lesse yeerly and not of one certaine value the Commissioners obserued this course they did make choice of three seuerall yeeres viz. 47. and 48. and 49 of E. 3. and did take out of the seuerall profits of those yeeres and did cast them all into one summe which they againe diuided into three equall parts esteeming only of the said three parts to be the iust yeerly value of the said reuenewes communibus anâ—iâ— that is one yeere with another And in this accompt we finde no other charges or reprizes allowed then the Iustices fees only This survey and accompt made aboue 200. yeeres past is here inserted to the end it might appeare what the reuenew of this Principallity alone was besides the Dutchy of Cornwall and Earledome of Chester neere the first certaine erection thereof in the hands of that worthy Prince commonly called the Black Prince The said Prince of Wales surnamed the Black Prince being also Duke of Aquitane Guies and Cornwall and Earle of Chester after many fortunate victories atchieued by him hauing subdued a great part of France and hauing taken Iohn the French King prisoner at Poyteers in France and after that also hauing vanquished Henry at Naue-roit in Spaine and restored Peter King of Arragon he died in Iune being then about the age of forty six yeeres and in the fiftieth yeere of the reigne of his father King Edward the Third leauing behinde him Richard his sonne and heire borne at Burdeaux and thereof surnamed Richard of Burdeaux This Richard surnamed of Burdeaux sonne and heire of the said Edward the Black Prince after the death of his father was created by his grandfather King Edward the Third to bee Prince of Wales at Havoring at the Bower in the County of Essex the twentieth day of Nouember in the fiftieth yeere of the reigne of the said King Edward the third the said Richard then being about the age of eleuen yeeres and vpon Christmas day then next following the said King Edward the third caused the said Prince being his Nephew to sit at his table in high estate aboue all his vncles being the Kings sonnes as representing the personage of the heire apparant to the Crowne and gaue to him the two parts of all the said Principalitie Counties Lordships Castles and the most of the said Lands which belonging to the said Blacke Prince and the reuersion of the third part thereof the possession of the third part thereof then being to the mother of the said Prince Richard for her dowry with a hundred thirteene pound sixe shillings eight pence yeerely rent payable by the Earle of March as a fee farme for the Lordship and Lands of Beult and eighty fiue markes for the fee Farme of the Castle Lordship and Land of Montgomery with the vacations of Bishoprickes excepting the fees of the Baron Marches of VVales which doe alwaies hold of the Crowne in Capite and excepting the auoydance of the Bishopricke of S. Dauids in VVales which anciently also belonged to the Crowne with the like limitation of estate viz. To the said Prince Richard his heires Kings of England It seemeth that these Lordships of Beult and Montgomery being formerly granted to Edward the blacke Prince were before this time giuen away in fee farme rendring the rents here spoken of After the death of the said King Edward the Third which was in the 51. yeere of his raigne the kingdome of England descended vnto the said Richard being his grandchilde and he was Crowned King thereof by the name of King Richard the Second and in the three and twentieth yeere of his raigne he resigned his kingdome or rather more truely was deposed against his will and after by a violent death departed this life without issue Henry of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster and Hereford Earle of Darby Leicester and Lincolne sonne and heire to Iohn of Gaunt fourth sonne to King Edward the Third raigning in his stead Henry of Bullingbrooke by the name of King Henry the Fourth by his Charter dated at Westminster the fifteenth day of October in the first yeere of his raigne created Henry his eldest sonne surnamed of Munmouth Prince of Wales and inuested him with the said Princely ornaments viz. the Chaplet Gold-Ring and Rod or Verge of gold To haue and to hold vnto him and his heires Kings of England And by one other Charter of the same date gaue vnto him and to his heires Kings of England the said Principalitie with the Lordships Castles and Lands before mentioned in the Chartermade to the Blacke Prince together with foure Comots in the Countie of Carnaruon viz. the Comots of Isaph Vghaph Nanconeway and Grewthyn not named before and the reuersion of the Lordship of Hauerford with the prices of Wines there and of the Lordships Newyn and Pughby in North-wales which Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester then held for tearme of his life of the demise of King Richard the Second together also with the reuersion of the County and Lordship of Anglesey in North-Wales and the Castle of Bewmarris and the Comots Lands Tenements and Hereditaments belonging thereunto which