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Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 788, 11 April 1910, Page 5

Of all, the quaint customs in tbia Western land (says the ''Daily News'.'i, probably the quaintest was .witnessed early in February. Some r ten mjlta east of Penzance is Godolpbin House, once, the seat of.the Bai-ls Godolphin, and; now the property of the Duke.bf Leeds; A high'lordship is paid , by the Duke of Leeds to., the head of .the St. Aubyn family as reeve of'the manor. The obligation had an interesting beginning. Some two or three hundred jears ago the respective heads of the houses ,of St. Aubyn and Godolphin were sitting together out of doors, when oneof them picked up two.snails; and,, passing one to, his ' friend, suggested that tho snails should, race across fcKo table for a wager, the stakes to be the estate of each party. .Tins was.agreed to. Godolphin's snail did not mate satisfactory progress, so he'pricked it with a pin to urge it forward. The' snail shrunk into its shell, and refused to mov«, and Godolphin' lost. It ia said St. Aubyn did not press the matter, but claimed an annual levy, to be paid before sunrise on Candlemas Day, This year, just before daybreak, a party drove np to the fine old house, and the reeve's representative, knocking at the heavy door three times, said: "0 yes! 0 yes! 0 yes I Here comes the reeve of the manor of Lambourne. to demand my lord's just dues, eight groats and a penny in money, a loaf, a cheese, a collar of brawn, and a jack of the best beer in the house. , .God save the King and the lord of Hie.manor." This was repeated ( at the inner door, and tho reeve then gravely collected two and ninepeace, and the Vhole party sa± down to breakfast in the fine carved oak hall, where ' Cbaries the Sqconi? j)nce dined. . 1