The Survey of Cornwall Part 19

| of cast Iron, well mounted vpon carryages 2. Sacres | with wheeles, shodde with Iron, and fur- 2. Minions | nished with Ladles, Spunges, and Ram- 2. Faulcons | mers, with all other necessaries.

Spare axeltrees, sixe.

Spare pairs of wheeles, shod with Iron, three.

Shot of Iron for the sayd pieces, of eche sort, twenty.

Canon corne powder for the said ordinance, sixe hundred wayght.

Fine corne powder, three thousand six hundred waight.

Lead, three thousand sixe hundred wayght.

Match, three thousand sixe hundred wayght.

All which, saue the ordinance itselfe, partly by piecemeale employment, and partly by ouerlong, or euil keeping, is now growne to nought, or naught.

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After the sudden surprize of Pensants, anno 1595. by direction from the Lords, order was taken, that vpon any alarum, the next Captains should forthwith put themselues with their companies, into their a.s.signed seacoast townes, whom the adioyning land-forces were appoynted to second and third, as the opportunity of their dwellings affoorded best occasion.

The yeere following, by a new commaund, 4000. were allotted out, and prouided in a readines to march for the ayd of Deuon, if cause so required, as the Lord Lieutenant of that County had the same order, vpon like necessitie, to send an equall number into Cornwall.

Lastly, anno 1599. when the Spanish fleet was againe expected, the Cornish forces voluntarily a.s.sembled themselues, and made head, at the entrance, middle, and Westpart of their south coast.

As for soldiers sent into other places, Cornwall yeeldeth, vpon euery occasion, a proportionable supply to the wants of Ireland; neither is acquitted from performing the like seruice for Fraunce, if the employment be in Brittaine or Normandy. Which often ventings notwithstanding, vpon the instance of Captaine Lower, and the sollicitation of his friends, there pa.s.sed ouer this last yeere into Netherland, at one time, 100. voluntaries and vpwards, there to serue under Sir Frauncis Vere. And besides, they often make out men of warre against the Spaniards.

Forts and Castles there are; some, olde and worne out of date; and some in present vse, with allowance of garrison.

Amongst the first sort, I reckon these, appertayningto the Duchy, as also Tintogel, and diuers round holds on the tops of hils; some single, some double, and treble trenched, which are termed, Castellan Denis, or Danis, as raysed by the Danes, when they were destyned to become our scourge.

Moreouer, in this ranke wee may muster the earthen Bulwarks, cast vp in diuers places on the South coast, where any commodity of landing seemeth to inuite the enemie, which (I gesse) tooke their originall from the statute 4. H. 8. and are euer sithence duely repayred, as need requireth, by order to the Captaynes of those limits.

Of the later sort, is a fort at Silley, called [blank] reduced to a more defensible plight, by her Maiesties order, and gouerned by the foreremembred Sir Frauncis G.o.dolphin, who with his inuention and purse, bettered his plot and allowance, and therein hath so tempered strength with delight, and both with vse, as it serueth for a sure hold, and a commodious dwelling.

The rest are S. Michaels mount, Pendenis fort, and S. Mawes Castle, of which I shall haue occasion to speake more particularly in my second booke.

Of Beacons, through the neernesse to the sea, and the aduantage of the hilly situations, welneere euery parish is charged with one, which are watched, secundum vsum, but (so farre as I can see) not greatly ad propositum: for the Lords better digested instructions, haue reduced the Countrey, by other meanes, to a like ready, and much lesse confused way of a.s.sembling, vpon any cause of seruice.

For carrying of such aduertis.e.m.e.nts and letters, euery thorow-fare weekly appoynteth a foot-Poast, to giue [86] his hourely attendance, whose dispatch is welneere as speedy as the horses.

The last branch of my diuision, and so of this book, leadeth me to entreat of Cornwals ciuill government, as it pa.s.seth for a part of the Realme; and that may againe be subdiuided into iurisdiction particular, and general. The particular iurisdiction is exercised by Constables, Stewards of Courts Barons, and Leets, Franchises, Hundreds, & Portreeues, & Maiors; of boroughs & corporations of the Stannaries, we haue spoken already. The generall, by the Clarke of the market, Coroners, Vice-admiral, Sherife, Iustices of the peace, & Iudges of a.s.size.

