xii. 7 and 8, that a merchant cannot be without guile, nor a

victualler without sin, it so wrought upon him, that he did not only renounce his trade of a merchant, but also forsook all worldly affairs, and took upon himself the vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity; and under the habit of a grey cover, or scapula, and a coat of the same, surrounded or girded in the middle with a twisted rope, cord, or halter, in memory of his deliverance from it and the gallows, as aforesaid, with naked legs and discalceated feet, he forsook his house, and went about the country preaching the Gospel gratis, subsisting only on the alms and charity of his hearers, and what was wanting in that particular was made up by downright beggary. And in short time he so far prevailed with the people by his predicatements, that divers brethren went about with him, following the same manner of life, under the rules and habit aforesaid, which gave him occasion or opportunity to lay the foundation of the first convent in Christendom of his order at Assissium aforesaid, and obtained a confirmation of his rule from the Pope; and two years after his death, 4th Aug. 1228, was by him canonized for a saint.

However, let it be remembered here, that afterwards St. Bonaventure, being at the 18th year of his age entered of this order of St. Francis, and in the general chapter of Narbonne chosen minister general of those friars, he then so altered and regulated his rule and order, or rather reformed it, that ever since it might more aptly be called the order of St. Bonaventure than that of St. Francis. Which St. Bonaventure afterwards being made a Bishop, and one of the Cardinals of Rome, wrote the Life of St. Francis in Latin, and therein recounted so many stories of his conversion as aforesaid, of his perfection, religion, reparation of three churches, his sincere, mortified life, and the manner of preparing creatures for his refection, his humility, obedience, condescension, and bowing downwards of himself, his love of poverty, the wonderful supply of his wants, his affections towards piety, his desire of martyrdom, his study, and virtuous orations, his skill in Scripture and spirit of prophecy, his efficacious predicatements, his sacred marks, and holy chastisements of his body, his patience in undergoing the pangs of death, 4th Oct. 1226, that in this place I have only room to name them. And as a surplusage thereto, St. Bonaventure, as also Alosi Lepomani, Bishop of Seville, ascribe to St. Francis, before and after his death, the doing of no less than 113 miracles, or supernatural acts, which, I think, are more than are recorded by the sacred writings to be done by our Saviour Jesus.

But, notwithstanding all that is done and said by St. Bonaventure in praise of St. Francis, he did not much rely upon the merit of him or any other Saint, since it is an established sanction at the end of all his hymns pertaining to this order of Franciscans,

Soli gloria tibi, Domine, qui natus es de Virgine.

Now though this Order of St. Francis, after convents were erected and endowed, for the most part lived in convents under these rules as aforesaid, without alms or begging, yet a particular sort of them went abroad to preach the Gospel in parochial churches and free chapels, where the rector, vicar, curate, or chaplain was no preacher, and administered the sacraments as occasion required; having, moreover, committed to their charge or jurisdiction, by the Pope, the commutation of penance for sins committed; and, because by their rule they were not to take money, they took the same in corn, wool, fruits, fields, goods, and chattels, for their Superior. Those kind of missionaries were called Friars Observants, and went at large as supervisors, who pretended to a stricter observation of their rule than the master conventuals that went not abroad. What revenues this stately church of St. Francis at Bodmin had at its dissolution I know not, neither doth the Monasticon Anglicanum inform me; besides five quarterly pence, and twenty penee by the year out of every family or dwelling-house in Cornwall, that was not excused propter paupertatem. Supplication of Beggars to Henry the Eighth, p. 2.

Those Franciscan friars, Mendicant or Minors, came not into England till Henry the Third’s days (since which time this church at Bodmin must be erected) in all but nine in number, who landed at Dover; five of which went to Canterbury, where, by the King’s leave, they built the first convent in England of their order; four went to London, and had a place given them in St. Nicholas Shambles, anno Dom. 1260, to erect another convent or monastery, by John Jewyn, merchant. However, let it be remembered that the Black Friars Mendicant, or Augustines, were founded by William de Paris, and first brought into England in the time of William the Conqueror, to whom Robert Kilwarby, Archbishop of Canterbury tempore William I. at the west end of London, on the bank of the Thames, founded and endowed there a monastery to them. For White Friars, or Cistersians, see Kilkhampton; for Dominicans, St. Dominick. Carmelite Friars were founded at Carmellus, a town in Syria; as also a latter order of those discalceated friars were founded by St. Mary de Theresa, of Jesus, of the blessed Lady of Mount Carmel, 1540. She was a native of Castile, and died 4th October, 1582, in the 68th year of her age, and 47th of being religious. She was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. 12th March 1622. The Friars of St. Francis of Paula, in Italy, were founded by him 1414; little different from those others. Finally of these friars: Bishop Usher, in his Discourse of the Primitive Church, fully demonstrates that, before the Reformation of religion, besides monks there were in this land, of the five orders, above thirty thousand begging friars.

At Lan-car, in this parish, (rest-rock, or rock-temple, if ever any church or chapel was extant here, otherwise, by the rock may be signified some notable stone-quarry found in those lands,) was the dwelling of John Mountstephens, Esq. sometime member of parliament for West Looe, who purchased the same from Mr. Bullock. He was the son of Mounts or Stephens, alias Mountstephen, of St. Mabyn, and had his first education under Mr. Stephens, sometime schoolmaster of Bodmin, to whom at length he became usher; afterwards was clerk or servitor to William Lilly, Esq. and so became an undergraduate in Oxford; and, being recommended by him to the notice of the Earl of Sunderland, Lord President of the Council temp. James II. he made him one of his clerks or secretaries, which circumstance further brought him to the knowledge of Jonathan Lord Bishop of Bristol, by whose interest he obtained a burgess-ship at West Looe for the parliament, and was afterwards made one of the Commissioners for the King’s Tin-farm in those parts; by which ways and means he got himself considerable wealth and reputation.

But, notwithstanding all those his prosperous successes of fortune, in the month of December, or beginning of January, 1706, aged about 60 years, when he was at London, a member of parliament as aforesaid, and in his own house till eleven of the clock, one day upon some discontent went from his company, and so into a more retired apartment, where he took a razor and cut his own throat, and instantly fell dead on the spot, the razor by his side all bloody, to the great terror and amazement of his domestics, who found him in that posture.

Various were the reports and sayings of people upon occasion of this sad accident; some said it was for that he made addresses of marriage to a gentlewoman above his degree, who rejected his amours, upon account of some concubine, or bedfellow, he kept at Truro; others, with more probability, gave out that he was detected by the Earl of Sunderland (who raised him) for eighteen years’ space to have been a French pensioner, and to have received a great sum of money annually for communicating the secrets of the Queen and Parliament to the Secretary of the French King, which as soon as he understood, by a letter shown him under his own hand, he instantly went home to his lodgings, burnt all his papers, and committed the felo-de-se aforesaid.

Bo-carne,[16] in this parish, id est, cows, kine, cattle, and white spar-stones, comparatively rocks, is the dwelling of William Flammock, Gent. that married Reynolds, and giveth for his arms, out of a supposed allusion to their name, Argent, a chevron between three estoiles Sable, (that is, in a wavy or flaming posture,) for flammock, after the Cornish-British, must be interpreted a flame and smoke; since the Latin words _flamma_, or flame, or bright burning fire-sparkle, and _flammans_, burning, flaming, are both derived from the British word flam; for _exæstuo_ is the proper and native word, to burn, or flame.

Again, this family indifferently wrote their name Flam-mank, Flam-manc, id est, in Cornish, flaming or burning glove, sleeve, or gauntlet; so called, perhaps, for that some of this family was a notable soldier, and famous in the combat at sword and gauntlet, (viz. military glove,) or a sleeve and gorget of mail, as the above name. And flammock may relate to some soldier of this tribe that was as renowned in his charge with the fusee or firelock, soon after the invention of guns: for Camden, in his Remains, tells us that in Edward the Third’s French wars gunaria, or gunarii, had its pay; which was before the invention of guns in Germany.

But if flammeck, flammeg, flammock, be a monosyllable, and not a compound or conjugated word, it signifies in British blear-eyed-ness, or one that hath a sparkling or flaming eye, either by natural or accidental infirmity, an obstruction of sight.

I take this gentleman to be the lineal descendant of that Mark Le Flemanc who was possessed of 16_l._ rents in lands and tenements in Cornwall, 40th Henry III. (Carew’s Survey,) that were held by the tenure of knight’s service, and was no knight; who was obliged by his tenure to send into the King’s army a man and horse armed with lorica, capello ferri, gladio, et cultello, a breastplate, a brigandine, an iron headpiece, a sword and cuttler. As was also that Thomas Flammock, a lawyer, in the reign of King Henry VII. 1496, who, together with Michael Joseph, a smith of these parts, stirred up the Cornish people to a rebellion against that prince, under the pretence of the severity of a land tax, though it was but a subsidy of an hundred and twenty thousand pounds, charged by Act of Parliament for one year of the thirty-seven shires of England, towards the Scotch war; which, after the severest imposition, could not amount to above 2,500_l._ on this county. But really the ground and design of this insurrection was to depose King Henry from his crown and dignity, and in his stead to set up Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, the true heir male of the House of York, sister’s son to King Edward the Fourth. Which being well understood by the inhabitants of Cornwall, gave Flammock and Joseph opportunity to raise such an army, as thereby to become so formidable that John Basset, of Tehidy, then Sheriff, with his posse comitatus, dared not encounter them. Whereupon they marched with their army, consisting of about six thousand men, from Bodmin to Launceston, and from thence into Devon; where also they appeared so tremendous that Sir William Carew, Knight, then Sheriff thereof, with his posse comitatus, would not venture a battle with them, but suffered them (either through fear or affection) to pass through his Bailiwick into Somersetshire, and so Taunton there; in which place they slew the Provost Perrin, a commissioner for the subsidy aforesaid, and then advanced to Wells; where James Touchet, Lord Audley, knowing the mystery of their design, confederated with them, and became their general. Soon after, they published their declaration of pretended grievances, chiefly concerning the said land tax, and wholly laying the blame of that exaction upon John Martin, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Reginald Bray, Knt. two of the King’s Council, whom they would have removed from that station.

Upon which pretence (and the secret reserve aforesaid) the people, being better affected to the House of York than to that of Lancaster, suffered these rebels quietly to march from Wells to Salisbury, from Salisbury to Winchester, and from thence into Kent, where they expected great aid and assistance; but when they came there, contrary to promise and to expectation, no person came to their help: but on the contrary, for the King there appeared in arms against them, with the Earl of Kint, the Lord Abergavenny, Sir John Brook, Lord Cobham, and divers other gentlemen, with great forces, to stop their further proceedings that way. Upon which disappointment, the rebels turned their march towards London, and encamped upon Blackheath, about four miles from thence; where they had not long been before they were encountered by Giles Lord Daubeny, King Henry’s general, who, after a short conflict with them, and the loss of three hundred soldiers on the King’s part, and two thousand on the Rebels’ side, the remainder of them fell into despair, threw down their arms, craved mercy, and yielded themselves prisoners. The King pardoned many; but of the chief authors of the insurrection none. The Lord Audley was committed to Newgate, and from thence drawn to Tower-hill in his coat-armour (painted on paper), reversed and torn, where he was beheaded. Flammock and Michael Josepp the smith, were hanged, drawn, and quartered, and has their heads and quarters pitched upon stakes set up in London and other places, June 26, 1496. [See Lord Bacon’s History of King Henry the Seventh. An opinion is still prevalent in Cornwall, that after themselves the people of Kent are the most brave in England.]

This town and parish of Bodmin is also notable for the rendezvous of Perkin Warbeck’s army from St. Michell’s Mount, which he had also raised to the number of six thousand in opposition to King Henry the Seventh, anno Dom. 1498, as the pretended Richard of Shrewsbury, second son to King Edward the Fourth; where he was proclaimed King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, by the name of Richard the Fourth: but he and his army at length underwent the same fate as the former rebels did. (See St. Michael’s Mount, in this our History.)

Here also was the rendezvous of the Cornish rebels under Humphrey Arundell, Esq. anno 3 Edward VI. who pitched their camp upon Castle Kynock aforesaid, and imprisoned such gentlemen as would not willingly ride with them, till the King’s forces vanquished the one, and delivered the other, at and near Exeter. (See St. Hillary.)

Now Sir Anthony Kingston, Provost Martial of the King’s Army, coming from Exeter to do justice in Cornwall according to the law of arms against such rebels as had escaped thence, executed Thomas Boyeer, the mayor of this town, and the miller’s man, is set forth in Mr. Carew’s Survey of Cornwall, p. 124 (p. 292 of Lord Dunstanville’s Edition).

In this parish is St. Laurence, so called from the chapel dedicated to his guardianship. The name is derived from the Latin words, laureat and ensis, that is, a laureat sword, or a sword of triumph. St. Laurence was a native of Osca, in Spain, born about the year 280. He received holy orders from St. Xysten, who was raised to the chair of St. Peter in 257. During the persecution by the Emperor Valerian, St. Laurence, finding that not even the sacred vestments nor the decorations of the church were safe from profane hands, availed himself of the office of chief deacon, which he then held, to dispose of the whole, and to distribute the wealth thus acquired among the indigent of his spiritual brethren. This having been made known to the Prefect of Rome, a man devoted to the worship of false gods, but more, as the biographer observes, to the adoration of silver and gold, he demanded from St. Laurence the riches of the church, who promised in three days to produce them; and on the third day he returned with the poor persons among whom their value had been divided. When the Prefect, transported with rage, is said to have ordered his destruction by the most cruel death. The legend reports him to have been fastened on an iron bed, and consumed by fire placed under it. Hence the familiar emblem attributed to this martyr, of a gridiron. The event is referred to the 10th of Aug. 261.

In this parish the town, or rather village of St. Laurence, is situated between two hills, and with a pleasant river running through its street, about a mile and a half west from Bodmin. In it stands a lawres hospital, that is to say, a hospital for lepers (loure, or lower, in British is a leper), which hath good endowment of lands and revenues appertaining thereto, founded by the piety and charity of the well-disposed people of this county in former ages, for the relief, support, and maintenance of all such people as should be visited with that sickness called elphantiasy, in Latin lepra or elphantia, in English leprosy, in British lowerery; being a white infectious scurf running all over the bodies of such persons as are tainted therewith. Which disease heretofore in many families was hereditary, and infected the blood for generations.

This disease, though common in Asia, was thought to have been first brought into England from Egypt by seamen and traders, so that generally it spread itself over this kingdom about the year 1100. Soon after which, a general collection of charitable benevolences was gathered throughout the land by one of the Mowbrays, a gentleman tainted with the disease, for erecting and endowing the lazar-house or hospital of Burton, in Leicestershire, to which place was made subject all other hospitals of this sort in England, as the Master of Burton Hospital was afterwards made subject to the Master of St. John’s Hospital of Jerusalem, in London, and then, soon after the erection of lazar-houses throughout this kingdom, was invented that writ called Leproso amovendo, for removing a leper from his country-house to the hospital. But the custom in this place was such, that none were to be admitted by the governors of the same for the time being, unless the person so brought in paid them 5_d._ a pot for dressing their meat, a purse and a penny in it to receive alms. At present I hear of no lepers in this hospital, nor any person visited with this disease in Cornwall: however, daily in the chapel of Lawrence, by the townspeople, God is duly worshipped by a chaplain in deacon’s orders, who reads divine service to them according to the church of England; and at three several times at least in the year the Vicar of Bodmin, and Rector of Lannerat, for a small stipend preach and administer the sacraments to them. Infants baptized, and the dead bodies thereof buried, at Bodmin church.

The lands, customs, and privileges of this lazar-house,[17] or lower hospital, were much augmented or enlarged, and also confirmed by a charter from Queen Elizabeth, in the beginning of her reign, with the jurisdiction of a court-leet within the precincts of its manor of Ponteby, (id est, by the ford or bridge whereon the town of St. Lawrence is situate,) the white-rod erected or held up yearly whilst the court is sitting. It is also by that charter privileged with a weekly market, to be kept on Wednesday, within the town of St. Lawrence, though of late discontinued; as also with fairs yearly on the 10th of August and the 18th of October.

TONKIN.

In respect to the etymology of the name Bodmin, or Bodman, I have no difficulty. I looke upon the word as Saxon-Kernawish, bode and man, or bode-men in the plural, which may safely, and without a catachræsis, be interpreted, the preacher-man, or men. That bode signifies priest, or preacher, in the Cornish, the Gaelic, and other cognate tongues, I confirm by the authority of Alfred, the Saxon grammarian, and of Verstegan, from which is derived our modern Kernawish word for a priest.

And this sense is preserved in the names of divers other churches throughout the land; as in the hundred of Weston, Herefordshire, where we find Boddenham Vicarage, bod-den-ham, preacher-man-dwelling, den being in Kernawish synonymous with man.

[The remainder of Mr. Tonkin’s narrative agrees so nearly with that of Mr. Hals as not to require its insertion.]

WHITAKER.

“The paroch chirch standith at the est end of the town, and is a fair large thyng,” says Leland, an author with whom Mr. Hals had no acquaintance (though the Itinerary of that author was published in 1710, and in some years immediately following; and the Collectanea in 1715); “there is a cantuarie chapel at th’est ende of it.” This is the present school, situated a few yards east of the eastern end, raised upon vaults, ascended by steps, entered by an arched door of stone peaked, having a large arched window peaked; at the east two windows in the arch, two on the south, arched and peaked; with three stalls of stone on the south, near the eastern end. The space below, lately a bone-house to the church, now atttached to the school, must formerly have been a walk under the vault.

“Bodmyn hath a market on every Saturday, lyke a fair for the confluence of people.” (Itin. ii. 114.) Bodmin was then at the height of its glory: it began soon afterwards to sink. The many decayed houses, says Carew, 120 years afterwards, prove the town to have been once very populous. What occasioned this decay was the Reformation, probably, throwing the revenues of the priory, and of the house of friars, into the hands of men laical and distant.

“There was a good place of Gray Freres in the south syde of Bodmin town. One John of London, a merchaunt, was the beginner of this house. Edmund Erle of Cornewaul augmentid it. There lay buried in the Gray Freres Sir Hugh and Sir Thomas Peverel, Knightes, and benefactors to the house.”――(Leland.) The remains of this form the south side of an open space, which must have been the quadrangle or court of the Friars, and have been surrounded by its buildings, on the east, the north, and the west. On the west end, near the grand door in these remains, was the church-yard, or burying-place, which Mr. Hals says was made a fair for cattle; and here were very lately found, by sinking a saw-pit, bones in a considerable quantity.

The remains themselves are, a long and lofty room, once a church, but since used as Mr. Hals describes. It has a fine window at the east end, peaked in the arch; the only part of it that is not blocked up being very pleasingly broken into small parts by mullions of stone.

It has another arch for a window to the west, but not so fine; and four arches on the north and south sides, all peaked, but those most easterly more sharply than the others. What Mr. Hals calls a font is still there; and a font it assuredly is, the Friars having just as much right to a font as to a burying-place; but the inscription upon it is on two or three squares of the hexagon in which the font is shaped, and is too modern to mean any thing.

“There is a chapel of St. ―――― at the west ende of the toune. There is another chapel in Bodmyn beside that at the west ende of the toune, and an almose house, but not endowid with landes.” (Leland, Itin. ii. 114, 115.) Query, says Tanner, respecting the latter, Whether this alms-house was St. Anthony’s or St. George’s? for the will of John Killigrew, proved A.D. 1500, gives legacies Pauperibus Sancti Antonii de Bodmyn, et Pauperibus Sancti Georgii de Bodmyn. Both these chapels had an almshouse. The latter is that chapel which stood on the summit of a hill north of Bodmin, called Berry, from some castle or fort upon it, I suppose, and giving name to the valley below it, Berrycoomb, or Bereum. The remains of this chapel are merely a tower, neat but slight, making a considerable object to the road from its elevation, yet small in its rise, or its pitch, and carrying a face of no great antiquity, being merely three hundred years old. The town, says tradition, stood formerly here, was burnt down, and then removed to its present site. That this is false as history we know for certain, as we know the town to have been where it now stands, but that the town in the days of its high prosperity had shot out hither.

“The showe and the principale of the toun of Bodmyn,” says Leland, “is from west to est along in one streate.” (Itin. ii. 114.) There were (says Mr. Hals upon the credit of information) within these sixty years past no less than thirteen churches, or free chapels, remaining either whole or ruined in the town and parish, and this was one.

The church of the priory, notes Mr. Hals, after the dissolution of religious houses, was converted to a parochial church. It was, indeed, such from the beginning: so Leland tells us concerning it in his time, “that the parish church standeth at the east end of the town,” &c. It was even converted as such from a rectorial to a vicarial church before 1290.

This prioral rectory church, Mr. Hals himself informs us, (long before the dissolution, and therefore not after the dissolution of the priory, as said before,) was converted by the Prior into a vicarage church; for in the Inquisitions of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, Ecclesia de Bodman was rated to the Pope’s annats at 6_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ Vicar. ejusdem nihil propter paupertatem. So directly does Mr. Hals confute himself; but the words of the record are not cited fairly, and are in reality these:

Ecclesia de Bodmynia vi_l._ xiii_s._ 4_d._ Vicar. ejusdem xi_s._

Nor could any one of the thirteen be a free chapel, as no such chapels existed in the first or in the second valuation, and therefore none are mentioned therein.

Vivian’s “tomb is adorned round with crosses.” In truth, it has only one, and that is upon the northern side. “The arms of his Bishopric of Megara,” the arms of this Priory, and lastly, “those of his own or of his ancestors.” But there are three fishes repeated as arms twice; and Mr. Hals affirms himself that the jurisdiction and royalty over the river Alan, from Camelford to Padstow Rock, was given to this Priory by Algar Earl of Cornwall; and in further testimony of Algar’s donation of the royalty of this river, he gave for the perpetual arms of him and his priory, In a field Azure, three salmon-fishes in fess barwise Argent; which arms were lately extant in all the church windows of the churches under the priory.

Castle Kynock, as called by some to this day, but called simply the Castle by the generality, lies more than half a mile to the south-west, has two ditches and two ramparts; the outer are very deep and very massy, the inner are much shallower and slighter. It takes in the whole crest of the hill, the ground within rising from the sides to the summit; is circular in form, because the hill is so; and has its only entrance on the east, denoted as an original entrance by the bridge of earth, as it were, which leads across the hollow of the ditches into it. The whole is double, I believe, to the extent that Mr. Hals gives it; and, from the position of the entrance on the east, appears to be Roman in its origin.

THE EDITOR.

It is not my intention to enter on any discussion relative to the remote and obscure antiquity of Bodmin. Tanner, in his Notitia Monasticon, says Bodmin, or Bodmanna.

There was a church built here to the memory of St. Petroc, a religious man born in Wales, but who, coming from Ireland, is said to have built a monastery on the north coast of Cornwall, about A.D. 520, and to have been there buried; but his body being afterwards removed to Bodmin, a church was built to his memory, and the episcopal see for Cornwall was believed to have been therein placed by King Edward the Elder and Archbishop Plegmund, A.D. 705. Here King Æthelstan is reported to have met with old Saxon, or rather British, monks following the Rule of St. Benedict, to whom he granted so great privileges and endowments that he is accounted founder of the monastery here, about A.D. 926. That settlement was destroyed by the Danish pirates, A.D. 981; yet the religious continued here under several shapes, and much alienation of their lands, both before and after the Conquest, till about the year 1120, when Earl Algar, with the King’s license, and the consent of William Warlewach, Bishop of Exeter, re-established this religious-house, and placed therein regular canons of the Order of St. Austin, who continued till the general suppression, when it was styled the Priory of St. Mary and St. Petroc, and was valued at 270_l._ per annum according to Dugdale, and 289_l._ 12_s._ according to Speed. The site, with the demesnes, were granted, 36th of Henry VIII. to Thomas Sternhold, one of the first translators of the Psalms into English metre.

Any one desirous of learning all that can be known or conjectured respecting the Western Bishopric, is referred to “The Ancient Cathedral of Cornwall historically surveyed,” by the Rev. John Whitaker; where that subject and various others are discussed, with the eloquence, ability, erudition, and confidence, usually displayed by that eminent writer; who appears always to assume throughout the whole of his work the very questionable fact, that monastic historians, distant both in time and in space from the events which they relate, are possessed of perfect information, and that their narratives flow with unerring accuracy, at a period when none of the inventions for rapidly carrying intelligence, and for stamping it with the authentic impression of public notoriety, had yet occurred to the human mind.

I willingly leave these recondite, and, in truth, little interesting researches, for others of a more modern date, the objects of which are still extant, and their effects influencing the present times. Those connected with Bodmin we owe, in a great measure, to the ability, the industry, and the laudable zeal of Mr. John Wallis, the present vicar, on whom I would readily bestow more praise, if his merits had not rendered commendation from me superfluous.

One event, however, intermediate between the Saxon antiquities of Bodmin and those disclosed by Mr. Wallis, is so very curious, and so illustrative of opinions and of habits long passed away, that I cannot help inserting the details of it from Benedictus Abbas, an author of high reputation, Abbot of the great monastery of St. Peter at Medeshamsted, or Peterborough, and contemporary with the transactions which he relates.

In his work “De Vita et Gestis Henrici secundi et Ricardi primi,” ex editione Thomæ Hearnii, Oxon. 1735, 2 vols. 8vo. vol. i. pp. 228-229.

Eodem anno, quidam Canonicus de Abbatiâ Bothmeniæ, quæ in partibus Cornubiæ sita est, Martinus nomine, statim post Epiphaniam Domini, furtivè asportavit Corpus Sancti Petroci; et cum eo fugiens transfretavit, et illud secum detulit usque ad Abbaciam Sancti Mevenni, sitam in partibus Minoris Britaniæ. Quod cùm Rogero Priori Bothmeniæ & Canonicis ibidem Deo servientibus innotuisset, predictus Prior, consilio Fratrum suorum, D’n’m Regem Angliæ Henricum, filium Matildæ Imperatricis, adiit, ut, per ipsius potentiæ auxilium, Corpus Sancti Petroci, quod per furtum amiserant, recuperassent. Ad instantiam autem illorum, concessit eis præfatus Rex auxilium suum; & mandavit per litteras suas Rollando de Dinamno Justiciaris Britanniæ, quod sine dilatione faceret illud Corpus reddi. Audito itaque mandato Regis, prædictus Rollandus venit cum armatâ manu & potenti ad Abbatiam Sancti Mevenni, et præcepit illud corpus reddi; quod cùm Abbas et Monachi ejusdem loci reddere nollent, ipse minas addidit, jurans se per vim, nisi celerius redderetur, extrahere velle illud. Quod ipsi audientes, noluerunt iram prefati Regis Angliæ incurrere: sed beatum Corpus illud reddiderunt prænominato Rogero Priori Bothmeniæ, die Dominicâ Clausi Pentecosten, festo scilicet Sanctorum Gervasii et Prothasi, Martyrum, scilicet 13 kalendas Julii; redditumque est ei corpus illud Sanctum cum omni integritate, & sine aliquâ diminutione, Abbate & Monachis Ecclesiæ Sancti Mevenni, jurantibus super Reliquias ejusdem Ecclesiæ quòd de Corpore illo nihil retinerent, sed idem Corpus non alternatum redderent. Quod cùm factum fuisset, prænominatus Prior Bothmeniæ cum gaudio in Angliam rediens, Corpus beati Petroci in Teca Eburnea reconditum, usque Civitatem Wintoniæ detulit; et cùm in conspectu Regis allatum fuisset: Rex, viso eo & adorato, permisit prædictum Priorem in pace, cum Sancto suo, ad Abbatiam Bothmeniæ redire.[18]

Which may be thus translated:

“In the same year (1177), immediately after the Epiphany of our Lord, a certain Canon of the Abbey of Bodmin, in Cornwall, by name Martinus, secretly took away the body of St. Petroc. Flying with it, he passed beyond the seas, and carried the body to the Abbey of Saint Mevennus, in Lesser Britany.

“When this transaction became known to Roger the Prior of Bodmin, and to the Canons who served God in the same place, the aforesaid Prior, with the advice of his brethren, went to Henry King of England, son of the Empress Matilda, that by his powerful aid they might again get possession of the body of St. Petroc, of which they had been fraudulently deprived. The King granted his aid to their entreaty, and by his letters commanded Rollandus de Dinamnus, the Justiciary of Britanny, that, without any delay, he should cause the body to be restored. When, therefore, Rollandus had received the King’s command, he came with a powerful and armed band to the Abbey of St. Mevennus, and ordered that the body should be given up; and when the Abbat and the Monks were unwilling to comply, he added threats, that, unless the body were yielded immediately, he would use force and take it; which when they heard, they feared to incur the displeasure of the King of England, and therefore restored that blessed body to the before-named Roger, Prior of Bodmin, on the Lord’s Day (Clausi Pentecostes), being the feast of St. Gervasius and of St. Prothasius, martyrs, the thirteenth before the calends of July (June the 19th). And that sacred body was restored in all its integrity, without the least diminution; the Abbat and Monks of St. Mevennus having sworn on the relics belonging to their church that they had not retained any part of the body, but had restored it wholly unaltered.

“When this was done, the before-named Prior of Bodmin, returning with joy into England, brought the body of the blessed Petroc, closed in an ivory case, to the City of Winchester. And when it was brought into the King’s presence, the King, having seen and adored it, permitted the Prior to return in peace with his Saint charge to the Abbey of Bodmin.”

It would appear that such depredations must have frequently occurred, since one precisely similar, but not followed by a restoration of the relics, took place in the neighbouring monastery of St. Neot. In this case, the stolen body of the Saint, having been enshrined at Eynesbury, in Huntingdonshire, bestowed his name as a new appellation to the place. See “A Description, accompanied by sixteen coloured plates, of the Church of St. Neot, in Cornwall,” by J. P. Hedgeland, 1 vol. 4to. 1830, with Illustrations by Davies Gilbert.

Mr. Wallis has collected a very great variety of curious and interesting particulars respecting this town and parish, and given them to the public in a work entitled, “The Bodmin Register; or, Collections relative to the past and present State of the Parish of Bodmin.” And, in doing so, he has proved that the antiquities of a county cannot in any way be illustrated, except by the exertions of individuals locally residing in the district to which their attentions are directed, and that from zeal and ability in such persons every thing may be expected.

The following are extracts from this publication:

The benefice is a vicarage in the gift of Lord de Dunstanville, situated in the Deanery of Trigg Minor, and in the hundred of Trigg. The following are the dimensions of the church: length 151 feet, breadth 63 feet. The greater part was built in the reign of King Edward the Fourth. It was roofed in 1472, as appears by an inscription on the cornice on the northern side of the south aile of the chancel. The northern chancel and the tower appear to be of an earlier date. The walls of the tower are eight feet thick at the base, made for the support of a lofty spire, which was destroyed by lightning, between seven and eight o’clock on Saturday evening, December the 9th, 1699. The present awkward pinnacles were then erected: three of them are dangerous from the decay of the stone.

The ancient building in the church-yard, adjoining to the vicarage-house, was, it is believed, a chantry chapel dedicated to St. Thomas. The interior, 44 feet 9 inches by 19 feet, was used till lately for the free grammar-school. It is now converted to a national school for girls. Under is a crypt or bone-house.

The isolated tower at Berry, on the north of the town, belonged to the chapel of the Holy Rood. The building of this tower was commenced on the 12th of September, 17th of King Henry VII. 1501.

Since the year 1814, both the church and church-yard, which were in a very ruinous and neglected state, have been greatly altered and improved.

Over the porch are the remains of two small rooms, each about eleven feet square, formerly the record and the council rooms of the corporation. The floor of the higher one, the record room, gave way about eighty years ago, as some gentlemen were inspecting the documents. In the lower room some valuable records had remained for a long time neglected, till in the year 1807 or 1808 they were removed to the guild-hall, and there examined and arranged. They contain many curious particulars relative to the history of the parish, and incidentally of the county, during a period of five hundred years, the oldest document bearing date in the 14th Edward II. (1320). Among them is a charter of the 36th Edward III. (1362); another, in good preservation, of the 3d year of Richard II. (1380), having reference to the reigns of Henry the First and Second. A minute of the receipts and payments for the rebuilding of the church, in the years 1469, 1470, and 1471; and also for the erection of Berry Tower, in 1501; the contract with Matthy More, carpenter, for making the pulpit and open seats throughout the church in 1491, the carved remains of which are at present much admired; Resolutions of the Corporation on the destruction of the spire in 1699; also a Petition to King Henry the Eighth, on the eve of the Reformation, conveying some ludicrous charges against the Prior; with various others.

In the north chancel is the altar-tomb of Prior Vivian, the inscription on which has been inserted in page 76. The tomb was repaired, and placed between two pillars of the chancel, in 1819, by the late Sir Vyell Vyvyan, of Trelowarren.

The very splendid organ was given, in the year 1775, by Mr. James Laroche and Mr. George Hunt, at that time Members for the town.

Mr. Wallis enters into a very minute detail of particulars highly interesting to the immediate neighbourhood, but which would occupy too much space in a general parochial history of Cornwall.

The carving in the church is indeed greatly admired, but a large part of that admiration is excited by the appropriate and judicious manner in which it has been rendered ornamental by the present vicar.

The inscriptions on various monuments are noticed by Lysons, and other writers.

But a splendid addition has been recently made to the decorations of the church by Lord De Dunstanville, on his retiring from the office of recorder in the corporation. The large east window of the chancel is entirely filled with painted glass, and the middle part contains a well-drawn representation of the Ascension.

Bodmin parish contains 5279 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815: The Town 7784 The Parish 3077 ―――― 10,861 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831: The Town 1012 0 The Parish 318 10 1330 10 0

Population, in 1801: | in 1811: | in 1821: | in 1831: The Town 1951 | 2050 | 2902 | 3375. The Parish 348 | 383 | 376 | 407. ―――――― ―――――――― ―――――― ―――――― Total 2299 2383 3278 3782 Increase on a hundred in 30 years, sixty-four and a half per cent.

GEOLOGY.

Dr. Boase says of the Geology: the town of Bodmin is about midway between two insulated groups of granite, and it is principally built of a stone quarried on the spot, and which well deserves the attention of geologists. This rock in the deeper parts of the quarry becomes more blue; but its common appearance presents various shades of drab or fawn colour, with irregular spots of an ochreous yellow. It breaks into thick laminæ, or slabs, which are traversed by parallel joints; so that, with care, this stone may be obtained in oblong quadrangular masses. It is soft; sometimes so much so as to lose its cohesion. The substance appears to be almost entirely argillaceous.

All the cultivated parts of this parish, north and north-west of the town, rest on this rock: and the barren parts on a schistose rock, which is very siliceous, affording by its partial disintegration no more than a shallow, meagre soil; silica predominating in the one, and argillaceous earth, or alumine, in the other. The characteristic rocks of these genera occur next to the granite in the parishes of Blisland and St. Breward, and they will be noticed in the description of the latter parish.

* * * * *

The editor is aware that the article Bodmin has extended to a very great length. It might easily have been extended much further from interesting materials collected by Mr. Wallis relative to the past and present state of this chief seat of our ecclesiastical establishments. On their abolition the town unquestionably fell into great decay, till about the middle of the last century, when roads were made in all directions, and Bodmin, from being almost inaccessible by the modern system of travelling, became an extensive thoroughfare; the market has grown into one of the first in Cornwall, and the whole town is renovated by trade and industry.

If any further apology is required, the editor hopes that he may be excused for some partiality towards a place which he has represented in eight successive Parliaments, after as many unanimous elections.

[15] Speccot.

[16] Bocarne, or Boscarne, seems evidently the house [on] a rock.

[17] This establishment having completely degenerated, and become a mere receptacle for persons of the very worst description, the charter was, about twenty years ago, declared forfeited; and the revenues have been attached to the county hospital, reserving a preference for lepers over all other patients, if any such should present themselves.

[18] A similar account of this curious affair is given by Hoveden, another contemporary author, who continued the history of England from the year 731, where that of Bede ceases, to 1202, the fourth year of King John.

A.D. 1177. Eodem Anno, Martinus, canonicus regularis ecclesiæ de Bomine, furtivè asportavit corpus Sancti Petroci, et fugiens secum detulit in Britanniam ad Abbatiam Sancti Mevenni. Quo comperto, Rogerus Prior Ecclesiæ de Bomine, cum saniore parte capituli sui, adiit Regem Angliæ Patrem; et adversus cùm effecit, quòd præcipiendo mandavit Abbati et Conventui Sancti Mevenni, ut sine delatione redderent corpus Beati Petroci, Rogero Priori de Bomine, jurantes super Sancta Evangelia, et super sanctorum reliquias, quòd ipsi idem corpus, et non alternatum, cum omni integritate reddiderunt.

But King Athelstan is said to have given a part of the bones, the hair, and the garments of this saint to the church of St. Peter at Exeter.

BOTUSFLEMING.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of East, and hath upon the north, Pillaton; south, Salt-Ash, and part of St. Stephen’s; east, Landulph; west, Landrake. For the first name, it signifies “Flemings’ Parish;” for blo, bleau, pleu, in Cornish, is of that signification (viz. a parish); for the second name, it signifies “Flemings,” making amends, or supplying defects (see Verstegan on the word Bote), and seems from the name to be a church founded or endowed by some gentlemen of that name, in order for the commutation of penance for sins committed, and to pray for the founder’s soul, his ancestors, and relatives; by which expedients most religious houses and churches heretofore were built. Originally these Flemings came from Stoke Fleming in Devon, so called, for that once a nobleman of Flanders resided there, and was lord thereof: one of whose posterity, tempore Richard I. in this place, held by the tenure of knight’s service seven knights’ fees, by the name of Stephen Flandrensis (Carew’s Survey of Cornwall, p. 48), who probably was the founder of this church, still bearing his name. His son Richard Flandrensis was sheriff of Cornwall three years, from the third to the sixth year of King John’s reign. Finally, the estate, name, and blood of those Flemings, tempore Henry IV. ended in a daughter and heir, which was married to John Coplestone, of Coplestone, in the county of Devon.

This district of Bote-Fleming, at the time of the Norman Conquest, was rated under the name of Pillaton, still contiguous therewith. But at the time of the inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester into the value of benefices in Cornwall 1294, in order to the Pope’s annats, Ecclesia de Bote-fflemmen in Decanatu de Est Wellshire, was rated iii_s._ iiii_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, £16. 15_s._; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax 1696, £103. 14_s._

Mutten-ham, id est, the Mutton dwelling or habitation, alias Mott-an-ham, the meeting or court dwelling, in the year 1689 was the dwelling of my kind friend John Waddon, Esq. (a justice of peace and deputy-governor of Pendennis Castle for King James, under John Earl of Bath); in which house and place his lordship first treated with the Prince of Orange’s Commissioners, in order to render into his possession the castles of Pendennis and Plymouth, which soon after was performed, on condition of the Earl’s holding his former dominion as governor of those places under him; whereupon he caused the Prince’s declarations to be first proclaimed or published in those garrisons amongst the soldiers; who received and heard the same with great joy, shouts, and acclamations, to the utter destruction of King James’s jurisdiction and power in Cornwall and Devon, and establishing that prince’s.

At this time were dispersed those rhymes, said to be made by father Peters:

“Henricus Octavus Sold the land that God gave us; But Jacobus Secundus Shall refund us.”

The dispersion of which two papers, made all possessors of church lands and impropriators, together with all rectors and vicars of churches in Cornwall (except Mr. Beauford of Lantegles, and Mr. Polwhele of Newland,) to renounce their allegiance to King James, and to take an oath of fealty to the Prince of Orange, after his accession to the crown of England.

TONKIN.

I shall take leave to add this interpretation of the words making up the name of this parish. Bote signifies help, succour, aid, or advantage; as in Bridgebote, Burgbote, Ploughbote, &c.; and Fleming, from its ancient lords the Flemings, which family was heretofore of good esteem in this county. In the times of Richard I. and of Henry III., the Flemings are recorded as having large possessions in Cornwall.

THE EDITOR.

The following very extraordinary occurrence has taken place with respect to the estate of Hatt in this parish.

A brother of the last Mr. William Symons went through his clerkship as an attorney with Mr. Rashleigh at St. Austell. He there formed an attachment to a respectable young woman, but in a situation of life so much inferior to his own as to excite a violent opposition against this marriage on the part of his friends. In consequence Mr. Symonds suddenly disappeared; no trace could be discovered, nor was any information received about him, either by his relations or by the deserted object of his affection.

The elder brother died unmarried, and his sisters or their families took possession of his property; till, about forty years after Mr. Symonds had left Cornwall, a young man claimed the whole as his eldest son, and finally substantiated his claim by the verdict of a jury, and to the entire satisfaction of a full court. His father had disappeared about the year 1780; he had employed himself in various humble, but not disreputable occupations, married, and finally settled in Liverpool, where he was accidentally drowned. His family then first acquired, from inspecting his papers, any knowledge of Cornwall, or of the stock from whence they were derived; they found his articles of clerkship, with various letters and documents, which placed his identity beyond all doubt, and the son now possesses the manor house, with a fair private gentleman’s estate.

This parish contains 995 statute acres. The annual value of Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 1887 0 0 The Poor Rate in 1831 223 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 210 | 237 | 297 | 279. Increase on a hundred in 30 years 32.86, or nearly 33 per cent. Present Rector, Rev. William Spry, instituted 1826.

This parish is said by Doctor Boase not to be favourable for geological pursuits, the rocks being generally covered with a fertile soil; they belong, however, to the calcareous species.

BOYTON.

HALS.

Boyton is situate in the hundred of Stratton, and hath upon the east the Tamer River, south Warrington, north Tamerton, west North Pedyrwyn, and as a mark of its antiquity and grandeur it was taxed in the Domesday Roll 1067 or 1087, by the present name. In the Inquisition of the Bishop of Lincoln and Winchester before-mentioned, Capella de Boyeton, in Decanatu de Stratone, was rated xxx_s._ but whether rectory or vicarage I am ignorant; the same not being mentioned either in Wolsey’s Inquisition or Valor Beneficiorum. The patronage in ――――. The incumbent ――――. This parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, £89. 14_s._

Most probable it seems to me, that this place was denominated Boyton in memory of a colony of the Boii Gauls, that out of that country of Gaul first planted themselves here; who were a people on the further side of the Rhine, that with the Helvetians first invaded Gaul, as Cæsar informs us, and placed themselves amongst the Hedui, a people of Gallia Celtica, near the Loire River, and possessed a great part of Burgundy; Cæsar also makes Boia in Gaul the name of a town.

Bradridge in this parish, the broad ridge or farrow of land (Saxon), is the dwelling of John Hoblyn, Esq. barrister at law, son of Mr. Hoblyn, attorney at law, of Bodmin; which place came to this gentleman by marriage with the sole daughter and heir of William Symons, Gent. attorney at law, as it did to him by marriage with the daughter and heir of Heale.

The Heales’ arms are, Party per fess Argent and Sable, a pole counterchanged with three trefoils, one on each side the pole in chief, and the other thereon, in base counterchanged.

At Northcott, in this parish, temp. Queen Mary, lived Agnes Prest, but where born, or what her maiden name was, is to me unknown, whose merit challengeth to be recorded in this place, as being the only martyr that suffered death for the Protestant religion in the diocese of Exon during the said Queen’s reign. She is described by Holinshed, Howell, alias Hooker, and by Fuller from them, to be a contemptible woman in respect of her person, (as St. Paul was for a man,) little, and short of stature, and of a brownish complexion. She was indicted, as Mr. Vowell says, at Launceston, in this county, upon Monday the fourth week in Lent, the 2d and 3d of Philip and Mary, before the Grand Jury there assembled. The matter suggested in the Bill was: “For that she denied the Real Presence in the sacrament of the altar; and for saying the same was but a sign and figure of Christ’s body; and that no Christian doth eat the body of Christ carnally, but spiritually.” The evidence against her were her own husband and children; from whom she fled, for that they would compel her, by force, to be present at the celebration of mass. Notwithstanding, upon their testimonies the bill was found, and indorsed, “Billa vera.” Whereupon she came to her trial before William Starford, then Justice of Assize, (probably he that wrote the Pleas of the Crown,) where, upon a full hearing of the case, the Petty Jury also found her guilty, on the testimony aforesaid; after which she was presented to James Turbervill, Bishop of Exeter, for further examination on the premises, but she persisting in her former opinion, was by him condemned as a heretic.

After her condemnation, she refused to receive any money from well-disposed people, that formerly relieved her, saying, she was going to that City where money had no mastery. Soon after she was delivered over to the secular power to be burnt, to Robert Cary, of Cockington, Esq. then Sheriff of Devonshire, or to his Under Sheriff, who saw her executed at Southernhay, without the walls of Exon, in the 54th year of her age, and in the month of November, 1558. This was the only person in whose persecution Bishop Turbervill did appear, in matters of religion, during the time he sat in that see, (consecrated Sept. 8, 1555, deprived in January 1560,) and, as Dr. Fuller saith, her death was procured more by the violence of Blackston, the Chancellor, than by any persecution of the Bishop.

