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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 February 2009
There can be few institutions which have so successfully eluded the serious historian as the Duchy of Cornwall, for only one aspect of its history and administration, that of its jurisdiction of the tin mines, has been adequately treated; its curious legal relation to the Crown, and to common law, its political importance in reference to Council and Parliament, and its economic significance as one of the largest landowners in England, all await detailed investigation. For such an enquiry there is abundant material available, both in the series of “Duchy of Cornwall Records” and “Miscellaneous Books” in the Augmentation Office of the Exchequer, at the Public Record Office, and in the fine collection of Ministers' Accounts, Assession Rolls, Court Rolls and other documents, preserved at the Duchy of Cornwall Office; a collection to which I am much indebted to Sir Walter Peacock, for giving me access and to Mr, Rollo Clowes, its custodian, for invaluable assistance in working at it.
page 135 note 1 Pearse, T., The Laws and Customs of the Stannaries, 1725Google Scholar. Harrison, Sir George, Substance of a Report on the Laws and Jurisdiction of the Stannaries in Cornwall, 1835. Lewis, George Randall, The Stannaries: A Study of the English Tin Miner. Harvard Economic Studies, Vol. III. Cambridge, 1908, U.S.A.Google Scholar
page 136 note 1 Public Record Office, Charter R. 124,11 Edward III, No. 60, m. 28;
page 136 note 2 Duchy of Cornwall Office. MS. Folio Vol.: “Account of the Duchy of Cornwall, written for Henry Prince of Wales by Richard Connock.” Auditor of the Duchy, 1609.
page 136 note 3 Ibid.
page 136 note 4 Calendar Domestic State Papers (1611–18), 1613, Feb. 25, p. 172.
page 136 note 5 P.R.O., Charter R., II Edward III, No. 60, m. 28.
page 137 note 1 Wilson, George, The Reports of Sir Edward Coke in English. London, 1777, Vol. IV, Part VIII, p. 25Google Scholar. 8th Report on the Case of “The Prince v. Lindley and Hele, 1606.”
page 137 note 2 John of Eltham, last Earl of Cornwall, died 13 Sept., 10 Ed. III. Cf. Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, 1334–8, p. 447; Pat. Roll, 10 Ed. Ill, mem. 1, d. April 2, 1337.
page 138 note 1 P.R.O., Exchequer, K.R., Captio Seisinae Ducatus Cornubiae, II Edward III.
page 138 note 2 P.R.O., Exchequer, K.R., Captio Seisinae Ducatus Cornubiae. II Edward III. The following extracts taken from the Manor of Tewington, Cornwall, will illustrate the four classes of tenants:
“Liberi Tenentes.” Willielmus de Bodrygan tenet de domino Duce Cornubiae in soccagio septem acras terrae Cornubiae in Tregran, reddens inde per annum ad quattuor terminos usuales equalibus porcionibus xviii.s.vi. d. ob. Et pro fine stanni ad festum sancti Michaelis xiiiid, et faciens sectam ad curiam domini Ducis de tribus septimanis in tres septimanas.
“Liberi Conventionarii.”
Nicholas Wysa tenet de domino Duce in convencione unum mesuagium, vii acras terrae in i ferlingata terrae in Marthyn, quam cepit de domino Johanne nuper Comite Cornubiae, tenendum in convencione a festo sancti Michaelis anno regni Regis nunc septimo usque ad finem septem annorum tune proximo sequentum nondum completorum; reddens inde per annum ad quattuor terminos usuales viis. ixd. Et ad festum sancti Michaelis quendam redditum vocatum finem stanni. Et faciens sectam ad curiam domini de tribus septimanis in tres septimanas. Et erit prepositus decennarius et bedellus cum electus fuerit. Et mesuagium predictum congrue sustentabit, terrain cum toto stauro suo compostabit, non faciens vastum neque destructionem, et cum obierit, Dominus habebit nomine heriotis unum averium quod maioris pretii fuerit. Et nihil habebit de aliis catallis suis. Et fecit fidelitatem et clamat tenere terrain predictam in libera convencione per predicta servitia durante termino predicto.
“Nativi Conventionarii.”