Henry Percy sonne of the Earle of Northumberland then held for terme of his life of the demise of the said King Henry the Fourth and by an Act of Parliament made in the first yeere of King Henry the Fourth whereby the Dutchie of Lancaster is seuered from the Crowne of England The Stile of the said Prince is declared to be this Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitane of Lancaster and of Cornwall and Earle of Chester For the said King Henry the Fourth hauing beene himselfe Duke of Lancaster before his assumption of the Crowne and knowing that the name of Duke being an inferiour dignity would extinguish and bee surrounded in the Crowne as in the Superiour desired as by that Act of Parliament appeareth not onely to separate the said Dutchie of Lancaster and the lands thereof from the Crowne to the intent he might still hold the said Dutchie as his ancient Patrimony if he were put from the Crowne being but his new acquired dignity but also to preserue the said stile title and name of Duke of Lancaster in his posterity which as the said act affirmeth his Ancestors had so worthily borne and sustained Afterwards the said Henry the Fourth died in the fourteenth yeere of his raigne and the said Henry of Munmouth Prince of Wales succeeded him in the kingdome by the name of King Henry the Fift who also in the tenth yeere of his raigne died leauing Henry his sonne behinde him being an Infant of the age of tenne moneths who by reason of his tender age was not as by any record extant can be proued euer created Prince but was proclaimed King immediately after the death of his father by the name of King Henry the Sixt. King Henry the Sixt by the aduice and counsell of his Lords spirituall and temporall giuen to him in his Parliament holden in the thirtie one
THE HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT and moderne Estate of The Principality of Wales Dutchy of Cornewall and Earldome of Chester Collected out of the Records of the Tower of LONDON and diuers ancient Authors By Sir IOHN DODRIDGE Knight late one of his Maiesties ludges in the Kings Bench. And by himselfe Dedicated to King IAMES of euer blessed memory LONDON ¶ Printed by Tho. Harper for Godfrey Emâ—ndson and Thomas Alchorne M. DC XXX TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY JAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith c. My most dread Soueraigne and Liegelord AMong temporall blessings giuen from God and powred vpon men this is not the least for a man to behold the fruit of his owne body surculum exradice an impe or graffe the Oliue branches about his table the hope of his posterity the image of himselfe and the staffe of his old age The consideration of the want whereof caused that good Patriake out of the bitternesse of his soule to cry and make his complaint vnto his God in these words Behold I goe childlesse and the Steward of my house is Eleazer of Damascus loe to me thou hast giuen no seed wherefore a servant of mine house must bee mine heire But to be furnished with masculine issue and to haue his first borne of that sex to whom the Birthright is due as to the sanctfiied of God and the preseruer of his name and patrimony is a double blessing vnto all men much more vnto Kings the Lords anointed whereby his horne is established his subiects in the middest of the day present do behold the Sunne that shall arise vpon them the day suceeding and haue their hearts setled to say vnto their Soueraine wee and our seed will serue thee and thy seed for euer This made the Propheticall King in the day of his departure to blesse God and say Blessed be the Lord my God who hath caused mine eyes to see this day that one of mine own loynes shall fit vpon my Throne But contrariwise was Achah accursed of whom God said he would not leaue him one mingentem ad parietem threatning as it were by that circumlocution to root out all issue male of Achab that might succeed him And hence it is that all Potentates of the world haue highly respected and aduanced in the eyes of their subiects their heire apparant and giuen and conferred vpon him very high and eminent titles of honor Of the Romans he was called Caesar and Princeps juventutis as the principall of all their hopes in their posterity Of the French he is honored by the name of the Dolphin of that part of the Country being his patrimony And in like manner in this our Country of England the Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester He is next his father the chiefe in the Realme and by course of the ciuill Law is to sit at his right hand in all solemne assemblies of state and honor So that not without reason did King Edward the third King of England place Richard his grandchild and next heire apparant in his solemne feast at Christmas at his table next vnto himselfe aboue all his Vncles being the sonnes of that King and men manifoldly renowned for their prowes and virtue And yet hath not the Prince any Kingly prerogatiues allowed vnto him by the Lawes of this Realme in the life of his