Truro is situate in the hundred of Powder, and hath upon the north
Kenwen, east Clement’s, south an arm of Falmouth Harbour, where twice
a day, upon spring tides, the sea makes its navigable flux and reflux
to the walls, keys, and streets thereof.
In the Domesday Book 1087, this place was taxed under the appellations
of Trewret and Treured, which shews that it then consisted of two
privileged manors or jurisdictions, viz. the borough of Trewret and
the manor of Treured, now known, and still distinguished, by the
names of the borough and manor of Truro, under the like circumstances.
In the Inquisition of the Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester 1294, into
the value of Cornish Benefices, Ecclesia de Trewroe, in decanatu de
Powdre, was rated liii_s._ iv_d._
By the Charter of its incorporation from King John, the town was
incorporated by the name of Burgus de Trewrow.
In Wolsey’s Inquisition 1521, this church’s revenues were valued at
£16. The patronage formerly in Bodrigan or Trenowith, now Edgecumb.
The incumbent Pagett; and the borough of Truro was rated to four
shillings per pound Land Tax for one year, 1696, £186. 7_s._ That here
was a Christian free chapel before the Norman Conquest I doubt not,
implied in the word Trewrow, now a Rectory Church; in the glass
windows of which, the north side thereof, is yet extant the arms of
John Earl of Cornwall, who succeeded to the Crown of England 1199, and
was made Earl of Cornwall by his father King Henry II. at nine years
old (though he had not the possession thereof till the time of Richard
I. 1190, which was but a hundred and twenty-four years after the
Norman Conquest, and but one hundred and three years after the
Conqueror’s death); which arms were: in a field Ruby, three leopards
in pale passant gardant Tophaz, over all a bend Sapphire, which
leopards are now called, and metamorphosed in the blazon of the Kings
of England’s arms to lions, as it is testified by Nicholas Upton, who
wrote his Book of Heraldry 1440, whose words be these: “Monsieur
Johanes Roy d’Angleter, port de Gowles, ove trois lyopers d’Or.”
There is likewise extant in the same windows, the Prince of Wales and
Duke of Cornwall’s badge, in a field ―――― three ostrich feathers with
this motto or inscription, Ich Dien, or Ich Thyen, Saxon, I serve,
which coronet was won by Edward the Black Prince, the first Duke of
Cornwall, from John of Luxemberge, King of Bohemia, at the battle
of Cressy, 1346, and ever since worn by him and his successors, Dukes
of Cornwall and Princes of Wales; which arms we may conclude was
erected in this glass window soon after that victory, he being High
Lord of this borough, which is held of his contiguous Duchy Manor of
Moris, together with the Coinage Hall, which King John built and gave
it; as also the royalty over the whole Harbour of Falmouth as far as
Carike Road and the Black Rock Island (see Falmouth) in consideration
of twelve pence rent and suits to that Manor Court, which privileges
and royalty this town enjoyed till the time of King James II. and
executed their water processes all over the said harbour for debt and
damage; but then, upon the petition of Sir Peter Killigrew, Bart. it
was given by him as an augmentation of profit to Mr. Quaram, Rector of
Falmouth, and his successors for ever, but under what rent I know not.
The church was built at the proper cost and charge of the inhabitants,
and other pious benefactors, with free-stone, in that costly and
curious manner as it now stands, in the reigns of Henry VII. and Henry
VIII. as appears from an inscription in the glass windows thereof,
under the name and arms of Margaret Tregian, one of those benefactors
1514; wherein also are yet extant the arms of the Arundells, Bevills,
Trenowths, Carmenows, Edgecombs, and other benefactors; however, this
church hath no tower or steple of bells as other churches.
And moreover, as when it was a free chapel, the minister subsisted on
the oblations and obventions of the altar, so now, comparatively, upon
the piety and charity of his hearers by voluntary subscriptions; from
whence it may be presumed the rector must demean himself well, and
labour hard in his vocation, to get a competent maintenance, at least
he must walk with such upright and wary conduct as he that went
barefoot upon the edge of a sharp knife and did not hurt his feet;
since he must converse with, and have to do with, men of divers
principles and opinions in religion in this place, viz. Anabaptists,
Presbyterians, and Quakers, as of old his predecessors had with monks,
Dominican and Franciscan friars, who were sharers or peelers of his
profits by their predicaments. I shall not enter into the controversy
whether the Gospel were better preached before churches were endowed
with revenues, or since, the one being a motive to pride, sloth, and
laziness; as the other is an inducement to humility, temperance, and
virtue.
