same is melted with Char-coale fire, blowne by a great paire of
Bellowes, mooved with a water-wheele, and so cast into peeces of a
long and thicke squarenesse, from three hundred to foure hundred pound
waight, at which time the owners marke is set thereupon. The last
remooue, is to the place of Coynage, which I shall touch hereafter.
I haue alreadie told you, how great charge the Tynner vndergoeth,
before he can bring his Owre to this last mill: whereto if you adde
his care and cost, in buying the wood for this seruice, in felling,
framing, and piling it to bee burned, in fetching the same, when it is
coaled through such farre, foule, and cumbersome wayes, to the
blowing house, together with the blowers two or three Moneths extreame
and increasing labour, sweltring heate, danger of skalding their
bodies, burning the houses, casting away the worke, and lastly their
ugly countenances, tanned with smoake and besmeared with sweate: all
these things (I say) being duly considered, I know not whether you
would more maruaile, either whence a sufficient gaine should arise to
counteruaile so manifold expences, or that any gaine could traine men
to vndertake such paines and perill. But there let vs leaue them,
since their owne will doth bring them thither. During the Tinnes thus
melting in the blowing house, diuers light sparkles thereof are by the
forcible wind, which the bellows sendeth forth, driuen vp to the
thatched roofe. For which cause the owners doe once in seuen or eight
yeeres, burne those houses, and find so much of this light Tynne in
the ashes, as payeth for the new building, with a gainefull ouerplus.
A strange practise (certes) for thrifts sake, to set our house on fire.
Others doe frame the Tunnels of the Chimnies verie large and slope,
therein to harbour these sparkles, and so saue the burning. This
casualtie may bee worth the owner some ten pound by the yeere, or
better, if his Mil haue store of sutors. But sithence I gathered
stickes to the building of this poore nest, Sir Francis Godolphin,
(whose kind helpe hath much aduanced this my playing labour)
entertained a Duch mynerall man, and taking light from his experience,
but building thereon farre more profitable conclusions of his owne
inuention, hath practised a more sauing way in these matters, and
besides, made Tynne with good profit, of that refuse which the Tynners
reiected as nothing worth.
We will now proceede, to take a view of the orders and customes most
generally vsed among the Tynners.
Their workes, both Streame and Load, lie either in seuerall, or in
wastrell, that is, in enclosed grounds, or in commons. In Seuerall,
no man can search for Tynne, without leaue first obtained from the
Lord of the soile; who, when any Myne is found, may worke it wholly
himselfe, or associate partners, or set it out at a farme certaine,
or leaue it vn wrought at his pleasure. In Wastrell, it is lawfull for
any man to make triall of his fortune that way, prouided, that hee
acknowledge the Lordes right, by sharing out vnto him a certaine
part, which they call toll: a custome fauouring more of [14]
indifferencie, then the Tynners constitutions in Deuon, which inable
them to digge for Tynne in any mans ground, inclosed, or vnclosed,
without licence, tribute or satisfaction. Wherethrough it appeareth,
that the Law-makers rather respected their owne benefit, then equitie,
the true touch of all lawes. The Wastrel workes are reckoned amongst
chattels, and may passe by word or Will. When a Myne is found in any
such place, the first discouerer aymeth how farre it is likely to
extend, and then, at the foure corners of his limited proportion,
diggeth vp three Turfes, and the like (if he list) on the sides, which
they terme Bounding, and within that compasse, euery other man is
restrained from searching. These bounds he is bound to renew once
euerie yeere, as also in most places to bestow some time in working
the Myne, otherwise hee loseth this priuiledge. The worke thus found
and bounded, looke how many men doe labour therein, so many Doales or
shares they make thereof, and proportionably diuide the gaine and
charges. The Lord of the soyle is most-where allowed libertie to
place one workman in euerie fifteene for himself, at like hand with
the aduenturers, if hee be so disposed.
They measure their blacke Tynne, by the Gill, the Toplisse, the Dish
and the Foote, which containeth a pint, a pottel, a gallon, and
towards two gallons.
Townes specially priuiledged for the Coynages, are Helston, Truro,
Lostwithiel, and Liskerd. The times of Coynage come twise in the yeere,
Viz. about Midsummer and Michaelmas: but because it falleth out verie
often that the Tynne which is wrought, cannot be blowen and brought
thither, against the limited dayes, there are, in fauour of the
Tynners, certaine later times assigned, which they terme Post-coynages.
