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THE FIRING OF AEWENACK BY THE SPANIARDS. 

 By H. MICHELL WHITLEY, F.G.S., Hon. Sec. 



The burning of Mouseliole by the Spaniards in 1595 is an 

 event well known, and noticed in every History of Cornwall, and 

 although the similar attempt on Marazion by the French in the 

 time of Henry 8th has not attracted so much attention, still 

 mention of it has been made, but no notice seems ever to have 

 been taken of the attempted firing of Arwenack by the Spaniards 

 in the same year as the burning of Mousehole. 



The times of Henry 8th and Elizabeth were times of special 

 insecurity for dwellers in the seaside towns, along the southern 

 coast of England, and many are the traces that remain of 

 piratical descents of the French and Spaniards. In an old 

 churchwarden's account book of the parish of Eastbourne, Sussex, 

 is the suggestive entry : — 



"I gave to the -women that had theire houses burned, and theire husbands 

 slaine, and theire goods taken away, 2s. 6d. 



And if French Pirates swarmed along the English coast, our 

 "G-allants of Foy" and the "Sea Dogs of Devon" were ready 

 enough in reprisals ; and the sight of English sails hovering oflP 

 the sunny coasts of Normandy, carried terror into the hearts of 

 the peasantry. 



"Good folk of village, town and ball 



Who love our French King well, 

 Take heart of courage each and all 



To fight the English fell." 



"Nor pig nor goose in all the land 



Have they left far or wide, 

 Nor fowl nor fowl-house by the strand ; 



God send them eviltide." 



News of an invader or of a piratical descent, was communi- 

 cated by the firing of the beacons, of which so many hills so 

 named exist; and also by the ringing of the "larum" from the 

 church bells ; and to the end that no confusion should exist in 

 their sound, it was ordered that one bell only should be tolled 

 to call the parishioners to church, whilst the alarm was given by 