Constables of the hundreds the shire hath none, but this office for giuing of warnings, & collection of rates, is supplyed by the deputy Baylifs, who performe it not with that discretion, trust, secrecy, & speed, which were often requisite to the importance of the affaires.

I haue knowne the Iudges moued diuers times, for their opinion touching the erecting of some, & found them of seueral resolutions, which giueth little encouragement to an innouation. Neither can the parish Constables well brooke the same, because it submitteth them to a subalterne commaund, more then of custome; whereas now in their parishes they are absolute, the least whereof hath one, the middle sized 2. the bigger 3. or 4. I would not wish the blaze of their authority blemished, if there were as much care vsed in choyce of the persons, as the credit of their place deserueth. Wise direction without diligent execution, proueth fruitles. Now, as the former is deriued from her Maiesty to the Lords, & from the Lords to the Iustices; so this later lieth in the hands of the Constables.

Watches and searches oftentimes carry waighty consequence, and miscary in the managing: and it was seene in the last Cornish rebellion, how the Constables commaund & example, drew many of the not worst meaning people, into that extremest breach of duty.

Franchises, Cornwall hath the Duchy, Rialton, Clifton, Minhinet, Pawton, Caruanton, Stoke Cliuisland, Medland, and Kellylond, which haue their Baylifs as the Hundreds, to attend the publike seruices.

Hundreds there are but 9. East, West, Trig, Lesnewith, Stratton, Powder, Pider, Kerier, & Penwith, which containe [blank] t.i.things: by these the shire is deuided into limits, & all his rates proportioned as followeth:

Diuisions.

| East H. | Trig H. | Powder H. | Kerier.

East| West H. N.| Lesneweth H. S.| Pider H. W.| Penwith.

| Stratton H.

In all rates, the East & South limits beare 3. parts in 5. to the North and West. So in the Easterne, dooth East Hundred to that of West: in the Southerne, Powder to Pider: and in the Westerne, Kerier to Penwith. In the Northern, Trig beareth 5. Lesnewith & Stratton 4.

apiece. There is the like proportion made of the parishes in the Easterne diuision, but with little satisfaction of diuers: neither will it euer fare otherwise, & therefore (this notwithstanding) I wish it followed in the residue.

The conuenientest & vsual places of a.s.sembly for the whole County, is Bodmyn : for the East and North, Launceston: for the South and West, Truro: for the East, Liskerd: for the North, Camelford: for the South, S. Colombs; for the West, Helston.

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For the Hundreds of East, Kellington : of West, Lanreath; of Trig, Bodmyn: of Lesnewith, Camelford: of Stratton, that towne: of Powder, Grampond: of Pider, S. Columbs: of Kerier, Helston: of Penwith, Pensants.

East H. hath parishes 30. corporations 2.

West H. parishes 19. corporations 2.

Trig [blank]

Lesnewith [blank]

Stratton [blank]

Powder [blank]

Pider [blank]

Kerier [blank]

Penwith [blank]

Corporations are priuiledged with the administration of iustice, within their liberties, more or lesse, according to the purport of their Charter.

Such are Saltash, Launceston, Liskerd, Eastloo, Westloo, Bodmyn, Camelford, Lostwithiel, Padstowe, Grampond, Truro, Helston, Perin.

The Maiors and Recorders, in some of these, are Iustices of the peace, for their owne limits, and welneere allof them haue large exemptions and iurisdictions. A garment (in diuers mens opinions) ouer-rich and wide, for many of their wearish and ill-disposed bodies. They alleadge for themselues, that speedy iustice is administred in their townes, and that it saueth great expences, incident to a.s.size trials, which poor Artificers cannot vndergoe. But the other answere, that these trials are often poasted on, with more haste then good speed, while an ignorant fellow, of a sowter, becomes a magistrate, & takes vpon him peremptory iudgement, in debts and controuersies, great and doubtfull. Againe, the neernesse of commencing their suits, draweth on more expences, then the shortnes of tryals cutteth off, whereas longer respite would make way to deliberation, and deliberation open the doore to reason, which by the fumes arising from cholers boyling heat, is much obscured. Thus dooth the opportunity inure them to vexation; vexation begetteth charges, and charge hatcheth pouerty: which pouerty, accompanied with idlenes (for they cannot follow law, and worke) seeketh not to releeue itselfe by industry, but by subtilty, wherethrough they become altogether depraued in body, goods, and minde. Adde hereunto that the Maior exercising his office but during one yeere, for the first halfe thereof is commonly to learne what he ought to doe, & in the other halfe, feeling his authoritie to wane, maketh friends of that Mammon, & serueth others turnes, to be requited with the like, borrowing from iustice, what hee may lend to his purse, or complices: for as it hath bene well sayd, He cannot long be good, that knowes not why he is good. They conclude, how from these imperfect a.s.sociations, there spring pride amongst themselues, disdayne at their neighbours, and Monopolies against the Commonwealth.