And here it may not be impertinent to show, that our ancestors the Britons of Cornwall received and took the blessed Sacrament in the same sense as this martyr Agnes Prest did receive it; that is by faith only, contrary to the doctrine of Transubstantiation: as is evident from Mount Calvary, a manuscript in verse in the Cornish tongue, written about five hundred years since, a copy of which is now in my own custody, which containeth the history of the Incarnation and Passion of Christ, according to St. John’s Gospel; wherein, amongst others, verse the 79th containeth these words:[19]

Du benegas an bara, therag ay ys abestlye, An gorfe ay ma, eshenna, ynmeth Chrest, sur rag rye why Kemeras a berth, en bysma, dispersys henna nos avyth Dybbery tho gans cregyans, thu da gober teck hag gevyth Hay gwynsa wor an foys, ef a ranas in tretha Yn meth Chrest, henna ys goyse ow, evough why pur Cherity.

Which sounds thus in English:

God blessed the bread in presence (or among) his Apostles (or Disciples); The body of me in this, saith Christ, certainly given for you; Taken secretly, and in this world despised, this night shall be. Eat it with faith, thy good, fair reward, and remission. And the wine on the wall he divided amongst them: Says Christ, this is my blood; drink you in pure charity.

Anno Dom. 1050, Berengarius, a deacon of Angiers in France, disproved and refuted the doctrine of Transubstantiation in a large manuscript, which he sent with letters to Lanfrank, then Abbat of Caen in Normandy, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury from 1070 to 1089, which letters and reasons, in the absence of Lanfrank, being opened by some of his clergy, the same were transmitted to Pope Leo IX. whereupon calling a council at Rome, and the letters and reasons of Berengarius being read, he was condemned for an heretic in 1051. In France also the same year, Pope Leo IX. assembled another council at Versailles against Berengarius, which likewise condemned him for a heretic. The like did Victor II. successor of Pope Leo IX. in 1055, in which council Berengarius answered personally for himself; That, as to the doctrine he taught concerning the Sacrament, he adhered to no particular opinion of his own, but to that which was the ancient and common doctrine of the universal Church.

After Pope Victor II. his successor Pope Nicholas II. assembled at Rome a council of a hundred and thirteen Bishops against Berengarius’ doctrine; who thereupon submitted the same to the Pope and his councils’ correction, who prescribed him a form of recantation. But afterwards he published a refutation of that recantation, and of the doctrines therein contained, anno 1059. Notwithstanding which, the fourth council of Lateran, under Pope Innocent III. in 1160, (Frederick II. being then Emperor), consisting of four hundred bishops and holy fathers, established the Roman doctrine of Transubstantiantion, which was afterwards further confirmed by another council at Lateran, in Rome, under Pope Innocent V. an. Dom. 1215.

TONKIN.

The etymology of this name, Boyeton, may be either from the Cornish word “byu,” which is pronounced like “boy,” or from the French “bois,” a wood, which agrees extremely well with its situation in the midst of woods.

I take most if not all the parish to be a part of or holden from the manor of Boyton, which belonged to the Priory of Launceston, and was ultimately given, inter alia, by King Henry the Eighth, to the Duchy of Cornwall, in exchange for the honour of Wallingford.

THE EDITOR.

For a detailed account of Berengarius, see Le Grand Dictionaire Historique, par Moreri, under the word Berenger, who refers to a great variety of authorities.

The account given of Agnes Prest is curious, if she alone suffered in the whole diocese of Exeter during Queen Mary’s persecution. They still exhibit at Exeter the place of her martyrdom, and are persuaded that grass has refused to grow on the spot ever since.

The measurement of this parish is 3,710 statute acres. The annual value of Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 1477 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 240 5 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 319 | 402 | 406 | 452. Increase on an hundred in 30 years 41.7, or more than 41½ per cent. Present Vicar, Rev. Edward Rudall, instituted 1826.

The hamlet of Northcot lies in Devonshire, and is therefore not included.

Dr. Boase observes, the dunstone of Devonshire, so ably described by the late Rev. J. E. Conybeare, in the 2d vol. of the Transactions of the Geological Society of London, p. 495, constitutes the rock of this parish. Its compact varieties are very quartzose, and form barren hills; but the schistose dunstone produces a good substratum, which near the Tamar affords productive arable and pasture land.

[19] The whole of Mount Calvary, with a translation by Mr. John Keigwin, made in the year 1682, has been printed by the Editor of this work from a manuscript in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. The passage above cited occurs in the 44th and 45th stanzas. The general meaning appears to be the same, but the words are differently spelt and divided. The Editor has also printed “The Creation of the World, with Noah’s Flood,” a Play, or Mystery, in the Cornish language, and a Translation into English by the same Mr. John Keigwin; both from the office of Mr. Nichols, No. 25, Parliament-street, London, the printer of this work.

ST. BRADOCK.

HALS.

St. Bradock is situate in the Hundred of West, and has upon the south Boconock, the west St. Wennow, east St. Pynnock, north Cardinham, and by this name Bradock or Brodock it was taxed in the Domesday Roll. If its etymology is Saxon the name means broad oak.

In the Pope’s Inquisition into the value of benefices before mentioned, anno 1294, Capella de Bradock in decanatu de Westwells, appropriata domui de Lanceston, was valued at xiii_s._ iv_d._; from whence it appears that this church was endowed by the college of St. Stephen, near Launceston. In Wolsey’s Inquisition and Valor Beneficiorum, at viii_l._ xiii_s._ iv_d._ The patronage in the Bishop of Exeter; and this parish was rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax for one year in 1696 at 57_l._

TONKIN.

This church is a vicarage; the patronage in Samuel Wetton, Esq.; the incumbent, Mr. James Pearce, who has also the sheaf.

The manor of Bradoke is one of the two hundred and eighty given by the Conqueror to Robert Earl of Morton.

THE EDITOR.

This living, which is stated in the Liber Valorum to be a rectory, was consolidated with Boconnoc in the year 1742, and the clergyman’s residence has recently been removed to Bradock. The united parishes are now in the presentation of Lord Grenville.

Bradock down was the scene of two important events in the civil war.

First, a victory obtained by the King’s forces early in 1623 under the command of Sir Bevill Granville, Sir Nicholas Glenning, Sir Ralph Hopton, Arundell, Trevanion, and other gentlemen of the county, over a much larger force commanded by Ruthven, Governor of Plymouth. The victory was so complete that Ruthven with difficulty reached Saltash, accompanied by a few only of his troops, from whence they were speedily driven across the Tamar; and this advantage mainly contributed to the more splendid victory at Stratton, obtained on the 16th of May of the same year; a victory which, rolling on its tide of success through Devonshire and Somersetshire, over Lansdowne and Bristol, might have swept the whole of England but for the recoil of its waves from the walls of Gloucester.

The second event was on a more extensive scale.

Lord Essex having conducted a large army into Cornwall, was followed by the King in person, till they approached so near that the King had his head quarters at Boconnoc, and Lord Essex at Lanhidrock, when, after various skirmishes and proposals for negotiation on the part of the King, Lord Essex at last, on the 30th or 31st of August 1644, accompanied by Lord Robartes, and some other officers, abandoned his army, and reached Plymouth by sea; and on the same day Sir William Belfour, with Col. Nicholas Boscowen, Lieut.-Col. James Hals, of Merther, Henry Courtenay, of St. Bennet’s in Lanivet, Col. John Sentaubyn of Clawanar, his Lieut.-Col. Briddon, Col. Carter, and others of the horde of two thousand five hundred cavalry, forced their passage through the King’s army, over St. Winnow, Boconnoc, and Bradock Downs, to Saltash, and from thence to Plymouth. Their escape is said to have been mainly owing to the negligence of General Goring, whose ill conduct and exactions in Cornwall, have left his name as a term of severe reproach up to the present time.

After these discouraging events, Major-Gen. Skippon found himself in command of the infantry, for whom he obtained a favourable capitulation, the particulars of which may be seen in Lord Clarendon’s History, and they are given by Mr. Hals, from whose statement the above is chiefly abridged.

Mr. Hals adds a circumstance illustrative of the animosity excited by internal dissensions; and, as his feelings and opinions were all on the royal side, the narrative may be esteemed deserving of credit.

Notwithstanding the articles, the disarmed soldiers of the Parliament, as they marched by the King and his army on Boconnoc and Bradock Downs, and elsewhere, were barbarously slaughtered and shot upon by the King’s soldiers, so that many perished thereby, others were stripped comparatively naked, and robbed of their money, others had their horses taken from them; whereupon Major-General Skippon, with undaunted courage, rode up to the King’s troop, and told him personally of the injury and violence offered, and the slaughter of his men, contrary to the articles, which in such cases were kept inviolable by all nations of men; and therefore prayed the King to be just, and to prohibit those barbarities of his soldiers for the future, which the King forthwith commanded to be done. But his word and authority were little regarded while his army were in sight of the Parliamentary soldiers.

This total discomfiture of Lord Essex’s army left the King without an enemy in arms through the whole of Cornwall, and a letter is preserved in the hands of Lord Dunstanville from his ancestor Sir Francis Basset, respecting the last words addressed to him by the King: “Mr. Sheriff, I leave the county entirely at peace in your hands.”

Bradock contains 2935 statute acres. The annual value of the Real Property, £. _s._ _d._ as returned to Parliament in 1815 1025 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 83 18 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 173 | 188 | 235 | 301; being an increase of 74½ per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

This parish may be geologically considered as a part of Boconnoc. The substratum is the same. The rocks and stones are rather more quartzose, accompanied by an increased appearance of shorl.

ST. BREOCK.

HALS.

St. Breock is situate in the hundred of Pyder, and hath upon the north St. Issy; east, Wadebridge on the Alan river; south, St. Wenn and Withiel; west, St. Columb Major.

The name is derived from St. Breock or Briock, the patron of this church, of one in the island of Guernsey, and perhaps of Breage near Helston.

This St. Breock was a native of Ireland, born at Cork about the fifth century. A man famous in his day, for the most strenuous support of the orthodox faith in opposition to Arianism, the heresy at that time distracting the Latin Church. He was bishop of a diocese in Armorica, now called Britany, where the place of his residence is at this day distinguished by his name.

This parish does not appear in the Bishop of Lincoln’s valuation; but in that of Wolsey it is rated at 41_l._ 10_s._ 6_d._

In the Domesday survey this parish was rated under the district of Pelton or Penpow, now Powton.

This Powton was the voke lands of a manor given to the See of our Cornish Bishop; afterwards to the Bishop of Kirton, and then to Exeter; finally to the Priory of St. Petroc at Bodmin. After the dissolution of monasteries, this barton, together with the extensive manor to which it belonged, passed through a great variety of hands by sale, so that Mr. Hals says the manor had sixteen lords of different families in about sixty-two years; a mutability not to be instanced in any other lands in Cornwall, except Fentongellon in St. Michael Penkivell, which also contained a religious house, but in 26 Henry VIII. was converted to secular purposes.

This manor of Pelton has always possessed a court leet, where writs might be entertained without any limit of amount; but, the lord of the manor having suffered from various escapes of persons confined for debt, the prison, and with it the judicial functions of the court, have been discontinued. Sir William Morice, the secretary of state and friend of General Monk, acquired this manor by purchase. His second daughter, Barbara Morice, married Sir John Molesworth of Penconnow, and brought this property into that family, where it still remains.

Hurston in this parish, which I take to be from the Saxon, and to mean wood town, is still situated in a wood, and formerly belonged to the Cormynews of Fentongellon.

Tredinick gave name and origin to an ancient family of gentlemen. Christopher Tredinick was sheriff of Cornwall in 22 Henry VIII.; he gave for his arms, In a field Or, on a bend Sable three bucks’ heads caboshed Argent. His family and name are now, I take it, both extinct. In the time of Charles II. this property came by purchase to Lord Robartes.

[Mr. Hals adds a fanciful derivation of this name; but since “doon” and “din” are well known to signify a place tenable either by nature or art, and “ick” is unquestionably water, Tre-din-ick will be either the fortified town, or the hill town, near a river.]

Trevorder, meaning the further town, or the one most distant; also Trevorder Bickin, the far-off beacon-town, belonged to the Carmynews of Fentongellon, having come to them by the heiress of Trenowith, as Trenowith had acquired it by the heiress of Tregago. It passed by sale from the Carmynews to Vyell, and has subsequently split between six coheiresses, who married Prideaux, Vyvyan, Dennis, Grensill, Rinden, and Smith.

TONKIN.

Mr. Tonkin has not any thing worth inserting that differs from Mr. Hals, except perhaps his etymology of the name Dunveth, a place belonging once to Tredinick, and situated near the churchyard, and therefore named the hill of graves; beth being a grave in Welch and Cornish, and the labials b and v perpetually changing into each other.

THE EDITOR.

This parish measures 6875 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 6910 0 0 The Poor Rate in 1831 776 14 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 962 | 998 | 1225 | 1450; being an increase of rather more than 50 per cent. in 30 years. Present Vicar, the Rev. W. Molesworth, presented in 1816 by Sir W. Molesworth, Bart.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

On the north and north-eastern parts of this parish, in the vicinity of the Camel, the land is fertile, resting on a rock which sometimes resembles a calcareous schist, but more commonly that kind of clay-slate which abounds in the calcareous series. This slate at Penquean splits into very thin leaves, and is then quarried as a roofing slate, but is softer and has less lustre, and is not so durable as that raised at Delabole near Camelford. The south and south-western parts of the parish consist of barren downs; the rock forming the substratum is, however, very similar in appearance to what occurs in the other division; but it contains more silex and is less laminated, does not easily cleave, and is less susceptible of decomposition than the former, and therefore produces only a meagre, arenaceous soil.

ST. BREOCK IN KERRIER, or BREAGE.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred aforesaid, and hath upon the north, Crowan; west, Germow; east, Sithney; south, the British Channel. Of the name and titular guardian of this church I have spoken before. By the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, to the Pope’s annats, 1294, ecclesia Sancti Breuc in decanatu de Kerryer, was rated 16_l._ Vicar ejusdem 36_s._ It is now the mother church of Cury, Germow, and Gunwallo, and goes in presentation and consolidation with them, though at the time of the inquisition aforesaid they were taxed separate. In Wolsey’s Inquisition 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, they are valued together in first fruits 33_l._ The patronage in the crown, the incumbent Trewinard. This parish was rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax 1696, 230_l._ 4_s._ temp. William III. At the time of the Norman conquest, if this parish was not taxed under the jurisdiction of Lanmigall, i. e. Michael’s Temple or Church, (now St. Michael’s Mount,) the priors whereof, or the king or duke, endowed it, together with those other before named, it was rated under the district of Treskeaw, that is to say the skeawe, or elder-tree town, a place, as I am informed, well known and still extant there.

In the pleas of the crown in the Exchequer, 12th Edward I., I found it thus written of Pengelly in this parish.

“Johannes de Treveally tenet in Pengelly, in comitatu Cornubiæ, dimidium acram terræ Cornubiensem, (above a hundred English,) per sergiantiam recipiendi unam capam de grisando ad Pontem de Penleton, cum Rex fuerit inveniendus versus Cornubiam; et intrando Domino de Cabilla, qui eam in adventu domini Regis ibidem deferre debet, et eam tradere eidem Johanni, qui quidem Johannes eandem capam ferre debet cum domino Rege pro totam in Cornubiam;” which Mr. Hals interprets, that the half acre Cornish is held by the duty of its owner receiving a great coat from some one in Devonshire at Penleton Bridge, and to carry it about for the King’s use, so long as he remains in Cornwall.

In this parish stands the barton and manor of Good-ol-gan, also God-al-gan, synonymous words, only varied by the dialect, meaning a place that was altogether a wood down, a name anciently given and taken from the natural circumstances thereof. Otherwise, if the name consist of English-Cornish, God-ol-gan signifies a place that was altogether God’s downs. As for the modern name Good-ol-phin, God-ol-fyn, it, in like manner as the former, admits of no other etymology or construction than that it was a place that was altogether a wood, fountain, well, or spring of water, or altogether God’s fountain or spring of water. But because the words god, gud, good, in Cornish, Belgic, and British, are always taken and adopted in the first sense, to signify only a wood, and the words Du, Due, and Dyu, are the proper appellations of God, and no other in Cornish, I cannot apprehend how that sacred name is concerned in the initial part of this word, Godolphin, which refers, as I said before, to the circumstances of the place, viz. that no table, fountain, well, or spring of water here, that passeth beneath the house, through the gardens, and the woods and groves of timber that still surround the same.

Contrary to this etymology, Mr. Carew, in his “Survey of Cornwall,” page 153, says that godolphin signifies a white eagle, than which nothing can be more untrue; for, in all those compound words, there is not one particle or syllable relating thereto, or any other than the British language whatsoever: for wen erew, wen eryr, wen eriew, and by contraction wen-er, is a white eagle in the Welch, Little-Britannic, and Cornish tongues. [See Dr. Davis’s British Lexicon, and Floyd upon Aquila.] In like manner Verstegan tells us, that, in the Saxon tongue, blond erna is a white eagle; as also in the German and Dutch tongues; and the French dictionaries inform us that blanch ægle, or aegle, is a white eagle; ἀετος [aetos] in Greek; aquila, in Latin; nesher in the Hebrew; from whence our British erew, erier, eryr, eriew, is derived.

In opposition to all those etymologies of the word godolphin, Mr. Sammes in his Britannia, and the author of the additions to Camden’s Britannia, tells us that godolac in the Phenician tongue signifies a land of tin, from whence they apprehend the name of godolphin is derived, especially because tin is found in the precincts thereof, but surely not comparable in quantity to what is made in forty other places in Cornwall, that yet come not under that denomination of godolphin, as being tin land.

From the name I proceed to the matter or thing itself, viz. the manor and barton of Godolphin; which lands, in the time of Edward III., were the lands of Sir John Lamburne, Knight, of Lamburne in Peransand, whose daughter and heir was afterwards married to Sir Renphry, or John Arundell, of Lanherne, Knight, one of whose posterity, viz. Edmond Arundell, Knight, tempore Henry VI. sold the same to one Stephens, upon condition of a kind of domineering, lording, or insulting tenure, and reservation of rent to his manor of Lamburne in Peransand, viz. “that once a year for ever the Reeve of the said Manor should come to Godolphin, and there boldly enter the hall, jump upon the table, or table-board, and there stamp or bounce with his feet or club, to alarm and give notice to the people of his approach, and then and there make proclamation aloud three times, ‘Oyes! oyes! oyes! I am the Reeve of the Manor of Lamburne in Peransand, come here to demand the old rent, duties, and customs, due to the lords of the said Manor from the lands of Godolphin.’ Upon which notice there is forthwith to be brought him 2_s._ 8_d._ rent, a large quart of strong beer, a loaf of wheaten bread worth sixpence, and a cheese of the like value; which the Reeve having received, he shall drink of the beer, taste the bread and cheese in the place, and then depart, carrying with him the said rent and remainder of those viands, to the lords of the Manor aforesaid, to whom they are still duly paid, which at present are Sir John Seyntaubyn, Bart. and others, who claim it in right of the two daughters and heirs of the said Edmund Arundell, which were married to Danvers and Whitington, as Whitington’s heirs were married to St. Aubyn and others.

After Stephens purchased those lands of Godolphin from Arundell, and came possessed thereof, his only daughter and heir was married to Ralph Knava, or Nava, of ――――; which name or word is of quite another signification in the British tongue than what it signifies in the English; for knava, nava, nawe, naue, signifies the same as servus, servulus, famulus, minister, administer, ministrator, in Latin; hence it is that in Trevisa’s and Tyndale’s translation of the Bible into English, the word is used in this sense by them; Titus i, v. 1, “Paul a knava of Jesus Christ;” and the like, 2nd Timothy, chap. i. v. 1, “Paul a nava of Jesus Christ;” which words, in the translation of the Bible in James I.’s time, the translators have rightly rendered into new English, by the names of “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ;” and “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ;” that is, a messenger, an ambassador, or servant, sent, as apostolus; in the original Greek δουλος (doulos), servus και et αποστολος (apostolus); and in all other places in the Old and New Testament, where they met with the Greek words doulos and apostolus, they are by them so rendered.

From the British names nave, nava, nawe, knawe, the old name or distinction of this tribe or family may be plainly inferred, for that the first ancestor or progenitor thereof was of a mere British extraction; a servant, steward, ambassador, minister, or messenger of God, Christ, his king, prince, or other master, (for those words are all synonymous, only by the dialect varied with the transposing of a vowel,) and is a name of office of one that is a substitute or vicegerent, and acts under another.

But more certain I am that John Knava, of Godolphin, Esq. was struck Sheriff of Cornwall by King Henry VII., 1504, who declared his great liking of that gentleman in all circumstances for the said office, but discovered as much dislike of his name after the English, not understanding the import thereof in Cornish, and so further said, that, as he was pater patriæ, he would transnominate him to Godolphin, whereof he was lord; and accordingly caused or ordered that in his letters patent under the broad seal of England, for being Sheriff of Cornwall, he should be styled or named John Godolphin, of Godolphin, Esq. and by that name he accounted at the year’s end with that king for his office in the Exchequer, and had his acquittance from thence, as appears from the record in the Pipe Office there.

Since which time his posterity have (ever since) made Godolphin the hereditary name of their family. His son, William Godolphin, Esq. was Sheriff of Cornwall 21 Henry VIII.; William Godolphin, Knight, was Sheriff of Cornwall 29 Henry VIII.; William Godolphin, Knight, was Sheriff of Cornwall, 3 Edward VI.; William Godolphin, Knight, was Sheriff of Cornwall 12 Elizabeth; Francis Godolphin, Esq. afterwards Sir Francis, was Sheriff of Cornwall 21 Elizabeth; Francis Godolphin, Knight, was Sheriff of Cornwall 2nd James I.; Francis Godolphin, Esq. afterwards Knight, was Sheriff of Cornwall 13 Charles I., whose son, Sir William Godolphin, was by Charles II. created the five hundred and fifty-second Baronet of England 29th April 1661. His younger brother, Sidney Godolphin, Esq. Member of Parliament for Helston, one of the Commissioners of the Treasury, who had been sent several embassies to foreign princes, was by King Charles II. by letters patent bearing date 8th Sept. 1684, created Lord Godolphin and Baron of Rialton.

Certes, from the time that this family was seised of Godolphin, such a race of famous, flourishing, learned, valiant, prudent men have served their prince and country in the several capacities of members of Parliament, justices of the peace, deputy lieutenants, sheriffs, colonels, captains, majors, and other officers, both military and civil, as scarce any other family this country hath afforded, which I do not mention (for that my great-grandmother on the one side, the wife of Sir John Arundell, of Tolverne, Knight, was daughter of the aforesaid Sir Francis Godolphin, Knight, Sheriff of Cornwall 21 Elizabeth,) but as their just character and merit; and I challenge the envious justly to detract from the same.

This Right Honourable Sidney Lord Godolphin aforesaid, was a commissioner for the Treasury about twenty years, which trust and office he discharged with unquestionable justice, fame, and reputation, during the reigns of King Charles the Second, King James the Second, and till the latter end of the reign of King William the Third, when he voluntarily resigned his office. After that King’s death he was by Queen Anne made sole Lord High Treasurer of England, 1701, in which station he continued with unblamable conduct till the year 1710, the time of his death, (having been before, by that Queen, created Earl Godolphin,) a place of such import, trust, grandeur, and honour, as no Cornishman before him ever arrived to, except the Lord Benham, (or rather their name of old Cardinham,) temp. Henry VII. Two such persons perhaps for their skill in accounts, rents, revenues of the crown, and other matters pertaining to the exchequer, equal to, if not superior to, any Lord Treasurer of England before them.

The paternal coat-armour of this noble family are, Gules, an imperial eagle with two necks between three fleurs-de-lis argent.

Pen-gar-wick in this parish, also Pen-gars-wick, id est, the head word, or command, fenced or fortified place; so called from the command or authority of the lord thereof heretofore in these parts, and the strength of the house and the tower thereof, otherwise Pen-gweras-ike, i. e. the creek, cove, or bosom of waters, head help, as situate upon the sea, or waters of the British Channel. This barton and manor, in the latter end of the reign of Henry VIII., was purchased by one Mr. Milliton, a gentleman of the county of where having wilfully or accidentally committed murder, or slain a man, in order to shun or avoid justice he privately made the purchase aforesaid in the name of his son, and so immured himself in a private chamber of the tower of Pengarwick, that he was not seen of any person but his trusty friends, so that he finished the natural course of his life without detection of his person, or punishment for the crime aforesaid; but, alas! notwithstanding his concealment, and design of perpetuating his name and tribe in this place, his son Job Milliton, Esq. 1st Edward the Sixth, made Governor of St. Michael’s Mount, (in the room of Renphry Arundell, Esq. executed for rebellion,) who married Godolphin, and had issue William Milliton, Esq. sheriff of Cornwall 7th Elizabeth, 1565, that died without issue, and six daughters, that became his heirs, married 1. to Erisy, afterwards to Sir Nicholas Parker; 2. to Lanyon; 3. to Trefusis, and Tregothick; 4. to Trenwith, Arundell, and Herle; 5. to Bonython; 6. to Abbot, from some of which heiresses, Sir Nicholas Hals, Knight, at his first coming from Efford in Devon into Cornwall, purchased their parts of this lordship, with leases from the rest of the coparceners, and for some time made it and Trewinard the places of his dwelling till he removed to Fentongollen. This place afterwards, by his unthrifty son and heir, John Hals, had all its timber cut down that was growing upon it, and sold, which tradition saith was great store; the lands also were sold to Godolphin and some others.

The arms of Milliton were, out of a supposed allusion to their name, a chevron between three millet fishes hariant or erected; whereas Milli-ton is a mill town.

TONKIN.

There is not any thing in Mr. Tonkin of importance, differing from Mr. Hals.

He gives the Cornish distich, which has often been repeated,

Germow Mathern, Breaga Lavethas.

“Germow was a king――Breaga a midwife;” which he explains in a spiritual sense.

In the church-yard of Germoe, is a small alcove called King Germoe’s Throne: it may perhaps have been a plain, simple shrine.

THE EDITOR.

Mr. Sidney Godolphin must be considered as the most eminent statesman and politician of this county, not excepting Lord Chatham, if his birth at Boconnoc should be deemed sufficient to make him a Cornish man.

Advanced to the honour of Earl of Godolphin, decorated with the Garter, and placed in high office as Lord High Treasurer, he mainly conducted the great national affairs at home, while the Duke of Marlborough vindicated, by splendid victories in the field, the religious and civil liberties of the world.

―――― Victorque volentes Per populos dat jura; viamque affectat Olympo.

To Lord Godolphin we are also indebted for conducting to a successful conclusion a measure most beneficial to this whole island, the Union with Scotland; and the whole tenour of his administration procured for him, with the consent of all parties, the appellation of Wise.

In an ode inscribed to the Earl of Sunderland on his receiving the Garter, is this stanza:

In after times, as Courts refined, Our patriots in the list were join’d, Not only Warwick stain’d with blood, Or Marlborough near the Danube’s flood, Here in their crimson crosses glow’d; But, on just law-givers bestow’d, Those emblems Cecil did invest, And gleam’d on Wise Godolphin’s breast.

Sidney Earl of Godolphin died in 1712, and was succeeded by his son Francis, then called Lord Rialton, who had married Henrietta Churchill, eldest daughter of the Duke of Marlborough.

This lady became Duchess of Marlborough on the decease of her father in 1722, under the provision of a special Act of Parliament, but dying in 1733 without issue, the Dukedom and property devolved on her nephew Charles Spencer Earl of Sunderland, son of her sister Ann Churchill.

The Earldom of Godolphin expired also on the death of Francis Godolphin in 1766; but a Barony had been conferred on him, with remainder to the heirs of his uncle Henry Godolphin; this fell to his first cousin Francis Lord Godolphin. On his decease in 1785 the name and honour of Godolphin became extinct. But Mary, daughter and eventually sole heir of Francis the second and last Earl of Godolphin, had married Thomas Osborne, fourth Duke of Leeds, and his great-grandson Francis Godolphin D’Arcy Osborne, Duke of Leeds, inherits the property as heir-at-law.

The Godolphins appear never to have possessed an estate in land beyond the limits of what might fairly belong to a private gentleman; but the produce of tin has been very great from the period recorded by Mr. Carew, so that the name of the place may well be derived from that metal; subsequently, the produce of copper has exceeded that of the tin. The whole parish of Breage is covered by mines, and the largest and most productive, and most expensive tin mine ever known, is now producing a greater quantity of metal than was yielded in former times by the whole county. Whele Vor, now employing several steam-engines of the largest size to exhaust the water, and numerous others to draw up the ore, and afterwards to reduce it into the state of a fine powder, is said to have used, about a century ago, the first steam-engine ever seen in Cornwall.

Pengelly in this parish was the residence, for many generations, of the Spernons or Sparnons. The family became extinct on the death of a gentleman in the medical profession at Lostwithiel, and the property was sold about fifty years ago.

For an anecdote respecting newspapers and despatches, see the notice of Mr. Ralph Allan in St. Blazey.

This parish contains 6456 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 8673 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 1293 15 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 2534 | 2888 | 3668 | 5149. 103 per cent. or 3 per cent. above doubled in 30 years. Present Vicar, the Rev. R. G. Grylls, presented by the King in 1809.

GEOLOGY, BY DOCTOR BOASE.

This extensive parish includes nearly the whole of that granitic patch known by the names of Tregonning and Godolphin Hills; and it also comprises the greater part of the country lying between those hills and those of the opposite range of granite in Wendron and Crowan, called the Forest. Its mines, quarries, and sea cliffs afford most interesting geological sections.

The granite of Godolphin Hill is of the common kind, containing in several places an intermixture of shorl, and it is traversed by numerous thick veins of quartz, which sometimes pass into compact shorl rock. The granite of Tregonning Hill is of two kinds; one fine-grained like free-stone, which is extensively quarried on the western side of the hill, and used for ornamental building, under the name of Breage stone; the other, abounding in talc, and in a state of considerable decomposition, affording, like the similar granites of St. Austell and St. Stephen’s, the china clay, which is here worked for economical purposes, but not to any great extent.

The western part of the celebrated mine Whele Vor is situated in Breage; and, as the workings approach the granite, they exhibit a highly interesting arrangement of rocks, the granite and slate alternating in the same manner as they have been observed to do at Delcoath in Cambourne. The composition of these rocks, and the nature of their connection, are very evidently seen in the heaps of fragments piled round the shafts; but they are better and more clearly illustrated in the cliffs near Trewaras Head.

It would occupy two much space to enter into details on this important subject. It may, however, be noticed that both the granite and the slate gradually pass into each other; and that they appear to differ very little in their mineral composition. These facts seem to explain, in a satisfactory manner, the nature of granite veins. For, if both rocks have a similar composition, and have been produced at the same time, the form, position, contents, and other circumstances of these veins, are no longer perplexing.

ST. BREWARD.

HALS.

St. Breward is situate in the hundred of Trigg, and hath upon the north Advent, south Blisland, east Altar Nun, west St. Tudy. There was not such parish or church extant in Cornwall at the time of the Norman Conquest as Brewer; probably it was taxed under Tudy. In the inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, in order to the Pope’s annats, 1294, Ecclesia de Bruerd, in Decanatu de Trig-minor-shire, was valued at 7_l._ vicar ejusdem 20_s._ In Wolsey’s inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, 8_l._; the patronage in the Dean and Chapter of Exeter; the incumbent Downes, the rectory or sheaf, in ――――, and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound land-tax, 1696, by the name of Brewer, 111_l._ 12_s._ The present name of this church is celebrated in memory of its founder, William Brewer, (son of William Lord Brewer, Baron of Odcombe in Somerset,) who was consecrated Bishop of Exeter, 1224, and was afterwards, by King Henry III., sent on divers embassies to foreign princes, and to conduct Isabel, sister of the said King Henry, to be married to Frederick the Emperor, whom he and Peter de Rupibus, Knight, afterwards accompanied into Palestine, and were made generals of 40,000 men against the Turks. And after all those fatigues, as Bishop Godwin saith, he returned home safely to his see of Exeter, and spent the remainder of his days in building and endowing churches, adorning and enriching his own cathedral church, and instituting within the same a dean and twenty-four prebendaries, allowing the latter a stipend of 4_l._ per annum, since augmented to 20_l._ (which is no more than 4_l._ in those days was worth). He also set up a chantor, chancellor, and treasurer within the same. To the chantor and subdean thereof he appropriated the rectory of Rainton and Chudleigh in Devon, and the rectory then, now a vicarage, of Egloshayle, in Cornwall. To the chancellor he appropriated (or impropriated) the vicarage of Newlan in Cornwall, and Stoke Gabriel in Devon, on condition that he should preach a sermon once a week. To the canons a lecture in Divinity, or on the Decretals, within the cathedral of Exeter, and in case the chancellor should fail in this particular, it should be lawful for the bishop thereof for the time being to resume the said churches so appropriated, into his own hand, and bestow them at his pleasure; as appears from a deed between the said bishop, dean, and chapter, 12th May, 1662, as Hooker saith. But this covenant is exactly kept ever since by the chancellor or his clerk, who once a week, at six o’clock morning prayers, preach a sermon to the canons.

This Bishop Brewer appropriated this church bearing his name to the dean and chapter of this cathedral, which he had as aforesaid erected. He lies buried in the middle of the choir thereof, with an inscription still legible, which, amongst others, containeth these words: Hic jacet Willielmus Brewer, quondam hujus Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Episcopus; fundator etiam quatuor principalium ejusdem Ecclesiæ Dignitatum. By the four principal dignities or dignitaries of the church, I suppose, is meant the dean, chantor, chancellor, and treasurer thereof.

The deanery of Exon was founded by William Briwere, Bishop of Exon 1225.[20]

TONKIN.

This parish of St. Breward is also called Simon Ward; and the popular legend has changed a pious and venerable bishop into one Simon Ward, a domestic brewer to King Arthur. I rather conjecture that on the division of parishes it was called Brewer from “bruiers,” which in the French tongue is “heath.”

THE EDITOR.

The principal villages in this parish are Lank Major, Lank Minor, without doubt Lank Vrauz, and Lank Vean; perhaps lank may be lan, varying with local pronunciation in the absence of all orthography, when the names will signify the great and small inclosure; also Swallock. Mr. Lysons states that the ancient manor of Hamethy, or Hametethy, is situated in this parish, five-sixths belonging to Mr. Mitchell of Hengar, in the adjacent parish of St. Tudy, and the other sixth to Mr. Kekewich.

But this parish is distinguished from all others in Cornwall by the locality of Roughtor and Brown Willy; these hills, pre-eminent from their elevation, and from the granite crags studded over the whole expanse of their surfaces, may be seen from an elevation crossed by the road near Ilfracombe in the north of Devon, and from the high land in Zennor, about ten miles from the Land’s End.

This parish contains 8552 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property as returned £. _s._ _d._ to Parliament in 1815 2561 0 0 Poor Rates in 1831 289 2 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 513 | 506 | 554 | 627; increase on a hundred in 30 years of 22-2/10 per cent. Present Vicar, the Rev. T. J. Landon, presented in 1815 by the Dean and Chapter of Exeter.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The greater part of this parish is situated on granite, including within its boundaries Roughtor and Brown Willy, the highest hills in Cornwall, the latter being 1368 feet above the level of the sea. The composition of this granite has been already noticed under the head of Advent: it affords few varieties, which may be owing to its offering few opportunities for examination.

The circumstance most attractive of attention is the great sterility of this extensive district; some few contracted spots are indeed brought into cultivation; some parts afford summer pasturage for cattle, and others turf for fuel; but by far the greater portion of the whole lies entirely unproductive. And this character belongs to the whole insulated patch of granite more than ten miles in diameter; and the church of St. Breward is the only one to be found on this extensive surface of perhaps from forty to fifty thousand acres; while nine churches are to be found on the granite district of the Land’s End, where this substratum, departing from its usual qualities, gives fertility to the soil.

The western extremity of this parish is fertile, resting on a peculiar kind of slate, which possesses geological interest. It may be seen at Combe, at Penrose, and at other places near the river Camel, and appears to be a variety of mica slate, being composed of granular felspar, interlaminated with mica. It contains beds of dark purple felspar rock, very similar to that which abounds in the mining district in the western part of the county. This micaceous slate gradually passes into a thick lamellar rock, which extensively disintegrates and becomes argillaceous, exactly resembling the stone quarried for building at Bodmin.

[20] This is written in a different hand.

BRIDGERULE.

HALS.

Bridgerule is situate in the hundred of Stratton, i. e. street or highway town. Now the part of the parish that is on the north side of the river Tamar, hath upon the north Launcells, west Marham Church, south Whitstone, east the Tamar river. The church stands on the Devonshire side, in the Halisworthy hundred, so that this rule or dominion of the Bridge extendeth itself into both counties, as to spirituals and temporals. In the Valor Beneficiarum, it is called Brige Rowell. Ecclesia de Bridge Rule, in Decanatu de Stratone, was taxed to the Pope’s annats, in 1294, at v_l._ iii_s._ 8_d._ Vicar ibidem nihil propter paupertatem. In Wolsey’s Inquisition it was taxed at 14_l._, and the parish was rated to the 4_s._ land-tax, in 1696, at 45_l._ 3_s._

At the time of the Domesday Roll, 20 W. Conq. this district was taxed under the name of Tacabere, which place is now the dwelling place of Mr. Samuel Gilbert.

TONKIN.

Mr. Risdon, in his History of Devon, part ii. p. 298, gives the true etymology of this place, in those words, “Bridge Renold, of the vulgar Bridge Rule, anciently Brige, by which name it is simply so called before the Norman Conqueror bestowed it upon Reginald[21] Adobed, and hence it took the adjunct of its owner.” The original of the primitive name is the bridge connecting the two parts across the Tamar.

The manor of Tackbere, in Domesday called Tacabere, was one of those which the Conqueror bestowed on his half-brother the Earl of Morton.

THE EDITOR.

This manor of Tacabre, or Takkebere, which appears to have been very extensive, is said by Mr. Lysons to have been bestowed by King Edward the Third on the Abbey of St. Mary of Graces, which appears in Tanner’s Notitia Monastica to have been founded by that king in the years 1349-50, in the new church-yard of the Holy Trinity, eastward of the Tower of London. The manor has since acquired the name of Merrifield, probably Maryfield, from the monastery. It was for many years the property of Gilberts, a branch from the Gilberts of Crompton Castle, near Torbay. The only daughter of the last Mr. Gilbert, of Tackbere, married Mr. Cotton Amy, of Botreaux Castle, who left two daughters; Anne, who survived her sister, but died unmarried after a long insanity; and Grace, married to Mr. Jonathan Phillipps, of Camelford, and of Newport, near Launceston, who was subsequently knighted in 1786, on the memorable occasion afforded by Margaret Nicholson. This lady had several children: two daughters were alive at the time of her decease in 1788, but they both died in twelve months after their mother, and Tackbere has ascended through the two female lines, and become vested in the right heirs-at-law of Mr. Samuel Gilbert, the father of Mrs. Amy.

The portion of this parish which is situated in Cornwall, measures no more than 851 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 719 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 80 1 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 191 | 176 | 238 | 250; giving an increase of just 31 per cent. in 30 years. Present Vicar, the Rev. Thos. Hockin Kingdon, B.D.

Doctor Boase has not noticed this small division of a parish. The geology will probably be stated with that of some parish adjoining.

[21] The Domesday surname, however, is still nearer to the modern orthography; being, not Reginald, but Ruald.――EDIT.

BUDOCK.

HALS.

Budock is situate in the hundred of Kerrier, and hath upon the north Gluvias, east Falmouth, west Mawnan, south the British channel; and by the name of Bowidoc it was taxed in Domesday Roll, a corruption of Bud-oc, or Bud-ock, signifying a bay, cove, creek, haven, or inlet of waters, and oak; according to the ancient natural circumstances of the place.

In the inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, into the value of benefices, in order to the Pope’s annats, ecclesia de Sancto Budoco, in decanatu de Kerrier, is rated at 6_l._ At that time, it seems, it was not consolidated into Gluvias; though afterwards, in Wolsey’s Inquisition, they were united, as will appear in that place. The patronage in the Bishop of Exeter, the incumbent Collyer; the rectory or sheaf in possession of Pendarves, and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound land-tax, 1696, 122_l._ 11_s._

Against the south wall of this church stand some funeral monuments, pertaining to the ancient and famous family of the Killigrews, particularly that of Sir John Killigrew, Knight, that married Wolverston, temp. Elizabeth, and some others. The barton of Arwinike, their chief seat in former ages, being within this parish, till Falmouth parish where it now stands was dismembered from it by Act of Parliament 1663, near which monument is a stone fastened to the wall of the said church, also containing the memorial of Sir Nicholas Parker, Knight, some time Governor of Pendennis Castle, who married the widow of Erisey, one of the coheirs of Militon of Pengerwick, and died 1608, who was succeeded in that dignity by Sir Nicholas Hals of Fentongollan, Knight.

The arms of Parker were, as I take it, Chequy, a fess.

Ros-meran in this parish, was of old the lands of Killigrew.

Trescobays, also Triscobays, Triscovays, in this parish, (synonymous words, signifying treble or threefold kisses,) was the dwelling of William Gross, gentleman, that married Erisey the widow of Charles Vyvyan, of Merthin, Esq. mother of Sir Richard Vyvyan, Baronet, who, upon some jealousy or discontent of his wife, drank a pint or quart of brandy, entered his chamber, took a pistol and charged it with a brace of bullets, and then forthwith shot himself dead, about the year 1693.

At Treon, Trone, (id est, Saxon, a tree,) for two or three descents, was the dwelling of the Thomases, transnominated to Carnsew, by living at Carnsew in Mabe; id est, the dry rock, where they married Tripcony, Seyntaubyn, and ―――― finally Thomas Carnsew, gentleman, attorney-at law, sold those land to Trewinard, and in testimony of the truth of the said transnomination, this family still give for their arms the same as Thomas, and not that of Carnsew; viz. in a field Argent, a chevron between three talbots Sable. Trewinard hath since sold it to Rundle.

TONKIN.

On the western side of this parish, behind Arwinnick, the seat of Sir Peter Killigrew, is a large pool, like a little harbour, between two hills, but that it hath a bar of sand and pebbles, which keepeth out the sea, like that of the Loe near Helston. It is commonly called the Swan Pool, for that Sir Peter Killigrew, to whom it belongs, kept abundance of swans here.

Trewoon, or Treoon, in this parish, the downy dwelling, or house ―――― in the downs, was the seat of the Carnsews, who had their name from their habitation at Carnsew in Mabe, where they formerly possessed a fine estate, which, being wasted by extravagant living, this barton was at first mortgaged, and a little after the late Revolution, sold by Mr. John Carnsew to Joseph Trewinnard, rector of Mawnan.

THE EDITOR.

The manor of Penwerris, become of great value by its proximity to Falmouth, is the property of Lord de Dunstanville, derived from his grandmother Mary Pendarves of Roscrow. The best part of Falmouth itself is now built on this property, and distinguished by the name of Green Bank.

Budock measures 3507 statute acres. The annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 8618 0 0 The Poor Rate in 1832 640 8 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 779 | 1514 | 1634 | 1797; being an increase on an hundred of 131 per cent. The parish feast is celebrated on the Sunday before Advent.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The extreme western part, adjoining Mabe, consists of granite of a very crystalline variety, and excellent for building; it is exported in great quantities from Penryn. Nearly the whole western half of the parish is coarse; but the eastern part is well cultivated. The soil rests on a species of hornblend slate, which furnishes deep soil by its decomposition.

On the sea shore at Swanpool a most interesting phenomenon occurs in a bed of felspar porphyry, (elvan course,) which runs north-east and south-west for several hundred feet: near low water it exhibits that appearance called by the miners a heave. The course terminates abruptly, and begins again about twenty feet further to the south, from whence it goes on as before the heave.

This porphyry is decomposed at the surface and to some depth, into a fine white clay, from which bricks of a good quality are made on the spot.

BURIAN.

HALS.

Burian is situated at the western extremity of the county, having two adjoining parishes, Senner and St. Levan annexed; the former of which includes the Lands’ End. In Domesday tax this district was rated by the name of Beriand, for Berian or Bury-an; synonymous words, signifying a cemetery or burying place for human creatures; that is to say, that place which is now called the churchyard, which was an inclosure, as in most other places, converted to that use before and since the church was erected therein. This instance of a Domesday Roll, wherein this district is named Beri-an, overthrows the story of Camden’s conjecture, that the name thereof was derived from one St. Buryana, an Irishwoman that was the tutelar guardian of this church, whereas the appellation of Saint, as I have elsewhere observed, at that time was not given to but one church in Cornwall. Besides, this Irish saint is not to be found in the Roman legend, or calendar, nor in Capgrave’s catalogue of English and Irish Saints.

