346 THE TOMB OF THE SUFFRAGAN BISHOP OF CORNWAXL. 



APPENDIX. 



[Abbreviated Extracts from Documents in the possession op the 

 Corporation op Bodmin, relating to Bishop Vivian, the Prior, 

 AND His Successors.] 



A.D. 1524—5. 



" A testymonyell from tlie mayor and burgesses of bodmyn agens the prior 

 and covent, &c." 



" To alle true christen people to whom this presente writing shal cumto, here, 

 se, or rede. We Nicolas Opy, Maier of Bodmyn, [&c., &c.], sonde dewe gretyng 

 in oure lord god everlastyng. It is a meritorious and a cheritable dede to testefy 

 the truthe. 



The Prior of Bodmyn nowe of late doth wylle and clayme that alle the Kynges 

 ffree Burges of the towne be sensours and suters to his lawe courtes holden too times 

 by the yere — where as he, neyther none of his predecessors, oute of tyme of no 

 mynde, hadde suche servyce of the Burges, but oonly suclie as byth his ffreeholders. 

 We say and testifie that Burges of Bodmyn be the Kynges free Burges and 

 noman els. 



If therbe any ffelonye don or commytted within the towne, the felon takyn, 

 the Maier and Burges er charged with him, and if the felon have any goodes, the 

 Pry or and his officers seasith theym and takith hit away to the Pryor is use — and 

 if the felon by chaunce do escape, the Maier and the Burges paieth to the Kyng 

 the forfete and not the Pryor ; and also if any ffray or blovidewyt be commytted, 

 the maier, burges, and constables, be the conservatours of the Kynges peas, and 



now the Pryor will have all the prof ettes... [many other grievances are stated] 



We pray you to yeve credens to this oure writing, and in wetenes hereof to this 

 oure letter Testymonyall have setto the Comyn Seale of the Towne of Bodmyn, 

 for the scales of us the abovesaide persones be unknowen to maney men. Yevyn 

 at Bodmyn the xiiiit*^ day of Aprile in the xv^^ yere of the raigne of Kyng Harry 

 the viijt^^-" 



[Attached to the foregoing.] " Also we Thomas Boscarnan, Maier, [&c., &c.] 

 now being of the Hedde Burges ratefie by oure assurance to god and the king, 

 affermeour testimonial! to be in every article and poynte true. Also we say... 

 [&c., &c.]...and never herde nor knew of no Prior that ever soldo, coled, or cutt 

 any woode in Dynmure to any other intente then is rehersed saving oonly this now 

 Prior. Yevyn at Bodmyn in the ffest of the Aposteles Seynte Symon and Jude 

 in the xvij^^ yere of the raigne of our Soveraigne lord Kyng Harry the viij^ii-"* 

 [Signed by " Eoger Arundell."] 



[Memoranda.] " The Prior is a great farmer of benefices and of other 

 temporal lands, and a great encloser." 



" The Prior is a great meddler with black tin and white tin, and that converteth 

 into merchandise, and maketh coal, and hath a blowing house of his own and 

 bloweth tin." 



" The Prior doth misuse himself in speaking of slanders and opprobrious words 

 against the Township." [&c., &c.] 



* The foregoing Testimonials are printed much more fully, hut in modern spelling, 

 by Wallis. The extracts which now follow are condensed frona his version of them, 

 adopting the ordinary style. (Cornwall Register, pp. 293 — 314. ) 