The officers deputed, to manage this Coynage, are, Porters, to beare
the Tynne, Peizers to weigh it, a Steward, Comptroller, and Receiuer
to keepe the accompt, euerie of which haue entertainement from her
Maiestie, and receiue a fee out of the coyned Tynne.
For the maner of Coynage: the Blockes or peeces of Tynne, are brought
into a great roome ordained for that purpose, and there first peized,
then tasted, that is, proued whether they be soft Tynne or hard, and
after, marked with their Maiesties stampe. To the hard (lesse worth by
fiftie shillings in the thousand than the soft) the letter H. is added,
e're it come from the blowing-house. Each thousand must answere
fortie shillings to the Queene, which with the other incident fees
being satisfied, then, and not before, it is lawfull for the owner
to alienate and distract the same.
But about the price there groweth much adoe, betweene the Marchants
and the owners, before they can iumpe to an agreement. The Marchant
vnfoldeth his packe of strange newes, which either he brought with
him from London (where most of them dwell) or forged by the way,
telling what great likelyhood there is of warres, what danger of
Pirates at Sea, how much of the fore-bought Tynne lieth on their
hands, &c. The owner, on,the other side, stoppeth his eares against
these charmes, answeres his newes with the Spaniards, Credo en Dios,
encounters his reasons, with the present scarcitie and charges of
getting and working Tynne, and so keeping vp the price, Iniquum petit,
ut aequum ferat. In the end, after much bidding, and louing, varying,
and [15] delaying, commonly that Marchant who hath most money to
bestow, and that owner who hath most Tynne to sell, doe make the
price, at which rate the Marchant is bound to yeeld present payment
for so much Tynne as shall be brought him, and, of necessitie, must
bargaine for tenne thousand at the least. Others notwithstanding are
not bound to buy or sell at this price, but euerie man left at
libertie, to make his best market.
The Tynne so sold, hath vsually amounted heretofore to the worth of
thirtie or fortie thousand pound in money, and carried price betweene
twentie and thirtie pound the thousand, sometimes higher, and sometimes
lower, according to the quicke vent and aboundance, or the dead sale
and scarcitie; wherein yet some haue obserued, that this so profitable,
and vendible a marchandize, riseth not to a proportionable
enhauncement, with other lesse beneficiall, and affected commodities,
and they impute it partly to the Easterne buyers packing, partly to
the owners not venting, and venturing the same.
Here I must either craue or take leaue of the Londoners, to lay open
the hard dealing of their Tynne Marchants in this trade. When any
Western Gent, or person of accompt, wanteth money to defray his
expences at London, he resorteth to one of the Tynne Marchants of
his acquaintance, to borrow some: but they shall as soone wrest the
Clubbe out of Hercules fist, as one penie out of their fingers,
vnlesse they giue bond for euerie twentie pound so taken in lone, to
deliuer a thousand pound waight of Tyn at the next Coynage, which
shal be within two or three months, or at farthest within half a yeere
after. At which time the price of euerie thousand, will not faile to
be at least twentie three, prehaps twentie five pound: yea, and after
promise made, the party must be driuen (with some indignitie) to make
three or foure errands to his house, ere hee shall get the money
deliuered. In this sort, some one Marchant will haue 5. hundred pound
out beforehand, reaping thereby a double commoditie, both of excessiue
gaine for his lone, and of assurance to be serued with Tyn for his
money. This they say is no Vsurie, forsooth, because the price of
Tynne is not certainely knowne beforehand: (for once onely within
these twelue yeeres, of set purpose to escape the penaltie of the Law,
they brought it a little vnder twentie pound the thousand:) but if to
take aboue fiftie in the hundred be extremitie, whatsoeuer name you
list to giue it, this in truth can bee none other, then cutthroate and
abominable dealing. I will not condemne all such as vse this trade,
neither yet acquite those who make greatest pretence of zeale in
Religion: and it may be, that some vpon by-respects, find somwhat
friendly vsage in Vsance, at some of their hands: but the common voice
saith, that for the most part, they are naught all.
