362 Sketch of the Hiflory of 
» the earl of Cornwall, and the coinages of tin, or ftamping 
with the earl’s feal, were firft eftablithed. Before the reigm 
of Edward I. tinners worked in the earl’s land only, paying 
him a fifteenth part of what they got, and they were not at 
all permitted to dig in fanétuary ground, churches, ‘mills, 
houfes, gardens, and fo on; and if in working under they 
chanced to fubvert any houfe, or to damage a highyway, 
they were obliged to make it good. When it became an 
object to fearch throughout any place or perfon’s lands, a 
court alfo to determine cafes relating to the tin-works be- 
came heceffary ; and this, adjudging meine the authority of, 
and according to the code of laws before mentioned, was 
firft eftablifhed by Edward I. and is called the Stannary 
Court. 
In Cornwall and Devon two different fyftems of Stannary 
laws now exift: thofe in Cornwall have been from time to 
time amended and correéted ; but in Devon, where mining 
has for a long while flumbered, the laws continue in their 
original crude ftate. As the fpirit, however, of fearching 
mto the bowels of the earth feems again to be reviving in 
this county, the laws, fhould they be called into action, will 
probably undergo fome revifion. 
The duke of Cornwall had royal jurifdi&tion; and when 
the duchy came into the hands of the crown, which hap- 
pened in the reign of Edward III. he made his eldeft fon, 
the Black Prince, the duke, and appointed it, with the re- 
venue arifing from it, to the fons and heirs apparent of the 
crown, though no fon of the king can be duke of Cornwall 
but the firft-born, even though heir apparent. 
The Stannary Jaws were explained and confirmed, with 
fome alterations at different times, till Arthur, eldeft fon: of 
Henry VIII. made certain conftitutions relating to the Stan= 
naries, which the tinners refufed to:obferve: the king, after 
prince Arthur’s death, feized the charter as forfeited, ‘but 
granted a new one with frefh privileges, appointing all new 
laws relating to the tinners to be made by a parliamentiof 
their own body ; and upon this footing the emia re- 
main. ; ; 
Great powers have ide at times affumed by this jot: 
tion, 
a eS ee ee 
