the old Celtic superstitions as to cross-roads may have something to do with the hauntedness' of the spot. The old Market House, erected in the fifteenth century, was a picturesque old building, with a penthouse around the wall on the outside. There were no windows on the side facing the church; but right opposite the George and Dragon Inn was a deep window possessing very weird associations. It was through this window that Mary Bryant beheld the supernatural vision above related, and it was to this window that the professional ghost-layers used to banish the unruly sprites which they exorcised. And there, after dark, they shrieked and jabbered in their prison, in a manner that was perfectly shocking. A gentleman who died quite recently informed the writer that his father, when a boy, one night saw Mr. James Wallis, a renowned ghostlayer, exorcising spirits in the Market-place, with a candle, a book, and a bell, which was rung by a boy in attendance. My informant's father took to his heels with fright, and did not wait to watch the ceremony. This James Wallis, who was the last of the professed ghostlayers, was also a renowned will-maker, though not a lawyer. He was also a maker of sun-dials; one which bears his name, and the date 1790, may be seen on the wall of an old house, facing the spectator as he ascends Barnoon from the Market-place. In 1832 the old Market House disappeared, and the restless ghosts along with it. On the west side of Fore Street, near the church, is an old house with a small square courtyard of quaint aspect. The quadrangular messuage which encloses this yard was, in the last century, an inn, known as the Globe, and, still later, as The Tap-house.' When first built this house was the residence of the Edwards family, one of whom, Hugh Edwards, had the misfortune to ride down Trevegia mine-shaft one dark night. His body was recovered and buried inside the church, near the chancel-rails, with his clothes on. About fifty years ago, the Edwards family vault being opened, the remains of the unfortunate Hugh were found; but of his clothes nothing remained except the yellow tops of his riding-boots, which were as good as new. An old woman recently residing at Cardiff said that when quite a child she once slept at The Tap-house,' and at dead of night heard heavy footsteps ascend the stairs, and three smart blows struck on the door of one of the bedrooms, as if with the handle of a riding-whip. Several other persons have related similar experiences of the nocturnal visits of Hugh Edwards to his old home. Between Chy-an-gweal and Lelant village the high-road leads to a group of three or four old houses, and just beyond is bordered by two rows of fine elms, forming a dark lane. This lane is said. to be haunted at night by a phantom coach, furiously driven by the ghost of a lady. Another part of the same road, between Carbis and Lelant, was supposed to be haunted. There is now living in the village of Carbis one who still tells, with genuine agitation, of a ghostly experience that befell her there. She was going home to Carbis from Lelant, one starry summer night, some forty years ago, when she noticed, on the right-hand side of the road, between Longstone and Boskerris Lane, what she at first took to be a prominent furzebush. As she came nearer to it, she saw that it was a man in a tall hat, standing on the hedge. She came opposite to him, and was expecting the usual 'Good evening,' when, to her horror, she saw that he had no face. She could see the hat plainly enough, and the coat and collar, but not a single feature-only blank space where the man's face should have been. A feeling of terror crept over her, and she stood as though rooted to the spot. How long she remained so she could not tell; but gradually the paralyzing horror left her limbs, she gave a leap forward, ran all the rest of the way home, and fainted as soon as she got into safety. Of course she told her friends all about the ghost; but she only got laughed at, until an old local-preacher declared that he had seen a similar apparition near the same place. The Zennor charmers' was a name commonly accorded, not only to the women, but also to the men of this parish. It originated in a traditional belief that the inhabitants of Zennor were largely possessed of magical powers. A Zennor man assured Mr. Hunt that, so great was their power of stopping a flow of blood, that 'Even should a pig be sticked, if a charmer was present and simply thought of his charm, the pig would not bleed.' The charm used was most commonly thus worded: 'Christ was born in Bethlehem, Baptised in the Jordan; The river stood So shall thy blood, Mary Jane Polgrain [or whatever the person may be called] Mr. Hunt gives a curious instance of a test resorted to by a Towednack farmer to discover the thief of certain stolen property. Acting in accordance with