progenitors other then such as are due vnto other Noble men that hee might acknowledge himselfe to bee but a subiect and whereof he is put in remembrance euen by the Poesy that he vseth in the old English or Saxon tongues in this forme conceiued Ie dien I am a seruant The due consideration whereof hath caused me by the encouragement of an honorable learned and worthy Councellor my Lord of Buckhurst your Maiesties Lord high Treasurer of England and my very good Lord and being eased therein by the carefull paines and industry of a Gentleman Mr. Richard Connock his seruant in some conuenient method after my rude and vnlearned manner to set downe what the ancient and true estate of his excellency the Lord Prince hath beene what it now is and how impaired and to what estate and dignity by your Maiesties high and Princely wisdome it may againe be reduced Beseeching your highnesse of your accustomed clemency to pardon this my bold attempt and to accept my poore trauels therein with that gratious aspect as you do the manifold gratulations of other your Maiesties louing subiects Your Maiesties loyall and obedient subiect I. D. ABSTRACTS AND ADVERTISEMENTS concerning the Contents of this HISTORIE THe originall and antient estate of Wales before and vntill the Conquest thereof by King Edward the First in the eleuenth yeere of his Raigne Edward of Carnaruon so called because he was born at Carnaruon Castle in VVales and sonne to King Edward the First constituted Prince of VVales and the policy vsed therein by King Edward the First The creation of Edward sirnamed the blacke Prince to be Prince of VVales and the antient manner of the inuesture of the Princes of VVales The strange limitation of the estate of the Lands of the said Principality and the reasons thereof and the difference betweene the Principality of VVales and the Dutchy of Cornewall for the eldest sonne and heire apparant of the King of England is Duke of Cornewall as soone as be is borne or as soone as his father is King of England But he is created Prince of VVales by a speciall creation inuesture and donation of the lands thereunto belonging and not by birth The yeerely value of the reuenues of the Principality of VVales as the same were in the bands of the Prince commonly called the blacke Prince Richard sirnamed of Burdeaux sonne of the said blacke Prince was after the death of his father created Prince of VVales at Hauering at the Bower in the Countie of Essex by E 3. his Grandfather Henry of Munmouth sonne to King Henry the Fourth created Prince of VVales he was afterwards King by the name of King Henry the Fift Edward the sonne of King Henry the Sixt created Prince of VVales and Earle of Chester and for that hee was then very yong there was ordained by an Act of Parliament what allowance should bee made vnto the said Prince for his Wardrobe seruants wages and other necessary expences vntill the said Prince should be of fourteene yeers of age There was also a Counsaile of diuers honourable personages as Bishops Earles and others for the gouernement and direction of the reuenues of the said Prince which dispose the same accordingly with the assent and aduice of the Queene who was also especially appointed in that behalfe Edward the sonne and heire apparant of King Edward the Fourth created Prince of VVales and a Councell of honourable personages allowed to him also for the gouernement of his reuenues and the Lord Riuers Vncle by the mothers side of the
Prince was appointed Gouernour of the Person of the said Prince The creation of Arthure sonne and heire apparant to King Henry the Seuenth to bee Prince of VVales the Copie of the Charter of that creation obserued for the forme and manner of penning thereof and the names of the Councellors that were assigned vnto him After the death of Prince Arthure Henry his brother who was afterwards King Henry the Eight was created Prince of Wales after whose time there are no Charters found of the creation of any Prince of Wales although King Edward the Sixt in the life of his Father and Queene Mary carried the name of Prince generall and the reason why this discourse hitherunto is drawne after an historicall manner After the said historicall discourse Three things are further considered of viz. First in what manner and order the said Principalitie and Marches of Wales were gouerned and directed vnder the Princes of Wales as well before as after the English Conquests thereof wherein by the way are noted the Courts of Iustice of the said principality of Wales the originall of the Baronyes Marchers and when the first Councell was established in the Marches of Wales vnto England and in what manner the same was done and the commodities ensuing thereof which vnion or annexation may serue in some respect as a president in other cases of like consequence The second principall thing proposed is the consideration of the antient and moderne Officers of the said principality seruing the Lord Prince and none others and what fees and sallaries were allowed vnto