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
purpose to withstand the fretting weather There are also three other sorts of stones seruing to the same vse and hewed with lesse though differing labour Pentuan digged our of the Sea Cliffes and in colour somewhat resembleth gray Marble Cara 〈…〉 use blacke not vnlike the Ieat the third taken out of inland Quarries and not much differing from the Easterne free stone The Sea strond also in many places affordeth Peeble-stones which washed out of the earth or falling from the Rockes and there lying loose are by often rolling of the wanes wrought to a kind of roundnesse and serue verie handsomely for pauing of streetes and Courts For couering of houses there are three sorts of Slate which from that vse take the name of Healing-stones The first and best Blew the second Sage-leafe coloured the third and meanest Gray The Blew and so the rest are commonly found vnder the walling Slate when the depth hath brought the workmen to the water This Slate is in substance thinne in colour faire in waight light in lasting strong and generally carrieth so good regard as besides the supplie for home prouision great store is yeerely conucied by shipping both to other parts of the Realme and also beyond the Seas into Britaine and Netherland They make Lyme moreouer of another kind of Marle stone either by burning a great quantitie thereof together with a feruent fire of Furze or by maintaining a continuall though lesser heate with stone Cole in smaller Kils this is accompted the better cheape but that yeeldeth the whiter Lyme Touching mettals Copper is found in sundrie places but with what gaine to the searchers I haue not beene curious to enquire nor they hastie to reueale For at one Mine of which I tooke view the Owre was shipped to bee refined in Wales either to saue cost in the fewell or to conceale the profit Neither hath nature denyed Siluer to Cornwall though Cieero excluded the same out of all Britaine and if wee may beleeue our Chroniclers reports who ground themselues vpon authenticall Records king Edward the first and king Edward the third reaped some good benefit therof But for our present experience what she proffereth with the one hand shee seemeth to pull backe with the other whereof some Gentlemen not long sithence made triall to their losse howbeit neither are they discouraged by this successe nor others from the like attempt Tynners doe also find little hoppes of Gold amongst their Owre which they keepe in quils and sell to the Goldsmithes oftentimes with little better gaine then Glaucus exchange Yea it is not altogether barren of precious stones and Pearle for Dyamonds are in many places found cleauing to those Rockes out of which the Tynne is digged they are polished squared and pointed by nature their quantitie from a Pease to a Walnut in blacknesse and hardnesse they come behind the right ones and yet I haue knowne some of them set on so good a foile as at first sight they might appose a not vnskilfull Lapidarie The Pearle though here not aptly raunged breed in bigge Oysters and Muscles greater in quantitie then acceptable for goodnesse as neither round nor Orient Perhaps Caesar spoyled the best beds when he made that gay Coate of them to present his graundame Venus Cornwall is also not altogether destitute of Agates and white Corall as by credible relation I haue learned But why seeke wee in corners for pettie commodities when as the onely mynerall of Cornish Tynne openeth so large a field to the Countries benefit this is in working so pliant for sight so faire and in vse so necessarie as thereby the Inhabitants gaine wealth the Marchants trafficke and the whole Realme a reputation and with such plentie therof hath God stuffed the bowels of this little Angle that as Astiages dreamed of his daughter it ouerfloweth England watereth Christendome and is deriued to a great part of the world besides In trauailing abroad in tarrying at home in eating and drinking in doing ought of pleasure or necessitie Tynne either in his owne shape or transformed into other fashions is alwayes requisite alwayes readie for our seruice but I shall rather disgrace then endeere it by mine ouer-weake commendation and sooner tire my selfe then draw the fountaine of his praises drie Let this therefore suffice that it cannot bee of meane price which hath found with it Dyamonds amongst it Gold and in it Siluer The Cornish Tynners hold a strong imagination that in the withdrawing of Noahs floud to the Sea the same tooke his course from East to West violently breaking vp and forcibly carrying with it the earth trees and Rocks which lay any thing loosely neere the vpper face of the ground To confirme the likelihood of which supposed truth they doe many times digge vp whole and huge Timber trees which they conceiue at that deluge to haue beene ouerturned and whelmed but whether then or sithence probable it is that some such cause produced this effect Hence it commeth that albeit the Tynne say couched at first in certaine strakes amongst the Rockes like a tree or the veines in a mans bodie from the depth whereof the maine Load spreadeth out his branches vntill they approach the open ayre yet they haue now two kinds of Tynne workes Stream and Load for say they the foremencioned floud carried together with the moued Rockes and earth so much of the Load as was in closed therein and at the asswaging left the same scattered here and there in the vallies and ryuers where it passed which being sought and digged is called