Cornwall At the Sinode of Arles in Fraunce there was present one Corinius sonne to Salomon Duke of Cornwall After the abouenamed Octauius his decease Maximianus a Romane who maried his daughter succeeded him also in gouernment betweene whome and the foreremembred Conan grew great warres which concluding at last in a peace Maxim passed with an armie into Fraunce conquered there Armorica naming it little Brittaine and gaue the same in fee to Conan who being once peaceably setled wrote ouer vnto Dionethus or Dionotus Duke or King of Cornwall as Mathew of West termeth him to send him some Maidens whom he might couple in mariage with his people whereon S. Vrsula her companions the 11000. virgins were shipped miscaried as their welknown history reporteth Nicholas Gille a French writer deliuereth vpon the credit of our British Historians that about this time Meroueus a Paynim king of Fraunce caused his owne sonne to be throwne into the fire and burned for that he had slayne the king of Cornwall as he returned from a feast Hee also maketh mention of one Moigne brother to Aurelius and Vter-pendragon Duke of Cornwall gouerner of the Realme vnder the Emperour Honorius Caredoc Duke of Cornwall was employed sayth D. Kay by Octauius about founding the Vniuerfitie of Cambridge And vpon Igerna wife to Gorlois Duke of Cornwall Vter begat the worthy Arthur and a daughter called Amy. This Arthur discomfited in fight one Childerick a king of the Saxons and afterwards vpon certaine couenants suffred him quietly to depart the Realme But Childerick violating the word of a king bound with the solemnity of an othe inuaded estsoones the Westerne coasts harrowing the Country as he passed vntil Cador Earle of Cornwall became Gods Minister to take vengeance of his periury by reauing off his life That Marke swayed the Cornish septer you cannot make question vnlesse you will withall shake the irrefragable authoritie of the round tables Romants Blederic Duke of Cornwall associated with other Welsh kings darrayned a battell against Ethelferd king of the Northumbers by the valiant forgoing of his life got his partners the victory Iuor sonne to Alane king of little Brittaine first wan from the Saxons Cornwall Deuon and Somerset shires by force of armes and then taking to wife Ethelburg cousin to Kentwin king of Westsex enioyed the same by composition Roderit king of the Bretons in Wales and Cornwall vnder whom Bletius was Prince of this last and of Deuon valiantly repulsed Adelred king of Westsex what time he assayled him in Cornwall yet in the end being ouer-matched in number and tired with continuall onsets he was driuen to quit the same and retire himselfe into Wales Polidor Virgill maketh mention of one Reginaldus Comes Britannorum in the time of king Etheldred Dungarth king of Corn by mischance was drowned Alpsius is recorded about this time for Duke of Deuon and Cornwall Orgerius Duke of Cornwall had a daughter named Alfride the fame of whose beauty caused King Edgar to send Earle Athelwold for obtaining her at her fathers hands in mariage But the Earle with the first sight of this faire Lady was so besotted in her loue that preferring the accomplishment of his lust before the duety of his alleageance he returnes answer to the King how the common report far exceeded her priuate worth which came much short of meriting a partnership in so great a Princes bed and not long after begged and obtayned the Kings good wlll to wed her himselfe But so braue a lustre could not lye long concealed without shining foorth into Edgars knowledge who finding the truth of his Ambassadours falshood tooke Athelwold at an aduauntage slewe him and maried her beeing a widdowe whome hee had wooed a mayde Hitherunto these titles of honour carry a kinde of confusednes and rather betokened a successiue office then an established dignity The following ages receiued a more distinct forme and left vs a certeyner notice What time William the bastard subdued this Realme one Condor possessed the Earledome of Cornwall and did homage for the same he had issue another Condor whose daughter and heire Agnes was maried to Reignald Earle of Bristowe base sonne to King Henry the first This note I borowed out of an industrious collection which setteth downe all the noble mens creations Armes and principall descents in euery Kings dayes since the conquest but master Camden our Clarentieulx nameth him Cadoc and saith farther that Robert Morton brother to William Conquerour by his mother Herlot was the first Earle of Norman blood and that his sonne William succeeded him who taking part with Duke Robert against Henry the first thereby got captiuity and lost his honour with which that King inuested the forementioned Reignald In this variance it is great reason that the ballance panche on his side who hath both authority to establish his assertion and a rarely approued knowledge to warrant his authoritie Hee dying issuelesse Richard the first gaue this Earledome to his brother Iohn Iohns sonne Henry the third honoured therewith his brother Richard King of the Romanes a Prince no lesse plentifully flowing in wealth then his brother was often driuen to extreame shifts through needinesse