The Survey of Cornwall Part 24

In following the course of Lyner, you fall downe by Master Bonds auncient house of Earth, descended to his auncesters, from the daughter and heire of that name, to that of Master Wiuels, newly and fayrely builded, on which abb.u.t.teth Ma. Bullers Shillingham, not so much beholden to the owners inhabitancy as to natures pleasant and commodious seating.

Bond married with Fountaine, his father with Fits: his [112] Armes are Ar. on a Cheuron Sa. three Besants.

Next, wee take view of Trematon Castle, as it doth of the Hauen, and Countrie adioyning. It is, or rather was, one of the Dukes foremencioned foure houses: for now all the inner buildings are sunke into ruine: onely there remaine the Iuie-tap.i.s.sed wals of the Keepe, and base Court, and a poore dwelling for the keeper of the Gayle, to which prisoners are brought vpon actions, from al places appurtenant to that large Lordship, if they cannot by suretiship discharge themselues, from the Bailiefes arrest.

I haue receiued information, from one auerring eyewitnes, that about fourscore yeres since, there was digged vp in the Parish Chauncell, a Leaden coffin, which being opened, shewed the proportion of a verie bigge man, but when the hands went about to ascertaine themselues, as well as their eyes, the body verified, that Omnis caro puluis.

The partie farder told me, how, a writing graued in the Lead, expressed the same to bee the burial of a Duke, whose heire was married to the prince. But who it should bee, I cannot deuise, albeit my best pleasing coniecture, lighteth vpon Orgerius, because his daughter was married to Edgar.

At the last Cornish commotion, S, Richard Greynuile the elder did, with his Ladie and followers, put themselues into this Castle, & there for a while indured the Rebels siege, incamped in three places against it, who wanting great Ordinance, could haue wrought the besieged small scathe, had his friends, or enemies kept faith and promise: but some of those within, slipping by night ouer the wals, with their bodies after their hearts, and those without, mingling humble intreatings with rude menaces, he was hereby wonne, to issue forth at a posterne gate for parley. The while, a part of those rakehels, not knowing what honestie, and farre lesse, how much the word of a souldier imported, stepped betweene him and home, laid hold on his aged vnweyldie body, and threatned to leaue it liuelesse, if the inclosed did not leaue their resistance.

So prosecuting their first treacherie against the prince, with suteable actions towards his subiects, they seized on the Castle, and exercised the vttermost of their barbarous crueltie (death excepted) on the surprised prisoners. The seely Gentlewomen, without regard of s.e.xe or shame, were stripped from their apparrell to their very smockes, and some of their fingers broken, to plucke away their rings, and Sir Richard himselfe made an exchange from Trematon Castle, to that of Launceston, with the Gayle to boote.

This Castle vaunteth the Lord Warden his steward by Patent, Master Anthonie Rouse his Baylife by inheritance, and Richard Carew of Antony his keeper by lease. Of the ancient officers, one yet retayneth the name, though not the place, viz. M. Porter, to whose ancestor, when Vantor was L. thereof, one by a deed before date, gaue land, lying without the gate, by the t.i.tle of Russell Ianitori de Trematon, which he still enioyeth. M. Porters Armes are Sa.

Three Belles Ar. a Canton Erm.

It standeth in S. Stephens parish : the sheafe whereof, together with other faire reuennues, M. George Wadham enioying in the right of his wife, the daughter and heire to master Hechins, liberally bestoweth in continuall hospitalitie.

Master Hechins armes, are Sa. a crosse Fleurty, [113] quarterly B.

and G. betweene 4. Lyons heades erased Sa. langued of the second.

M. Wadhams, G. a Cheuron betweene three Roses Ar.

The same parish also compriseth Saltash, in old writings, called Villa de Esse; Esse his towne: and such Gentlemen there have been of ancient descent and faire reuennues. The word Salt, is added thereunto, because it standeth on the sea, & to distinguish it from other places of the same name. It is seated on the declyning of a steep hill, consisteth of three streets, which euery showre washeth cleane, compriseth betweene 80. and 100. households, vnderlyeth the gouernment of a Maior & his 10. brethren, and possesseth sundry large priuiledges ouer the whole hauen, to wit, an yeerely rent of boates and barges appertayning to the harbour, ancorage of strange shipping, crowning of dead persons, laying of arrests, and other Admirall rights, besides electing of Burgesses for the Parliaments, benefit of the pa.s.sage, foreclosing all others, saue themselues, from dredging of Oysters, except betweene Candlemas and Easter, weekely markets, halfe-yeerely fayres, &c.

The towne is of late yeeres well encreased and adorned with buildings, & the townsmen addict themselues to the honest trade of marchandise, which endoweth them with a competent wealth. Some 7. or 8. ships belong thereunto.