Nicholas Pantener, nativus tenet de domino Duce, i mesuaguim vii acras terrae et dimidiam in i ferlingata terrae et dimidio Cornubiae in Tyngaran quas prius cepit de domino Johanne nuper comite Cornubiae tenendum in nativa convencione a festo sancti Michaelis anno regni domini Regis nunc septimo usque ad finem septem annorum tune proximo sequentum nondum completorum. Reddens inde per annum ad quattuor terminos usuales viis. Et faciens sectam ad curiam domini de tribus septimanis in tres septimanas. Et erit prepositus decennarius et bedellus cum electus fuerit. Et talliabitur ad voluntatem domini. Et cum obierit dominus habebit omnia catalla sua. Et films eius novissimo natus quem reliquerit superstem, habebit terrain suam per finem quem faciet cum domino ad voluntatem ipsius domini. Et fecit fidelitatem et clamat tenere terras illas per predicta servitia servilia in nativa conventione ad voluntatem domini durante termino predicto.
“Nativi de stirpe.”
Robertus Ceron, nativus de stirpe, tenet de domino Duce in villenagio in Tyngaran i mesuagium, v acras terrae Angliae in I ferlingata terrae Cornubiae; reddens inde per annum ad quattuor terminos usuales vs iiid et faciens sectam ad curiam domini de tribus septimanis in tres septimanas. Et erit prepositus decennarius et bedellus cum electus fuerit. Et talliabitur ad voluntatem domini. Et cum obierit dominus habet omnia catalla sua et filius eius novissimo natus quem reliquerit superstem habebit terram suam per finem quem faciet cum domino ad voluntatem ipsius domini. Et non amovebitur de terra predicta pro tota vita sua. Et fecit fidem.
page 139 note 1 P.R.O., Exchequer, K. R., Inquisition post Mortem on Edmund. Earl of Cornwall, 29 Edward I.
page 140 note 1 Bracton, Henrici de. De Legibus et consuetudinis Angliae libri quinque, fol. 208b. London, 1569.Google Scholar
page 140 note 2 SirVinogradoff, Paul, Villainage in England. Oxford, 1892, pp. 72–74.Google Scholar
page 141 note 1 Pollock, and Maitland, , History of English Law. Cambridge, 1911, second edition, Vol. I, pp. 405–406.Google Scholar
page 141 note 2 Miss Levett has kindly informed me that in the manorial records of St. Alban's Abbey, she has found evidence of conventions between lord and villein as early as 1280, though generally in the case of “adventitii.”
page 141 note 3 P.R.O., Exchequer, K.R., Inquisition post Mortem Edmund Ear of Cornwall.
page 142 note 1 Duchy Office. Assession Roll of the Earldom of Cornwall, 1333.
page 142 note 2 Maitland, F. W., Bracton Note-Book, edited by Maitland, F. W., Cambridge University Press, 1887, Vol. I, p. 14.Google Scholar
page 142 note 3 P.R.O., Exchequer, K.R., Inquisitionem post Mortem Edmund Earl of Cornwall. 29 Edward I.
page 142 note 4 Maitland, ibid., p. 15.
page 142 note 5 Maitland, ibid., p. 19.
page 143 note 1 For the further difficult question of the origin of that conventionary tenure for varying terms of years, which we have found upon the “Antiqua Maneria” prior to 1333 two passages may be referred to: (1) Bracton, De Legibus, fol. 7b; (2) Dialogus de Scaccario, ixb, to which Mr. Johnson kindly drew my attention.
1. Bracton, De Legibus, fol. 7b. Est etiam aliud genus hominum in manerio domini regis et tenent de dominico et per easdem consuetudines et servitia villana quae supradicti et non in villenagio, nee sunt servi, nee fuerunt in conquestu ut primi, sed per quandam conventionem, quam cum dominis fecerunt, et itaque quidam eorum cartas habent et quidam non.
