Camelford, a market and Fayre (but not faire) towne fetcheth his
deriuation from the riuer Camel, which runneth thorow it, and that,
from the Cornish word Cam, in English, crooked, as Cam, from the
often winding stream. The same is incorporated with a Maioralty,
& nameth Burgesses to the Parliament, yet steppeth little before the
[123] meanest sort of Boroughs, for store of Inhabitants, or the
Inhabitants store.
Vpon the riuer of Camel, neere to Camelford [525.], was that last
dismal battel strooken betweene the noble king Arthur, and his
treacherous nephew Mordred, wherein the one took his death, and the
other his deaths wound. For testimony whereof, the olde folke
thereabouts will shew you a stone, bearing Arthurs name, though now
depraued to Atry.
Master Camden letteth vs vnderstand, that this towne is sometimes
termed Gaffelford: wherethrough we may marke it for the lists of a
great fight betweene the Bretons & Deuonshire men [812.], which
Houeden assigneth to haue bene darrayned at Gauelford, and perhaps
the same, which the said Master Camden voucheth out of Marianus Scotus
[820.
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