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
0 S. Breock 0. 15. 0 Withiel 0. 5. 0 Carnenton 0. 10. 0 Vwel 0. 10. 0 Sum. tot deductions 15. 10. 113. 1. 6. THE SVRVEY OF CORNWALL The second Booke IN this second booke I will first report what I haue learned of Cornwall and Cornishmen in general and from thence descend to the particular places and persons as their note-worthie site or any memorable action or accident of the former or later ages shall offer occasion The highest which my search can reach vnto I borrow out of Strabo who writeth that the Westerne Bretons gaue ayde vnto the Armorici of Fraunce against Caesar which hee pretended for one of the causes why he inuaded this Iland Next I find that about sixtie yeeres from the landing of Hengist one Nazaleod a mightie King amongst the Bretons ioyned battell with Certicus Soueraigne of the West-Saxons and after long fight with his owne death accompanied the ouerthrow of his armie Yet the Bretons thus abandoned by fortune would not so forsake themselues but with renued courage and forces coped once againe with Certicus and his sonne Kenrick at Certicesford thogh equally destitute of successe as before Gurmund an arch-Pirate of the Norwegians was called by the Saxons out of his late conquered Ireland to their aide against Careticus king of the Bretons whom he ouercame in battel and inforced his subiects to seeke safegard by flight some in Wales some in Cornwall and some in little Breteigne since which time they could neuer recouer againe their auncient possession of the whole Iland Howbeit not long after Iuor sonne to Alane king of the said little Breteigne landed in the West parts wanne from the Saxons Cornwall Deuon Somerset shires by force of armes and then established his conquest by a peaceable composition with his aduerse partie Adelred king of West-sex inuaded Deuon and Cornwall whom Roderick king of the Bretons and Blederick Prince of those prouinces encountred and discomfited which notwithstanding processe of time reaued from him and added such strength to his enemies that he was driuen to abandon Cornwall and retire into Wales So the Cornishmen quitting their libertie with their prince stouped to the cōmaund of Egbert King of West-sex and with their territorie saith William Malmsburie enlarged his confines Athelstane handled them yet more extremely for hee draue them out of Excester where till then they bare equall sway with the Saxons left onely the narrow angle on the West of Tamer riuer for their Inhabitance which hath euer since beene their fatall bound On their Reguli as Vincentius deliuereth he imposed an yerely tribute of 20. li. in gold 300. li. in siluer 25. oxen and hunting hounds and hawkes at discretion To these afflictions by home-neighbours of bondage tribute and banishing was ioyned a fourth of spoyling by forrayne enemies for Roger Houedon telleth vs that the Danes landed in sundry places of Cornwall forrayed the Countrey burned the Townes and killed the people To whom succeeded in the like occupation Godwin and Edmond magnus King Harolds two sonnes discomfiting the forces opposed against them harrowing Deuon and Cornwall and then retiring with their prey into Ireland After the conquest when K. H. the first inuaded Griffin ap Conan Prince of Wales he distributed his armie into three portions one of which wherein consisted the forces of the fourth part of England and Cornwal hee committed to the leading of Gilbert Earle of Strigill In Henry the thirds time by the testimony of Mathew Paris William Earle of Sarum after long tossing at sea with much adoe about Christmas arriued in Cornwall and so afterwards did Earle Richard the Kings brother at two seuerall times the later of which being destitute of horses and treasure he prayed therein ayde of his loyals When Edward the third auerred his right to the Crowne of Fraunce by the euidence of armes the French for a counterplea made an vnlawfull entry into Deuon and Cornwall but Hugh Courtney Earle of Deuon remooued it with posse Comitatus and recommitted them to the wooddē prison that brought them thither Yet would not the Scots take so much warning by their successe as example by their precedent if at least Froissarts ignorance of our English names bred not his mistaking in the place By his relation also Cornwals neere neighbourhead gaue oportunity of accesse both to the Earle Montford when he appealed to that Kings ayd for recouering his right in Brittaine albeit I cannot bring home Cepsee the designed port of his landing and after his captiuitie to the messengers of his heroicall Countesse employed in the like errand And from Cornwall the Earle of Sarum Wil. de Mesuile and Philip de Courtney set to sea with 40. ships besides Barks and 2000. men at armes besides Archers in support of that quarrell Lastly his authoritie enformeth me that those souldiers of Cornwall who vnder their Captaines Iohn Apport and Iohn Cornwall had defended the Fort of Bercherel in Brittaine against the power of Fraunce aboue a yeree space in the end for want of due succours vpon an honourable composition surrendred the same Queene Margaret wife to H. 6. vpon