Not farre from thence, Tintogel, more famous for his antiquite,
then regardable for his present estate, abbutteth likewise on the sea;
yet the ruines argue it, to haue beene once, no vnworthie dwelling
for the Cornish princes. The cyment wherewith the stones were layd,
resisteth the fretting furie of the weather, better then themselues.
Halfe the buildings were raised on the continent, and the other halfe
on an Iland, continued together (within mens remembrance) by a
drawe-bridge, but now diuorced, by the downefalne steepe Cliffes,
on the farther side, which, though it shut out the sea from his
wonted recourse, hath yet more strengthened the late Iland: for,
in passing thither, you must first descend with a dangerous declyning,
and then make a worse ascent, by a path, as euerie where narrow,
so in many places, through his sticklenesse occasioning, and through
his steepnesse threatning, the ruine of your life, with the failing
of your foore. At the top, two, or three terrifying steps, giue you
entrance to the hill, which supplieth pasture for sheepe, and conyes:
Vpon the same, I saw, a decayed Chappell, a faire spring of water,
a Caue, reaching once, by my guides report; some farre way vnder
ground, and (which you will perhaps suspect of vntruth) an Hermites
graue, hewen out in the rocke, and seruing each bodies proportion
for a buriall.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372