290 THE CORNWALL COAST striving to seize and carry it to his own goal. In this contest, when any individual having posses- sion of the ball found himself overpowered or out- run by his opponents, he hurled it to one of his own side, if near enough, or if not into some pool, ditch, furze, brake, garden, house, or other place of concealment, to prevent his adversaries getting hold of it before his own company could arrive." It is clear that hurling somewhat resembled football as anciently played in England and Scotland between parish and parish. In old times the ball was pro- vided by the corporations of the different localities ; we read in the St. Ives parish accounts for the year 1639 : " Item for a Silver Bole that was brought to towne, 6s. 6d." On such balls was often inscribed the Cornish motto, Crum^e teag yu guare wheag — "Fair play is good play." A curious method of forming sides, in the past, was to set all the Toms, Williams, and Johns on one side, while their neighbours of other Christian names were ranged against them ; from whence came the rhyme — ' ' Toms, Wills and Jans, Take off all on the sands." But even St. Ives seems now to have abandoned the old sport, and it is limited to these parishes of St. Columb. Cornwall now devotes itself, and very successfully, to our customary football. The two Columb churches are both interesting, that of St. Columb Minor having the second highest tower in Cornwall. Forth Island is really a por- tion of the Glendorgal estate, the home of the late Sir Richard Tangye, who did so much for the preservation of local antiquities. Just beyond is