her arriual out of Fraūce after the losse of Barnet field receiued great ayd though to smal purpose frō the Deuon and Cornish men vnder the conduct of Thomas Earle of that shire And so much were those Western people addicted to that name as they readily followed Sir Edw. Courtney his brother Peter Bishop of Excesler what time they assisted the Duke of Buckingham in his reuolt against Richard the third Neither did his suppressour and successour H. the 7. finde them more loyall for the Cornish men repining at a Subsidy lately graunted him by Act of Parliament were induced to rebellion by Thomas Flammock a Gentleman Michael Ioseph a Black-smith with whom they marched to Taunton there murdering the Prouost of perin a Commissioner for the sayd Subsidy and from thence to Welles where Iames Touchet Lord Audely degenerated to their party with which encrease they passed by Sarisbury to Winchester and so into Kent But by this time Lords Commons were gathered in strēgth sufficient to make head against them and soone after black Heath saw the ouerthrow of their forces in battell and Loudon the punishment of their seducers by iustice In the same fatall yeere of reuolts Perkin Warbeck a counterfeit Prince landed in Cornwall went to Bodmyn assembled a trayne of rake-hels assaulted Excester receyued the repulse and in the end sped as is knowne and as he deserued The last Cornish rebellion was first occasioned by one Kilter and other his associats of a Westerne parish called S. Keueren who imbrued their wicked hands in the guiltles blood of one M. Body as he sate in Commission at Helston for matters of reformation in religion and the yere following it grew to a general reuolt vnder the
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
by apparant veritie Notwithstanding in this question I will not take on me the person of either Iudge or flickler and therefore if there be any so plunged in the common floud as they will still gripe fast what they haue once caught hold on let them sport themselues with these coniectures vpon which mine auerment in behalfe of Plymmouth is grounded The place where Brute is said to haue first landed was Totnes in Cornwall and therfore this wrastling likely to haue chaunced there sooner then elsewhere The Prouince bestowed on Corineus for this exployt was Cornwall It may then be presumed that he receiued in reward the place where hee made proofe of his worth and whose Prince for so with others I take Gogmagog to haue beene hee had conquered euen as Cyrus recompenced Zopirus with the Citie Babylon which his policie had recouered Againe the actiuitie of Deuon and Cornishmen in this facultie of wrastling beyond those of other Shires dooth seeme to deriue them a speciall pedigree from that graund wrastler Corineus Moreouer vpon the Hawe at Plymmouth there is cut out in the ground the pourtrayture of two men the one bigger the other lesser with Clubbes in their hands whom they terme Gog-Magog and as I haue learned it is renewed by order of the Townesmen when cause requireth which should inferre the same to bee a monument of some moment And lastly the place hauing a steepe cliffe adioyning affordeth an oportunitie to the fact But of this too much Cornwall is seated as most men accompt in the Latitude of fiftie degrees and thirtie minutes and in the Longitude of sixe The Shire extendeth in length to about seuentie miles the breadth as almost no where equall so in the largest place it passeth not thirtie in the middle twentie and in the narrowest of the West part three The whole compasse may hereby be coniectured It bordereth on the East with Deuon diuided therefrom in most places by the ryuer Tamer which springing neere the North Sea at Hartland in Deuon runneth thorow Plymmouth Hauen into the South For the rest the maine Ocean sundreth the same on the North from Ireland on the West from the Ilands of Scilley on the South from little Britaine These borders now thus straightned did once extend so wide as that they enabled their inclosed territorie with the title of a kingdome Polidore Virgil allotteth it the fourth part of the whole Iland and the ancient Chronicles report that Brute landed at Totnes in Cornwall a Towne now seated in the midst of Deuon Moreouer vntill Athelstanes time the Cornish-men bare equal sway in Excester with the English for hee it was who hemmed them within their present limits Lastly the encroaching Sea hath rauined from it the whole Countrie of Lionnesse together with diuers other parcels of no little circuite and that such a Lionnesse there was these proofes are yet remaining The space betweene the lands end and the Iles of Scilley being about thirtie miles to this day retaineth that name in Cornish Lethowsow and carrieth continually an equall depth of fortie or sixtie fathom a thing not vsuall in the Seas proper Dominion saue that about the midway there lieth a Rocke which at low water discouereth his head They terme it the Gulfe suiting thereby the other name of Scilla Fishermen also casting their hookes thereabouts haue drawn vp peeces of doores and windowes Moreouer the ancient name of Saint Michaels Mount was Cara clowse