them The third principall matter is the present reuenues of the principality of Wales as the same was in charge before the Auditors this last yeere past viz. the fortie foure yeere of the late Queene Elizabeth The Dukedome of Cornewall The Dukedome of Cornewall was the first erected Dutchie in England after the Norman conquest and made to be a Dutchie in the eleuenth yeere of King Edward the Third and giuen to his eldest sonne commonly called the blacke Prince who was the first Duke in Cornewall after the Conquest to him and to his first begotten sonnes and heires apparant of the Kings of England and the difference that is betweene the Principalitie of Wales and the said Dutchie At what age of the Duke of Cornewall Liuery may bee made vnto him of the said Dutchy Moreouer touching the said Dutchie of Cornewall three things are considered First what reuenues were bestowed vpon the said Dutchy for the erection thereof both annuall and casuall and the particulars thereof the seuerall natures and differences of them in the construction of the Law together with the Stanneryes and coynage of Tynne and the lawes vsages and customes of the said Stanueryes concerning the managing of Tynne The diuers kindes of Tynners and Tynne and the coynage of Tynne is and for what cause due and payable and the priuiledges that the King and Duke of Cornewall haue in their preemption of Tynne The reuenues of the Dutchie of Cornewall as it is rated by suruey taken in the fifth yeere of King Edward the Third The reuenues of the said Dutchie of Cornewall as it was in the fifteenth yeere of King Henry the Eight The reuenues of the said Dutchie as it was in account vnto the late Queene Elizabeth in the 44. yeere of her raigne which is the last account and the cleere yeerely value thereof as it may be drawne to an estimation annuall appeareth The Countie Palatine of Chester and Flint The third principall reuenue belonging to the Prince as Earle of Chester which Earledome is a Countie Palatine Edward sirnamed the blacke Prince created Earle of Chester by King Edward the Third his Father in the seauenth yeere of the said King Edward the Thirds raigne The totall reuenue of the said Countie Palatine of Chester and Flint as it was in the 44. yeere of the late Queene Elizabeth The antient reuenues of the said Earledome of Chester and Flint as the same were in the fifth yeere of King Edward the Third The reasons why in this History diuers an tiquities not vulgarly knowne are discouered concerning the Principality of VVales Dutchy of Cornewall and Earledome of Chester Inconueniens erit omissis initijs atque origine non repetita atqueillotis vt ita dixerim manibus protinus materiam tractare Ex lege prima DigestoruÌ„ Iuris Ciuilis titulo de origine Iuris THE ANCIENT REVENEWES OF the Lord PRINCE consist of these three kindes The Principality of Wales Dutchie of Cornewall And Earldome of Chester And therefore of euery of these in order as followeth The Principality of Wales THat part of this Island which is called Wales is thought by some learned to be the same which the Romanes hauing reduced this Island vnder their gouernment called Britannia Secunda of some others it is supposed to bee the same that was called by the Romanes Valentia but howsoeuer the truth thereof be it was anciently called by the Brittaines Cambria who diuided the whole Island of Albion into these three parts Loegria Albania and Cambria The Saxons conquering this Island called the said Territorie into the mountaines whereof the remnant of the Britaines that remayned were fled and not to be ouercome by them Wallia and the people Welshmen that is to say vnto them strangers And the other part those Britaines or Welshmen doe yet in their language call the English Saissons or Saxons It was also anciently diuided into three Prouinces or Principalities the first and principall called by them Guyneth or as they haue written in Latine Venedotia viz that which is called North-Wales The second they haue called in Latine Demetia and is that we call South-Wales And the third Powisia or Powisland and euery of these Prouinces were againe subdiuided into Cantreds and euery Cantred into Comots The Records do diuide the same into three parts also Westwales Northwales Southwales The whole Countrey is now allotted into Shires which are thirteen in number and namely these 1 Radnor shire 2 Brecknock shire 3 Munmouth shire 4 Glamorganshire 5 Carmarthenshire 6 Pembrookeshire 7 Cardiganshire 8 Montgomeryshire 9 Merionethshire 10 Caâ—rnaruoushire 11 Denbighshire 12 Flintshire 13 Anglesyshire This Parcell of the said Island called Wales thus possessed by the remnant of those Britaines was no parcell of the dominion of the Realme of England but distinguished from the same as the bookes of the Lawes of this Realme doe testifie and as it were a Realme of it selfe not gouerned by the Lawes of England and was by some of the Saxon Kings diuided from England by a ditch called of the name of the King which caused the same King Offa his Ditch Yet neuertheless was the same Dominion of Wales euer holden in Chiefe and in Fee of the Crowne of England And the Prince thereof being then of their owne Nation compellable vpon Summons to come and appeare in the Parliaments of England and vpon their
