land and waded thorow the Sea to discouer all the creatures therein insensible sensible the course of method summoneth me to discourse of the reasonable to wit the Inhabitants and to plot downe whatsoeuer noteworthily belongeth to their estate reall and personall and to their gouernment spirituall and temporall Vnder their reall state I comprise all that their industrie hath procured either for priuate vse or entercourse and trasfike In priuate life there commeth into consideration their Tenements which yeeld them sustinance and their houses which afford them a place of abode Euerie tenement is parcell of the demaynes or seruices of some Mannor Commonly thirtie Acres make a farthing land nine farthings a Cornish Acre and foure Cornish Acres a Knights fee. But this rule is ouerruled to a greater or lesser quantitie according to the fruitfulnesse or barrennesse of the soyle That part of the demaines which appertaineth to the Lords dwelling house they call his Barten or Berton The tenants to the rest hold the same either by sufferance Wil or custome or by cōuention The customary tenaut holdeth at Wil either for yeeres or for liues or to them and their heires in diuers manners according to the custome of the Mannour Customarie Tenants for life take for one two three or more liues in possession or reuersion as their custome will beare Somewhere the wiues hold by widdowes estate and in many places when the estate is determined by the Tenants death and either to descend to the next in reuersion or to returne to the Lord yet will his Executor or Administrator detaine the land by the custome vntill the next Michaelmas after which is not altogether destitute of a reasonable pretence Amongst other of this customarie Land there are seuenteene Mannours appertaining to the Duchie of Cornwall who doe euerie leuenth yere take their Holdings so they terme thē of certain Comissioners sent for the purpose haue continued this vse for the best part of three hundred yeeres through which they reckon a kind of inheritable estate accrued vnto them But this long prescription notwithstanding a more busie then well occupied person not long sithence by getting a Checquer lease of one or two such tenements called the whole right in question and albeit God denyed his bad minde any good successe yet another taking vp this broken title to salue himselfe of a desperate debt prosecuted the same so far forth as he brought it to the iutty of a Nisiprius Hereon certayne Gentlemen were chosen and requested by the Tenants to become suiters for stopping this gap before it had made an irremediable breach They repayred to London accordingly and preferred a petition to the then L. Treasurer Burleigh His L. called vnto him the Chauncellour and Coife Barons of the Exchequer and tooke a priuate hearing of the cause It was there manifestly prooued before them that besides this long continuance and the importance as that which touched the vndooing of more then a thousand persons her Highnesse possessed no other lands that yeelded her so large a benefit in Rents Fines Heriots and other perquisites These reasons found fauourable allowance but could obtaine no thorough discharge vntill the Gentlemen became suppliants to her Maiesties owne person who with her natiue supernaturall bounty vouchsafed vs gratious audience testified her great dislike of the attempter gaue expresse order for stay of the attempt since which time this barking Dogge hath bene musled May it please God to award him an vtter choaking that he neuer haue power to bite againe Herein we were beholden to Sir Walter Raleghs earnest writing who was then in the Countrey to Sir Henry Killigrews sound aduice and to Master William Killigrews painefull soliciting being the most kinde patrone of all his Countrey and Countreymens affaires at Court. In times past and that not long agoe Holdings were so plentifull and Holders so scarce as well was the Land-lord who could get one to bee his Tenant and they vsed to take assurance for the rent by 2. pledges of the same Mannour But now the case is altred for a farme or as wee call it a bargaine can no sooner fall in hand then the Suruey Court shal be waited on with many Officers vying reuying each on other nay thei are taken mostly at a ground-hop before they fall for feare of comming too late And ouer and aboue the old yerely rent they will giue a hundred or two hundred yeeres purchace and vpward at that rate for a fine to haue an estate of three liues which summe commonly amounteth to ten or twelue yeeres iust value of the land As for the old rent it carrieth at the most the proportiō but of a tenth part to that whereat the tenement may be presently improued somewhere much lesse so as the Parson of the parish can in most places dispend as much by his tithe as the Lord of the Mannour by his rent Yet is not this deare setting eueriewhere alike for the westerne halfe of Cornewall commeth far short of the Easterne and the land about Townes exceedeth that lying farther in the Countrey The reason of this enhaunsed price may proue as I gesse partly for that the