in Cowse in English The hoare Rocke in the Wood which now is at euerie floud incompassed by the Sea and yet at some low ebbes rootes of mightie trees are discryed in the sands about it The like ouerflowing hath happened in Plymmouth Hauen and diuers other places In this situation though nature haue shouldred out Cornwall into the farthest part of the Realme and so besieged it with the Ocean that as a demie Iland in an Iland the inhabitants find but one way of issue by land yet hath shee in some good measure counteruailed such disaduantage through placing it both neere vnto in the trade way betwene Wales Ireland Spaine France Netherland The neerenesse helpeth thē with a shorter cut lesse peril and meaner charge to vent forth make returne of those cōmodities which their owne or either of those Countries doe afford the lying in the way bringeth forraine shipping to claime succour at their harbours when either outward or homeward bound they are checked by an East South or Southeast wind and where the horse walloweth some haires will still remaine Neither is it to bee passed ouer without regard that these remote quarters lie not so open to the inuasions of forraine enemies or spoyles of ciuil tumults as other more inward parts of the Realme which being seated neerer the heart are sooner sought and easlyer ransacked in such troublesome times or if the Countries long naked sides offer occasion of landing to any aduerse shipping her forementioned inward naturall strength increased by so many Lanes and Inclosures straightneth the same to a preying onely vpon the outward skirts by some pettie fleetes For the danger of farder piercing will require the protection of a greater force for execution then can there be counteruailed with the benefit of any bootie or conquest were they sure to preuaile And if to bee free from a dammage may passe for a commoditie I can adde that the far distance of this Countie from the Court hath heretofore afforded it a Supersedeas from takers Purueyours for if they should fetch any prouisiō from thence well it might be masked with the visard of her Highnes prerogatiue but the same would verie slenderly turne to the benefit of her Maiesties house keeping for the foulenesse and vneasinesse of the waies the little mould of Cornish cattel and the great expence of driuing them would defaulke as much from the iust price to the Queene at the deliuering as it did from the owners at the taking Besides that her Highnesse shipping should heerethrough bee defrauded of often supplies which these parts afford vnto them Vpon which reasons some of the Purueyours attempts heretofore through the suite of the Countrie the sollicitation of Sir Richard Gremuile the credite of the Lord Warden and the graciousnesse of our Soueraigne were reuoked and suppressed and the same vnder her Highnesse priuie Seale confirmed Notwithstanding when her Maiestie made her pleasure afterward knowne that shee would haue a generall contribution from euerie Shire for redeeming this exemption Cornwall opposing dutie against reason or rather accompting dutie a reason sufficient yeelded to vndergoe a proportionable rate of the burthen So they compounded to furnish ten Oxen after Michaelmas for thirtie pound price to which by another agreement with the Officers they should adde fortie markes of of their owne Vpon halfe a yeeres warning either partie might repent the bargaine This held for a while but within a short space either the carelesnesse of the Iustices
vvhich it vvas graunted them to keepe a Court and hold plea of all actions life lymme and land excepted in consideration vvhereof the sayd Lords accorded to pay the Earle a halfpeny for euery pound of Tynne which should be wrought and that for better answering this taxe the sayd Tynne should bee brought to certayne places purposely appointed and there peized coyned and kept vntill the Earles due were satisfied Againe the Lords of these Tithings were for their parts authorised to manage all Stannerie causes and for that intent to hold Parliaments at their discretion and in regard of their labour there was allotted vnto them the toll-Tynne within those Tithings which their successours doe yet enioy This Charter was to be kept in one of the Church steeples within those Tithings and the Seale had a Pick-axe and Shouell in faultier grauen therein This I receiued by report of the late master William Carnsew a Gentleman of good qualitie discretion and learning and well experienced in these mynerall causes who auouched himselfe an eye-witnesse of that Charter though now it bee not extant Howbeit I haue learned that in former time the Tynners obtained a Charter from king Iohn and afterwards another from king Edward the first which were againe expounded confirmed and inlarged by Parliament in the fiftieth yeere of Edward the third and lastly strengthened by king Henrie the seuenth King Edward the firsts Charter granteth them liberty of selling their Tynne to their best behoofe Nisi saith he nos ipsi emere voluerimus Vpon which ground certaine persons in the Reignes of K. Edward 6. Queene Marie sought to make vse of this preemption as I haue beene