Streamworke vnder this title they comprise also the Moore workes growing from the like occasion They maintaine these workes to haue beene verie auncient and first wrought by the Iewes with Pickaxes of Holme Boxe and Harts horne they prooue this by the name of those places yet enduring to wit Attall Sarazin in English the Iewes offcast and by those tooles daily found amongst the rubble of such workes And it may well be that as Akornes made good bread before Ceres taught the vse of Corne and sharpe stones serued the Indians for Kniues vntill the Spaniards brought them Iron so in the infancie of knowledge these poore instruments for want of better did supplie a turne There are also taken vp in such works certaine little tooles heads of Brasse which some terme Thunder-axes but they make small shew of any profitable vse Neither were the Romanes ignorant of this trade as may appeare by a brasse Coyne of Domitian's found in one of these workes and fallen into my hands and perhaps vnder one of those Flauians the Iewish workmen made here their first arriuall They discouer these workes by certaine Tynnestones lying on the face of the ground which they terme Shoad as shed from the maine Load and made somwhat smooth and round by the waters washing wearing Where the finding of these affordeth a tempting likelihood the
prouerbe that all Cornish gentlemen are cousins which endeth in an iniurious consequence that the king hath there no cousins They keepe liberall but not costly builded or furnished houses giue kind entertainement to strangers make euen at the yeeres end with the profits of their liuing are reuerenced and beloued of their neighbours liue void of factions amongst themselues at leastwise such as breake out into anie daungerous excesse and delight not in brauerie of apparrell yet the women would be verie loth to come behinde the fashion in newfanglednes of the maner if not in costlynes of the matter which perhaps might ouer-empty their husbāds purses They conuerse familiarly together often visit one another A Gentleman and his wife will ride to make mery with his next neighbour and after a day or twayne those two couples goe to a third in which progresse they encrease like snowballs till through their burdensome waight they breake againe And heere I thought requisite to lay downe the names of such Cornish Gentlemen as I find recorded to haue come in with the Conquerour Gentlemen descended from those who came in with the Conquerour and now residing in Cornwall Arundell Basset Bluat alias Bluet Beauchamp Bray Bellet Beuill Barret Courtenay Chaumont alias Chamond Denis Greinuile Karrow alias Carew Mowne alias Mohun Malet Miners Pomeray Rouse Samtalbin alias Semtabyn Saulay alias Saule If the variety of Armes disclaime from any of these names I will not stand vpon a stiffe iustification and yet it is to bee noted that diuers Cornish Gentlemen borne yonger brothers and aduanced by match haue left their owne coats honoured those of their wiues with the first quarter of their shields Which error their posteritie likewise ensued as also that before these later petty differences grewe in vogue the Armes of one stocke were greatly diuersified in the younger braunches I had also made a more paynful then perfect collection of most of the Cornish Gentlemens names Armes But because the publishing thereof might perhaps goe accompanied with diuers wrongs to my much reuerenced friends the Heralds by thrusting my sickle into their haruest to a great many my Countrymen whom my want of information should be forced to passe ouer vnmentioned and to the truth it selfe where my report relying vpon other mens credits might through their errour intitle me the publisher though not the author of falshood I rather thought fit altogether to omit it and to note onely that of diuers Gentlemen there haue bene in Cornwall either their names are worne out or their liuings transferred by the females into other families as likewise sundry of those there now inhabiting are lately denized Cornish being generally drawne thither besides other more priuate respects through eyther the desire of change which the disease of discontent affecteth or the loue of quiet in so remote a corner or the supposall of commodities there arising and accruing or the warrantize from ouerlooking bearing where little difference in quality tendeth to an equality in estates From Gentility we wil descend to ciuility which is or should be in the townsmen Those in Cornwall do no more by nature then others elsewhere by choyce conceiue themselues an estranged society from the vpland dwellers and cary I will not say a malice but an emulation against them as if one member in a body could cōtinue his wel-being without a be holdingnes to the rest Their chiefest trade consisteth in vttering their petty marchandises Artificers labours at the weekly markets Very few among thē make vse of that oportunity which the scite vpon the sea proffereth vnto many for building of shipping and traffiking in grosse yet some of the Easterne townes piddle that way some others giue themselues to fishing voyages both which when need requireth furnish her Maiesties nauy with good store of very seruiceable Mariners There are if they be not slaundered that hunt after a more easie then commendable profit with little hazard and I would I could not say with lesse conscience Anno 32. H. 8. an act of Parliament was made for repayring amongst others the Borough townes of Launceston Liskerd Lostwithiel Bodmyn Truro and Helston in