which made that barbarous age to poetrize Nummus ait pro me nubit Cornubia Rome Money sayd that for her sake Rome did Cornwall to wife take He had issue Henry Earle of Cornwall who deceased issuelesse and Edmond whose daughter and heire Isabell sayth mine authour was married to Moriee Fitsharding Lord Barckleigh but others affirme that this Edmond dyed without issue Edward the second degenerating in his choyce created his mynion Peter Gaueston a Gascoyne Earle of this County whose posterity ended in himselfe and himself by a violent death The last title of this Earldome expired in Iohn of Eltham yonger sonne to that King Edward After which King Edward the third by act of Parliament in the 11. yeere of his raigne erected the same to a Duchy the first in England and graced it with his sonne the blacke Prince for his heroicall vertues did rather bestow then receiue estimation from whatsoeuer dignitie Since which it is successiuely incorporated in the Kings eldest sonne and hath bene so enioyed by Richard the second Henry the fift Henry the sixt Edward his sōne Edward the fift Edward sonne to Richard the third Arthure and Henry sonnes to Henry the seuenth and lastly Edward the sixt 10. Dukes in the whole These Earles and Dukes haue from the beginning beene priuiledged with royall iurisdiction or Growne rights namely giuing of liberty to send Burgesses to the Parliaments returne of writs custome toll Mynes Treasure-trovee wards c. and to this end appoynted their speciall officers as Sheriffe Admirall Receyuer Hauener Customer Butler Searcher Comptroller Gaugeor Excheator Feodary Auditor Clarke of the market c. besides the L. Warden and those others beforeremembred whose functions appertayne
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
his liberality Which domestical example encouraged his sonne Roger the more hardily to hazard the more willingly to resigne his life in the vnfortunate Mary Rose A disposition successe equally fatall to that house for his sonne againe the second Sir Ric. after his trauell and following the warres vnder the Emperour Maximilian against the great Turke for which his name is recorded by sundry forrain writers and his vndertaking to people Virginia and Ireland made so glorious a conclusion in her Maiesties ship the Reuenge of which he had charge as Captaine of the whole fleet as Vice-admirall that it seemed thereby when he foūd none other to compare withall in his life he striued through a vertuous enuy to exceed it in his death A victorious losse for the realme and of which the Spaniard may say with Pirrhus that many such conquests would beget his vtter ouerthrow Lastly his son Iohn took hold of euery martiall occasion that was ministred him vntill in seruice against her Highnesse enemies vnder the commaund of Sir Walter Ralegh the Ocean became his bedde of honour Neither may I without wrong passe ouer Captaine George Wray in silence who by a rare temperature of vertues breathed courage into his soldiers purchased loue amongst his acquaintance and bred dismay in his enemies Or captaine Hender the absolutest man of war for precise obseruing martiall rules which his dayes affoorded besides his commendable sufficiencie of head and hand for inuention and execution I will end with master William Lower late captaine of Sir Frauncis Veres companie in Netherland who hath opened the war schoole vnto a great many Cornish yong gentlemen that vnder his conduct sought to conforme themselues to his patterne euerie way accomplished with all the due parts of honour For Mechanical sciences the old Veale of Bodmyn might iustly expostulate with my silence if I should not spare him a roome in this Suruey while hee so well deserues it This man hath beene so beholden to Mercuryes predominant strength in his natiuitle that without a teacher hee is become very skilfull in welneere all maner of handy-crafts a Carpenter a Ioyner a Milwright a free-Mason a Clockmaker a Caruer mettall founder Architect quid non yea a Surgeon Phisicion Alchumist c. So as that which Gorgias of Leontium vaunted of the liberall sciences he may professe of the mechanicall viz. to be ignorant in none The Cornish minds thus qualified are the better enabled to expresse the same by the strong actiue healthfull constitution of their bodies touching each wherof a little in particular though we shall haue a fitter generall occasion to discourse therof where we handle their passetimes For strength one Iohn Bray well knowne to me as my tenant carried vpon his backe at one time by the space welneere of a Butte length sixe bushels of wheaten meale reckoning fifteen gallons to the bushel and the Miller a lubber of foure and twenty yeres age vpon the whole Iohn Romane a short clownish grub would beare the whole carkase of an Oxe and yet neuer tugged with him like that so famous Milo when hee was a Calfe For actiuity one Kiltor committed to Launceston Gayle for the last Cornish commotion lying there in the castle-greene vpon his back threw a stone of some pounds wayght ouer that Towres top which leadeth into the parke For health 80. 