late great trade into both the Indies hath replenished these parts of the world with a larger store of the Coyne-currant mettals thē our anceltours enioyed partly because the banishment of single-liuing Votaries yonger mariages then of olde and our long freedome from any sore wasting warre or plague hath made our Countrey very populous and partly in that this populousnes hath inforced an industrie in them and our blessed quietnes giuen scope and meanes to this industrie But howsoeuer I ayme right or wide at this once certayne it is that for these husbandry matters the Cornish Inhabitants are in sundry points swayed by a diuerse opinion from those of some other Shires One that they will rather take bargaines at these excessiue fines then a tolerable improued rent being in no sort willing to ouer a penny for they reckon that but once smarting and this a continuall aking Besides though the price seeme very high yet mostly foure yeeres tillage with the husbandmans payne and charge goeth neere to defray it Another that they fal euery where from Commons to Inclosure and partake not of some Easterne Tenants enuious dispositions who will sooner preiudice their owne present thrift by continuing this mingle-mangle then aduance the Lords expectant benefit after their terme expired The third that they alwayes preferre liues before yeeres as both presuming vpon the Countries healthfulnesse and also accounting their family best prouided for when the husband wife and childe are sure of a liuing Neither may I without wrong conceyle the iust commendation of most such wiues in this behalfe namely when a bargaine is so taken to these three it often falleth out that afterwards the sonne marieth and deliuereth his yeruing-goods as they terme it to his father who in lieu thereof
must either craue or take leaue of the Londoners to lay open the hard dealing of their Tynne Marchants in this trade WheÌ„ any Western Gent. or person of accompt wanteth money to defray his expences at London he resorteth to one of the Tynne Marchants of his acquaintance to borrow some but they shall as soone wrest the Clubbe out of Hercules fist as one penie out of their fingers vnlesse they giue bond for euerie twentie pound so taken in lone to deliuer a thousand pound waight of Tyn at the next Coynage which shal be within two or three months or at farthest within halfe a yeere after At which time the price of euerie thousand will not faile to be at least twentie three prehaps twentie fiue pound yea and after promise made the party must be driuen with some indignitie to make three or foure errands to his house or hee shall get the money deliâ—ered In this sort some one Marchant will haue 5. hundred pound out beforehand reaping thereby a double commoditie both of excessiue gaine for his lone and of assurance to bee serued with Tynne for his money This they say is no Vsurie forsooth because the price of Tynne is not certainely knowne before-hand for once onely within these twelue yeeres of set purpose to escape the penaltie of the Law they brought it a little vnder twentie pound the thousand but if to take aboue fiftie in the hundred be extremitie whatsoeuer name you list to giue it this in truth can bee none other then cutthroate and abominable dealing I will not condemne all such as vse this trade neither yet acquite those who make greatest pretence of zeale in Religion and it may be that some vpon by-respects find somwhat friendly vsage in Vsance at some of their hands but the common voice saith that for the most part they are naught all And yet how bad soeuer this fashion may iustly bee accompted certaine of the same Countrymen do passe farre beyond it as thus The Marchant that hee may stand assured to haue Tynne for his money at the time of Coynage or deliuerance besides his trade of lone abouementioned layeth out diuers summes before-hand vnto certaine Cornishmen owners of Tynworkes or otherwise of knowne sufficiencie who are bound to deliuer for the same so many thousands of Tynne as the money shal amount vnto after the price agreed vpon at the Coynages To these hungrie flies the poore labouring Tynner resorteth desiring some money before the time of his pay at the deliuerance the other puts him off at first answering he hath none to spare in the end when the poore man is driuen through necessitie to renew his suite he fals to questioning what hee will doe with the money Saith the Tynner I will buy bread and meate for my selfe and my houshold and shooes hosen peticoates such like stuffe for my wife and children Suddenly herein this owner becomes a pettie chapman I will serue thee saith he hee deliuers him so much ware as shall amount to fortie shillings in which he cuts him halfe in halfe for the price and foure nobles in money for which the poore wretch is bound in Darbyes bonds to deliuer him two hundred waight of Tynne at the next Coynage which may then bee worth fiue pound or foure at the verie least And as mischiefe still creepes onward this extreme dealing of the London Marchant and Countrie chapman in white Tynne is imitated or rather