2. Dialogus de Scaccario, ixb. Verum qui vocati ad bellum necdum convenerant, vel familiaribus seu quibuslibet necessariis occupati negotiisnon interfuerant, cum tractu temporis devotis obsequiis gratiam dominorum possedissent, sine spe successionis sibi tantum pro voluptate tamen dominorum possidere coeperunt. Succedente vero tempore cum dominis suis odiosi passim a possessionibus pellerentur, necesset qui ablatarestitueret, communis indigenarum ad regem pervenit querimonia quasi sic omnibus exosi et rebus spoliati ad alienigenas transire cogerentur. Communicato tandem superhiisconsilio, decretum est, ut quod a dominis suis exigentibus meritis interveniente pactione legitima poterant obtinere, illis inviolabili jure concederentur: ceterum autem nomine successionis a temporibus subactae gentis nihil sibi vendicarent … Sic igitur quisquis de gente subacta fundos vel aliquid hujusmodi possidet, non quod ratione successionis deberi sibi videbatur, adeptus est, sed quod solumnodo meritis suis exigentibus, vel aliqua pactione interveniente, obtinuit.
On this passage Bishop Stubbs' comment was “This is perhaps too definite a statement to be really historically true, but it contains the germ of a truth.” Stubbs, , Constitutional History, sixth edition, 1897, Vol. I, p. 281.Google Scholar
The editors of the Dialogus (Dialogus de Scaccario, edited by A. Hughes, C. G. Crump, and C. Johnson. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1902, p. 195) regard it “as almost incredible that a theory which Bracton applies to an exceptional class of small holders on the royal demesne can be equally applicable to every landholder in the country,” and suggest “that the Dialogus has set out to tell one story and has ended by telling another.” The question as to whether Bracton and the author of the Dialogus were thinking of the same set of facts, they leave to commentators on Bracton.
It is evident therefore that while the records of the “Antiqua Maneria” may throw some light on the nature of their conventionary tenure in Bracton's day, they do not, as far as I have discovered, afford a solution to the difficult question of the origin of that tenure.
page 144 note 1 Duchy Office. Manor of Helston in Kirrier. Statement of Customs by Tenants. 5 Elizabeth.
page 144 note 2 P.R.O., Parliamentary Survey. Manor of Helston in Kirrier, 1650.
page 144 note 3 Duchy Office. Manor of Helston in Kirrier. Statement of Customs by Tenants, 1563. Assession Roll, 1645.
page 145 note 1 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Misc. Duchy of Cornwall, 13 R. 12.6. Answers of Tenants. Manor of Helston in Trigg, 1581.
page 145 note 2 Carew, Richard, Survey of Cornwall (1602), edited Tonkin, , 1811, edition, pp. 111–113.Google Scholar
page 145 note 3 Norden, John, Speculi Britanniae Pars., a Topographical and chorographical description of Cornwall, 1728 edition, p. 25.Google Scholar
page 145 note 4 Duchy Office, Duchy of Cornwall, Enrolment Book (MS.). Folio volume, 1639 to 1642. Nov. 13, 1639.
page 145 note 5 Ibid., Dec. 18, 1640.
page 146 note 1 Concanen, George. Report of the Trial at Bar, Rowe v. Brenton. Michaelmas Term, 9 Geo. IV, 1830.Google Scholar
page 147 note 1 P.R.O., Exchequer Aug. Miscellaneous Books, Vols. 173 and 174. Contracts for Sale of Crown Lands, 1650.
page 148 note 1 Lennard, Reginald, Rural Northamptonshire under the Commonwealth. Oxford Studies in Social and Legal History, Vol. V, 1916, p. 32.Google Scholar
page 148 note 2 Norden, John, Speculi Britanniae Pars., 1728, p. 25.Google Scholar
page 148 note 3 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Misc. Duchy of Cornwall, 12a, I, 18. “Private Instructions which the Surveyors and Stewards of His Majesties Lordships Honors, Manors and other Revenues are to follow.” Undated but signed H. Northampton. Jul. Cssar.
page 148 note 1 Gilbert, Davies, Parochial History of Cornwall, 1838, Vol. IV, p. 54.Google Scholar
page 149 note 1 The Furing Court was the Law Court at which essoin was made for default of suit, and tenants were affured or assessed for each offence.