Cornwall but with what fruit to their good I cannot relate Within late yeeres memorie the sea-cost Townes begin to proclaime their bettering in wealth by costly encrease of buildings but those of the Inland for the most part vouch their ruined houses and abandoned streets as too true an euidence that they are admitted no partners in this amendment If I mistake not the cause I may with charitie inough wish them still the same fortune for as is elsewhere touched I conceyue their former large peopling to haue bin an effect of the countries impouerishing while the inuasion of forraine enemies draue the Sea-coast Inhabitants to seeke a more safe then commodious aboade in those Inland parts Strangers occasioned to trauaile through the shire were wont no lesse sharply thē truly to inueigh against the bad drinke course lodging and slacke attendance which they found in those houses that went for Innes neither did their horses better entertainmēt proue them any welcomer ghests then their masters but in stead of remedy they receyued in answere that neither such an outcorner was frequented with many way farers nor by hanging out signes or forestalling at the Townes end like the Italians did they inuite any and to make great prouision vpon small hope of vtterance were to incurre a skorne-worthy losse seeing Aspettare non venire saith the same Italian is one of the tre cose da morire Touching the Yeomanrie of Cornwall I can say little worth the obseruing for any difference from that of other shires and therefore I will step downe the next staire to husbandmen These in times not past the remembrance of some yetliuing rubbed forth their estate in the poorest plight their grounds lay all in common or onely deuided by stitch-meale little bread-corne their drinke water or at best but whey for the richest Farmour in a parish brewed not aboue twyce a yeere and then God wotte what liquour their meat Whitfull as they call it namely milke sowre milke cheese curds butter and such like as came from the cow and ewe who were tyed by the one legge at pasture their apparell course in matter ill shapen in maner their legges and feet naked and bare to which sundrie old folke had so accustomed their youth that they could hardly abide to weare any shooes complayning how it kept them ouer hote Their horses shod onlie before and for all furniture a pad halter on which the meaner countrie wenches of the westerne parts doe yet ride astride as all other English folke vsed before R. the 2. wife brought in the side saddle fashion of straw Suteable hereunto was their dwelling to that their implements of houshold walles of earth low thatched roofes few partitions no planchings or glasse windows and scarcely any chimnies
the title of the worlds Empire with Pompey the towne boyes without any mans commaund parted in twayne the one side calling themselues Pompeyans the other Caesarians and then darrayning a kinde of battell but without Armes the Caesarians got the ouerhand A like prank vnder the like assumed names and with like successe and boding they plaied when Octauius and Anthony were with like meanes to decide the like Soueraignty And to the same purpose Procopius affirmeth that the Samnite boyes when they draue their cattel to feeding after their vsuall maner of pastime chose out amongst themselues two of the best actiuity and seemelinesse the one they named Bellisarius Generall for Iustinian the Emperour in Italy the other Vitiges king of the Gothes against whome hee wanted In the buckling of these counterfeite Commaunders it fell out that Vitiges had the worst whome the aduerse party with a iesting and craking maner hanged vp at the next tree in earnest but yet with no intent to kill him This while it happens that a Woolfe is descryed away runne the boyes fast abides the imaginary Felon and so fast that for want of timely rescouse the breath poasted out of his body and left the same a liuelesse carkase The which notifyed to the Samnites quitted the striplings or slipstrings of their punishment but encreased the dismay of the elder people A like accident befell sithence by testimony of the ceremonious Texera as a presage of Lewes the Prince of Condyes death 1509. Foure daies before which at Xaintes the youth of all sorts from 9. to 22. yeres age assembled and of their owne accord chose two Commaunders one they entitled the Prince of Condy the other Mounsieur who then lay in the field against him For three dayes space they violently assaulted each other with stones clubs and other weapons vntill at last it grewe to Pistoles by one of which the imaginary Prince receiued a quelling wound in his head about 10. a clock in the morning the very howre faith this Portugall confessour that the Prince himselfe by a like shot was slaughtered The same authour voucheth a semblable chaunce somewhat before the siege of Rochell 1572. where some of the boyes banded themselues as for the Maior and others for the King who after 6. dayes skirmishing at last made a composition and departed euen as that siege endured sixe moneths and finally brake vp in a peace So doth Mercurius Gallobelgicus giue vs to wit that in the yeere 1594. a Turkish Beglerbey of Greece either seeking by a fore-coniecture to be ascertained himselfe or desirdus to nusle the yonger sort in martiall exployts led out of Alba Regalis about 600. Turkish boyes aged betweene 11. and 14. yeeres and seuered them into two troups terming the one The Christian the other The Turkish batalion Those he directed to call vpon Iesus these