exceeded by the wealthier sort of Tynners themselues in the blacke by laying out their money after thus much the marke which trade though subtill and darke I will open as plainely as I can A foote of blacke Tynne as is before said containeth in measure two gallons the waight vncertainely followeth the goodnesse A foote of good Moore-tyn which is counted the best sort will way about fourescore pound Of the Myne Tynne which is meaner fiftie two pound of the worst fiftie pound Two pound of good blacke Tynne being melted will yeeld one of white twentie eight or thirtie foote of the best fortie of the middle 52. of the meanest a thousand Now the wealthier sort of Tynners laying out part of their money beforehand buy this black Tynne of the poore labourers after so much the marke that is looke how many markes there are in the price made at the Coynage for the thousand so many two pence halfepenie three pence or foure pence partly after the goodnesse and partly according to the hard conscience of the one and necessitie of the other shal he haue for the foote as if the price be twentie sixe pound thirteene shillings foure pence the thousand therein are fortie markes then shall the poore Tynner receiue of him who dealeth most friendly for euerie foote of his best blacke tynne of which as was said about thirtie will make a thousand fortie times foure pence viz. thirteene shillings and foure pence which amounteth to twentie pound the thousand whereas that foote at the price is worth aboue fiue pence the marke Likewise will hee pay for the meaner blacke Tynne of which about fortie foote will make a thousand three pence the marke which is ten shillings the foote and so shall he haue also after twentie pound for the thousand for the worse they giue lesse rateably By which proportion how vncertaine soeuer the goodnesse of the Tynne or the greatnesse of the price do fall their gaine of a fourth part at least riseth alwaies vncertainly Whereto adding that they lay out beforehand but a portion of the money due and that onely for some small time you shall find it grow to the highest degree of extremitie But whether it proceedeth from this hard dealing or for that the Tynners whole familie giue themselues to a lazie kind of life and depend only vpon his labour and gaynes which often ill succeeding aduentures such ouer-deare bought Tynne daylie impaire or from both these together once it hath beene duly obserued that the parishes where Tynne is wrought rest in a meaner plight of wealth then those which want this dammageable commoditie and that as by abandoning this trade they amend so by reuiuing the same they decay againe whereas husbandrie yeeldeth that certayne gaine in a mediocritie which Tynneworkes rather promise then performe in a larger measure Let vs now examine what course of Iustice is held for deciding such controuersies as befall in Tinne causes and with what priuileges they are endowed and encouraged After such time as the Iewes by their extreame dealing had worne themselues first out of the loue of the English Inhabitants and afterwards out of the land it selfe and so left the Mines vnwrought it hapned that certaine Gentlemen being Lords of seuen tithings in Blackmoore whose grounds were best stored with this Minerall grewe desirous to renew this benefit and so vpon suit made to Edmond Earle of Cornwal sonne to Richard king of the Romans they obtayned from him a Charter vvith sundrie Priuileges amongst
vvhich it vvas graunted them to keepe a Court and hold plea of all actions life lymme and land excepted in consideration vvhereof the sayd Lords accorded to pay the Earle a halfpeny for euery pound of Tynne which should be wrought and that for better answering this taxe the sayd Tynne should bee brought to certayne places purposely appointed and there peized coyned and kept vntill the Earles due were satisfied Againe the Lords of these Tithings were for their parts authorised to manage all Stannerie causes and for that intent to hold Parliaments at their discretion and in regard of their labour there was allotted vnto them the toll-Tynne within those Tithings which their successours doe yet enioy This Charter was to be kept in one of the Church steeples within those Tithings and the Seale had a Pick-axe and Shouell in faultier grauen therein This I receiued by report of the late master William Carnsew a Gentleman of good qualitie discretion and learning and well experienced in these mynerall causes who auouched himselfe an eye-witnesse of that Charter though now it bee not extant Howbeit I haue learned that in former time the Tynners obtained a Charter from king Iohn and afterwards another from king Edward the first which were againe expounded confirmed and inlarged by Parliament in the fiftieth yeere of Edward the third and lastly strengthened by king Henrie the seuenth King Edward the firsts Charter granteth them liberty of selling their Tynne to their best behoofe Nisi saith he nos ipsi emere voluerimus Vpon which ground certaine persons in the Reignes of K. Edward 6. Queene Marie sought to make vse of this