In this church stands a curious monument erected to the memory of John
Robartes, esq. that married Gaurigan (ancestor of the Right Honourable
Charles Bodville, Earl of Radnor) though much defaced in the
interregnum of Cromwell; whose ancestor John Robarts, Mayor of Truro,
that lies entombed thereby, mightily enriched himself in this town by
trade and manufactures.
There is also near the same another funeral monument, erected to the
memory of three brothers of the Mitchells, tempore James I. viz.
Thomas, John, and James, as I remember, who, as the inscription saith,
had all one God, one womb, and one tomb.
On the west side of this town was of old a Dominican Chapel and
Friary; part of their house and consecrated well yet standing; their
revenues dispersed into several hands since the dissolution of their
house 26 Henry VIII. and now in possession of ――――.
In the centre of this town was a nunnery of Clares closed up, who had
considerable revenues, now in possession of Sir John Seyntaubyn and
others; their consecrated walled well at Edles in Kenwen, and their
house called Anhell, i. e. the hall or tabernacle, was fairly built of
free-stone, though lately pulled down, and converted to shops and
dwelling houses.
The town of Truro was made a coinage town by King John as aforesaid,
and had all its privileges confirmed by a charter from Queen
Elizabeth, by the name of the Mayor and Capital Burgesses; and
consists of a Mayor, Recorder, and twenty-four Capital Burgesses.
The members of Parliament are elected by the majority of inhabitants
of the said Corporation; the arms of which are, a ship man-of-war in
full course, with sails spread, on the seas, wherein are fishes
swimming.
The precept on the Parliament writ from the Sheriff, and a writ for
removing an action at law depending in this court leet, must be thus
directed:
“Majori et Burgensibus Burgi sui de Trewrow in comitatu Cornubiæ,
salutem.” als. “Manerium de Trewrow, viz. Senescallo et Ballivor.
Manerij sui de Trewrow in Comitatu Cornubiæ, salutem.”
This place is more notable as being the birthplace and honorary title
of John Lord Robarts, Baron Robarts of Truro (see Lanhydeiock). It is
also privileged with fairs annually, on the 19th of November, the 8th
of December, Wednesday after Midlent Sunday, and on Whitsun Monday or
Tuesday, and markets weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays; wherein all
commodities necessary for the life of man are vended in great plenty
at a moderate rate, viz. fresh fish, oysters, lobsters, and crabs of
all sorts, corn, fruits.
The salary of the collector of the Custom House here is yearly £40,
two tidemen and a waiter £80 per annum.
The chief inhabitants of this town are John Manly, esq. barrister-at-law;
Mr. Gregor, Dr. Maye, Dr. Cloake, Graduates in Physic; Mr. Hawes, Mr.
Hickman, Mr. Granvill Hals, Mr. Hickes, Mr. Herle, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Mayow, Mr. Williams, Mr. Foxworthy, Mr. Grebhle, Mr. Pawley, Mr.
Michell, and others.
Mr. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall 1602, tells us this town of
Truro, for wealth and riches, exceeded any other town in Cornwall, and
for buildings all other except Lanceston; I think it still under the
same circumstances.
In this town at some time lived Captain William Upcott that married ――――
Bruce of Scotland, daughter of Edward Bruce, esq. of Edinburgh; after
her death, Anne, daughter of Adam Bennet, of this town, gent. son
of John Bennet, of Penton in Devon, gent. a man of approved valour and
conduct in the war, who in all the unhappy Civil Wars between King
Charles I. and his Parliament, was bred up in the school of Mars from
his youth, first an Ensign, then a Lieutenant, lastly made a Commander
of a foot company under the Earl of Essex and Sir Thomas Fairfax’s
armies for the Parliament; afterwards he was made Coronet of General
Monk’s Horse Troop or Brigade, who specially favoured him, and in that
capacity accompanied him throughout all the fatigues of the English,
Scots, and Irish wars, managed by him and Cromwell against Kings
Charles I. and II.; and when Monk came out of Scotland and returned
into England with his army, and restored King Charles II. to his
throne.