two valiant Edwards, the first & third, the Foyens addicted themselues
to backe their Princes quarrell, by coping with the enemy at sea,
and made returne of many prizes: which purchases hauing aduanced
them to a good estate of wealth, the same was (when the quieter
conditioned times gaue meanes) heedfully and diligently employed,
and bettered, by the more ciuill trade of marchandise; and in both
these vocations they so fortunately prospered, that it is reported,
60. tall ships did, at one time, belong to the harbour, and that
they assisted the siege of Callais, with 47. saile. Heereon, a full
purse begetting a stout stomack, our Foyens tooke heart at grasse,
and chauncing about that time (I speake vpon the credit of tradition)
to sayle neere Rye, and Winchelsea, they stifly refused to vaile
their bonets at the summons of those townes; which contempt (by
the better enabled Sea-farers, reckoned intolerable) caused the
Ripiers to make out with might and mayne against them; howbeit,
with a more hardy onset, then happy issue: for the Foy men gaue them
so rough entertaynment at their welcome, that they were glad to
forsake patch, without bidding farewell: the merit of which exploit,
afterwards entitled them Gallants of Foy: and (it may bee) they
fought to eternize this memorable fact, after the Greeke and Romane
maner, by inuesting the towne of Golant with that name:
notwithstanding, quaere, whether a causelesse ambition in the
posteritie, turned not rather Golant into Gallant, for their
greater glory. Once, the townesmen vaunt, that for reskuing certaine
ships of Rye from the Normans in Henrie the thirds time, they beare
the armes, and enioy part of the priuiledges appertaining to the
Cinque ports, whereof there is some memorie in their Chauncell window,
with the name of Fisart Bagga, their principall Commaunder in
that seruice. Moreouer, the prowesse of one Nicholas, sonne to
a widdow, neere Foy, is deskanted vpon, in an old three mans songs,
namely, how he fought brauely at sea, with Iohn Dory (a Genowey, as I
coniecture) set forth by Iohn the French king, and (after much
bloudshed on both sides) tooke, and slew him, in reuenge of the
great rauine, and crueltie, which hee had forecommitted, vpon the
English mens goods and bodies. Yet their so often good successe,
sometimes tasted the sawce of crosser speeding; for Tho. Walsingham
telleth vs, that Sir Hugh Calueley, and Sir Th. Percy, deputed to
gard the sea, by R. the 2. Anno. 1379. chanced there to meete a
Cornish barge, belonging to Foy harbour, which hauing worne out his
victuals, and [136] time, limited for the like seruice, was then
sayling homewards, neither would be entreated by those knights,
to ioyne companie with them: howbeit they bought this refusall
verie deare. For no sooner was the English fleete past out of sight,
but that a Flemmish man of warre lighted vpon them, and (after a long,
and strong resistance) ouermastered them as well, at last in force,
as they did at first in number, tooke the Barge, sunk it, and
slaughtered all the Saylers, one onely boy, excepted, who in the
heate of the bickering, seeing which way the game would goe,
secretly stole aboord the Flemming, and closely hid himselfe
amongst the ballast. Ouer a while, this Pirate cast Anker in an
English harbor, where the boy, hearing his Countrimens voice,
that were come aboord, riseth from his new buriall, bewrayeth the
fact, & so wrought meanes, for their punishment, and his
owne deliuery.
Not long after, our Foy gallants, vnable to beare a low sayle,
in their fresh gale of fortune, began to skum the Seas, with their
often piracies, (auowing themselues vpon the Earle of Warwicke,
whose ragged staffe is yet to be seene, pourtrayed in many places
of their Church Steeple, and in diuers priuate houses) as also to
violate their dutie at land, by insolent disobedience, to the
Princes Officers, cutting off (amongst other pranckes) a Pursiuants
eares: whereat king Edward the fourth conceiued such indignation,
as hee sent Commissioners vnto Lostwithiel, (a towne thereby) who,
vnder pretence of vsing their seruice, in sea affaires, trained
thither the greatest number of the Burgesses; and no sooner come,
then laid hold on, and in hold, their goods were confiscated, one
Harrington executed, the chaine of their hauen remoued to Dartmouth,
& their wonted iolity transformed into a sudden misery: from which
they striued a long time, in vaine, to releeue themselues: but now
of late yeres doe more and more aspire to a great amendment of their
former defeats, though not to an equall height of their
first aboundance.