“Afiurer” is a derivative of O.Fr. afeurer = to fix the market value (Wright, English Dialect Dictionary, Vol. II, p. 520).
“Affurers of good name.” (Ordinances of Worcester, cap. 48. Toulmin Smith. English Gilds. London, 1870. P. 395.)
page 149 note 2 Victoria County History, Cornwall. Part 8, The Cornwall Domesday, p. 47; also Smirke, E., Notes on the Cornish Acre, Royal Institution of Cornwall, 1862, 43rd Report, Appendix II, p. 29.
page 149 note 3 Duchy Office. Assession Rolls, 1624 and 1645. Manor of Stoke Climsland.
page 149 note 4 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Misc. Duchy of Cornwall, 12A, i, 35. “The Note of the improved values and of the debate made at Lostwithiel, 19 May, 1617.”
page 150 note 1 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Misc. Duchy of Cornwall, 13, 45, 1. Warrant to Auditors, 1624.
page 150 note 2 Rashleigh MSS. Particular of his Estate of Menabilly by Jonathan Rashleigh, 1646. To this collection of manuscripts I was kindly given access by the owner, the late Mr. Evelyn Rashleigh of Stoketon, Saltash, to whom I was also indebted for kind hospitality and much assistance.
page 150 note 3 Duchy Office. MS. Folio Vol. “Minutes of Proceedings of the Commissioners of Revenue: 1640 to 1642.” Dec. 1, 1641.
page 150 note 4 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Mis. Duchy of Cornwall, 12 A, i, 24. Richard Connock to Mr. Auditor Hockmore, undated but temp. James I.
page 151 note 1 P.R.O., Special Collections. Ministers' Accounts, Duchy of Cornwall. Brevis declaracio Anthonii Nicoll Receptoris Generalis Ducatus Cornubiae (1642–4), declared 17 April, 1647.
page 151 note 2 There is no Great Seal of Henry Prince of Wales, son of James I, remaining at the Duchy Office, but there is a broken impression of the Great Seal of Prince Charles, son of James I, with lion and dragon supporters to arms, not lion and unicorn as in the Rolls Chapel window. This is in accordance with the instructions of James I preserved at the Duchy Office (MS. Folio Volume, Enrolments of Patents, Prince Charles, 1615 to 1618) which describe the Great Seal for Prince Henry as follows: “A Great Seale with His Highnes picture on horseback armed and a Princes Crowne over his Bever, a shield on the left arme, with the Armes of Wales, being 4 Lyons. And a scutcheon with the Armes of the Duchy of Cornwall, being 15 Bezants uppon the Caparison before, and a scutcheon with the Armes of the Earldom of Chester, being 3 Garbes on the Caparison behinde. On the back side, the Kings Armes with a Labell, and a Princes Crowne over it supported with a Lyon and a Dragon but labelled and under the Armes 3 Ostriche feathers in a Princes Crowne and this writing, ICH DIEN.
Theis wordes viz. Magnum Sigillum Henrici Principis Walliae, Ducis Cornubiae, et Comitis Cestriae. ingraven about it on both sides.”
James I also gave directions for the ingraving of the following Seals for the Prince, besides the Great Seal. A Signet or Privy Seal, A Council Seal, two double Seals for the Warden or High Steward of the Duchy of Cornwall, a seal for the Honor of Trematon, a seal for the office of Sheriff of Cornwall, and two double Hammers for the coinage of tin in Cornwall and Devon.
There is no Great Seal or Privy Seal surviving at the Duchy Office of Prince Charles, son of Charles I. In the same folio volume is a table of fees dated 5 Dec. 1615, “allowed to the Commissioners for all manner of Patents and Leases to be granted by Prince Charles.”