Iustice and a Chancery Forests Chaces Parkes Woods Warrens Hundreds Comots c. and all other Hereditaments as well vnto the said Principalitie as vnto the said King in those parts then belonging To have and to hold the same vnto the said Prince and his heires Kings of England This lymitation of Estate of this Principalitie vnto the Prince and his heires Kings of England may seeme strange to our moderne Lawyers For how is it possible that the Kings of England can inherit the Principalitie sithence the Principalitie being the lesser dignitie is extinguished in the Kingly estate being the greater for in Praesentia maioris cessat id quod minus est Forasmuch as the Heire apparant of the Crowne being Prince is presently vpon the death of his auncester Eo instante in himself King and the Principalitie as the lesser not compitable with the Kingdome being the greater But when I consider that this age wherein this Charter was penned was a learned age of Iudges and Lawyers by whose aduice no doubt in a matter of this importance this Charter was penned and this age much commended for exquisit knowledge of the Laws by those learned men that liued in the Succeeding times I cannot but thinke reuerently of Antiquity although I cannot yeeld sufficient reason of their doings therein For I am taught by Iulianus that learned Roman Lawyer Non omnium quae a maioribus constituta sunt ratio reddi potest Wherof also Naratius there yeeldeth a reason Etideo rationes eorum quae constituuntur inquiri non oportet alioquin multa ex ijs quae certa sunt subuerterētur Neuertheles forasmuch as al the Charters in the ages following made to the Prince doe hould the same manner of lymitation of estate I am perswaded some mystery of good policy to lye hidden therein which as I conceaue may be this or such like The Kings of England thought to conferre vpon their Prince and Heire apparant an estate of fee simple in the lands that they bestowed vpon him for a lesser then an Inheritance had not beene answerable to so greate a dignitie And yet they were not willing to giue him any larger estate then such as should extinguish againe in the Crowne when he came to bee King or dyed for that hee being King should also haue the like power to create the Prince ce of his Heire apparant and to inuest him into that dignitie as he being the father was inuested by his Progenitor For the wisdome of the Kings of England was such as that they would not depriue them selues of that honour but that euery of them might make new Creations and inuestures of the Principalitie to their eldest sonne or next succeeding Heire apparant and that those Lands so giuen vnto the Prince might when he was King be annexed knit and vnited againe to the Crowne and out of the Crowne to be of new conferred which could not so haue been if those Lands had been giuen to the Prince and his Heires generalls for then the Lands so giuen would haue rested in the natural person of the Princes after they came to the Kingdome distinct from the Crown Lands might as the case should happen discend to others then those which were his Heires apparant to the Crowne And herein I do obserue a difference between the Principalitie of Wales giuen to the Prince and the Dutchie of Cornwall giuen vnto him For euery Prince needeth and soe hath had a new Creation and Inuesture But he is Duke of Cornewall as soone as he is borne if his Auncester be then King of England and if not he is Duke of Cornwall Eo instante that his father is King of England as shall be more euidently proued hereafter by matter of Record when I shall come to speak of the Dutchy of Cornwall The said King also by another Charter dated the twentieth of September in the said seauenth yeere of his raigne granted vnto the said Prince all arrerages of rents duties accompts stocks stores goods and chattels remaining in all and euery the said parties due or of right belonging vnto the King and thereupon the Prince accordingly was possessed by virtue of these Charters of all these aforesaid It resteth here that we set down the totall annuall value of the said Principality of Wales by itselfe as it appeareth vpon a diligent survey thereof taken in his fiftieth yeere of the reigne of the said King Edward the Third of England and in the seuen thirtieth yeere of his reigne of France The Suruey of the Principality of Wales is drawne out of a long Record and to avoide tediousnesse the value of the Reuenewes of euery County or Shire is here set downe and then the totall of the whole omitting the particulars of euery Manour Lordship Towne or other profit in euery of the said Counties The setting downe whereof at large would haue been exceeding cumbersome and intricate It is therefore in this manner The Prouince of Northwales The summe totall of the