90. yeres age is ordinary in euery place and in most persons accompanied with an able vse of the body his sences One Polzew lately liuing reached vnto 130. a kinsman of his to 112. one Beauchamp to 106. yea Brawne the begger a Cornishman by wandring for I cannot say by inhabitance though Irish by birth out-scoreth a hundred winters by I wote not how many reuolutions And in the parish where God hath seated my poore dwelling I remember the decease of foure within 14. weekes space whose yeres added together made vp the summe of 340. Now to the degrees of their seuerall callings wherein as I will poast ouer the Dukes to another place so for Noblemen I may deliuer in a word that Cornwall at this present enioyeth the residence of none at al. The occasion whereof groweth partly because their issue female haue caried away the Inhabitance together with the Inheritance to Gentlemen of the Easterne parts and partly for that their issue male little affecting so remote a corner liked better to transplant their possessions neerer to the heart of the Realme Elder times were not so barraine for besides the Lord Tregoyes in Wil. Conquerours dayes Bottreaux Castle vaunted his Baron of that title both now descended to the Earles of Huntingdon the last deceased of which retayning the honour departed with the land to my kinde friend master Iohn Hender a Gentleman for his good parts employed by her Maiestie amongst others in the peace gouernment of the shire The Lord Bonuile his house was at Trelawne alias Trelawney lately purchased of her Highnes by Sir Ionathan Trelawny a Knight well spoken stayed in his cariage and of thrifty prouidence The Lord Bray dwelt at the Lord Brooke at Kellington where one of them hath his tombe the Lord Marney at Colquite and the Lord Denham at Cardenham Boconnock also appertained to the Earles of Deuon and was by Frauncis Earle of Bedford solde to Sir William Mohun who deriued his pedigree from the ancient Barons of that name and is also issued from one of those Earles of Deuons sisters and heyres This together with other fayre possessions now resteth in Sir Reignald Mohun his sonne one that by his courteous iust and liberall course of life maintayneth the reputation and encreaseth the loue alwayes borne his ancestours The most Cornish Gentlemen can better vaunt of their pedigree then their liuelyhood for that they deriue from great antiquitie and I make question whether any shire in England of but equall quantitie can muster a like number of faire coate-Armours whereas this declineth to the meane One cause there is of both proceeding from the want of those supplies which seruice law and marchandise afford the more inward Inhabitants of the Realme as I haue else where touched yet this rule is not so generall but that it admitteth his exceptions for there are diuers whose patrimonies extend to a large proportion for the residue the cheapnes of their prouisions and their casualties of Tyn and fines which 2. later ordinarily treble the certaine reuennue of their rents enable them with their few scores to equall the expences of those Easterne dwellers who reckon by the hundreds besides they finde meanes by a suruey to defray any extraordinarie charge of building marriage lawing or such like Yet I cannot denie but that some in gaping for dead mens shooes find their improuident couetous humour punished with going barefoot This angle which so shutteth them in hath wrought many interchangeable matches with eche others stock and giuen beginning to the
to the iurisdiction of the Stannary To the preseruation of which royalties our Parliaments haue euer carried a reuerend regard For by that Act 17. Edw. 4. which enioyneth forrayne Marchants to bestow such money as they receiue for their wares in English commodities or to pay the same vnto Englishmen the Kings part of all forfeytures within Cornwall is reserued to the Duke So doth that 11. H. 7. concerning the reformation of waights measures prouide that it shall not be hurtful or preiudiciall to the Prince within the Duchy of Cornwall nor to any waights of the cunnage and so doth that 1. H. 8. touching Excheators exempt that officer in Cornwal It should seeme that the first Earles bare a heauy hand in commaund ouer their subiects for both diuers ancient records as I haue learned make mention of tributes imposed almost vpon euery thing of profit and it may farther be gathered in that as well townes as particular persons were faine to procure Charters and graunts from them for corporations faires markets taking or freeing frō tolls mines fishing fowling hawking hunting and what not so as vpon the matter the plight of a Cornish Inhabitant and a French pezant did differ very little Which bondage one not long agoe sought in part to reestablish vnder pretence of reuiuing a rent decayed euer since 9. H. 2. and aduancing her Maiesties profit to this end procured Letters patents that none should falt dry or pack any fish in Deuon or Cornwall without his licence and warrant A matter that would by consequence haue made him an absolute disposer of all the Westerne shipping and traffike and their sea and land dependants Few words but folding vp a multitude of inconueniences to her Maiestic the whole Commonwealth Wherefore the Cornish Iustices of the peace became hūble