enformed but either crossed in the prosecution or defeated in their expectation gaue it ouer againe which vaine successe could not yet discourage some others of later times from the like attempt alleadging many reasons how it might proue beneficiall both to her Highnesse and the Countrie and preiudiciall to none saue onely the Marchants who practised a farre worse kind of preemption as hath beene before expressed This for a while was hotely onsetted and a reasonable price offered but vpon what ground I know not soone cooled againe Yet afterwards it receiued a second life and at Michaelmas terme 1599. the Cornishmen then in London were called before some of the principal Lords of her Maiesties Council and the matter there debated by the Lord Warden in behalfe of the Countrie and certaine others deputed for the Marchants who had set this suite on foote In the end it grew to a conclusion and Articles were drawne and signed but they also proued of void effect Last of all the said Lord Warden in the beginning of Nouember 1600. called an assembly of Tynners at Lostwithiel the place accustomed impanelled a Iurie of twentie foure Tynners signified her Maiesties pleasure both for a new imposition of sixe pound on euerie thousand that should bee transported ouer and aboue the former fortie shillings and sixteene shillings alreadie payable as also that her Highnesse would disburse foure thousand pound in lone to the Tynners for a yeres space and bee repayed in tynne at a certaine rate By the foreremembred ancient Charters there is assigned a Warden of the Stanneries who supplieth the place both of a Iudge for Law and of a Chauncellour for conscience and so taketh hearing of causes either in Forma iuris or de iure aequo Hee substituteth some Gentlemen in the Shire of good calling and discretion to be his Vice-Warden from whome either partie complainant or defendant may appeare to him as from him a case of rare experience to the Lords of the Councill and from their Honours to her Maiesties person other appeale or remoouing to the common law they gaynsay The Gayle for Stannery causes is kept at Lostwithiel and that office is annexed to the Comptrolership The Tynners of the whole shire are deuided into foure quarters two called Moores of the places where the Tynne is wrought viz. Foy moore and Blacke moore the other Tiwarnaill and Penwith To each of these is assigned by the L. Warden a Steward who keepeth his Court once in euery three weekes They are termed Stannery Courts of the latine word Stannum in English Tynne and hold plea of whatsoeuer action of debt or trespasse whereto any one dealing with blacke or white Tynne either as plaintife or defendant is a party Their maner of triall consisteth in the verdict giuen by a Iurie of sixe Tynners according to which the Steward pronounceth iudgement He that will spare credit to the common report shall conceiue an ill opinion touching the slippings of both witnesses and Iurours sometimes in these Courts For it is sayd that the witnesses haue not sticked now and then to fasten their euidence rather for seruing a turne then for manifesting a truth and that the Iurours verdict hath sauoured more of affection then of reason especially in controuersies growne betweene strangers and some of the same parts And such fault-finders voutch diuers causes of this partialitie One that when they are sworne they vse to adde this word my conscience as the Romans did their Ex animi meisententia which is suspected to imply a conceyted enlargement of their othe Another that the varietie of customes which in euery place welneere differ one from another yeeldeth them in a maner an vnlimited scope to auerre what they list and so to close the best Lawyers mouth with this one speach Our custome is contrary And lastly that they presume vpon a kind of impunity because these sixe mens iuries fall not within compasse of the Star-chambers censure and yet the L. Wardens haue now then made the pillory punishment of some a spectacle example and warning to the residue For mine owne part I can in these Tynne cases plead but a hearesay experience and therefore will onely inferre that as there is no smoke without a fire so commonly the smoke is far greater then the fire Strange it were and not to be excepted that all poore Tynne Iurours and witnesses should in such a remote corner alwayes conforme themselues to the precise rule of vprightnesse when we see in the open light of our publike assises so many more iudicious and substantiall persons now and then to swarue from the same In matters of important consequence appertayning to the whole Stannery the L. Warden or his Vnder-warden vseth to impannell a Iury of foure and twenty principall Tynners which consist of sixe out of euery quarter returnable by the Maiors of the foure Stannery townes and whose acts doe bind the residue Next to the liuelesse things follow those which pertake a growing life and then a feeling The women and children in the West part of Cornwall doe vse to make Mats of a small and fine kinde of bents there growing which for their warme and well wearing are carried by sea to London and other parts of the Realme and serue to