Princes reuenewes in the County or Shire of Carnaruon 1134. l. 16. s. 2. d. ob q. The summe totall of the reuenewes of the Prouince in the County of Anglesey 832. l. 14. s. 6. d. ob q. The summe totall of the reuenewes in the County of Merioneth amounteth vnto 748. l. 11. s. 3. d. ob q. The perquisits and profits of the Sessions of the Iustices of Northwales The summe totall of all the former reuenewes in Northwales amounteth vnto 3041 l. 7. s. 6. d. q. Whereof deducted for the yeerly fee of the Iustice of Northwales and so there remained the summe of 3001. l. 7. s. 6. d. q The Prouince of Southwales The summe totall of the yeerly reuenew of the Prince-in the County of Cardigan 374. l. 11. s. 3. d. q. The summe totall of the yeerly reuenew of the Prince arising in the County of Carmarthen 406. l. 1. s. 7. d. The fee farme of Buelt 113. l. 6. s. 8. d. Montgomery 56. l. 13. s. 4. d. Perquisits and profits of the Sessions of the Iustices of Southwales 738. l. 6. s. 9. d. ob Perquisits of the Courts of Hauerford 41. l. 5. s. 3. d. ob The summe totall of the reuenew in Southwales 1730. l. 4 s. 11. d. ob Out of which deducted for the fee of the Iustice of Southwales fifty pounds there then remaineth 1680. l. 4. s. 11. d. q. The totall of all which the reuenewes of the Principality of Wales cast vp in one intire summe together 4681. l. 12. s. 5. d. q. This Survey was made vpon this occasion as it seemeth after the death of the Prince called the Black Prince the Princesse his wife was to haue her dower to be allotted vnto her out of those Reuenewes which could not bee without an extent and suruey thereof first had by Commissioners thereunto appointed And because the yeerly value of the said reuenewes by reason of the sundry casuall profits thereof were more or
same vpon his Minion Pierce de Gaueston but hee being afterwards attainted of Treason and executed the same Earledome was bestowed vpon Iohn sirnamed of Eltam because hee was borne there yonger brother to King Edward the Third who dying likewise without issue it was lastly erected into a Dutchy as hath beene said and conferred vpon Edward afterward surnamed the black Prince in the eleuenth yeere of the raigne of the said King Edward the third his father Therefore the said King Edward purposing to augment the title of his said sonne did in the Parliament holden in the eleuenth yeere of his reigne create not only the said Edward then before made Earle of Chester to be Duke of Cornwall but also to honor that publique proceeding the more did at the same time create diuers and sundry worthy persons and well deseruing to sundry dignities of nobility as by the records extant thereof doth appeare The manner of the first creation of the Duke of Cornwall was very speciall for the said dignity was conferred vnto the said Edward then Earle of Chester and to the first begotten sonnes and heires apparant of him and his heires Kings of England for euer So that it seemeth that the intention thereof was first that none should bee Dukes of Cornwall but such as were eldest sonnes and heires apparant to the Crowne and that when there was any faile of such person then the said dignity should remaine insuspence vntill such son heire apparant againe were extant Secondly that the said sonne and heire apparant without any further solemnity or creation should presently vpon his birth being then heire apparant to the King or from the time that hee is heire apparant to the Kingdome bee also Duke of Cornwall herein much differing from the order of the Principality of Wales which requireth in euery new succeeding Prince a new creation and inuesture and gift of that Principality as hath formerly appeared The truth of this assertion is made most euident by an act of Parliament in the 33. yeere of the reigne of King Henry the 6. the words whereof are these Moreouer the King considering that his said best beloued first begotten sonne at the time of his birth is Duke of Cornwall and ought of right to haue Liuery of the said Dutchy and of all Honors Lordships Signiories Castles Mannors Lands Tenements Rents Possessions Hereditaments with their appurtenances to the said Dutchy belonging or parcell of the same in any wise by the aduice assent and authority c. deliuereth and doth cause to bee deliuered to the said Prince his first begotten sonne the said Dutchy of Cornwall and all Honors Lordships Signiories Castles Mannors Lands Tenements c. with all other things Possessions and Inheritances Profits and commodities with their appurtenances to the said Dutchy annexed vnited pertaining or belonging or parcell of the same in any wise The same was after many likewise verified by the Charter of King Henry the seuenth being the Charter of Liuety made vnto Prince Arthur his sonne whereof some part followeth in these words Hemicus deigratta Angliae Franciae Rex dominus Hiberniae c. Salutem Sciatis quod nos considerantes quod regnum Angliae cuius regni soliâ—â— dei gratia portimur filij primogeniti in ducatu Cornubiae haereditario in