LISKEARD— THE LIZARD representatives. In 1620 the great lawyer Sir Edward Coke was elected; and in 1774 Edward Gibbon was asked one morning if he would like to enter the House. He con- sented, and the electors of Liskeard were duly instructed to return him. He seems to have had no dealings whatever with his constituency. In 1643 a battle was fought on Braddoc Down between the Roundhead Ruthven and the loyal Hopton. Hopton was completely victorious, taking over a thousand prisoners ; and soon afterwards Liskeard was twice visited by the king in person. He slept at a house in Barras Street. Liskeard has a public hall, and a free library, and is a clean comfortable little town, remaining about stationary in population ; but the population of its rural district showed an immense decrease at the late census. In this parish is Doublebois, which need not be mentioned here save for the sake of a curious example of name-corruption. The people have converted its good old Norman-French name into Dubwalls. THE LIZARD is a name that strictly applies only to the Lizard Point, but has been generously given to the whole district, almost insular, from Helston to the Helford River. The more correct name for the northern end of the district is Meneage (probably from men, a stone). One ancient manuscript gives it the name of Silva Nemea. The word Lizard is explained as Lis-avth, the " lofty court " or palace. This headland, the Ocrinum of the ancients, has 163
