Page:The ancient language, and the dialect of Cornwall.djvu/192

172 Furry-song. The song of the Furry-day, for which consult Cornish Histories. It is noticed here because of the ^yords " with Hahintow, Rumbelow ! " which by Polwhele are written thus, ^^With Halantow, Jolly rumble 0. Sir John Stoddart in his learned treatise on Grammar" in the Encyclopoedia Metro- politana, says, But the old Scottish and EngHsh " Heve and How," and ^' Eumbelow," is singular enough to be cited : — " With hey and how ! rohumbelow ! The young folk wer full bold. " Perils to the Play. " They rowede hard, and sungge ther too, With Heuelow ! and rumbeloo." Richard Ccear de Lion, "Your maryners shall synge aro^Ye, Hey how ! and rumbylowe." Squyre of lowe degree. Furry day. A Cornish custom from time immemorial, is to hold a festival on the 8th of May at Helstone. Anciently at Penryn on the 3rd of May; at the Lizard, near the beginning of the century, on the 1st of May; and also in the parish of Sithney. Dreiv's Hist of Cornwall. It is generally supposed that this was an institution of pagan origin, designed to celebrate the return of spring. Polwhele says, that to suppose Furry to be a corrup- tion of Flora "is a vulgar error." "Furry is derived from the old Cornish word Fer, a fair or jubilee." It