This church was founded and endowed by King Athelstan, about the year 930, after such time as he had conquered the Scilly Islands, as also the county of Devon; and made Cornwall tributary to his sceptre. To which church he gave lands and tithes of a considerable value for ever, himself becoming the first patron thereof, as his successors the Kings of England have been ever since: for which reason it is still called the royal rectory, or regal rectory, and the royal or regal peculiar. Signifying thereby that this is the church or chapel pertaining to the king, or immediately under the jurisdiction of him as the supreme ordinary, from when there is no appeal; whereas other peculiars, though exempt from the visitation or jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop within whose see they stand, yet are always subject to the provincial archbishops of Canterbury and York, or other persons.

This church or college consisted of canons augustines, or regular priests, and three prebendaries, who enjoyed the revenues thereof in common, but might not marry; and the lord chancellors of England of old visited this peculiar, which extended only over the parishes of Burian, Sennen, and St. Levan, for the king.

One of the Popes of Rome, about the time of Edward III. obtruded upon this church, the canons and prebends thereof, a dean to be an inspector and overseer over them: whom he nominated to be the bishop of Exon for the time being, who for some time visited this church as its governor, as the lord chancellor did before; which encroachment of the Pope being observed by Edward III., as appears from the register of the writs, folio 40 and 41; 8 Edward III. rot. 97. This usurpation of the Pope was taken away.

[Mr. Hals here enters into long dissertations respecting secular canons, regular canons, the state generally of the church and of the clergy, benefices held in commendam, &c. which, not having any particular relation to the parochial history of Cornwall, are omitted.]

Boscawen-ros in this parish, compounded of Boscawen-ros, is a name given and taken from the natural circumstances of the place, and signifies in Cornish-British “a valley, notable for skeawe or scawen” trees. And indeed this place, being naked and exposed to the sea on the cliffs of the British Channel, anciently, as it seems, produced no other trees than scawen, (i. e. elder,) proper to that part of the country; neither, I think, is there any other trees at present that grow there. From this place was transnominated an Irish gentleman that settled here either by marriage or purchase, in the latter end of the reign of Edward IV., who discontinued his paternal name, and styled himself John de Boscawen, which latter name hath been the hereditary name of his posterity ever since; who from hence transplanted their dwellings to Tregameer in St. Colomb Major; and Trevallock in Creed or St. Stephen’s; and from thence, by marriage with the daughter and heir of Tregothnan by Lawrence Boscawen, gentleman, attorney-at-law, temp. Henry VII., who died 1567, and lieth buried in the north aile of St. Michael Penkivell Church, as is testified by a brass inscription on his gravestone, there lately extant, upon which, on a lead escutcheon, was engraved his paternal coat armour, viz. in a field Vert, a bull passant Argent, armed Or; on a chief Ermine, a rose Gules; crest a boar Argent:――out of a supposed allusion to their present name, as if it had signified a white bull and a rose. In the reign of James I. his posterity discontinued this bearing, and gave only for their arms, Ermine, a rose; which, I take it, also is the hereditary coat armour of Beverley. See St. Michael Penkivell. Since the writing hereof this place is become the hereditary honorary title of Hugh Lord Boscawen, Baron of Boscawen-rose, and Viscount of Falmouth.

Upon Boscawen downs, some of which was lately the lands of Mr. Christopher Davis, stands a monument called Dance Meyns, that is to say the dance stones; which are nineteen pyramidal stones, about six foot high above ground, set in a round circle, distant from each other about twelve feet, having in the centre one pitched far bigger than the rest; a little to the north of those are two admirable great stones in perpendicular manner, much bigger than the rest, those are vulgarly called the Pipers. But since it is not probable that those stones were either dancers or pipers, I take the common appellation dance meyns, only by the dialect to be a corruption of dans meyns, id est, men’s stones; that is to say stones set up in memory of once so many famous men that lived in those parts, or lie interred there, before the sixth century.[22] Mr. Davis aforesaid informed me, that, contiguous with those dans meynes, he caused not long since divers barrows of earth to be carried abroad in order to manure his lands, in several of which burrows he found two or three urns or earthern pots, sound and firm, having in them pieces of bones, and ashes.

About twenty years past, the sexton of this parish sinking a grave four feet deep in the ground, he met with a large flat marble or other stone, which he lifted up out of the earth, on which was cut or engraved a long plain cross, surmounted on four grieces or steps; on the border of this stone, round the said cross, was an inscription in Norman French, which soundeth thus in English:――“Clarice, the wife of Geffery de Bolleit, lies here; whosoever shall pray for her soul shall have ten days’ pardon. Amen.”[23] There is a place still extant in this parish called Bolait, or Bolaith, i. e. a place of slaying or killing cows, kine, or cattle; otherwise it may be interpreted cow’s milk, or a place notable for the same.

Trove, in this parish, is, in Cornish and Armorick, a dent, pit, a cavern, or valley: a name doubtless taken from the natural and artificial circumstances of the place, situate between two hills, on a cavern; also Trewoofe, that is to say the town or dwelling of ob-yarn, such as the sail-spinsters make, in order to be woof, or woven cross the warp in pieces of cloth, stuff, or serges, from whence was denominated a family of gentlemen named Trewoofe; who, out of a mistaken etymology of their name, (as many others in Cornwall,) gave for their arms, in a field ―――― three wolves’ heads; whereas, try-bleith, try-bleit, is three wolves in Cornish; the heiress of which family was married to Leveale, temp. Henry VIII. of the old Norman race, whose posterity flourished here in good fame for several descents, till, for want of issue male, Lewis Leveale’s daughter and heir, by Cooke of Tregussa, carried this place, together with herself in marriage, to Mr. Uspar or Vospar, temp. Charles I. who had issue Arthur Vosper, his son and heir, who married Eyans, of Eyanston in Oxfordshire, who had issue by her two daughters, married to Mr. Marke of Woodhill and Mr. Dennis of Leskeard. This last gentleman, Mr. Vospur, bathing himself in the river Isis in Oxfordshire, with other young men, was there unfortunately drowned, about the year 1679. The name Vosper or Vospur, in British-Cornish, signifies a pure or immaculate maid or virgin. The arms of Leveale were three calves or veals.

In the middle of this barton of Trove, on the top of a hill, is still extant the downfalls of a castle or treble intrenchment called ――――, in the midst of which is a hole leading to a vault under ground. How far it extends no man now living can tell, by reason of the damps or thick vapours that are in it; for as soon as you go an arrow flight in it or less, your candles will go out, or extinguish of themselves, for want of air. For what end or use this vault was made is uncertain, though it is probable it was an arsenal or store-house for laying up arms, ammunition, corn, and provision, for the soldiers of the castle wherein it stands, in the wars between Charles I. and his Parliament. Divers of the royal party, pursued in the West by the Parliament troops under Sir Thomas Fairfax, were privately conveyed into this vault as far as they could proceed with safety, where Mr. Leveale fed and secured them till they found opportunity to make their escapes to the king’s friends and party. See St. Evall.

Pentre, otherwise Pendrea, in this parish, id est, the head town, or town at the head of some other, denominated a family of gentlemen from thence called Pendre, who gave for their arms, Argent, on a bend Gules and Sable, three fleurs de lis of the Field. John Pendre, the last of this tribe, temp. Henry VI. leaving only two daughters that became his heirs, who were married to Bonython of Carclew, and Noy. To Noy’s share fell this tenement of Pendrea, which was the dwelling of him and his posterity for several descents; and here was born, as I was informed, William Noy, the Attorney-general to Charles I., who designed to have built a notable house here but was prevented by death, having before brought great quantities of materials to this place in order thereto; his grandson, William Noy, Esq. sold this place and several others to my very kind friend Christopher Davis, Gent. now in possession thereof.

Burnewall, in this parish, id est, the walled well or well-pit of waters, so called from some such place on the lands thereof, was also formerly the lands of the said William Noy, who sold it to the said Mr. Davis, who conveyed it to his nephew Henry Davis on his marriage with Hester, daughter of Humphrey Noy, Gent. younger brother of the said William Noy, now in possession thereof, and hath issue. The arms of Davis are, Argent, a chevron Sable between three mullets Gules, which also is the coat armour of Davey of Creedy in Devon.

Leah, also Lahe, id est, lawe, or leh, a place or dwelling, is the seat of Oliver Ustick, or Usteck, Gent. (id est, Nightingale; otherwise, Eus-teck is fair nightingale,) that married Roscrow of Penryn.

From Als, now Alse, and Alsce, viz. lands towards or upon the sea-coast, as this whole parish and its members are situate, was denominated John de Als, or from Bar-Als-ton in Devon; temp. Henry I. and King Stephen, ancestor of the De Alses, formerly of Lelant, now Halses, see Lelant; which place was heretofore the voke lands of a considerable manor, now dismembered and in the possession of Trevanion and others. This family, in Edward III.’s days, wrote their surname De Als, now Halse. See Prince’s Worthies of Devon, upon Hals.

TONKIN.

This parish is of large extent, and the land generally good, and lying very warm on the South Sea, which, with the desire of living quiet, has induced several gentlemen to settle themselves in this remote corner of the kingdom, where they may liberally entertain all such as out of curiosity come to visit the Land’s End.

Mr. Francis Paynter was brother to Doctor William Paynter, Rector of Exeter College, Oxford, (elected in 1690, died Feb. 19, 1715, aged eighty, was rector of Wootton in Northamptonshire, where he is buried,――Editor;) both younger brothers to Mr. Paynter of Trelisick’s father, who by his skill in husbandry, in which he has scarce his fellow, not his superior in the county, and some helps of the law, has purchased to himself a very fair younger brother’s inheritance. Though this place lies near the sea, and very much exposed, yet has this gentleman, by the means of furze ricks and other ingenious contrivances, raised several fair walks of trees about it, and made it a pleasant and profitable seat, which I mention here, that those who live under the same inconveniences may imitate his industry. At Leigha liveth Mr. Oliver Ustick, married to Julia the eldest of two daughters of ―――― Roscrow of Penryn, of the family of Roscrows of Roscrow. Leigha is part of the manor of Rosemadans, now the property of Mr. Grosse.

Boscawanrose, in this parish, gave name and habitation to the famous and honourable family of Boscawan, who, led away, as many other Cornish gentlemen have been, by the similarity of sound between words in the Kernawish tongue and others in French or in Latin, have mistaken rose a valley, for the flower a rose; and more anciently they are said to have borne in their arms, besides a rose, an ox, having mistaken the word bos, which signifies a house or dwelling, for the name of that animal.

THE EDITOR.

It seems very improbable that King Athelstan, after founding and splendidly endowing a church to commemorate or to sanctify his conquest of Cornwall, should bestow on it a name so very indiscriminate as The burial-ground; more especially at a time when missionaries from Ireland had recently converted the inhabitants to Christianity, and had left to posterity a reputation for piety so elevated as to invest them at once with the appellation of saints, and to procure for them, in after times, the dedication of almost all the churches throughout the County.

St. Burian is mentioned by Leland, Camden, Tanner, and various other antiquaries, as a holy woman from Ireland, to whom King Athelstan dedicated this church, and in Doctor Alban Butler’s Lives of the Saints, &c. her festival is given on the 4th of June.

The establishment consisted of a dean and three prebendaries, who are said by Mr. Lysons to have held from the King by the service of saying a hundred masses and a hundred psalters for the souls of the King and of his ancestors. It is not stated how frequently those recitations were to take place.

Bishop Tanner, in the Notitia Monastica, states that this deanery was seised into the king’s hands in the time of Edward III. under the pretence that John de Mount, the third dean, was a Frenchman. In 18 Henry VI. this deanery was given to his college (King’s) in Cambridge; and afterwards, by Edward IV. probably in the true spirit of party, to the collegiate church of Windsor. It was, however, soon separated from Windsor, and continues, according to the foundation of Athelstan, exempt from all inferior jurisdiction, and consequently since Henry VIII.’s assumption of all temporal power exercised by the Pope, there is not any appeal from the local authorities but to the king himself; a constitution most inexpedient, and likely to produce the most serious inconvenience, if matters of much importance ever came for investigation and decision before a court wholly unfitted, from its very nature, from entertaining them; and yet empowered to declare a judgment final to all intents and purposes, unless it is immediately revised by the highest and most expensive ecclesiastical tribunal.

This exemption from all episcopal authority has, in times not very remote, admitted of such abuses in the administration of divine service, and of the spiritual care of the three parishes, as would not otherwise have been endured. It would be worse, however, than useless to expatiate on a system which is fortunately passed by.

I believe that no dean has resided since the final dissolution of the college; the Royner’s hand having been there so forcibly applied as to wrest off the whole glebe, not leaving even an habitation, nor the smallest portion of land on which a house could be built. The nominal deanery of St. Burian, like that of Battle and two or three more, is not esteemed a dignity in the church: yet with cure of souls, and for no better reason than its not being mentioned _eo nomine_ in the canons and acts of Parliament, this living is allowed to be tenable with all other preferments, and at all distances.

Pendrea, the birth place and property of Mr. William Noye the attorney-general, was sold by his eldest son, Edward Noye, to Mr. Davies of Burnuhall, and by his grandson to Mr. Tonkin, whose great grandson, the Rev. Uriah Tonkin, possesses it at this time. At Burnuhall there still remains a curious performance of shell-work, said to have been made by Mr. Davies’ daughters, strongly expressive of the political feelings then almost universal throughout Cornwall. King Charles II. is represented flying from his enemies, and one of them, in full pursuit, has a legend, “This is the heir! come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be our own!” whilst an angel exclaims in the same manner from a cloud “Is it not written, Thou shalt do no murder?” The material of this work is found in great variety and beauty round the coast, and particularly at Porth Kernow, near the Logging Rock.

The last Mr. Davies of Burnuhall married ―――― Kegwin of Newlyn; he wasted the remains of a property which had been gradually diminishing in the hands of his father and of his grandfather; so that about the year 1750, Burnuhall and some other farms were sold to Admiral Boscawen.

Boskenna is the property and residence of Mr. Francis Paynter, a very respectable gentleman and magistrate, the great-grandson, I believe, of the individual distinguished by Mr. Hals for his skill in husbandry. There is a tradition of his having purchased the place of one whose family had long possessed it, but who had ultimately become the huntsman of a pack of hounds kept originally as his own.

Mr. Francis Paynter, uncle of the gentleman now possessed of Boskenna, was greatly distinguished for his wit and humour. He was either the sole or joint author of a poem made in imitation of Prior’s Alma, and in ridicule of the then dean of Burian, called “The Consultation.” Mr. Paynter practised his profession of the law near St. Columb. He married Miss Pender of Penzance, and left several sons. The exercise of wit is not always, perhaps not frequently, associated with pecuniary gain. The Editor has heard Mr. Paynter declare that “The Consultation” prevented his obtaining a valuable stewardship from the family of which the dean was a member.

The Vyvyans of Trelovornow are said to have originated from Treviddror in this parish. And Lord Chief Justice Tresilian was from Burian, in whose descendants Pendor and Ristchurch, after the lapse of nearly five centuries, some of his property still remains.

From about fifty to seventy years ago Boskenna attracted much attention, and gave occasion to various conjectures over the whole neighbourhood, in consequence of a gentleman and lady residing there under the assumed name of Browne, and withdrawing themselves entirely from public observation. They were conjectured to be members of some distinguished family on the continent implicated in political disputes; or at the least, some very eminent persons of our own country, till at last the mystery was explained by a disclosure of their real name and condition.

Mr. Berty Birge, having been involved in the pecuniary affairs of an individual who subsequently became insane, found himself obliged to retire, although it is understood that nothing discreditable to his character occurred in the transactions. On that individual’s decease Mr. Birge resumed his real name, and removed to Penzance, where he passed the remainder of his life.

The church of St. Burian is among those most distinguished for size and beauty in the west of Cornwall. It is situated on high ground, with a lofty tower, conspicuous therefore from a very great distance. It possessed, till within these few years, a curious rood-loft.

A station of the great trigonometrical survey was placed in 1796 very near Burian church, and in the Philosophical Transactions for 1800, the latitude of the tower is stated to be 50° 4′ 32.8″, and the longitude is 5° 36′ 10.5″, or in time 22′ 24.7″ west of Greenwich.

Burian measures 6274 statute acres. The annual value of Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 7288 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 350 0 0 The parish feast is kept on the nearest Sunday to old May day. Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 1161 | 1188 | 1495 | 1707; being an increase of 47 in a hundred in 30 years. Present Rector, the Hon. F. Stanhope.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The whole of this parish, with the exception of a small patch of slate at Rosemodris, rests on granite. Judging from what occurs in the eastern part of Cornwall, one might be led to expect that the land of St. Burian must be sterile. In some elevated spots it undoubtedly is so, but in general the parish is well cultivated and highly productive.

This difference in the granitic soils of east and of west Cornwall, may be, in part, explained by the gradual diminution of height towards the west, accompanied by a corresponding improvement of the climate; but in this part of the county more of the debris, especially of diluvial clay, is retained on the surface, that of the more elevated eastern ridges having been in great measure swept away.

This circumstance must not, however, be omitted. The granite of Burian exhibits more varieties than have been yet found in the eastern district. The slate in the cliffs at Rosemodris is a felspar rock, and its contact with the granite is distinctly seen; where it may be observed at the eastern extremity traversed by numerous granite veins; and the granite near this junction abounds in shorl.

NOTE BY THE EDITOR.

Doctor Paris has remarked on the granite of this district, that it contains full twenty-five per cent. of felspar, which he says at once explains the rapidity of this stone’s decomposition, and the fertility which is so very unusual in granitic countries; and that this granite in a state of decomposition, when it is provincially called growan, has actually been applied to some lands as a manure, and with the best effect.

I had the pleasure of attending Doctor Withering (author of the Arrangement of British Plants, &c.) to the Land’s End in 1793, when he expressed much surprise at the fertility of a granitic soil, and explained it as Doctor Paris has since done, by observing that in all the granite he had previously seen siliceous matter abounded, and that the very word was synonymous with sterile, but that here felspar and fertility appeared together.

Felspar is said to contain nearly a third part of its weight of alumine, about an eighth part of lime, and a twentieth of soda.

[22] That there exists, however, a prevalent connection of these monuments with allusions to dancing, is shown in the Essay on Dracontia, by the Rev. J. B. Deane, F.S.A. in Archæologia, vol. xxv. The name of Dans Maen is generally given to the various stone circles in the county of Cornwall. Dr. Borlase remarks that there are four circles in the hundred of Penrith, having nineteen stones each; viz. Boscawen-ûn, Rosmodrevy, Tregaseal, and Boskednan, the two most distant being not eight miles apart. Of Boscawen-ûn there are views in the works of Borlase and Stukeley, as well as among the more accurate etchings by William Cotton, Esq. 4to. 1827. He has also given a view and plan of the dans-meyne at Bolleit in this parish; and two obeliscal stones at the same place are represented in Borlase, pl. 10. See also in pl. 14 the hanging stone in Karn Boscawen, and a Maen Tôl, or holed stone, both in Burian; as is the circle called Rosmodrevy.――EDIT.

[23] Engraved in Gough’s Camden, vol. I. pl. 1.

CALLINGTON.

THE EDITOR.

Neither Mr. Hals nor Mr. Tonkin notice this parish. It is appended to the parish of Southill. The name is pronounced Kelliton in the immediate neighbourhood.

Callington is situated in the hundred of East, having Southill and Stoke Climsland on the north; Calstock on the east; St. Mellior and St. Dominick to south; and St. Ive to the West.

The town is said to have sent members to Parliament so early as the reign of Henry III., when the privileges of markets and fairs were granted; but the first authentic return was in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

In the time of Henry III. the manor and lordship of Callington were vested in the family of Ferrers, by a grant from the earls of Cornwall; the possession has passed by heiresses to several families; and finally, through Dennis, Rolle and Walpole, to Mr. George William Trefusis of Trefusis, in Milor; together with the barony in fee of Clinton, created by a writ directed John de Clinton, 17 Edward I. A.D. 1299. His grandson sold the property to Mr. Alexander Baring, at a period when some adventitious circumstances, no longer in existence, added materially to its value. The church and town are handsome specimens of the gothic architecture which distinguishes the west of England; and there exist several ancient monuments of individuals formerly lords of the manor.

This parish contains 2387 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 4142 0 0 The Poor Rate in 1831 950 17 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 819 | 938 | 1321 | 1388; giving an increase of 70 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The north-eastern part of this parish extends to the east of Kitt Hill, the most elevated point of Hingston Downs, which is composed of granite. The slate adjoining thereto resembles that which occurs in similar situations in the parishes of St. Austell and St. Blazey; and this district has been the scene of considerable mining speculations. In former ages it abounded in stream tin to such an amount that the Cornishmen of those days expressed their opinion of its value by the distich

Hengsten Down, well yrought Is worth London town, dear ybought. _Carew, Lord Dunstanville’s Edition, p. 272._

As the town of Callington is approached, the slate becomes of a darker blue, and passes into hornblend rock, which prevails in the other parts of the parish, and in several places so much abounds in quartz as to form barren downs. This rock, however, has not any marked character, and it is not often exposed to view; near St. Ive it appears to graduate into the calcareous series.

CALSTOCK.

HALS.

Calstock is situate in the hundred of East, and hath upon the north Stoke Clemsland, west Kellaton, south St. Dominick, east the Tamar river.

The rectory of Calstock church seems to be extant before Domesday Tax, since it passed then by that name, and hath never admitted of any change of name or alteration since, and was undoubtedly founded and endowed by the Earls of Cornwall, out of their manor of Calstock, wherein it is situate; and the Duke of Cornwall, or the King, in that right, are still patrons thereof. Ecclesia de Calstock, in Decanatu de Estwellshire, was valued to the Pope’s annats, 1294, c_s._; in Wolsey’s Inquisition and Valor Beneficionum, 26_l._ 4_s._ 4_d._ The patronage as aforesaid, the Incumbent Blackburn, and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, temp. William III. 302_l._ 0_s._ 2_d._

It appears from the ancient survey of the Duchy of Cornwall in the Exchequer, and Blount’s Tenures from thence, p. 122, that the tenants of this manor had granted them, by the Earls or Dukes thereof, its lords, the liberty of free fishing on the Tamar river, in his verbis: “Nativi tenentes de Calstock, in comitatu Cornubiæ, reddunt per annum de certo redditu, vocato Berbiagium, sine barbague, ad le Hoke-day, 19_s._ 6_d._” Now barbague, barbagyu, is, in Cornish, a bearded or barbed spear, such as is commonly used for killing salmons in the Tamar and other rivers. [See Stoke-Clemsland.] The salmon wear, here built over the Tamar, is, by lease from the Duke of Cornwall, in possession of Sir John Carew, baronet, and hath formerly been set for 120_l._ per annum. [See Helston in Trigg for Barbiague. Tenants on the Alan river there.]

Cuthill, in this place, I take it was the most ancient seat of the knightly family of Edgecombes in Cornwall, and is still in their possession; and here lived Sir Richard Edgecombe, knight, that assisted Henry the Seventh against Richard the Third, who was bountifully rewarded for his services by that prince.

TONKIN

has merely transcribed from Hals.

THE EDITOR.

Calstock, or Calstoke, has of late become a mining parish on an extensive scale. The manor having been sold by the Duchy for the redemption of Land Tax, has ultimately become the property of Mr. John Williams, one of the most skilful and successful miners in Cornwall.

Cotehele is preserved by Lord Mount Edgecombe as a faithful representative of what were the residences of country gentlemen or barons in the ancient acceptation of that word.

“It came,” says Lysons, “into the possession of the Edgecombe family, by the marriage of Hilaria, daughter and heir of William de Cotehele, with William de Edgecombe, in the reign of Edward III. After this marriage, Cotehele became for a while the chief residence of the Edgecombe family.” Carew, speaking of this place, says, “the buildings are ancient, large, strong, and fayre, and appurtenanced with the necessaries of wood, water, fishing, park, and mills, with the devotion of (in times past) a rich-furnished chapel, and with the charity of almshouses, for certain poor people, whom the owners used to relieve.”

The beauty of its situation, the river and ancient ponds, united with the antiquities of the place, render Cotehele one of the most curious and worthy of attention in the West of England; and the following description, taken in 1830 by an architectural correspondent of the Gentleman’s Magazine, is therefore extracted from that miscellany for 1833.

“There is a singularity about this Mansion, which requires to be accounted for. It cannot claim an origin in very remote antiquity, the earliest parts being not older than the reign of Henry the Seventh; yet the narrowness of the windows and other openings, and the tower above the gateway, would lead to the idea that it was built in an early insecure period. This, I think, may be accounted for from the fact that the builder, Sir Richard Edgecombe, had encountered personal danger in the wars of the Roses, and probably erected his mansion in the early part of the reign of Henry the Seventh, so soon after the conclusion of the conflict, that he might be impressed with the fear that the reign of the newly enthroned monarch might not be more peaceable than that of his predecessors, and he adopted under these impressions the style which the mansion now displays.

“The house is quadrangular, with a court-yard in the centre; and, like the generality of the mansions of antiquity, has the appendage of a hall and chapel. It is built of moor-stone in irregular courses, though some of the blocks are exceedingly large. The west front is not imposing, from the want of height, which detracts from its general appearance. The entrance is not in the centre, and is only wide enough for foot passengers; it consists of an obtuse pointed arch, slightly moulded with foliage on the spandrils, which is inclosed within another of larger dimensions with a weather cornice, and on the space between the two is a blank shield accompanied by two bold leaves. The windows are situated high in the wall; they are of small dimensions, being in fact little more than enlarged loopholes. The chimneys are square, having caps formed with coping stones. Above the entrance is a tower of a cubical form, with an embattled parapet. On entering the court through the gateway, the Hall is seen in the front, and near it, on the west side of the quadrangle, the lantern window of the Chapel.

“The interior of the Hall is very interesting. The roof is timber, and arched; and on the walls hang various pieces of armour and weapons of considerable antiquity, with a complete suit of armour, which is probably not older than the Civil wars. In the end walls are apertures in the shape of a quatrefoil, which admit a view of the hall from adjacent apartments, and would allow the motions of persons assembled in it to be watched. There are some specimens of ancient furniture in the hall; in particular a chair having the date 1627. In the windows are several armorial shields in stained glass.

“The Chapel projects from the western side of the mansion. It is small and neat, and has a small bell-tower. The square window in the west end is unglazed; the aperture being secured by wide bars; but allowing any person standing on the outside to see the altar. At the distance of a few feet from the door lies an ancient font, 19 inches square by 14 inches deep; it is formed of a block of moorstone, and panelled at the sides. The interior of this chapel is approached from the mansion by the hall, to which it communicates through a small room. The roof is timber, ribbed and panelled; and coved in the form of an obtuse arch. In the south window St. Anne and St. Katherine are represented in painted glass. The altar is oak, with upright panels, having quatrefoil heads. An ancient altar cloth is preserved in the house; it is formed of red velvet powdered with fleur-de-lis, and the part which was shown when it was laid on the altar, had a crucifix in the centre, accompanied by the twelve apostles in rich embroidery, and the arms of Edgecombe.

“The limit of a single visit would not allow me to particularize the various articles of furniture contained in the mansion. In the drawing-room the screen to the doorway appears to be of the date of the building; on the door itself are roses in lozenges. The bedroom, called King Charles’s, has a fine ancient state bed, with a profusion of carved work about it; and a steel mirror. The dog-inns, some of which are probably as old as the mansion, remain in the fire-places. Two chairs commemorate a visit from King George the Third and Queen Charlotte in 1789.

“In the grounds is another chapel, which derives its interest from the circumstance of its having been erected by Sir Richard Edgecombe in commemoration of his escape from his pursuers by concealment near the spot. It is much injured by modern alterations made in 1769, and externally retains little of its original features. In the interior are several ancient paintings, which probably formed the decorations of an ancient altar-piece; when entire, it represented the Annunciation. In the east window are St. George, and a female saint with a sword, in painted glass, and several coats of arms. There is also an ancient painting of the monument of the founder of the chapel, who was buried in the conventual church of Morlaix in Bretagne, in September 1489; and a carving in wood of St. Thomas a Becket.”

It is a curious circumstance in the history of Cornwall, that several of the principal gentlemen from this remote county, took active parts on either side between King Richard the Third and his antagonist Henry the Seventh: many were present at the battle of Bosworth. Mr. Carew relates (p. 269, Lord Dunstanville’s edition) the almost miraculous escape of Sir Richard Edgecombe of Cotehele, when he was pursued (as I apprehend) by Bodrigar, who, in his turn, found himself obliged to fly after the defeat of King Richard; and his property was divided between Edgecumbe and Trevanion, with whom a large part of it still remains.

The river from Cotehele to New Bridge exhibits a magnificence of scenery very rarely to be found: the cliffs on the east and north-eastern bank affording here the steep and bold scarpment, as in all other similar situations throughout the country.

Harewood, in this parish, although in the different style of a modern seat, almost rivals Cotehele: this spacious and elegant house was built almost forty years ago by Mr. Foot; but the place was sold after his decease, and it is now the property and residence of Mr. William Salusbury Trelawney, heir of that ancient and distinguished family. Mr. Trelawney married Miss Carpenter, of Mount Toby, near Tavistock, and now (1833) represents the eastern division of Cornwall in Parliament.

Sandhill is another handsome seat in this parish, occupied by Mr. Williams, who, since his purchase of the manor, has improved the waste lands, planted such elevated or steep portions as were unfit for agriculture, and in every way contributed to the prosperity of the place and of its inhabitants.

This parish contains 5035 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 5801 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 1426 0 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 1105 | 2064 | 2388 | 2328; being an increase of about 111 per cent. in 30 years. Present Rector, the Rev. Edward Morshead, presented by the King in 1796.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The Geological structure of this parish is precisely similar to that of Callington; but, as it is better developed, it will admit of a little more detail.

The northern part consists of the granite of Hingston Down, which is crystalline, and it is extensively quarried for economical purposes. The quarries near the summit of Kitt Hill afford excellent illustrations of the internal structure of the granitic mass. On this Down, beds of fine-grained granite project here and there above the surface, resembling that which occurs as Elvan courses in the adjacent slate. The latter rock consists of a basis of granular felspar, spotted and spangled with a shining mineral like mica. This slate, as well as the granite, have been long explored for tin and copper. Shorl and mica generally abound in the lodes; and the former mineral is often so intimately combined with the quartz, as to form a dark-coloured compact shorl rock. Southward the slate becomes more blue, and is fissile into extended slabs. Near the village of Calstock it is soft and lamellar, having evidently graduated into the calcareous series. At Cotehele, near the landing place, a beautiful oved-coloured calcareous schist is quarried, which is said to prove a good material for lining kilns and ovens: it has a shining talcose appearance, resembling that of Trenalt, near Pallephant, in Alternon.

Nearly opposite to the Rectory, built by Bishop Blackbourn, and pleasantly situated on the river, may be seen the debouch of a canal from Tavistock, with an inclined plane, descending into the Tamar. This canal, in one part of its line, passes through a hill at the depth of seventy fathoms.

CAMBORNE.

HALS.

Camborne is situate in the hundred of Penwith, and hath upon the east Redruth, north Illugan, west Gwynier, south Crowan. For its modern name, Camborne, which was not extant at the time of the Norman Conquest, signifies a crooked or arched burne, or well.

This parish is said to derive its name from a holy well situated within it, to which great numbers of persons resorte from a high opinion of its great medical virtues, in addition to its sanctity.

Ecclesia de Camborne, in Decanatu de Penwid, 1294, was rated to the Pope’s annats viii_l._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, £39. 16_s._ 9_d._ The patronage in Basset, the incumbent Newcombe; the parish rated to the 4_s._ per £1. Tax, 1696, £203. 16_s._

Pendarves in this parish, I am informed, transnominated a family of gentlemen from Tresona, i. e. the charm town, in St. Enoder, to Pendarves, temp. Eliz. William Pendarves, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 30th Cha. II. 1680, married Adiston, daughter of Edmund Prideaux, Esq. but died without issue; whereby his estate descended to his second brother’s son; and he dying without issue, it descended to his third brother’s son, viz. Sir William Pendarves, knight, now in possession thereof, who married Godolphin, the widow of Hoblyn of Nanswidon. His father, Thomas Pendarves, clerk, rector of St. Colomb Major, and St. Mawgun in Pider, married Hoblyn of Nanswiddon; his grandfather, Arundell of Menadarva; his great-grandfather Humphrys; and giveth for his arms, in a field Sable, a falcon Argent displayed, between three mullets Or.

Menadarva, in this parish, is the dwelling of William Arundell, Esq. descended from the Arundells of Trerice, to whose ancestor, temp. Charles I. it was given by the last will and testament of John Arundell, of Trerice, Esq. (commonly called John of Tilbury, for that with Queen Elizabeth, at that place, he was an officer under her in the standing army posted in that place in expectation of and to oppose the Spanish Armada 1588), in those words amongst other――“Item, I give to my naturall son, John Arundell, my mannor and barton of Menadarva in Camburne, and to his heirs lawfully begotten for ever.”

The last gentleman of this family dying without issue male, his sisters for a time, married to Tresahar and others, became possessed of this lordship; but it happened that a brother of theirs also, who was a merchant factor in Spain, who married an innkeeper’s widow there, in Malaga or Seville, of English extraction, was said to be dead without issue, but it seems before his death had issue by her an infant son, which was bred up in Spain till he came of age, without knowledge of his relations aforesaid; who, being brought into England with his mother, temp. Will. III. delivered ejectments upon the barton and manor of Menadarva, and the occupants thereof, as heir-at-law to Arundell, and brought down a trial upon the same at Lanceston, in this county; where upon the issue it appeared, upon the oaths of Mr. Delliff and other Spanish merchants of London, that the said heir was the legitimate son of Mr. Arundell aforesaid in Spain, and born under coverture or marriage; he obtained a verdict and judgment thereon for the same, and is now in possession thereof. He married Tremanheer of Penzance, and hath issue. The arms of this family are the same as those of the Arundells of Trerice, with due distinction.[24]

Roswarne, in this parish, gave to its owner the name of De Roswarne, one of which tribe sold those lands, temp. James I. to Ezekiel Grosse, gent. attorney-at-law, who made it his dwelling, and in this place got a great estate by the inferior practice of the law; but much more,[25] as tradition saith, by means of a spirit or apparition that haunted him in this place till he spake to it (for it is notable that sort of things called apparitions, are such proud gentry that they never speak first), whereupon it discovered to him where much treasure lay hid in this mansion, which, according to the (honest) ghost’s direction he found, to his great enriching; after which this phantasm or spectrum become so troublesome and direful to him day and night, that it forced him to forsake this place (as rich, it seems, as this devil could make him) and to quit his claim thereto by giving or selling it to his clerk John Call; whose son, John Call, gent. sold it again to Robert Hooker, gent. attorney-at-law, now in possession thereof. The arms of Call were, in a field three trumpets, in allusion to the name in English; but in Cornish British, call, cal, signifies any hard, flinty, or obdurate matter or thing, and hirgorne is a trumpet.

Crane, adjoining Roswarne, gave name to its possessor Cit-crane, who gave bustards or cranes for his arms; for as Crana, Krana, is as grus in Latin, so it is a crane in English; garan and cryhyr is in the Welsh. One of which gentlemen sold this tenement also to Gross, who conveyed it to Call, as Call hath to Hooker aforesaid.

Treswithan, or Trease-withan, in this parish, compounded of Tres-with-an, was of old the seat of the De Brayes, gentlemen heretofore of great antiquity, good note, and considerable revenues in those parts; though in the time of Charles I. their estate was much impaired, so that the last gentleman of this family dying much indebted, and no heir appearing, occasioned a memorable lawsuit between Sir Francis Basset, knight, lord of the manor of Tyhiddy, of which those lands of Treswithan were held, and the creditors of Mr. Braye, then in possession of the premises: when in fine, upon the issue at law at Lanceston, the jury gave it in escheat, for want of issue, to Sir Francis Basset, in right of his manor aforesaid, the verdict passing against the creditors; whereby the posterity of Sir Francis are possessed of it to this day.

TONKIN

has merely copied from Mr. Hals.

THE EDITOR.

Camborne has risen more rapidly into wealth and importance than any other parish in Cornwall. The church tower is so large and well-built, and it possesses with a market so many appendages of a regular town, that the prefix church may well be omitted.

Pendarves was given by Mrs. Percevall, surviving sister of Sir William Pendarves, to Mr. John Stackhouse, second son of Doctor William Stackhouse, Rector of St. Anne, who married Miss Williams, heiress of that branch of the Williamses of Probus, which had settled at Trehane. Mr. John Stackhouse married Miss Acton, with whom he acquired a very large property in Shropshire: his son, Mr. Edward William Wynne Pendarves is now the proprietor. Pendarves has become a very handsome seat in consequence of the successive improvements made by the late Mr. Stackhouse and himself. He has adopted the name of Pendarves in the place of Stackhouse, and added Wynne in gratitude of a large addition made to his fortunes by the late Reverend Luttrell Wynne, LL.D.

Mr. Pendarves has followed the examples of his two immediate predecessors, by marrying a considerable heiress, Miss Triste, from Devonshire. He has been twice elected member for the county, and now (1833) represents the western division of Cornwall.

Menadarva was purchased by the late Mr. Basset, and belongs to his son, Lord Dunstanville.

Rosewarne was the residence of Mr. William Harris, who greatly increased his fortune by skill and success in mining. He served the office of sheriff in 1773. His only daughter and heiress is married to Mr. Winchcombe Hartley, a gentleman of Berkshire.

Crane, with several adjoining farms, became the property of Mr. John Oliver Willyams, of Carnanton, in right of his mother, and the whole, on his demise, was purchased by Lord Dunstanville.

I cannot close my short additions to Camborne without noticing Mr. Richard Trevithick. No one, with the exception of Mr. Watt, has probably contributed in so great a degree to the improvement of steam-engines, the most important and the most philosophical of all mechanical inventions. His enterprise has also equalled the abstract powers of his mind, and for several years he laboured in South America to give the mines of that great continent the advantage of European machinery; but civil wars, and the instability of Governments, defeated his best endeavours, so as to render them, up to the present time, unavailing either to those mines or to himself.

Camborne contains 5933 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 11,783 0 0 Poor Rates in 1831 2,649 16 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 4811 | 4714 | 6219 | 7699; giving an increase of 60 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The eastern and south-western sides of this parish are situate on granite, the greater part consisting of high and barren hills, including Carnbrea and Carnkie. This rock is large-grained, and not very prone to disintegrate; it is occasionally traversed by beds of felspar porphyry.

On the boundaries of this granite, and in the adjacent slate, are numerous tin and copper-mines, the most interesting of which are Delcoath and Cock’s Kitchen; the latter extends into the parish of Illogan, but is a continuation of the Camborne lodes. Delcoath has been for many years the deepest mine in Cornwall. It stands at the surface, about fifty fathoms (300 feet) above the level of the sea, and the deepest shaft is about a hundred and eighty fathoms (1080 feet) below the sea level, making on the whole a depth from the surface of nearly 1400 feet.

These mines exhibit the curious geological phenomena of alternating granite and slate; that is, in sinking a perpendicular shaft, the miner passes repeatedly out of one of these rocks into the other. Various theoretical opinions have been entertained on this subject: some geologists supposing that the layers are no more than irregular protuberances from the main mass of the rock; whilst others consider them as large veins dipping towards and communicating with the granite at a great depth. But it is ascertained that these granite layers are sometimes detached or insulated masses, whilst at other times they form large veins or courses, which have regular bearings to a considerable distance, and are then called elvans; to form, however, a correct idea of the features of these phenomena, we must become acquainted, not with the appearance only, but with the nature and composition of these two rocks.

Granite and slate are usually considered, from their exterior character, as very dissimilar, whereas in this situation their real composition is nearly alike.

The granite immediately in contact with the slate, consists of compact felspar, containing particles or crystals of felspar, quartz, and mica, in variable proportions, but the whole generally increasing towards the centre of the mass. So that the granite is changed into a felspar rock or porphyry rock, scarcely ever resembling a well characterised granite; while the slate in contact has received the various names of greywacke, greenstone, clayslate, and killas; but it appears to be a rock _sui generis_, consisting almost entirely of compact felspar, coloured purple or blue by its intimate union with a dark-coloured micaceous mineral, sometimes seen distinct on the surface of the slate, and from which it appears to derive its lamellar structure. The bases of these two rocks are therefore the same, and at the point of contact it is often difficult to draw a line between them; for the slate passes into white compact felspar by the gradual disappearance of its colouring mineral; and this granite rock, by the more and more additions of felspar, quartz, and mica, reassumes its usual character.

On this view of the subject, it is easy to comprehend why the granite and the slate alternate and mutually pass into each other; and an explanation may also be given of the complicated phenomena of granite veins in slate, when it is assumed that both rocks are not only of contemporaneous origin, but likewise similar in their mineral composition.

Between this mining district and a line drawn east and west across the parish, a little north of the church town, the land is in most places very good; but north of this line, at the extremity of the parish, where it abuts on the sea, the ground is almost entirely uncultivated, affording nothing more than a slight pasturage for sheep. At Godrevy Point there is laid open an interesting section of diluvial deposits: one of the beds, composed of shelly sand and pebbles, is consolidated with sandstone and conglomerate.

[24] See Symons of Halt in Botus Fleming.

[25] Here the word “fire-side” is interlined; and at ‡ the words “good now” in the same hand with the paragraph within brackets.

CARDINHAM.

HALS.

Cardinham is situate in the hundred of West, and hath upon the north Blisland, Temple, and part of Altarnun; south, Bradock and Warleggan; west, Bodmin. For the name, it is compounded of those particles, car-din-ham, id est, the rock-man’s-home or habitation; also car-dyn-an, i. e. the rock man, or a man that dwells upon, or has his residence amongst rocks, or in a rocky country, with which sort of inanimate creatures the north part of this parish aboundeth. It takes its denomination from the manor and barton of old Cardinham; as from thence did its lord and owner Robert de Cardinan, temp. Richard I., the same gentleman mentioned in Mr. Carew’s “Survey of Cornwall,” that by the tenure of knight-service held in those parts seventy-one knight’s fees; which undoubtedly then was the greatest estate pertaining to any private man in this province. He was not only the founder and endower of the Alien Priory of St. Andrew at Tywardreth, (of which more in that place,) but also of this rectory church. By the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester into the value of benefices in Cornwall, as aforesaid, 1294, Ecclesia de Cardinan in Decanatu de Westwellshire, was rated 6_l._ 8_s._ 4_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, 24_l._ 17_s._ 6_d._, by the name of the Rectory of Cardenham, synonymous with Cardinham. The patronage in the Lord Dynham’s heir, Arundell, and others; the incumbent, Waddon; this parish was taxed to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, temp. William III., 161_l._ 8_s._

And here it must be observed, that there was no such parish or church extant at the time of the Norman conquest as Cardinham; for in the Domesday Rate, 1087, 20 William I., this division passed then under the districts of Cabulian, Dovenot, and Glin, (see the Domesday Catalogue); but after the building and endowing of this church, Glin was converted into Cardinham parish, and Cabulian into Warliggon; under which name and title they have hitherto passed, as members thereof. I find it much controverted amongst antiquaries and historians, whether the Dynhams, that afterwards became possessed of this manor and barton, were the descendants of this Robert de Cardinan, or not; some averring one thing and some another; but certain I am they were possessed thereof as his heirs and assigns; but whether denominated from thence, or the local places of Dynham in St. Menvor, or Dinham-bridge in St. Kew, I know not. Nevertheless, contrary to both those conjectures, Mr. Camden tells us that those Dinhams were a French tribe that came into England with William the Conqueror; particularly one Oliver de Dinant, one of whose sons, viz. Galfrid de Dinham, temp. Henry II. was a great augmenter of the Abbey of Hartland; and changed the secular priests founded there by Githa, wife of Earl Godwin, into Black Canons Augustine. See Monasticon Anglicanum, in Devon.

One Oliver de Dinant, or Dinham, was by writ of summons called to Parliament as a Baron, 24 Edward I. who had issue Josce, who had issue John, who had issue John, who had issue John, who had issue John; who were all knighted; which last John had issue, by Sir Richard Arche’s heir, John Dinham, of Old Cardenham, Esq., sheriff of Devon, 39 Henry VI., 1460, who then resided at his barton of Nutwell, in Woodberry parish, eight miles from Exeter, who at that time made use of his authority in promoting the safety of the Duke of York’s friends, viz. the Earls of March, Salisbury, and Warwick, and others, then attainted of treason by Act of Parliament, who, in order to the preservation of their lives, fled into Devonshire, where they were concealed by the said John Dinham at Nutwell aforesaid, till he had opportunities from Exmouth to convey them to Guernsey, from whence they were transported to Calais, which place they secured for the Duke of York. But as soon as King Henry and the Parliament understood thereof, immediately the Duke of Somerset was dispatched with a commission to be governor of that place; who no sooner approached the harbour of Calais with his ships, but those fugitive lords ordered the train of artillery at Rysbank (there) immediately to be fired upon the Duke of Somerset and his companions, as they were coming on shore, which so obstructed their design that they were forced, with some damage and loss, to return to their ships, weigh anchor, spread sails, and bear off for the English coast, and dropped anchor safely at Sandwich in Kent; from whence King Henry and Queen Margaret had some notice from the Duke of Somerset of the affront offered his Majesty and him at Calais, whereupon the King ordered his navy royal, as soon as possible, to be in readiness to attend and assist him, in order to reduce Calais to his obedience.