Mr. Secretarie his Clarke for ye warrant signed by Mr. Secretary, signifying the Princes pleasure unto Mr. Attorney or Mr. Sollicitor for drawing of the patent and for the Warrant to the Auditor for particular 15d. a peece, in all
page 152 note 1 Duchy Office. MS. Folio: Enrolments of Patents, 1615–1618, f. 2.
page 152 note 2 Duchy Office. MS. Folio Vol., “Minutes of Proceedings of the Commissioners of Revenue, 1640 to 1642.”
page 152 note 3 Duchy Office. Receivers Views of Accounts, 1638 to 1650. Duchy of Cornwall.
page 153 note 1 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Misc. Duchy of Cornwall, 12 A, I, 4, undated “Oath to be taken by Auditors of the Duchy of Cornwall”.
page 153 note 2 P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Misc. Duchy of Cornwall, L.3. Account for the expenses of the Auditor of the Duchy from Launceston to Exeter, 1639, October.
page 153 note 3 Duchy Office. MS. Folio Volume. Eschaetor and Foedary, f. 4, 1627, Nov. 23, “Order of the Commissioners of the Duchy of Cornwall.” This lays down directions for the guidance of both the Royal and Ducal Eschaetors, and differentiates their spheres of action; all profits from land held jointly by King and Duke, being divisible between the two Eschaetors.
page 153 note 4 Duchy Office. MS. Folio Volume. “Admirals and Wrecks,” 1637, 24 May. Petition of Thomas Gewen, Esq., Havenor, to the Commissioners of Revenue, complaining of Mr. Bassett, and endorsed by the Commissioners.
page 154 note 1 Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Third Series, Vol. IV, 1910. Gordon, Miss, M.D., “The Collection of Ship-Money in the Reign of Charles I.”
page 154 note 2 Calendar Domestic State Papers, 1639, April 19. Francis Godolphin to the Privy Council.
page 154 note 3 Lewis, George Randall, The Stannaries, pp. 219, 220, 255.Google Scholar
page 155 note 1 The Buller Papers, privately printed 1895, from the family records of the Bullers of Shillingham and Morval, in the possession of the late Sir Reginald Pole-Carew of Antony, Cornwall, and kindly lent by him to the writer. The letter is undated, but from internal evidence is of July, 1641, pp. 41–2.
page 155 note 2 Calendar Domestic State Papers, 1640. July 1, Letter of the Deputy-Lieutenants of Cornwall to the Lord-Lieutenant the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, complaining of 60 Turkish men-of-war at sea so that “the fishermen are afraid to go to sea.” Numerous other instances could be given.
page 155 note 3 Rushworth, John, Historical Collections, 1721 Edn., Vol. III, p. 913.Google Scholar
page 155 note 4 Buller Papers, ibid., p. 27.
page 156 note 1 Duchy Office. Duchy of Cornwall, Enrolment Book, 1639 to 1642, f. 21, 26, 30, 43, 46, 47.
page 156 note 2 Commons Journals, Vol. II, p. 46.
page 156 note 3 Returns of Members of Parliament, 1878, p. 480. Cornwall.
page 157 note 1 Vivian, and Drake, , Visitation of the County of Cornwall in the year 1620. Harleian Society, 1874, p. 240.Google Scholar
page 157 note 2 Ibid., p. 15.
page 157 note 3 Commons Journals, Vol. II, p. 29.
page 157 note 4 Duchy Office. “Minutes of Proceedings of Commissioners of Revenue, 1640 to 1642. Dec. 4, 1640.”
page 158 note 1 Commons Journals, Vol. II, p. 261.
page 158 note 2 Bodleian Library, Clarendon MS., 2074. The manuscript is unsigned and undated, but endorsed “Sir Joseph Janes (Report) of the State of Cornwall.”
page 159 note 1 Calendar Domestic State Papers, 1625, p. 175.
page 159 note 2 Duchy Office. Index List shows that Thomas Gewen was appointed Eschaetor in 1635 and Havenor in 1637.
page 159 note 3 Firth, and Rait, , Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, Vol. I, p. 106.Google Scholar
page 159 note 4 British Museum, E. 124, 20. New Newes from Cornwall, 1642, Oct.
page 160 note 5 Vyvyan MSS., 1642, Aug. 1. Commission to Sir Richard Vyvyan to be Colonel of a Regiment of Foot, signed Bevill Grenvile, Nicholas Slanning, Peter Courteney, John Arundell of Trerise, Francis Bassett, Geo. Trevanion, John Trevanion, Walter Langdon, Jo. Arundell.