suiters to the Lords of her Highnes priuy Councell for a necessary and speedy redresse herein and through the neuer fayling forwardnesse and backing of Sir Walter Ralegh obtayned a reuocation Howbeit this ill weed rather cut off by the ground then plucked vp by the roote once yea twice or thrice grew forth againe but yet maugre the warmers and waterers hath by her Maiesties gracious breath beene euer parched vp and as is hoped will neuer shoote out heereafter at least it shall still finde an vnited resistance of most earnest suit and pregnant reasons to beate it downe The Earles had foure houses builded Castle-wise for their residence viz. Trematon Launceston Restormel and Liskerd But since the principality of Wales and this Duchy became vnited in one person the larger scope and greater commaund of that hath robbed this of his Lords presence by consequence the strength of these Castles could not so gard them against the battery of time and neglect but that from faire buildings they fell into foule reparations and from foule reparations are now sunke into vtter ruine King H. the 8. affecting his honor of Newelin respecting the cōmodities which Wallingford Castle might afford it tooke this last by act of Parl. frō the Duchy in lieu therof annexed certain mannors lying in Corn. falne to the Crowne through the Marques of Excesters attainder which Qieene Marie afterwards restored in tayle to his sonne the Earle of Deuon and vpon his issue-les decease receiued them againe It were against duetie to make question whether in this exchange the kings meaning went with his pretence and yet wee finde it an ordinary policy amongst Princes to send their successours with a kinde of libera or honoraria legatio into the remoter quarters of their dominions as if they would shunne occasions of iclousie springing from an ouer-neere neighbourhood Howsoeuer the same king not long after passed away this Castle vnto Christs Colledge in Oxford who vse it as a place of retrayt when the Vniuersitie is visited with any contagious sicknes I haue vnderstood that question is made amongst men of knowledge what is become of this Duchy Some holding it altogether extinct for want of the kings issue male some auerring that it is suspended in 〈◊〉 as they say pro tempore and some supposing that it continueth in full power and that her Maiestie hath onely Custodiam Ducatus as of Bishopricks sede va 〈…〉 e Fenes Iudiceralis sit Once euery Sheriffe is summoned to enter his account in the Duchy Exchequer at Lostwithyel and from thence referred ouer to the Exchequer aboue Cornwall considered as a part of the Realme sorteth her gouernment into two kindes spirituall and temporall Touching the spirituall In ancient times this Shire had his particular Bishop and I find how in the yeere 905. Forinosus the Pope sent a sharpe letter to Edward the sonne of Alfride reproouing him for suffring the VVest Saxons to be destitute of Bishops seuen yeeres together Whereon by the aduice of his Councell and Arch-bishop Pleymund he ordayned seuen Bishops in one day amongst whome Herstane was consecrated to Cornwall and Eadwolfe to Crediton which last had three townes in Cornwall assigned him to wit Pontium Coelling and Landwhitton that thence he might yeerely visit the people to roote out as mine authour sayth their errours for before as much as in them lay they withstood the truth and obeyed not the Apostolike decrees Whereon I ground two collections the first that the light of the Gospell tooke not his originall shining into these parts from the Romish Bishop the other that the Cornish like their cousins the Welsh could not bee soone or easily induced to acknowledge his iurisdictiō The Bishops see was formerly at S. Petrocks in Bodmyn but by reason the Danes burned there his Church and palace the same remooued to S. Germanes After that Lumigius from a Monke of Winchester elected Abbot of Tauistoke and from that Abbey aduanced to the Bishoprick of Creditune by his grace with Canutus King of the Angles obtayned an annexion of Cornwal lately fallen voyd and so made one Dioces of that and Deuon as it hath euer since continued This Bishoprick had diuers faire houses and large reuenues in Cornwall but one Veyzy Bishop of the dioces in King H. the 8. time coniecturing as it is conceyued that the Cathedrall Churches should not long ouer-liue the suppressed Monasteries made hauock of those liuings before-hand some by long leasing and some by flat selling so as he left a poore remainder to his successours It oweth subiection to the Metropolitane of Canterbury and hath one onely Archdeaconry which place is now supplyed by master Thomas Sumaster who adorneth the Gentility of his birth with the honestie of his life and by both sorts of feeding approueth himselfe a liberall and commendable pastor Certaine Peculiars there are some appertaining to the dignities of the Cathedrall Church at Exon to wit S. Probus and S. Peran and some to priuate persons as Burien and Temple For religious houses I read that in the time of Paganisme Cunedag builded a Temple in Cornwall to Apollo
