THE STANKARIES OF CORNWALL. 297 



He was obliged, at last, miicli against his will, " thinking nu 

 pains too great for the benefit and service of oiir country " to 

 become a party with "a Society of Merchants" in the farm upon 

 the terms of pre-emption agreed to by the Convocation, i.e., 

 £3 lOs. jier cent. Stannary weight. 



Neither the Stannators nor the Assistants received remune- 

 ration for their services. The necessary charges of the 

 Convocations (payment of clerks, etc.) were ordered to be paid 

 by the Receiver- General of the Duchy.'* 



AVhen we come to the work done by the Convocations we 

 find that they by no means confined themselves to the present- 

 ments or declarations of ancient customs, but employed 

 themselves also in the amendment of old laws and the making 

 of new laws often of a very stringent character. The Stannators 

 were summoned to the Convocation, 22 James I "to consult, 

 enquire, and take into their consideration misdemeanors, and the 

 several errors in the several courts, as also the several defects 

 and abuses of Tin and Tinners in general, and likewise for the 

 replenishing of all ancient customs and privileges, with their 

 continuance of time, as their ancient Charters have confirmed 

 unto them, and iipon mature deliberation to resolve upon such 

 Orders as in their Judgments shall be thought expedient for the 

 redressing and amending of any inconveniences or abuses within 

 the Stannaries and to reduce things in question and doubtful 

 (touching liberties and customs) to a certainty.'^ 



It would be impossible for me within the limits of this 

 paper to attempt any minute examination of the constitutions. 

 I will only observe that the matters dealt with comprise those 

 which appertain to the coinage '" duty, to the jurisdiction and 



14. Pearce, pp. 96, ng, 128. 



i=j. Pearce, p. 21. Many of the articles though in form new enactments are 

 really declaratorj' of cUbtom. Most of the Acts are declarator}-, and " the Courts 

 have sometinus refused to admit them except when they professed to be declarations 

 of custom as in Rogers i\ Brenton." vSir E. Sniirke, MS. In Vice f. Thomas during the 

 argument Lord Brougham interposed " The presentments of the Stannary Parliaments 

 are, I apprehend, merely declarations of the custom." But Lord Lyndhurst, C , 

 added, " Unless they are shown to have a prescriptive power of making bye-laws." 



16. The coinage i.e. stanipingi of tin took place after weighing twice in the 

 3'ear. Before this was done no tin could be carried out of the county or u.sed. The 

 coinage duties at the rate of 40s. for every thousand weight of tin weighed and 

 coined formed part of the revenues of the Duchy. They were commuted by Act of 

 Parliament in 1838 and charged on the Consolidated Fund. The coinage towns were 

 Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Truro, Helston and Penzance. 



