The Survey of Cornwall Part 15

Within our remembrance Cornwall hath bred or harboured Diuines, graced with the degree Doctorship, Moreman Tremayn, Nichols and Rolls.

Bachelers, Medhope, Stowel, Moore, Denis. Of Preachers, the shire holdeth a number, plentifull in regard of other shires, though not competant to the full necessity of their owne, all commendably labouring in their vocation, though not endowed with an equal ability to discharge the same.

In the Ciuil law there liued of late Doctor Kennals, & now doth Doctor Carew, one of the ancientest masters of the Chauncerie; in which calling, after his yonger yeres spent abroad to his benefit, he hath reposed himselfe. Bachelers there are Carnsew, Kete, & Denis.

Barristers at the Common law, Chiuerton, Tremayne, Skawn, Michel, Moyle, Courtnay, Tub, Treffry, Sayer. These testifie the honesty of their carriage by the mediocrity of their estate: and (if they will giue me leaue to report a iest) do verify an old Gentlemans prophesie, who said that there stood a man at Polton bridge (the first entrance into Cornwall, as you pa.s.se towards Launceston, where the a.s.sizes are holden) with a blacke bill in his hand, ready to knock downe all the great Lawyers, that should offer to plant themselues in that Countie.

In earnest, whether it be occasioned through the countries pouerty, or by reason of the far distance thereof from the supremer Courts, or for that the multiplicity of petty ones neere at hand, appertaining to the Dutchy, Stannary, and Franchises, do enable the attourneyes and such like of small reading, to serue the peoples turne, and so curtail the better studied Counsellours profiting; once certayne it is, that few men of Law, haue either in our time, or in that of our forefathers, growne heere to any supereminent height of learning, liuely-hood or authoritie.

Of like fortune, but lesse number are the Phisicions; by how much the fewer, by so much the greater witnesses of the soyles healthfulnes.

The most professors of that science in this Country, sauing only one Io. Williams, can better vouch practise for their warrant, then warrant for their practise. Amongst these, I reckon Rawe Clyes a black Smith by his occupation, and furnished with no more learning, then is suteable to such a calling, who yet hath ministred Phisike for many yeeres, with so often successe & general applause, that not only the home-bred mult.i.tude beleeueth mightily in him, but euen persons of the better calling, resort to him from remote parts of the realme, to make trial of his cunning, by the hazard of their liues; & sundry, either vpon iust cause, or to cloke their folly, report that they haue reaped their errands end at his hands.

But farre more commendable is M. Atwel, sometimes Parson of Caluerly in Deuon, & now of S. Tue in Cornwall. For besides other parts of learning, with which he hath bene seasoned, he is not vnseene in the Theoricks of Phisike, & can out of them readily and probably discourse, touching the nature and accidents of all diseases.

Besides, his iudgment in vrines commeth little behind the skilfullest in that profession. Mary his practise is somewhat strange and varying from all others: for though now and then he vse blood-letting, and doe ordinarily minister Ma.n.u.s Christi, and such like cordials, [61] of his owne compounding (a poynt fitting well with my humour, as enabling nature, who best knoweth how to worke) yet mostly for all diseases he prescribeth milk, and very often milk and apples, a course deepely subiect to the exception of the best esteemed Pract.i.tioners; and such notwithstanding, as whereby either the vertue of the medicine, or the fortune of the Phisicion, or the credulitie of the Patient, hath recouered sundry out of desperate and forlorne extremities.

This his reputation is of many yeeres standing, and maintayneth it selfe vnimpayred. But the same soareth to an higher pitch, by the helpe of another wing, and that is, his liberalitie. On the poore he bestoweth his paines & charges gratis: of the rich he taketh moderately, but leaues the one halfe behind, in gift amongst the houshould, if he be called abroad to visit any: The rest together with the profits of his benefice (rather charitably accepted then strictly exacted from his Parishioners) he powreth out with both hands in pios vsus, and will hardly suffer a penny to sleepe, but neuer to dwell with him.