But, alas! maugre those contrivance, the said John Dynham, before the King’s navy could be provided and got together, out of affection to the Duke of York, the Earl of March and his confederates, like a daring, valiant, courageous, and invincible hero, as he was, with a small company of armed men, boarded the Earl of Somerset’s ships in the harbour of Sandwich, and therein took the Lord Rivers, designed for his admiral against Calais, and by a strong hand carried him and all his ships thither; and then, with the same ships, conveyed the Earl of March and his friends from Calais to the Duke of York his father, then fled into Ireland.

After the restoration of the House of York to the crown, in the person of Edward IV. we find this John Dynham was knighted. In the 6th Edward IV. he was by writ summoned to Parliament as a Baron thereof, by the name of John Dinham, Baron Dinham, of Cardinham. In the 9th Edward IV. he obtained a grant of the custody of the forest of Dartmoor, the manor and borough of Lidford, and the manor of South Teign in Devon, during his life, under the yearly rent of 100 marks, and 6_s._ 8_d._; and soon after he got a grant of the office of steward of the honours, castles, manors, and boroughs of Plympton, Oakhampton, Tiverton, Sampford Courtney, and some others, and was made Knight of the Garter; and in the first year of Henry VII., 1485, he was by letters patent created Baron Dinham, of Cardinham; afterwards he was made Lord High Treasurer of England, which office he held fifteen years, and died 17 Henry VII. aged seventy-two years. He left issue Charles Dinham, Esq. his son and heir, sheriff of Devon, 16 Edward IV., 1476, that married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Lord Fitzwalter, who died without issue; by reason whereof his four sisters became his heirs, and were married, Jane, to Baron Zouch, of Totness; Joan, to Lord Arundell, of Lanherne, knight; Margaret, to Nicholas Baron Carew, of Molesford, in Berkshire; and Elizabeth, to Foulk Bourchier, of Tavistock, Lord Fitzwarren. The arms of Dinham were, in a field Gules, three fusils in fess Argent, within a border Ermine; but Nicholas Upton, in his manuscript of heraldry, 1440, written before the invention of printing, tells us, Monsieur Oliver de Dinham port de Goules un fess engrelle de Ermine, un bordure endentee Argent.

The Lady Elizabeth Dinham, widow of the Lord Fitzwarren aforesaid, after his death, was married to Thomas Shapcott, of Elton, in Huntingdonshire, Esq., where, at her own proper cost and charge, she erected a private chapel to the honour of Almighty God, of that curious and costly workmanship, both in walls, roof, and window, that it is worthy the admiration of all beholders, and parallel to, if not superior, to any other church or chapel of its bigness in England. See Camden in Huntingdonshire.

Nicholas Baron Carew aforesaid, together with his lady, were buried in Westminster Abbey, amongst the kings and queens of England, as appears from a grey marble tomb-stone, with a brass inscription round it, containing, as I remember, these words.

Orate pro animabus Nicolai Baronis quondam de Carew, et Dominæ Margaretæ uxoris ejus, filiae Johannis Domini Dinham, Militis; qui quidem Nicholaus obiit sexto die mensis Decembris, anno Dom. 1470; et predicta Domina Margareta obiit die mensis Decembris, anno 1471. Of this famous family Mr. Carew, in his “Survey of Cornwall,” hath only these words: “formerly at Cardinham lived the Lord Dinham.”

Glin, Glynn, in this parish, is a name taken and given from the ancient natural circumstances of the place, where lakes, pools, and rivers of water abound, and groves of trees, or copps, flourish and grow; derived from the Japhetical Greek λιμνη, [limnee] lacus; under which name, and devyock, or deynock district, part of the now parish of Cardinham, was taxed 20 William I., 1087. From which place was denominated an ancient family of gentlemen surnamed De Glynn, who for many generations flourished there in worshipful degree, till about the time of Henry VII., when the sole daughter and heir of this family was married to Carmynow of Resprin, or Polmaugan, whose heir being married to Courtney, brought this barton of Glynn into that family; by some of whose posterity it was sold to a younger branch of this family of Glynn, who thereby was restated therein, and so became possessed thereof; from whom was lineally descended Nicholas Glynn, Esq. Member of Parliament for Bodmin, temp. Charles II., who married one of the coheirs of Dennis, of Orleigh, in Devon, as did Sir Thomas Hamson, Knt., of Buckinghamshire, the other; who had issue Denny Glynn, Esq. that married two wives, Foow of Tiverton, and Hoblyn of Bodman; who had issue William Glynn, Esq., that married Prideaux of Padstow, and giveth for his arms, in a field Argent, a chevron between three salmon-spears Sable; alluding to their custom, privilege, or right of hunting or fishing for salmons in the Fowey river, passing through this barton or lordship of Glynn towards the sea. Mr. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, tells us this place is called Glynford, by reason of a bridge or pass over the Fowey River there; for ford in British signifies a street, road, pass, or highway over waters; but the authority of Domesday Roll aforesaid, which calls it Glin, plainly shows that this latter appellation, ford, was added to this word Glynn after the bridge aforesaid was erected, and not otherwise to be applied. Nicholas Glynn, of Glyn-ford, Esq. was sheriff of Cornwall 18 James I.

Devynock, as aforesaid, was another district now in this parish, taxed in Domesday Roll, now in possession of ―――― Hann, Gent.

TONKIN.

Mr. Tonkin has not any thing of the least curiosity that differs from Hals. He ends indeed by saying, that “nothing can be more ridiculous than Mr. Hals’s derivation of the name of this parish.”

THE EDITOR.

It is much to be wished that some one learned in the Celtic language, perhaps a native of Britany, would investigate the derivations of all the names of places, of hills, and of rivers, after visiting their localities.

Car, in composition, is probably the same as cairn or kairn a rock, and din is a fortress; but these do not seem likely to take up the Saxon termination ham, an house or dwelling.

Glynn has not, in all probability, any connection with the Saxon words gline or glen. A word of very similar sound in one of the Celtic dialects denominates a spear, and this agrees with the family arms, which are Argent, the heads of three fishing-spears or tridents, with their points downwards, two and one, Sable. A new house was built at Glynn by Mr. Edmund John Glynn, son of Serjeant Glynn, distinguished in the political dissensions of Mr. Wilkes. The house was accidentally consumed by fire before the whole interior had been completed. The walls, however, were not much injured, and the building will probably be restored. It is now the property of the Right Hon. Gen. Sir Hussey Vivian.

Serjeant Glynn succeeded to his elder brother’s son, a young man said to be possessed of considerable abilities and even learning, but of such singular and eccentric habits, that he remained for years without speaking a single word, communicating his thoughts by writing. A verdict of lunacy was at last obtained against him at the Cornwall Assizes, but much to the general dissatisfaction of the country, as interested motives were readily imputable to the uncle; and his mother felt so strongly on the subject, that being heiress of an ancient family, Nicholls of Trewane in St. Kew, she devised nearly the whole of her possessions, in honour of her son’s name, to Mr. Glynn of Heliton; probably of the same stock, but very distantly related.

This parish measures 7750 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 3029 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 429 17 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 552 | 662 | 775 | 728; an increase of 32 per cent. or nearly one-third in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DOCTOR BOASE.

A continuation of the granite of Blisland and St. Breward forms the north-eastern corner of this parish. A belt then succeeds, which appears to be of the same kind as the micaceous slate of St. Breward already described; it may be traced along the side of the Leskeard road in a disintegrated state. On leaving this road and proceeding towards the church, the rock becomes more argillaceous, as round Bodmin, and the land improves in quality. The western and southern parts of the parish consist of barren downs, reposing on rocks which abound in quartz.

ST. CLEER.

HALS.

St. Cleer is situate in the hundred of West, and hath upon the north, Altarnun; south, Liskeard; east, St. Tew; west, St. Neot. The modern name of this parish was not extant at the time of the Norman Conquest, but probably then passed in the Domesday tax under the titles of Trelven, Niveton, or Trethac. At the time of the Pope’s inquisition into the value of Cornish benefices, in order to his Annats, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancto Claro, in Decanatu de Westwellshire, was charged ten marks; Vicar ejusdem 40_s._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, 19_l._ 16_s._ 8_d._ and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 241_l._ 17_s._

The name of this parish is taken from the church, and the church’s name from the titular guardianess thereof, to whom the same is dedicated, viz. St. Clare or Cleer; whose name is derived from the Latin word claro, i. e. clear, bright, shining, transparent; and she herself was born of an honourable lineage at the city of Assisum in Italy.

[Mr. Hals here gives a long history of St. Clare, much more in detail than is suited to a parochial history.

It may be sufficient to add, she was the daughter of Phavorino Sciffo, a noble knight, and of Hortulana, his most virtuous wife, and born in the year 1193. St. Francis was then alive and at the height of his fame. St. Dominic and St. Francis, as is well known, instituted the two great orders of begging monks or friars. Those who entered into any of the previously existing monastic establishments, underwent what was termed a civil death, renounced all individual property, bestowing what was at their own disposal in any way most agreeable to themselves, and suffering what was inalienable to descend to their heirs. Hence has originated the expression natural life, as opposed to civil life, still used in legal proceedings. But St. Dominic and St. Francis, not content with this individual poverty, extended it to their orders; so that with the exception of a dwelling, some furniture, and necessary raiment, their friars were to live, as the cynics had done of old, upon the accidental charity of victuals given in kind and from day to day; for a broad and impassable boundary was drawn between receiving bread from the donor’s hand, and a piece of metal for which that bread might be procured; in the same manner as any portion of the increase arising from flocks or herds might lawfully be given; whilst anathemas were thundered against him who accepted the least return for valuable commodity, in exchange for which similar flocks or herds could easily and freely be procured.

As impassioned harangues were obviously the most efficient agents for eliciting or extorting these daily alms, they were incessantly employed; so that the mendicants soon acquired the distinctive appellation of preaching friars; and the whole institution being suited to the genius, the spirit, and the prejudices of the rude age in which it arose, the Dominicans and Franciscans acquired and maintained, during some centuries, almost the temporal sovereignty of Europe; till their dissentions, the scandalous immorality growing out of their vagrant lives, and the diffusion of knowledge, dissolved the charm.

This contagion readily extended itself to females, so that, with some indispensible modifications, societies soon arose of women bound by the same rule of individual and collective poverty. St. Clare appears to have been the first female disciple of St. Francis, or at least the first raised by him to eminence and power, acquisitions far more captivating to the human mind, than wealth with all its passive luxuries and enjoyments.

St. Clare had the gratification of eloping from her parents to receive the veil and the tonsure from the hands of St. Francis, who placed her at first in a monastery of Benedictine Nuns; but the young saint soon found herself in the situation of an abbess, with her mother and two sisters members of the community, submitted to her sway. From this station she advanced to be the founder of an order, having numerous houses established under her supreme authority, exercised according to rules dictated by St. Francis; and the poor Clares constitute a principal branch of the female monastic establishments existing in all Catholic countries up to the present times.

Pope Innocent IV. made a journey on purpose to visit Clare, not long before her death in 1253, and again to assist at her funeral. His successor, Pope Alexander IV. two years afterwards, inscribed her name in the celestial canon. Mr. Hals then proceeds to particulars.]

In this parish is yet to be seen a famous chapel Well, dedicated to St. Clare, a work of great skill, labour, and cost, though now much decayed, which formerly pertained to some nunnery of those sort of religious women extant here or at Leskeard. (See Truro and Kenwyn, for Clares.) From this parish was denominated an ancient family of gentlemen, surnamed de St. Cleare, from whence are descended the St. Clears of Tudwell, in Devon, who, suitable to their name, give for their arms, in a field Azure the sun in its glory shining or transparent; of which tribe was that Robertus de Sancto Claro, qui tenet decem libratas terræ, in hundredo de Mertock, in comit. Somerset, de domine rege in capite, per servicium inveniendi unum servientem armatum cum uno equo in exercitu domini regis in Wallia per xl. dies sumptibus suis propriis. (Pleas of the Crown in Scaccario, 8 Edward I.)

In this parish is Tre-worg-y, the mansion of John Conock, Esq., that married Burgoigne; his father Heale and Courtney; and giveth for his arms, Argent, a fess dancette between three spread eagles Gules.

The name Conock or Connock signifies rich, prosperous, thriving, successful, of which name and family those in Cornwall are descended from the Conocks of Wiltshire, and the first propagator of this tribe in those parts was one Mr. Conock, who in the time of Queen Elizabeth came to Leskeard town a tanner, and in that occupation got much riches, and laid the foundation of his estate, as Mr. Thomas River, of Liskeard, informed me.

Tre-mabe, in this parish, id est, the son’s town, viz. a place in former ages by some father given as the dwelling to his son, was formerly the lands of Samuel Langford, Gent. that married Cary of Clovelly.

Tre-wor-oc, also Tre-wor-ock, the town on a lake, was formerly the lands of Trubody, who sold the same to Jackman, now in possession thereof. In the church on seats or pews, pertaining to those Trubodys, I have seen this inscription, Nati honoris; in what sense to be construed is mystery to me, since I have not understood that any of this tribe was either a son nobly born, or inherited to any kind of honour, dignity, or promotion.

At Pennant in this parish, id est, the head of the valley, or the valley head, in the open downs by the high road or street-way, formerly stood a large flat moor-stone, about eight feet long, in perpendicular manner, described by Mr. Carew and Mr. Camden, wherein is still to be seen on the one side thereof this inscription, in Roman Saxon letters, then in use when it was set up, containing these words: doniert rogauit pro anima.

[Instead of the long and uninteresting account given by Mr. Hals of this monument, I will take the liberty of substituting an extract from Mr. Bond’s Topographical and Historical Sketches of the Boroughs of East and West Looe, printed by J. Nichols and Son, Parliament Street, in 1823, which will be found of a very different description.]

“Not far from Dosmery Pool may be seen a curious heap of rocks, called Wring Cheese or Cheese Wring; and, at a short distance therefrom, an artificial curiosity called the Hurlers, and another called the Other-half-stone.

“Camden, in his Britannia, speaking of St. Neot’s parish, says, ‘Near unto this, as I have heard, within the parish of St. Cleer, there are to be seen, in a place called Pennant, that is, the head of the vale, two monuments of stone; of which the one in the upper part is wrought hollow, in manner of a chair; the other, named Other-halfe-stone, hath an inscription of barbarous characters, now in a manner worn out,’ which he thinks should be read thus: DONIERT ROGAVIT PRO ANIMA. As for this Doniert, Camden thinks he was that prince of Cornwall whom the chroniclers name Dungerth, and record that he was drowned in the year of our salvation 872. Camden also says, ‘Hard by there is a number of good big rockes heaped up together; and under them one stone of a lesser size, fashioned naturally in form of a cheese, so as it seemeth to be pressed like a cheese; whereupon it is named Wring Cheese. Many other stones besides, in some sort four-square, are to be seen upon the plain adjoining; of which seven or eight are pitched upright of equal distances asunder. The neighbouring inhabitants term them Hurlers, as being by a devout and godly error persuaded, they had been men sometime transformed into stones, for profaning the Lord’s day with hurling the ball. Others would have it to be a trophy (as it were) or a monument in memorial of some battle. And some think verily they were set as mere stones or landmarks; as having read in those authors that wrote on limits, that stones were gathered together of both parties, and the same erected for bounders. In this coast the river Loo maketh way and runneth into the sea, and in his very mouth giveth name to two little towns joined with a bridge together.’

“On the 6th August, 1802, I went with a party of friends to see these natural and artificial curiosities, mentioned by Camden. I first got the party to Red-gate,[26] in St. Cleer parish, about four miles from Liskeard, in order to find out Doniert or Dungerth’s monument, which I understood was somewhere near to it. I made inquiry at the house at Red-gate after this monument, but could get no account of it for some time, though I questioned in a variety of ways; at last, however, we got information where it was situated. It is about a quarter of a mile off from Red-gate, eastward, in a field next the high road. We got into this field, and seeing an erect stone went towards it, and found it to be the monument we sought. One moorstone stands erect, and the other with the inscription on it, lies in a pit close by. The figures of these stones in Borlase’s History are most like them of any I have seen.[27] I made out and copied the inscription very perfectly, by rubbing a soft stone which left its mark in the letters.

+---------+ | DONI | | ERT: RO | | GAUIT | | PRO AN | | IMA | +---------+

“This stone by recollection is about two feet wide at top, and about five or six feet in length. And the other stone, which still stands erect, and ornamented with cross lines, &c. is about the same in height.

“The west front is quite plain; the top has the remains of a kind of mortice, left hand corner broken off. The east front is dotted over, but has no letters.

“I find in Hals, that the pit in which the stone with the inscription lies, was formed in the latter end of the reign of Charles II. in consequence of his, Hals’s, going there at that period with some gentlemen, to view, as he says, the, at that time thought barbarous, inscription; for some tinners in the contiguous country, taking notice of these gentlemen visiting this place, apprehended they came there in quest of some hidden treasure; whereupon, as Hals says, some of them wiser than the rest, lay their heads together, and resolved in council to be before-hand, and accordingly went with pickaxes and shovels, and opened the earth round about the monument, to the depth of about six feet; when they discovered a spacious vault walled about, and arched over with stones, having on the sides thereof two stone seats, not unlike those in churches for auricular confession. The sight of all which struck them with consternation, or a kind of horror, that they incontinently gave over search, and with the utmost hurry and dread, throwing earth and turf to fill up the pit they made, they departed, having neither of them the courage to enter or even to inspect into the further circumstances of the place; which account Hals says, he had from the mouths of some of the very fellows themselves. Some short while after, the loose earth, by reason of some heavy rains which fell, sunk away into the vault, which occasioning also a sort of terræ-motus and concession of the earth adjoining, the said monument was at length so undermined thereby, that it fell to the ground, where it still remains. Would some gentlemen of ability and curiosity, says Hals, and so say I, be at the charge of again opening and cleansing this under-ground chapel, or whatever else it may be denominated, it might probably afford matter of pleasing amusement, if not grand speculation to the learned searchers into matters of antiquity.

“This monument formerly went by the name of ‘the other half stone.’ Some translate the inscription, ‘Pray for the soul of Dungerth,’ others ‘Doniert asked for his soul;’ and there seems to be great controversy for what purpose this monument was erected. High stones might originally, in the early ages of Christianity, have been erected near roads in desolate situations, and at short distances from each other, to direct travellers in their journies; and crosses might have been placed on them as a memento for thanksgiving, when the traveller had effected this part of his journey in safety. Now if the inscription on the above monument is meant for ‘Pray for the soul of Dungerth,’ may we not suppose that it was meant as a request to those who should happen to be praying for themselves, to offer up a prayer also for Dungerth, who probably caused that monument to be erected, or who was buried near the same, perhaps in the chapel before mentioned to have been discovered by the tinners. Or if the inscription is to be read, ‘Doniert asked for his soul,’ which seems the proper translation; may we not suppose that Doniert (who by all accounts was a very pious prince) erected this stone, and prayed or asked for mercy thereat. Perhaps originally these stones might have been called Ave stones, from the Latin word ‘Ave,’ all hail! God speed you; God save you, &c. a very appropriate expression in a desolate situation to a wanderer or traveller. And the reference to another Ave stone might signify the one which is a little to the eastward of it, bearing a cross, and by its appearance formerly a legend underneath. This word Ave (pronounced in the same manner it is in Ave-Mary-Lane, London) might be corrupted into Half; so that Ave stone and Half stone might mean one and the same thing. And in Cornwall the F is very frequently pronounced as a V, and the V as an F, at this present time.[28] If this does not meet approbation, I will add another conjecture. As the circle of stones called the Hurlers, are at a short distance from this monument and the cross before-mentioned, might not the monument and the cross be called the ‘one heave stone,’ and the other, ‘the other or outer heave stone,’ places from whence the ball during the game of hurling was thrown. The traditionary story of the stones called the hurlers, being once men turned into stone for profaning the Sabbath, will give some slight sanction to this conjecture; and in addition, even at this time the high-cross is vulgarly believed to have been the man who ran off with the ball.

“With respect to the stones called the Hurlers being once men, I will say with Hals, ‘Did but the ball which these Hurlers used when flesh and blood, appear directly over them immoveably pendant in the air, one might be apt to credit some little of the tale;’ but as this is not the case, I must add my belief of their being erected by the Druids for some purpose or other, probably a court of justice; long subsequent to which erection, however, they may have served as the goal for hurl players. And indeed a finer spot for such a game could not be fixed on perhaps any where. But I believe the Hurlers took their names from some other source than that of the game of hurling the ball being used there.

“After sufficiently viewing Dungerth’s monument, we directed our course towards Cheese-wring, and soon came to the Hurlers, but first we rode up to the High Cross before mentioned, which at a distance looked somewhat like a man. Under its cross it has an oblong square, as if the border of an inscription, but at present there is not the least vestige of a letter on it. Soon after we came to the Hurlers, which we found to be moorstones of about five or six feet high, forming two circles one without the other (not as represented in Hals’ Parochial History, but like that in Borlase), the circle nearest Cheese-wring less than that of the other. Some of the stones are fallen down, and remain where they fell, and others have probably been carried off for gate posts and other purposes. The areas of the circles are not level, there being many pits in them, as if the earth had sunk over large graves. I confess I was not much struck with the appearance of these famous stones, not having faith to believe they once were men. Near this place we fell in with a man going to Cheese-wring, and were glad to follow him as a guide. Among other questions, I asked him, as we passed along, whether he could tell me the name of the tenement on which Dungerth’s monument was; he answered Pennant. I also asked him whether he knew where the source of the Looe river was; he said in a field next below Dungerth’s monument. I was sorry to hear this, as we could not conveniently return to see it, but I learned from him it was a mere spring of water uninclosed.

“When we reached Cheese-wring, we discovered a man and woman on the top of the mount (on the declivity of which Cheese-wring stands), who, we afterwards found, were cutting turfs for fuel. Our guide first led us to the house of the late Daniel Gumb (a stone-cutter), cut by him out of a solid rock of granite (the rocks all around this place are granite, or moorstone as commonly called in Cornwall, and of the finest quality). This artificial cavern may be about twelve feet deep and not quite so broad; the roof consists of one flat stone of many tons weight, supported by the natural rock on one side, and by pillars of small stones on the other. How Gumb formed this last support is not easily conceived. We entered with hesitation lest the covering should be our grave-stone. On the right-hand side of the door is ‘D. Gumb,’ with a date engraved 1735 (or 3). On the upper part of the covering stone, channels are cut to carry off the rain, or probably to cause it to fall into a bucket for his use; there is also engraved on it some geometrical device formed by Gumb, as our guide told us, who also said that Gumb was accounted a pretty sensible man. I have no hesitation in saying he must have been a pretty eccentric character to have fixed on this place for his habitation; but here he dwelt for several years with his wife and children, several of whom were born and died here. His calling was that of a stone-cutter, and he fixed himself on a spot where materials could be met with to employ a thousand men for a thousand years.

“After quitting this house, we ascended a few paces to the pile of rocks called Cheese-wring, the resemblance of which is well expressed by the print in Borlase’s Nat. Hist. We were all struck with astonishment at this wonderful work of nature; we surveyed it over and over again, went round it several times, and viewed it from every part. It is about thirty-two feet high. The uppermost stone I have no doubt has Druidical basons formed in it. One of them shows itself by the edge of the stone having fallen away. After spending some time in viewing this tremendously awful pile of rocks, we ascended to the summit of the mount on the side of which it stands. This summit is surrounded by an artificial rampart of loose stones, not piled up; possibly they might have formed a wall, or have been carried there for building one; for if they were placed as they now are with an intention so to remain, they could not have been very defensive to this mount. Possibly the name of Cheese-wring may be derived from this ring of stones, and not from the vulgar idea of the Cheese-wring rocks being like a cheese-press.

“The area within the rampart may be about half an acre of ground, and has rocks scattered all over it; but in some places verdure even in this rude region makes its appearance. We found a man and a woman within the area cutting turfs between the rocks for fuel. Among other questions, I asked the man to whom the spot belonged; his answer was, ‘he believed to nobody.’

“Several curious piles of rocks, some forming cromlechs, and others of various forms and positions, are here also to be seen, and several of them have Druidical basons on them. The rocks having these basons are the most lofty or most remarkable for shape or situation. On some rocks there are two or three basons; and where there are more basons than one, they generally communicate by a channel. The basons here are of different sizes, though all of them are of the same shape, which is circular. Some of them are about a foot and a half in diameter, and six or eight inches deep; others not so large or deep. Never having seen any Druidical basons before, and having had my doubts till this time, whether they might not be natural productions caused by rain, lightning, &c. I was led to examine other rocks, whether they had (though equally exposed to the weather) similar formations, but could not find a bason on any rock that was not singular either for its shape or situation. I therefore concluded that these basons were the work of art, and not of nature; and I think they were not intended for the purpose of receiving the rain for common uses, for if so, why were they not made on rocks of easy access? It is possible, however, that rain being held in a natural hollow of a rock, may decompose that part of the rock on which it rests, and being whirled about by the wind from time to time, may form these basons which we attribute to art; and if this is the case, they must continue increasing in size and depth. Have such basons ever been seen but on granite rocks? if not, probably water dissolves the feltspar and disunites the quartz and mica; and the winds driving round the water with particles of quartz at the bottom of the bason, must consequently fret away the rock and enlarge the bason. A rock of white marble lies on the sea-beach near Looe, completely covered with hollows like what are termed Druidical basons; these hollows in this rock I have no doubt have been formed by the sea; it lies near an insulated high rock under Sanders Lane, and is every tide covered with the sea, and is very frequently covered with sand. A person fancying the basons on this rock of marble to be an artificial work, might also fancy that it once was placed on top of the elevated rock near it; the contrast of the white marble on top of the elevated rock, which is of a very dark colour, would give a singular appearance. When this high rock is shown to strangers, they are generally told, with a serious face, that when it hears a cock crowing at Hay (which is a farm just above it) it turns round three times!

“SHARPY TORRY.

“After leaving the area before-mentioned, we mounted our horses, and went towards another very considerable rocky eminence, about half a mile north-east; the road to which over the Down is full of rocks and stones, so as to prevent a horse from going other than step and step at times. On our way we passed a small circle of stones, the remains I rather think of an ancient Barrow, whose earth had been washed away by the rains. We shortly after passed another pretty large circle of stones, just about the diameter to appearance of the lesser circle of the Hurlers; at length we arrived at the pile of rocks, called by our guide Sharpy-torry (Sharp-torr, from its conical shape). We alighted from our horses and ascended. On the north or north-west side of it there appears a hollow, more like a large chimney than any other thing I can compare it to; the outside of which seems to have given way, and the steep hill below is strewed with an immense quantity of rocks and large stones, as if carried down or poured out from this hollow. Whether this was caused by the operation of fire or water bursting from this hollow or crater, if I may use the expression, I will not take upon me to say; but that one or other of these agents burst from this mount appears to be extremely probable, for the rocks and stones seem exactly as if they had been tumbled or thrown out of this crater by a current of some kind. We could not, however, discover lava; therefore it is probable water might have burst out, unless the lava has been decomposed. The views from this place are truly sublime. The spot is nearly the centre of the broadest part of the county; from it we saw both seas, north and south, and consequently the intervening land; and I believe it is the only eminence (except perhaps Brownwilly) in the eastern part of Cornwall, from whence both seas may be seen. We also saw in the North Sea a very high land, which we concluded must be Lundy Island; but the horizon to the north being rather hazy, I will not take upon me to say positively that it was that island, though it is probable to have been so. The prospect was equally extensive east and west, and as I took a pocket spying-glass with me, we viewed therewith the vast extent we commanded. We discovered Launceston Castle with the naked eye; through the glass it became very visible. We were much struck with the beautiful and highly-cultivated lands to the east of us, terminated in part by the high land of Dartmoor. To the westward, nothing was to be seen but a vast continuance of moor land, without a hedge, without a tree, for a stretch of many miles. The cultivated land commenced just below our feet to the eastward, and the uncultivated from where we stood westward; the contrast on turning from west to east, or _vice versâ_, was astonishing. Our station seemed to be amidst the wreck of mountains of granite, rocks piled on rocks were strewed around in awful grandeur. The extreme point of our western view, dimmed by distance, showed us that elevated rock called Roach Rock, and we also saw Dosmerry Pool about four or five miles off; our south view commanded Plymouth Sound, and a long extent of coast and sea; the northward in one part was terminated by the sea. The views brought to my mind the beautiful lines in Ovid:

“Tum freta diffundi, rapidisque tumescere ventis Jussit, et ambitæ circumdare littora terræ. Addidit et fontes, immensaque stagna lacusque. Jussit et extendi campos, subsidere valles, Fronde tegi silvas, lapidosos surgere montes.”

“Then he ordered the seas to poured abroad, and to swell with furious winds, and to draw a shore quite round the inclosed earth. He likewise added springs, and immense pools and lakes. He ordered likewise plains to be extended, and valleys to sink; the woods to be covered with green leaves, and the rocky mountains to rise.”

“From this elevated spot (Sharp Tor) Hingston Hill appeared considerably beneath us. After spending some time on Sharp Tor, we reluctantly descended and went towards another range of rocks, called Killmarth Hill (which signifies the Holy Hill or Land, or perhaps Holy Grove), about three-quarters of a mile off. This range of rocks looks from Sharp Tor, like an immense wall of artificial masonry, with here and there turrets ascending, and it brought to my mind Sir George Staunton’s account of the Chinese wall. When we arrived at its base, we alighted from our horses, and ascended. This natural wall-looking range is composed of granite rocks of, I should suppose some of them, a thousand tons weight. We traversed along the ridge, with some difficulty, towards the first turret, and from that to the next and so on, but the highest, which at a distance looked somewhat like Wringcheese, was yet to be explored; at length we arrived at it, and found it, if possible, more curious than Cheese-wring itself. It consists of immense rocks piled one on the other, to the height of twenty or thirty feet, and it leans so much, that a perpendicular dropped from its top would, I may venture to say, reach the bottom fifteen or more feet from its base; and from where we stood on the ridge, its support at the base appeared so slight as if a man could shove the whole mass over the precipice. Some of the uppermost stones of this pile are, I should think, from fifteen to twenty feet over, and the base of the whole fabric appeared so slight, that I imagined the handle of my whip would have exceeded its thickness. Upon descending to take another view of this astonishing structure, we found that the rocks were considerably thicker on one side than the other; so that the thick parts formed a counterpoise to the overhanging parts; but this not being apparent from the spot on which we first stood, was the cause of our great astonishment. However, though our astonishment was somewhat lessened, yet much remained at this stupendous pile. This is the most western turret.

“From this place one of the party and myself, the others not chusing to accompany us, went to explore the easternmost turret. Upon our arrival at its base we found much difficulty in ascending it; the rocks jutted out, one over the other, in such a manner that, had we slipped but a few inches, we must have dropped over a considerable precipice. I arrived first at the base, and attempted to ascend, but fear pulled me back. Upon my friend’s arrival we thought we would exert ourselves to get up, as we conjectured there might be a Druidical basin at top. My friend got up the first rock by creeping at full length under the overhanging rock; and I was under the necessity of several times desiring him, in the most energetic manner, to keep as close in as possible; for if the body had gone a few inches farther out, it must have slid over the sloping rock which overhung the precipice. It took him a few minutes to drag himself in in this manner. In this creeping state he thought he should have broken his watch to pieces, as he was obliged, as before stated, to crawl at full length, there being no possibility; on account of the overhanging rock, of going on hands and knees. Upon trying to get out his watch, I earnestly entreated him to desist, for fear of losing his centre of gravity; for on the left hand was the precipice, and raising his right side ever so little might have been attended with most serious consequences. He took my advice, and by another exertion got far enough in to raise himself on his hands and knees, and then on his legs. I then followed him in the same manner. We then examined the rocks above us, in order to observe the best mode of ascending them. I first made the ascent, and in the uppermost rock discovered the largest Druidical basin we had met with, and observed it had a lip or channel facing the south. The horrid precipices on each side prevented my getting on the top of this rock, as I felt a slight vertigo. I then got down on a lower rock, and my friend ascended the uppermost one, and not finding himself dizzy, got into the basin itself (where I hope he will never go again), and waved his hat to our companions below. I desired him to measure the circumference of this basin, which he did with his whip, and found it to be about three feet and a half in diameter. We did not take its depth, but I think it must have been about a foot; it was of a circular form. The next thing to be considered was, how we should get down again; which at last, however, we effected nearly in the same manner (only reversing our movements) as we got up; and I believe nothing will ever induce me to pay a second visit to the top of this rock.

“We had a very fine day for our excursion; the sun being clouded, it was not over warm; and there was but little wind: had there been more wind, we should not have been able to ascend some of the places we did, particularly the last. The air was somewhat hazy over the North and South seas, which was the only thing we had to regret.

“A finer situation for Druidical[29] residence, rites, and ceremonies, I think, could not be fixed on anywhere; every thing around is awfully magnificent; probably in ancient days these masses of rocks were surrounded with trees. Our guide indeed informed us that on digging the soil trunks of large trees have been there discovered; and Kil-mar, Kill-mark, Kil-marth signify, in Cornish, the Great, the Horse, or the Wonderful Grove.”

Since writing the above, I have been again to see these curiosities (but did not visit the top of the easternmost turret), and went by the way of St. Cleer Churchtown, near which is a curious old well, with a moorstone cross by it, worth seeing; the stone itself is in form of a cross, and it has a cross in relief cut on its cross. About a mile from St. Cleer Church (on the way to Cheese Wring) stands a most magnificent

CROMLECH,

on a barrow in a field near the high road, on the tenement called Trethevye. A friend who was with me took a rough measurement of the upper or covering stone, and calculated it to be about five tons weight. The stones which form this Cromlech are supposed to have been brought some miles from where they stand, as there are none of the same kind near it. That this is a work of art there cannot be a doubt. One can hardly, however, suppose it possible that such immense stones could have been brought from a distance, and erected in the manner they are. What machinery was used baffles all conjecture. The upper or covering stone has a hole in it; for what purpose I have no idea, unless to support a flag-pole. One of the party remarked it might have been made for a chain to drag it by; but I rather thought it too near the edge for that purpose. Mr. Britton, in his “Beauties of England and Wales,” has given a vignette of this Cromlech, which is well executed, and like the original. Speaking of this Cromlech, Mr. B. says, he believes it has not been described by any writer,[30] though it is more curious and of greater magnitude than that of Mona, or any other he was acquainted with. He says “it standeth about one mile and a half east of St. Cleer, on an eminence commanding an extensive tract of country, particularly to the east, south, and south-west; and is provincially denominated Trevethey Stone. On the north the high ground of the Moors exalts its swelling outline above it. It is all of granite, and consists of six upright stones, and one large slab covering them in an inclined position. This impost measures sixteen feet in Length and ten broad, and is at a medium about fourteen inches thick. It rests on five of the uprights only; and at its other end is perforated by a small circular hole. No tradition exists as to the time of its erection; but its name at once designates it being a work of the Britons, and sepulchral; the term Trevedi (Trevethi) signifying, in the British language, the place of the Graves.”

King Doniert is said to have been the father of St. Ursula, rendered famous by her unfortunate expedition from Cornwall to the coast of Flanders, but still more famous by the beautiful picture of her embarkation, painted by Claude de Lorraine, where the Saint, accompanied by her eleven thousand virgins, are descending to their ships in a port, decorated with buildings the most superb, and surrounded by a distant landscape, imagined and arranged in the highest style of that celebrated master.

Those ladies, although an exaggeration from eleven to eleven thousand is suspected by some writers, were to have married a Roman emperor and his principal officers; but being attacked on their landing by Pagan Saxons, they defended themselves with a courage worthy of Cornwall, until all were slain with arms in their hands. Yet one hardly sees why these heroic females were honoured among the saints. Their deaths as martyrs are referred to the 20th of October 383, and their tomb is still shown at Cologne, where a monastery has been built to their memory.

THE EDITOR.

Not far from King Doniert’s stone monument is another perpendicular moor-stone, on which is still apparent the figure of a cross; and on another, not far distant, is a cross shaped like a T.

Without doubt I think this our King Doniert lived and died in his town and castle of Leskeard, where it was not lawful to bury the bodies of dead men till the year 700. It is moreover to be noted, with regard to the inscription on his monument of stone, that about this time it was customary to pray for departed souls.

Not very distant from the said monument, in the open downs, are to be seen a great number of moor-stones, some artificially squared, and placed in a perpendicular manner about three feet high. These are commonly called the Hurlers: a Druidical monument having been changed, by the fraud and artifice of the priests, into a supposed monument of God’s vengeance against persons for not attending on their masses.

St. Cleer measures 9118 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 5448 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 833 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 774 | 780 | 985 | 982. being an increase of about 27 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DOCTOR BOASE.

About a mile north of the church the granite hills make their appearance, and run across the parish in a curved line. The only variety which this rock presents are coarse and fine grained masses, and a kind of fluor, near Carraton Hill, containing hornblende. Immediately south of the granite, on the side of a barren moor, masses of compact and quartz ore felspar rock protrude, indicating the same formation as at Trewist in Alternun. Near the church hornblende slate prevails, which is said to contain veins of actynolite and asbestos. A little further south, on the ridge of a barren down, massive hornblende rock projects in tiers; and loose blocks of the same stone lie scattered over the side of the hill, and in the adjacent valley.

The whole of the southern part of the parish is composed of varieties of this same rock, several of which are well displayed in the vicinity of Rosecradock.

[26] Probably this place took its name not from a gate painted red being there placed, as is generally imagined, but from its being situated just above Fowey river; Rhie-gat signifies River’s course. The Fowey river at this place is not above half a mile from the source of Looe river.

[27] The following account of these stones is copied from Mr. Polwhele’s Cornwall, vol. ii. p. 195.

“In the parish of St. Clere, about 200 paces to the eastward of Redgate, are two monumental stones which seem parts of two different crosses. They have no such relation to each other as to warrant the conclusion that they ever contributed to form one monument. One is inscribed; the other, without an inscription, called ‘the other half stone,’ seems to have been the shaft of a cross, and originally stood upright, but has latterly been thrown down, from an idle curiosity to ascertain whether any concealed treasures were beneath its base. On one of its sides are some ornamental asterisks, but no letters of any kind. Its present length is about eight feet; yet it seems to have been once longer, as the upper part is broken, and displays part of a mortice. The inscribed stone, nearly square, appears to have been a plinth of a monumental cross, having the words ‘Doniert rogavit pro anima’ inscribed upon it, in similar characters to those used about the ninth century. Doniert is supposed to mean Dungerth, who was king of Cornwall, and accidentally drowned about the year 872. Of the meaning and intention of this monument, see Borlase, pp. 361, 362.”

[28] I take some credit to myself for this conjecture as to the original meaning of “the other half stone.” And I have, long since writing this, accidentally discovered what strongly confirms my opinion. The authors of the Beauties of England and Wales, speaking of inscribed stones at Ebchester, in Durham, say, there is one having the single word “Have” for Ave on it. This stone is supposed by Horsley to be sepulchral. Have Melitina Sanctissima. The custom of thus saluting, as it were, the dead, or taking their last farewell of them, is very well known, and it may seem almost needless to produce any instances of it. Thus Æneas bids eternal adieu to Pallas:

Salve æternum mihi, maxime Palla, Æternumque vale.――Æneid, XI. 97.

Thus also a passage in Catullus,――Ave atque vale.

[29] DRUID, DRUIDES, OR DRUIDæ.――Some derive this word from the Hebrew Derussim, or Drussim; which they translate Contemplatores. Pliny, Salmasius, Vignierius, and others, derive the name from δρυς, an oak, on account of their inhabiting, or at least frequenting and teaching in forests, or because they sacrificed under the oak. Menage derives the word from the old British “Drus,” which signifies “Dæmon” or “Magician;” Borel, from the old British “Dru” or “Deru;” whence he takes δρυς to be derived. Goropius Becanus, lib. i. takes “Druis” to be an old Celtic or German word, formed from “trowis” or “truis,” signifying a “Doctor of the Truth and Faith.” Father Peyron, in his book of the Original of the Celtic Language, will have both Greek and Latin to come from Celtic; and if so, the Greek word δρυς must come from the Celtic “deru.” The groves where they worshipped were called Llwyn; thence, probably, is derived the word “Llan,” signifying now, in Welch, a church. These groves were inclosures of spreading oak, ever surrounding their sacred places; and in these words, “1st. Gorseddan,” or Hillocks, where they sat, and from whence they pronounced their decrees, and delivered their orations to the people; “2nd. Carnedde,” or Heaps of Stones, on which they had a peculiar mode of worship; “3rd. Cromlech,” or Altars, on which they performed the solemnities of sacrifice.

There were several orders of them:――1st. Druids; the chief of these was a sort of Pontifex Maximus, or High Priest; these had the care and direction of matters respecting religion; 2nd. Bards; who were an inferior order to the Druids, and whose business it was to celebrate the praises of their heroes, in songs composed and sung to their harps; 3rd. Eubates; who applied themselves chiefly to the study of Philosophy, and the contemplation of the wonderful works of Nature.

There were Women as well as Men Druids; for it was a female Druid who foretold to Dioclesian, when a private soldier, that he would be Emperor of Rome. They taught physics, or natural philosophy; were versed in astronomy and the computation of time; were skilled in arithmetic and mechanics; and appear to have been the grand source from whence the ages in which they lived derived all the knowledge which they possessed.

Among the numerous places sacred to Druidical worship many hieroglyphical characters have been discovered, which doubtless were intended for something relative to their opinions of the Deity to whom they paid their adoration. But, in addition to this, they taught their pupils a number of verses, which were only a sort of memorials or annals in use amongst them. Some persons remained twenty years under their instruction, which they did not deem it lawful to commit to writing. They used indeed the Greek alphabet, but not the language, as appears by a note, chap. xiii. lib. VI. of Cæsar’s Commentaries de Bell. Gall. This custom, according to Julius Cæsar, seems to have been adopted for two reasons: first, not to expose their doctrines to the common people; and, secondly, lest their scholars, trusting to letters, should be less anxious to remember their precepts, because such assistance commonly diminishes application and weakens the memory.

The original manner of writing amongst the ancient Britons was by cutting the letters with a knife upon sticks, which were commonly squared, and sometimes formed with three sides. Their religious ceremonies were but few, and similar to those of the ancient Hebrews. The unity of the Supreme Being was the foundation of their religion; and Origen, in his Commentaries of Ezekiel, inquiring into the reasons of the rapid progress of Christianity in Britain, says, “this island has long been predisposed to it by the doctrine of the Druids, which had ever taught the unity of God the Creator.” (_Extracted from the Monthly Magazine and Literary Panorama for November 1819._)

[30] This author is mistaken. Norden not only speaks of it as follows, but has given a tolerably good plate of it. He says, “Trethevic, called in Latin Casa Gigantis, a little house raysed of mightie stones, standing on a little hill within a field, the form hereunder expressed. This monument standeth in the parish of St. Cleer. The cover being all one stone is from A to B 16 foote in length; the breadth from C to D is 10 foote; the thickness from G to H is 2 foote. E is an artificial hole 8 inches diameter, made thorowe the roofe very rounde, which served, as it seemeth, to put out a staffe, whereof the house itself was not capable. F was the door or entrance.”

ST. CLEATHER.

HALS.

St. Cleather is situate in the hundred of Lesnewith, and hath upon the north, Trenegles; east, Egles-kerry and Laneast; south, part of Altarnun; west, Davidstowe. For the name of St. Cleather, it refers to the vicar of the church, and in Cornish, signifies a sacred, or holy fencer or gladiator; a person that exercises a spiritual sword for offence or defence in a holy manner; and as in this place by the holy fencer is to be understood the vicar, so by his sword is signified την μαχαιραν του πνευματος ὅ ’στι ῥῆμα Θεου, gladium spiritus, quod est verbum Dei, i. e. the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

In the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester aforesaid, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancto Clede, or Cledredi, in Decanatu de Lesnewith, was valued to its first fruits 6_l._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, and Valor Beneficiorum, 6_l._ 11_s._ 0½_d._; the incumbent, Harris; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound land-tax, 1696, 71_l._ 4_s._ 8_d._ Quere, whether St. Clede, or Clete, mentioned in that Inquisition aforesaid, relate not to St. Clete, or Cletus, Bishop of Rome and martyr, as the tutelar guardian and patron of this church? whose history in short is thus: He was born at Rome, of an old family of gentlemen or noblemen, in the reign of Tiberius; whose father’s name was Emelianus, a Christian, that placed his son Clete a disciple under St. Peter; after which he made him and Linnus coadjutors in the ministry. To Linnus St. Peter gave the charge of affairs within Rome, to Cletus the charge of the churches abroad; and those two holy men had both the succession of the Bishopric of Rome, after St. Peter’s death, (Clement through humility declining that office, who in justice should have had it,) till the time that Domitian, the son of Vespasian, enjoyed the empire, who, degenerating from the morality of his father and brother Titus, raised the second persecution against the Christians; at which time, amongst many others, St. Cletus Bishop of Rome received the crown of martyrdom, after he had held the Bishopric twelve years and seven months and two days, 26th April, anno Dom. 91, tempore Domitian. He lies buried by the body of St. Peter at Rome, and is one of the saints mentioned in the Canon of the Mass, as also in St. Paul’s Epistle to Timothy. He is said, by order of St. Peter, to have divided the City of Rome into twenty-five districts or parishes, and to have set up a priest to rule and govern in spiritual matters over such Christians as were within the same, and attended their predicaments; whose successors afterwards in those churches were called cardinals.