preemption as I haue beene enformed but either crossed in the prosecution or defeated in their expectation gaue it ouer againe which vaine successe could not yet discourage some others of later times from the like attempt alleadging many reasons how it might proue beneficiall both to her Highnesse and the Countrie and preiudiciall to none saue onely the Marchants who practised a farre worse kind of preemption as hath beene before expressed This for a while was hotely onsetted and a reasonable price offered but vpon what ground I know not soone cooled againe Yet afterwards it receiued a second life and at Michaelmas terme 1599. the Cornishmen then in London were called before some of the principal Lords of her Maiesties Council and the matter there debated by the Lord Warden in behalfe of the Countrie and certaine others deputed for the Marchants who had set this suite on foote In the end it grew to a conclusion and Articles were drawne and signed but they also proued of void effect Last of all the said Lord Warden in the beginning of Nouember 1600. called an assembly of Tynners at Lostwithiel the place accustomed impanelled a Iurie of twentie foure Tynners signified her Maiesties pleasure both for a new imposition of sixe pound on euerie thousand that should bee transported ouer and aboue the former fortie shillings and sixteene shillings alreadie payable as also that her Highnesse would disburse foure thousand pound in lone to the Tynners for a yeres space and bee repayed in tynne at a certaine rate By the foreremembred ancient Charters there is assigned a Warden of the Stanneries who supplieth the place both of a Iudge for Law and of a Chauncellour for conscience and so taketh hearing of causes either in Forma iuris or de iure aequo Hee substituteth some Gentlemen in the Shire of good calling and discretion to be his Vice-Warden from whome either partie complainant or defendant may appeare to him as from him a case of rare experience to the Lords of the Councill and from their Honours to her Maiesties person other appeale or remoouing to the common law they gaynsay The Gayle for Stannery causes is kept at Lostwithiel and that office is annexed to the Comptrolership The Tynners of the whole shire are deuided into foure quarters two called Moores of the places where the Tynne is wrought viz. Foy moore and Blacke moore the other Tiwarnaill and Penwith To each of these is assigned by the L. Warden a Steward who keepeth his Court once in euery three weekes They are termed Stannery Courts of the latine word Stannum in English Tynne and hold plea of whatsoeuer action of debt or trespasse whereto any one dealing with blacke or white Tynne either as plaintife or defendant is a party Their maner of triall consisteth in the verdict giuen by a Iurie of sixe Tynners according to which the Steward pronounceth iudgement He that will spare credit to the common report shall conceiue an ill opinion touching the slippings of both witnesses and Iurours sometimes in these Courts For it is sayd that the witnesses haue not sticked now and then to fasten their euidence rather for seruing a turne then for manifesting a truth and that the Iurours verdict hath sauoured more of affection then of reason especially in controuersies growne betweene strangers and some of the same parts And such fault-finders voutch diuers causes of this partialitie One that when they are sworne they vse to adde this word my conscience as the Romans did their Ex animi meisententia which is suspected to imply a conceyted enlargement of their othe Another that the varietie of customes which in euery place welneere differ one from another yeeldeth them in a maner an vnlimited scope to auerre what they list and so to close the best Lawyers mouth with this one speach Our custome is contrary And lastly that they presume vpon a kind of impunity because these sixe mens iuries fall not within compasse of the Star-chambers censure and yet the L. Wardens haue now then made the pillory punishment of some a spectacle example and warning to the residue For mine owne part I can in these Tynne cases plead but a hearesay experience and therefore will onely inferre that as there is no smoke without a fire so commonly the smoke is far greater then the fire Strange it were and not to be excepted that all poore Tynne Iurours and witnesses should in such a remote corner alwayes conforme themselues to the precise rule of vprightnesse when we see in the open light of our publike assises so many more iudicious and substantiall persons now and then to swarue from the same In matters of important consequence appertayning to the whole Stannery the L. Warden or his Vnder-warden vseth to impannell a Iury of foure and twenty principall Tynners which consist of sixe out of euery quarter returnable by the Maiors of the foure Stannery townes and whose acts doe bind the residue Next to the liuelesse things follow those which pertake a growing life and then a feeling The women and children in the West part of Cornwall doe vse to make Mats of a small and fine kinde of bents there growing which for their warme and well wearing are carried by sea to London and other parts of the Realme and serue to