page 160 note 1 Vyvyan MSS., 1643–14, Jan. 3. Commission under the Great Seal from Charles I to Sir Richard Vyvyan to erect a Mint. Sir Richard Vyvyn had received a commission under the Great Seal to coin money, as early as November, 1642, and had done so at Truro and Exeter in 1643, before receiving the Commission of January 3,1643–4. The Vyvyan manuscripts are in the possession of Sir Courtenay Vyvyan of Treloawarren, to whom my thanks are due for his kindness in allowing me to work at them, and both to him and Lady Vyvyan for frequent hospitality.
page 160 note 2 Duchy Office. Assession Rolls, 1645. Manors of Helston-in-Kirrier.
page 160 note 3 British Museum, E. 202, 42, Sept. 1, 1642. An exact and true Diurnal.
page 160 note 4 Buller MSS., p. 62. Manifesto of Cornish Parliamentarian Committee, 1642, September.
page 161 note 1 Duchy Office. Court Rolls, Manor of Helston in Kirrier, 1643 and 1644.
page 161 note 2 Duchy Office. Court Rolls and Hundred Rolls, Duchy of Cornwall (Cornish manors only), 1642–1660.
page 161 note 3 Duchy Office. Audit Books, Duchy of Cornwall.
page 162 note 1 Clarendon, , The History of the Rebellion, edited by Macray, . Vol. IV (Books IX to XI), p. 9.Google Scholar
page 162 note 2 Ibid., p. 10.
page 162 note 3 Ibid., p. 140.
page 163 note 1 Neither Gardiner in his History of the Civil War, nor Lister in his Life of Clarendon deals with Hyde's administration of the Duchy or utilises the material relating to its finance in the Clarendon MSS.
page 164 note 1 Duchy Office. Assession Books, Manor of Liskeard, 1645. Manors of Helston-in-Kirrier, Stoke Climsland and Tintagel, 1645.
page 164 note 2 Duchy Office. Receivers' Views of Accounts, 1638 to 1650.
page 164 note 3 Lewis, , The Stannaries, p. 225.Google Scholar
page 164 note 4 Clarendon MSS., No. 1940, 1645. St. Germayns, August 19. Letter from Jermyn to Hyde, remonstrating against the transfer to the Prince of the shipment of tin.
page 165 note 1 Clarendon MS. 2070 (ito vi), a series of documents relating to the commission of Sir Nicholas Crisp and his dispute with Sir Charles Trevanion and others, 1645.
page 165 note 2 Clarendon MS., 1933, Goring to Hyde, 1645, Aug. 1.
page 165 note 3 Firth, and Rait, , Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1911, Vol. I, p. 86Google Scholar. An Ordinance for the speedy raising and levying of money, 1642–3, 24 Feb.
page 165 note 4 P.R.O., Special Collections. Minister's Accounts. Duchy of Cornwall. Declaration of Account of the Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall, 17 to 20 Charles I.
page 166 note 1 Clarendon MS., 1736, Certaine resolutions of the Inhabitants of the County of Cornwall.
page 166 note 2 Clarendon MS. 2074, Jane. Relation of the State of Parties in Cornwall.
page 166 note 3 Duchy Office. Views of Accounts, 1639 to 1650.
page 166 note 4 Calendar of the Committee of Compounding, 1889, Volume I., pp. 223, 241.
page 166 note 5 Firth, and Rait, , Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, Vol. II, p. 168Google Scholar
page 167 note 1 Duchy Office. List of Purchasers of Duchy lands, 1650, also P.R.O., Exchequer, Aug. Miscellaneous Books, Vols. 173 and 174. Contracts for the Sale of Crown Lands, 1649–50 to 1653.
page 167 note 2 British Museum, E. 659(24), 1652, April 14. Samuel Chidley, “A cry against a Crying Sinne, or a Just Complaint to the Magistrates against them who have broken the Statute Laws of God by killing of men merely for Theft.”
page 167 note 3 British Museum, E. 554(21). Colonell Robert Bennet, King Charles Triall justified, 1649, May 9.
page 167 note 4 Duchy Office. Assession Book, Manor of Liskeard, 1656.