her selfe vpon the family of the Dimocks Robert second sonne to the last mentioned Raphe saue one had issue Will. who maried Alice the daughter and heire of Tho. of Edmerston Wil. had another Wil. and he had Iohn and Iohn againe had Wil. This Wil. had Roger who vpon Iulian sister and coheire of Iohn Hill of Fleet begat Iohn and Richard father to the Gentleman now liuing and he matched with Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Southcott and one of the heires to her mother the daughter of Barnehouse besides which hee succeeded to his vncle Iohns inheritance who deceased issuelesse and being yet scarcely entred the limits of an healthfull olde age seeth his pedigree extended into two farther descents As for those outreaching mans memory I haue seene them very sufficiently verified his Armes are O. an Eagle displayed B. pruning her wing armed and langued G. Vpon the top of a creek hereby lyeth Crocadon the mansion of M. Treuisa a Gent. deriuing himselfe from the ancient and weldeseruing Chronicler of that name he beareth G. a garbe O. A mile aboue Halton standeth Cuttayle another house of M. Edgecumbs so named as wee may coniecture of the French Courtaile in English short cut because here the salt water course is straightned by the incroching banks The buildings are ancient large strong and fayre and appurtenanced with the necessaries of wood water fishing parks and mils with the deuotion of in times past a rich furnished Chappell and with the charity of almes-houses for certaine poore people whom the owners vsed to releeue It is reported credited thereabouts how Sir Ric. Edgecumb the elder was driuen to hide himself in those his thick woods which ouerlook the riuer what time being suspected of fauouring the Earle of Richmonds party against King R. the 3. hee was hotely pursued and narrowely searched for Which extremity taught him a sudden policy to put a stone in his cap tumble the same into the water while these rangers were fast at his heeles who looking downe after the noyse and seeing his cap swimming thereon supposed that he had desperatly drowned himselfe gaue ouer their farther hunting and left him liberty to shift away and ship ouer into Brittaine for a gratefull remembrance of which deliuery hee afterwards builded in the place of his lurking a Chappell not yet vtterly decayed And thus hauing coasted the Cornish side of Plymmouth hauen I hold it not amisse to make report of such great voyages as by the memory of our Chronicles or our owne view from this harbour tooke their beginning or ending Heere the neuer inough commended black Prince attended by the Earles of Warwick Suffolk Sarisbury and Oxford the Lord Chandos and others committed himselfe to the sea with a nauy of 300. bottoms for landing and maintayning his fathers right in France and hither after his glorious battell at Poictiers he returned with the captiue French King and his nobles Here the Lady Katherine daughter to the King of Spaine and wife to our Prince Arthur tooke land at her first arriuall in England Heere shipped himselfe the Lord Darcy sent by King Henry the 8. with a lusty crew of soldiers for that Ferdinands iust assistance against the Infidels but vsed by him as a stale for the vniust conquest of Christian Nauar. Here mostly haue the troups of aduenturers made their Rendez vous for attempting newe discoueries or inhabitances as Tho. Stukeleigh for Florida Sir Humfrey Gilbert for Newfound-land Sir Rich. Greynuile for Virginea Sir Martyn Frebisher and Master Dauies for the North-west passage Sir Walter Raleigh for Guiana c. Here Count Mongomery made forth with a more commendable meaning then able meanes or welspeeding effect for relieuing the hard besieged and sore distressed Rochellers Here Sir Fra. Drake first extended the point of that liquid line wherewith as an emulator of the Sunnes glorie he encompassed the world Here Master Candish began to second him with a like heroicall spirit and fortunate successe Here Don Antonio King of Portugall the Earles of Cumberland Essex and Notingham the Lord Warden of the Stanneries Sir Iohn Norrice Sir Iohn Hawkins and who elsewhere and not here haue euer accustomed to cut sayle in carrying defiance against the imaginarie new Monarch and heere to cast anker vpon their returne with spoyle and honour I omit the infinite swarme of single ships and pettie fleetes dayly heere manned out to the same effect And here in eightie eight the foreremembred Lord Admirall expected and set forth against that heauen-threatning Armado which to bee tainted with the shamefuller disgrace and to blaze our renoume with the brighter lustre termed it selfe Inuincible But I may not grow ouer-lasciuious in extolling King R. the 2. Anno 5. of his raigne by Act of Parliament restrained all passengers from shipping themselues in any other Ports theÌ„ such as are there set down of which Plymmouth was one From Plymmouth hauen passing farther into the countrie Hengsten downe presenteth his waste head and sides to our sight This name it boroweth of Hengst which in the Saxon signifieth a horse to such least daintie beasts it yeeldeth fittest pasture The countrie people haue a by word that Hengsten downe well ywrought Is worth London towne deare ybought Which grewe from the store of Tynne in former times there