Mr. Joseph Maynard, that such as did 'inhabitare montes
gibberosos,' were called Gubbings, such will smile at the in-
genuity who dissent from the truth of the etymology.

"I have read of an England beyond Wales, but the Gub-
bings land is a Scythia within England, and they pure heathens
therein. It lieth nigh Brent. For in the edge of Dartmoor it
is reported that, some two hundred years since, two bad women,
being with child, fled thither to hide themselves; to whom
certain lewd fellows resorted, and this was their first original.
They are a peculiar of their own making, exempt from bishop,
archdeacon, and all authority, either ecclesiastical or civil.
They live in cots (rather holes than houses) like swine, having
all in common, multiplied without marriage into many hun-
dreds. Their language is the dross of the dregs of the vulgar
Devonian; and the more learned a man is, the worse he can
understand them. During our civil wars no soldiers were
quartered upon them, for fear of being quartered amongst them.
Their wealth consisteth in other men's goods; they live by
stealing the sheep on the moors; and vain is it for any to
search their houses, being a work beneath the pains of any
sheriff, and above the power of any constable. Such is their
fleetness, they will outrun many horses; vivaciousness, they
outlive most men; living in an ignorance of luxury, the ex-
tinguisher of life. They hold together like bees; offend one,
and all will revenge his quarrel.

"But now I am informed that they begin to be civilised,
and tender their children to baptism, and return to be men,
yea, Christians again. I hope no civil people amongst us will
turn barbarians, now these barbarians begin to be civilised." ¹

With which quip against the Anabaptists of his day, Fuller
ends his story; and I leave him to set forth how Amyas, in
fear of these same Scythians and heathens, rode out of Ply-
mouth on a right good horse, in his full suit of armour, carrying
lance and sword, and over and above two great dags, or horse-
pistols; and behind him Salvation Yeo, and five or six north
Devon men (who had served with him in Ireland, and were
returning on furlough), clad in head-pieces and quilted jerkins,
each man with his pike and sword, and Yeo with arquebuse
and match, while two sumpter ponies carried the baggage of
this formidable troop.

They pushed on as fast as they could, through Tavistock,
to reach before nightfall Lydford, where they meant to sleep;

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