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THE STANNARIES OF CORNWALL. 



This paper was read by the late H. W. Fisher, V.W. of the Stannaries, on behalf 

 of the Royal Inst, of Cornwall, at the third annual joint meeting of the Cornish 

 Scientific Societies. The Council consider it worth printing, although, unfor- 

 tunately, it cannot have revision by the author. 



I propose to give a short account of the Convocations, or 

 Parliaments of the Tinners of Cornwall of which we have 

 records, valueless, I know, to those who are already familiar 

 with the subject, and to others, I fear, likely to prove very 

 uninteresting. However without further apology I preface it 

 with a chronological list of them. 



I. 30 Elizabeth 1 (A.D. 1589). Held at Lostwithiel under 

 the queen's signet and a warrant from Sir Walter Ealeigh, 

 lord warden, to the mayors of the four stannary towns, Truro, 

 Lostwithiel, Launceston and Helston.^ Sir Edward Smirk e in 

 his appendix to Vice v. Thomas gives (page 48) a transcript 

 from an old copy of the presentments of this convocation which 

 he says appears on comparison with others (all apparently in 

 private hands) to be one of the most complete, though evidently 

 imperfect. 



II. 22 James I (A.D. 1625) recited at length in 26 

 George II. It is not mentioned whether the Crown or the duke 

 of Cornwall issued the commission to the lord warden. 

 Presumably it would have been the latter. This convocation 

 was held at Lostwithiel before William Coryton, esqr., vice- 

 warden, b}^ direction of William, earl of Pembroke, lord 

 warden. 



III. 12 Charles I (AD. 1637). Held at Lostwithiel from 

 15 August and continued with prorogations till 3 September, 

 before William Coryton, esq., vice warden, by direction of 



1. The presentments of i5 Henry VIII referred to in 22 James I., art. 33, were 

 not the presentments of a Convocation but of Commissioners appointed to enquire 

 into and settle certain doubtful cvistoms of the Stannaries in Cornwall. See Sir 

 George Harrison's " Report on the Laws and Jurisdiction of the Stannaries in 

 Cornwall," p. 34. A similar commission had been appointed 5 Edward III to enciuire 

 into usage and customs, Sir Ed. Smirke's Vice i>. Thomas, p. 20. 



2. This is the warrant requiring them pursuant to the Charter of Henry VII to 

 summon 24 Stannators, six from each Stannary, to the Convocation. 