This inuectiue is somewhat deeply steeped in gall, & must therefore bee interpreted, not of all, but the worst. Surely, for mine owne part, I am of opinion, that how commodious soeuer this iurisdiction may proue amongst themselues, it falleth out sundry times very distastefull and iniurious towards strangers; and strangers they reckon all that are not Burgesses. Now, let such a one bee arrested within their corporations, no sureties but townsmen can finde acceptance, be his behauiour neuer so honest, [88] his cause neuer so iust, his calling neuer so regardfull, & his ability neuer so sufficient; yet if he haue none acquaintance in the towne, if the action brought, carry a shew of waight, if the bringer be a man of sway, in, or neere the towne, if any other townsman of the higher sort beare him an old grudge, he must be contented to fret the colde yrons with his legges, and his heart with griefe: for what one, amongst them, will procure an euerlasting enemy at his doore, by becomming surety for a party, in whom he possesseth none, or little interest? The ancients vsed to grace their Cities with seuerall t.i.tles, as Numantia bellicosa, Thebae superbae, Corinthus ornata, Athenae doctae, Hierusalem sancta, Carthago emula, &c. and the present Italians doe the like touching theirs, as Roma santa, Venetia ricca, Florenza bella, Napoli gentile, Ferrara ciuile, Bologna gra.s.sa, Rauenna antiqua, &c. In an imitation whereof, some of the idle disposed Cornish men nicke their townes with by-words, as, The good fellowship of Padstowe, Pride of Truro, Gallants of Foy, &c.

The Clarke of the markets office, hath beene heretofore so abused by his deputies, to their priuate gaine, that the same is tainted with a kinde of discredit, which notwithstanding, being rightly & duly executed, would worke a reformation of many disorders, and a great good to the Common-wealth.

Foure Coroners, chosen by the voyces of the freeholders, do serue the shire, who for the present are, Bligh, Tub, Trenance, and b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

The Vice-admiralty is exercised by M. Charles Treuanion, a Gentleman, through his vertue, as free from greedinesse, as through his faire liuelyhood, farre from needinesse: and by daily experience giuing proofe, that a minde valewing his reputation at the due price, will easily repute all dishonest gaine much inferiour thereunto, & that in conuersing with the worst sort of people (which his office oftentimes enforceth) he can no more be disgraced, then the Sunne beames by shining vpon a dunghill will be blemished.

I haue here set downe the names of those Commissioners for the peace, who at this present make their ordinary residence in Corn. as they stand placed in the Commission, where the priority is mostly deferred to antiquity.

Q. Fra. G.o.dolphin M. 1.| Carolus Treuanion 16.

Q. Nic. Parker M. 2.| Thomas S. Aubin 17.

Q. Iona. Trelawney M. 3.| Q. Rob Moyle 18.

Q. Reg. Mohun M. 4.| Q. Ed Hanc.o.c.k. 19.

Q. P. Petrus Edgecomb 5.| Tristramus Arscot 20.

Q. Ric. Carew de Anth. 6.| Thomas Lower 21.

Q. Bern. Greinuile 7.| W. Treffry de Fowey 22.

Q. Antonius Rowse 8.| Iohannes Hender 23.

Petrus Courtney 9.| Q. Willi. Wray 24.

Q. Tho. Chiuerton 10.| Georgius Kekiwiche 25.

Q. Christ. Harris 11.| Q. Arth. Harris 26.