on heapes in pits at the cliffe side and so conuerted the same to a kind of wood but the noy some fauour hath cursed it out of the countrey This Floteore is now and then found naturally formed like rufs combs and such like as if the sea would equall vs in apparel as it resembleth the land for all sorts of liuing creatures The sea strond is also strowed with sundry fashioned coloured shels of so diuersified and pretty workmanship as if Nature were for her pastime disposed to shew her skilin trifles With these are foūd moreouer certain Nuts some what resembling a sheepes kidney saue that they are flatter the outside consisteth of a hard darke coloured rinde the inner part of a kernell voyd of any paste but not so of vertue especially for women trauayling in childbirth if at least old wiues tales may deserue any credit If I become blame-worthy in speaking of such toyes Scipio and Lelius shall serue for my patrons who helde it no shame to spend time in their gathering But to carie you from these trifles you shall vnderstand that Cornewall is stored with many sorts of shipping for that terme is the genus to them all namely they haue Cock-boats for passengers Sayn-boats for taking of Pilcherd Fisher-boates for the coast Barges for sand Lighters for burthen and Barkes and Ships for trafficke of all which seuerally to particularize were consectari minutias and therefore I will omit to discourse of them or of the wrackes proceeding from them to their great dammage and the finders petty benefit to whom he that in ioyeth the Admirals right by the common custome alloweth a moytie for his labour But though I shunne tediousnesse herein I feare lest I shal breede you Nauseam while I play the fishmonger and yet so large a commoditie may not passe away in silence I will therefore with what briefnes I can shew you what they are when they come where they haunt with what baite they may be trayned with what engine taken and with what dressing saued Herein we will first begin with the Peall Trowt and Sammon because they partake of both salt and fresh water breeding in the one and liuing in the other The Trowte and Peall come from the Sea betweene March and Midsummer and passe vp into the fresh ryuers to shed their spawne They are mostly taken with a hooke-net made like the Easterne Weelyes which is placed in the stickellest part of the streame for there the fish chiefely seeketh passage and kept abroad with certaine hoopes hauing his smaller end fastned against the course of the water and his mouth open to receiue the fish while he fareth vp by night The Sammons principall accesse is betweene Michaelm as and Christmas for then and not before the ryners can afford them competent depth A time forbidden to take them in by the Statute thirteene of Richard the second but if they should bee allowed this priuiledge in Cornwall the Inhabitants might vtterly quit all hope of good by them for the rest of the yeere They are refettest that is fattest at their first comming from the Sea and passe vp as high as any water can carrie them to spawne the more safely and to that end take aduantage of the great raynie flouds After Christmas they returne to the Sea altogether spent out of season whome as the spring time commethon their fry doe follow and it hath beene obserued that they as also the Trowt and Peall haunt the same ryuers where they first were bred Vpon the North coast and to the Westwards of Foy few or none are takē either through those ryuers shallownesse or their secret dislike To catch them sundrie deuices are put in practise one is with the hooke and line where they vse Flies for their baite another with the Sammon speare a weapon like Neptunes Mace bearded at the points With this one standeth watching in the darke night by the deepe pooles where the Sammons worke their bed for spawning while another maketh light with a waze of reed The Sammon naturally resorteth to the flame playing in and out and there through is discerned strooken and drawne on land by a cord fastned to the speare The third and more profitable meanes of their taking is by hutches A head of Fagots or stones is made acrosse theryuer and his greatest part let out through a square roome therein whose vpper side giueth passage to the water by a grate but denieth it to the fish and the lower admitteth his entrie thorow certaine thicke laths couched slope-wise one against another but so narrowly as he can find no way of returne while the streame tosseth him hither and thither and the laths ends gall him if he stumble on the place They vse also to take Sammons and Trowts by groping tickling them vnder the bellies in the Pooles where they houer vntill they lay hold on them with their hands so throw them on land Touching these one scribling of the ryuer Lyner rymed as ensueth THe store-house of Sunnes cheuisance The clocke whose measures time doth dance The Moones vassall the Lord of chance Oceanus Ereyeeres compasse his circle end From bugie bosome where they wend