The Survey of Cornwall Part 13

Dominus Willi. de Campo Arnulphi.

Dominus Thomas de Kan.

Dominus Stepha. de Bello Prato.

Dominus Rogerus de Carminou.

Dominus Thomas de Pridias.

Dominus Hugo Peuerell.

Dominus Iohannes de Lambron.

Dominus Rad. Bloyhon.

Dominus Iohannes filius Willi.

Dominus...o...b..rtus le Sor.

Dominus Robertus Gifford.

Dominus Richardus de Huwyse.

Dominus Reg. de Beuill.

Dominus Richardus de Reskymer, Dominus Henricus de la Pomerey.

Dominus Petrus de Fysac.

Dominus Roulandus de Quoykyn.

Dominus Richardus de Greneuyle.

Dominus Walterus de Cornubia.

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Dominus Reginaldus de Botreaus.

Thomas le Erchideakene.

Serlo de Lansladeron.

Walterus de Trem.

Steph. de Trewythen.

Odo de la Roche.

Willi. del Estre.

Rad. filius Oliueri de Arundell.

Willi. de Bret.

Mich. le Pet.i.t.

Iohannes de Kellerion.

Henricus de Kymyell.

Iohannes de Arundell.

Rogerus le Flemming.

Richardus le Ceariseus.

Iohannes de Tynton.

Rad. de Cheyndut.

Robertus le Brun.

Stepha.n.u.s de Trewynt.

Robertus filius Willi.

Thomas de Waunford.

Rogerus Cola.

Rogerus de Meules.

Iohannes de Kylgat.

Richardus de Trenaga.

Philip. de San. Wynnoko, Iohannes de Thurlebere.

NOW to weaue on our former web. The ancient maner of Cornish building, was to plant their houses lowe, to lay the stones with morter of lyme and sand, to make the walles thick, their windowes arched and little, and their lights inwards to the court, to set hearths in the midst of the roome, for chimneyes, which vented the smoake at a louer in the toppe, to couer their planchings with earth, to frame the roomes not to exceede two stories, and the roofes to rise in length aboue proportion, and to bee packed thick with timber, seeking therethrough onely strength and warmenesse; whereas now-adayes, they seat their dwellings high, build their walles thinne, lay them with earthen morter, raise them to three or foure stoaries, mould their lights large, and outward, and their roofes square and slight, coueting chiefly prospect and pleasure. As for Gla.s.se and Plaister for priuate mens houses, they are of late yeeres introduction.

The poore Cotager contenteth himselfe with Cob for his wals, and Thatch for his couering: as for Brick and Lath walles, they can hardly brooke the Cornish weather: and the vse thereof being put in triall by some, was found so vnprofitable, as it is not continued by any.

It resteth, that after the Cornish Inhabitants reall priuate estate, I speake of their entercourse and traffike, and so step forth to their personal.

This entercourse is obtayned by high wayes and Bridges: for highwayes, the Romanes did not extend theirs so farre: but those layd out of later times, are in the Easterne part of Cornwall, vneasy, by reason either of their mire or stones, besides many vp-hils and downe-hils.

[54] The Westerne are better trauaileable, as lesse subiect to these discommodities: generally, the statute 18. Eliz. for their amendement, is reasonably wel executed.

Bridges, the riuer Tamer hath Polston, Gresham, Horse, and New Bridge.

Lyner, that at Noddetor, Seton, and Loo, two bridges of the same name.

Foy riuer, Reprin, Lostwithiel, S. Nighton, or Niot. Fala riuer, Grampord, Tregny. Loo riuer, Helston. On the North coast, vpon Camel, Wade, Dilland & h.e.l.land. Vpon Deuon, Trywartheuy, &c. for they are worth no curious enquiry.

For maintenance of traffike by buying and selling, there are weekely markets kept: In the Hundred of East, at Saltash, Launceston, and Milbrook. In west H. at Loo, and Liskerd. In Stratton H. at the Towne of the same name. In Lesnewith H. at Bottreaux Castle, and Camelford. In Powder H. at Foy, Lostwithiel, Grampord, Tregny, and Truro. In Trig H. at Bodmin. In Kerier Hun. at Helston, and Perin. And in Penwith Hundred, at Pensants, and at S. Ies.

Of these, Bodmyn and Launceston are the greatest: this as placed in the broadest, that in the middle part of the Countie.