See Peransand for the family of Cleathers.

Bas-ill, in this parish, or Bas-yll, in former ages (at best being but a poor corn country) has been for many ages the seat of the worshipful family of the Trevillians [Trevelyan]; the present possessor, Peter Trevillian, Esq. that married Borlace, his father Arundell.

His ancestor was John Trevillian, Esq. of Nettlecomb in Somerset, who was sheriff of Somerset and Dorset 17 Henry VII.; his grandson John Trevillian, Esq. was sheriff of Cornwall 38 Henry VIII. The arms of which gentlemen are in a field Gules, a demy horse Argent, issuing out of the waves of the sea Azure, grounded upon a tradition that one of their ancestors, at the supposed general inundation or concussion into the sea, of a tract of land called Lyon-ness, extending from St. Sennan to the Scilly Islands, saved himself by sitting on the back of a white horse, whilst he swam from thence through the sea to the insular continent of Cornwall, where he came safe to land; but when I consider that Solinus, who lived 1500 years past, tells us that the Cassiterides, by which he means the Scilly Islands (or the tin islands), in his days were separated from the coast of the Danmonii, by a rough sea of two or three hours’ sail (as it still appears to be), and that hereditary coat armours and surnames in Britain are little above five hundred years old in Britain or Cornwall, there is small credit to be given to this tradition.

In this parish, or part of Davidstowe, is Foye-fenton, the original fountain of the Foys River; which well, in old records, is also called West Fenton, i. e. the west well, to distinguish it from Mark well in Lanick, otherwise east well; from which places the two cantreds (hundreds) of Eastwellshire and Westwellshire are denominated. And to this purpose it is evident, from Carew’s Survey of Cornwall, page 41, that in 3 Henry IV. Reginald de Ferrar held in East Fenton and West Fenton, several knights’ fees of land of the honour of Tremeton, which is now East and West Hundreds. (See also St. Stephen’s by Saltash, of those tenures in 1360.)

TONKIN.

In this parish stands Basil, a word sometimes taken for a herb or vegetable, sometimes for a vein in the human body, sometimes for the basilisk or cockatrice, &c.; but here I take it to signify after the Greek, a basilica or stately building; and although at present this mansion will not answer the etymology in the extreme latitude or longitude thereof, yet in probability it formerly did, at least comparatively so in respect to other houses in the neighbourhood.

This place is the mansion of the ancient, famous, and knightly family of Trevillyans; the present possessor of Basil is Peter Trevillyan, who married a daughter of Mr. Nicholas Borlase of Treludderin. From this Cornish family are descended the Trevillyans of Nettlecomb in Somersetshire.

Although this parish is commonly called and written St. Cleather, yet the right name is St. Eledred, and so it is written in the Taxatio Beneficiorum; which St. Eledred I take to be Ethelred King of the Mercians, who, after he had held the crown for thirty years, and governed with great reputation, and especially with much regard to religion, which (as William of Malmesbury observes) was more to this prince’s inclination than arms, resigned the kingdom to his kinsman Kendred, became a monk, and died soon after in the monastery of Bordeney in Lincolnshire.

There was, however, another St. Ethelred, King of the West Saxons, who is said by Mr. Browne Willis, in his Notitia Parliamentaria, to be buried at Wimborne Minster in Dorsetshire, with the following inscription:

In hoc loco quiescit corpus Sancti Ethelredi Regis West-Saxonum martyris, qui A.D. 872, 23 die Aprilis, per manus Danorum Paganorum occubuit.

Perhaps this latter is the true patron.

THE EDITOR.

Bishop Tanner, in the Notitia Monastica, says of Bordeney Abbey,

“Here was a public monastery before the year 697, to which Ethelred King of Mercia was a great benefactor, if not the original founder; who upon the resignation of his crown retired hither, and became first a monk, and afterwards abbat of this house till his death. It is said to have had three hundred monks, but was destroyed by the Danes A.D. 870.”

The branch or stock of the Trevelyans settled at Basil is now extinct. A Sir John Trevelyan, Knight, of that place, is said to have greatly reduced his fortunes by various law-suits. An anecdote is anciently related of him in the neighbourhood, that having failed in making an appearance to some civil suit, a process issued to the sheriff for attaching his person, who went to Basil accompanied by several horsemen, and riding into the court-yard made proclamation of his authority, and called on the defendant to surrender; but he, on the contrary, threatened the sheriff if he did not depart, with letting loose his spearmen upon him, and then overturned some hives of bees, which effectually routed the whole troop.

Basil now belongs to the family of Mr. Robert Fanshawe, an Out Commissioner of the Navy Board resident at Plymouth, who made the purchase from Mr. Tremayne of Sydenham.

This parish contains 3242 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 1998 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 112 0 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 134 | 165 | 175 | 171; giving an increase of 27½ per cent. in 30 years. Present Vicar, the Rev. J. P. Carpenter, instituted 1823.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The western moiety of this parish runs much further south than the eastern, stretching in an irregular form into the granite near Roughton and Brown Walley.

The rocks adjoining this granitic portion are compost and schistose felspar, as at Alternun, and in a similar position. These are succeeded in the vicinity of the church by a peculiar calcareous rock, consisting almost entirely of hornblend and calcareous spar. The northern part makes part of a downs, extending almost to Launceston, and abounding in manganese.

ST. CLEMENT’S.

HALS.

St. Clement’s is situate in the hundred of Powder, and hath upon the north St. Herme and St. Allen; on the west Kenwyn; east the creek of Trevilian River; south and west Truro River, or arm of the sea.

In Domesday Roll, 20 Wm. I. A.D. 1087, it was taxed under the Great Earl of Cornwall’s manor (now Duchy) of Mor-is or Mor-es, id est, the manor or parish of the sea, or a manor situated on the sea, according to the natural circumstances of the place. And I doubt not that before the Norman Conquest this church or chapel was extant; since, at the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester (1294), it was valued to the first fruits vi_l._, vicar ejusdem xiii_s._ iiii_d._, by no other name than Ecclesia de Mores, which was endowed or founded undoubtedly by the Lords of the Manor of Mores, that is the Earl of Cornwall, whose successors, the Dukes, still possess the lands, and are patrons of the church. In Wolsey’s Inquisition 1525, and Valor Beneficiorum, this church is called Clemens, and valued to first fruits £9.

In this church town is the well-known place of Conor, Condura, id est, the King or Prince’s Water (viz. Cornwall), whose royalty is still over the same, and whose lands cover comparatively the whole parish; from which place in all probability was denominated Cundor or Condor, in Latin Condorus, i. e. Condura, Earl of Cornwall at the time of the Norman Conquest, who perhaps lived, or was born here. And moreover, the inhabitants of this church town and its neighbourhood will tell you, by tradition from age to age, that here once dwelt a great lord and lady called Condura.

This Condurus, as our historians tell us, in 1016 submitted to the Conqueror’s jurisdiction, paid homage for his earldom, and made an oath of his fealty to him; but this report doth not look like a true one, for most certain it is, in the 3rd year of the Conqueror’s reign, he was deprived of his earldom, the same being given to the Conqueror’s half-brother, Robert Earl of Morton in Normandy, whose son William for a long time succeeded him in that dignity after his death. Is it not, therefore, more probable that this Earl Condurus confederated with his countrymen at Exeter, in that insurrection of the people against the Conqueror in the 3rd year of his reign, and for that reason was deprived of his earldom? Be it as it was, certain it is he married and had issue Cad-dock (id est, bear or carry-war), his son and heir, whom some authors call Condor the Second, who is by them taken for and celebrated as Earl of Cornwall.

But what part of the lands or estate thereof he enjoyed (whilst Robert and William, Earls of Morton aforesaid, his contemporaries, for thirty years were alive, and doubtless possessed thereof, as well as his title and dignity) hath not yet appeared to me. His chief dwelling and place of residence was at Jutsworth, near Saltash and Trematon, where he married and had issue one only daughter named Agnes, as some say, others Beatrix, who was married to Reginald Fitz-Harry, base son of King Henry I., by his concubine Anne Corbett, in whose right he was made Earl of Cornwall, after William Earl of Cornwall aforesaid had forfeited the same, by attainder of treason against the Conqueror and his sons, and was deprived thereof.

This Earl Caddock, or Condor the 2nd, departed this life 1120, and lies buried in the chancel of St. Stephen’s Church, by Saltash, and gave for his arms, in a field Sable, 15 bezants palewise, 4, 4, 4, 2, 1. (See St. Stephen’s.)

Lambesso, Lambedo, Lambessa, in this parish, parcel of the Duchy manor of Moris aforesaid, where heretofore was kept the prison, or place of durance and correction, for the prisoners and offenders thereof; which barton for several generations was the dwelling-place of the family surnamed King, duchy tenants, till my kind friend Henry King, gent. temp. Charles II., for want of issue, by his last will and testament settled the same upon John Foote, gent. attorney-at-law, now in possession thereof; who married Avery, daughter-in-law to Mr. King, by his wife, the widow of Avery, and daughter of Lampeer, as I take it.

Query, whether Oliver King, Chaplain in ordinary to King Henry VII., Dean of Winchester, Register of the Noble Order of the Garter, and one of the principal Secretaries of State to that King, created Bishop of Exeter the 9th of February 1492, and from thence translated to Wells 1499, and died 1505, (since Isaac, in his Memorials of Exeter, saith he was a Cornish man), were not of this family? who gave for his arms, in a field Argent, on a chevron Sable, three escallops of the First.

Mr. Foote, as I said, married Avery, and was descended from the Footes of Tregony; and giveth for his arms, Vert, a chevron between three pigeons or doves Argent. His son Henry Foote, attorney-at-law, married Gregor of Cornelly, and is, at the writing hereof, in possession of Lambesso.[31]

Pen-are, alias Pen-ar, in this parish, parcel of the Duchy manor of Moris aforesaid, was heretofore the dwelling of my kind friend James Lance, Esq. a Commissioner of the Peace and Surveyor of the Duchy of Lancaster during the Interregnum, or usurpation of Cromwell. He married ―――― Blackston of London.

This gentleman sold this barton to Hugh Boscawen, of Tregothnan, Esq. who settled it in marriage with his daughter Bridget, on Hugh Fortescue, of Filley, in Devon, Esq. now in possession thereof.

Since writing the above, Mr. Fortescue departed with those lands to Grenvill Hals, of Truro, gent., who dying without issue, and his unthrift elder brother, James Hals of Merthyr succeeding as his heir to those lands, he hath sold the same to one Mr. Cregoe, for about twelve hundred pounds.[32]

Tre-simple, in this parish, was the lands of I have forgot whom, who sold it to Henry Vincent, gent. attorney-at-law, descended, as Mr. Foote informed me, from the Vincents of St. Allen, who married Kendall of Pelyn; his father, Lampen; and gave for his arms, in a field three cinquefoils.

By Kendall he had issue Walter Vincent, Esq. barrister-at-law, who married ―――― Nosworthy, and a daughter named Jane, married to Harris, of Park; after by his second wife, daughter of Richard Lance, gent. he had issue Peter Vincent, to whom he gave this Tresimple, who sold it to his brother Walter Vincent aforesaid, and Shadrack Vincent; Edward Vincent, killed by a fall from his horse 1700; and Mary, married to Joseph Halsey, clerk, some time rector of St. Michael, Penkwell.

Park, in this parish (id est, a field, or a park for beasts), is the dwelling of Covin, gent.

Pol-wheele, or Polwhele, in this parish (id est, the head or top), is situate at the top of a hill; from whence was denominated an ancient family of gentlemen surnamed Polwhele, who gave for their arms as underneath: in a field Sable, a saltire engrailed Ermine; and from that time discontinued the arms of Trewoolla (viz. three owls), the Cornish motto of which Polwhele’s arms was, Karenza whelas Karenza, id est, Love or affection seeks, searches, begets, or works love. The present possessor, John Polwhele, esq. barrister-at-law, who married Redinge, of Northamptonshire, his father Baskewill of Dorset, his grandfather one of the daughters of Judge Glanvill in Devon, his great-great-grandfather one of the coheirs of Ten-Creek of Treworgan, which place afterwards he made his dwelling.

Lastly, let the reader observe, that if the true name of this church be St. Clement’s, then its tutelar guardian and patron, to whom it was dedicated, was St. Clement, Pope and martyr of Rome; whose name is derived from Clemens, mild, meek, merciful, gracious. He was born in the region of Calimontana in Italy; his father’s name Faustine. He was contemporary with St. Paul, and was his coadjutor or assistant in preaching the Gospel, as is testified by himself in his epistle to Timothy, wherein he saith, “Help those persons that labour with me in the Gospel, whose names are written in the Book of Life.” He appointed that in the seven regions of Rome should be the notaries, to write the deeds and martyrdoms of the Christians, and commanded that such as were baptized and had learnt the principles of the Christian religion, should receive the sacrament of confirmation, and as some write, he made the Canon of the Apostles and the Apostolic Constitutions now extant. Finally, for preaching the Gospel of Christ in derogation of the Roman religion, he was by command of the Emperor Trajan, with a rope about his neck, and an anchor fastened thereto, cast into the main sea and drowned, uttering those last words, “Eternal Father, receive my soul!” after he had been Pope of Rome nine years, two months, and ten days, the 23rd of November Anno Dom. 102. He gave orders twice in December, and ordered fifteen bishops, ten priests, and twenty-one deacons, as Baronius saith.

TONKIN.

The Polwheles of this place are of great antiquity. They flourished before the Conquest, at which time they were so eminent that Drew de Polwhele was chamberlain to the Conqueror’s queen; and the late John Polwhele, Esq. had not long since in his possession, a grant from her to the said Drew of several lands in this county, which deed he having sent to a gentleman to peruse, he could never get it back again. From the time of this Drew or Drogo de Polwhele, the family have lived with much esteem in this their habitation, till the latter part of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, when Degory Polwhele, on his marriage with Catherine the eldest daughter and coheir of Robert Trencreek, Esq. removed to her seat of Treworgan in St. Erme, where the family resided till the sale of that place to Mr. Collins, when they returned to their old dwelling.

The present possessor, Richard Polwhele, Esq. was sheriff of Cornwall 9 George I. 1723.

The family suffered greatly in the civil wars.

Penhellick was once a considerable seat, although now it is divided into several premises, in one of which lately resided Mr. Robert Polwhele, younger brother to John Polwhele, Esq. and in another Captain Thomas Gregor, of Truro.

Trewhythenick formerly belonged to a family of the same name, who gave for their arms, Argent, a chevron within a border engrailed Sable. This manor came afterwards to the Chamonds.

Park also belonged to a family of the same name.

Lambesso belonged to the Tredenhams, but for some time past to the Footes.

THE EDITOR.

Polwhele has descended from the gentleman who served the office of sheriff in 1723, to his grandson, the Rev. Richard Polwhele, author of a history of Cornwall, and so distinguished by his works in every department of literature; by his early poetical effusions, when

“He lisp’d in numbers for the numbers came;”

by those of his maturer age; by sermons equally sound in learning and in diction, and persuasive by their eloquence; that no Cornishman of the present day can presume to place himself, I will not say in competition, but in the same class of literary excellence with Mr. Polwhele.

At Penhellick, about seventy years ago, the Rev. John Collins, rector of Redruth, built a house for his own residence after removing to the village; he is reported to have selected this spot in consequence of several persons residing in it having attained great ages. On his decease, the house and lands were sold to a Colonel Macarmicke, originally a wine merchant at Truro, who much enlarged the house, and endeavoured to affix some fanciful new name on the place. The property has since passed through various hands, and the house has generally been unoccupied.

This parish contains 3156 statute acres. The annual value of Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 7027 0 0 The Poor Rate in 1831 1100 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 1342 | 1692 | 2306 | 2885; giving an increase of 115 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The rocks are not much exposed in this parish.

In the southern part they consist of glossy slates, which break into thick lameller leaves, and they appear to belong to the calcareous series.

[31] Their son Henry married Jane, the only daughter of Jacob Jackson, of Truro; and their son and heir, John Foote, married a daughter of Sir Edward Goodere, member for the county of Hereford, and sister of the unfortunate Sir John Dineley Goodere, and Captain Goodere. Their son was the celebrated Samuel Foote, called in his time the English Aristophanes.

[32] Admiral Carthew Reynolds built a good house here in the latter part of the last century. He was considered to be an excellent officer and a skilful seaman; yet he lost his life when a ninety-gun ship, under his command, was first injured by some other vessel, and then driven on the flat sands near the entrance of the Baltic in the winter 1811-12.

COLAN, OR LITTLE COLAN.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Pider, and hath upon the north, Maugan; east, St. Colomb Major; south, St. Enedor; west, Lower St. Columb.

It is so called from the barton of Little Colon or Golon, contiguous with the church, on part of which ground perhaps the same was founded, and endowed with part of the lands thereof. At the time of the Norman Conquest this district passed in tax under the names of Carneton, or Ryalton; and the church being built and endowed by Walter Brounscomb, Bishop of Exeter, 1250, it was by him appropriated to the canons Augustine of his college of Glasnith, by him founded. For that we read in the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester into the value of benefices for the Pope’s Annats in Cornwall, 1294, Ecclesia Sancti Colani, appropriata Canonicis de Penryn, 4_l._; Vicar ejusdem 6_s._ 8_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, 6_l._ 14_s._ 8_d._; the patronage in the Bishop of Exeter for the time being; the sheaf or rectory in possession of Vyvyan; the incumbent, Bagwell; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax 1696, 63_l._ 16_s._

From this barton of Colon was denominated an old family of gentlemen, from thence surnamed De Colon; of which family Roger de Colon was seised of a knight’s fee of land 25th Edward III., which he held by the tenure of knight-service. Carew’s Survey Corn. p. 52. Roger Colon, grandson of the said Roger, having issue only two daughters, Jane and Margaret, the which Jane was married to John Blewet, a younger branch of the Blewets of Holcomb Rogus in Devon, who afterwards was made sheriff of Cornwall the 26th Henry VI. (when Richard Yeard, Esq. was sheriff of Devon); which Jane’s estate was no small advance of the wealth of his house, from whom all the Blewets of Cornwall are since descended, some of whom have erected a monument in this church in memory of those De Colons; and several of them have made Colon a font name in their family to this day, of which I may not in justice forget my late kind friend Major Colon Blewet, a valiant commander under King Charles I. against the Parliament army, who married Elizabeth daughter of Sir William Wrey, Knight, but died without issue; whose brother Robert, that married Arundell, a base son, succeeded to this his estate, who had issue another Robert that married Wood, as I remember, and sold the moiety of this barton of Colon to Robert Hoblyn, of Nanswiddon, clerk, rector of Ludgnan, now in possession thereof; the arms of Blewet were, Or, a chevron between three eagles Vert. The Hampshire Blewets, as Camden saith, gave Or, an eagle displayed with two necks and heads Gules.

Coswarth, also Cosowarth, synonymous words, the far off, or remote wood, which place, as Mr. Carew tells us, at the time of the Norman Conquest, transnominated the French family or name of Escudifer, i. e. shield-bearer or Esquire, to that of Coswarth; in which place those gentlemen flourished in great wealth and tranquillity, till John Cosowarth, Esq. lord of this place, tempore Henry VIII. having issue, by Williams, one only daughter named Katherine, married first to Allen Hill, and afterwards to Arundell of Trerice, suffered the greatest part of his lands and estate to go with his daughter’s children, and then entailed this manor and barton of Coswarth on the heirs male of his family, by virtue of which settlement his uncle, John Cosowarth, succeeded to those lands, who had issue by Sir William Lock’s daughter, Thomas Cosowarth, Esq. that married Seyntaubyn, sheriff of Cornwall 26th Elizabeth, who by her had issue John and Dorothy; and Dorothy was married to Kendall. After the death of John, Edward Cosowarth his uncle succeeded to this inheritance of Cosowarth, and married Arundell of Trerice, who had issue by her Samuel Cosowarth, Esq. afterwards knighted by Charles I. He married Heale of Fleet, and had issue Edward, Samuel, and John, that died before their father; Robert and Nicholas succeeded to this estate successively, but died both without issue. The which Robert, upon some distasteful words given him by his cousin John Coswarth, one of the heirs male in remainder, did by fine and proclamation bar the estate tail, and made it fee simple in himself and his heirs. So that after his decease his brother Nicholas succeeded to the estate, who by an accidental fall from his horse (coming home from St. Colomb, as was reported, somewhat intoxicated with liquor), instantly died, without issue; after whose decease Bridget Cosowarth, his only sister, daughter of Sir Samuel aforesaid, succeeded to his inheritance, who married Henry Minors of St. Enedor, her cousin-german, by whom she had issue one only daughter named Anne, who was married to Captain Francis Vivian of Truan, by whom he had issue one only daughter named Mary, since become wife and lady of Sir Richard Vyvyan, of Trelowarren, Bart. now in possession of Coswarth and Vivian’s estates.

The arms of Cosowarth are, Argent, on a chevron between three falcons’ wings Azure, five Bezants.

This place I suppose is that manor of land in the Domesday roll taxed by the name of Chor, also Chore, and now vulgarly called Cud-chore, or Cud-jore, viz. the wood-play, interlude, show, or diversion; pageants, sights, pastimes, to delight the people. Now choariou in Cornish, hoariou in the Armorican tongue, is as ludi in Latin, and ludo and ludus. And further memorable it is that Sir Samuel Coswarth of this place frequently styled himself Sir Samuel Cudjore for Cudchoariou, for such was the name of the place before the woods about were destroyed. Then it assumed the name of Cosowarth, i. e. the further-off wood, when the woods on the south-west part of it were destroyed.

Tonkin has not any thing of the least importance different from Mr. Hals.

THE EDITOR.

This parish contains 1481 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 1685 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 94 14 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 191 | 221 | 259 | 261; giving an increase of nearly 37 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The geological structure in this parish is not very evident; but where the rocks are exposed they very much resemble some varieties of the calcareous series.

ST. COLOMB MAJOR.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Pyder, and hath upon the north side Little Pedyrick, St. Ewyn, and St. Issey; on the east, St. Wenn and Roach; west, Maugan; south, St. Enedor, Little Collun, and St. Dennis. At the time of the Norman Conquest the name of this parish or church was not extant, for then it was taxed under the names of Tollscat or Todscad, now the duchy manor of Tollskidy, (that is to say, the shady hole, or pit,) Bodeworgy, and Chiliworgy, places still well known in those parts. At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, into the value of Cornish church revenues, Ecclesia de Sancte Colombe Majoris in Decanatu de Pedre was taxed 18_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, and Valor Beneficiorum, it was valued at 53_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._; the patronage in Arundell of Lanherne, the incumbent Bishop, Pendarves, Collyar, and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 306_l._ 9_s._ 4_d._

This church of St. Colomb was erected about the twelfth century of Christianity; the north and south ailes by the lords of Trenoweth, and Tresuran’s lands, but who the same were is now past ability of finding out, though Tresuran’s lands, ever since, are charged with the payment of 13_s._ 4_d._ per annum towards repair of the south aile aforesaid. This church consists of three roofs, and the south-east chancel thereof was built for a peculiar chapel for the Arundells of Trembleth, or Lanherne, who endowed this church, and have ever since been patrons thereof; and in testimony thereof, here is yet extant on one of their gravestones a brass inscription containing words to this purpose, “Here lieth the body of Renphry Arundell, Knight, patron of this church and founder of this chapel, who departed this life the ―――― Anno Dom. 1340.”[33] His lady, as I remember, was Sir William Lamburn’s heir.

The tutelar patron or guardian of this church is St. Colomb, to whom the same was dedicated, an Irish gentleman by birth; though, contrary to this opinion, at the bottom of Camden’s Britannia, in Cornwall, we are told that this church bears the name of, and is dedicated to one Sancta Colomba, a holy woman who lived in those parts, and that her life was written in the Cornish tongue, and in possession of one Mr. Roscarrock, though now there is no such person or book extant that I can hear of. Only, let it be remembered that I found it written in the Sieur D. T.’s French book of the Saints, as also in Surrius’ and Bosquet’s books, and Baronius (out of them), that there lived at Senns, in Gallia, now France, in the time of the fifth persecution by the emperor Aurelian, anno Dom. 276, a holy Christian Virgin named Colomba, of such exquisite beauty that one of his sons fell passionately in love with her; but because he could not obtain his lustful desire of her, offered her marriage, but he being an idolater she refused his embraces. Whereupon she was much persecuted by Aurelian and cast into prison; where she suffered much hardship, and was comparatively starved to death in that place; so that in great misery she expired there, and was buryed at Senns. At whose grave many supernatural facts, or miracles, being said to be done, she obtained the reputation of a saint and martyr, anno Dom. 300.

The feast of the dedication of this church is in November, near Sancta Colomba Virginis et Martyris day; and the fair depends upon it.

As for the south aile of this church before-mentioned, it was called Jesus Chapel, and therein was founded Trinity chantry; towards building or endowment whereof the Lords of Resurrans tied these lands for ever to pay to the same 13_s._ 4_d._ per annum, with power of distress. At the dissolution of this chantry 1 Edward VI. John Chaplin was chief chanter, or sole priest thereof, and seised of the said rent, as his predecessors had been long before; and King Edward being so possessed, by virtue of an Act of Parliament, sold the same, with other things, to Sir Hugh Pomeroy, Knight, and Thos. Pomeroy, Esq. his brother; who the 4th Edward VI. sold it to William Saplyn; and ―――― Saplyn, in the 1st and 2nd of Philip and Mary, sold it to John Glyn, Esq., John Ganergan, William Prye, John Manifield, Richard Carter, Henry Rouse, John Vivian, and Richard Hancanon, who were trustees for the parish of Sancta Colomba. After which conveyances the Lord of Resurrans refused to pay the said rent. Whereupon the parish distrained those lands, and the owner thereof replevined the goods so taken, which occasioned the parish bringing an action in replevin against the replevers thereof; and for plea, by way of avowry, did allege that those goods they ought to take, for that one John chaplain of Trinity chantry was seised of the said rent in fee, as his predecessors time out of mind had been before, in right of the said chantry, from which it passed to King Edward the Sixth, and the purchasers under him as aforesaid. Whereupon the issue passed for the plaintiff, or parish, against the Lord of Resurrans. (See St. Michael Penkivell, St. Mary Wike; also for Chantry, see St. Cuthbert for prayer for the dead.)

In the year 1676, the greatest part of this church of St. Colomb was casually blown up with gunpowder by three youths of the town, scholars therein, who, in the absence of their master and the rest of their companions, ignorantly set fire to a barrel of gunpowder, the parish stores, laid up in the stone stairs and walls of the rood-loft, which occasioned the destruction of it and themselves together; for the glass-window, roofs, timber, stones, and pillars, thereby made a direful concussion together, especially those shot from the walls of the moorstone stairs aforesaid, to the total defacing the church and many pews thereof.

In this tragical concussion several accidents were strange and unaccountable. As, first, that one Nicholas Jane, a hellyar, was on a ladder mending the healing, or stones on the roof of the church, when it happened, whereby he himself and the ladder under him were blown up also; but both fell to the ground without hurt. Secondly, the church bible and common-prayer book, with their leaves open, in the rector’s pew, scarce two feet from the rood-loft stairs, where the powder took fire and broke out, were neither singed, moved, nor so much as any dust about them, though many thousand stones were cast about the church. Thirdly, there was at least a ton weight of lime and stone cast upon the communion table, which was old and slight, having but one foot or pedestal to stand upon, and yet the same was not broken nor hurt. Fourthly, the pulpit was in like manner preserved from the fury and rage of the fire and stones, when the very walls and pillars near it were shattered to pieces. Let divines and philosophers give a reason for these things, if there was not a supernatural cause or Providence for it!

By this sad accident this church of St. Colomb received damage to the value of about 350_l._; yet was, by the liberal contributions of its inhabitants, in nine months time built and repaired as it now stands, and what was wanting in subscriptions to make up that sum, was raised by a small parish rate on the lands thereof. The chief subscribers, Sir John Saint Aubyn, of Trekininge, Baronet, 20_l._; his grandmother-in-law, the widow of Peter Jenkin, Esq. 20_l._; John Vivian, Esq. of Truan, 20_l._; his three sons, Thomas, John, and Francis Vivian, 15_l._; Robert Hoblyn, Esq. 10_l._; Edward, his son, 5_l._; Captain Ralph Keate, 5_l._; the writer of this volume 5_l._; John Day, Gent. 5_l._; Peter Day, Gent. 5_l._; Honour Carter, widow, 10_l._; John Bligh, Gent. 5_l._; Peter Pollard, senior, 10_l._; John Beauford, rector, 20_l._, with several others.

And, as if the fiery element had a particular power over this church, it is further memorable that several times before a stone pinnacle of the tower thereof was cast down with thunder and lightning, and had as often been built up again to no purpose, till at length the workmen were advised, upon their last operation, to inscribe in the stone thereof, “God bless and preserve this work;” since which time it hath stood invincible for about sixty years. But, alas! notwithstanding this pinnacle hath been thus exempted from the raging of the fiery element, yet its next neighbour, the lofty spire or steeple on the said tower, a strong and well-built structure, bound or cramped together with iron and cast lead through the moor-stones thereof, (so that, comparatively, according to man’s judgment, it might last till the final consummation of all things,) yet so it happened on a Thursday in July 1690, that about one of the clock in the afternoon, when the people were at their traffic in the market place contiguous with the churchyard, the said spire or steeple was torn and shattered to pieces with a flash of lightning, and totally thrown to the ground, and the iron bars therein wreathed and wrested asunder as threads, to the great terror and astonishment of the beholders. It was further observable when this concussion happened, only divers flashes of lightning appeared, but no sound or crack of thunder was heard; from whence I infer that when the voice of thunder is heard, the fiery matter in the middle region, perhaps not three miles above our heads, hath spent its force and strength. This spire also was soon after re-edified by the inhabitants of this parish, though much short of its former height and bigness, as it now stands.

Again, contiguous with this church-yard was formerly extant a college of Black Monks or Canons Augustine, consisting of three fellows, for instructing youth in the liberal arts and sciences; which college, when or by whom erected and endowed I know not. However, I take it to be one of those three colleges in this province named in Speed and Dugdale’s Monasticon, whose revenues they do not express, (nor the places where they were extant,) but tell us that they were dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary, the lady of angels, and were black monks of the Augustines.

In this college, temp. Henry VI., was bred up John Arundell, a younger son of Renfry Arundell, of Lanherne, Esq. sheriff of Cornwall 3 Edward IV. where he had the first taste of the liberal arts and sciences, and was afterwards placed at Exon College in Oxford, where he stayed till he took his degree of Master of Arts, and then was presented by his father to John Booth, Bishop of Exeter, to be consecrated priest, and to have collation, institution, and induct, into his rectory of St. Colomb. Which being accordingly performed, and he resided upon this rectory glebe lands for some time, which gave him opportunity to build the old parsonage house still extant thereon, and moat the same round with rivers and fish-ponds, as Sir John Arundell, Knight, informed me afterwards. In the year 1496, he had by Henry VII. bestowed upon him the bishopric of Lichfield and Coventry, then void upon the translation of William Smith to Lincoln, (the successor of John Hals,) in which see he remained till the year 1501, and then, upon the death or translation of Richard Redman, Bishop of Exeter, he was removed to that diocese by Henry VII. then possessed of great revenues, but died at London, 1504, and was buried at St. Clement’s Danes Church.

Before this church of St. Colomb was erected, within the borders of its now parish were extant four free chapels, wherein God was worshipped in former ages, viz. at Tregoos (i. e. the wood towne), Tre-sithan-y (the weekly town, the town frequented on the Sabbath); Ruth-es (i. e. the multitude is); and Lan-hengye (i. e. the church or temple of sentence, judgment, or deliberating cases). The old cemeteries of which are now all converted to orchards and gardens, or arable ground.

The town of St. Colomb, by the mediation of its lords, the Arundells of Lanherne, is privileged with a weekly market on Thursdays, wherein all things necessary for the life of man are vended at a moderate rate; as also with fairs on Thursday after Midlent Sunday, and on Thursday after Allhallows.

This place was heretofore for a long time notorious for the vice of excessive topling or toping, not only to the damage of many of the inhabitants’ healths and wealth, but also to the loss of too many lives; I mean in the time of Charles II. when the practice of quaffing, toasting, or healthing, debauch and immorality, overspread the land in general.

In this parish stands Castell-an-Dinas. It consists of about six acres of ground, within three circles or intrenchments, upon the top of a pyramidal hill, composed or built of turf and unwrought stones, after the British manner, without lime or mortar, comparatively a hedge; each of those circles or ramparts rising about eight foot above each other towards the centre of the castle, consisting of about an acre and a half of land, in the midst whereof appear the ruins of some old dilapidated houses; near which is a flat vallum, pit, or tank, wherein rain or cloud-water, that falls down from the middle regions, abides more or less in quantity as it falls one half of the year; which, I suppose, heretofore supplied the soldiers’ occasions, as no fountain, spring, or river water is within a thousand paces thereof. There were two gates or portals leading to this fort, the one on the east, the other on the west side thereof, which, on a stony causeway now covered with grass, conducts you up and down the hill towards Tre-kyning, that is to say the king’s, prince, or ruler’s town. Moreover, contiguous with this castle are tenements of land or fields, named Tre-saddarne, that is to say god Saturn’s town, a place where the god Saturn was worshipped by the soldiers, who probably had their temple or chapel here before Christianity.

Near this castle, by the highway, stands the Coyt, a stony tumulus so called, of which sort there are many in Wales and Wiltshire, as is mentioned in the Additions to Camden’s Britannia in those places, commonly called the Devil’s Coyts. It consists of four long stones of great bigness, perpendicularly pitched in the earth contiguous with each other, leaving only a small vacancy downwards, but meeting together at the top; over all which is laid a flat stone of prodigious bulk and magnitude, bending towards the east in way of adoration, (as Mr. Lhuyd concludes of all those Coyts elsewhere,) as the person therein under it interred did, when in the land of the living; but how, or by what art this prodigious flat stone should be placed on the top of the others, amazeth the wisest mathematicians, engineers, or architects, to tell or conjecture. Colt, in Belgic-British, is a cave, vault, or cott-house, of which coyt might possibly be a corruption.

Not far from this coyt, at the edge of the Goss-moor, there is a large stone, wherein is deeply imprinted a mark, as if it were the impress of four horseshoes, and to this day called King Arthur’s Stone; yea, tradition tells us they were made by King Arthur’s horse’s feet, when he resided at Castle Denis, and hunted in the Goss Moor. But this stone is now overturned by some seekers for money.

On another part of this parish, near Retallock Barrow (that is to say, Retallock Grave), is a notable tumulus, wherein some human creature of that place was interred before the 16th century. Retalloch signifies exceeding or too much buckler or target, not far from which is still extant, in the open downs, nine perpendicular stones, called the Nine Maids, in Cornish Naw-voz, alias the nine sisters, in Cornish Naw-whoors, which very name informs us that they were sepulchral stones, erected in memory either of nine natural or spiritual sisters of some religious house, and not so many maids turned into stones for dancing on the Sabbath Day, as the country people will tell you. Those stones are set in order by a line, as is such another monument also called the Nine Maids in Gwendron, by the highway, about twety-five feet distance from each other; or it is rather in Stithian’s parish.

Truan, Truin, Truyn, Trevan, Trewyn, are all synonymous words, signifying a nose, nook, or beak of any matter or thing; here to be construed as a nose, nook, or beak of land, extant or notable amongst others; which place and Trenouth, for four descents, hath been the dwelling of the gentle family of the Vivians, who have flourished here in worshipful degree.

The present possessor of this place is my very kind friend John Vivian, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall about 20 Charles II. and one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, a gentleman famous for his hospitality and charity. He married three wives; the first, Jane, daughter of Sir John Trelawny, Bart., but had no issue by her that lived; his second was Mary, daughter of John Glanvill, of Killyvor, Esq., in Devon, by whom he had issue Thomas, John, Francis, Anne, and Jane; his last wife was Specott, the relict of ―――― Nicholls, by whom he had no issue. His father married two wives, ―――― Buller and ―――― Cavall; his grandfather married ―――― Lure; his great-grandfather one of Tresaster’s heirs, as I am informed.

Thomas Vivian, Esq., eldest son of the aforesaid John, married ―――― Blathwayte, sister to William Blathwayte, Esq. Secretary at War to King James the Second and William the Third, but had no issue by her. His second wife was the daughter of ―――― Dodson, Esq. but died without issue by her. His second brother, John Vivian, Esq. barrister-at-law, married also two wives: the first Anne, daughter of Matthew Hals, of Efford, Esq., but she also died without issue; on whose death her father-in-law made this epitaph fixed on her hearse, 1682:

Who underneath this mournful sable lies, But one that did all worldly pomp despise? It’s not adorned with painted pageantry, To blazon forth her great antiquity; Nor were’t more necessary to be done, Than lighting candles in the mid-day sun; Her shining virtues did so far exceed, That of this lesser lustre there’s no need. These praise her in the gates; these speak on earth, Her higher extract and her heavenly birth. And now she’s parted hence, but to go home; For where she born was, thither must she come. Could cares, or tears, or prayers have her repriev’d, She had, to our great comfort, longer lived. Farewell, then, dearest Saint, till thou and I Do meet in bliss, to live eternally. J. V.

His second wife was Mary, daughter of Joseph Sawle, of Penrice, Esq. by whom he hath issue John, Mary, and Thomas.

Francis Vivian, Esq. third son of the aforesaid John, married Anne, daughter of Henry Mynon, gent., sole heir to her mother Bridget, the only surviving child of Sir Samuel Coswarth, Knight (see Colan), by whom he had issue one only daughter named Mary, now wife of Sir Richard Vivian, Baronet. Ann Vivian married Simon Leach, gent. some time her father’s clerk; Jane married James Beaufort, clerk.

The arms of those Vivians are the same as was borne and given by Prior Thomas Vivian, of Bodmin, with some small difference. (See Bodmin.)

In the town of St. Colomb, for three or four descents, lived the gentle family of the Carters (originally descended from the Carters of Staffordshire), where by trade and merchandise they got a great estate, and married with Vivian, Arundell of Solverne, and Moyle of Bake; and lastly, Richard Carter, Esq., a Justice of the Peace, and Member of Parliament for Mitchell, married Elizabeth King, alias Lucas, alias Shepard, of the City of London, spinster, a woman destitute of fame and fortune, whereby he was led into such excess of riot and expence of monies that he was forced to sell all his lands, and reduced himself to about 50_l._ per annum during life. Part of his lands were sold to his younger brother, John Carter, who married ―――― Lawry, whose three daughters and heirs were married to William Silly, Esq., Giles Risdon, of Badleigh, Esq., and Thomas Hoblyn, gent. attorney-at-law, now in possession thereof. The arms of Carter were, In a field Argent, two lions combatant Sable, armed and langued Gules.

Trevethick, in this parish, alias Trevidick, i. e. the rustic or farmer’s town, for several descents had been the dwelling of the gentle family of the Arundells, a younger branch of Lanherne stock, particularly Thomas Arundell, who married the daughter of Sir Giles Montpesson, Knight, by whom he had issue Thomas Arundell, Esq. that died without issue, but not without wasting a great part of his estate.

Trekyning aforesaid was for two descents the seat of the Jenkyns, descended from James Jenkyn, gent., attorney-at-law, temp. James I. who (from a mean origin, his father being a miller), by the inferior practice of the law, got a very great estate, and married ―――― Carter, the relict of ―――― Brabyn, and had issue Peter Jenkyn, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall temp. Charles I.

Nans-widdon, Nanc-widd-an, i. e. the valley of trees, or the tree valley, in this parish, for four descents has been the dwelling of the gentle family of the Hoblyns, of Leskeard or Treburge, in St. Pinoch, as I am informed. The present possessor, Robert Hoblyn, Esq., married ―――― Carew of Penwarne; his father ―――― Apeley; his grandfather ――――; and giveth for his arms, Argent, a fess Gules, between two flanches Ermine. By Carew Mr. Hoblyn had issue, viz. Edward Hoblyn, Esq. his son and heir, who married Avant’s heir, and left issue only a daughter, married to ―――― Bickford, Esq.; Richard Hoblyn, bred a merchant factor at Smyrna, that married ―――― Striblehill, but died without issue; Robert Hoblyn, clerk, rector of Ludgvan, and a commissioner of the pence and land taxes, that married the heir of Burgess of Truro, and left issue only Francis Hoblyn, Esq., that married Godolphin, and died leaving issue only a son named Robert, heir; Thomas Hoblyn, attorney-at-law, that married one of Carter’s heirs, and left issue by her John Hoblyn, of Kenwyn, Carew Hoblyn, clerk, and other children, and three daughters; Anne, married to Bishop, rector of St. Colomb Major; Grace, married to Pendarves, rector of Maugan; Mary, married to William Cock, attorney-at-law, of Helston. From this house are descended the Hoblyns of St. Enedor, Bodmin, Egleshayle, Helland, and Gurran.

Bode-worgye, now Bos-worgy (on part of the lands whereof are yet extant the ruins and downfalls of an old chapel or cemetery extant before the Norman Conquest), formerly the voke lands of a man taxed in Domesday Roll, 20 William I. 1087, for four or five descents was the seat of the genteel family of Keates, and was till lately in the possession of my very kind friend Capt. Ralph Keate, who died without marriage or issue, and therefore settled this Bosworgy, and other lands, upon Sir Jonathan Keate, Bart. of the Hoo, in Hertfordshire, patent 478, 12 Chas. II. whose father married the only dau. and heir of W. Hoo, of Hoo, Esq. Sheriff of Hertfordshire 5 Charles I., a younger branch of the Baron Hoo of that place, whose heir was married to the Earl of Huntingdon temp. Henry VIII., and in testimony thereof gave the same arms as those barons, viz. Quarterly, Argent and Sable. Those Keates within the memory of man, as they branched downwards, married with Bear, Hals, Avery, and others, and gave for their arms, Argent, three cats Sable. Keate, Ceate, in British, is fallacy, cheat, or delusion.

Gauer-y-gan, in this parish, id est, the goat’s downs, gave name and original to the genteel family of the Gauerigans, who for several generations lived here in good reputation, till the middle of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, at which time the last two daughters and heirs of this family were married to Godolphin and Trefusis, whose heirs are now in possession of their estate. Which family gave for their arms, in allusion to their names, in a field Vert, a goat passant Argent, as I am informed; the form of which is still extant in their pew or seat, the foremost in one of the middle rows of seats in this church.

At Tre-sugg-an (id est, the town on the Saggor Bog), in this parish, is the dwelling of Peter Day, gentleman, that married ―――― Brabyn. He left issue only two daughters, that became his heirs, married to Richard Williams, of Trewithan, Esq., and John Williams, of Carmanton, Esq.

Trekyninge Vean, i. e. Trekininge the Less or Lesser, is the dwelling of Joseph Hankey, gent., attorney-at-law, who, by his care and skill in that profession, hath got himself considerable wealth and reputation in those parts. He married two wives, Matthews of Tresangar, and Buroughs of Ward Bridge; but hath issue by neither. His father married Hoblyn of St. Stephen’s.

Upon Bodeworgy lands aforesaid, or contiguous with it as aforesaid, are still extant the ruins of an old chapel, wherein God heretofore was worshipped, before St. Colomb church was erected, called Bes-palf-an.

TONKIN.

Mr. Tonkin has here copied Hals with very little alteration, except by way of abridgment.

THE EDITOR.

Mr. Hals has a very long dissertation on the claims of another person, a male St. Colomb, to be accounted patron saint of this parish.

It is well known that Cornwall received the Christian faith from various individuals who came from Munster, in Ireland, where the learning and the religion of these times certainly flourished: all those persons were held in veneration by their converts, and were distinguished by them as saints. These missionaries were, moreover, so numerous in all parts that Ireland was called the Land of Saints. St. Colomb may possibly be one of those missionaries; but the subject is of little importance, and I am unwilling to bestow the elegant appellation of the Holy Dove, on any other than a female saint.

