COENTJBXANA. 77 



Keverne. In these days of general white-washing, it is inter- 

 esting to notice that a local authority transfers the " personee " 

 to an eastern and western giant {i.e. from the eastern to western 

 parts of Cornwall), and that there is some slight local evidence, 

 if it may be called so, in favour of the transference, by the fact 

 that on the opposite side of the road, where the stones used to 

 lie, there is a stepping stone now torn from its resting-place, and 

 lying on the wayside turf, with an irregular depression, which 

 is known by the name of the giant's-stride stone. The 

 stones themselves are known by the name of the Tre-Men-Everne 

 stones — the dwelling place of the stone of Everne. When I 

 first knew them, they were reduced in number from seven to 

 three, and now to one. It is said that this one was removed by 

 a farmer to build a hedge, and it brought such trouble on him 

 that he replaced it. This is the stone, I fancy, that is said to 

 dance when it hears St. Germoe church bells ring. The material 

 of the stone is schorl rock, and the locality whence it was said to 

 have been brought is Crousa Downs in the parish of St. Keverne. 

 But after a systematic investigation of Crousa Downs, with Mr. 

 Gregg, not a vestige of such is to be found, only diallage. It 

 is clear that as the material of the stones is different, a false 

 charge has been brought against St. Keverne, and that he must 

 be pronounced innocent after all these years of incrimination. 

 The stone, if it be the identical one, lies just beyond an erection 

 made by a Mr. James, a lawyer, some ninety years ago, and 

 called by him from its situation " Mount Pleasant." The legend 

 is, that if the stones be removed by day, they will return by 

 night. This has been contradicted by the fact that out of the 

 seven stones removed, only one has returned. 



There is, however, a still more striking fact in connection 

 with this legend. According to an edict of Queen Elizabeth, 

 the churches without sacramental plate were to be provided 

 with a standing cup and cover, the latter to serve as a paten 

 for the bread. Now, that St. Keverne church was provided with 

 the standing cup is clear, as the cover, which was inseparable 

 from it, in gift, is still found amongst the altar vessels of St. 

 Keverne. It is of silver, of the usual shape, with the inscrip- 

 tion " Saynt Keverne, 1576." Its companion, the chalice, has 

 completely disappeared — an uncommop. occurrence. By whom 