on heapes in pits at the cliffe side and so conuerted the same to a kind of wood but the noy some fauour hath cursed it out of the countrey This Floteore is now and then found naturally formed like rufs combs and such like as if the sea would equall vs in apparel as it resembleth the land for all sorts of liuing creatures The sea strond is also strowed with sundry fashioned coloured shels of so diuersified and pretty workmanship as if Nature were for her pastime disposed to shew her skilin trifles With these are foūd moreouer certain Nuts some what resembling a sheepes kidney saue that they are flatter the outside consisteth of a hard darke coloured rinde the inner part of a kernell voyd of any paste but not so of vertue especially for women trauayling in childbirth if at least old wiues tales may deserue any credit If I become blame-worthy in speaking of such toyes Scipio and Lelius shall serue for my patrons who helde it no shame to spend time in their gathering But to carie you from these trifles you shall vnderstand that Cornewall is stored with many sorts of shipping for that terme is the genus to them all namely they haue Cock-boats for passengers Sayn-boats for taking of Pilcherd Fisher-boates for the coast Barges for sand Lighters for burthen and Barkes and Ships for trafficke of all which seuerally to particularize were consectari minutias and therefore I will omit to discourse of them or of the wrackes proceeding from them to their great dammage and the finders petty benefit to whom he that in ioyeth the Admirals right by the common custome alloweth a moytie for his labour But though I shunne tediousnesse herein I feare lest I shal breede you Nauseam while I play the fishmonger and yet so large a commoditie may not passe away in silence I will therefore with what briefnes I can shew you what they are when they come where they haunt with what baite they may be trayned with what engine taken and with what dressing saued Herein we will first begin with the Peall Trowt and Sammon because they partake of both salt and fresh water breeding in the one and liuing in the other The Trowte and Peall come from the Sea betweene March and Midsummer and passe vp into the fresh ryuers to shed their spawne They are mostly taken with a hooke-net made like the Easterne Weelyes which is placed in the stickellest part of the streame for there the fish chiefely seeketh passage and kept abroad with certaine hoopes hauing his smaller end fastned against the course of the water and his mouth open to receiue the fish while he fareth vp by night The Sammons principall accesse is betweene Michaelm as and Christmas for then and not before the ryners can afford them competent depth A time forbidden to take them in by the Statute thirteene of Richard the second but if they should bee allowed this priuiledge in Cornwall the Inhabitants might vtterly quit all hope of good by them for the rest of the yeere They are refettest that is fattest at their first comming from the Sea and passe vp as high as any water can carrie them to spawne the more safely and to that end take aduantage of the great raynie flouds After Christmas they returne to the Sea altogether spent out of season whome as the spring time commethon their fry doe follow and it hath beene obserued that they as also the Trowt and Peall haunt the same ryuers where they first were bred Vpon the North coast and to the Westwards of Foy few or none are takē either through those ryuers shallownesse or their secret dislike To catch them sundrie deuices are put in practise one is with the hooke and line where they vse Flies for their baite another with the Sammon speare a weapon like Neptunes Mace bearded at the points With this one standeth watching in the darke night by the deepe pooles where the Sammons worke their bed for spawning while another maketh light with a waze of reed The Sammon naturally resorteth to the flame playing in and out and there through is discerned strooken and drawne on land by a cord fastned to the speare The third and more profitable meanes of their taking is by hutches A head of Fagots or stones is made acrosse theryuer and his greatest part let out through a square roome therein whose vpper side giueth passage to the water by a grate but denieth it to the fish and the lower admitteth his entrie thorow certaine thicke laths couched slope-wise one against another but so narrowly as he can find no way of returne while the streame tosseth him hither and thither and the laths ends gall him if he stumble on the place They vse also to take Sammons and Trowts by groping tickling them vnder the bellies in the Pooles where they houer vntill they lay hold on them with their hands so throw them on land Touching these one scribling of the ryuer Lyner rymed as ensueth THe store-house of Sunnes cheuisance The clocke whose measures time doth dance The Moones vassall the Lord of chance Oceanus Ereyeeres compasse his circle end From bugie bosome where they wend His scaly broode to greete doth send His wife Tellus Some haile but with the coasting shore Some multiplie the Harbours store Some farre