Fayres there are many, some of which here ensue.

March 13. at Bodmyn, Helston, S. Michaels mount.

April 24. at Loo.

25. at S. Columbs, S. Probus.

May 1. at Launceston, Perin.

Iune 11. at Minhinet, 24. at Launceston, Pelint, Probus, Colombs Iuly, on S. Margets day, at S. Stephens.

S. Thomas transl, at Camelford.

On S. Iames day, at Golsinni, Saltash.

August 1. at S. Germaines.

On S. Laurence day, at S. Laurence.

On the a.s.sumption of our Lady, at Lalant, September, on S. Mathews day, at Liskerd, on S. Bartholmews, at Lostwithiel, on the Natiuitie of our Lady, at Kellington, S. Marie weeke, and Marcasiow.

October, on S. Dionise day, at Treuenna in Tintagel, Nouember, on S. Katherins day, at S. Thomas.

On S. Leonards day, at Launceston and Tregny.

December, on S. Nicholas day, at Bodmyn.

And because traffike cannot bee exercised without waights and measures, a word or two of them.

Touching wayghts, the statute 12. H. 7. which made a generall ordinance therein, did specially exempt those appertayning to the cunnage, in Deuon and Cornwall, viz. that they should be priuiledged to continue their former vsage.

In measures the Shire varieth, not only from others, but also in it selfe: for they haue a land-measure, and a water-measure: the water-measure, of things sold at the ships side (as salt and peason) by the Inhabitants, is sixteene gallons the bush.e.l.l; by strangers, betweene 18. and 24. The land-measure differeth in diuers places, from 18. to 24. gallons the bush.e.l.l, being least in the East parts, and increasing to the Westwards, where they measure Oates by the hogshead.

The Iustices of peace haue oftentimes indeuoured to reduce this variance to a certaintie of double Winchester: but though they raysed the lower, they cannot abate the higher to this proportion: and yet from the want of this reformation, there ensue many inconueniences; for the Farmer that hath the greatest bush.e.l.l at the market, maketh a price for the lesser to follow with little, (or at least) no rateable deduction. Besides, they sell at home to their neighbours, the [55] rest of the weeke, by the smaller meafure, as was payd in the market for the bigger.

There are also some Ingrossers, who buy Wheat of the husbandman, after 18. gallons the bush.e.l.l, and deliuer it to the transporting Marchant, for the same summe, at 16.

So doth their Pearch exceed that of other Countries, which amounteth vnto 18. foote. And it is likewise obserued by strangers, that the Cornish miles are much longer then those about London, if at least the wearinesse of their bodies (after so painefull a iourney) blemish not the coniecture of their mindes. I can impute this generall enlargement of saleable things, to no cause sooner, then the Cornish mans want of vent and money, who therethrough, to equall others in quality of price, is driuen to exceed them in quant.i.tie of measure.

Touching the personall estate of the Cornish Inhabitants, to begin with their name in generall, I learne by master Camden (who, as the Arch-antiquarie Iustus Lipsius testifieth of him, Britanniae nebulas claro ingenij sole ill.u.s.trauit) that Ptolomey calleth them d.a.m.nonii, Strabo Ostid.a.m.nii, and Aretemidorus, Cossini.

Touching their particular denominations; where the Saxons haue not intruded their newer vsances, they partake in some sort with their kinsmen the Welsh: for as the Welshmen catalogize ap Rice, ap Griffin, ap Owen, ap Tuder, ap Lewellin, &c. vntill they end in the highest of the stock, whom their memorie can reach vnto: So the Westerne Cornish, by alike, but more compendious maner, int.i.tle one another with his owne & his fathers christen name, and conclude with the place of his dwelling; as Iohn, the sonne of Thomas, dwelling at Pendaruis, is called Iohn Thomas Pendaruis. Rich. his yonger brother is named, Richard Thomas Pendaruis, &c. Through which meanes, diuers Gent. and others haue changed their names, by remoouing their dwellings, as Trengoue to Nance, Bonithon, to Carclew, two brethren of the Thoma.s.ses, the one to Carnsew, the other to Rescrowe, and many other.

Most of them begin with Tre, Pol, or Pen, which signifie a Towne, a Top, and a head: whence grew the common by-word.

By Tre, Pol, and Pen, You shall know the Cornishmen.