Where I may not passe in silence, the commendable deserts of
Master Rashleigh the elder, descended from a yonger brother of an
ancient house in Deuon; for his industrious iudgement and aduenturing,
in trade of marchandise, first opened a light and way, to the
townesmens newe thriuing, and left his sonne large wealth, and
possessions; who (together with a dayly bettering his estate)
conuerteth the same to hospitality, and other actions fitting a Gent.
well affected to his God, Prince, and Countrey. He married the
daughter of Bonithon; his father, of Lanyne, and beareth S. a plaine
Crosse betweene 2. Croissants A.
Anno 28. H. 6. there was an Act of Parliament made, to restraine
the abuses of sea-officers, in wrong exactions at Foy, and some
other hauens.
The Lord of Pomier, a Norman, encouraged by the [1457.] ciuill warres,
wherewith our Realme was then distressed, furnished a nauy within the
riuer of Sayne, and with the same in the night, burned a part of Foy,
and other houses confyning: but vpon approch of the countryes forces,
raised the next day by the Sherife, he made speed away to his ships,
and with his ships to his home.
In a high way neere this towne, there lieth a big and long
moore stone, containing the remainder of certaine ingraued letters,
purporting some memorable antiquity, as it should seeme, but past
ability of reading.
[137]
Not many yeres sithence, a Gentleman, dwelling not farre off,
was perswaded, by some information, or imagination, that treasure
lay hidden vnder this stone: wherefore, in a faire Moone-shine night,
thither with certaine good fellowes hee hyeth to dig it vp;
a working they fall, their labour shortneth, their hope increaseth,
a pot of Gold is the least of their expectation. But see the chance.
In midst of their toyling, the skie gathereth clouds, the Moone-light
is ouer-cast with darkenesse, downe fals a mightie showre, vp riseth
a blustering tempest, the thunder cracketh, the lightning flameth:
in conclusion, our money-seekers washed, in stead of loden; or loden
with water, in stead of yellow earth, and more afraid, then hurt,
are forced to abandon their enterprise, and seeke shelter of the
next house they could get into. Whether this proceeded from a
naturall accident, or a working of the diuell, I will not vndertake
to define. It may bee, God giueth him such power ouer those,
who begin a matter, vpon couetousnesse to gaine by extraordinarie
meanes, and prosecute it with a wrong, in entring and breaking
another mans land, without his leaue, and direct the end thereof,
to the princes defrauding, whose prerogatiue challengeth these
casualties.
A little beyond Foy, the land openeth a large sandie drab Bay,
for the Sea to ouer-flow, which, and the village adioyning,
are therethrough aptly termed Trewardreth, in English, The
Sandie towne. Elder times, of more deuotion then knowledge,
here founded a religious house, which, in King Henrie the eights
raigne, vnderwent the common downefall.
I haue receiued credible information, that some three yeeres sithence,
certaine hedges deuiding a closse on the seaside hereabouts,
chanced, in their digging, vpon a great chest of stone,
artificially ioyned, whose couer, they (ouer-greedy for booty)
rudely brake, and therewithall a great earthen pot enclosed, which
was guilded and graued with letters, defaced by this misaduenture,
and ful of a black earth, the ashes (doubtles) as that, the vrna
of some famous personage.