perpetuum dicti regni nostriiure sunt successuri atque ex speciali superinde Actu promulgato primo nativitatis suae die maioris atque perfectae praesumitur aetatis fic quod liberationem dicti ducatus eo tum à nobis petere valeant atque de iure obtinere debeant acsi viginti uninius annorum aetatis plene fuissent volentes etiam uti debemus praecharissimo filio nostro primogenito Arthuro ius reddere in nullo eius iure derogare eundemque ducatum Cornubiae cum omnibus singulis suis membris atque iuribus dicto primogenito nostro sicuti caeterorum Principum temporibns bactenus fieri consuevit liberare ex certa scientia mero motu nostro acâ—de advisamento assensu Consilij nostri dedimus concessimus liberamus damusque per praesentes concedimus liberamus pro nobis haeredibus nostris bac praesenti charta nostra confirmavimus eidem filio nostro sub nomine honore Ducis dictiloci castra manneria terras tenementa alia subscripta ut ipse statum honorem ducis dicti ducatus decentius generis sui nobilitatem valcat continuare onera in hac parte incumbentia facilius supportare c. By which is proued not only that the sonne and heire apparant of the Crowne is Duke of Cornwall from his birth or when he is knowne to be sonne and heire apparant but that the King his father is by law to make vnto him liuery of the said Dutchy Lands and the hereditaments thereunto belonging although though he be within the age of one and twenty yeeres as if he were of full and perfect age But to returne againe vnto King Edward the third and to consider the bestowing of the reuenewes of the said Dutchy and the managing thereof for orders sake I shall therein observe these generall things First what reuenewes were bestowed vpon the said Dutchy Secondly the yeerly value of the same aswell of ancient time as of latter yeers And lastly to set downe the particular officers of the said Dutchy aswell ancient as moderne by all which the present state of the said Dutchy may best appeare As concerning the former namely the reuenewes of the said Dutchy as it is obserued that the same doe consist generally of these two kindes first the lands and hereditaments that are annuall and secondly the reuenewes that are casuall The reuenewes annuall are of three kindes first the lands giuen by the Charter made in the eleuenth yeere of King Edward the third and were sometimes the ancient of the said Dutchy Secondly certaine Knights fees and other hereditaments gâ—uen by other letters patents of the same King Edward the third vnto the said Duke which were vnited and annexed by the said latter letters patents vnto the said Dutchy Thirdly and lastly the lands giuen by act of Parliament vnto the said Dutchy and annexed thereunto in liew of other lands that by act of Parliament were afterwards taken from the same againe at sundry times as hereafter shall appeare for in euery of these there is difference of estate and quality The reuenewes annuall giuen by the Charter made by King Edward the third in the eleuenth yeere of his reigne and established for the Dutchy are situate and doe lye first in the County of Cornwall secondly in the County of Devon thirdly in other Shires dispersed within this Realme And first of all in the County of Cornwall are these following County of Cornwall 1 The Castle Mannor and Parke and Borough of Launceston with his appurtenances 2 The Castle and Mannor of Trematon and the Borough of Saltash and the Parke
and if any false and vniust iudgement be giuen in any of the said Courts the party grieued may make his appeale vnto the Lord Warden of the Stanneries who is their superiour Iudge both for law and equity and from him vnto the body of the Councell of the Lord Prince Duke of Cornewall to which Duke the Stanneryes are giuen as by the former charters haue appeared and from them the appeale lyeth to the Kings most Royall person When matters of moment concerning the state of those Mynes or Stanneryes shall come to be questioned or debated there are in euery of the said Counties by the direction of the Lord Warden seuerall Parliaments or generall assemblies of the Tynners summoned whereunto euery Stannery within that Countie sendeth Iurates or Burgesses by whose aduice and consent constitutions orders and lawes are made and ordained touching Tynne causes which being promulged the same doe binde the whole body of Tynners of that Countie as firmely as if the same had beene established in the generall Parliaments of the Realme As touching the persons that deale or entermeddle with Tynne and therefore carry the name of Tynners they are of foure kindes First the owners of the soile where Mynes are found Secondly the aduenturer for Tynne which may haue by the law of Tynners power and disposition of a Myne or Tyn-worke although he be not owner of the soile Thirdly the merchant Broker or Regrator of Tynne which either buyeth to transport out of the Realme or else to regrate and sell againe within the realme And fourthly the Spadiard or Spaliard so called because he liueth by his Spade and is the