Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-09-01
ODD WILL CAUSED QUAINT CUSTOM
TO BE OBSERVED IN TOWN
OF ST. IVES.
A BOUNTY ON CHILDREN.
John Knill Ordered That Ten Maidens
Dance Around His Mausoleum and
Notables Dine at His Expense.


treasurer of Gray's Inn. The Enill fes-
tival, says the Pail Mail Gazette, is one
Of the quaintest OF Cornish celebrations.
and hundreds of residents in tine western
part Of the county travel to the town of
81. Ives and accompany the curious pro-
cesSion through the streets ana cross a
gorse covered moor to the great granite
obe,lSh which was built as mausoleum
more than 10 years ago.
Every tourist who has Jramped along
the cins which frame ST. Ives bay and
every stranger who has Travelled over the
most picturesque bit of railway line in
the west countryside five miles between
st. Firth junction and St, lves-has
probably asked the history of the pyra
mid which stands out boldly against the
skyline on the crest of the hill which
dominates the fishing town; and he has
been told with Il smile, that he had bet
ter come down again to see the fun on
Knill's day. His interrogation may have
elected some further vague story of "a
dinner for the mayor and the parson
and "a premium on children but the
true inwardness of the festival he VIII
only get locally in vague terms and with
some amount of supereilious unconcern.
Story OF John Knill.
John Knill lawyer, customs officer
cal agent and mayor, owed much to his
devotion to the political interests of that
Duke of Buckingham who, at the end OF
the Eighteenth century, became lord
lieutenant of Ireland, but he seems to
have had ideas and aspirations of his
own, for after many years of public serv-
ice he took up his residence in London,
became a bencher of Gray's inn in 1904,
filled the office of treasurer two years
i0f and ci0no Iizad hic tanura nf thot
office by presenting Il silver coffee pot in
scribed in Latin to the bench. Most of
his active service was, however, per-
formed in the little Cornish town which
at that time was merely a fishing viii
lage, in a county whose coves and bays
afforded shelter to the runner" of silks
and spirits from the coast of France.
AT the age of 80 Knill accepted what
was at that time the very responsible
post of collector of customs at St. Ives,
and for twenty years he continued to
keep a watchful eye on the revenues of
the crown. The twelve months succeed
ing his retirement from that post found
him on an expedition to Jamaica, a spe-
cial tour of inspection on behalf of the
government; then he returned to his post
at st. Ives, and appears to have con-
ceived during this latter residence his
quaint scheme Cor perpetuating his mem
DRY. lie had been elected mayor of
the borough in the year before the
mausoleum was built, had commanded
company of volunteers and had, with
the consent of the government, equipped
small vessels to act as privateers against
smugglers, and on the outbreak Of war
between France and America he had
fitted out fleet of privateers.
Wills Odd Provision.
The erection of the mausoleum was a
protest against the then prevailing prac-
tice of interring the dead within the BODY
of the church whose walls are washed bv
the waves. for in letter to Mr.. Praed--
name which has many associations
with the parliamentary history of St.
lyes-knlll told his friend that he lab
horred the practice" and that 1.-THE
churchyard is already too small for the
people, The pyramid under which he
meant to be buried was built in courses
OF hewn stone, and an arch constructed
III the base gave entrance to the cavity,
which was only of sufficient size to admit
of one body. This archway was walled
up, and from that time to this present
year of grace this wall has never been
broken. John Knill was buried in Lon
don.
The quaint ceremony is the strict car
rying out of the terms of a deed of trust
which this strange man executed some
years before his death. John Knill in
this deed. which was drawn by a brother
barrister of Gray's inn, Mr.. Ritson.
settled upon THE mayor and capital bur-
gesses of the borough of st. ives and
their successors forever" an annuity of
RIO to be paid out of the manor of Gin
Wan. in the parish of Mawgan, near St
Coiumb, in the town hall of St Ives. at
IL O'Clock ut noon on the Feast of the
Nativity of St John Midsummer dayl in
every year, and in default to be levied by
distress on the said manor. The said
t10 is to be paid to the mayor. the col
lector Of customs and the clergyman Of
the parish, to be deposited by them in n
chest secured by three locks, of which
each is 10 have key and the box left In
the custody of the mayor.
Prizes for Children.
Then these curious provisions continne.
AT the end of every Iive years on the fe,s+
day of st. James the Apostle f25 shall no
expended follows:
Ten pounds in dinner for the mayor
cOliector or customs aud clergyman, ana
two friends to be invited by each of them
making n party of nine persons, to dine al
some tavern in the town
Five pounds to be divided equally among
ten maidens, natives of the 6orouph oud
daughters of seamen. fishermen or timers
each OF them not exceeding 10 years of age
VINO snail, between 10 and II O'Clock in the
forenoon of that day, dance for n quarter of
an hour at least on the ground adioinjur
the mausoleum. and after the dance sing
the Tooth Psalm to the fine old tune TO
which the same Is sung in St Ives church
One pound TO fiddler who shall play to
the girls.
Two pounds to two widows. 81 years or
upward, who shall accompany the dancine
and singing of the girls aud certify TO the
trustees that the ceremonies had been duly
performed.
enc pound for white ribbons for the girls
and widows. and a cOckade for the fiddl n
to be worn GA that day and on the Snpdax
following.
One pound for an account book, and for
coping the accounts
Five pounds to clan and wife, widower
nr widow, 90 years of age or upward-tbe
man being an inhabitant of ST Iyes-who
shall have bred to the age Of 10 or upward
the greatest number OF legitimate children
without Tarochial assistance
More Curious Clauses.
There is second section of the trust
which has some further curious clauses
1t is prescribed that when certain sum