vpon Hala both parts hee enioyned to bicker coragiously and egged them onward with the enticemeÌ„t of rewards The token is giuen the forces encounter the fight is hote In the end the Turks betake themselues to their heeles and Iesus party carryeth away the victory But such occurrents do not alwayes either foregoe or foresignifie for sometimes they fall out idle and sometimes not at all How beit Nicetaes Chaniates taketh it very vnkindly that God would not spare some watch-word out of his prescieÌ„ce to the Constantinopolitanes what time Baldryn Earle of Flaunders and others first assisted and then conquered their Citie Touching Veall the Merecurialist I haue spoken in my former booke The youthlyer sort of Bodmyn townsmen vse sometimes to sport themselues by playing the box with straÌ„gers whome they summon to Halgauer The name signifieth the Goats moore and such a place it is lying a little without the towne and very full of quauemires When these mates meete with any rawe seruingman or other young master who may serue and deserue to make pastime they cause him to be solemnely arrested for his appearance before the Maior of Halgauer where he is charged with wearing one spurre or going vntrussed or wanting a girdle or some such like felony and after he hath beene arraygned and tryed with all requisite circumstances iudgement is giuen in formatterines and executed in some one vngracious pranke or other more to the skorne then hurt of the party condemned Hence is sprung the prouerb when we see one stouenly appareled to say He shall be presented in Halguer Court But now and then they extend this merriment with the largest to the preiudice of ouer-credulous people perswading them to fight with a DragoÌ„ lurking in Halgauer or to see some straÌ„ge matter there which concludeth at least with a trayning them into the mire Within short space after the great same dispersed touching the rare effects of Warwickshire wels some idle enuious head raysed a brute that there rested no lesse vertue forsooth for healing all diseases in a plentifull spring neere vnto Bodmyn called Scarlets well which report grew so farre and so fast that folke ranne slocking thither in huge numbers from all quarters But the neighbour Iustices finding the abuse and looking into the consequence forbad the resort lequestred the spring and suppressed the miracle How beit the water should seeme to be healthfull if not helpfull for it retaineth this extraordinary quality that the same is waightier then the ordinary of his kinde and will continue the best part of a yeere without alteration of sent or taste onely you shall see it represent many colours like the Raine-bowe which in my conceite argueth a running thorow some minerall veine and thoâ—â— withall a possessing of some vertue Aside from this towne towards the North sea extendeth a fruitfull veine of land comprizing certayne parishes which serueth better then any other place in Cornwall for Winter feeding and suitably enricheth the Farmours Herethrough sundry Gentlemen haue there planted their seates as in S. Kew master Carnsew at Bokelly in S. Endelion master Roscarrock at his house of the same denomination besides master Penkeuel Nichols Barret Flammack Caud and diuers more Carnsew rightly Carndeaw purporteth in Cornish a blackrock and such a one the heire owneth which gaue name to his ancient possessed mannour as the mannour to his ancestours His house Bokelly may be deriued from Both in Cornish a Goate and kelly which is lost and the Goate he giueth for his Armes This GeÌ„t father married the daughter of Fits in Deuon and left behinde him three sonnes Richard Mathew and William with two daughters those brought vp in learning and experience abroade these in vertue and modesty at home the fruites whereof they taste and expresse in a no lesse praise-worthy then rare-continuing concord hauing not through any constrayning necessitie or constraintiue vowe but on a voluntary choyce made their elder brothers maÌ„sion a Colledge of single liuing kind entertaining Amongst whoÌ„ I may not omit the yongest brother whose well qualified and sweete pleasing sufficiency draweth him
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
amidst his foes By courage guided sought and scapt his death Loe here amongst his friends whom liking chose And nature lent hath vp resign'd his breath Vnripened fruit in grouth precious in hope Rare in effect had fortune giuen scope Our eyes with teares performe thine obsequy And hearts with sighes since hands could yeeld none aid Our tongues with praise preserue thy memory And thing his with grieft since we behind are staid Coswarth farewell death which vs parts atwaine E're long in life shall vs conioyne againe His sister maried Kendall Edward his vncle and heire by vertue of these entayles married the daughter of Arundel of Trerice and from a ciuill Courtiers life in his younger yeeres reposeth his elder age on the good husbandry of the country hauing raised posterity sufficient for transplanting the name into many other quarters He beareth A. on a Cheuron betweene three wings B. fiue Bezants Against you haue passed towards the West somewhat more then a mile Trerice anciently Treres oftreth you the viewe of his costly and commodious buildings What Tro is you know already res signifieth a rushing of fieeting away and vpon the declyning of a hill the house is seated In Edward the 3. raigne Ralphe Arundel matched with the heire of this land and name since which time his issue hath there continued and