“Cornish observances with regard to the Sun and Moon” from Stories and folklore of west Cornwall (1880) by William Bottrell.

Only a few years ago elderly farmers of the Land’s End district commenced the breaking of grass land with a sort of religious solemnity, to bring it into its three years’ course of tillage. On entering the field, the cattle, attached to the plough, were turned towards the west; and the ploughman saying, “ In the name of god let’s begin,” proceeded with the course of the Sun to “break ground” by turning a few yards of sod in that direction; afterwards the field might be ploughed towards any point that was convenient.

The same rite was observed by some on beginning to plough an arable field; and when they commenced to sow a few handfuls of grain were cast round with the same formality from east to west, for luck. Following the Sun’s course in several other kinds of work was also regarded as a means of ensuring success.

Dairywomen always place their pans of milk so that they shall be skimmed, in turn, going with the Sun, or from left to right. The scalded of clouted cream, for making butter, being placed in a shallow tub, is stirred round with the hand, or a wooden peel in the direction of the Sun’s course; if turned in a reverse manner, butter cannot be properly made so it is believed. Young people dance round the Midsummer’s bonfire in the same order; if any of them take the wrong course it is believed, or at least said, they will die unmarried. When the bonfire has burned sufficiently low, old and young leap through the flames towards the place of the setting Sun.

In the spring, people visit a Pellar as soon as there is “twelve hours’ Sun,” to have “their protection renewed,” that is, to be provided with charms; and the wise man’s good offices to ward off, for the ensuing year, all evil influences of beings who work in darkness. The reason assigned for observing this particular time is, that “when the Sun is come back the Pellar has more power to Goode” (do good).

In curing diseases, charms are worked against the Sun to backen the complaint. Rickety children bathed in a holy well on the three Wednesdays in May, are dipped thrice and taken round the spring as often against the Sun’s course. For the cure of boils or eruptions, the afflicted crawl nine times from east to west, under a bramble, rooted at both ends. Many other examples might be given of practices regarding the Sun, but are much to the same effect.

One may notice a remarkable belief, however, that if a person, by false swearing, compasses the life of another, the Sun is thereafter invisible to the perjured one. This idea is so well known that to hint at a person’s inability to behold the Sun is regarded as a great insult.

An observance with regard to the Moon may be here mentioned. Most folks are acquainted with a practice called “washing in a dry dish,” for the cure of warts and other ailments. To get rid of warts on hands they are shown the Moon nine times on three successive nights before full Moon; and thrice afterwards, on three following nights. On each occasion the patient, or rather the supplicant looks from the Moon to his hands, and from his hands to the Moon - whilst rubbing them together as if washiing them – and holds them towards the moon nine times, saying:-

“I wash my hands in this thy dish,

O, Man in the Moon, do grant my wish,

And come take away this.”

For the cure of various other ailments this charm is worked in much the same way. The above-mentioned remnants of Zabaism are suggestive of Phoenician tin-traders’ connection with old Bellerion.

There are many ancient beliefs and practices with respect to the Moon still lingering in West Cornwall, which seem to be almost forgotten elsewhere. The following are a few examples amongst many.

Herbs for drying, to be used in fomentation, or for other medicinal purposes, are gathered at full of the Moon; when winter’s fruit should also be picked and sorted, in order that it may retain its plumpness. Elderly persons prefer to sow their garden seeds and others during the Moon’s first quarter, from the idea that they will then germinate quicker and grow stronger than on the decrease.

Timber should be felled on the “bating” (last quarter) of the Moon, because the “sap is then down,” and the wood will be more durable.

When the old iron “chills” (lamps) were in general use, rushes for making “provans” (wicks) were cut at the full Moon, because it was believed that they were then fuller of pith and less liable to shrink than if cut at other times.

Old gentlemen who wore their hair long behind, or in “pigtails or queues,” and other persons as well, of that day, were very particular about having their heads trimmed at the time of full Moon, that their hair might grow the more luxuriantly.

The first money taken of a market-day is still frequently spit on for good luck; and if silver, kept for luck-money, to be shown to the next new Moon, and turned three times towards the person who shows it. Three wishes are made whilst showing the money, which the wisher turned three times from the Moon towards himself.

It is considered unlucky to get the first sight of a new Moon through glass, and many persons go out of doors purposely to see her for the first time, when they hold towards her a piece of silver to ensure their success whilst that Moon lasts. Those who offer this kind of adoration to Luna are mostly provided with a crooked sixpence, which they call a pocket-piece, and wear as a means to retain good luck. This observance of showing money to the new Moon is, probably, a vestige of an ancient rite with the worship of the Moon.

Another belief, which still holds good, is that when a child is born in the interval between an old Moon and the first appearance of a new one, it will never live to attain puberty. A recent observation confirms this as well to animals as children. Hence the saying of “no Moon no man.” Other popular notions, among old folks, are that when a boy is born on a waning Moon the next birth will be a girl, and vice versa; they also say that when a birth takes place on the “growing of the Moon,” the next child will be the same sex. Many of these fancies, however, may be astrological notions, handed down from ancient times and common to many places. Here much of such lore has been learnt from Sibley’s “Treatise on the Occult Sciences,”* which is the oracle of our western astrologers; though they seldom let their study of that and similar works be known for fear of the ridicule with which it is now the fashion to regard such pursuits.