Page:The Cornwall coast.djvu/141

THE LIZARD TO HELSTON 135 that was formerly here has been removed. In the chancel is an inscription to the memory of Thomas Flavel, vicar, who died in 1682, being well known locally as a ghost-layer. Such duties were at one time a recognised part of a clergy- man's vocation. The epitaph of this reverend exorcist is quaint enough to bear quotation : — " Earth, take mine earth, my sin let Satan havet. The World my goods; my Soul my God who gavet ; For from these four — Earth, Satan, "World and God, My flesh, my sin, my goods, my soul, I had." There is a ballad of Goethe's (" De Zauberlehr- ling") which tells how a magician's apprentice, who had learned enough of his master's craft to be dangerous to himself, once succeeded in raising spirits during the wizard's absence, but was quite unable to dismiss them. A similar tale is told of Flavel's servant-maid. During her master's absence at church she unwarily opened one of the books in his study, " whereupon a host of spirits sprung up all round her. Her master discovered this, though then occupied at church, closed his book and dismissed the congregation. On his return home he took up the book with which his servant had been meddling, and read backwards the passage which she had been reading, at the same time laying about him lustily with his walking- cane ; whereupon all the spirits took their depar- ture, but not before they had pinched the servant- girl black and blue." It is said that this parson used to charge five guineas for laying troublesome ghosts ; but as there are no longer ghosts at Mullion, it is not advisable to attempt a revival of the business. Nor are there smugglers, though