Vpon a side of this bay, one M. Peter Beuill first began the
experiment of making a saltwater pond, induced thereunto, by obseruing
that the high Summer tydes brought with them young Basses and Millets,
whom at their ebbing, they left behinde in little pits of the
euen ground, where they would liue for many weekes without any
reuisitation of the sea: who, as he bettered this naturall patterne,
so did I his artificiall; but yet with a thankefull acknowledgement,
by whome I haue profited.
Lostwithiel should seeme to fetch his originall from the Cornish
Lostwithiall, which in English, soundeth a Lions tayle: for as the
Earle of this prouince gaue the Lyon in armes, and the Lions
principall strength (men, say) consisteth in his tayle; so this
towne claymeth the precedence, and his Lords chiefest residence,
& the place which he entrusted with his Exchequer, and where his
wayghtier affaires were managed. Maioralty, markets, faires, and
nomination of Burgesses for the parliament, it hath common with the
most: Coynage of Tynne, onely with three, others; but the gayle for
the whole Stannary, and keeping of the County Courts, it selfe alone.
Yet all this can hardly rayse it to a tolerable condition of wealth
and inhabitance. Wherefore I will [138] detayne you no longer,
then vntill I haue shewed you a solemne custome in times past here
yeerely obserued, and onely of late daies discontinued, which was
thus:
Vpon little Easter Sunday, the Freeholders of the towne and mannour,
by themselues or their deputies, did there assemble: amongst whom,
one (as it fell to his lot by turne) brauely apparelled,
gallantly mounted, with a Crowne on his head, a scepter in his hand,
a sword borne before him, and dutifully attended by all the rest also
on horseback, rode thorow the principall streete to the Church:
there the Curate in his best beseene, solemnely receiued him at the
Churchyard stile, and conducted him to heare diuine seruice:
after which, he repaired with the same pompe, to a house foreprouided
for that purpose, made a feast to his attendants, kept the tables
end himselfe, and was serued with kneeling, assay, & all other rites
due to the estate of a Prince: with which dinner, the ceremony ended,
and euery man returned home again. The pedigree of this vsage is
deriued from so many descents of ages, that the cause and authour
outreach remembrance: howbeit, these circumstances offer a coniecture,
that it should betoken the royalties appertaining to the honour
of Cornwall.
M. Wil. Kendals hospitality, while he liued, and here kept house,
deserueth a speciall remembrance, because, for store of resort and
franknes of entertainment, it exceeded all others of his sort.
This towne anno 11. H. 7, was by act of Parliament assigned,
to keepe the publike waights and measures, ordayned for the Countie.
Lostwithiel subiected it selfe to the commaund of Restormel Castle,
alias, Lestormel, sometimes the Dukes principal house. It is seated
in a park, vpon the plaine neck of a hill, backed to the Westwards,
with another, somewhat higher, & falling euery other way, to end in
a valley, watered by the fishfull riuer of Foy. His base court is
rather to be coniectured, then discerned, by the remnant of some
fewe ruines; amongst which, an ouen of 14. foot largenes, through his
exceeding proportion, prooueth the like hospitality of those dayes.
The inner court grounded vpon an intrenched rocke, was formed round,
had his vtter wall thick, strong, and garretted: his flat roofe
couered with lead, and his large windowes taking their light inwards.
It consisted of two stories, beisdes the vaults, and admitted
entrance and issue, by one onely gate, fenced with a Portcouliz.
Water was conueyed thither, by a conduit, from the higher ground
adioyning. Certes, it may moue compassion, that a Palace,
so healthfull for aire, so delightfull for prospect, so necessary
for commodities, so fayre (in regard of those dayes) for building,
and so strong for defence, should in time of secure peace, and vnder
the protection of his naturall Princes, be wronged with those
spoylings, then which, it could endure no greater, at the hands of
any forrayne and deadly enemy: for the Parke is disparked, the timber
rooted vp, the conduit pipes taken away, the roofe made sale of,
the planchings rotten, the wals fallen downe, and the hewed stones of
the windowes, dournes & clauels, pluct out to serue priuate buildings:
onely there remayneth an vtter defacement, to complayne vpon this
vnregarded distresse. It now appertayneth by lease, to Master Samuel,
who maried Halse : his father (a wise and pleasant conceited Gent.)
matched with Tremayne.