digged vp but that gainfull plentie is now fallen to a scant-sauing scarcitie Those workes afford store of the formentioned Cornish Diamonds The neighboring Inhabitants obserue also that when the top of Hengsten is capped with a cloud the same boadeth a showre within short time after Roger Hoâ—â—den reporteth that about Anno 806. a fleete of Danes arriued in West-wales with whome the Welsh ioyned in insurrection against king Egbright but hee gloriously discomfited them at Hengistendune which I take to bee this place if at least West-wales may by interpretation passe for Cornwall because the other prouince of that name is more commonly diuided into North and South This down is edged by Carybullock sometimes a parke of the Dukes but best brooking that name now it hath lost his qualitie through exchaunging Deere for Bullocke A little aside from hence lyeth Landwhitton now Lawhitton which as I haue elsewhere noted was exempted vnto Edwulff Bishop of Creditune from the Cornish Diocesse to which yet both for the temporaltie and spiritualtie the same oweth present subiection Mary into what new names PontiuÌ„ Coilleng there also mentioned are now metamorphized I must say amplio Those buildings commonly knowne by the name of Lauriston and written Lanceston are by the Cornishmen called Lesteeuan Lez in Cornish signifieth broad those are scatteringly erected and were anciently termed Lanstaphadon by interpretation S. Stephens Church they consist of two boroughs Downeuet and Newport that perhaps so called of downe yeeding as hauing a steep hill this of his newer erection With them ioyne the parishes of S. Thomas S. Stephens The parish
Church of Launceston it selfe fetcheth his title of dedication from Mary Magdalen whose image is curiously hewed in a side of the wall and the whole Church fayrely builded The towne was first founded saith M. Hooker by Eadulphus brother to Alpsius Duke of Deuon and Cornwall and by his being girded with a wall argueth in times past to haue caried some valew A newe increase of wealth expresseth it selfe in the Inhabitants late repayred and enlarged buildings They are gouerned by a Maior and his scarlet-robde brethren and reape benefit by their fayres and markets and the County Assizes The Statute of 32. Henry 8. which tooke order touching Sanctuaries endowed this towne with the priuiledge of one but I find it not turned to any vse To the town there is adioynant in site but sequestred in iurisdiction an ancient Castle whose steepe rocky-footed Keepe hath his top enuironed with a treble wal and in regard thereof men say was called Castle terrible The base court compriseth a decayed Chappell a large hall for holding the shire Assizes the Constables dwelling house and the common Gayle About 60 yeeres past there were found certaine leather coynes in the Castle wall whose faire stamp and strong substance till then resisted the assault of time as they would now of couetousnesse A little without the towne were founded a Friery and anno 1128. an Abbey furthered by Reignald Earle of Cornwall About 2. miles distant from Launceston Penheale mannour coasteth the high way claiming the right of anciēt demain sometimes appertaining to the Earles of Huntingdon but purchased not long sithence by the late M. George Greinuile who descended from a yonger brother of that family and through his learning and wisdome aduanced his credit to an especiall good regard in his Countrey He maried Iulian one of the 6. daughters and heires of William Viel and Iane the daughter to Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerne Richard his father tooke to wife one of Kelwayes heires and Degory his graund-father one of the inheritors to Tregarthen which helps together with his owne good husbandry haue endowed his sonne with an elder brothers liuelyhood he beareth G. three Restes O. In Lezant parish heereby master Christopher Harris owneth a third part of Trecarell the proiect and onset of a sumptuous building as coheire to the last Gentleman of that name but admitteth no partner in the sweetly tempered mixture of bounty and thrift grauity and pleasantnes kindnesse and stoutnes which grace all his actions Hee beareth Sa. three Croissants within aborder A. Neither may wee forget Master Coringtons house of Newton old to him by succession yet new in respect of his owne antiquitie diuers his auncestors haue reaped the praise and reputation of a stayed carriage howbeit one of them through his rash but merrie prankes is to this day principally remembred by the name of the mad Corington I haue heard him deliuer an obseruation that in eight liniall descents no one borne heire of his house euer succeeded to the land hee beareth A. a Saultier Sa. Trebigh a priuiledged franchise is by his Lord Master William Wray conuerted to a generall welcomer of his friends and neighbours Hee married the daughter of Sir William Courtney his father the coheire of Killigrew Hee beareth Sa. a Fesse betweene three battel-axes A. Poole for his low and moyst seate is not vnaptly named houseth Sir Ionathan Trelawny farre beneath his worth calling he married Sir Henry Killigrews daughter his father the coheire of Reskimer his graundfather Lamellyns