the traditions of the old people,' he invited his neighbours into his kitchen, and placed a cock under the 'brandice' (an iron vessel formerly employed in baking over a fire of furze and ferns). Every one had to touch the brandice with his third finger, and say: 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, speak.' The only person who shewed any reluctance to submit to the test was a woman who worked in the fields. She was forced up to the brandice, and had no sooner touched it than the cock crew; whereupon she confessed her guilt and restored the stolen property. CHAPTER XXVI. SURVIVING CUSTOMS. THE flood of innovations which in the last few years has poured into Saint Ives from the outer world, has well-nigh swept away the last lingering vestiges of the many quaint old customs which were peculiar to this town. From time immemorial the practice has obtained of 'throwing the silver ball' at Saint Ives on the feastentide. This is one of the last relics of the ancient Cornish sport of hurling, the best account of which is to be found in Carew's Survey of Cornwall,' and which still prevails in Brittany. Some days before the parish festival the boys used to make a money collection from door to door, and then take the silver to Jasper Williams or some other silversmith, who beat it out and put it round a globe of cork about the size of an orange. In ancient times this ball bore the Cornish inscription, Guare teag yu guare wheag'-' Fair play is good play. The ball is taken onto Porthminster beach, where it is thrown about for a short time. The old rhyme, Toms, Wills and Jans take off all on the sands,' refers to the custom by which persons of the names of Thomas, William and John were pitted. against all others, as a fairly equal division. But this arrangement would not hold good now that Methodism has introduced so many Old Testament names. One of Mr. Hunt's correspondents wrote to him thus, from Saint Ives: 'Hurling the Silver Ball.-This old custom is still observed at St. Ives. The custom is also kept up at St. Columb and St. Blazey on the anniversary of the dedication of the church. St. Ives Feast is governed by Candlemas-day, it being the nearest Sunday next before that day. On the Monday after, the inhabitants assemble on the beach, when the ball, which is left in the custody of the mayor for the time being, is thrown from the churchyard to the crowd. The sides are formed in this way: "Toms, Wills, and Jans, Take off all on the sands " that is, all those of the name of Thomas, John, or William, are ranged on one side, those of any other Christian name on the other; of late years the odd names outnumbered the Toms, Wills, and Jans. There is a pole erected on the beach, and each side strives to get the oftenest at the "goold," i.e., the pole; the other side as manfully striving to keep them out, and to send their opponents as great a distance from the pole as possible. The tradition is, that the contest used to be between the parishes of Ludgvan, Lelant, and St. Ives-St. Ives then being part of the living of Ludgvan-and that they used to have a friendly hurling at Ludgvan, and that afterwards the contest was between Lelant and St. Ives. A stone near to Captain Perry's house is shown where the two parishes used to meet at the feast, and the struggle was to throw the ball into the parish church, the successful party keeping the ball, the unsuccessful buying a new one. St. Ives is said to have outnumbered the Lelant folks, so that they gave up the contest, and the ball was left with St. Ives. This much is certain, that the feasts of St. Ives, Lelant and Ludgvan fall properly on one Sunday; though a misunderstanding has arisen Lelant claiming to be governed by the day before Candlemas-day, which will alter the three every seven years.' Mr. Hunt adds: 'The game of hurling is now rarely played, and the Sabbath is never broken by that or by any other game.' Wrestling, the twin sport of hurling, is also practically obsolete. A note in the manuscript diary of Captain John Tregerthen Short, of Saint Ives, runs as follows: 1820. July 24. A grand Wrestling Match on Longstone Downs. James Halse, Esq., and other gentlemen contributed to the same. July 25. The wrestling ended at a late hour in the evening. The St. Just men carried the day.' The village of Treloyhan was a favourite rendezvous for wrestlers, and their meetings were often attended by the squire's son, the late Mr. John Augustus Stephens, of Tregenna Castle, a great friend of the sport, and himself a wrestler of no mean prowess. A correspondent, whose letter Mr. Hunt prints in full, gives particulars of the ancient custom of 'guise-dancing,' as observed at Saint Ives at Christmas time. For weeks previous the boys were busy preparing the most carnavalesque costumes they could devise. The various choirs practiced their carols, and general pre |