into the ryuers bore Amongst therest A threefoldrowt of Argus hew Kind to encrease foes to eschew With Lyners supple mantle blew Themselues reuest What time enricht by Phoebus rayes The Alder his new wealth displayes Of budded groates and welcome payes Vnto the Spring The Trowts of middle growth begin And eygall peizd twixt either finne At wonted hoste Dan Lyners Inne Take their lodging Next as the dayes vp earely rise In com's the Peall whose smaller sise In his more store and oft supplies A praise doth find Lastly the Sammon king of fish Fils with good cheare the Christmas dish Teaching that season must relish Each in his kind And of the Sammon in particular Now to the Sammon king of fish a trice Against whose state both skill and will conspire Paine brings the sewell and gaine blowts the fire That hand may execute the heads deuice Some build his house but his thence issue barre Some make his meashie bed but reaue his rest Some giue him meate but leaue it not disgest Some tickle him but are from pleasing farre Another troope com's in with fire and sword Yet cowardly close counterwaite his way And where he doth in streame mistrustiesse play Vail'd with nights robe they stalke the shore aboord One offers him the daylight in a waze As if darknesse alone contriued wiles But new Neptune his mate at land the whiles With forked Mace deere school's his foolish gaze Poore Fish not praying that art made a pray And at thy natiue home find'st greatest harme Though dread warne swiftnesse guide and strength thee arme Thy neerenesse greatnesse goodnesse thee betray In
land and waded thorow the Sea to discouer all the creatures therein insensible sensible the course of method summoneth me to discourse of the reasonable to wit the Inhabitants and to plot downe whatsoeuer noteworthily belongeth to their estate reall and personall and to their gouernment spirituall and temporall Vnder their reall state I comprise all that their industrie hath procured either for priuate vse or entercourse and trasfike In priuate life there commeth into consideration their Tenements which yeeld them sustinance and their houses which afford them a place of abode Euerie tenement is parcell of the demaynes or seruices of some Mannor Commonly thirtie Acres make a farthing land nine farthings a Cornish Acre and foure Cornish Acres a Knights fee. But this rule is ouerruled to a greater or lesser quantitie according to the fruitfulnesse or barrennesse of the soyle That part of the demaines which appertaineth to the Lords dwelling house they call his Barten or Berton The tenants to the rest hold the same either by sufferance Wil or custome or by cōuention The customary tenaut holdeth at Wil either for yeeres or for liues or to them and their heires in diuers manners according to the custome of the Mannour Customarie Tenants for life take for one two three or more liues in possession or reuersion as their custome will beare Somewhere the wiues hold by widdowes estate and in many places when the estate is determined by the Tenants death and either to descend to the next in reuersion or to returne to the Lord yet will his Executor or Administrator detaine the land by the custome vntill the next Michaelmas after which is not altogether destitute of a reasonable pretence Amongst other of this customarie Land there are seuenteene Mannours appertaining to the Duchie of Cornwall who doe euerie leuenth yere take their Holdings so they terme thē of certain Comissioners sent for the purpose haue continued this vse for the best part of three hundred yeeres through which they reckon a kind of inheritable estate accrued vnto them But this long prescription notwithstanding a more busie then well occupied person not long sithence by getting a Checquer lease of one or two such tenements called the whole right in question and albeit God denyed his bad minde any good successe yet another taking vp this broken title to salue himselfe of a desperate debt prosecuted the same so far forth as he brought it to the iutty of a Nisiprius Hereon certayne Gentlemen were chosen and requested by the Tenants to become suiters for stopping this gap before it had made an irremediable breach They repayred to London accordingly and preferred a petition to the then L. Treasurer Burleigh His L. called vnto him the Chauncellour and Coife Barons of the Exchequer and tooke a priuate hearing of the cause It was there manifestly prooued before them that besides this long continuance and the importance as that which touched the vndooing of more then a thousand persons her Highnesse possessed no other lands that yeelded her so large a benefit in Rents Fines Heriots and other perquisites These reasons found fauourable allowance but could obtaine no thorough discharge vntill the Gentlemen became suppliants to her Maiesties owne person who with her natiue supernaturall bounty vouchsafed vs gratious audience testified her great dislike of the attempter gaue expresse order for stay of the attempt since which time this barking Dogge hath bene musled May it please God to award him an vtter choaking that he neuer haue power to bite againe Herein we were