The Survey of Cornwall Part 30

Against you haue pa.s.sed towards the West somewhat more then a mile, Trerice, anciently, Treres, offereth you the viewe of his costly and commodious buildings. What Tre is, you know already, res signifieth a rushing of fleeting away, and vpon the declyning of a hill the house is seated.

In Edward the 3. raigne, Ralphe Arundel matched with the heire of this land and name: since which time, his issue hath there continued, and encreased their liuelyhood, by sundry like Inheritours, as S. Iohn, Iew, Durant, Thurlebear, &c.

Precisely to rip vp the whole pedigree, were more tedious, then behoouefull: and therefore I will onely (as by the way) touch some fewe poynts, which may serue (in part) to shew what place & regard they haue borne in the Common wealth.

There was an indenture made, betweene Hugh Courtney, Earle of Deuon, Leiutenant to the King, for a sea voyage, in defence of the Realme: and Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice, for accompanying him therein.

He was Sherife of Cornwall. [8. H. 5.]

Iohn Earle of Huntingdon, vnder his seale of Armes, [5. H. 6.]

made Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice, Seneshall of his houshold, as well in peace, as in warre, gaue him ten pound fee, and allowed him entertaynment in his house, for one Gentleman, three Yeoman, one boy, and sixe horses.

The same Earle, stiling himselfe Lieutenant generall [8. H. 6.]

to Iohn Duke of Bedford, Constable and Admirall of England, wrote to the said Sir Iohn Arundel, then Vice-admirall of Cornwall, for the release of a ship, which hee had arrested by vertue of his office.

The Queene, by her letter, aduertised Iohn Arundel of [3. H. 7.]

Trerice Esquire, that she was brought in child-bed of [12.Oct.]

a Prince.

The King wrote to Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice, that [11. H. 8]

he should giue his attendance at Canterbury, about the entertaynment of the Emperour, whose landing was then and there expected.

Iohn Arundel of Trerice Esquire, tooke prisoner, [14. H. 8.]

Duncane Campbell, a Scot, in a fight at sea, as our Chronicle mentioneth, concerning which, I thought it not amisse, to insert a letter sent him from Tho. Duke of Norfolke (to whom he then belonged) that you may see the stile of those dayes.

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By the Duke of Norf.

Right welbeloued, in our hearty wife we commend vs vnto you, letting you wit, that by your seruant, this bearer, wee haue receyued your letters, dated at Truru the 5. day of this moneth of April, by which we perceyue the goodly, valiant, and ieopardous enterprise, it hath pleased G.o.d of late to send you, by the taking of Duncane Camel & other Scots on the sea; of which enterprise we haue made relation vnto the Kings Highnesse, who is not a little ioyous and glad, to heare of the same, and hath required vs instantly in his name, to giue you thanks for your said valiant courage, and bolde enterprise in the premises: and by these our letters, for the same your so doing, we doe not onely thanke you in our most effectuall wise, but also promise you, that during our life, wee will bee glad to aduaunce you to any preferment we can. And ouer this, you shall vnderstand, our said Soueraigne Lords pleasure is, that you shall come and repaire to his Highnes, with diligence in your owne person, bringing with you the said Captiue, and the Master of the Scottish ship; at which time, you shall not onely be sure of his especiall thanks by mouth, & to know his further pleasure therein, but also of vs to further any your reasonable pursuits vnto his Highnes, or any other, during our life, to the best of our power, accordingly. Written at Lambeth, the 11. day of Aprill aforesaid.

Superscribed: To our right welbeloued seruant, Iohn Arundell of Trerice.

The King wrote to Sir Iohn Ar. of Trerice, touching [35. H. 8.] his discharge from the Admiralty of the fleete, lately committed vnto him, & that he should deliuer the ship which he sayled in, to Sir Nic. Poynts.

The same yere the King wrote to him againe, that he should attend him in his warres against the French king, with his seruants, tenants, and others, within his roomes and offices, especially hors.e.m.e.n.

Other letters from the King there are, whose date is not expressed, neither can I by any meanes hunt it out.

One, to his seruant Iohn Arundel of Trerice Esquire, willing him, not to repaire with his men, and to wayte in the rereward of his army, as hee had commaunded him, but to keepe them in a readinesse for some other seruice.

Another, to Sir Iohn Arundel of Trerice, praying and desiring him to the Court, the Quindene of Saint Hillarie next, wheresoeuer the King shall then bee within the Realme.

There are also letters, directed to Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerice, from the Kings Counsell, by some of which it it appeareth, that hee was Viceadmirall of the Kings [Ed. 6.] shippes, in the West seas, and by others, that hee had the goods and lands of certaine Rebels, giuen him, for his good seruice against them.

The Queene wrote to Sir Iohn Arundell of Trerice, [1. Mar] praying and requiring him, that hee, with his friends and neighbours, should see the Prince of Spaine most honourably entertained, if he fortuned to land in Cornwall.

