THE STANKAKIES OF CORNWALL. 295 



Stannary of Penwith-Kerrier.'' This continued to be the consti- 

 tution of these Parliaments as long as they lasted. But a 

 difficulty arose fi'om the assumed necessity of unanimity on the 

 jiart of the twenty-four Stannators in order to give validity to a 

 constitution under the terms of the Charter, and the 1 st article 

 of 12 Charles I runs as follows: — "For that the imanimous 

 consent of the full four and twenty (according to the letter of 

 the Charter of Pardon) may not he had to every ordinance 

 propounded, to the end that our endeavours for want of one or 

 a few voices shall not fall to the ground, we following former 

 precedents and usage do agree, constitute, and ordain, that 

 whatsoever propositions shall be affirmed and concluded by 

 sixteen voices or more, but not under, the same shall stand and 

 be binding as the act of us all." ' 



This article is interesting as pointing directly to precedents 

 now lost of earlier date than the reign of Henry VII.'" We 

 have no evidence to show how these jmrliaments were composed, 

 how often they met, or what were their powers. The Charter 

 of Henry VII clearly put them on a new footing and greatly 

 enlarged their powers. " Henry VII by his new Charter 

 restored to the Tinners all their former privileges (said to 

 have been forfeited) and enlarged them with this honourable 

 and important addition that no laws relating to the tinners 

 should be enacted without the consent of 24 Gentlemen Tinners," 



S. The Charters of John and of Edward I do not mention the convocations, 

 though of course they may have been included amongst the "liberas consuetudines" 

 confirmed in the latter. 



g. From Sir George Harrison's Report (1835), we learn that a question had been 

 raised whether this enactment was not ultra vires of the Stannatots and whether the 

 last Stannary enactments of 26 George II were not invalid as being signed by 23 

 Stannators only. '1 he same might be said of at least one previous convocation, 2 

 Jas. 2, whose enactments were signed by the Lord Warden and ig Stannators. The 

 point is of no interest, but it is discussed by Sir G. Harrison. Sir K. Smirke says 

 " It is not clear that the Charter requires unanimity, and it should seem that a 

 majority would be sufficient unless there is a special usage anterior to the Charter 

 inconsistent with it." — ALS. 



10. See al.so preamble to 2 James II. The Stannary Records at Lostwithiel, were, 

 as is well known, destroyed during the Great Rebellion. 



11. These 24 Stannators continued to be chosen from the principal families in the 

 county. They must be distinguished irom the like number of "the most discreet 



linners" who from very early times were summoned to attend the Stannary Larr 

 Courts cnriic Icgaks cr lci<r or iiiizgnw held twice in the year by the Steward of each 

 Stannary, differing from the ordinary Curi;e Stannarie held every three weeks) to 

 make presentments of offences and also of Stannary customs, acting as a Grand 



Fury. Thej- had no enacting power. 30 Elizabeth, art. 26. 2 James ii, art. 20. Sir E. 

 Smirke's Vice r. Thomas, pp. g6-qS, 5S, etseq. Sir G. Harrison's Report, p. gi, citing 

 also the exemplification of the Stannary customs by 16 Henry VIII, art g. 