Nanswhyden, unquestionably the White Vale, is mentioned by Mr. Hals as belonging to the Hoblyns. Mr. Robert Hoblyn, of Nanswhyden, who died in 1756, was a very distinguished person. He was generally a man of letters; but, what is rarely to be found in a country gentleman, he excelled in the recondite learning of the East. He built a magnificent house at Manswhyden, and established there a library so extensive, and so rich in manuscripts, as to be valued at thirty thousand pounds.

This gentleman received a great addition to his fortune from a most productive copper mine, called Herland, or the Mane Mine, in the parish of Gwineat, and he married a daughter of Mr. Coster, an Alderman of Bristol, at that period the most extensive smelter of copper ores. In consequence of this connection, and his deserved reputation, Mr. Hoblyn was chosen one of the representatives of Bristol.

The house was entirely consumed by an accidental fire in 1803. The property has descended to his collateral relation, the Reverend Robert Hoblyn, who inherits also a large portion of his classic taste.

Castle-An-Dinas[34] is situated on one of the highest hills in the hundred of Penwith, commanding an extensive view over the western extremity of Cornwall, from St. Ives to the Land’s End. Borlase gives the following description of its remains: “Castle-An-Dinas consisted of two stone walls, one within the other in a circular form, surrounding the area of the hill. The ruins are now fallen on each side the walls, and show the work to have been of great height and thickness. There was also a third, or outer wall, built more than halfway round. Within the walls are many little inclosures of a circular form, about seven yards diameter, with little walls round them of two or three feet high, they appear to have been so many huts for the shelter of the garrison. The diameter of the whole fort from east to west is four hundred feet, and the principal ditch sixty feet. Towards the south, the sides of the hill are marked by two large green paths, about ten feet wide. Near the middle of the area is a well, almost choked up with its own ruins, and at a little distance a narrow pit, its sides walled round, probably for water also, now filled up.”

It is to be regretted that Borlase did not publish a plan to illustrate his description of this Castle, as it has been much dilapidated since his time. A tower was built on the site of the outer wall about forty years ago, by Mr. Rogers, of Penrose; and subsequent reparations have not contributed towards a restotation of the old walls. Nor are there any perceptible remains of the inclosures.

This parish measures 12,045 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 10,581 0 0 Poor Rates in 1831 1186 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 1816 | 2070 | 2493 | 2790; giving somewhat more than an increase of 53½ per cent. in thirty years. Parish Feast, the nearest Sunday to the 17th of November.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

A small portion of the southern part of this parish, adjoining to St. Dennis, rests on granite, the surface of which abounds in projecting masses of shorl rock. Leaving this granite district about the Indian Queens, on the Great Truro Road, a tin mine, called the Fat Work, presents itself, and displays some interesting phenomena. The basis of the rock is a compact felspar, sometimes almost colourless, at other times dark blue and glossy; but more commonly both these kinds are blended together in stripes or spots like agates. This rock next the lode is much decomposed, the blue parts being changed into a light pink; which shows that the colouring mineral is not hornblend. It is probably shorl, a substance abounding in the quartz veins by which the rock is traversed. The lode of this mine is very curious. It consists of a large massive rock, fifteen fathoms in width, throughout which shorl, and irregular veins of tin ore, are dispersed. The matrix consists of a dark-coloured basis, interspersed by innumerable angular and fragment-like portions of rock.

Near the Indian Queens a manganese mine was formerly worked, and the adjacent moors abound in stream works.

A fine blue fissile slate occurs around the town of St. Colomb, and continues for some distance northwards. Near Trewan it is found to contain beds of compact rocks (not unlike those of the Mount Bay), which inclose veins of actynolite. Still proceeding northward, quartz so much prevails, as to occasion sterility in the land, displayed in open downs like those of Roach, to which they adjoin.

Castle-An-Dinas is composed of a siliceous variety of the rock found at Fat Work mine; and it appears to be one of the sources from whence must have been derived the pebbles and striped shorl rock scattered over Tregoss Moor.

[33] There is, or was, this inscription also:

D’s John Arundell, Mill. CCCC. verus Patronus hujus Ecclesiæ, qui hanc Capellam fecit.

[34] Extracted from an “Account of certain Hill Castles, near the Land’s End in Cornwall,” by William Cotton, Esq. F.S.A. printed in the Archæologia, vol. XXII. where a plan and section of Castle-An-Dinas will be found, taken with greater care than that in Lysons’s Cornwall. In the Gentleman’s Magazine, LXXII. p. 393, are engravings of two stone weights found within the inner circle of this fortress. The weight of one was seventeen pounds and a half; and that of the other three pounds one ounce.

ST. COLUMB MINOR

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Pedyr, and hath upon the north the Irish sea and St. Mawgan; east, Little Colan; west, Crantock; south, Newland. For the name see St. Columb Major. This church’s revenues being wholly impropriated, or appropriated to the prior of Bodmin before the Inquisitions of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, or Wolsey’s afterwards, is not named therein; the prior by ancient composition paying the vicar or curate here only six pounds per annum; by which bargain he was a great gainer, at least 250_l._ per annum, and I take it the present patron and impropriator, Mr. Buller, paya the curate not above 25_l._ per annum. This parish was rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 207_l._ 9_s._

This church, according to its bigness, is the finest, best-kept, pewed, or seated, that I know of in Cornwall; the rood-loft, (yet standing, though without a rood on it,) a most curious and costly piece of workmanship, carved and painted with gold, silver, vermillion and bice, is the masterpiece of art in those parts of that kind. The pews or seats are uniform, all made of blackt oak; and to prove their antiquity, there is yet extant an inscription on one of them, containing these words: “These seats were built by the poor’s stock in the year 1525.”

At Tre-loye in this parish (the flowing or abounding town) is still extant a famous chapel, dedicated to St. Pedyr, perhaps of public use before this church of St. Colomb was erected.

This district in Domesday Roll passed under the name and jurisdiction of the great lordship and manor of Ryalton, heretofore pertaining to the prior of Bodmin, which lands are held of the Bishop of Exeter’s manor of Penryn, and pay yearly 10_l._ high rent to the same; from whence I gather that formerly both pertained to the bishopric of Cornwall, afterwards converted into Kirton and Exeter; and that afterwards, by compact between the said bishop and prior of Bodmin, it was dismembered from that bishopric, and restored to that priory, as parcel of the ancient bishop of Bodmin’s revenues, of which that priory consisted, and was endowed with at its first foundation by the bequests of the ancient earls of Cornwall.

For the name of Rial-ton or Ryal-ton (if it consists of those particles), it signifies the royal, kingly, or princely town, as pertaining heretofore to the king of England or earls of Cornwall; and suitable to this etymology it claimeth the jurisdiction and royalty over the whole hundred of Pider. So that whosoever is now farmer thereof, is by custom its head bailiff, as the prior of St. Pedyr at Bodmin was; from whose font-name the same is still denominated Pider (id est, Peter, as formerly said), the which farmer or bailiff is steward of the Court Baron of the said hundred or decima, and also of the Court Leet held within the jurisdiction or precincts of the manor aforesaid, and his substitutes constantly attend the service of both. To remove an action-at-law depending in the Court Leet of this manor, the writ must thus be directed: Senescallo et Ballivo manerii nostri de Rialton in comitatu de Cornubiæ salutem. To remove an action out of hundred court, whereof as I said the farmer of this manor is lord, the writ must be thus directed: “Senescallo et Ballivo hundredi et libertatis de Peder, in comitatu Cornubiæ, salutem.”

When the priory of St. Peder at Bodmin was dissolved, 26 Henry VIII. and those lands vested in the crown, one John Mundy, barrister-at-law, (son of John Mundy, sheriff of London 6 Henry VIII. afterwards Sir John Mundy, Knight, Lord Mayor of London 14 Henry VIII.) was sent down from London to be seneschal or steward of this manor of Ryalton and hundred of Pider. In which capacity he demeaned himself so well, temp. Elizabeth, that when the set-off of the last prior for ninety-nine years expired, and Mr. Mundy’s son succeeded in the same office as his father, was in this place, at such time as James I. by statute prohibited the granting of church lands at lease for longer than twenty-one years under the old rent, Mr. Mundy took a lease thereof from the Crown for that term, viz. of 60_l._ per annum, and his posterity renewing or retaking the same as those leases expired, thereby this estate, worth about 1000_l._ per annum, continued in this family till some time after the restoration of Charles the Second, when Sir Francis Godolphin, Knight, by favour of that King, took a reversion or new set thereof, before Mr. Mundy’s expired, on condition of doubling the rent from 60_l._ to 120_l._ per annum, so that Sir William Godolphin, Bart. is now in possession thereof; and the Right Hon. Sidney Lord Godolphin was created Baron Godolphin of Ryalton, 33 Charles II. whereby this family of Mundy are comparatively undone, notwithstanding they were stout Cavaliers and opposers of Cromwell and the Parliament army to their utmost power and strength. Well therefore doth the royal Psalmist advise all men not to put their trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom is no help.

The arms of Mundy are, in a field, three lozenges, on a chief three eagle’s legs erased.

The mansion-house at Ryalton wherein Mr. Mundy dwelt, was much beautified and augmented by prior Thomas Vivian, to which belongs a strong prison and dungeon for putting debtors in durance. Query, whether this barton of Ryalton payeth tithes to the impropriator? All priories, monasteries, religious houses, &c. above the yearly value of 200_l._ per annum, being exempted from it by the statute 31 Henry VIII. chiefly because the same were given for and applied to charitable uses and the maintenance of the poor; and verily, if the name Ryalton be compounded of those syllables ry-all-ton, it signifies give or bestow all town, or a town that gave or bestowed all its revenues to the poor, and pious uses. And that the reader may know in what manner poor men were sent to such religious houses to be fed and maintained during life, as penitentiaries or otherwise, by their superiors, or such as had power to visit the same, I will set down an instance or example, out of Fox’s Acts and Monuments, page 53, temp. Henry VIII. contained in a letter from John Langland, Bishop of Lincoln, 1524, to the Abbot of Ensham, viz. “My loving brother, I recommend me hearty unto you, and whereas I have according to law sent this bearer T. R. to perpetual penance within your monastery of Ensham, there to live as a penitent and not otherwise; I pray you nevertheless, and according to the law command you, to receive him, and see you order him there according to his injunctions, which he will show you if you require the same. As for his lodging, he will bring it with him, and his meat and drink he must have as you give of your alms; and if he can so order himself by his labour within your house in your business, whereby he may deserve meat and drink, so may you order him as you see convenient to his deserts, so that he pass not the precinct of your monastery. And thus, fare you heartily well. From my place, &c.” This injunction of penance was, 1. To fast every Friday during life, taking no other sustenance than bread and ale after it; and every even of Corpus Christi’s day to fast during life, and after fasting to take no other sustenance than bread and water that day, unless prevented by sickness; also in part to say our lady’s Psalter every Sunday during life; he is marked in the cheek, as other penetentiaries, with the letter P. (See Egleshayle and Penuans in Creed.)

At Towan in this parish, is that well-known place called Newquay, a pretty safe road and anchorage place for such ships as trade in St. George’s Channel, and also a convenient place for a fishing trade, were the inhabitants disposed to adventure therein.

At Hendra, also Hendre, in this parish, synonymous words, old, ancient town, is the dwelling of John Tonkyn, Gent. that married Keen of Roach; his father the heir of Cock, by whom he had this place; his grandfather Tregian, originally descended from the Tonkyns of St. Agnes.

Trevedick, also Trevithick, words of one signification, id est, rustic or farmers’ town, is the dwelling of Nicholas Polamonter, Gent. (so called from Polla-monter in Newland.)

TONKIN

has not, again, any thing of the least importance different from Mr. Hals.

THE EDITOR.

Rialton is the object of highest importance in this parish. Its antiquities are not much known; but when Mr. Sidney Godolphin was created Earl of Godolphin, his son, who had married Henrietta Churchill, eldest daughter of the Duke of Marlborough, assumed the appellation of Lord Rialton, and Lady Rialton was one of the ladies of the bedchamber to Queen Anne.

A small print is given of the south entrance gate still remaining, in C. S. Gilbert’s History of Cornwall, vol. ii. p. 673.

The property belonged to the late Mr. Thomas Rawlings of Padstow, having probably been acquired when lands were sold by the duchy to redeem the land-tax, but it was alienated on his decease.

New Quay, mentioned by Mr. Hals as a pretty safe road and anchorage for vessels, and also as a convenient place for establishing a fishery, is become a successful station for sea nets. In Lord Dunstanville’s edition of Carew, p. 357, it is stated, “The place was called New Quay, because in former times the neighbours attempted to supply the defects of nature by art, in making there a quay for the road of shipping, which conceit they still retain, although want of means in themselves or in the plan have left the effect in nubibus. The quay has now been many years constructed, but I apprehend it is not capable of receiving any other than small vessels.”

This parish measures 4759 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 6238 0 0 The Poor Rate in 1831 783 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 999 | 1126 | 1297 | 1406; giving an increase of about 40¾ per cent. in 30 years. The parish feast, like that of St. Columb Major, is on the Sunday nearest to the 17th of November.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

On the eastern side adjoining to the Downs, the rocks are quartzose, but the greater part of this parish is composed of slates belonging to the calcareous series, which extend to the sea shore. At Tremper Bridge, and in the islands lying at the entrances of St. Columb Porth, beds of black limestone occur, associated with talc, schist, and blue slates.

The most interesting feature, however, of this parish is the testaceous sandstone at New Quay, and on the shores of Fistral Bay. The land adjacent to the sea at those places is covered with sand, which above high-water mark is lapidified, as is also a bed of pebbles on which the sand sometimes rests. For the particulars of this phenomenon the first and the fourth volumes of the Cornwall Geological Transactions may be consulted.

CONSTANTINE.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Kerrier, and hath upon the north, part of Stithians; west, Gwendron; south, Hayleford channel and Mawnan; east, Mabe and Budock. It is also commonly Cus-ten-ton, i. e. wood-stone town, a place heretofore notable for woods and stones, and I take it an unpleasant strag of moor-stones and rocks are still visible upon a great part of the lands here. Perhaps it is the Crostedeton mentioned in the Domesday Roll. Otherwise it was taxed under Trewardevi or Penwarne. The name Constantine is derived from the Latin Constantia.

In the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancto Constantino, was valued to first fruits 10_l._ Vicar ejusdem 40_l._ in Decanatu de Kerryer. In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, Constantine Vic. was taxed to first fruits 19_l._ 8_s._ 10½_d._ The patronage in the Dean and Chapter of Exeter; the incumbent Perry; the rectory in Robert Quarme of Creed; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 168_l._ 16_s._ 8_d._ by the old name of Constenton. The titular guardian of this church, St. Constantine, Emperor of Rome, was the first emperor in the world that professed Christianity. He was the son of Constantius Chlorus Emperor of Rome; first an officer of war under the Emperor Aurelian, against Coill or Coillus, King or Duke of Colchester in Britain, (called by some writers Caer-Collyn, Caer-Col-lyn, i. e. the city or castle on the neck of the lake, or bosom of waters, it being situate on the confluence of the Medway river), which Coil, having refused to pay the tribute due to the Senate of Rome, caused that province to revolt; but Constantius forced him into a submission, when soon after he died; and Constantius is said to have married his only daughter and heir Helen, by whom he had all her father’s lands and territories, Anno Dom. 289. By her he had issue Constantine, who followed the wars in his father’s time against Maxentius; and lying on his bed, before a battle, a dream or vision appeared to him in shape of an angel, holding in his hand a shining red cross, and calling to him with a loud voice “Constantine! Εν τουτῳ νικα, _in hoc signo vinces_, i. e. under this sign or banner thou shalt have victory.” Whereupon he commanded a red cross to be pourtrayed in all his banners, called the labanum, and soon after gave battle to Maxentius at Pont Milvium, in Italy, where his [the latter’s] army was routed, and himself drowned in that river. The success of which battle so wrought upon Constantine that he forthwith turned Christian, and was baptized by Pope Silvester, Bishop of Rome.

In this parish, at Tre-warde-vi, as taxed in Domesday Roll, (i. e. the shining or flying guard town, or the indignation, or wrath guard town,) is the dwelling of John Trewren, Esq. i. e. the wren’s town, who married Vyvyan of Trelowarren; his father Rice; and giveth for his arms, Azure, three Besants. The present possessor ―――― Trewren, Esq. that married Prisk of Helston.

In this parish is the dwelling of Edward Chapman, Gent. that married Bligh of Botadon.

This gentleman received from God’s holy angels a wonderful preservation in the beginning of the reign of William III. when returning from Redruth towards his own house about seven miles distant, with his servant, late at night, and both much intoxicated with liquor, (as himself told me,) nevertheless having so much sense left as to consider that they were to pass through several tin mines or shafts near the highway, on the south-east side of Redruth town, alighted both from their horses, and led them in their hands after them. The servant went somewhat before his master, the better to keep the right road in those places, which occasioned Mr. Chapman’s turning aside somewhat out of the way, whereby in the dark he suddenly fell into a tin mine above twenty fathom deep, at whose fall into this precipice his horse started back and escaped; in this pit or hole Mr. Chapman fell directly down fifteen fathoms without let or intermission, where meeting a cross drift (above six fathom of water under it), he in his campaign coat, sword, and boots, was miraculously stopped, where coming to himself, he was not much sensible of any hurt or bruises he had received, through the terror and horror of his fall; when, considering in what condition he was, he resolved to make the best expedient he could to prevent his falling further down, (where, by the dropping or reesing of stones and earth moved by his fall, he understood there was much water under,) so he rested his back against one side of the mine, and his feet against the other, athwart the hole, and in order to fix his hands on some solid thing, drew his sword out of its sheath and thrust the blade thereof as far as he could into the opposite part of the shaft, and so in great pain and terror rested himself.

The suddenness of this accident, and the horse’s escaping in the dark as aforesaid, was the reason why Mr. Chapman’s servant, who went before him, did not so soon find him wanting as otherwise he might, which as soon as he did, he went back the road way in quest of him, calling him aloud by his name; but receiving no answer, nor being able to find the horse, he concluded his master had rode home to his house some other way, whereupon, giving up all further search after him, he hastened home to Constantine, expecting to have met him there; but, contrary to his expectations, found he was not returned. Whereupon his servants, early next morning, went forth to inquire after him, and suspecting (as it happened) he might be fallen into some tin-shafts about Redruth, hastened thither, where, before they arrived, some tinners had taken into custody his horse (with bridle and saddle on) which they found grazing on the Wastrell Downs. Whereupon, consulting together about this tragical mishap, it was resolved forthwith that some of those tinners, for reward, should search the most dangerous shafts in order to find his body either living or dead; accordingly they employed themselves that day till about four o’clock in the afternoon without any discovery of him. Finally, one person returned to his company, and told them that at a considerable distance he heard a kind of human voice under ground; to which place they repaired, and making loud cries to the hole of the shaft, he forthwith answered them that he was there alive, and prayed their assistance in order to deliver him from that tremendous place; whereupon, immediately they set on tackle-ropes and windlass on the old shaft, so that a tinner descended to the place where he rested, and having candle-light with him bound him fast in a rope, and so drew him safely to land, where, to their great admiration and joy, it appeared he had neither broke any bone, or was much bruised by the fall; verifying together the attribute of Divine Omnipotence that nothing is impossible with God,――and that old English proverb, that drunkards seldom take hurt; for, as the tinners said, if he had fallen but two or three feet lower, he must inevitably have been drowned in the water. But maugre all those adverse accidents, after about seventeen hours stay in the pit aforesaid, he miraculously escaped death and lived many years after, and would recount this history with as much pleasure as men do the ballads of Chevy Chase or Rosamond Clifford.

In this parish is the dwelling of James Trefusis, Gent. that married Worth; his father Penarth, originally descended from Trefusis of Trefusis in Mylor, as I am informed.

Moreover, it must be remembered in this place, of St. Constantine, that he was the first prince that ever endowed Christian churches beyond the seas with standing rents, lands, and revenues, and also gave to the church the tenth part of all lands and goods he possessed himself, whereupon the clergy claimed tithes therein by a law. And such officers or publicans as gathered it were called Decumani, (as Appian saith); for before that time tithes were only taken by the Senate of Rome and Emperor for the supply of the legions and armies in time of war, and not otherwise. Afterwards, Constantine made a law that all princes under his dominion should give the tenth part of their revenues towards the maintenance of churches and temples, as himself had done.

From this law and example Ethelwulf, the second sole Saxon monarch in England, Anno Dom. 838, in the year 855 (as Ingulphus, Abbat of Croyland, in his history of Britain, 1066, informs us), by royal charter confirmed the tithes of all his lands on the church in those words: “Decimam partem terræ meæ,” &c.; and this was done (gratuito consensu) by consent of his princes and prelates. This donation afterwards was confirmed by King Ethelred. “Nemo auferat à Deo quod ad Deum pertinet, et præcessores nostri concesserunt,” &c. Afterward King Athelstan made a law, Anno Dom. 926, that every man should pay tithes out of all the goods he possessed, as Jacob did; which Edmund Ironside confirmed under penalty of being accursed, 1016. Afterwards King Edward the Confessor, 1046, ordained more expressly that all tithes should be justly paid to the elder or mother churches, viz. de garba, grege equarum, pullis, vaccis, vitulis, caseo, lacte, vellis, porcellis, apibus, bosco, prato, aquis, molendinis, parcis, vivariis, piscariis, virgultis, hortis, negotionibus, et omnibus rebus, quas dederit Dominus, &c.; which decree or statute was afterwards ratified by William the Conqueror and his successors. (See more of Tithes under Keye.)

TONKIN.

Tonkin adds nothing to Mr. Hals in respect to this parish except the following short account of the manor of Merthyr or Merther. Mr. Tonkin cites from Carew, (p. 128 of Lord Dunstanville’s edition,) “Rogerus de Carminou ten. 20 part. feo. milit. extra 10 part. illius 20 in Wynnenton, Merthyr, et Tameron.” This Sir Roger de Carminow, for he was a knight, left this manor inter alia to his eldest son and heir Sir Thomas Carminow, of Carminow, Knight, who, leaving only three daughters his heirs, this manor fell to the share of Philippa, the wife of John Treworthen.

THE EDITOR.

Merther is now the property of Sir Richard Vyvyan, and has been for a considerable time in his family.

The family of Trewren of Trewardreva, is now I believe extinct; the name is usually pronounced Trew-ren, and certainly has not the etymology which Mr. Hals imputes to it.

Carwithenick in this parish was the seat of Mr. Chapman, preserved almost by a miracle according to Mr. Hals’s account, received from himself, when he fell into a shaft, see page 238. It now belongs to Mr. Hill.

Chapels are said to have been erected formerly at Benalleck and Buderkvam.

This parish measures 6883 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 6503 0 0 Poor Rates in 1831 712 1 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 1229 | 1327 | 1671 | 2004; giving an increase of 63 per cent. in 30 years. Parish feast, the nearest Sunday to the 9th of March. Present Vicar, the Rev. Edward Rogers, presented by the Dean and Chapter of Exeter in 1817.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The church is situated on the borders of the granite, which extends to the extreme northern part of the parish, and is for the most part of that common kind which is shipped at Penryn for the London market. Proceeding southward from the church town this granite is bounded by a belt of rocks belonging to the porphyritic series, such as the felspar and hornblend rocks; but in the vicinity of the Helford river these are succeeded by the calcareous series.

CORNELLY.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Powdre, and hath upon the north, Probus; east, Tregony; south, the Vale River; west, Lamorran and Merther. For the modern name of this place, Cornell-y or Kornell-y, it signifies the angle, nook, canton, quarter, or corner; and, suitable to its name, it is a dismembered district from Probus parish; a remote canton or corner of land in respect thereof, but as to spirituals consolidated, and goes in presentation with it as a daughter church. The patronage is in the Bishop of Exeter; the incumbent Baudree (Duddowe).

This parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 72_l._ 4_s._ The rectory or sheaf in possession of Hawkins and Huddy. In the Domesday tax, 20 William I., 1087, this parish was taxed under the name and jurisdiction of Pen-pell, that is the far off or remote top or head. In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, this church is called Gro-goth.

Tre-den-ike in this parish, (i. e. the man town, creek, or cove of waters,) also Tre-warth-en-ike, (i. e. the farther town of, in, or upon the cove, creek, lake, or bosom of waters,) is the dwelling of my very kind friend John Gregor, Esq. who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Walter Moyle, Knight; his father, Francis Gregor, Esq. married one of the coheirs of Prideaux of Gunlyn, sheriff of Cornwall 19 Charles II.; his grandfather, Jane, daughter of Nosworthy, of Truro. And he giveth for his arms, Or, a chevron Gules, between three partridges Proper, out of a supposed allusion to their name in Cornish, wherein Grugyer and Gyrgirk is a partridge.

TONKIN.

I take the word Cornelly to be a corruption of the Cornish Caren Gli, that is love of God.

In this parish is Trewithenike, compounded of Tre-with en-ike. The dwelling-tree, or a rivulet, (query, tree?――ED.) which was in Queen Mary’s days the lands of William Weyte, Gent. as appears from an old deed in my custody, who was also lord of divers other tenements in those parts, as also of Fentongimps in St. Pyran Sabolo. He had a brother that lived at Lestwithiel, and was mayor of the town in the time of Henry VIII. whose daughter and heir was married to Kendall of Treworgye or Pelris, whose inheritance was no small augmentation to the paternal estate of that family. The arms of Wayte, Argent, a chevron between three salmons erect Azure. This barton is now the property of John Gregor, Esq. who has lately built a fine new house here. He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir Walter Moyle of Boke. His father, Francis Gregor, was sheriff of Cornwall 19 Charles II. (21 Charles II. A.D. 1669.―― ED.) He married one of the heiresses of Prideaux, of Gurlyn in St. Erth.

It is said by some that St. Cornelius the Centurian is patron of this parish; if so, the name Cornelly is probably from him. Nearly the whole of this parish is included within the manor of Grogith or Crogith.

THE EDITOR.

Francis Gregor, son and heir of John Gregor and Elizabeth Moyle, married a daughter of William Harris of Pickwell in Devonshire; and their son Francis Gregor, born in 1728, left two sons, Francis Gregor, sheriff of Cornwall in 1788, and member for the county from 1790 to 1806, and the Rev. William Gregor. Mr. Francis Gregor first married the eldest daughter of Mr. William Masterman, of Restormal, who had married a Cornish lady, and made a large fortune by the practice of the law, as a solicitor in London, and afterwards represented Bodmin in Parliament. Mr. Gregor married secondly Miss Urchuarth from Scotland, but died in 1815 without any family; and his brother, the Rev. William Gregor, survived but a few years, leaving an only daughter, who died at the age of three or four-and-twenty, and with her the name of Gregor became extinct.

But Mr. Masterman had a second daughter, married to Mr. Francis Glanville Catchfrench, who also left an only daughter. To this lady Miss Gregor gave the whole of her property, with an injunction to take her name. Miss Granville is married and has several children, having made Trewarthenick her residence, and improved the fine new house mentioned by Mr. Tonkin into one of the largest and most decorated mansions to be seen in Cornwall.

This parish contains 1047 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 1704 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 88 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 137 | 151 | 168 | 170; giving an increase of 24 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

Near Tregony Bridge, a fine-grained, glossy, and very fissile blue slate is exposed in a quarry, which appears to be the prevailing rock of this small parish. This slate probably contains beds of massive lamellar rocks, as the same kind of slate does in the adjoining parishes, but they are not in this particular district visible on the surface. All these rocks belong to the calcareous series.

CRANTOCK.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Pedyr, and hath upon the north the Irish sea; on the west, St. Cuthbert; south, Newland; east, St. Columb Minor. As for this compound name, it is plain British; Cran-tock, Cran-dock, id est, a place that heretofore bore or carried beech trees. But others will have the name to be derived from its pretended titular guardian, one St. Carantochus, a British disciple of St. Colomb’s, of whom I must plead _non sum informatus_; otherwise than that Carantodhius in old British, Scots, and Irish, is love, affection, tenderness. Cran-teck is fair beech trees.

More sure I am that this district, at the time of the Domesday Roll, was taxed under the name of Ryalton or Cargoll; and in the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, into the value of church livings in Cornwall, Ecclesia Sancti Carentini in Decanatu de Pidre is thus rated, the vicar 40_s._ and the nine prebends, then extant in this collegiate church, were thus taxed, viz. John de Woolrington, 53_s._ 4_d._; John de Cattelyn, 30_s._; Nicholas Strange, 30_s._; John de Ingham, 40_s._; Ralph de Trethinick, 53_s._ 4_d._; David de Monton, 40_s._; William de Patefond, 40_s._; John Lovell, 30_s._; John de Glasney, 6_s._ 8_d._; in all 19_l._ 3_s._ 4_d._ From whence I gather this collegiate church had great revenues then belonging to it, since it is higher rated to the Pope’s annats than any other church then in Cornwall. However, before Richard II.’s time it was wholly impropriated or appropriated to its founder and endower, the Prior of St. Pedyr at Bodmin; the vicar subsisting only by a small salary of 6_l._ and oblations and obventions; for which reason it is not mentioned in Wolsey’s inquisition, or Valor Beneficiorum.

Which collegiate church being dissolved by the statute 26 Henry VIII. and the revenues vested in the crown, the impropriator Mr. Buller is patron and rector of the vicarage church now extant; the incumbent Warne, who comparatively subsists upon his bounty; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 73_l._ 16_s._

By reason of the great quantities of sea-sand blown up from the Gannell creek by the wind (tempore Edward VI. as Holinshed saith), the place where the college stood is now scarce discernible; only a consecrated arched well of water bears the name of St. Ambrose’s Well, contiguous therewith.

Speed and Dugdale, in their Monasticon Anglicanum, tell us that at its dissolution, 26 Henry VIII. it consisted only of four prebends, whose revenues were valued only at 89_l._ 15_s._ from whence it appears five prebendary’s rents were dismembered from it before that time; and since its suppression the lands of those four prebends have passed from the crown to Louis, from Louis to Goldingham, from Goldingham to Lutterell, now in possession thereof.

The vicarage church of Crantock is commonly called lan-guna, or lan-gona, that is to say the hay temple or church; and is, suitable to its name, situate in a large hay meadow of very rich land, containing about three acres, where, by ancient custom the vicar’s cattle depasture over the dead bodies interred therein.

Tre-ganell, or Tre-gonell, in this parish, that is to say, the canal or channel town, situate upon a creek of the north sea, gave name and original to an old family of gentlemen surnamed Tregonell or Treganell, whose three daughters and heirs, tempore James I. were married to Bauden, Pallamonter, and Penpoll, who gave for their arms, in a field Argent, three Ogresses between two cottices in fess Sable, as many Cornish daws Proper.

John Tregonell, or Treganell,――of his posterity (now transnominated to Tregonwell), was a younger brother of this house, tempore Henry VII. who had his first education in this college of Crantock at a cheap rate, (as any may be had at Aberdeen or Glasgow in Scotland,) from whence he went to Oxford, and proceeded so far in book-erudition as to take his degree of Doctor of the Civil and Canon Law, and acquired such perfection and fame therein, that he was chosen proctor for Henry VIII. in that costly divorce betwixt him and Queen Catherine of Spain; by whom he was also knighted, and for his labour and pains therein had a pension of 40_l._ per annum settled upon him during his life; and afterwards, upon the resignation of that annuity, and the payment of a thousand pounds, he had by that king settled upon him and his heirs the site and demesne of Midleton, a mitred abbey in Dorset, of great value, which his posterity enjoy to this day, himself being buried in Midleton church 1540. He had issue John, afterwards knighted, sheriff of Dorset, 1 Philip and Mary; who married ――――, and had issue John Tregonell, Esq. sheriff of Dorset 2 James I., who also married ――――, and had issue John Tregonell, Esq. sheriff of that county 15 James I., when Francis Vyvyan, Esq. was sheriff of Cornwall.

Tre-ago, also Tre-agho, synonymous words, in this parish, that is to say, the fishing spear or barbed iron for stabbing fish, used it seems heretofore in the gannell or channell haven contiguous therewith, by the owners of this little barton and manor, and from thence denominated; tri-ago is in Latin-Cornish a threefold action, or acting or making; tre-ago, the town of action. From this place was also denominated its lord, of an ancient family of gentlemen surnamed De Tre-ago, who at his own proper cost and charge built the south aile in the now vicarage church of Crantock, and appropriated the same to his family or heirs and assigns for ever, by charging those lands with the repair and maintenance thereof (for ever) as at this day they do, without being chargeable to the parish of Crantock. The sole daughter and heir of those Treagos, as I am informed, was married to Mynors, tempore Edward IV. who made it the seat of his family; as afterwards, tempore Elizabeth, the issue male of Mynors failing, his only daughter and heir was married to Tregian, and Tregian’s posterity, by ill conduct, wasted this barton and manor of Treago, and sold the same for the payment of bills of cost to John Cooke, Gent. attorney-at-law, tempore James I.; and in like manner Thomas Cooke, Esq. within fifty years after the death of his father or grandfather, sold this place and most of his other lands to Hugh Boscawen of Tregothnan, Esq. now in possession thereof, viz. temp. Charles II.

This place was heretofore privileged with the jurisdiction of a court leet, and a strong prison for keeping prisoners for debt in durance, though now I take it to be destitute of both. The arms of Mynors were, Sable, an eagle displayed Or, on a chief Azure, bordered Argent, a chevron between two crescents above and a rose beneath Or. This last bearing on the chief, and marshalled within the escutcheon was, as tradition saith, the coat armour of Treago; and such sort of marshalling divers coats Nicholas Upton doth approve of, especially where a man hath large possessions by his mother, and but a small patrimony from his father; as perhaps the case was thus with Mynors.

In this parish is the port, haven, or creek, called the gonell or ganell, that is to say the canal or channel of the Tremporth river, leading into the sea, wherein much fish and fowl is caught; and many times ships frequent this place for trade and safety, the sea here winding up itself between the lands about a mile in the country. It also, at full sea, affordeth entrance and anchorage for ships of the greatest burthen, if conducted by a pilot that understands the course of the ganell or channel; at the head of which, as a ligament fastening the parishes of Lower St. Colomb and Crantock together, is a county bridge, called Trem-porth; that is to say, the tying, fastening, terrifying, or making afraid gate, cove, or entrance, so aptly named perhaps from the rapid confluence of this channel or river in winter season, before the bridge was built, where it meets the salt waters, and the softness of the clay and sea-moore marsh there on which the bridge is situate.

I find William Smith, Esq. of Crantock in Cornwall, (which I take to be of this place,) was created a baronet by Charles I., 27 December 1642, patent 418. I suppose the son of that Smith of Exon, that married one of the coheirs of Vyell of Trevorder. He had issue Sir James Smith, Baronet, (but where they lived in this parish I know not,) whose arms were, Sable, a fess and two barrulets, between three martlets, Or.

The manors of Cargoll and Ryalton being given by our earls of Cornwall before the Norman Conquest to the Bishop of Bodmin or Cornwall, or the prior thereof; some of them were founders and endowers of this college of Crantock out of the lands and revenues thereof.

TONKIN.

I take the tutelar saint of this parish to be St. Kerantakers, a disciple of St. Columb in the Hebrides; and the parish no doubt had its name from him.

This parish is wholly impropriated to John Butler, Esq. of Morval, who allows out of it a small stipend to the incumbent (at present Mr. Warn), by which, together with the parishioners’ benevolence, he makes a hard shift to live.

The collegiate church here was, as tradition saith, endowed by the prior of Bodmin; but by which prior is unknown to me.

THE EDITOR.

Bishop Tanner, in his Notitia Monastica, says,

Karentoc or Crantoc, near Padstow, in the deanery of Pider. Here were secular canons in the time of St. Edward the Confessor, who continued till the general dissolution, when its yearly revenues were valued at 89_l._ 15_s._ 8_d._ which were divided amongst the dean, nine prebendaries, and four vicars choral. The collegiate church was dedicated to St. Carantocus, said to be a disciple of St. Patrick, and was in the patronage of the Bishop of Exeter.

Doctor Tanner quotes the following extract from Prynne, vol. II. p. 736, (probably from his Records:) Many grants of the deanery and prebends here by the king appear upon the rolls, but seem to be made during the vacancy of the see of Exeter.

Anno Dom. 1315, Feb. 22, Walterus episcopus Exon. contulit Joanni de Sandale, cancellario regis, Præbendam in ecclesia St. Karentoci. See Wharton’s Historia de Episcopis et Decanis Londinensibus, necnon de Episcopis et Decanis Assavensibus a prima sedis utriusque fundatione, ad annum MDXL.

This parish measures 2490 statute acres. The annual value of Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 3244 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 265 3 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 299 | 358 | 389 | 458; giving an increase of 53 per cent in 30 years. Parish Feast, the nearest Sunday to the 16th of May. Vicar, the Rev. C. H. Paynter, instituted 1809.

GEOLOGY, BY DOCTOR BOASE.

This parish is composed of the same kind of rock, and is in every respect similar to St. Columb Minor, which occupies the opposite or northern side of the gannel.

CREED.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Powdre, and hath upon the north, St. Stephen’s; east, St. Mewan; west, Probus; south, St. Tue. For the present name, it is derived from Credo, i. e. belief, trust, confidence; and refers to the holy Christian faith, read or rehearsed in this church by the rector, viz. the Apostles’ creed, Nicene creed, or St. Athanasius creed, in opposition to Arianism.

Now, for that beyond the records of time, as Mr. Carew in his Survey of Cornwall tells us, the Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Ten Commandments, were translated into and used in the Cornish tongue for the benefit of the inhabitants, who formerly little understood the Saxon or English tongue; and for that the Cornish tongue is now comparatively lost in those parts, I will here, for the reader’s satisfaction, set down the Apostles’ creed as it was then used.

_Me agris en Du, an Tas ologologack, wresses a neu_ I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of _hag doar; hag en Jesu Chrest, ys nuell mab agan_ heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our _Arluth, neb ve conceveijs ryb an hairon Sperres, genijs_ Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born _ay an voz Mareea, cothaff orthaff Pontius Pilat; ve_ of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; was _crowsye, maraws hag bethens, Eff deskynas en the Iffran,_ crucified, dead and buried, He descended into Hell, _hag an trysa journa, Eff sevye arte thort an maraws, ef_ and the third day he arose again from the dead, and _askynnus en the neuf; hag setvah wor an dighow dorne_ ascended into Heaven; and sitteth on the right hand _ay Du an Tas allogallogack, rag ena ef fyth dos the_ of God the Father Almighty, from whence he shall come _judgye an beaw hag an maraws. Me agris benegas_ to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy _Spirres, an Hairon Catholic Egles, an communion ay_ Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of _sans, an givyans ay peags, an sevyans ay an corfe,_ saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, _hag an bew regnaveffere. Amen._ and the life everlasting. Amen.

At the time of the Norman Conquest this parish was taxed under the name of Tybesta, of which more under. At the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, in order to the Pope’s Annats, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancto Credo, in Decanatu de Powdre, was valued 4_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, it was rated 13_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._ The patronage in the king or duke of Cornwall, who endowed it; the incumbent Crews; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 132_l._

The great duchy manor of Ty-besta encloses almost the whole of this parish; and there are yet extant in this manor the ruins of an old chapel, called by the name of Tybesta. This manor is privileged with the jurisdiction of a court leet within its precincts, and of the court baron held for the hundred of Powdre, and hath stewards and bailiffs to attend the service of both, and the royalties over the river Vale.

Within this lordship is situate the borough of Grampont, Gram-pond, or Gran-pont, that is, great bridge; on which Mr. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, saith that in his time, (about a hundred years past,) if that were its true name, it had nothing then extant but nomine sine re, though now it hath a fair stone bridge over it, built and repaired by the county stock. But, alas! notwithstanding those names, it appeared from the charter lately extant, wherein the ancient rights and privileges thereof are confirmed by Edmund Plantagenet Earl of Cornwall, son of Richard, King of the Romans, Anno Dom. 1290, that it was incorporated by the name of Coyt-fala, or Coit-fala; id est, the wood, (river) in the midst of which wood heretofore the same was situate; also Pons-mur, id est, great bridge, so named from some eminent timber bridge over the river, before that of stone was erected.

It is privileged with the jurisdiction of a court leet and quarterly sessions of the peace, within the same, before the mayor, recorder, and eight aldermen, or magistrates, and a town-clerk. The mayor to be chosen out of the eight Magistrates that are free-men; and also with sending two Members, to sit as their Representatives in Parliament, who are to be chosen by the Mayor, Magistrates, and Freemen, or the major part of them; by election of which, if common fame be true, the townsmen have in the last ages reaped great gain and advantage. It is also appurtenanced with public fairs, upon January 18 and June 11, and a weekly market on Thursdays. The chief inhabitants of this town are Mr. Teague, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Moor.

The arms of this Borough are, a castle, two ports open, over the same a lion rampant crowned, within a bordure bezanty, which latter charge was the proper arms of King Richard Cœur de Lion, uncle of the said Edmund Earl of Cornwall, and his predecessors Caddock and Condur, Earles thereof.

Tre-veleck, alias Tre-belech, in this parish, id est, the Priest’s Town, in old British and the Armorican tongue, was of old the seat of the De Boscawens, of Boscawen Rose in Buryan, of which family was Lawrence Boscawen, gent. attorney-at-law, that married Tregothnan’s heir, temp. Henry 8th, who left this place to his younger son; where his posterity flourished in genteel degree down to the latter end of the reign of King Charles I.; when the last gentleman of this house, that married Tanner, had issue only two daughters, married to Brewar and Tousen, which latter’s daughter and heir was married to Collins, now in possession of those duchy lands.

At Ten-Creek, or Tene-Cruck, i. e. the fire-bank, or tumulus, viz. the sepulchre of one interred there before the sixth century, whose body was burnt to ashes by fire, according to the then accustomed manner of intering the dead, and his bones and ashes laid up in an urn or earthen pot, in a bank, or barrow, or tumulus, upon some part of the lands of this barton; from which facts it was called Ten-creek, in which place for many ages flourished a family of gentlemen, from thence denominated de Tencreek (which compound word Mr. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, by conjecture interprets as the town of the burrow, bank, or tumulus); the last gentleman of which house died in the middle of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, leaving issue only three daughters, married to Mohun, Penwarne, and Polwhele. Those lands came to Mohun, a younger brother to Reginald Mohun, Bart. father of John Lord Baron Mohun, of Oakhampton. The present possessioner, William Mohun, Esq. (my very kind friend), one of his Majesty’s Commissioners for the Peace and Taxes, that married Jane, daughter of Sir John Trelawney, of the Lawne, Bart. and hath issue Warwick Mohun, Esq. whose arms are, Or, a cross engrailed Sable. [See BOCONNOC]. The arms of Tencreek were, Argent, a cross pattée surmounted of a chevron Sable.

Pennans, part of the Duchy manor of Tybesta, is compounded of Pen-nans, the head of the valley, a name taken from the natural circumstances of the place. It is the dwelling of Philip Hawkins, Gent. attorney-at-law, who by his great pains, care, and skill in that profession, hath got himself a very great estate in those parts. He married Scobell, and giveth for his arms, Argent, on a saltire Sable, five fleur-de-lis Or. The same coat armour is given by the Hawkins’ of Kent. He had issue John, his eldest son, who married Rashleigh, and was a doctor of divinity; Philip, that married Ludlow, of London, Member of Parliament for Grampound; and daughters.

Nan-tell-an, in this parish Duchy, was the dwelling of John Vincent, Gent. attorney-at-law, who got a considerable estate by the law; but since his death I take it this place, and all other his lands, are wasted by his son, &c. Nantellan sold to Henry Vincent, of Treleven, Esq. Mr. Vincent married Evans, and giveth for his arms as mentioned under St. Allen, the original tribe thereof.

Car-lyn-ike, in this parish, parcel of the Duchy manor of Tybesta aforesaid, probably the rock and lake of water, is the dwelling of John Woolrige, Gent. that married Maunder, and giveth for his arms, Gules, a chevron Argent, between three wild ducks volant Proper. The descendant of Woolridge, rector of St. Michael Penkivell, temp. James I.

Nan-car (Duchy) i. e. the Valley Rock, or the Rock in the Valley, is the dwelling of Walter Quarme, Clerk, that married Grace Gayer, daughter of Samuel Gayer, of Araler, Gent.; his father Ceely, his grandfather a Trefusis, and giveth for his arms, Barry lozengy Argent and Gules.

TONKIN.

Trencreek is interpreted by Mr. Carew the town of the Burrow, by which I apprehend he means a dwelling near some creeig, byrig or tumulus; for that is the import of the word Trencreeig, from whence an old family of gentlemen, now extinct, were denominated, who gave for their arms, Argent, a cross patee, surmounted with a chevron Sable. But the tumulus importing their name must have been erected since the doctrine of Christianity was brought into this land; for before that time graves were called beths,[35] veths, or byrigs, from whence our modern words burrow or bury. The Brigantes mentioned by Tacitus were so denominated from their lofty tumuli, byrigs, or graves.

All the lands in this parish are either held from or in parts of the Great Duchy.