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[2. Mar.] Shee wrote to him (being then Sherife of Cornwall) touching the election of the Knights of the shire, and the Burgesses for the Parliament.

[2. & 3.] Shee likewise wrote to him, that (notwithstanding [P. & M.] the instructions to the Iustices) hee should muster, and furnish his seruants, tenants, and others, vnder his rule and offices, with his friends, for the defence, and quieting of the Countrie, withstanding of enemies, and any other imployment, as also to certifie, what force of horse and foote he could arme.

These few notes I haue culled out of many others. Sir Iohn Arundell, last mentioned, by his first wife, the coheire of Beuill, had issue Roger, who died in his fathers life time; and Katherine, married to Prideaux: Roger by his wife Trendenham left behind him a sonne, called Iohn. Sir Iohns second wife, was daughter to Erisy, and widdow to Gourlyn, who bare him Iohn, his succeeder in Trerice, and much other faire reuenewes, whose due commendation, because another might better deliuer then my selfe, who touch him as neerely, as Tacitus did Agricola) I will therefore bound the same within his desert, and onely say this, which all, who knew him, shall testifie with me: that, of his enemies, he would take no wrong, nor on them any reuenge; and being once reconciled, embraced them, without scruple or remnant of gall. Ouer his kinred, hee held a warie and charie care, which bountifully was expressed, when occasion so required, reputing himselfe, not onely princ.i.p.all of the family, but a generall father to them all. Priuate respects euer, with him, gaue place to the common good: as for franke, well ordered, and continuall hospitalitie, he outwent all shew of competence: spare, but discreet of speech, better conceiuing, then deliuering: equally stout, and kind, not vpon lightnesse of humour, but soundnesse of iudgement, inclined to commiseration, readie to relieue. Briefely, so accomplished in vertue, that those, who for many yeeres together wayted in neerest place about him, and, by his example, learned to hate vntruth, haue often deeply protested, how no curious obseruation of theirs, could euer descrie in him, any one notorious vice. By his first foreremembred wife, he had 4.

daughters married, to Carew, Summaster, Cosowarth, & Denham: by his later, the daughter of Sir Robert Denis, 2. sonnes, and 2. daughters: the elder, euen from his young yeeres, began where his father left, and with so temperate a course, treadeth iust in his footesteps, that hee inheriteth, as well his loue, as his liuing.

The younger brother followeth the Netherland wars, with so wel-liked a cariage, that hee outgoeth his age, and time of seruice, in preferment. Their mother equalleth her husbands former children, and generally all his kinred, in kind vsage, with her owne, and is by them all, againe, so acknowledged and respected.

Of Saint Peran, wee haue spoken before, which too well brooketh his surname, in Sabulo: for the light sand, carried vp by the North wind, from the sea sh.o.r.e, daily continueth his couering, and marring the land adioynant, so as the distresse of this deluge, draue the Inhabitants to remooue their Church: howbeit, when it meeteth with any crossing brooke, the same (by a secret antipathy) restraineth, and barreth his farder incroching that way.

In Withiell Parish of this Hundred, one Gidly, not many yeeres sithence, digged downe a little hillocke, or [149] Borough, called Borsneeuas, in English, Cheapfull, therewith to thicken his other ground. In the bottome of which he found three white stones, triangle-wise (as pillers) supporting another flat one, some two foote and a halfe square, and in the midst betweene them, and vnder it, an earthen Pot, halfe full of a blacke slymie, and ill-fauouring substance, which (doubtlesse) was once the ashes of some notable person, there committed to that maner of buriall.

Saint Agnes, one of the high hils, which I specially recited in my former booke, by his entrailes (like Prometheus) feedeth the Tynners pecking, or picking bils, with a long liued profit, albeit, their scarcle Eagle eyes sometimes mistake the shadow for the substance, and so offer vp degenerate teares, as a late sacrifice to repentance.

The neighbours haue obserued, that of two Lakes, neere adioyning to this hill, and so each to other, the one will foster fish, and the other none at all.

Neyther may I omit newe Kaye, a place in the North coast of this Hundred, so called, because in former times, the neighbours attempted, to supplie the defect of nature, by Art, in making there a Kay, for the Rode of shipping, which conceyt they still retayne, though want of means in themselues, or the place, haue left the effect in Nubibus: and onely lent them the benefit of Lesterc.o.c.kes and fisher-boates.

I cannot finish this Hundred, with the relation of many more Gentlemen, eyther through want of them, or in my selfe.

Trenance added to his owne liuelyhood, the possessions of Littleton, to whome, as sisters sonne, and generall heire, hee succeeded and married Kendall, and his sonne Roscarrocke: hee beareth A. a Fesse, betweene three Swords S.