His scaly broode to greete doth send His wife Tellus Some haile but with the coasting shore Some multiplie the Harbours store Some farre into the ryuers bore Amongst therest A threefoldrowt of Argus hew Kind to encrease foes to eschew With Lyners supple mantle blew Themselues reuest What time enricht by Phoebus rayes The Alder his new wealth displayes Of budded groates and welcome payes Vnto the Spring The Trowts of middle growth begin And eygall peizd twixt either finne At wonted hoste Dan Lyners Inne Take their lodging Next as the dayes vp earely rise In com's the Peall whose smaller sise In his more store and oft supplies A praise doth find Lastly the Sammon king of fish Fils with good cheare the Christmas dish Teaching that season must relish Each in his kind And of the Sammon in particular Now to the Sammon king of fish a trice Against whose state both skill and will conspire Paine brings the sewell and gaine blowts the fire That hand may execute the heads deuice Some build his house but his thence issue barre Some make his meashie bed but reaue his rest Some giue him meate but leaue it not disgest Some tickle him but are from pleasing farre Another troope com's in with fire and sword Yet cowardly close counterwaite his way And where he doth in streame mistrustiesse play Vail'd with nights robe they stalke the shore aboord One offers him the daylight in a waze As if darknesse alone contriued wiles But new Neptune his mate at land the whiles With forked Mace deere school's his foolish gaze Poore Fish not praying that art made a pray And at thy natiue home find'st greatest harme Though dread warne swiftnesse guide and strength thee arme Thy neerenesse greatnesse goodnesse thee betray In
Now from within harbour we will launch out into the deepe and see what luck of fish God there shall send vs which so you talke not of Hares or such vncouth things for that proues as ominous to the fishermā as the beginning a voyage on the day when Childermas day fell doth to the Mariner may succeed very profitable for the coast is plentifully stored both with those fore-remembred enlarged to a bigger size diuers other as namely of shelfish Sea-hedge-hogs Scallops Sheath-fish Of flat Brets Turbets Dornes Holybut Round Pilcherd Herring Pollock Mackrell Gurnard Illeck Tub Breame Oldwife Hake Dogfish Lounp Cunner Rockling Cod Wrothe Becket Haddock Guilt-head Rough-hound Squary Scad Seale Tunny and many others quosnunc c. The Sheath or Rasor-fish resembleth in length and bignesse a mans finger and in taste the Lobster but reputed of greater restoratiue The Sea-hedge-hogge of like or more goodnesse is enclosed in a round shell fashioned as a loafe of bread handsomely wrought and pincked and garded by an vtter skinne full of prickles as the land Vrchin But the least fish in bignes greatest for gaine and most in number is the Pilcherd they come to take their kind of the fresh as the rest betweene haruest and Alhallontyde and were wont to pursue the Brit vpon which they feede into the hauens but are now forestalled on the coast by the Drouers and Sayners The Drouers hang certaine square nets athwart the tyde thorovv which the schoell of Pilchard passing leaue many behind intangled in the meashes When the nets are so filled the Drouers take them vp clense them and let them fall againe The Sayners complayne vvith open mouth that these drouers worke much preiudice to the Common-wealth of fishermen and reape thereby small gaine to themselues for say they the taking of some few breaketh and scattereth the whole schoels and frayeth them from approaching the shore neither are those thus taken marchantable by reason of their brusing in the meash Let the crafts-masters decide the controuersie The Sayne is in fashion like that within harbour but of a farre larger proportion To each of these there commonly belong three or foure boates carrying about sixe men apeece with which when the season of the yeere and weather serueth they lie houering vpon the coast and are directed in their worke by a Balker or Huer who standeth on the Cliffe side and from thence best discerneth the quantitie and course of the Pilcherd according whereunto hee cundeth as they call it the Master of each boare who hath his eyestill fixed vpon him by crying with a lowd voice whistling through his fingers and wheazing certing diuersified and significant signes with a bush which hee holdeth in his hand At his appointment they cast out their Net draw it to either hand as the Schoell lyeth or fareth beate with their Oares to keepe in the Fish and at last either close and tucke it vp in the Sea or draw the same on land with more certaine profit if the ground bee not rough of rockes After one companie haue thus shot their Net another beginneth behind them and so a third as oportunitie serueth Being so taken some the Countrie people who attend with their horses and paniers at the Cliffes side in great numbers doe buy and carrie home the larger remainder is by the Marchant greedily and speedily seized vpon They are saued three maner of wayes by fuming pressing or pickelling For