The Borough of Grandpont. This is the name given to it by the Normans, for the ancient Cornish name was Ponsmur, signifying the same thing. In all likelihood this is the ancient Voluba of the Romans mentioned by Ptolemy; so called from its situation on the river Val or Fal. Browne Willis, in his additions to Camden, cites a charter still extant from John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall, by which all former privileges are confirmed to the vill of Grampont, with all the lands of Coytpale, which signifies Tolewood, and a part of the town is at this time called Caitfala. This charter is dated at Chippenham Oct. 26, 1332.

North of Grampond lies Trevellick, the town on the mill stream or water, where is a ruined chapel and a well, dedicated to St. Naunton or Nonnio, as at Alternum. The estate now belongs to Degary Polkinhorne, Gent. To the North of this lies Nantellan, which was the seat of John Vincent, Gent. an eminent attorney.

Trewinnow, that is the dwelling on the marshes, has been long held under the Duchy by the family of Seccomb.

Pennance, the head of the valley, is held under the tenure of customary Duchy, and was formerly the seat of Henry Hoddy, Gent. descended from the Huddys or Hodys, of Nethoway, in Devonshire. He had a considerable estate in these parts, which he foolishly lavished and at last sold to Mr. Thomas Lower, younger brother to the famous Doctor Lower,[36] who did not keep it long, but conveyed his right in it to Philip Hawkins, Gent. since become the most wealthy attorney which this county ever produced. He married Mary, the daughter of Richard Scobell, of Menagwins, Esq. and left the bulk of his estate, computed at one hundred thousand pounds, to his eldest son John Hawkins, D. D. Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, who married Rachel Rashleigh, of Menabilly, but died sine prole. Doctor Hawkins laid out very large sums of money on the improvement of Pennance. He died in London July 30, 1736.

Trigantan belongs to the family of Sperrack.

The Church is situated at one end of the parish near the river Val or Fal, in a fruitful spot of land, but low. It is but a mean structure, consisting of a nave, a south aile of the same length, and a cross north aile. Here was formerly but a poor small tower covered with wood, in which were three bells; but the parishioners took that down in 1732, and have in this year (1733) finished a handsome square tower. The Rectory House has also been new built in a neat manner by the present incumbent Mr. Hughes.

THE EDITOR.

The manor of Tybesta, carrying with it the advowson of the rectory, was purchased from the Duchy by the late Sir Christopher Hawkins.

Grampound is the only place ever wholly deprived of its privilege to return Members to the House of Commons, previously to the general dissolution of Boroughs in 1832. Cricklade, Shoreham, and Aylesbury, had been thrown into adjacent hundreds, that is, the freeholders of these districts were admitted to a concurrent right of voting with those previously possessing it; but from Grampound the Members were transferred at once to the County of York.

The passage referred to in Mr. Carew (p. 328 of Lord Dunstanville’s edition) is this:

“Grampond, if it took that name from any great bridge, hath now nomen sine re; for the bridge there is supported with only a few arches, and the Corporation but half replenished with inhabitants, who may better vaunt of their town’s antiquity than the town of their ability.”

The town is said to have very greatly improved, in all respects, moral, physical, and intellectual, since the minds of its inhabitants have been directed to other objects than low intrigue and servile dependence on the exertions of others.

Mr. Philip Hawkins, who purchased and settled at Pennance, was the son of Mr. Henry Hawkins, whose ancestor in the third or fourth degree, is said to have come from Kent into Cornwall as Rector of Blisland.

Mr. Henry Hawkins had four sons, the Rev. John Hawkins, Rector of St. Michael Caerhayes, St. Stephen’s, and St. Dennis, married, but died sine prole.

Philip Hawkins, who married Mary Scobell, eldest daughter of Richard Scobell, Esq. made heiress of his whole landed property.

Henry Hawkins, of St. Austell, who married Barbara, younger daughter of Mr. Richard Scobell.

Joseph Hawkins, a merchant at Falmouth, married Reid, but died sine prole.

Mr. Philip Hawkins had a very large family.

1. Henry, died at Oxford.

2. Mary, died young.

3. Elizabeth, married Mr. Thomas Corlyer, of Tregrehan, and left several children.

4. Ann, married Sir Edmund Prideaux, of Devonshire, and left an only daughter, who married John Pendarves Basset, Esq. of Tehidy.

5. George, died young.

6. The Rev. John Hawkins, D. D. Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, married Rachel Rashleigh, of Menabilly, died sine prole.

7. Mary, married, perhaps her distant relation, a gentleman of the same name, Christopher Hawkins, of Trewinnard, in St. Erth, barrister at law, made sole heir of his landed property by her brother Dr. Hawkins.

8. Jane, married James Stone, of Bundbury, Wilts.

9. Philip, married Elizabeth Ludlow, of London, represented Grampound in Parliament, died s. p.

10. Barbara, married Mr. Hambley, of St. Columb.

Mr. Henry Hawkins, who married Barbara Scobell, had also a numerous family.

1. Henry, died in 1723.

2. John, died in 1722.

3. Ann, married David Moyle, and left a daughter Ann Moyle, married to Mr. Carthew.

4. Barbara, married Mr. Edward Hoblyn, of Crone, and left a daughter, Damaris Hoblin, married to Mr. Kirkham, a Captain in the Cornwall Militia, but not a Cornishman; ob. s. p.

5. Elizabeth, married John Hawkins, of Helston, and left Mr. John Hawkins, who married Catherine Trewren; ob. s. p.

6. Gertrude, married Mr. Thomas Kent, and left children.

7. Grace, married John Tremayne, of Heligan, Esq. who left a son, the Rev. Henry Hawkins Tremayne, and a daughter married to Charles Rashleigh, Esq. of Disporth.

The Creed given by Mr. Hals, in his account of this parish, differs materially from both subjoined to my edition of “The Creation of the World, and Noah’s Flood,” one of which is said to be in old Cornish, and the other in modern. All the three go to prove how utterly vague and uncertain must be a language not fixed by some general reference to works of authority, nor guided by the superior influence of a Capital.

This parish contains 2552 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 2442 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 205 12 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 217 | 226 | 279 | 258; giving an increase of 19 per cent in 30 years. Annual value of the Real Property in £. _s._ _d._ Grampound, for 1815 854 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 274 12 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 525 | 601 | 688 | 715. being an increase of 36 per cent. Vicar, the Rev. John Trevener, instituted 1817.

[35] The word bethman, pronounced bedman, which is used in Cornwall for a sexton, must evidently be derived from beth, a grave. EDIT.

[36] Richard Lower, M. D. an eminent physician and anatomist, was born in Cornwall about 1631, died in 1691. He wrote several important works; among them Tractatus de Corde; item de Motu et calore Sanguinis, et Chyli in eum transitu.

CROWAN.

HALS.

Has situate upon the north Camburne, west St. Erth, south Sythaney, east Wendron. At the time of the Norman Conquest this parish was taxed either under the jurisdiction of Lanmigell, viz. Michael’s Mount, temple, or church, or Caer, id est, a city or castle, now Caer-ton, Castletown; so called from the British treble entrenchments of turf and stones yet extant in this parish. At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, Ecclesia de Crowen, in Decanatu de Penwith, was rated VIII_l._; vicar ibidem, XL_l._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, 11_l._ 9_s._ 0½_d._; the patronage in Sir John Seyntaubyn, the rectory in Seyntaubyn, the incumbent Glyn. The parish was rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1699, 177_l._ 10_s._ This church was endowed by the Prior of St. Michael’s Mount, its patron. After its dissolution 26 Hen. VIII, it fell to the Crown; from whence, as I am informed, the patronage was purchased by Thomas Seyntaubyn, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 37 Hen. VIII.

Clowens, in this parish, id est, White Cloos, those sort of grey marble stones so called, whereof an innumerable strag of them are visible upon a great part of the lands of this barton above ground, particularly in the Deer Park. Mr. Carew tell us, that Clowens is derived from the Greek κλω, cloow, to hearken. But glewas in Cornish is to hear, and golsowins, to hearken. This place for many ages hath been the seat of the genteel and knightly family of the Seyntaubyns, now Baronets, whose first ancestor came out of Normandy, a soldier, with William the Conqueror, 1066, who first settled himself at ..., in the county of Devon; and in process of time Guy Seyntaubyn (afterwards knighted), Sheriff of Cornwall 22 Richard II. as I take it, first settled himself in this place, and married Alice, one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Richard Sergreaulx, Knight, Sheriff of Cornwall 12 Richard II. (who died at Killigarth, or Colquite), by whom he had issue. But after Sir Guy’s death, his lady Alice having her lands all in her own dispose, married Richard de Vere, Knight of the Garter, and the 11th Earl of Oxford of that house; by whom he had issue John the twelfth Earl of Oxford; and Sir Robert Vere, Knight, that married Margaret, the daughter of Sir Hugh Courtenay, of Haccomb, Knight, heir to her mother Philippa, one of the coheirs of Sir Warren Archdeacon, Knight, by the which Margaret he had issue John, who married Alice, daughter of Walter Killrington, Esq. by whom he had issue John fourteenth Earl of Oxford, that died without issue 14th July 1526 [See KILLYGARTH], upon whom she settled most of her lands, and deprived her issue by Seyntaubyn thereof.

Thomas Seyntaubyn, Esq. was Sheriff of Cornwall 37 Henry VIII. Thomas Seyntaubyn, Esq. was Sheriff of Cornwall 30 Elizabeth. John Seyntaubyn, Esq. was Sheriff of Cornwall 11 Charles I. John Seyntaubyn, Esq. was Sheriff of Cornwall 13 Charles II. who married Godolphin, and had issue John Seyntaubyn, Esq. (my very good friend) that married Anne, one of the coheirs of James Jenkyn, of Trekininge, Esq. who by letters patent, bearing date 11 March 24 Charles II. was created the 797th Baronet of England. He had issue by her, Sir John Seyntaubyn, Bart. that married De la Hay, and had by her issue another Sir John Seyntaubyn, now in possession of this place.

This famous worthy family, as it descended downwards, married Sergreaulx, Colshill, Whittington, Grenvill, Mallett, Godolphin, and others. The arms of Seyntaubyn are, Ermine, on a cross Gules five Bezants. And the said family was denominated from Mount Seyntaubyn in Normandy. Finally, as Sergreaulx’s heir, after the death of Sir Guy Seyntaubyn, passed away her lands from her issue by him to her children by her second husband, the Earl of Oxford aforesaid; so Jenkyn’s heir, after the death of Sir John Seyntaubyn, Bart. disinherited her heir by him, and sold most of her lands for the payment of her second husband’s debts, Mr. Spencer, of Lancashire; and after his death married one Mr. Page, for whose benefit she did her son Seyntaubyn what further damage she was able to perform by sale of more of her lands. So unconstant and irregular are some women’s affections.

Tregeare or Tregeire, Cornish Saxon, in this parish, id est, the dwelling of honour, or the honourable dwelling, gave name and original to a British family, from thence denominated De Tregeare. It is now in the possession of my very kind friend Richard Tregeare, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 3d of Queen Anne, and Receiver of the Land Tax temp. William III. who married Rawle, the relict of ――――, but died without issue, who left his estate to one of his name (though none of his tribe or blood, as I am informed), who gave for his arms, in a field Argent, a fess Gules, between three Cornish daws Proper.

TONKIN.

For the name of this parish, it is in Cornish Crows-on, the cross; probably so called from some notable cross erected in the parish.

But nevertheless, I learn from others that the name is derived from its female patroness, Sancta Crewenna, and not from any noted cross. In the Lincoln Taxation it is written Ecclesia Sancte Crewenne: which Crewenne, says Leland, came over from Ireland with St. Breage, or Breaca.

Mr. Tonkin reports what is stated by Mr. Hals of the family of St. Aubyn, and adds, in the year 1733: This family has been no less than six times Sheriff of Cornwall. They have served their prince and country, not only in the office of sheriff, but also as members of parliament and as justices of the peace.

The Sergreaulxes were of old a family of noble fame and worth in this County. It appears, from Carew’s Survey, that Richard de Sergreaulx held three fees by the tenure of knights’ service, tempore Henry IV. at Killigarth, Lerneth, and Lonsallos. Also, he had Killcoid (now Colguite) in the parish of Holland.

Tregeare, in this parish, Tre(g)eor (the g euphoniæ gratiâ to avoid an elision), is the mansion of an old family from thence denominated. Arms: Argent, a fess voided Sable, charged with three Torteauxes between three Cornish choughs Proper. Tregeare, interpreted, signifies not only a dwelling in honour, but an honourable dwelling; neither had the Saxon nor Kernawith Britons any other word to express honour or honourable by than the termination ge or gor, as appears not only from that incomparable antiquary Verstegan,[37] but also from the names of divers places among our ancestors. I have further to add respecting the word geor, and as we have many places so called in the County I shall once for all endeavour to give the true meaning of it.

Geare, fruitful, from guer, viridis, green (see Lhuyd’s Archæologia, vol. I. fol. Oxford, 1707, p. 174,) as this estate is at present, and as all others of the same name, I presume, formerly were. The family of Tregeare are said to date from before the Conquest.

Manor of Hellegar and Clowance: For Hellegar was formerly the chief place, and signifies the hall or place on the Downs; and there was lately standing there, and I believe yet remains, a hall of large dimensions. This was anciently the seat of a family bearing the same name; whose arms were, Gules, a bend Vaire between six cross-crosslets Or. Sibill, one of the daughters and co-heiresses of this house, married Pierce Kemell, or Kymyell, of Kymyell, in St. Buian, whose arms were, Argent, three dolphins in pale Sable. Elizabeth, one of the daughters and coheiresses of Pearce Kemell, married Geoffrey St. Aubyn, the second son of Guy St. Aubyn, Knight, and brought to him, with several other lands, this manor of Hellegar and Clowance.

THE EDITOR.

Mr. Hals commits an apparent mistake in assigning the advowson of this parish to Mr. St. Aubyn at the period of Wolsey’s Valuation, and then stating that it was acquired by purchase at the general dissolution of religious houses.

It is probable that the advowson was acquired when the alien priories, or all such houses as were cells in England subject to monasteries abroad, were given to the King by an Act of Parliament, 2d year of Henry V. A.D. 1415. See the statute in original Norman French, vol. VI. p. 986, of Dugdale’s Monasticon, London, 1830; and in Latin, vol. IX. p. 281, of Rymer’s Fœdera.

Sir John St. Aubyn, mentioned by Mr. Hals as in possession of Clowance at the time of his writing, represented the County in Parliament, and acquired popularity by opposing the administration of Sir Robert Walpole. He married Catherine, daughter, and eventually coheiress of Sir Nicholas Morice, of Werrington, and the Lady Catherine Herbert, and great-granddaughter of Sir William Morice, Secretary of State at the Restoration.

This lady brought a fortune of ten thousand pounds, which, the Editor remembers to have heard from a very aged member of the family, were conveyed in two carts from Werrington to Clowance, all in half crowns, and that he assisted in taling them.

But in addition to ten thousand pounds Miss Morice also received at her marriage, or afterwards succeeded to, the manor of Stoke Damarel, on the Eastern bank of the Tamar, near Hamoaze, and purchased not a long time before from the Wises, a respectable family in the South of Devon, for eleven thousand five hundred pounds.

On this manor all the dock yards and government buildings have been constructed, and the whole town of Plymouth Dock, now Devonport, has been built, together with Morris Town, Stoke, &c. so that the annual income has risen to perhaps three or four fold the original purchase money.

This Sir John St. Aubyn left a son of his own name, and three daughters, who married Basset, Molesworth, and Buller.

The son, Sir John St. Aubyn, had also the honour of representing the County in Parliament. He married Miss Wingfield, from the North of England; and dying in October 1772, left his estate to an only son, the present Sir John St. Aubyn. He left also four daughters, who have married Prideaux, Molesworth, Lennard, and White.

Mr. Lysons states that the church of Crowan was given by William Earl of Gloucester to the Priory of St. James, in Bristol, which was a Cell to Tewkesbury Abbey. If that is so, Mr. Hals must be entirely mistaken in assigning the advowson to a St. Aubyn at the time of Wolsey’s Valuation.

Mr. Lysons also says, that Kerthen, in this parish, belonged to a family of the name of Cowlins, from whom it passed to the Godolphins by a marriage.

Leland was entertained at Kerthen in the course of making his Itinerary, by a Mr. Godolphin, who resided there. Leland, however, writes the name Cardine.

In submitting to the press by far the greater part of Mr. Hals’ Manuscripts, and also of Mr. Tonkin’s Manuscript, in so far as it differs from the former, the Editor has been especially careful to preserve all such anecdotes and narratives of events as may tend to illustrate the manners or the opinions of the times to which they relate, adding to them many that have come to his knowledge from other sources.

Just a hundred years ago such a series of events took place with reference to the possession of Skewis, a farm in this parish, as would induce any one of the present time to think that he must be living in another land, under a different administration of the laws, and in a totally dissimilar state of society.

Skewis had been, for I know not how long, the freehold patrimony of a succession of yeomen proprietors of the name of Rogers. There were now two brothers, the elder married and lived on the farm, but without a family, the younger brother, Henry Rogers, married and had several children. He carried on for several years in Helston the trade of a pewterer, then of considerable importance to Cornwall, although it is now lost. A large portion of the tin was then exported in the shape of pewter made into plates, dishes, &c. all of which have been superseded by earthenware. At the first introduction of earthenware, provincially called clome, it was a popular cry to destroy the clome, and to bring back the use of tin. He had for some years retired to this parish.

I have made many diligent inquiries about Henry Rogers, and they have not gone to represent him as a bad man, but as one little in the habit of restraining his passions, of great bodily strength, and of what is termed a wilful disposition; and his prejudices were probably supported by an opinion, still prevalent among country people, that freehold lands, which have once descended to an heir cannot be alienated by any possessor without the concurrence of his heir.

The elder brother died, when a will was produced giving all the freehold property to his widow, whose maiden name was Millett. Henry Rogers averred, and possibly believed, that the will was spurious, and would be invalid at all events. Under that impression, and despising legal remedies, he waited for an opportunity when his sister-in-law was from home; he then turned some female servants out of the house, and took forcible possession. The widow of course appealed to the law, with the voice of the whole country, however, against her; and it is universally reported that Sir John St. Aubyn, the principal gentleman of the parish, would have supported Rogers in a legal proceeding. However that may be, he prepared for violence, and refused to yield up possession when judgment was given against him; so that the Sheriff was at last directed to eject him by force. But Rogers got several persons, ignorant and lawless as himself, to remain with him in the house, which had been barricaded and adapted for defence, and great numbers of people, partly from curiosity, but in part also to countenance his resistance, having assembled on the spot, the civil power was completely resisted, and two men killed by shots from the house; the Under Sheriff himself having narrowly escaped,――as he states in his evidence, rather ludicrously, that the discharge of a gun from the house burnt his wig and singed his face.

This happened on the 18th of June, 1734.

On the following day the Under Sheriff came back, assisted by some soldiers, who were fired on and one killed. They returned the fire, but without effect. And then, which would appear almost incredible, Rogers was allowed to remain in quiet possession, after these murders, till March of the following year, when he was again blockaded by soldiers; and the siege, I apprehend, continued for several days, with the loss of two more men, when at last cannon were brought from Pendennis Castle. On the night following their arrival, Rogers contrived to effect an escape. He travelled on foot, and got as far as Salisbury, with the intention, as he stated, of making his case known to the King.

Whatever might have been the opinions of gentlemen, and educated persons, on the abstract merit of his case, it became impossible for them not to join in bringing to condign punishment one who had thus taken away the lives of innocent persons, and set at equal defiance the laws of God and man.

Sir John St. Aubyn now took an active part in endeavouring to secure the fugitive, and being through his marriage connected with the Herberts Earls of Pembroke, who resided in the neighbourhood of Salisbury, handbills descriptive of Rogers were circulated round that town. I have always heard that a postboy, driving homewards a return postchaise, was accosted by a stout man walking with a gun in his hand, requesting to be taken in. The boy drove him to the inn, where he procured a bed; but the circumstances and description had excited strong suspicion, and he was secured in his sleep.

The prisoner was of course removed to Cornwall. He was there convicted of murder, together with John Street, who seems to have been his principal partisan, and both made an atonement for their offences with their lives.

Through the favour of Lord Hardwicke, I have procured a copy of the evidence, and a portion of the charge given to the Grand Jury, in reference to those prisoners, by his Lordship’s grandfather, the justly-celebrated first Earl of Hardwicke and Lord Chancellor.

Launceston, Aug. 1, 1735.

The King against Henry Rogers and John Street.

Indictment for murder of William Carpenter, by shooting him in the back with a gun charged with leaden bullets, 19th June 1734, at Crowan, in com. Cornub.

Plea, Not Guilty.

Sergeant Chapple pro Rege.

_Stephen Tillie_ was Under-Sheriff 1734. 8 June 1734 received a writ of assistance under the great seal. 31 Maij, 7 Geo. II. writ of assistance, reciting the writ of execution of the decree and writ of injunction, whereby possession was to be delivered to Anne Rogers, commanding to put Anne Rogers into possession, and to remove and expel the said Henry Rogers, his tenants, and accomplices, from possession of the premises.

18 June he went to the house; the prisoner was in the window, and held a gun at him; he called to him, and told him that he had the king’s writ, and must have possession; would not meddle with his person.

Prisoner said Lord Chancellor made an unjust decree. He said that then he might deliver possession and appeal. Swore, damn him, he would not deliver possession. Saw two or three hundred people. Read the proclamation. The prisoner fired a gun, burned his wig, and singed his face. One of his officers said he was shot through the head. Expostulated again. Then he swore if the King and Lord Chancellor came he would not deliver it. Several guns were fired. He told him he would give him time till tomorrow morning eight o’clock. Sent to Captain Sadler for a few soldiers; the captain sent them; he went with them; he demanded entrance. Prisoner said, “Damn you, are you come again?” A gun was mounted out of the hole cut in the door within an inch of his body; discharged; and it shot Carpenter, who fell with it, and said he was a dead man. Another gun fired, and shot Hatch, his servant. Rogers had a gun in his hand when he first saw him, and afterwards came out with a gun in his hand. Carpenter was a bailiff to the sheriff, and he had commanded him to go to his assistance. Mrs. Rogers, the plaintiff, was there both times.

_George Ellis._ 18 June was desired by Mrs. Rogers to go with them. Rogers and his wife in the window, and had a gun between them. Mr. Tillie demanded possession. Prisoner said he would not; swore and cursed, and said he had strength enough to defend his possession against any person; insisted the estate was his. The Under-sheriff expostulated with him, and told him if he had a right, his best way was to submit to the law. Sheriff read the proclamation. Rogers asked him to drink a dram; he went for it, and in the meantime his wife held the gun; guns were fired.

19 June went again. Under-sheriff told him he hoped he was in a better mind now, and would deliver him possession. Refused. A gun fired from the house. Soon after, heard it called out that Carpenter was shot in the back, and a soldier shot in the groin. He is a surgeon, and dressed Carpenter; found him shot from about the fourth rib to his buttock; many slugs and jagged pieces of lead in it.

Between two and three hundred men there the first day, and a great many the second day, but not so many. Sir J. St. Aubin having sent out his steward, heard the under-sheriff ask him who were in the house. He said only his own servants.

No gun was fired, or any force used by any of the Under-sheriff’s company till Carpenter was shot.

_Mr. Lukey_, surgeon. Found a gun-shot wound in the small of his back. He saw him on Wednesday the 19th, died on Friday. It was a great quantity of small shot; thinks the wound went through into his belly.

_Samuel Hatch_, servant to Mr. Tillie, the Under-sheriff. 18th was there. The Under-sheriff read the King’s writ to him. He did not see who fired the gun, but saw no man in the house that day but Rogers, whom he knows.

Cannot say he saw Rogers fire the first time. Carpenter was shot, and another soldier shot, and two men wounded before any of the soldiers or Sheriff’s company fired. He was shot with slugs.

_Richard Vinsam._ Was there the first day, and the Sheriff read and showed him the writ; told Rogers that if he would try the cause again he should be as ready to put him in as to take him out. He was there again the second day. The Sheriff told him he was come again to do his office, and desired him to be easy. Gives the same account, and that the soldiers did not fire till after Carpenter was shot.

As to Street.

_Edward Williams._ Was at Skewis House the 19th day of June 1734. Saw John Street there in the house, with a sword in his hand. Kept people in the house, and said he would run any body through that offered to go away; said now was the time to do a friend service; assisted Rogers by keeping persons in by force; the Sheriff was then come to demand possession.

Street was in the house when the firing was.

Rogers’s wife was apprehended by the time the Under-sheriff came to the house.

_Mr. Black_, ensign, was there with the soldiers; with the others; had orders from the commanding officer to attend the Sheriff. No firing by the soldiers or sheriff’s company till Carpenter and a soldier killed.

_John Ellett_ was one of the soldiers who went with the Under-sheriff to assist him. Agrees with the rest, that Carpenter was shot from that part of the house where he saw Rogers. There was no firing by the soldiers or the sheriff’s assistants till Carpenter was wounded.

_Henry Jeffries_ was corporal to the party. Heard the Under-sheriff read the proclamation, and demand entrance; when Rogers refused.

Carpenter went up and struck at the door; and as he turned about was shot in the back; he was shot in the leg; had orders from the Under-sheriff to fire.

The _Prisoner_. Had good counsel, and thought he had a good right to the estate; was unwilling to deliver it up the first day; told him he intended to appeal; said if he did not deliver possession he might bring a writ of rebellion against him. Sheriff swore he would have possession. Sheriff went off, and he did not expect to see him again. Next morning heard the soldiers were coming. Sent his wife out; they seized her. With beat of drum the Sheriff and soldiers came and fired at him; the soldiers fired about five rounds apiece.

_Henry Berriman._ 18 day of June saw the sheriff go, and heard him demand entrance; and the prisoner said he should have none. The next day the Sheriff came with soldiers; but he was two coits cast off; the soldiers were on the eastern side of the house; the soldiers fired three rounds; but he did not see the gun fired out of the house. Carpenter was shot on the eastern side of the house, and he was on the western side of the house; the Undersheriff desired him to carry him off. Did not see Carpenter receive the shot. Was not on the same side of the house when Carpenter was shot; as far off as the tower of this town from this place.

[Carpenter was on the eastern side of the house when he was shot].

_Thomas Pendarves._ Rode through the town just as the soldiers came with the Sheriff; saw Henry Rogers’s wife; was on the south side of the house when the firing was first; but that was on the east side of the house; however, thinks he could distinguish whether it came from the house or the soldiers, because the firing from the house was by single pops now and then, and the soldiers shot many together. To his sight and perception the first firing was by the soldiers. Can’t say any more. He was not on the east of the house at all. A great number of people assembled.

_Henry Johns_ was in company with Carpenter; said he forgave Mr. Rogers.

_John Rogers_ saw Carpenter in his bed, and drank with him. He asked how he came to throw a great stone. He said he did not know; but he freely forgave the man that shot him; for if they had not been merciful they might have destroyed them all.

_John Street_ was at the house at his labour.

Writ of execution of the decree read.

_Mr. John Hawkins_ was solicitor for Mrs. Rogers; went with the Sheriff; demanded possession; saw a gun fired from the house; did no hurt; saw Carpenter actually shot and fall; no firing by the soldiers till after that of two other guns.

Verdict, both guilty of murder.

The King against Henry Rogers and John Street.

Indictment for the murder of George Woolston alias Wilson, with a gun charged with leaden bullets 19th June 1734, at Crowan, in com. Cornub.

Plea, Not Guilty.

Serjeant Chapple, pro Rege.

Writ of Execution, Injunction, and Writ of Assistance, put in.

_Mr. Tillie._ Gives the same account that he did before. Second day after Carpenter was shot, Henry Rogers came to the window with his gun on the east side, fired, and a shot went through his hat, and a soldier wounded. He ordered the soldiers to fire. Woolston was on the west side, and was shot there. No gun was fired by the soldiers, or any person in the assistance of the sheriff, nor a sword drawn, nor any force, till after Carpenter was shot and Hatch wounded, and Jeffries shot through the leg. Woolston declared that Rogers had shot him, on his asking him. Died in about half an hour after. Soldiers went to the assistance of him; ordered them to use no force till resistance.

_John Ellet._ He was on the east side of the house; he carried off Woolston; was shot from the waistband of his breeches to the buckle of his shoes. Gives the same account as to the occasion. There was no firing on the eastern side of the house till after Carpenter was killed and Jeffries shot in the leg.

_Nicholas Daniel_ was serjeant, and went to Skewis House. After the first firing William Carpenter was killed. The officer ordered him to go with ten men to the west side of the house. As soon as he came into the court, saw the prisoner Rogers come to the window and fire his gun and shot Woolston, of which he died in an hour.

_Cross-examined._ After Carpenter was killed, some of the soldiers had fired on the east side of the house before he went to the west side.

_Samuel Hatch_ gives the same account as before of the facts on 18th and 19th June. The first guns which were fired were by persons that were withinside of the house, and not by persons that were withoutside of the house. No firing by the soldiers, or any in assistance of the sheriff, till after one was killed and two wounded.

_George Ellis._ The same as before. Saw Woolston go with the soldiers to the west side of the house. Soon afterwards heard a cry that Woolston was shot. Went and saw him. He was shot from the groin to the ancle. He was then in a manner dying; died of that wound. The first firing from within the house, before the Sheriff had finished the concluding words of the proclamation; three guns fired before the soldiers fired.

_Richard Vinsam._ Saw Rogers looking out at the window. Several guns fired before the Sheriff had quite finished the proclamation. No guns fired by the soldiers till they had fired from the house.

_Mr. Black._ After the firing from the east side, ordered eight or ten soldiers to go round to the west side, and soon heard Woolston was shot. No firing by the soldiers till after from the house.

_Mr. John Hawkins._ 19th, no gun fired from the soldiers till after Carpenter dropped.

_Piercy Price._ 18th March last at Skewis. Was with the soldiers when they took possession. Rogers looked out of the little door. Asked him how he came to let a man lay unburied who was there? owned “he killed him. As to the old soldier that was killed, I had no animosity against him. It is true I killed him, but it was time, he was too proud; intended to kill the Sheriff and his men.”

_As to Street._

_Edward Williams._ Was there when Woolston was killed. Street was on the inside of the house at the western door when Woolston was killed. Had a sword drawn. He asked to go out. Street said if he offered to do it he would run him through; hindered him and another from going out; said if they would do a friend any good or service now was the time; the service was to keep the possession against the Sheriff. The prisoner Rogers thought his appeal had been lodged.

_Henry Berryman._ The soldiers fired upon the house about three times before they parted to different sides of the house; did not see Carpenter shot, nor does not know when he was shot; was as far off as the length of the whole hall; did not see Street there.

_Thomas Pendarves._ By his perceivance the soldiers fired first. Stood on the south side of the house, two hundred yards off; did not see either Carpenter or Woolston shot.

_John Street has no evidence._

Verdict, both Guilty.

The King against Henry Rogers.

Indictment for the murder of Andrew Willis, alias Tubby, by shooting him in the breast on the 16th of March at Crowan.

Plea, Not Guilty.

Serjeant Chapple, pro Rege.

_Edward Bennett._ Was a constable, and on 16th March called Andrew Willis, alias Tubby, to give in his assistance to take the prisoner Rogers at Skewis House on account of murders that he had committed. Tubby was about sixty yards from the house, and he saw a gun fired from a window of the house; immediately on that Tubby fell down; he ran off; immediately saw Rogers in the window from which the fire came; afterwards saw Rogers come out to the man and walk round him and take Tubby’s gun, but before Rogers came out another gun was fired; saw one or two more at the window afterwards; intended to apprehend him and bring him to Launceston.

_John Williams._ Was with Bennett and Tubby at the constable’s desire to take Mr. Rogers, but ordered them not to shoot without necessity; about sixty yards off the house saw Tubby on his knee, almost before he heard the report of the gun; immediately saw Rogers in the window with a gun in his hand; thought Rogers was gone out of his house. Tubby cried, “Lord! Lord!” and fell down. Another gun fired, and he crept away through the hedge.

_Henry Thomas._ Saw Rogers on 16th March, with a gun, walk by the dead body forwards and backwards. Said, “Here lies the black Bill.”

_Henry James._ Was called to assist William John the constable the Sunday that Tubby lay dead at Skewis; saw the prisoner with a gun within twelve feet of the body. Prisoner said, “Sir Andrew, thou didst make thy brag last Sunday that thou wouldst lend me a brace of bullets, but I think I have paid thee.” Asked them to come in and drink a dram; refused. He said, “If he would, he would make them come into the castle.” They went away, and we retired. Rogers stood in the lane with a gun in his hand, bid them turn in; said, Sir John St. Aubyn would be angry if they had any thing to do with any body in the house. He said, “Damn them, if they did not he would shoot them.” Asked, if they knew who killed the man? “No.” Said, “There was a black man lay dead in the moor, if any body would own him they should have him. I have the bill;” produced the gun; “Damn him, if they don’t come and own him, I’ll cut off his head and stick it on the chimney.”

_James Fall._ Heard the gun go off. Heard somebody say, “Take up the man.” He ran out, and Rogers looked out of his window, asked, what he was going for? said, “To see what you have done; you will be hanged at last.” Said, “If you do not go back, I will shoot you too.” Said to him, “Did not I tell you to tell Sir John, that I would take them off as he would fetch them.” He said “fetch them?”

_Prisoner._ That these people followed him and endeavoured to shoot him.

Verdict, guilty.

An addition which appears to have been made to a charge delivered by Lord Hardwicke, Chief Justice on Western Circuit in 1735.

Of the truth of this observation and of the pernicious consequences of lawless force, you of this country have lately had a flagrant but an instructive instance. In that you have seen from what small springs a torrent of violence may arise. How people once engaged in such practices, go on from invading the property, to taking away the lives of their fellow subjects; and from an obstinate contemptuous opposition to the regular decisions of the ordinary Courts of Justice, they advance almost to open rebellion.

The honourable and indefatigable endeavours of the gentlemen of this county to reform and suppress such daring outrages cannot be sufficiently commended, and must always be remembered highly to their honour. And happy it is that these endeavours, enforced by the seasonable and gracious assistance of his majesty, had the desired effect. To consider this affair in its full extent, it ought on the one hand to be looked upon as a strong proof that the King will make use of the extraordinary as well as the ordinary powers of his government, only for protection and security of his people; and on the other hand, that the gentlemen of England will unite in the support of the laws, and of legal, well established government, against all attempts of any kind whatsoever to introduce disorder and confusion.

So great were the apprehensions entertained of a man who had in this extraordinary manner, and for months set at defiance the whole authority of the country, that, immediately after his absconding, the magistrates of the hundred issued the following proclamation:

Cornwall.――To all Magistrates, Headboroughs, and Officers of Towns and Parishes, to whom these presents shall come.

Whereas several murders have lately been committed by Henry Rogers, of Skewis, in the parish of Crowan, in the county of Cornwall, and whereas the said Henry Rogers and his gang did last night abscond and withdraw themselves from justice, notwithstanding a strict guard of soldiers and others which were placed about the house at Skewis to prevent their escape, and any further mischiefs that might ensue from their wicked intentions and intrigues of the said Henry Rogers and his abettors; And whereas they withdrew from Skewis with their guns and ammunition, whereby it is suspected that they will plunder and ravage the whole county:――We therefore desire you to transmit this to the next town, that it may go through the whole county, not only that all his Majesty’s good and peaceable subjects may be guarded against the said Rogers and his gang, but that they may do their utmost endeavours to apprehend them, and bring them to their trial, that all such horrid practices, which threaten destruction to society and government, may for the future be prevented, the public peace preserved, and the authors of such infamous disorders be brought to condign punishment.

We are, with much respect, gentlemen, Your most humble servants, JOHN ST. AUBIN. JOHN BORLASE. WM. ARUNDELL.

March 21st, 1734-5.[38]

There is a reward of 350_l._ for taking him. He hath on a whitish fustian frock, with bastard pearl buttons, and a blue riding-coat.

Although no one ventured to justify the violence, and especially the murders committed by Rogers, yet long within my remembrance a strong feeling of compassion was generally entertained for him. One of his sons lived to a very advanced age at Penzance, where he procured a scanty living as a saddler, merely employed, I believe, from kindness.

In October 1812 I had a long conversation with this old man about his father; and the following are minutes made on the occasion:

“On the 30th of October, 1812, I called on Mr. Henry Rogers, formerly a saddler at Penzance, but then residing there in great poverty, being supported by a small allowance from a club, and by half-a-crown a week given him by the corporation, nominally for yielding up the possession of a house, but in truth to prevent his becoming a common pauper.

“Mr. Henry Rogers was then eighty-four years of age, and remembered the unfortunate transactions at Skewis perfectly well; he was between seven and eight years old at the time. He recollected going out with his father into the court after there had been some firing. His father had a gun in his hand, and inquired what they wanted. On this his father was fired at, and had a snuff-box and powder-horn broken in his pocket by a ball, whilst he stood on the other side.

“He recollected that whilst he himself was in the bed, several balls came in through the window of the room, and after striking against the wall rolled about on the floor.

“One brother and a sister, who were in the house, went out to inquire what was wanted of their father, and they were not permitted to return.

“On the last night, no one remained in the house but his father, himself, and the servant-maid. In the middle of the night they all went out, and got some distance from the house. In crossing a field, however, they were met by two soldiers, who inquired their business, &c. The maid answered that they were looking for a cow, when they were permitted to proceed. The soldiers had their arms, and his father had his gun. The maid and himself were left at a farm-house in the neighbourhood, and Mr. Rogers proceeded on his way towards London. Mr. Henry Rogers said that he was born in Crowan, and he apprehended so were most of the children; that his father, although bred a pewterer, had for many years occupied land in that parish.”

All these circumstances, after so long an interval, were related to me by the old man with tears in his eyes.

It is curious to compare this account of the escape of one man, a woman, and a child, with the proclamation of the next day.

On the 8th of January, 1816, I called at Skewis, and saw several holes in the partitions, made by shot of different sizes, when Mr. Henry Rogers resisted the law in 1735.

I have an extract from a letter written by a Cornish gentleman in May 1735, who states that he had seen Rogers in the prison at Salisbury, when he seemed to rejoice in what he had done. And I have found in an account-book of my great uncle, Mr. Henry Davies, the following receipt:

“1st July 1735. Received of Mr. Henry Davies, towards the taking of Henry Rogers, two pounds two shillings, per Francis Arthur.”

A print of Rogers was soon after published with the following legend:

“Henry Rogers lived at a village called Skewis. He was so ignorant of the reason as well as of the power of the law, that when a decree in Chancery went against him, he resisted all remonstrances, and fortified his house, making loopholes for his muskets, through which he shot two men of the posse comitatus who attended the Under-sheriff. A little after he shot one Hitchens, as he was passing the high road on his private business. He also fired through the window and killed one Toby, and would not suffer his body to be taken away to be buried for some days. At length the neighbouring justices of the peace assisted the constables, and procured an aid of some soldiers, one of whom he killed, and afterwards made his escape; but at Salisbury, on his way towards London, he was apprehended and brought down to Cornwall, when at the assizes in August 1735 five bills of indictment were found againt him by the grand jury for the five murders aforesaid; to save the court time he was tried only on three of them, and found guilty of every one, before Lord Chief Justice Hardwick. As he lay in gaol after his conviction, the Under-sheriff coming in, he attempted to seize his sword, with a resolution to kill him; swearing he should die easy if he could succeed in that design. He was attended by several clergymen; but they could make no impression on his brutal stupidity, and he died at the gallows without any remorse.”

Extract made at the British Museum July the 8th, 1812, from the Weekly Miscellany, by Richard Hooker, of the Middle Temple, Esq. for Saturday Aug. the 9th, 1735, No. CXXXIX.

Launceston, August 1.

This day came on before the Lord Chief Justice Hardwick, the trials of Henry Rogers and John Street, one of his assistants, for murders committed in opposing the Sheriff of Cornwall in the execution of his office.

Rogers was arraigned upon five indictments, and Street upon two. The trials began about seven in the morning and ended about two in the afternoon. Rogers was tried upon the three first indictments, and being found guilty on all three, the Court thought it unnecessary to proceed upon the other two. Street was found guilty of the two indictments against him. And they both received sentence of death before the Court rose.

The Counsel for the king were Mr. Serjeant Chapple, Mr. Fortescue, jun. The Counsel for the criminals Mr. Pratt and Mr. Draper. The Solicitor for the Treasury Richard Paxton, Esq. was also there on the part of the Crown, he being sent down purposely to prosecute the affair.

* * * * *

At the assizes at Launceston Henry Rogers and John Street received sentence of death for a murder they committed in opposing the Sheriff of Cornwall in the execution of his office, and were executed on the 6th of August 1735. They seemed very penitent, particularly Rogers, who did not care for any sustenance but bread and water. He said he was guilty of one of the murders, but knew nothing of the other; but had it been in his power he would have killed as many more, and thought he committed no crime. Street, who was his servant, had little to say, but that what he did was to defend his master, and he was willing to die, for by the course of years he could not live much longer, and he hoped God would receive his poor soul.

And lastly, I subjoin an address to the parish of Crowan, by Sir John St. Aubyn, the gentleman whom I have mentioned as one of the opponents of Sir Robert Walpole’s administration.

“As I am obliged to attend at the assizes, I must earnestly recommend the care of the parish in my absence to you, and hope that you will do your endeavours to prevent the very great expense and mischief which must otherwise fall upon us; although you do not at present seem to perceive the danger that threatens us; for the outrage and murder which happened in our parish have justly alarmed the government, and induced his majesty to issue out a proclamation, wherein he offers a reward of two hundred pounds for apprehending Henry Rogers, and one hundred pounds for each of the other offenders, together with a pardon to any who shall discover and apprehend them. He likewise commands all civil magistrates, upon pain of his majesty’s displeasure, to be diligent in suppressing this riot, and bringing the authors of it to the punishment which their crimes deserve. In obedience to this, I think myself obliged, in the faithful discharge of my duty for the preservation of the public peace, and the good of our own parish in particular, to admonish you and the principal inhabitants of it, to give me your aid and assistance in this dangerous and troublesome affair. His Majesty, as he declares in the proclamations, being firmly resolved to put an effectual stop to such enormous practices, hath by his warrant from the Secretary of War, sent orders to the commanders of regiments of soldiers at Exeter, to send to the Sheriff so many soldiers as he shall require and think sufficient to suppress this notorious violation of the laws of the land, and which certainly will be done by force of arms, if it cannot be stopped by a gentle and careful process. This is a true and exact state of cause; and whoever considers it with due temper, must be filled with the most melancholy apprehensions of the mischief that must happen, if every good subject and Christian does not endeavour to keep off this evil, by endeavouring, as far as his influence can prevail, to make the usual method of bringing crimes to justice effectual. It is for this reason I now write this letter to you, which I hope you will read with serious attention more than once, that it may have a good effect upon you. I myself can foresee, and I wish you likewise could, the dreadful inconvenience and expense of a regiment of soldiers sent down and quartered upon us; particularly this parish, being the unfortunate place of this disorder, must, in a much heavier manner, feel the burthen of it. Consider the charges and the trouble of having every house in the parish filled with soldiers; consider what must be the consequence of abetting and supporting Rogers, whose house will be fired about his ears, and those lives which may be lost if he continues in his extravagance. Take notice, that I have done my duty as justice of the peace and a parishioner; and if you all likewise do yours, by encouraging a proper subjection to authority, and aiding the civil magistrates in discovering and bringing the offenders to justice, these dismal calamities may be prevented. I think more reasonable to advise you of this, because there is too general a mistake and prejudice, or rather vicious encouragement shown, and that too by many who should and do know better, to the unhappy author of this disturbance. To pity the unfortunate is a virtuous character, even to those whose vices have made them so; but at the same time we ought to detect their crimes, and it is for the public good they should be punished; and this consideration ought to prevail over the concern we may feel for a private person. Murder is a crime of the basest nature, and what the law in common cases never forgives; but when it is committed on any officer in the execution of his duty, and in supporting the usurpation of another’s right, and what the law shall determine such, it is certainly a more complicated guilt. Whosoever abets a murderer, or does what he can to conceal and defend him from justice, is in the eye of God a murderer himself in cold blood. To justify a murderer is the strongest indication of a most base temper; and whosoever does not cry out against the misguided spirit of the people in behalf of Henry Rogers, deserves that character. Whilst the lawsuit was depending all people were at liberty to weigh on either side. It does at first sight seem a little hard that one brother should give away an estate from another; and there must be some strong provocation to make it appear reasonable; but the circumstances of the whole case are not known, and therefore no man is able to form a true judgement of it; not even to pass harsh censures on particular persons; but when the law has determined right, all people must submit to that determination; otherwise no man is secure in his property, but a number of idle resolute fellows may wrest it from him, and declare that in their opinion he has an unjust title to it. So that if you give your estate by will unequally among your children, as they may have behaved more or less dutiful to you, that which has the least may take the other’s part from him; or another relation may possibly hire such another mob, to take away the whole from them. We shall not at such times see property determined by judge and jury, but by force of arms; and the richest and most powerful man will be able to swallow up all the estates of his lesser neighbours. The law is the only protection of our lives and estates, and if that is once set aside, we must hold them only by the base sanction of a giddy rabble. The law therefore should be strictly maintained by all such who have any possessions. The inferior people indeed, who have nothing to lose, will be at all times for breaking down the fences, that they may have some share of the common plunder. I should mention one instance. Suppose any of you had bought this estate of the late Rogers, being advised by your lawyer that he had the power to sell it, (which he certainly had, as the law has declared he had a right of giving it away,) you would then think it very hard that the present Rogers, with his wicked crew, should come and take it away by force, and afterwards keep it as he now does. Suppose the money you paid him for it he gave to his widow; should you in such a case agree that ’tis his brother’s right to have the estate? Let every one make this his own case.