There dwelleth also Master Tredenick, who matched with the daughter of Viuian, and his father, of Marow, who beareth O. on a bend S.

three Buckes heads cabased A. As also Langherne B. a Cheuron betweene 3. Escalops O. Burlace, A. on a bend S. two hands tearing in sunder a horse-shooe of the field; and others.

Kerier Hundred.

KEry in Cornish, signifieth bearing: and yet you must beare with me, if I forbeare to deriue Kerier herefrom, vntill I see some reason for my warrant: wherefore leauing that, I will weaue on my former webbe of Falmouth hauen; and first, a word or two touching the same in generall, ere I descend to the yet vndescribed West side in particular.

The riuer Fala, falling here, into the seas wide-gaping mouth, hath endowed it with that name,

In the very entrance of the harbour lyeth a rocke, rather disgracing, then endamaging the same: for with the ebbe it is discouered, and at the flood, marked by a pole purposely fixed thereupon. For the rest, such as compare Plymmouth and Falmouth together, obserue, that Plymmouth creekes are mostly coasted with plaine sh.o.a.res; Falmouth, with steepe: which maketh that, the more delightfull for prospect, this, the more safe for riding. Againe, they say that Falmouth lyeth farther out in the trade way, and so offreth a sooner oportunity to wind-driuen shipping, then Plymmouth, but that Plymmouth hath a better outlet, from his Cat.w.a.ter, for saylers [150] bound to the Westwards, and from Hamoase for those that would fare to the East, then Falmouth. Likewise as Plymmouth vaunteth richer and fairer townes, and greater plentie of fish then Falmouth: so Falmouth braggeth, that a hundred sayle may Anker within his circuite, and no one of them see the others top, which Plymmouth cannot equall.

Howsoeuer they agree for competence among themselues, the worst of them, by most mens iudgements, hath the precedence (Milford onely excepted) of all other hauens in England. And thus much of the whole.

Now to the parts.

On the West side, at the verie comming in, there riseth a hill, called Pendenis, where king Henrie the eighth, when hee tooke order for fortifying the Sea coasts, caused a Castle to bee builded, with allowance of a pettie Garrison, and some small store of Ordinance. Another, somewhat like thereto in plot, but different in sight, was s. Mawes then erected in the other side, at Saint Mawes, of which Castle, I haue spoken heretofore.

Saint Mawes lieth lower, and better to annoy shipping: but Pendenis standeth higher, and stronger to defend it selfe. It should seeme, the fortifier made his aduantage of the commoditie, affoorded by the ground, and shot rather at a safe preferuing the Harbour, from sodaine attempts of little Fleetes, and the mastering of Pirates, then to withstand any great Nauie, or maigne inuasion.

But her Maiestie casting an equall eye to both, or rather a sharper sight to this later, as quickned through the enemies diuers pretences against these places (whereof Falmouth, by myracle, not prouidence, escaped one) raysed a new fort with a Garrison, vpon the Hawe at Plymmouth, and at her great charges, with some little helpe of the Countrie, added an increase of fortification and souldiers to Pendenis. Howbeit, his greatest strength consisteth in Sir Nicholas Parker, the Gouernour, who demeaning himselfe, no lesse kindly, and frankly towards his neighbours, for the present, then hee did resolutely, and valiantly, against the enemie when he followed the warres; therethrough commaundeth, not onely their bodies, by his authoritie, but also their hearts, by his loue, to liue and die in his a.s.sistance, for their common preseruation, and her Highnesse seruice: hee beareth B. Frettie, and A. a Fesse O.

After the declining hill hath deliuered you downe from this Castle, Arwenacke entertaineth you, with a pleasing view: for the same standeth so farre within the Hauens mouth, that it is protected from the sea stormes, and yet so neere thereunto, as it yeeldeth a ready pa.s.sage out. Besides the Cliffe, on which the house abb.u.t.teth, is steepe enough to shoulder off the waues, and the ground about it, plaine and large enough for vse and recreation.

It is owed by Master Iohn Killigrew, who married the daughter of Monck, and heire to her mother [blank] and was sonne to Sir Iohn Killigrew, who matched with Woluerstone: the stocke is ancient, and diuers of the branches (as I haue elsewhere remembred) growne to great aduancement, in calling and liuely-hood, by their greater desert: their Armes are A. an Eagle with two heads displayed within a bordure Bezanty S.

Somewhat aboue Arwenacke, Trefuses point diuideth the harbour, and yeeldeth a seuerall Ankering [151] place on eche side thereof; the one called Carrack rode, the other, Kings rode.

This Promontory is possessed and inhabited by a Gentleman of that name, who suitably to his name, giueth three Fusils for his coat, in this sort: A. a Cheuron betweene three Fusils S. He maried the coheire of Gaurigan, and M. Wil. G.o.dolphin, late yonger brother to Sir FraunciS, her other sister.