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"The quality, that man and wife Whose chance, or choice, attaines First of this sacred stream to drinke Thereby the mastery gains." St Kayne's Well by Richard Carew, 1603 © Copyright Tony Atkin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence |
"...This mystical well is the subject of the following lines by Southey:
A well there is in the west country,
And a clearer one never was seen
There is not a wife in the west country
But has heard of the well of St. Keyne.
And a clearer one never was seen
There is not a wife in the west country
But has heard of the well of St. Keyne.
An oak and an elm-tree stand beside,
And behind doth an ash-tree grow,
And a willow from the bank above
Droops to the water below.
And behind doth an ash-tree grow,
And a willow from the bank above
Droops to the water below.
A traveller came to the well of St. Keyne,
Joyfully he drew nigh,
For from cock-crow he had been travelling,
And there was not a cloud in the sky.
Joyfully he drew nigh,
For from cock-crow he had been travelling,
And there was not a cloud in the sky.
He drank of the water so cool and clear,
For thirsty and hot was he,
And he sat down upon the bank
Under the willow-tree.
For thirsty and hot was he,
And he sat down upon the bank
Under the willow-tree.
There came a man from the house hard by
At the well to fill his pail
On the well-side he rested it,
And he bade the stranger hail.
At the well to fill his pail
On the well-side he rested it,
And he bade the stranger hail.
"Now, art thou a bachelor, stranger ?" quoth he,
"For an' if thou hast a wife,
The happiest draught thou hast drank this day,
That ever thou didst in thy life.
"For an' if thou hast a wife,
The happiest draught thou hast drank this day,
That ever thou didst in thy life.
Or fast thy good woman, if one thou hast,
Ever here in Cornwall been?
For an' if she have, I'll venture my life
She has drank of the well of St. Keyne."
Ever here in Cornwall been?
For an' if she have, I'll venture my life
She has drank of the well of St. Keyne."
"I have left a good woman who never was here,"
The stranger he made reply,
"But that my draught should be the better for that,
I pray you answer me why."
The stranger he made reply,
"But that my draught should be the better for that,
I pray you answer me why."
"St. Keyne," quoth the Cornishman, "many a time
Drank of this crystal well,
And before the angels summon'd her,
She laid on the water a spell.
Drank of this crystal well,
And before the angels summon'd her,
She laid on the water a spell.
"If the husband of this gifted well
Shall drink before his wife,
A happy man henceforth is he,
For he shall be master for life.
Shall drink before his wife,
A happy man henceforth is he,
For he shall be master for life.
But if the wife should drink of it first,
God help the husband then !"
The stranger stoop'd to the well of St. Keyne,
And drank of the water again.
God help the husband then !"
The stranger stoop'd to the well of St. Keyne,
And drank of the water again.
"You drank of the well I warrant betimes?"
He to the Cornishman said :
But the Cornishman smiled as the stranger spake,
And sheepishly shook his head.
He to the Cornishman said :
But the Cornishman smiled as the stranger spake,
And sheepishly shook his head.
I hasten'd as soon as the wedding was done,
And left my wife in the porch
But i' faith she had been wiser than me,
For she took a bottle to church.""
And left my wife in the porch
But i' faith she had been wiser than me,
For she took a bottle to church.""
Hope 1893
[I have guessed the Keynsham near Bristol (this being closer to Breacknock and Wales), though there does seem to be a possibility there is a Keynsham in Newquay, Cornwall, according to google maps - cant back this up anywhere else though.]
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