encreased their liuelyhood by sundry like Inheritours as S. Iohn Iew Durant Thurlebear c. Precisely to rip vp the whole pedigree were more tedious then behoouefull and therefore I will onely as by the way touch some fewe poynts which may serue in part to shew what place regard they haue borne in the Common wealth There was an Indenture made betweene Hugh Courtney Earle of Deuon Leiutenant to the King for a sea voyage in defence of the Realme and Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice for accompanying him therein He was Sherife of Cornwall Iohn Earle of Huntingdon vnder his seale of Armes made Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice Seneshall of his houshold as well in peace as in warre gaue him ten pound fee and allowed him entertaynment in his house for one Gentleman three Yeoman one boy and sixe horses The same Earle stiling himselfe Lieutenant generall to Iohn Duke of Bedford Constable and Admirall of England wrote to the said Sir Iohn Arundel then Vice-admirall of Cornwall for the release of a ship which hee had arrested by vertue of his office The Queene by her letter aduertised Iohn Arundel of Trerice Esquire that she was brought in child-bed of a Prince The King wrote to Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice that he should giue his attendance at Canterbury about the entertaynment of the Emperour whose landing was then and there expected Iohn Arundel of Trerice Esquire tooke prisoner Duncane Campbell a Scot in a fight at sea as our Chronicle mentioneth concerning which I though it not amisse to insert a letter sent him from Tho. Duke of Norfolke to whom he then belonged that you may see the stile of those dayes By the Duke of Norf. RIght welbeloued in our hearty wise we commend vs vnto you letting you with that by your seruant this bearer wee haue receiued your letters dated at Truru the 5. day of this moneth of April by which we perceyue the goodly valiant and ieopardous enterprise it hath pleased God of late to send you by the taking of Duncane Camel other Scots on the sea of which enterprise we haue made relation vnto the Kings Highnesse who is not a little ioyous and glad to heare of the same and hath required vs instantly in his name to giue you thanks for your said valiant courage and bolde enterprise in the premises and by these our letters for the same your so doing we doe not onely thanke you in our most effectuall wise but also promise you that during our life wee will bee glad to aduaunce you to any preferment we can And ouer this you shall vnderstand our said Soueraigne Lords pleasure is that you shall come and repaire to his Highnes with diligence in your owne person bringing with you the said Captiue and the Master of the Scottish ship at which time you shall not onely be sure of his especiall thanks by mouth to know his further pleasure therein but also of vs to further any your reasonable pursuits vnto his Highnes or any other during our life to the best of our power accordingly Written at Lambeth the 11. day of Aprill aforesaid Superscribed To our right welbeloued seruant Iohn Arundell of Trerice The King wrote to Sir Iohn Ar. of Trerice touching his discharge from the Admiralty of the fleete lately committed vnto him that he should deliuer the ship which he sayled in to Sir Nic. Poynts The same yere the King wrote to him againe that he should attend him in his warres against the French king with his seruants tenants and others within his roomes and offices especially horsemen Other letters from the King there are whose date is not expressed neither can I by any meanes hunt it out One to his seruant Iohn Arundel of Trerice Esquire willing him not to repaire with his men and to wayte in the rereward of his army as hee had commaunded him but to keepe them in a readinesse for some other seruice Another to Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice praying and desiring him to the Court the Quindene of Saint Hillarie next wheresoeuer the King shall then bee within the Realme There are also letters directed to Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerice from the Kings Counsell by some of which it appeareth that hee was Vice admirall of the Kings shippes in the West seas and by others that hee had the goods and lands of certaine Rebels giuen him for his good seruice against them The Queene wrote to Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerice praying and requiring him that hee with his friends and neighbours should see the Prince of Spaine most honourably entertained if he fortuned to land in Cornwall Shee wrote to him being then Sherife of Cornwall touching the election of the Knights of the shire and the Burgesses for the Parliament Shee likewise wrote to him that notwithstanding the instructions to the Iustices hee should muster and furnish his seruants tenants and others vnder his rule and offices with his friends for the defence and quieting of the Countrie withstanding of enemies and any other imployment as also to certifie what force of horse and foote he could arme These few notes I haue culled out of many others Sir Iohn Arundell last mentioned by his first wife the coheire of Beuill had issue Roger who died in his fathers life time and Katherine married to Prideaux Roger by his wife Trendenham left behind him a sonne called Iohn Sir Iohns second wife was daughter to Erisy and widdow to Gourlyn who bare him Iohn his succeeder in Tretice and much other faire reuenewes whose due commendation because another might better