[139]
After wee haue quitted Restormel, Roche becomes our next place
of soiourne, though hardly inuiting, with promise of any better
entertainement, then the name carieth written in his forehead,
to wit, a huge, high and steepe rock, seated in a playne, girded on
either side, with (as it were) two substitutes, and meritorious
(no doubt) for the Hermite, who dwelt on the top thereof, were it
but in regard of such an vneasie climing to his cell and Chappell,
a part of whose naturall wals is wrought out of the rock itselfe.
Neere the foote of Roche, there lyeth a rock, leuell with the ground
aboue, and hollow downwards, with a winding depth, which contayneth
water, reported by some of the neighbours, to ebbe and flowe as
the sea. Of these, as another Cornish wonder.
You neighbour-scorners, holy-prowd,
Goe people Roche's cell,
Farre from the world, neere to the heau'ns,
There, Hermits, may you dwell.
Is't true that Spring in rock hereby,
Doth tide-wise ebbe and flow?
Or haue wee fooles with lyers met?
Fame saies it: be it so.
From hence ascending easily the space of a mile, you shall haue wonne
the top of the Cornish Archbeacon Hainborough, which (as little
to great) may for prospect compare with Rama in Palestina,
Henius in Medica, Collalto in Italy, and Sceafel in the Ile of Man:
for if the weathers darkenesse bounde not your eye-sight, within his
ordynarie extent, you shall thence plainely discerne, to the Eastwards,
a great part of Deuon, to the West, very neere the lands end, to the
North and South, the Ocean, and sundrie Ilands scattered therein,
wherethrough it passeth also for a wonder.
Haynboroughs wide prospect, at once,
Both feedes, and gluts your eye,
With Cornwals whole extent, as it
In length and breadth doth lie.
At Ladocke, in this Hundred, dwelleth master Peter Courtney,
who doubly fetcheth his pedigree, from that honourable flocke,
and embraceth the contentment of a quiet priuate life, before the
publike charge in his Countrie, due to his calling, and to which
long sithence, he hath bene called. His father maried (as I haue
shewed) the daughter & coheir of Trethurffe, himselfe Reskimers,
his sonne the daughter of Saintabyn: he beareth O. three Torteaux,
and a File with as many Lambeaux, B.
Leo Aser, in the delightfull, and approued description of his
Countrie, telleth vs of a blind guide, who would readily and safely
conduct straunger trauailers, ouer the huge Deserts, with which that
region aboundeth, and that the meanes he vsed, was, in certaine
distances, to smell at the sand, which gaue him perfect notice of
the places.
Likewise, Lewes Guicciardin, in his booke of Netherland, maketh report
of one Martyn Catelyn, borne at Weruicke in Flaunders, who falling
blind before he attained two yeeres age, grew, notwithstanding,
by his owne industrie, without any teacher, to such a perfection in
Timber handy-craft, as he could, not only turne, [140] and make
Virginals, Organes, Vyolons, and such like Instruments, with great
facilitie, order, and proportion, but also tune, and handsomely play
vpon them, and besides, deuised many seruiceable tooles for
his science.
These examples I thrust out before me, to make way, for a not much
lesse straunge relation, touching one Edward Bone, sometimes seruant
to the said master Courtney: which fellow (as by the assertion of
diuers credible persons, I haue beene informed) deafe from his cradle,
and consequently dumbe, would yet bee one of the first, to learne,
and expresse to his master, any newes that was sturring in the
Countrie: especially, if there went speech of a Sermon, within some
myles distance, hee would repaire to the place, with the soonest,
and setting himselfe directly against the Preacher, looke him
stedfastly in the face, while his Sermon lasted: to which religious
zeale, his honest life was also answerable. For, as hee shunned all
lewd parts himselfe, so, if hee espied any in his fellow seruants,
(which hee could and would quickely doe) his master should
straightwayes know it, and not rest free from importuning, vntill,
either the fellow had put away his fault, or their master his fellow.