euery of which they are first salted and piled vp row by row in square heapes on the ground in some seller which they terme Bulking where they so remaine for some ten daies vntil the superfluous moysture of the bloud and salt be soked from them which accomplished they rip the bulk and saue the residue of the salt for another like seruice Then those which are to bee ventred for Fraunce they pack in staunch hogsheads so to keepe them in their pickle Those that serue for the hotter Countries of Spaine and Italie they vsed at first to fume by hanging them vp on long sticks one by one in a house built for the nonce there drying them with the smoake of a soft and continuall fire from whence they purchased the name of Fumados but now though the terme still remaine that trade is giuen ouer and after they haue bene ripped out of the bulk reffed vpon sticks washed they pack them orderly in hogsheads made purposely leake which afterward they presse with great waights to the end the traine may soke from them into a vessell placed in the ground to receyue it In packing they keepe a iust tale of the number that euery hogshead contayneth which otherwise may turne to the Marchants preiudice for I haue heard that when they are brought to the place of sale the buyer openeth one hogs-head at aduentures and if hee finde the same not to answere the number figured on the outside hee abateth a like proportion in euery other as there wanted in that The trayne is well solde as imployed to diuers vses and welneere acquiteth the cost in sauing and the sauing setteth almost an infinite number of women and children on worke to their great aduantage for they are allowed a peny for euery lasts carriage a last is ten thousand and as much for bulking washing and packing them whereby a lusty huswife may earne three shillings in a night for towards the euening they are mostly killed This commoditie at first carried a very lowe price and serued for the inhabitants cheapest prouision but of late times the deare sale beyond the seas hath so encreased the number of takers and the takers iarring and brawling one with another and for closing the fishes taking their kind within harbour so decreased the number of the takē as the price daily extendeth to an higher rate equalling the proportion of other fish a matter which yet I reckon not preiudiciall to the Common-wealth seeing there is store sufficient of other victuals and that of these a twentieth part will serue the Countries need and the other nineteene passe into forraine Realmes with a gainefull vtterance The Sayners profit in this trade is vncertayne as depending vpon the seas fortune which hee long attendeth and often with a bootlesse trauaile but the Pilcherd Marchant may reape a speedy large and assured benefit by dispatching the buying sauing and selling to the transporters within little more then three moneths space Howbeit diuers of them snatching at wealth ouer-hastily take mony beforehand and binde themselues for the same to deliuer Pilcherd ready saued to the transporter at an vnder-rate and so cut their fingers This venting of Pilcherd enhaunced greatly the price of cask whereon all other sorts of wood were conuerted to that vse and yet this scantly supplying a remedie there was a statute made 35. Eliz. that from the last of Iune 1594. no stranger should transport beyond the seas any Pilcherd or other fish in cask vnlesse hee
of mind and body as well ancient as present and then their degrees and recreations succeed to be surueyed The first Inhabitants or Aborigenes as the Paynims held resembled those whō our stories affirme Brute to haue found here at his landing huge of body rough of liuing sauage of conditions whome an old Poet desciphered in certaine verses which I receiued of my particular kind friend and generally well-deseruing Countreyman M-Camden now Clarentieulx which he since hath published Titanibus illa Sed paucis famulosa domus quibus vda ferarum Terga dabant vestes cruor haustus pocula trunci Antralares dumeta thoros caenacula rupes Praeda cibos raptus venerem spectacula caedes Imperium vires animos furor impetus arma Mortem pugna sepulchrarubus monstrisque gemebat Monticolis tellus sed eorum plurima tractus Pars erat Occidui terror maiorque premebat Tefuror extremum Zephiri Cornubialimen Which sound thus in English This was the Titans haunt but with No plenty did abound Whom beasts raw hides for clothing seru'd For drinke the bleeding wound Cups hollow trees their lodging dennes Their beds brakes parlour rocks Prey for their food rauine for lust Their games life-reauing knocks Their Empire force their courage tage A headlong brunt their armes Combate their death brambles their graue The earth groan'd at the harmes Of these mount-harbour'd monsters but The coast extending West Chiefe foyson had and dire dismay And sorest fury prest Thee Cornwall that with vtmost bound Of Zephire art possest But afterwards the Cornishmen through the conuersation offortaine Marchants trading into their countrey for Tyn by the testimony of Diodorus Siculus grew to a larger measure of