And yet how bad soeuer this fashion may justly bee accompted, certaine
of the same Countrymen do passe farre beyond it, as thus: The Marchant,
that hee may stand assured to haue Tynne for his money, at the time
of Coynage or deliuerance, besides his trade of lone abouementioned,
layeth out diuers summes beforehand, vnto certaine Cornishmen, owners
of Tynworkes, or otherwise of knowne sufficiencie, who are bound to
deliuer for the same, so many thousands of Tynne, as [16] the money
shal amount vnto, after the price agreed vpon at the Coinages. To
these hungrie flies, the poore labouring Tynner resorteth, desiring
some money before the time of his pay at the deliuerance: the other
puts him off at first, answering he hath none to spare: in the end,
when the poore man is driuen through necessitie to renew his suite, he
fals to questioning, what hee will do with the money. Saith the
Tynner, I will buy bread and meate for my selfe and my houshold, and
shooes, hosen, peticoates, & such like stuffe for my wife and
children. Suddenly herein, this owner becomes a pettie chapman: I
will serue thee, saith he: hee deliuers him so much ware as shall
amount to fortie shillings, in which he cuts him halfe in halfe for
the price, and four nobles in money, for which the poore wretch
is bound in Darbyes bonds, to deliuer him two hundred waight of Tynne
at the next Coynage, which may then bee worth fiue pound or foure at
the verie least. And as mischiefe still creepes onward, this extreme
dealing of the London Marchant and Countrie chapman, in white Tynne is
imitated (or rather exceeded) by the wealthier sort of Tynners
themselues in the blacke, by laying out their money after thus much
the marke: which trade, though subtill and darke, I will open as
plainely as I can.
A foote of blacke Tynne (as is before said) containeth in measure two
gallons; the waight vncertainely followeth the goodnesse. A foote of
good Moore-tyn, (which is counted the best sort) will way about
foure-score pound. Of the Myne Tynne (which is meaner) fiftie two
pound: of the worst fiftie pound. Two pound of good blacke Tynne,
being melted, will yeeld one of white: twentle eight or thirtie foote
of the best, fortie: of the middle, 52. of the meanest, a thousand.
Now the wealthier sort of Tynners, laying out part of their money
beforehand, buy this black Tynne of the poore labourers, after so much
the marke: that is, looke how many markes there are in the price, made
at the Coynage for the thousand, so many two pence halfepenie, three
pence, or foure pence, partly after the goodnesse, and partly
according to the hard conscience of the one, and necessitie of the
other, shal he haue for the foote: as if the price be twentie sixe
pound, thirteene shillings & foure pence the thousand, therein are
fortie markes: then shall the poore Tynner receiue of him who dealeth
most friendly, for euerie foote of his best blacke Tynne (of which as
was said, about thirtie will make a thousand) fortie times foure pence:
viz. thirteene shillings and foure pence, which amounteth to twentie
pound the thousand: whereas that foote at the price, is worth aboue
fiue pence the marke. Likewise will hee pay for the meaner blacke
Tynne (of which about fortie foote will make a thousand) three pence
the marke, which is ten shillings the foote, and so shall he haue also
after twentie pound for the thousand: for the worse they giue lesse,
rateably. By which proportion, how vncertaine so euer the goodnesse of
the Tynne, or the greatnesse of the price do fall, their gaine of a
fourth part at least riseth alwaies certainly. Whereto adding, that
they lay out beforehand but a portion of the money due, and that onely
for some small time, you shall find it grow to the highest degree of
extremitie.
But whether it proceedeth from this hard dealing, or for that the
Tynners whole familie giue themselues [17] to a lazie kind of life,
and depend only upon his labour and gaynes; which often ill succeeding
adventurers, & such ouer-deare bought Tynne daylie impaire, or from
both these together; once it hath beene duly obserued, that the
parrishes where Tynne is wrought, rest in a meaner plight of wealth,
then those which want this dammageable commoditie: and that as by
abandoning this trade, they amend, so by reuiuing the same, they
decay againe; whereas husbandrie yeeldeth that certayne gaine in a
mediocritie, which Tynneworkes rather promise, then performe in a
larger measure.
Let vs now examine what course of Iustice is held for deciding such
controuersies as befall in Tinne causes, and with what priuileges they
are endowed and encouraged.