Inheritrix Poole standeth in Mynhinet parish where Sir Ionathan hath a large priuiledged Mānour of the same name the Benefice is giuen by Excester Colledge in Oxford none but the fellowes admittable wherethrough it hath sccessiuely beene graced with three well borne well learned and welbeloued Incumbents Doctor Tremayne Master Billet and Master Denis Out of Sir Ionathans house is also descended Master Edward Trelawny a Gentleman qualified with many good parts Their armes are A. a Cheuron S. betweene three Oke-leaues Vert. Sundrie other Gent. rest beholden to this hundred for their dwellings who in an enuiable mediocritie of fortune do happilie possesse themselues and communicate their sufficient means to the seruice of their prince the good of their neighbours and the bettering of their own estate of which sort are M. Becket who beareth S. a Fesse betweene three Boares heads coped sixe Crosses crosselet Fichee O. M. Tregodecke who beareth A. a Cheuron betweene three Buckles S. M. Spurre G. on a Cheuron O. a rose of the first and 2. mullets pearnd S. M. Bligh B. a Griffon legreant O. armed G. betweene 3. Croissants A. M. Lower B. a Cheuron engrayled O. betweene three Roses A. M. Treuisa G. a garb O. M. Chiuerton A. a Castle S. standing on a hill V. Manaton A on a Bend S. three mullets of the field and some others Stratton Hundred STratton Hundred extendeth the breadth of Cornewall to the North as that of East beginneth it on the South and therefore it shall next succeede His circuit is slender but his fruitfulnesse great and the Inhabitants industrie commendable who reape a large benefit from their orchyards and gardens but specially from their Garlick the Countreymans Triacle which they vent not onely into Cornwall but many other shires besides Stratton the onely market towne of this Hundred gaue the same his name and if I mistake not taketh it from Strota a street other memorable matter to report thereof I finde not any Vpon one side of the towne lyeth master Chamonds house and place of Launcels so called for that it was sometimes a Cell appertaining to the Abbot of Hartlond This Gentlemans father late deceased receiued at Gods hands an extraordinarie fauour of long life Hee serued in the office of a Iustice of peace almost 60. yeeres He knew aboue 50. seuerall Iudges of the westerne cercuit He was vncle and great vncle to at least 300. wherein yet his vncle and neighbour master Greynuile parson of Kilkhampton did exceed him He married one of the daughters and heires of Treuenuer and by her saw fiue sonnes and two daughters the yongest out-stepping 40. yeeres Sir Iohn Chamond his father a man learned in the common lawes was knighted at the Sepulchre and by dame Iane widdowe to Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerice and daughter to Sir Thomas Greynuile had an elder sonne called Thomas whose two daughters and heires by Arscot caried part of the lands to Tripcony and Treuanion with whome they matched Master Chamond beareth A. a Cheuron betweene 3. flowers de Luce G. In Launcels parish also standeth Norton the house of M. Tristram Arscot a Gēt who by his trauailing abroad in his yonger yeres hath the better enabled himselfe to discharge his calling at home He tooke to wife Eulalia the widdow of the wise and vertuous M. Edmond Tremayne and daughter of Sir Iohn Sentleger whose stately house of Anery in Deuon he purchased
wherewith our Realme was then distressed furnished a nauy within the riuer of Sayne and with the same in the night burned a part of Foy and other houses confyning but vpon approch of the countryes forces raised the next day by the Sherife he made speed away to his ships and with his ships to his home In a high way neere this towne there lieth a big and long moore stone containing the remainder of certaine ingraued letters purporting some memorable antiquity as it should seeme but past ability of reading Not many yeres sithence a Gentleman dwelling not farre off was perswaded by some information or imagination that treasure lay hidden vnder this stone wherefore in a faire Moone-shine night thither with certaine good fellowes hee hyeth to dig it vp a working they fall their labour shortneth their hope increaseth a pot of Gold is the least of their expectation But see the chance In midst of their toyling the skie gathereth clouds the Moone-light is ouer-cast with darkenesse downe fals a mightie showre vp riseth a blustering tempest the thunder cracketh the lightning flasheth in conclusion our money-seekers washed in stead of loden or loden with water in steade of yellow earth and more afraid then hurt are forced to abandon their enterprise and seeke shelter of the next house they could get into Whether this proceeded from a naturall accident or a working of the diuell I will not vndertake to define It may bee God giueth him such power ouer those who begin a matter vpon couetousnesse to gaine by extraordinarie meanes and prosecute it with a wrong in entring and breaking another mans land with out his leaue and direct the end thereof to the princes defrauding whose prerogatiue challengeth these casualties A little beyond Foy the land openeth a large sandie Bay for the Sea to