l56 NOTES OF MINUTES DUCHY OF CORNWALL COUNCIL. 



of the Prince registered in the minutes of his Council, which 

 give the places where signed and the dates of the signature. 



It appears that on two occasions, at least, the Prince was in 

 his Duchy. 



His first visit was in the 28th year of Edward 3 (1353). It 

 was in 1337 that the Prince, then seven years old, in full 

 Parliament was made " Buhe of Cormvall ;'''' consequently, at this 

 first visit, he was twenty-three. He appears to have been 

 accompanied by members of his council and household ; for in a 

 grant discharging the Borough of Helston from a rent dated at 

 "Eestormell, 2 Sept., 28 Edwd., cap. 1353," the witnesses are 

 ' ' Dominus John de Bohun, Dominus de Dunster, John de 

 Montacuto, Nicholas de Loharrings (the Prince's Chamberlain), 

 John de Sully, and "Walter de Wodeland. 



On the 11th of August, 1353, the Prince was at Chudleigh; 

 18th August, at Launceston; 24th August, at Pestormell ; 1st and 

 2nd September, at Eestormell ; 5th September, at Launceston ; 

 10th September, at Restormell ; 10th and 11th September, at 

 Exeter. 



The above dates are extracted from the register of divers 

 grants, &c., of the Prince. 



"Where the Prince was between these dates can only be matter of 

 conjecture. His personal occupations were probably receiving the 

 Homage of Vassals — of which many are recorded — and sporting. 



It is noticeable that seven days are not accounted for in August, 

 between the Prince being at Exeter and his being at Chudleigh ; 

 and that the dates relating to Eestormell extend to seventeen 

 days, with the exception of the 5th September, when he was at 

 Launceston. The seven days referred to were probably passed 

 at Exeter, near which was not only the Forest of Dartmoor, part 

 of the Duchy possessions, but also the important Manor of Bradnich 

 belonging to it, and the residence of the Steward of the Duchy. 



The Prince's Council in attendance on him, were, it may be 

 supposed, occupied during the time of the visit in obtaining 

 information about the extent and state of the Prince's possessions. 



From the tenor of many orders of earlier date, directing his 

 ofiicers to repair his Castles, it would appear that in 1353, they 

 were found to be in a dilapidated and ruinous condition, and 

 that even EestormeU, the largest and most commodious of them, 

 afforded but indifferent accommodation for the retinue of a court. 