After such time as the Iewes by their extreame dealing had worne
themselues, first out of the loue of the English inhabitants, and
afterwards out of the land it selfe, and so left the mines vnwrought,
it hapned, that certaine Gentlemen, being Lords of seuen tithings in
Blackmoore, whose grounds were best stored with this Minerall, grewe
desirous to renew this benefit: and so vpon suit made to Edmond, Earle
of Cornwal, sonne to Richard, king of the Romans, they obtayned from
him a Charter, with sundrie Priuileges: amongst which, it was graunted
them to keepe a Court, and hold plea of all actions, life, lymme, and
land excepted: in consideration whereof, the sayd Lords accorded to
pay the Earle a halfpeny for euery pound of Tynne which should be
wrought; and that for better answering this taxe, the sayd Tynne
should bee brought to certayne places purposely appointed, and there
peized, coyned, and kept, vntill the Earles due were satisfied. Againe,
the Lords of these Tithings, were, for their parts, authorised to
manage all Stannerie causes, and, for that intent, to hold parliaments
at their discretion, and in regard of their labour, there was allotted
vnto them the toll-Tynne within those Tithings, which their
successours doe yet enioy. This Charter was to be kept in one of the
Church steeples, within those Tithings, and, the Seale had a Pick-axe
and Shouell in saultier grauen therein. This I receiued by report of
the late master William Carnsew, a Gentleman of good qualitie,
discretion, and learning, and well experienced in these mynerall
causes, who auouched himselfe an eye-witnesse of that Charter, though
now it bee not extant. Howbeit, I have learned, that in former time,
the Tynners obtained a Charter from king Iohn, and afterwards another
from king Edward the first, which were againe expounded, confirmed and
inlarged by Parliament, in the fiftieth yeere of Edward the third, and
lastly strengthened by Henrie the seuenth.
King Edward the firsts Charter, granteth them liberty of selling their
Tynne, to their best behoofe. Nisi (saith he) nos ipsi emere
voluerimus. Vpon which ground certaine persons in the Reignes of K.
Edward 6. & Queene Marie, sought to make vse of this preemption, (as I
have beene enformed) but either crossed in the prosecution, or
defeated in their expectation, gaue it ouer againe; which vaine
successe could not yet discourage some others of later times from the
like attempt, alleadging many reasons how it might proue beneficiall
both to her Highnesse and the Countrie, and preiudiciall to none saue
onely the Marchants, who practised a farre [18] worse kind of
preemption, as hath beene before expressed. This for a while was
hotely onsetted and a reasonable price offered, but (upon what ground
I know not) soone cooled againe. Yet afterwards it receiued a second
life, and at Michaelmas terme 1599. the Cornishmen, then in London,
were called before some of the principal Lords of her Maiesties
Council, and the matter there debated, by the Lord Warden, in behalfe
of the Countrie, and certaine others deputed for the Marchants, who
had set this suite on foote. In the end it grew to a conclusion, and
Articles were drawne and signed, but they also proued of void effect.
Last of all, the said Lord Warden, in the beginning of Nouember 1600.
called an assembly of Tynners at Lostwithiel, the place accustomed,
impanelled a Iurie of twentie foure Tynners, signified her Maiesties
pleasure both for a new imposition of six pound on euerie thousand,
that should bee transported (ouer and aboue the former fortie
shillings, and sixteene shillings alreadie payable) as also that her
Highnesse would disburse foure thousand pound in lone to the Tynners,
for a yeres space, and bee repayed in Tynne at a certaine rate.
By the foreremembred ancient Charters, there is assigned a warden of
the Stanneries, who supplieth the place, both of a Iudge for Law, and
of a Chancellour for conscience, and so taketh hearing of causes,
either in Forma iuris, or de iure & aequo. Hee substituteth some
Gentleman in the Shire of good calling and discretion, to be his
Vice-Warden, from whom either partie, complainant or defendant, may
appeale to him, as from him (a case of rare experience) to the Lords
of the Councill, and from their Honours to her Maiesties person:
other appeale or remoouing to the common law they gaynsay.
The Gayle for Stannery causes is kept at Lostwithiel, and that office
is annexed to the Comptrolership.
The Tynners of the whole shire are diuided into foure quarters, two
called Moores, of the places where the Tynne is wrought, viz. Foy
moore, and Blacke moore: the other, Tiwarnaill and Penwith. To each
of these is assigned by the L. Warden, a Steward, who keepeth his
Court once in euery three weekes. They are termed Stannery Courts of
the Latine word Stannum, in English Tynne, and hold plea of whatsoeuer
action of debt or trespasse, whereto any one dealing with blacke or
white Tynne, either as plaintife or defendant, is a party. Their
maner of triall consisteth in the verdict giuen by a Iurie of sixe
Tynners, according to which the Steward pronounceth iudgement. He
that will spare credit to the common report, shall conceiue an ill
opinion touching the slippings of both witnesses and iurours
sometimes in these Courts: For it is sayd, that the witnesses haue
not sticked now and then to fatten their euidence, rather for seruing
a turne, then for manifesting a truth, and that the Iurours verdict
hath fauoured more of affection then of reason, especially, in
controuersies growne betweene strangers and some of the same parts.