Myne-worker and labourer for Tynne who commonly in respect of his poore estate is eaten out by the hard and vsurious contracts for Tynne which he is driuen to make with the merchant or regrator For those poore labourers hauing no wages certaine but onely shares in the mynes as the quantity thereof shall arise and being not able to sustaine themselues and their family vntill the Tynne of coynage and Marts for Tynne shall come which are halfe yeerely hee is by necessity compelled for a small summe of money aforehand to enter into bond vnto the Merchant or Regrator of Tynne to deliuer him at the the time of the next ensuing coynage Tynne in value much more then the money he had formerly receiued There are also two kindes of Tynne the one called blacke Tynne which is the Tynne oare broken and washed but as yet not blowne molten or founded into mettall and white Tynne which is the Tynne after that it is founded and moulten into mettall and this is also of two sorts soft Tynne which is best merchantable and hard Tynne which is least merchantable It is not lawfull by the law of Tynners and it is by the ancient Charters of the priuiledges granted by the Kings of England vnto the Tynners expresly forbidden vnder forseiture of the Tynne that no Tynne shall be sold within euery of the said Counties either blacke or white Tynne but onely at two set times of the yeere at places appointed in which places all the vendable Tynne in the said seuerall Counties is brought and there by the Officers of the Duke the same is weighed by a Beame and weights thereto appointed and after the same is coyned with a stampe it is thereupon allowed to be sold and not before for which weighing and stampe commonly called the Coynage there is due to the Lord Prince as Duke of Cornewall the summe of 40. s. for euery thousand weight of Tynne so weighed and coyned which is parcell of the casuall reuenues of the said Dutchie and first granted by King Edward the third vnto the Duke of Cornewall and annexed vnto the said Dutchie by the name of Coynage of Tynne Moreouer not onely the Kings of England in their times but also the Dukes of Cornewall in their times haue had the preemption of Tynne which is a priuiledge belonging and reserued vnto themselues by their Charters of liberties granted vnto the Tynners which appertaineth vnto them as is conceiued by the learned Ratione proprietatis tanquam summis Dominis proprietarijs quam ratione praerogatiuae suae not vnlike that which other Kings haue in forraigne Countries whereof Casaneus thus maketh mention Praefertur princeps in emptione metallorum alledging an imperiall constitution of the Coad for proofe thereof and of which preemption as by some presidents may be proued both the Kings of England and Dukes of Cornewall haue made vse when otherwise they stood in need of money for the managing of their affaires And thus much touching the reuenues of the Countie of Cornewall The whole reuenues vnto Edward the Prince sirnamed the blacke Prince sonne and heire apparant vnto King Edward the Third as by a notable suruey thereof appeareth accounting all profits annuall and casuall as they hapned communibus annis one yeere with the other and as rated 50. E. 3. in manner as ensueth The reuenues of the Dutchie of Cornwall as it was rated by suruey taken 50. E. 3. amounting in the whole without reprises vnto 3415. l. 18. s. 5. d. q. whereof in particular viz. For Cornewall 2219. l. 7. s. 9. d. ob For Deuon 0273. l. 19. s. 5. ob q. In other shires 922. l. 1â— s. 2 d. The summe totall of the whole reuenue of the said Dutchie amounteth vnto 3415 l. 18. s. 5. d. q. The reuenue of the said Dutchie of Cornewall as it appeareth by the accounts of the Receiuer thereof in the fifteenth yeere of King Henry the Eight amounted of cleere yeerely value vnto 10095. l. 11. s. 9. d. q. In particular as followeth Cornewall The issues of the Mannors and Boroughes in the Countie of Cornewall 624. l. 17. s. 2. d. q. The issues of the Hundreds and Hundred-Courts and of the office of the Sheriffe 59. l. 14. s. 2. d. ob The issues of the Stannery Courts in both the Counties of Deuon and Cornewall accounted for by the seuerall Bayliffes of the seuerall Stanneries of the Counties 54. l. 9. s. â— d. The profits of the office of the Hauenour in the said Countie of Cornewall 53. l. 3 d. The profits of the offices of the Feodarie and Escheâ—tor of both the Counties 33. l. 16. s. 10. d. ob Deuon The issues of the Mannors and Boroughes in the Countie of Deuon and of the Chase and Forrest of Dertmore in the said Countie of Deuon 170. l. 14. s. 3 d. ob q The issues of the water of Dartmouth 8. l. The fee Farme of the Citie of Exon and of the Castle there 21. l. 15 s. The issues and profits of the Coynage of Tynne in the said Counties of Deuon and Cornewall in the said 15. H. 8. 2771. l. 3. s. 9. d. q. For white rent which is a dutie payable yeerely by euery Tynner in the County of Deuon and antiently due that is of euery Tynner 8. d. which summe in the whole collected from 424.