Few Townes there are in Cornwall, or any other shire between that and London, which haue not in some large measure tasted of his bountie.

None commeth in kindnes to see him, but departed gratifyed with somewhat, if his modestie will accept it. Briefly, his sound affection in religion, is so wayted on by honesty of life, and pleasantnesse of conuersation, that in Fabritius his voluntary pouertie, he is an equall partner of his honour, and possesseth a large interest in the loue of his neighbours. My loue to vertue, and not any particular beholdingnes, hath expressed this my testimony.

For persons imployed in state affaires, and there-through stept to preferment, that I may not outstride late remembrance, Sir Richard Edgec.u.mb the elder, was Comptroller of the houshold, and priuie Counseller to King Henry the seuenth, being sent by him also in diuers Amba.s.sades, in one of which to the Duke of Britaine he deceased.

King Henry the eight made like vse in this last kind, of Iohn Tregonwel, who graduated a Doctor, and dubbed a Knight, did his Prince good seruice, and left faire reuenewes to his posterity.

Sir Thomas Arundel, a younger brother of Lanhearn house, maried the sister to Queene Katherine Howard, & in Edward the 6. time was made a priuie Counseller: but cleauing to the Duke of Somerset, he lost his head with him.

Sir Henry Killigrew, after Amba.s.sades and messages, and many other employments of peace and warre, in his Princes seruice, to the good of his Countrey, hath made choyce of a retyred estate, and reuerently regarded by all sorts, placeth his princ.i.p.all contentment in himselfe, which, to a life so well acted, can no way bee wanting.

Master George Carew, in his yonger yeeres gathered such fruit, as the Vniuersitie, the Innes of Court, and forrayne trauell could yeeld him: vpon his returne, he was first called to the Barre; then supplyed the place of Secretarie to the Lord Chauncellour Hatton; and after his decease, performed the like office to his two successours, by speciall recommendation from her Maiestie, who also gaue him the Prothonotaryship of the Chauncery, and in anno, 1598.

sent him Amba.s.sadour [62] to the King of Poland, and other Nothern Potentates' where, through vnexpected accidents, he vnderwent extraordinary perils, but G.o.d freed him from them, & he performed his duty in acceptable maner, and at this present the common wealth vseth his seruice, as a Master of the Chauncery.

Cornwall, no doubt, hath affoorded a far larger proportion of well deseruing and employed members, to the good of their Prince and Countrey, albeit they fall not within the compa.s.se of my knowledge, &. it is likely that the succeeding age wil much encrease the number, by meanes of her Highnes bounty, who to that end hath established seed-plots of free Schooles, with competent pentions out of her owne cofers, for the teachers at Saltash, Launceston, and Perin, three market townes of the County.

In descending to martiall men, Arthur claimeth the first mention, a Cornishman by birth, a King of Britaine by succession, & the second of the three Christian worthies by desert: whom (if you so please) that Captayne of Armes and Venery, Sir Tristram, shall accompany.

From them, I must make a great leap (which conuinceth me an vnworthy a.s.sociat of the antiquary Colledge) to Sir Iohn Naphant who (if I mistake not) was by country a Cornish man, though by inhabitance a Calisian, where H. 7. vsed his seruice in great trust; and Cardinal Wolsey owned him for his first master. More a.s.sured I am, that Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerne, vpon a long fight at sea, took prisoner one Duncane Camel, a hardy Scottish Pirate, and presented him to K. H. the 8: for our Chronicles report it. Towards the end of that Kings raine, Sir Wil. G.o.dolphin also demeaned himselfe very valiantly in a charge which hee bare beyond the seas, as appeared by the skarres hee brought home, no lesse to the beautifying of his fame, then the disfiguring of his face: Whose Nephew, of the same name and dignity, hath so inriched himselfe with sufficiency for matters of policy, by his long trauell, & for martial affaires, by his present valiant cariage in Ireland, that it is better knowne, how far he outgoeth most others in both, then easily to be discerned for which he deserueth princ.i.p.all commendation himselfe. So did Sir Rich.

