298 THE STAJSTNAEIES OF CORNWALL. 



procedure of the Stannary Courts and to the rights and duties of 

 the Tinners inter se whether as Tin Bounders or (as we should 

 say) as partners in a Cost Book Mine. It is noticeable that the 

 term "Cost Book Mine" never appears in any constitution, but 

 the principles uj)on which these mines were conducted and the 

 appropriate legal procedure are clearly indicated. 



Take for instance 2 James II, art 5. It would appear from 

 this that although it rested with "the major part or greater 

 number of the adventurers " to decide whether it was necessary 

 " to buy or bring in rags, chains or materials," each of the said 

 adventurers might buy or bring in his own part and proportion 

 of the goods required and should not be forced to buy the same 

 of any jDarticular merchant or trader, but the amount of goods 

 and materials necessary to be provided and the price to be paid 

 for them is to be agreed upon by the major part or number of 

 the adventurers at the time of passing their accounts, notice of 

 which is to be given at least one week before the passing thereof 

 to each adventurer or his agent or servant who is entrusted to 

 manage the concern and tin work for him. If the adventurer 

 does not manage his own work he is to leave the name of his 

 agent with the purser or captain or principal adventurer. And 

 if any adventurer sells or disposes of his right of adventure he 

 is to give notice of the name and habitation of the person to 

 whom the sale or disposition is made and should the adventurer 

 die his executor or administrator is to give like notice of the 

 name and habitation of the person who shall manage for him. 



We have here all the outlines of the Cost Book system as we 

 are familiar with it, but we are taken back to more picturesque 

 and simple ways. Instead of the company as we know it with 

 its managing committee, perhaps located in London, its share- 

 holders all over the country, and perhaps a heavy debt at the 

 bank, we see on a mine a community of tinners, probably inhabi- 

 tants of the district, each member of which has his own 

 appreciable interest or "right of adventure" and is under the 

 liability to contribute in specie what is required by the majority 

 of his co-adventurers. Are we to infer from the article in 

 question that this was the only mode of contribution j^ractised at 

 this time, or that it simply applied to that particular mode, which 