And such fault-finders vouch diuers causes of this partialitie: One,
that when they are sworne, they vse to adde this word, my conscience,
as the Romans did their Ex animi mei sententia, which is suspected to
imply a conceyted enlargement of their othe: Another, that the
varietie of customes, which in euery place (welneere) differ one
from another, yeeldeth them in a maner an vnlimited [19] scope, to
auerre what they list, and so to close the best Lawyers mouth with
this one speech, Our custome Is contrary. And lastly, that they
presume upon a kind of impunity, because these sixe mens iuries fall
not within compasse of the Star-chambers censure, and yet the L.
Wardens haue now & then made the pillory punishment of some, a
spectacle, example, and warning to the residue. For mine owne part,
I can in these Tynne cases, plead but a hearesay experience, and
therefore will onely inferre, that as there is no smoke without a
fire, so commonly the smoke is far greater then the fire. Strange
it were, and not to be expected, that all poore Tynne Iurours and
witnesies, should in such a remote corner alwayes conforme themselues
to the precise rule of vprightnesse, when we see in the open light of
our public assises, so many more iudicious and substantiall persons
now and then to swarue from the same.
In matters of important consequence, appertayning to the whole
Stannery, the L. Warden, or his Vnderwarden, vseth to impannell a
Iury of foure and twenty principall Tynners, which consist of sixe
out of euery quarter, returnable by the Maiors of the foure Stannery
townes, and whose acts doe bind the residue.
Next to the liuelesse things, follow those which pertake a growing
life, and then a feeling.
The women and children in the West part of Cornwall, doe vse to make
Mats of a small and fine kinde of bents there growing, which for their
warme and well wearing, are carried by sea to London and other parts
of the Realme, and serue to couer floores and wals. These bents grow
in sandy fields, and are knit from ouer the head in narrow bredths
after a strange fashion,
Of herbes and rootes for the pot and medicine, Cornishmen enioy a like
portion in proportion with other Shires, which somewhere also
receiueth an increase by the sowing and planting of such as are
brought thither from beyond the seas. The like may bee sayd of rootes,
and sallets for the table, saue that (I suppose) Cornewall naturally
bringeth forth greater store of Seaholm and Sampire, then is found in
any other County of this Realme. The Seaholme roote preserueth eyther
in sirrup, or by canding, is accepted for a great restoratiue. Some
of the gaully grounds doe also yeeld plenty of Rosa solis. Moreouer
natures liberall hand decketh many of the sea cliffes with wilde
Hissop, Sage, Pelamountayne, Maiorum, Rosemary, and such like
well-fauouring herbes.
In times past, the Cornish people gaue themselues principally, (and in
a maner wholly) to the seeking of Tynne, and neglected husbandry: so
as the neighbours of Deuon and Sommerset shires, hired their pastures
at a rent, and stored them with theyr owne cattell.
As for tillage, it came farre short of feeding the Inhabitants
mouthes, who were likewise supplyed weekely at their markets from
those places, with many hundred quarters of corne and horseloades of
bread. But when the Tynneworkes began to fayle, and the people
to increase, this double necessitie draue them to play the good
husbands, and to prouide corne of their owne. Labour brought plentie,
plentie cheapnesse, and cheapnesse sought a vent beyond the seas, some
by procuring licence, and more by stealth (if at least the common
brute doe not wrong them with a slaunder) [20] so as, had not the
Imbargo with Spaine (whither most was transported) foreclosed this
trade, Cornwall was likely in few yeeres, to reape no little wealth
by the same. And yet, whosoeuer looketh into the endeauour which
the Cornish husbandman is driuen to vse about his Tillage, shall find
the trauell paineful, the time tedious, and the expences verie
chargeable. For first, about May, they cut vp all the grasse of that
ground, which must newly be broken, into Turfes, which they call
Beating. These Turfes they raise vp somewhat in the midst, that the
Wind and Sunne may the sooner drie them. The inside turned outwards
drieth more speedily, but the outside can better brooke the change of
weather. After they haue beene throughly dried, the Husbandman pileth
them in little heapes, and so burneth them to ashes.