It was not long since, that the neighbour-ministers successiuely bestowed their paines in preaching there, on the market daies, and the bordering gentlemen yeelded their presence. Sermon ended, the Preachers resorted to one ordinary, and the Gentlemen to another.

This affoorded commendable effects to many works of loue and charity: but, with the retorted blame, from one to another, it is now wholly giuen ouer.

Heere, that great Carrack, which Sir Frauncis Drake surprised, in her returne from the East Indies, vnloded her frayght, and through a negligent fyring, met with an vnproper ending.

In this towne also dwelleth one Grisling, deafe from a long time, who, besides his merry conceites, of counterfeyting by signes (like the Romane Pantomimi) any kinde of occupation or exercise, hath a strange quality, to vnderstand what you say, by marking the mouing of your lips, especially if you speake deliberately, of any ordinary matter, so as (contrary to the rules of nature, and yet without the helpe of arte) he can see words as they pa.s.se forth of your mouth: and of this I haue caused him to giue often experiments.

And if Plyny now liued, I suppose he would affoord a roome, in his natural History, to a dogge of this town, who (as I haue learned by the faithfull report of master Thomas Parkins) vsed daily to fetch meate at his house there, and to carry the same vnto a blinde mastiffe, that lay in a brake without the towne: yea, (that more is) hee would vpon Sundayes conduct him thither to dynner, and, the meale ended, guide him back to his couch and couert againe.

I had almost forgotten to tell you, that there is a well in this towne, whose water will neuer boyle peason to a seasonable softnes.

At the foot of Saltash, there abb.u.t.teth vpon the sea, a rock, called Ashtorre, alias, Effes Torre, which is inuested with the iurisdiction of a mannour, and claymeth the suites of many Gentlemen, as his freeholders in Knights [114] seruice. Below this, there is a rock on eche side of the riuer, the one termed the Bull, the other the Hen; that on Deuon, this on Cornwall side. The Hen standeth a little distant from the sh.o.r.e, which giueth occasion to a Packe, how between it and the land, the Queenes greatest ship may saile; but it is meant of the farther distant.

Aboue Saltash, Cargreen, a fisher towne, sheweth it selfe, but can hardly muster a meane plight of dwellings or dwellers: so may their care be greene, because their wealth is withered.

Neere thereunto is Clifton, a neat seated house, appertayning to one of the Arundels, descended by a yonger brother, from those of Trerice; he maried Hill, his father, Cole.

Neither hath your eye scarcely quitted that, when it receiueth Halton, the pleasant and commodious dwelling of M. Anthony Rouse, both which benefits, he empleyeth to a kind & vninterrupted entertainment of such, as visit him vpon his not spare inuiting, or their owne occasions, who (without the selfe guilt of an vngratefull wrong) must witnes, that his frankenesse confirmeth their welcome, by whatsoeuer meanes, prouision, the fewell of hospitality, can in the best maner supply. His auncestours were Lords of little Modbury in Deuon, before the descent of times grew to a distinguishment, by the date of writings: which mannour, together with other lands, through a lineall succession, fell to be possessed by Raphe, Wil. Raphe, Iohn, Wil. Raphe, and Raphe, whose daughter and heire Elizabeth, bestowed the same, with 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, he 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. Edgec.u.mbs, 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. Edgec.u.mb 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.

[115] 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 desperately 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 n.o.bles.

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 l.u.s.ty crew of soldiers, for that Ferdinands iust a.s.sistance, 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 Frobisher, and Master Dauies, for the North-west pa.s.sage, Sir Walter Raleigh for Guiana, &c.

Here, Count Mongomery made forth, with a more commendable meaning, then able meanes, or welspeeding effect, for relieving the hard besieged, and sore distressed Roch.e.l.lers.

Here, Sir Fra. Drake first extended the point of that liquid line, wherewith (as an emulator of the Sunnes glorie) he encompa.s.sed 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 c.u.mberland, Ess.e.x, 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, againt 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 l.u.s.tre, termed itselfe, 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 pa.s.sengers from shipping themselues in any other Ports then such as are there set down: of which Plymmouth was one.

[116]

From Plymmouth hauen, pa.s.sing farther into the countrie, Hengsten downe presenteth his waste head and sides to our sight. This name it borroweth 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 neighbouring Inhabitants obserue also, that when the top of Hengsten, is capped with a cloud, the same boadeth a showre within short time after.

Roger Houeden 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 be this place (if at least West-wales may, by interpretation, pa.s.se for Cornwall) because the other prouince, of that time, 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 Lawhittan, 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 Pontium & Coilleng there also mentioned, are now metamorphized, I must say amplio.

Those buildings commonly knowne by the name of Launston, 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 yeelding, as hauing a steep hill: this, of his newer erection. With them ioyne the parishes of S. Thomas & S. Stephens.

The parish Church of Launceston itselfe, fetcheth his t.i.tle 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 a.s.sizes. 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.