And to make his minde knowne, in this, and all other
matters, hee vsed verie effectuall signes, being able therethrough,
to receiue, and perform any enioyned errand. Besides, hee was
afflicted with so firme a memorie, that he would not onely know
any partie, whome hee had once seene, for euer after, but also
make him knowne to any other, by some speciall obseruation,
and difference. Vpon a brother of his, God laid the like infirmitie,
but did not recompence it with the like raritie.
Somewhat neere the place of his birth, there dwelt another,
so affected, or rather defected, whose name was Kempe: which two,
when they chaunced to meete, would vse such kinde embracements,
such strange, often, and earnest tokenings, and such heartie
laughters, and other passionate gestures, that their want of a tongue,
seemed rather an hinderance to others conceiuing them, then to their
conceiuing one another.
Gwarnack, in this Hundred, was the Beuils ancient seate, whose two
daughters and heires, married Arundel of Trerice, and Greinuile.
Wolueden, alias, Golden, fell vnto Tregian, by match with the
Inheritrix thereof. Tregean signifieth the Giants towne: their sonne
married in Lanherne house, their Graund-child with the L. Stourtons
daughter: hee beareth Erm. on a chiefe S. three Martlets O.
It standeth in Probus Parish, whose high, and faire Church towre,
of hewed Moore stone, was builded within compasse of our remembrance,
by the well disposed Inhabitants: and here also dwelleth one Williams,
a wealthie, and charitable Farmer, Graund-father to sixtie persons,
now liuing, and able, lately to ride twelue myles in a morning,
for being witnesse to the christening of a child, to whome hee was
great great Graundfather.
From hence, drawing towards the South sea, wee will touch at the late
Parke of Lanhadron, because there groweth an Oke, bearing his leaues
speckled with white, as doth another, called Painters Oke, in the
Hundred of East: but whether the former partake any supernaturall
propertie, to foretoken the owners sonne insuing death, when his
leaues are al of one colour (as I haue [141] heard some report)
let those affirme, who better know it: certain it is, that diuers
auncient families in England are admonished by such predictions.
Grampond, if it tooke that name from any great Bridge, hath now
Nomen sine re: for the Bridge there is supported with onely a
few arches, and the Corporation but halfe, replenished with
Inhabitants, who may better vaunt of their townes antiquitie,
then the towne of their abilitie.
Of Pentuan I haue spoken before. For the present, it harboureth
master Dart, who as diuers other Gentlemen, well descended,
and accommodated in Deuon, doe yet rather make choyce of a pleasing
and retired equalitie in the little Cornish Angle. Hee matched
with Roscarrocke.
Penwarne, in the same Parish of Meuagesy, alias, S. Meuie, and Isy
(two nothing ambitious Saints, in resting satisfied with the partage
of so pettie a limit) is vested in master Otwell Hill, as heire
to his mother, the daughter and heire to Cosowarth, to whom it
likewise accrued, by matching with the daughter and heire of
that name: a seate, through his fruitfulnesse, and other
appurtenances, supplying the owner large meanes of hospitalitie,
and by him so imployed, who reckoned to receiue most good, when he
doth it. He deriueth himselfe from a populous, and well regarded
familie in Lancashire, and married the daughter of Denham: and beareth
G. a Cheuron, between three Garbes Ermine.
At the adioyning Saint Tue, dwelleth master Richard Tremayn,
descended from a yonger brother of Colocumb house, in Deuon,
who being learned in the lawes, is yet to learne, or at least
to practise, how he may make other profit thereby, then by hoording
vp treasure of gratitude, in the mindfull breasts of poore and rich,
on whom hee, gratis, bestoweth the fruites of his paines and
knowledge. He married Coffyn, hee beareth G. three Armes
in circle ioyned at the Tronkes 0. with hands proper.
