Norden, Speculum Britanniae (“Mirror of Britain”) (1610)

The Cornish-men they are stronge, hardye and nymble, so are their exercises violent, two especially, Wrastling and Hurling, sharpe and seuere actiuties; and in neither of theis doth any Countrye exceede or equall them. The firste is violent, but the seconde is daungerous: The firste is acted in two sortes, by Holdster (as they called it) and by the Coller; the seconde likewise two ways, as Hurling to goales, and Hurling to the Countrye.

From John Norden’s chorographical survey of Cornwall, which forms part of his ambitious but incomplete series Speculum Britanniae (“Mirror of Britain”). The Cornwall volume was composed c.1584–1610 and survives in manuscript as British Library, Harleian MS 6252. It was not published in print until 1728, under the title:

Norden, John. Speculi Britanniae Pars: A Topographical and Historical Description of Cornwall. With a Map of the County and Each Hundred. London: Printed by William Pearson, for the editor [Christopher Bateman], 1728. [xvi], 4, [1], 104 pp., plates, maps.

The Cornwall volume was finished in manuscript in 1610 (as Harleian MS 6252) but was not published until 1728. (Wikipedia) For the 1728 printed edition, William Pearson used the royal manuscript as his basis, borrowing the maps — which had been removed and were in the possession of Roger Gale — in order to engrave them for the printed edition. Four copies of the printed edition were produced on vellum alongside approximately 200 copies on paper. (WordPress)

Lowndes observed that although not published until 1728, the Cornwall volume was written in 1610, and in his view drew heavily on Richard Carew’s Survey of Cornwall of 1602, though Norden had probably first visited the county as early as 1584. (christies)