beholden to Sir Walter Raleghs earnest writing who was then in the Countrey to Sir Henry Killigrews sound aduice and to Master William Killigrews painefull soliciting being the most kinde patrone of all his Countrey and Countreymens affaires at Court. In times past and that not long agoe Holdings were so plentifull and Holders so scarce as well was the Land-lord who could get one to bee his Tenant and they vsed to take assurance for the rent by 2. pledges of the same Mannour But now the case is altred for a farme or as wee call it a bargaine can no sooner fall in hand then the Suruey Court shal be waited on with many Officers vying reuying each on other nay thei are taken mostly at a ground-hop before they fall for feare of comming too late And ouer and aboue the old yerely rent they will giue a hundred or two hundred yeeres purchace and vpward at that rate for a fine to haue an estate of three liues which summe commonly amounteth to ten or twelue yeeres iust value of the land As for the old rent it carrieth at the most the proportiō but of a tenth part to that whereat the tenement may be presently improued somewhere much lesse so as the Parson of the parish can in most places dispend as much by his tithe as the Lord of the Mannour by his rent Yet is not this deare setting eueriewhere alike for the westerne halfe of Cornewall commeth far short of the Easterne and the land about Townes exceedeth that lying farther in the Countrey The reason of this enhaunsed price may proue as I gesse partly for that the late great trade into both the Indies hath replenished these parts of the world with a larger store of the Coyne-currant mettals thē our anceltours enioyed partly because the banishment of single-liuing Votaries yonger mariages then of olde and our long freedome from any sore wasting warre or plague hath made our Countrey very populous and partly in that this populousnes hath inforced an industrie in them and our blessed quietnes giuen scope and meanes to this industrie But howsoeuer I ayme right or wide at this once certayne it is that for these husbandry matters the Cornish Inhabitants are in sundry points swayed by a diuerse opinion from those of some other Shires One that they will rather take bargaines at these excessiue fines then a tolerable improued rent being in no sort willing to ouer a penny for they reckon that but once smarting and this a continuall aking Besides though the price seeme very high yet mostly foure yeeres tillage with the husbandmans payne and charge goeth neere to defray it Another that they fal euery where from Commons to Inclosure and partake not of some Easterne Tenants enuious dispositions who will sooner preiudice their owne present thrift by continuing this mingle-mangle then aduance the Lords expectant benefit after their terme expired The third that they alwayes preferre liues before yeeres as both presuming vpon the Countries healthfulnesse and also accounting their family best prouided for when the husband wife and childe are sure of a liuing Neither may I without wrong conceyle the iust commendation of most such wiues in this behalfe namely when a bargaine is so taken to these three it often falleth out that afterwards the sonne marieth and deliuereth his yeruing-goods as they terme it to his father who in lieu thereof
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
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
meant Merlyn Ara Lesâ—â—y Pawle Pensanz ha Newlyn Not farre from the lands ende there is a little village called Trebegean in English The towne of the Giants graue neere whereunto and within memory as I haue beene informed certayne workemen searching for Tynne discouered a long square vault which contayned the bones of an excessiue bigge carkas and verified this Etimology of the name At Saint Buriens a parish of great circuit and like benefit to the Incumbent King Athelstane accomplished his vowe in founding a Colledge of Priests what time he had conquered the Sillane Ilands Chiwarton signifyeth a house on the greene lay and a Castle on a greene hill is giuen by the Gent. of that name who in a quiet single life maketh no farther vse of his knowledge gotten in the lawes during his younger age or that experience wherewith a long course of yeeres hath sithence enriched him then may tend sine lucro to the aduauncement of publike iustice or sine strepitu to the aduisement of his priuate acquaintance Hee beareth A. a Castle S. Standing on a hill V. Sundry other Gentlemen people that remote quarter as Lauelis c. touching whom I must plead non sum informatus Diogenes after he had tired his Scholers with a long Lecture finding at last the voyde paper Bee glad my friends quoth hee wee are come to harbour With the like comfort in an vnlike resemblance I will refresh you who haue vouchsafed to trauaile in the rugged and wearysome path of mine ill-pleasing stile that now your iourny endeth with the land to whose Promontory by Pomp. Mela called Bolerium by Diodorus Velerium by Volaterane Helenium by the Cornish Pedn an laaz and by the English The lands end because we are arriued I will heere sit mee downe and rest Deo