Greinuile the elder enterlace his home Magistracy, with martiall employments abroad: whereof the K. testifyed his good liking by his liberality. Which domestical example, encouraged his sonne Roger the more hardily to hazard, & the more willingly to resign 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 found 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 command of Sir Walter Ralegh, the Ocean became his bedde of honour. Neither may I without wrong pa.s.se 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 afforded, 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 young 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 his Suruey, while hee so well deserues it. This man hath beene so beholden to Mercuryes predominant strength in his natiuitie, that without a teacher hee is become very skilfull in welneere all manner 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, &c healthfull const.i.tution of their bodies; touching each whereof a little in particular, though we shall haue a fitter generall occasion to discourse therof, where we handle their pa.s.setimes. For strength, one Iohn Bray (well knowne to me as my tenant) carried vpon his backe, at one time, by the s.p.a.ce welneere of a b.u.t.te 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 activity, one Kiltor, committed to Launceston Gayle for the last Cornish commotion, laying 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 G.o.d hath seated my poore dwelling, I remember the decease of foure, within 14. weekes s.p.a.ce, 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 n.o.blemen, 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 [64] 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, Bottraux Castle vaunted his Baron of that t.i.tle; 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 [blank]: 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 quant.i.tie, 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 elsewhere 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 prouerbe, that all Cornish gentlemen are cousins; which endeth in an injurious 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 behind the fashion, in [65] newfanglednes of the maner, if not in costlynes of the matter, which may perhaps ouer-empty their husbands 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 s...o...b..a.l.l.s, 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 resi- ding in Cornwall.

Arundell. Greinuile.

Ba.s.set. Karrow, alias, Carew.

Bluat, alias, Bluet.

Beauchamp. Mowne, alias, Mohun.

Bray. Malet.

Bellet. Miners.

Beuill.

Barret. Pomeray.

Courtenay. Rouse.

Chaumont, alias, Chamond.

Samtalbin, alias, Semtabyn.

Denis. 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 grew 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 pa.s.se ouer vnmentioned; and to the truth it selfe, where my report (relying vpon other mens credits) might through their errour int.i.tle 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 [66] equality in estates.

From Gentility, we wil descend to ciuility, which is or should be in the townesmen. Those in Cornwall do no more by nature, then others elsewhere by choyce, conceiue themselves 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 continue his wel-being without a beholdingnes to the rest. Their chiefest trade consisteth in vttering their petty marchandises, & Artificers labours at the weekly markets. Very few among them 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-coast 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 abode in those Inland parts.

Strangers occasioned to trauaile through the shire, were wont, no lesse sharply then truly, to inueigh against the bad drinke, course lodging, and slacke attendance which they found in thosehouses that went for Innes: neither did their horses better entertainment, 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 wayfarers, 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 Yeomanarie of Cornwall, I can say little, worth the observing, 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 yet liuing, rubbed forth their estate in the poorest plight, their grounds lay all in common, or onely diuided by st.i.tch-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, G.o.d wotte what liquor: their meat, Whitsull, as they call it, namely, milke, sowre milke, cheese, curds, [67] b.u.t.ter, 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 and 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 part.i.tions, no planchings or gla.s.se windows, and scarcely any chimnies, other then a hole in the wall to let out the smoke: their bed, straw and a blanket: as for sheets, so much linen cloth had not yet stepped ouer the narrow channell, betweene them and Brittaine. To conclude, a mazer and a panne or two, comprised all their substance: but now most of these fashions are vniuersally banished, and the Cornish husbandman conformeth himself with a better supplied ciuilitie to the Easterne patterne, which hath directed him a more thriuing forme of husbandrie; and our halcion dayes of peace enabled him to applie the lesson: so as, his fine once ouercome, he can maintaine himselfe & his familie in a competent decencie to their calling, and findeth monie to bestow weekely at the markets, for his prouisions of necessitie and pleasure: for his quarterlie rent serueth rather as a token of subiection to his Land-lord, then any grieuous exaction on his tenement.