294 THE STANNARIES OV CORNWALL,. 



2 Anne, but they do not correspond with those which are set out 

 in Pearce.^ 



The convocation of 8 Anne ^ like the preceding one had for 

 its sole object the settling of the terms of pre-emption, and 

 there is naturally no reference to it in the jDresentments of 

 26 George II.' 



Nothing was done by the Convocation 23 George II, to 

 which I will allude later. 



We see now under what authority these convocations were 

 held, where they were held and under what presidency. Their 

 composition was fixed by what is generally known as the 

 Charter of Pardon, 23 Henry VII {A.D. 1508), which prescribed 

 (in substance) that no statutes, acts, ordinances, &c., &c., be 

 made unless there be first called twenty-four good and lawful 

 men fi'om the four Stannaries in the County of Cornwall, i.e., 

 six men from every Stannary to be elected thus : by the Mayor 

 and Council of Truro six ' good and lawful men ' of the 

 Stannary of Tywernhaile, by the Mayor and Council of Lost- 

 withiel the like of the Stannary of Blackmore, by the Mayor 

 and Council of Launceston the like of the Stannary of Fowy- 

 mour, by the Mayor and Council of Helston, the like of the 



5. Sir E. Smirke in a MS. note in my possession asks if there is any MS. original 

 of this Convocation, which is not recited in the roll 26 George II in the Duchj' office. 

 He adds that there is a detailed statement of the proceedings in the Gregor MS. 

 p. 365. The object of the Convocation was to settle the terms of pre-emption for 

 seven years. Pearce gives a full account of the proceedings but I do not know from 

 what source derived. 



6. The proceedings were lively and are fully described in the appendix to 

 Lord de Dunstanville's edition of Carew. The .Stannators were divided into two 

 parties, those who were in favour of a farm (which of course meant a fixed price) and 

 those who were against it. The former were styled " the court party,'' the latter 

 " the country party," but " the mob " were vehemently in favour of the farm and it 

 was ultimately carried neni. con. on the terms proposed. 



7. For the benefit of those to whom the whole of this subject may be new I will 

 say shortly that this right of the pre-emption of tin by the Crown or the Duke of 

 Cornwall i,as the case might be) supposed to be founded on the reservation of the 

 Charter 33 Edw. I. is of earlier origin. See Sir E. Smirke's Vice t'. Thomas, p. 91. 

 The fixed price to be given by the king's farmers of the pre-emption was a subject of 

 negotiation and discussion i^at all events after the Charter of Henry VII 1 at the 

 Tinners' Parliaments. Whatever instances to the contrary occur in earlier times the 

 latter exercise of this right seems to have been popular with the Tinners who were 

 more afraid of " the combination of merchants " than of the Crown. There is ample 

 evidence of this. See Pearce, p. gg and infra. 