gloria mihi gratia 1602. April 23. Corrections FOlio 9. a. lin 13. read Lanine Fol. 10. lin 28. read Sic. Fol. 15. a. l. 5. ere Fol. 16. a. l. 27. certainly Fol. 17. b. l. 28 Gentleman ibid. l. 30. appeale fol. 18. b. l. 12. expected fol. 19. a. l. 10. canding fol. 20. b. l. 28. may fol. 21. a. l. 17. an fol. 23. a. l. 17. Kerier fol. 25. a. l. 16. dieting ibid. b. l. 1. affect fol. 32. a. l. 8. Dories fol. 33. a. l. 4. celler ibid. b. l. 11. foreclosing fol. 53. b. l. 22. of which fol. 55. a. l. 6. Bonithon and l. 20. Carminow ibid. b. l. 2. Tedna ibid. l. 22. guiddn fol. 56. a. l. 8. Pedn fol. 61. b. l. 28. Trerice fol. 66. b. l. 11. leaue out of straw fol. 67. b. l. 15. siluer fol. 68. a. l. 17. breeder ibid. l. 26. vnpleasing fol. 75. a. l. 32. from him ibid. b. l. 22. Peluianders fol. 76. a. l. 19. fore-hip ibid. b. l. 2. Circumforanei fol. 77. a. l. 2. appannage fol. 80. a. l. 29. Newelm fol. 82. b. l. 1. entrusted ibid. l. 16. entrusted fol. 84. b. l. 22. ventings fol. 87. a. l. 25. interpreted fol. 88. a. l. 18. Hender fol. 98. a. l. 7. interlaced fol. 100. b. l. 22. third and l. 23. as fol. 106. b. l. 4. net becomes fol. 110. a. l. 24. Saultier ibid. b. l. 21. Lineth fol. 111. a. l. 7. eie fol. 112. a. l. 28. faire fol. 116. b. l. 19. Trerice fol. 117. b. l. 10. pearced and l. 11. segreant and l. 30. strata fol. 118. a. l. 14. Treuenner fol. 122. b. l. 18. Cambala fol. 127. b. l. 3. tripped The Table of the first Booke THe Suruey of Cornwal coÌ„taineth a description generall in the first booke reporting her Accidents Elements Inhabitants THe Suruey of Cornwal coÌ„taineth a description Special in the 2. book containing matters Topographical Historicall Accidents wherein are deliuered the name shape Fol. 1. Climat 2. The quantitie length and breadth ibid. Borders ibid. Commodities of the situation 3. Discommodities 4. Temperature 5. Elements Earth aboue forme qualitie 5. Things of life growing and feeling Earth vnder Mynerals 6. Precious Diamonds Pearle and Agats 7. Water fresh springs riuers ponds 26. Therein the fish 28. The taking 30. Sea things liuelesse liuing fish foule Things of life growing Mats 18. Hearbs 19. Corne dressing ibid. kindes 20. Trees for fruit ibid. Fewel timber 21. Things of life feeling Wormes 21. Beastes Venery 22. meat 23. vse 24. Birds ibid. Minerals Stones for walling windowes couering pauing lyme 6. Mettals Tynne 7. Copper 6. Siluer and Gold 7. Tynne-works Kindes finding 8. Colour bignesse 10. Working expressing the persons Aduenturers ibid. Captaine ibid. Labourers ibid. Maner tooles ibid. Loose earth rockes 11. Conueyance by water engines Addits ibid. Tynne-dressing Breaking stamping drying crazing washing ibid. Blowing 12. Iurisdiction Charter 16. Officers supreme L. Warden Vice-warden 17. Ioterior Stewards Gaylour 18. Iuries great petty ibid. Witnesses ibid. Orders Sharing 12. Places Wastrel Seuerall 13. Bounds doales measure ibid. Coynage in time 13. Post 14. and their places ibid. times ibid. Officers ibid. Price by free sale Preemption 17. Vsury in Tynne black white 15. Sea things liuelesse Briny Salt-mils Ilands hauens 26. Sand Orewoods Shels and Nuts Shipping 27. Sea things liuing Fish partaker of the fresh 28. Therein the fashion shelly flat round 30. Within hauen 29. Their taking generall and particular 30. Vpon the coast 31. Sauing and venting 33. Foule eatable not eatable 35. Inhabitants estate reall Priuate grounds houses 36. Entercourse bridges high wayes 53. Traffike markets fayres ibid. Wayghts and measures 54. Inhabitants estate personall Names 54. Language 55. Number 57. Disposition ancient ibid. Disposition later of mindes holinesse 58. Sciences Diuines ibid. Ciuilians 59. Phisicians 60. Statemen Martiall Free schooles 61. Mechanicall 62. Disposition later of bodies strength ibid. Actiuity health 63. Degrees Nobility and Gentlemen ibid. Townsmen 65. Husbandmen 66. Poore 67. Recreations Feasts Saints 69. Haruest Church-ale 68. Pastimes of the minde songs 72. Guaries 71. Pastimes of the body shooting 72. Hurling to goales 73. Hurling to countrey 74. Wrastling 75. Games 76. Gouernment as an entire State Gouernours ibid. Royalties 79. Gouernment as a part of the Realme Spiritual Arch-bishop Bishop Arch-deacon 82. Peculiars 81. Gouernment as a part of the Realme Temporall Martiall Commaunders 83. Martiall Forces ibid. Orders Forts 84. Beacons Poasts 85. Ciuill Magistrates Iudges 89. Iustices 88. Vice-admirall Coroners Clarke of the market 87. Corporations 86. Parliaments 90. Ciuill Ministers Constables Baylifs 85. Gaylour 90. Limits Hundreds Franchises parishes 86. Proportions places to meete rates ibid. The end of the first Table The Table of the second Booke COrnwall in generall 96. East Hundred 98 Topographicall Plymmouth hauen 98. Rame head ibid. Causam bay ibid. S. Nicholas Iland 99. The bridge ibid. Mount-Edgecumb ibid. West Stonehouse 100. Hamose ibid. Milbrook 101. Insworke ibid. Antony 102. Lyner riuer ibid. Saltwater pond 104. Banqueting house 107. Beggers Iland ibid. Sheuiock 108. Chrasthole ibid. S. Germanes ibid. Cuddenbeake 109. Seaton 110. Wotton ibid. Trematon Castle 111. Saltash 112. Ash torre