Dudman, a wel-knowne foreland to most Saylers, here shouldreth out
the Ocean, to shape the same a large bosome betweene it selfe,
and Rame head, which are wel-neere twentie myles in distance.
Amongst sundrie prouerbs, allotting an impossible time of performance,
the Cornish men haue this one, When Rame-head and Dudman meet.
Whose possession, yet, though not themselues, met in
Sir Peers Edgecumb, as inioyning that, in right of his wife,
and this, by descent from his Father.
Bodrugan, a large demaines adioyning thereunto (which I will not
deriue from Sir Bars du Ganis, though the neighbours so say) was the
dwelling of Sir Henrie Trenowith, a man of great liuely-hood,
who chaunged his name with the house, and lost house and holding,
through attainder for rebellion, against king Henrie the seuenth.
The king bestowed it, by an intailed gift, vpon Sir Richard Edgecumb.
Next, lyeth the foreremembred Caryhayes (Kery haz in Cornish,
signifieth to beare his seede, or as some other define it,
delighting in seede) descended to M. Charles Treuanion, the present
possessioner, by a long ranke of auncestors, from Arundels daughter
and heire: his father married the daughter of Morgan, and sister to
the first Lord Humdons wife, which brought him an honourable ally.
Three of this Gentlemans elder brethren, Edward, Iohn, and Hugh,
forewent him in succession [142] to their fathers inheritance,
and passed to the better world in a single life: himselfe by matching
the daughter and heire of Witchalse, whose mother was coheire
to Marwood, hath raised issue vnto them, and continueth the hope
of posteritie. Sir William Treuanion, his Graundsire, tooke to wife
the said Sir Richard Edgecumbs daughter. The Treuanions Armes are
A. a Fesse B. charged with three Escalops O. betweene two Cheurons G.
Roseland, is a circuite, containing certaine Parishes hereabouts,
and benefiting the owners with his fruitfulnesse, so that though
the original of his name came (perhaps) as master Camden noteth,
from his former thickets, yet his present estate better resembleth
a flowrie effect.
By this time we approch the limits of Falmouth Hauen, vpon one of
whose Creekes, standeth the market and incorporate towne of Tregny,
not specially memorable (in my knowledge) for any extraordinarie
worth, or accident.
Of better regard is Truro, alias, Truru, or Trisow, as the principall
towne of the Hauen, priuiledged with a Mayraltie, and benefited with
the generall Westerne Sessions, Coynages, Markets, Faires, &c.
The shape of the towne, and Etymon of the name, may be learned
out of this Cornish propheticall rime.
Tru ru,
Triueth eu,
Ombdina geueth try ru.
Which is to say, Truro consisteth of three streetes, and it shall in
time bee said, Here Truro stood. A like mischief of a mysterie,
they obserue, that in taking T. from the towne, there resteth ru, ru,
which in English soundeth, Woe, woe: but whatsoeuer shall become
therof hereafter, for the present, I hold it to haue got the start
in wealth of any other Cornish towne, and to come behind none
in buildings, Lanceston onely excepted, where there is more vse,
and profit of faire lodgings, through the Countie Assizes. I wish
that they would likewise deserue praise, for getting, and imploying
their riches, in some industrious trade, to the good of their Countrie,
as the Harbours oportunitie inuiteth them.
Descending from Truro to the Hauens mouth, by water, you are
ouer-looked, by sundrie Gentlemens commodious seates, as Fentengollan,
in English, the Harts well, lately appertayning to master Carmynow,
by interpretation often louing, and now to master Holcomb,
who married the daughter of master Peter Courtney.