ouer-flow which and the village adioyning are therethrough aptly termed Trewardreth in English The Sandie towne Elder times of more deuotion then knowledge here founded a religious house which in King Henrie the eights raigne vnderwent the common downefall I haue receiued credible information that some three yeeres sithence certaine hedgers deuiding a closse on the sea side hereabouts chanced in their digging vpon a great chest of stone artificially ioyned whose couer they ouer-greedy for booty rudely brake and therewithall a great earthen pot enclosed which was guilded and graued with letters defaced by this misaduenture and ful of a black earth the ashes doubtles as that the vrna of some famous personage Vpon a side of this bay one M. Peter Beuill first began the experiment of making a saltwater pond induced thereunto by obseruing that the high Summer tydes brought with them young Basses and Millets whom at their ebbing they left behinde in little pits of the euen ground where they would liue for many weekes without any reuisitation of the sea who as he bettered this naturall patterne so did I his artificiall but yet with a thankefull acknowledgement by whome I haue profited Lostwithiel should seeme to fetch his originall from the Cornish Loswithiall which in English soundeth a Lions tayle for as the Earle of this prouince gaue the Lyon in armes and the Lions principall strength men say consisteth in his tayle so this towne claymeth the precedence as his Lords chiefest residence the place which he entrusted with his Exchequer and where his wayghtier affaires were managed Maioralty markets faires and nomination of Burgesses for the Parliament it hath common with the most Coynage of Tynne onely with three others but the gayle for the whole Stannary and keeping of the County Courts it selfe alone Yet all this can hardly rayse it to a tolerable condition of wealth and inhabitance Wherefore I will detayne you no longer then vntill I haue shewed you a solemne custome in times past here yeerely obserued and onely of late daies discontinued which was thus Vpon little Easter Sunday the Freeholders of the towne and mannour by themselues or their deputies did there assemble amongst whom one as it fell to his lot by turne brauely apparelled gallantly mounted with a Crowne on his head a scepter in his hand a sword borne before him and dutifully attended by all the rest also on horseback rode thorow the principall streete to the Church there the Curate in his best beseene solemnely receiued him at the Churchyard stile and conducted him to heare diuine seruice after which he repaired with the same pompe to a house foreprouided for that purpose made a feast to his attendants kept the tables end himselfe and was serued with kneeling assay all other rites due to the estate of a Prince with which dinner the ceremony ended and euery man returned home again The pedigree of this vsage is deriued from so many descents of ages that the cause and authour outreach remembrance howbeit these circumstances offer a coniecture that it should betoken the royalties appertaining to the honour of Cornwall M. Wil. Kendals hospitality while he liued and here kept house deserueth a speciall remembrance because for store of resort and franknes of entertainment it exceeded all others of his sort This towne anno 11. H. 7. was by act of Parliament assigned to keepe the publike waights and measures ordayned for the Countie Lostwithiel subiecteth it selfe to the commaund of Restormel Castle alias Lestormel sometimes the Dukes principal house It is seated in a park vpō the plaine neck of a hill backed to the Westwards with another somewhat higher falling euery other way to end in a valley watered by the fishfull riuer of Foy. His base court is rather to be coniectured then discerned by the remnant of some fewe ruines amongst which an ouen of 14. foot largenes through his exceeding proportion prooueth the like hospitality of those dayes The inner court grounded vpon an intrenched rocke was formed round had his vtter wall thick strong and garretted his flat roofe couered with lead and his large windowes taking their light inwards It consisted of two stories besides the vaults and admitted entrance and issue by one onely gate fenced with a Portcouliz Water was conueyed thither by a conduit from the higher ground adioyning Certes it may moue compassion that a Palace so healthfull for aire so delightfull for prospect so necessary for commodities so fayre in regard of those dayes for building and so strong for defence should in time of secure peace and vnder the protection of his naturall Princes be wronged with those spoylings then which it could endure no greater at the hands of any forrayne and deadly enemy for the Parke is disparked the timber rooted vp the conduit pipes taken away the roofe made sale of the planchings rotten the wals fallen downe and the hewed stones of the windowes dournes clauels pluct out to serue priuate buildings onely there remayneth an vtter defacement to complayne vpon this vnregarded distresse It now appertayneth by lease to Master Samuel who maried Halse his father a
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