ciuility then others their fellow but more remoted Ilanders Frō which ciuility in the fruitful age of Canonizatiō they stepped a degree farder to holines helped to stuffe the church kalender with diuers Saints either made or borne Cornish Such was Keby son to Solomō prince of Cor such Peran who if my author the Legend lyenot after that like another Iohannes de temporibus he had liued two hundred yeres with perfect health tooke his last rest in a Cornish parish which therethrough he endowed with his name And such were Dubslane Machecu Manclunum who I speake vpon Math. of Westm. credit forsooke Ireland thrust themselues to sea in a Boat made of three Oxe skinnes and a halfe with seuen daies victuall and miraculously arriued in Cornewall Of Cornish men whose industrie in learned knowledges hath recommended their fame to their posterity these few as yet are onely come to my notice Iohn of Cornwall a student at Rome and other places in Italy wrote of the Incarnation of Christ against Peter Lumbard and dedicated the same to Pope Alexander the third by whom he was highly fauoured Simon Thurnay after he had out-gone all the Oxford schollers in prophane learning sayth the commendably paynefull Antiquarie and my kind friend Master Hooker passed from thence to Paris and there so profited in the study of diuinitie that he attayned the chiefest place amongst the profound Sorbonists But it was a windy knowledge that thus filled his sayles of glory which grew at last so to tempest his wittes as he held Aristotle superiour to Moses and Christ and yet but equall to himselfe But this extreame surquedry forfeyted his wittes so as at last they could not serue him to know any letter in the booke or to remember ought that he had done In King Henry the thirds time liued Michael of Cornwall admirable as those dayes gaue for his variety of Latine rimes who maintayned the reputation of his Countrey against Henry de Abrincis the Kings Arch-Poet but somewhat angerly as it seemeth by these verses against the said de Abrincis Est tibi gamba capri crus Passeris latus Apri Os leports catuli nasus dens gena muli Frons vetule tauri caput color vndique Mauri His argumentis quibus est argutia mentis Quod non a Monstro differs satis hic tibi monstro Walter of Exon a Franciscane Frier of Carocus in Cornwall at the request of Baldwin of Exon de formed the Historie of Guy of VVar wick Godfrey surnamed of Cornwall was about that time a cunning Schoole-man and Diuinitie Reader in Paris VVilliam de Grenefild from the Deanry of Chichester stepped to the Chauncellorship of England and Archbishoprick of York vnder K. E. the first In Ed. the seconds daies one Geffrey of Cornwall is remembred for a writer Iohn Treuisa a Cornishman liued in R. the 2. raigne translated diuers books into English King Henry the fift not vnmindfull of the ciuiller Arts amongst his Martiall exployts founded an Vniuersitie at Caen in Normandie appointed Michael Tregury of Cornwall for his rare gifts in learning to bee Gouernour thereof In Henry the sixts time Iohn Skewish compiled certaine abbridgements of Chronicles and the warres of Troy King Henry the 7. promoted Iohn Arundel for his learning to the sea of Excester Neither is Thomas Triuet to bee forgotten as a writer though he haue grauē his memory in a fairer letter by building the costly bridge at Bridge-water of which sometimes he was Lord. Within our remembrance Cornwall hath bred or harboured Diuines graced with the degree of Doctorship Moreman Tremayn Nichols and Rolls Bachelers Medhope Stowel Moore Denis Of Preachers the shire holdeth a number plentifull in regard of other shires though not competent to the full necessitie of their owne all commendably labouring in their vocation though not endowed with an equal ability to discharge the same In the Ciuil law there liued of late Doctor Kennals now doth Doctor Carew one of the ancientest masters of the Chauncerie in which calling after his yonger yeres spent abroad to his benefit he hath reposed himselfe Bachelers there are Carnsew Kete Denis Barristers at the Common law Chiuerton Tremayne Skawn Michel Moyle Courtnay Tub Treffry Sayer These testifie the honesty of their cariage by the mediocrity of their estate and if they will giue me leaue to report a iest doe verify an old Gentlemans prophesie who said that there stood a man at Polston bridge the first entrance into Cornwall as you passe towards Launceston where the Assizes are holden with a blacke bill in his hand ready to knock downe all the great Lawyers that should offer to plant themselues in that Countie In earnest whether it be occasioned through the coūtries pouerty or by reason of the far distance thereof frō the supremer Courts or for that the multiplicity of petty ones neere at hand appertaining to the Duchy Stannary and Franchises doe enable the attourneyes and such like of small reading to serue the peoples turne and so curtall the better studied Counsellours profiting once certayne it is that few men of Law haue either in our time or in that of our forefathers growne heere to any supereminent height of