“I believe you all honest men, and wo’nt suspect any one of you of justifying this affair; but I have put these arguments into your mouths to warn other people from this vicious way of thinking, and that you may exert yourselves in keeping this hardship from the parish, from which I could never learn this Rogers deserved so much kindness as to suffer on his account; for he never paid church, priest, or poor, when he was in possession of the estate, and withheld from many their just due. The character of the honest and just man is to relieve the poor, to pity the unfortunate; but to use their utmost endeavours to punish the guilty, and to recommend and enforce an obedience to the laws of the land, which are the only protection of our lives and properties.”

I am, gentlemen, Your friend and servant, JOHN ST. AUBYN.

The church of Crowan was given, by William Earl of Gloucester, to the priory of St. James in Bristol (which was a cell to Tewkesbury Abbey), and confirmed by Henry II. It contains a series of monuments to the family of St. Aubyn, which are engraved in thirteen plates in Mr. Polwhele’s History of Cornwall. There was formerly a chapel of ease at Binnerton, of which there are no remains. The charity-school in this parish was endowed with the interest of 100_l._ by the St. Aubyn family, about the year 1830.

This parish contains 6742 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815. 13,175 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 1,588 17 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 2587 | 3021 | 3973 | 4332; giving an increase of nearly 67½ per cent. in 30 years. Parish Feast the nearest Sunday to the 1st of February. Present Vicar, the Rev. William Grylle, presented by Sir John St. Aubyn in 1828.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

This parish, which is adjacent to that of Comborne, is composed of the same kind of rocks. The eastern half reposes on granite, the western on slate. Like Comborne it has long been celebrated for its mines. Although its general aspect is dreary and barren, yet it contains some very fertile spots; that of Clowance in particular gladdens the eye; the rich and intrinsic beauties of its pleasure grounds and extensive plantations being heightened by the contrast of surrounding desolation.

[37] Richard Verstegan, born in London, is supposed to have died about 1634. His principal work is, “Restitution of decayed Antiquities concerning the most noble and renowned English Nation, with Cuts,” Antwerp, 1605, in 4to. London, 1628 and 1634.

[38] According to the New Style this date would be 1735.

CUBERT, or ST. CUTHBERT.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Pider, and hath upon the north St. George’s Channel, or the Irish Sea; west Peransabulo; east Crantock. This new name of Cuthbert is Saxon, and compounded of Cuth-bert, id est, knowledge, skill, wisdom, or understanding, clear or bright, and refers to St. Cuthbert, the tutelar guardian and patron of this church; for in Domesday Roll, 20 Will. I. 1087, this district was taxed under the name of Chynowen, now Chynoweth. In the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, into the revenues of Cornish benefices, Ecclesia Sancti Cuthberti in Decanatu de Pider, is valued iiii_l._ xvii_s._ viii_d._ Vicar ibidem, x_s._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, and Valor Beneficiorum, is rated 8_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._ The patronage formerly in the prior of Bodman, who endowed it; now Prideaux. The incumbent Bradford; the rectory or sheafe in Prideaux; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax 1696, 99_l._ 9_s._ 6_d._

The history of St. Cuthbert.――He was born in Cumberland, of British Saxon parents, about the year 600; and had his Christian education as a monk in Bangor Monastery, in Ireland; from whence he removed to the abbey of Landisfarne, opposite to Northumberland and North Durham, where, after he had remained some years, he was chosen or made a bishop of that diocese. I remember to have seen in this church, painted against the wall, about thirty years past, the portraiture of a bishop, attired in his episcopal robes, with mitre or crown on his head, a crosier or shepherd’s crook or staff in his hand, and an inscription in ancient character near it, viz. St. Cuthbertun. Which picture, I am told, is since covered over with lime by the churchwardens.

Now, it happened after the death of St. Cuthbert, that the island of Landisfarne was extremely troubled with the piratical thievish Danes, who wasted the same, without regard of secular or religious persons and places. Whereupon the Bishop of St. Ethelwin, with his monks, privately escaped into Northumberland, and left their houses and estates a prey to their enemies, anno Dom. 800, carrying with them as their chief treasure the enshrined relics or skeleton of St. Cuthbert, with which, during the lives of twelve titular bishops of Landisfarne, they wandered up and down Northumberland for the space of ninety years, without any fixed place of abode or settlement, till Aldwyn, titular bishop of that island, obtained leave of King Alfred, ann. Dom. 890, to pitch and settle his episcopal church at Durham, where he and his monks laid the foundation thereof; which, after it was by them finished, was consecrated and dedicated to the honour of Almighty God in the name of St. Cuthbert, where they again erected his shrine or relics; thereby transferring or translating the bishopric of Landisfarne to that place, and no more styling themselves bishops thereof, but of Durham.

But this fabrick of Bishop Adelwyn, though a stately church, was pulled down by William Carilepho, the 29th bishop (13 Will. I. 1080), who in the place thereof laid the foundation of that cathedral church now extant there; though he did not live to see it finished; but Ralph Flambard, his successor, Lord Treasurer of England, went on with the work, and brought it to that perfection it now showeth; though some additions indeed were made by Nicholas de Farnham, and Thomas Welscomb, prior thereof, 1242.

King Alfred, and Guthrun the Dane, his deputy-governor of Northumberland, gave much lands to this church between the rivers Tees and Tyne, which King Alfred confirmed by his charter.

In William the Conqueror’s days it was reputed a county palatine or principality, and did engrave upon its seal an armed chevalier, holding a naked sword in one hand, and in the other the arms of the bishopric, viz. Azure, a plain cross between four lions rampant Or.

But the immunities of this church of Durham were shortened by the statute 27 Henry VIII., and the lordly absolute power of this bishopric conferred upon the king. Afterwards, temp. Edw. VI. the lands and whole title of the bishopric of Durham was by act of parliament conferred upon that king, which act was repealed 1 Queen Mary, when the dissolved bishopric and the royalties of it were in a measure revived and restored as it now stands.

* * * * *

In this parish is that famous and well-known spring of water called Holy-well (so named the inhabitants say, for that the virtues of this water was first discovered on Allhallows-day). The same stands in a dark cavern of the sea-cliff rocks, beneath full sea-mark on spring-tides; from the top of which cavern falls down or distils continually drops of water, from the white, blue, red, and green veins of those rocks. And accordingly, in the place where those drops of water fall, it swells to a lump of considerable bigness, and there petrifies to the hardness of ice, glass, or freestone, of the several colours aforesaid, according to the nature of those veins in the rock from whence it proceeds, and is of a hard brittle nature, apt to break like glass.

The virtues of this water are very great. It is incredible what numbers in summer season frequent this place and waters from counties far distant.

Chynowen, now Chynoweth, id est, New-house, was the voke-lands of a considerable manor, under which jurisdiction this parish was taxed, 20 Will. I. 1087, from which place was denominated an old British family of gentlemen, now in possession thereof, surnamed De Chynoweth; which (were not comparisons odious) I would, for antiquity, rank with or before the tribe of any other family extant in this province; though I do not understand their estate, or post in the public service of their country, was ever above the degree of a juryman of the parish of Chynoweth (now Cuthbert), or that of a hundred constable; for, if tradition may be credited, some of this blood were possessed of those very lands before the Norman Conquest, and then at length, after the manner of the French, writ de Chynoweth.

The present possesser, John Chynoweth, Gent. giveth for his arms, Sable, on a fess Or, three eagles’ heads erased Gules.

Carynas, or Carrynas, id est, dead carrions, in this parish, it seems, was so denominated from the lodging of such dead bodies of bullocks, horses, or sheep, as died of age, poverty, or sickness, and were either on trees, or in carrion pools, laid up here for hunters or their dogs. It is the dwelling of John Davis, Gent. that married Lannar, alias Vincent; his father Hoblyn, of Penhall; his grandfather.

TONKIN.

By the register of this parish (which is very ancient) it appears that in the year 1569 there was a great plague here, by which died, from the 20th of August to the 10th of November, seventy people, and it then abating, from the 25th of December to the 23d of February fifteen more; which is the more considerable, for that in the parish at present, in its flourishing condition, there are not above three hundred and fifty souls; and so healthy is the place in general, that I have been assured by Mr. Bradford, the present Minister, there was not a single burial from the 12th of September, 1699, to the 18th of October, 1700, the year following.

The Holy Well, if it may properly be so called, (it being nothing but a little water dropping out of the cliff under Kelsey, in a small cove made by the sea, to be come at only when the tide is out,) has been much frequented of late, and several strange cures attributed to it. It is a water that petrifies of itself, as may be seen by the incrustations on the rock over which it runs; and these incrustations make the ascent to it very slippery and dangerous.

The Manor of Hellanclose, that is, the four halls, belonged to Robert Trencreek, Esq. fell to Degory Polwhele, Esq. who sold it to Sir Richard Robartes, in whose family it still is, Henry Earl of Radnor being the present lord thereof. The barton has been in lease for four generations to the Hoskins, the wealthiest farmers in those parts. Mr. Joseph Hoskin is the present possessor.

The church is seated upon the top of a hill, and so visible at a great distance.

One part of the parish is drowned in the sands, and that promontory of land is called Kelsey, famous for feeding the sweetest mutton (though but small) in England.

THE EDITOR.

This parish contains 2009 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 2552 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 185 2 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 269 | 289 | 322 | 487 giving an increase of 81 per cent. in 30 years. The parish feast is celebrated on the Sunday next after the 4th of October. Present Vicar, the Rev. Thomas Stabback, instituted in 1809; he is also patron of the vicarage.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

This parish is contiguous to Crantock, and has precisely the same geological structure.

ST. CUBYE, alias TREGONY.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Powdre, and hath upon the north Probus and the Val river; east, St. Tue; west, Ruan Lanyhorne. This new name is taken from the tutelar patron and guardian of this church after it was erected; for in the Domesday Tax, 1087, this district passed under the names of Trigony, Tregny, and Tregony Medan.

At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester into the value of Cornish benefices, 1294, it was rated by the name of Ecclesia de Tregny, cvi_s._ viii_d._ Vicar ibidem xx_s._ in dec. de Powdre. In Wolsey’s Inquisition 1521, 10_l._ 4_s._ by the name of St. Cuby and Januarius. The patronage formerly in the prior of Bodman, who endowed it, now Prideaux; the incumbent Bedford; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 91_l._ 13_s._ 9_d._ The borough of Tregony 71_l._ 10_s._

The history of St. Cuby. He was the son to Solomon, Duke, King, or Earl of Cornwall, about the year 350; and being bred up a zealous Christian of the orthodox faith, and finding the churches of Britain much pestered with the heresy of the Arians, who denied the equality of the persons in the Trinity or Godhead, holding one to be before or superior to the other, Cuby not inclining to receive this new doctrine, especially having read some of the writings of St. Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers in Gaul, in opposition thereto; he made addresses to that worthy father in order to his better instruction; by whom he was kindly invited into Gaul, and went there accordingly. He was so charmed with the wisdom, piety, and holy doctrine of St. Hilary, that he became his disciple, and was by him ordained or consecrated priest, and took upon him the office of a preacher; in which capacity he grew so famous for his preachings in that country, he was at length, by St. Hilary, sent missioner of the gospel into North Wales; and he proved so successful therein, that the greatest part of the people were converted to the Christian faith, and the altars and images of Jupiter, Mars, Apollo, Minerva, and other gods worshipped by the Britons and Romans there, were thrown down and defaced. Capgrave, who compiled his life, tells us that St. Cuby wrought miracles, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the leprous, caused the dumb to speak, cured the palsy, and those possessed of devils. Moreover, saith he, Cuby was in Ireland, where he preached the gospel, and built churches there before St. Patrick came into that country. And he further saith of him, that he was very studious of the peace of the church. And Bale tells us he was such a self-denying man that, after his father’s death, he refused the dominion of Cornwall, his fortune, and wealth, out of a desire he had to acquire learning, and to preach the gospel.

Leland tells us in his Itinerary Manuscripts, that St. Hilary made St. Cuby Bishop of the Isle of Anglesey; that he died about the year of our Lord 400; after his death his disciples set up his shrine, that is, his bones, in his church there; and when the Irishmen of Dublin, a thousand years after, in June 1404, invaded the island and found this relic, they carried away the same, and set it up in the church of the Holy Trinity in Dublin. Nevertheless there are still extant in the Isle of Anglesey three notable monuments of him and his master, viz. Point Hilary, Holyhead, and Caer-Cuby, viz. Cuby’s City or Castle.

That Tregony Borough was invested with the privileges of a manor and court-leet, before the Norman Conquest, Domesday Roll informs us. How long before by prescription, no man living can tell. King Henry I. (the Earldom of Cornwall being then vested in the Crown) gave it the freedom of sending two burgesses, citizens, or townsmen, to sit in Parliament as its representatives, to be chosen by the majority of the townsmen that were housekeepers; which favour was obtained upon the humble petition of Henry de Pomeroy, lord of this manor, temp. of the said Henry I. But this place was not incorporated but by the charter of King James I. 1621; and consists of a mayor, recorder, and eight capital burgesses, the eldest of which is justice of the peace for life within the borough. It hath also a weekly market on Saturdays, and fairs yearly upon May 3, July 25, September 1, November 6, and Shrove Tuesday. The castle of Tregony, as tradition saith, was built by the said Pomeroy, on behalf of John Earl of Cornwall, in opposition to King Richard I. his elder brother, then beyond the seas in the Holy War. The chief inhabitants of this town are Mr. Tonkin, Mr. Penlyer, Mr. Peters, Mr. Earle. The arms of which borough are, a pine-apple, or pomegranate, on its stem, with two leaves.

This Pomeroy was the descendant of Ralph de Pomeroy, or Pomeraye, that came into England with William the Conqueror, and was such a friend and favourite of his, as Dugdale saith in his Baronage, that he conferred upon him fifty-eight lordships, whereof this Tregony and Wich (now Mary Wike) in Cornwall, were two; perhaps such lands as fell to the Crown by virtue of their lord or owner’s rebellion against the Conqueror in that insurrection at Exeter, in the second year of his reign. This Ralph de Pomeroy had issue Joel, that married one of the natural daughters of King Henry I. by Corbet’s daughter (mother also by him of Reginald Fitz-Harry, Earl of Cornwall); the which Joel had issue by her Henry and Josceline. Henry married de Villie’s daughter, and by her had issue Sir Henry de Pomeray, lord of this place, and Bury Pomeroy in Devon, who sided with John Earl of Morton and Cornwall against Richard I. then beyond the seas; and afterwards gave to the Knight Hospitallers of St. John the Baptist, the church of Maddarne in Penwith.

One Sir Roger Pomeray of this tribe cousin and heir to Roger de Vallorta, lord of the castle of Trematon, dead without issue male, did by deed 12 Edward III. release to Prince Edward, then created Duke of Cornwall, all his right, title, and interest in the said castle and manor of Trematon; in consideration whereof King Edward III. granted him and his heirs an annuity of 40_l._ per annum, to be paid out of the Exchequer. The last gentleman of these Tregony Pomerays, temp. Elizabeth, left issue one only daughter, married to Richard Penkivell, of Resuna, Esq. in whom is terminated the name and estate of that family, who gave for their arms, Or, a lion rampant Gules, within a bordure engrailed Sable.

Mr. Penkivell, lord of this manor, borough, and leet, temp. Charles I. having wasted his whole patrimony in this and other places, sold this manor of Tregony Pomeroy to Hugh Boscawen, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 10 Charles I. from whom it passed by descent to his son Hugh Boscawen, Esq. father of William Boscawen, Esq. who settled it as part of his wife’s jointure, on the Lady Anne FitzGerald, daughter of the Right Hon. Charles Earl of Kildare, who, over-living her husband, was married to Francis Robartes, Esq. youngest son of the Right Hon. John Earl of Radnor, who is now, in her right, as freehold for life, in full possession thereof. The arms of Penkivell are, in a field Argent, two chevrons and in chief a lion passant Gules.

King John by virtue of his manor of Tybester (vide CREED) granted the liberty of fishing, or the royalty of the river Val, to one of the Pomeroys, lord of the manor.

To remove an action at law depending in the court-leet of Tregony, the writ of certiorari, or avedas ad curiam, was thus directed, as was also the precept for members of parliament. Seneschallo et Ballivo Henrici Pomeray, Manerii sui de Tregoni Pomeraye, in comitatu Cornubiæ, salutem; again, ad curiam C. W. Arm. de Tregony in comitatu Cornubiæ salutem. Who this C. W. Esq. set down in the Exchequer should be, query? I take it to be Charles or Christopher Wolvedon, of Golden; and this to be that manor set down in the Domesday Tax, by the name of Tregny Medan aforesaid.

At Crego, that is a burrow, bank, or tumulus, in this parish, liveth Charles Trevanion, Esq. barrister at law, that married ―――― Curthorp, of London; his father ..., his grandfather Arundel, originally descended from the Trevanions of Carhayes and Tregathin, who is that great though unfortunate gentleman, who at his own proper cost and charges, and for his own benefit, by virtue of an act of parliament, 19 Charles II. undertook to make the river Val navigable as far as Crowe-hill, in St. Stephen’s; and though his first summer’s work seemed to favour his design, bringing the salt water by two or three sluices above Tregony Bridge, the place of its old flux and reflux, yet by reason of the great and rapid confluence and washes of the Val river, in the winter season, after the foundation of the walls of those sluices being made upon mud or osier ground, where the sea was driven back as aforesaid, were undermined, fell down, and were comparatively driven away. However the good undertaker was not discouraged at this misfortune, but re-edified the same the summer following; and so on for many summers after with greater skill, cost, and charges. But alas! still the lofty current of the river Val, in winter season, was such a malicious and invincible enemy to this noble project, that, as before, it continually undermined the walls of those sluices for about the space of twenty years, so that the very worthy gentlemen aforesaid, in order honestly to defray the charges of this work, hath spent the greatest part of this fine estate, and given over his undertaking as too difficult and unprofitable an enterprize.

At Carreth, in this parish, i. e. rock, grave, or tumulus, dwelleth ―――― Hearle, Gent, doctor or practitioner in physic, son of ―――― Hearle, Rector of St. Hearne, who by the honest practice of his profession, and small fees, hath advanced himself to considerable wealth and reputation in those parts. He married Nance, and hath issue James Hearle, that married Daye, and Glynn; and Hearle, a student in physic, that married the daughter and heir of Edmund Hals, doctor of physic, by Curthop, of London, a younger brother of the Halses, of Efford, in Devon, by whom he had a considerable estate.

The Right Honourable Hugh Boscawen, Esq. Privy Councillor to William III. Lord and High Lord of this town, built a fair house or hospital within the same for poor people, and endowed it with lands of considerable value.

TONKIN.

The Manor of Crogith, which perhaps signifies the wooden cross, has always gone with the same owner as Carhays. The barton is at present the seat, on lease under Mr. Trevanion, of John Croaker, Esq.

As you enter into this parish from the West, you pass over a stone bridge of ―――― arches, at the foot of which, and in the meadows around, stood the old town of Tregony, part of the ruins of which are sometimes visible after great floods; and a little to the north of the bridge are still standing a part of the walls belonging to the church dedicated to St. James Minor, which gives the title of rector to the incumbent at St. Cubye, although he is not obliged to take a distinct presentation. The patron, Prideaux of Devonshire.

THE EDITOR.

Much of uninteresting legend has been omitted from Hals respecting the patron saint, and some fanciful etymologies from him and from Tonkin.

Mr. Whitaker has collected every thing that can be known or conjectured respecting the ancient state, not of Tregony, but of a town or city supposed of great commercial and ecclesiastical importance, which must have stood nearly on the same spot.

Mr. Whitaker describes the ancient castle, and a priory adjacent to it. The whole, including further particulars of the patron saint, is much too long for this parochial history. It may be found in Mr. Whitaker’s work, “The Cathedrals of Cornwall historically surveyed,” 2 vols. 4to, 1804, vol. II. sec. ii.

Bishop Tanner says of Tregony, in his Notitia Monastica, the advowson of the Priory of Tregony, as belonging to the Abbey of De Valle, in Normandy, is mentioned fin. div. com. 52 Hen. III. n. 18. Perhaps, instead of the priory, it should have been only the rectory or church of St. James, in Tregony; which, by means of some exchange, was made over by the abbot and convent of De Valle to the prior and convent of Merton, to whom it was appropriated, and a vicarage endowed by Peter Quiril, Bishop of Exeter.

Dugdale, edit. 1830, vol. VI. p. 1045, repeats from Tanner, and adds in a note, Tanner says: Vide inter munimenta Eccl. Cath. Exon, cartam Abbatis et Conventus de Valle, de resignatione hujus Prioratus. See also MS. Cole, British Museum, vol. XL. p. 59.

Cubye contains 2,186 statute acres. Annual Return of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 £2,402 Tregony 841 3243 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831, the parish £187 15_s._ ―――― the town 466 3 653 18 0 Population, { in 1801,|in 1811, |in 1821, |in 1831, The parish, { 139 | 152 | 140 | 155 The town, { 937 | 923 | 1035 | 1127 ―――― | ―――― | ―――― | ―――― 1076 | 1075 | 1175 | 1282 giving an increase on the whole of 19 per cent. in 30 years. Present Vicar, the Rev. Thomas Vaughan, presented by the Marquis of Cleveland in 1825.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

Cubye extends much further south than the parishes of Cornelly and Creed; but it is composed of similar kinds of rocks, principally abounding in beds of a lamellar micaceous rock, all belonging to the micaceous series.

CURY, OR CURYE.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Kerryer, and hath upon the east St. Martin’s, south Mullion, west Gunwallo, north Maugan in Meneage.

At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester, 1294, into the value of Cornish Benefices, this parish church was not extant or named; but I find, 24th Henry VI. the same was rated to fifteenths by the name of Curytowne 15_s._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition, 1521, it is called Curyton, of the same signification. It goes in presentation and consolidation with Breock, Germow, and Gunwallow. The patronage in the Crown; the rectory in ...; the incumbent Trewinard; and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 108_l._ 12_s._

At the time of Domesday Roll (1087) this district was taxed under the jurisdiction of Buchent, now Bochym, that is to say, the cow, kine, or cattle house or lodge; which place gave name and origin to an old family of gentlemen surnamed de Bochym, tempore Henry VIII. who were lords of this manor and barton, till such time as John Bochym, tempore Edward VI. entered into actual rebellion against that prince, under conduct of Humphry Arundell, Esq. Governor of St. Michael’s Mount, and others, whose force and power being suppressed by John Lord Russell, lieutenant-general of that prince at Exeter (as is elsewhere shown), and those rebels attainted of high treason, their lands were forfeited to the Crown. Whereupon King Edward VI. gave this barton and manor to Reginald Mohun, sheriff of Cornwall 6 Edward VI. who gave this barton of Bochym to one of his daughters, married to Bellot, but settled it upon his great-grandson, William Mohun, Esq. now in possession thereof. Lastly, by this rebellion Bochym lost not only his lands, but his life also. The arms of Bochym were, Argent, on a chief Sable three mullets pierced of the Field.

If those Bellots came not into England with William the Conqueror, they were of the number of those three thousand French gentlemen that came out of France into this land with Isabel, wife of King Edward II. who all settled themselves in this kingdom, as our chronicles and Verstegan testify. Since they came to Bochym they married with Mohun, Monk, Pendarves; and the present possessor, Renatus Bellot, esq. one of her majesty’s commissioners for the peace, married the inheritrix of Spour of Trebatha, who is dead without issue. The arms of Bellot are, in a field Argent, on a chief Gules three cinquefoils of the Field.

Since the writing of the above, this estate of Bellot’s is all spent by riot and excess, and, as I take it, the name extinct in those parts; and this barton sold to Robinson.

Bonython is in this parish; from whence was denominated an ancient family of gentlemen surnamed de Bonithon, who for many descents flourished here in good reputation till the reign of Queen Anne; at which time Charles Bonython, Esq. serjeant-at-law, sold this barton to one Carpenter, now in possession thereof. The arms of Bonithon were, Argent, a chevron between three fleur-de-lis Sable.

TONKIN.

Charles Bonython, of Bonython, in this parish, was a serjeant-at-law, and steward of Westminster, which city he also represented in parliament. He married Mary, the daughter of ―――― Livesay, Esq. of Livesay, in Lincolnshire. His father, John Bonython, married Ann, a daughter of Hugh Trevanion, of Trelegon, Esq. His grandfather, Thomas Bonython, married Frances, the daughter of Sir John Parker, of London.

From this place also were descended the Bonythons of Carclew, in Milor.

This Charles Bonython, however, in a fit of madness shot himself in his own house in London, leaving two sons, Richard and John, and a daughter, married to Thomas Pearse, of Helatin. Richard Bonython, the eldest son, a very ingenious gentleman, was called to the Bar; but being tainted likewise with his father’s distemper, first sold portions of his estate in parcels, and at last this barton, which had been so long in his family, to Humphry Carpenter, jun.; and then, to complete the tragedy, for he was never easy in his mind after this sale, first of all he set fire to his chambers in Lincoln’s-inn, burnt all his papers, bonds, &c. and then stabbed himself with his sword, but not effectually; but he then threw himself out of the window, and died on the spot.

John Bonython, the second son, was bred in King’s college, Cambridge, and is now an eminent physician in Bristol.

Roskymer Bonython, of this place, was Sheriff of Cornwall in the 17th James I. A.D. 1619.

Bochym. In 1703 this barton belonged to Renatus Bellot, Esq. who then represented the borough of Michell in parliament. He married the inheritrix of Spoure of Trebartha. He died of a fever in 1709, leaving an only son of the same name, who died soon after his father, when the estate was sold for the payment of debts to George Robinson, Esq. who has made it his seat.

In this parish is the manor of Skewys, supposed to be so called from skeu, a shadow. It was formerly the seat of a family of the same name, of which John Skewys was sheriff of the county in the 12th year of Henry VIII.

THE EDITOR.

Several supposed etymologies have been omitted from Mr. Hals and from Mr. Tonkin, as being evidently unfounded. Bonython appears to be derived from the well-known word for an house, and possibly ethon, furze.

This parish contains 2,673 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 2529 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 221 9 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 304 | 347 | 505 | 525 giving an increase of 73 per cent. in 30 years. Parish Feast on the nearest Sunday to November the second, or to all Souls Day.

THE GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The most southern portion of Cury forms a part of Goonhilly Downs, which rest on a dark and rather hard serpentine, spangled with small scales of diallage, and having asbestos, indurated talc, and other magnesian minerals, lining the joints, by which this rock may be easily split. The remainder of the parish is composed of compact and schistose hornblend rocks, of the calcareous series, which are best exposed on the shores of Gunwalloe.

DAVIDSTOWE.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Lesnewith, and hath upon the north Lesnewith, west Lanteglos, south Altar Nunn, east Treneglos. Its present name David refers to the tutelar guardian or patron of this church, David, Bishop of Menevia in Wales. At the time of the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester into the value of Cornish benefices, 1294, Ecclesia de Sancto David in Decanatu de Major Trigshire was rated vii_l._ v_s._ Vicar ibidem xv_s._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition and Valor Beneficiorum 8_l._ The patronage in the Crown, the incumbent Pennington; the rectory in possession of ――――, and the parish rated to the four shillings in the pound Land Tax 1696, 163_l._ 10_s._

_The History of St David._ He was a Welsh Briton by birth, but of what place in Wales I know not, about the year 840; bred up in the Christian religion; afterwards became learned in all the liberal arts and sciences; was ordained priest, and by reason of his regular living and sanctity of life, was constituted Presul or Bishop of Menevia, and held the Christian faith in great purity, opposite to the doctrines of Arius and Pelagius.

Near this church is situate the barton of Davidstowe, formerly the lands of ―――― Pearse, Gent. whose daughter and heir carried it, together with herself, in marriage, to John Nicholls, Esq. whose son married Erisey, his grandson a daughter of Sir Joseph Tredinham, Knight, as his father did Pearse.

Since which time the heir general of this family of Nicholls is married to ―――― Glynn, of Glynn, Esq.

TONKIN.

That this parish was called Davidstow from St. David, the titular saint of the Welsh, I make no question; for I have never heard that the holy King David was ever enlisted for the patron of a Christian church. I shall say no more of St. David, than that he was uncle to King Arthur, and therefore it is not wonderful that this church should be dedicated to him; and that after he had attained the age of a hundred and forty-six years he died at his bishopric of Menevia, in Wales, since called from him St. David’s, A.D. 642.

EDITOR.

St. David appears to have been a very extraordinary person, in reference to the period in which he lived. Giraldus Cambrensis, in his Itinerarium Cambriæ, published with annotations by David Powell, at London, 1585, 8vo. and by Sir Richard Hoare, in 2 vols. 4to. 1806, gives many particulars of St. David, his predecessor in the bishopric; and the praises bestowed by Giraldus on a founder of monasteries may be esteemed deserving of credit, as he was a professed and violent enemy to the monastic orders. He is even said to have added to the Litany, “A monachorum malitia libera nos, Domine,” in an age when their power and influence were esteemed irresistible.

St. David is said to have been the son of Xantus, Prince of Caretica, since named Cardiganshire. He was made a priest early in life, and then participating in the opinion universally prevalent, that the Deity would alone be propitiated by men rendering themselves useless to their fellow-creatures, by assuming almost the feelings and habits of brute beasts, and by adding, so far as they were able, to the misery and wretchedness of the human race, he betook himself to an ascetic life in the Isle of Wight, under the guidance of one Paulinus. But having at length acquired a sufficient stock of reputed sanctity by these efficacious means, he emerged like others from the desert, added to the establishments at Glastonbury, or as some say refounded the great work of St. Joseph of Arimathea, and then created twelve monasteries in Wales.

But St. David owes the largest share of his popularity to the active part which he took in the controversy at that time dividing the Western church; one party maintaining that it had pleased Almighty God to bestow at once on his creatures, and from their births, the inclination and capability of serving him; the other, that these gifts were reserved for some future period, or dealt out from time to time, and bit by bit. The latter opinion having been voted to be the orthodox faith, was zealously supported by St. David against the former, known as the Pelagian heresy.

He certainly lived to a very advanced age, and was buried in the cathedral at Menevia; from whence, we have the testimony of St. Kentigern that his soul was visibly carried by angels into heaven. It is more certain that about the year 962 his relics were transported to Glastonbury, as this transaction is circumstantially related by John of Glastonbury, in his history of that splendid abbey, published by Hearne.

St. David affords a remarkable instance, not merely of the fact that events are wrested to suit the taste or the prejudices of aftertimes, but of their being utterly inverted and transformed.

When Eastern fictions became blended with the chivalry of Europe, this anchorite, polemic divine, and apostle of his native country, appeared as a military hero, expelling the Saxons from Wales, at the head of an army in which each individual was distinguished from their Pagan adversaries by affixing to his helmet the plant which has since been ever venerated by the Welch. And finally, Mr. Richard Johnson, a canon of Exeter, having adopted the mystical number seven for the Champions of Christendom, and bestowed the undue proportion of four out of seven on these Islands, makes St. David, the champion of Wales, perform all the ordinary achievements of knight errantry, and adding, as was highly proper, a spirit of gallantry to that of valour, presents him as a lover eloping from Jerusalem with an Hebrew princess, who on her part had previously, by entreaties to her father, preserved the hero’s life.

The great tithes of this parish belonged to the priory of Trewardruth, the vicarage to the duchy.

This parish contains 5734 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 3393 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 235 5 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 217 | 262 | 363 | 389 giving an increase of nearly 80 per cent. in 30 years.

THE GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

This parish extends southward from the church to the foot of the granite hills near Roughtor. The northern part consists of the same rocks as St. Cleather. On the common near the church numerous large blocks and boulders of rock occur, composed of crystalline hornblend, in a basis of compact felspar. It resembles the rock already noticed on the side of the hills descending to Pollaphant, in the parish of Alternun.

ST. DENIS.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Powdre, and hath upon the north, St Columb; east, Roach; south, St. Stephen’s, in Brannell; west, St. Enedor. As for the name, it is derived from the tutelar guardian and patron of this Church, St. Denis or Dionysius the Areopagite, President of Athens, in Greece, whose name Dionisius in Latin, hath a Greek original, viz. from διονυσος Dionusos, Bucchus, Vini Inventor; quod excitet mentem.

This place I take to be that Landines, or Landineri, taxed in Domesday Roll 20 William I. 1087, that is to say, Denis’s church, temple, or chapel; though, indeed, I meet not with the name thereof in any other authentic record till Wolsey’s Inquisition into the value of benefices in Cornwall 1521; at which time it was wholly appropriated, or impropriated, together with St. Stephen’s, to the Rector of Carhayes, and consolidated into it; and this parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 62_l._ 4_s._ The patronage in (Tanner[39]) Pitt. The incumbent (Tanner[39]) Sutton.

St. Denis was born in the city of Athens in Greece at the time of Tiberius’s reign over the empire; a place renowned for wisdom, learning, arts and sciences. He was descended of a rich and honourable family, morally just, courteous, and loving to strangers. From his youth he was bred up and addicted to learning, and became so eminent therein, that he had a chief place amongst the magistrates and rulers of the academy and city of Athens. He was most elegant in the Attic tongue, as being the dialect of his native country, and consequently a good rhetorician. But that which made him more eminent was his skill in the doctrine of the Stoics, Epicureans, and other philosophers.

Mr. Hals continues through several pages the history of St. Denis, but as the facts want altogether the support of historical authority, and do not include the most interesting of all, that of his walking from Montmartre, where the sentence of decapitation was executed, to the place since denominated from him, with his head under his arm, I shall omit the whole; as also an account of blood having fallen in this remote and sequestered churchyard, as the best and most authentic mode of apprising the whole nation that their fleet would be defeated by the Dutch, and that a plague would break out in London; notwithstanding that some of the stones, having blood upon them, were seen by the author himself.

TONKIN.

Mr. Tonkin has not a single observation different from Hals on this parish.

THE EDITOR.

The church of St. Denis is placed on the top of a hill, without any appearance of habitations, and very little of cultivation; and the flat country round it is destroyed in the most efficacious manner, having been turned over and over again down to the solid rock, in what is termed streaming for tin.

The only village of any size in the parish is called Hendra. The late Mr. Thomas Rawlings, of Padstow, had some property in the parish, but much the greater part belongs to Lord Falmouth.

This parish, united in the same presentation with St. Michael Carhayes and St. Stephen in Branwell, may claim a share in the honour of Robert Dunkin, who was ejected in the interregnum and restored with the monarchy, and who has acquired celebrity by entering the field as a controversialist with the great John Milton.

This parish contains 2789 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 1524 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 318 1 0 Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 318 | 478 | 592 | 721 giving an increase of 126 per cent. in 30 years.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The southern part, situated on granite, amounts to more than half the parish. Near Restowrick the granite is large-grained and crystalline, like that of the range of Roughtor and Brown Willy; but it is associated with porcelainous granite, similar to that of Breage and of St. Stephen’s (which will be noticed under the latter parish), and also with shorl and shorl rocks, as in Roach where the rocks are better displayed.

[39] Erased, and the other names substituted.

ST. DOMINICK.

HALS.

Is situate in the hundred of Eastwellshire, and hath upon the north, Calstock; east, the Tamar river; south, part of Landulph; west, St. Mellen. For the modern name of this parish and church, it is derived from St. Dominick the monk of Spain, presidual saint and tutelar guardian of this church, who instituted that religious order of men called Ordo Prædicatorum, or the Order of Preaching Monks or Friars, (who taught the Gospel without hire or reward, except what was given them of charity or alms, as the Franciscans did); he flourished anno Dom. 1215. At the time of Domesday Roll 20 William I. 1087, this district was taxed under the name of Halton. In the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester 1294, Ecclesia Sancti Dominici, in Decanatu de Estwellshire, was rated to first fruits or annats iii_l._ vi_s._ viii_d._ In Wolsey’s Inquisition 1521, it was valued at 23_l._ 11_s._ The patronage in Clarke, the incumbent Clarke, and the parish rated to the 4_s._ per pound Land Tax, 1696, 164_l._ 8_s._

History of St. Dominick, abridged from Hals:

He was born at Calarvega in Spain, about the year 1167. His father was Don Felix de Gusman, his mother Donna Giovanna Deza, both well descended and faithful servants of God. Dominick early distinguished himself by his great ability, diligence, and proficiency in learning. He first studied at the University of Placentia, and from thence he was removed to Salamanca by Frederick the Second, King of Castille. He here obtained a reputation so far above all the other students as to induce Don Diego, Bishop of Osuna, to select him as the most proper person to become a canon in his church. Dominick was soon after appointed by Don Alonzo, King of Castile, to accompany his ambassador to the Court of France. On this journey the saint first encountered some of the Albigenses, and to the extinction of their heresy he chiefly devoted the remainder of his life, by instituting his celebrated order of Dominican Preaching Friars A.D. 1215, in imitation of the Franciscans, established about six years before. St. Dominick did not, however, implicitly rely on his own exertions, or on those of his order, suited as it was to the ignorance and abject slavery of those times; but called loudly to their aid the secular arm, and established the Inquisition, so that after thousands had been converted from their heresy, and tens of thousands massacred, the conquerors enjoyed in the possession of their plundered property the additional conscious satisfaction of having freed the church from heretics so audacious as to deny that wheaten[40] flour was entirely changed into the body of Christ.

Dominick departed this life in the odour of sanctity on the 6th of August 1221, having completed his fifty-first year. Having performed various miracles, and even raised people from the dead, he was canonised by Gregory IX. in 1234. Before the close of his short life, a great number of houses were founded throughout Europe for his disciples, and, faithful to the original object of the new order, he bequeathed to their charge the Tribunal of the Inquisition.

The Dominicans and Franciscans for a long time supported the power of Rome, according to the dream of Pope Innocent III. in which he saw the Lateran Church in danger of falling down, and St. Dominick sustaining its weight. But finally, the sale of indulgences, through the medium of this order, excited the resentment or the envy of others, and Friar Martin Luther, assisted by the growing genius of the age, crumbled to pieces a spiritual authority, of which it was fondly believed that destiny had said with more truth than of its temporal predecessor,

His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono; Imperium sine fine dedi.

Hall-ton, in this parish, id est, either a town notable for a hall, or a moor-town; wherefore, the natural or artificial circumstance of the place must be considered to determine which. By this name the now parish of St. Dominick, as aforesaid, was taxed in the Domesday Roll 20 William I. 1087, which place gave name and original to an old family of gentlemen, surnamed De Halton, who flourished here in gentle degree from the Norman Conquest to the ninth year of Edward the Second, at which time Joan, the only daughter and heir of Richard de Halton, Lord also of the Manor of Hardfast, in this county, was married to Robert Wendyn, of Compton Gifford, in Devon, who had issue by Joan de Halton, one only daughter, that became his heir, married to John Whiteleigh, of Efford, in Devon, father of Richard Whiteleigh, Sheriff of Devon 9 Richard II. grandfather of Richard Whiteleigh, Esq. Sheriff of Devon 6 Henry VII. whose two daughters and heirs were married to Roger Grenvill, of Stowe, and Richard Hals, of Kenedon, from whom the writer of this book is lineally descended. Of this family was John de Halton, Bishop of Carlisle, who died 1318.

The 19th of Elizabeth, Anthony Rous, Esq. then Sheriff of Cornwall, was possessed of this place; as was also his son Anthony Rous, Esq. Sheriff of Cornwall 44th Elizabeth. But ―――― Rous, Esq. the last possessor of this barton, dying without issue, as I take it, passed these lands to his widow for payment of debts, who afterwards married ―――― Cossens, and then sold it to her brother Henry Clerk, gent, that married ―――― Sescomb, of St. Kevorne, now in possession thereof. Mr. Clerk’s father came into those parts as steward to the Lady Drummond.

Rous’s arms are, Or, an eagle displayed Azure, pruning her wings, langued Gules.

TONKIN.

Crockaddon in this parish is the mansion house of James Trevisa, Esq. descended from John Trevisa, born in this place, as I am informed, and bred at Oxford. He became a secular priest and chaplain to James Lord Berkeley, by whom he was made vicar of Berkeley in Gloucestershire, and at his request he translated the Bible into English, although the same had been done by John Wickliff fifty years before, but not with that perfection of language that Trevisa did it, although Trevisa’s translation fell as far short of Tindall’s in Henry the Eighth’s days; by reason the English language was still improving to a higher pitch, for they all agreed in the original sense and meaning of the text. Trevisa also translated Bartholomew de Proprietatibus Rerum, the Polychronicon of Ralph Higden, and divers other Treatises. He died a very aged man, about 1410, since which time the descendants of his family have flourished in good fame in those parts.

Their arms are, Gules, a garb Or.

Pentilly is the mansion of Sir James Tilly, Knt. formerly steward to Sir John Corington, who married first, a daughter of Sir Henry Vane, and was afterwards knighted by King James the Second. After this, having assumed the arms of Count Tilly, of Germany, together with his supporters, he had them taken from him, and was fined by the kings at arms several hundreds for his presumption. This occurrence gave rise to an unfounded story of his having been degraded from his knighthood, for that he was not a gentleman either of blood, arms, or descent; but it is clear that a knight need not be a gentleman of blood, witness the number at present that are not so. To his second wife he married the widow of Sir John Corington, his former master; she was one of the daughters of Sir Richard Chiverton, of London; but he did not leave any remaining issue by either of his wives. This Pentilly is a new name given by himself to this his seat, from its situation on the side of a steep hill, having a pleasant prospect of the river Tamar, and of the country round about. He has adorned it with fine new buildings, composed of several towers with gilded balls, and several walks of lime-trees on the side of the hill. All which together at a distance made a pretty show, Sir James Tilly dying without issue, left his estate and his house to his sister’s son, James Tilly Woolley, who, by the name of James Tilly, Esq. is now, 1734, sheriff of Cornwall.

The manor of Halton, the town in the moor. In Domesday Book it is called Haltone; and it was one of the manors given by William the Conqueror to his brother Robert Earl of Morton, when he created him Earl of Cornwall.

I believe this parish does not derive its name from St. Dominic de Gusman, the first author of that barbarous tribunal the Inquisition, the name being anterior to him; but that it has a female patroness, Sancta Dominica, for in the Taxatio Beneficiarum, A.D. 1291, it is called Ecclesia Sanctæ Dominicæ, and valued at 3_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._

THE EDITOR.

I believe that St. Dominica must be sought for in the same Canon with St. Veronica and St. Kurie Eleeeson.

Mr. Lysons says that Francis Rous, distinguished as a member of both houses during the Protectorate, was born at Halton about the year 1579. He was made provost of Eton College, and died at Acton, in Middlesex, in January 1659. The property now belongs to Mrs. Bluett, daughter and heiress of Mr. John Clerk, in whose family were this manor, and the advowson of the living.

Mr. Lysons further states that Charles Fitz-Geoffry, rector of this parish, where he died in 1637, published the Life of Sir Francis Drake, written in lofty verse and when he was only Bachelor of Arts, a Collection of Latin Verses, &c.

Sir James Tillie appears to have been at the least an eccentric man, from the fanciful directions which he gave respecting his funeral. He was succeeded, as has been stated, by his nephew, James Woolley, who took his name; and the only daughter of this gentleman’s grandson married the late Mr. John Coryton, of Crockadon, descended by a female line from the Corytons of Newton. Mr. Coryton was Sheriff of Cornwall in 1782. His son, Mr. John Tillie Coryton, has built a splendid Gothic mansion on Pentillie, and made it one of the finest seats in Cornwall.

Both Mr. Hals and Mr. Tonkin have reference to Crockadon and Pentillie in the parish of St. Dominick, whereas Pentillie is in Pillaton, and Crockadon in St. Mellion.

The parish of St. Dominick measures 2,778 statute acres. Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._ returned to Parliament in 1815 4149 0 0 Poor Rate in 1831 595 4 0 Population, {in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831, { 538 | 534 | 690 | 726 giving an increase of 35 per cent, in 30 years. Present Rector, the Rev. E, J. Clarke, presented by Edward Bluet, Esq. in 1803.

THE GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

The geology of this parish is the same as the southern part of Calstock and the eastern part of Callington.

[40] The bread about to be transmuted by consecration into actual flesh must be made, at least as to the larger part, of flour from wheat, or the conversion will not take place. See the Summa totius Theologiæ, by St. Thomas of Aquine,