire (saith the same Italian) is one of the tre cose da morire.

Touching the Yeomanarie of Cornwall, I can say little, worth the
observing, for any difference from that of other shires, and therefore
I will step downe the next staire to husbandmen.

These in times not past the remembrance of some yet liuing, rubbed
forth their estate in the poorest plight, their grounds lay all in
common, or onely diuided by stitch-meale: little bread-corne: their
drinke, water, or at best, but whey: for the richest Farmour in a
parish brewed not aboue twyce a yeere, and then, God wotte what
liquor: their meat, Whitsull, as they call it, namely, milke, sowre
milke, cheese, curds, [67] butter, and such like as came from the cow
and ewe, who were tyed by the one legge at pasture: their apparell,
course in matter, ill shapen in maner: their legges and feet naked
and bare, to which sundrie old folke had so accustomed their youth,
that they could hardly abide to weare any shooes; complayning how it
kept them ouer hote.  Their horses shod onlie before, and for all
furniture a pad and halter, on which the meaner countrie wenches of
the westerne parts doe yet ride astride, as all other English folke
vsed before R. the 2. wife brought in the side saddle fashion
of straw.

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