176 EAKLY ACCEPTATION OF THE NAME OF FALMOTTTH. 



In 1626, th.e Mayor of Falmouth and Captain John Bonython 

 report to the Council, in answer to their letter for fortifying 

 Falmouth. They describe the situation of the town. Its safety 

 depended on the Castles of Pendennis and St. Mawes, the con- 

 dition of which they strongly represent. — Calendar of State 

 Papers, 1626. 



The explanation is very simple, when the facts of the case 

 are known. The charter granted by Elizabeth (to Truro) recites 

 that " the Mayor (of Truro) is and has long been reputed to be 

 Mayor of Falmouth." 



At the heralds' visitation of Cornwall in 1620, they find 

 also, that the Mayor of Truro hath always been, and still is, 

 Mayor of Falmouth, as by an ancient grant now in the custody 

 of the said Mayor and Burgesses doth appear. 



Hals (1 685— 1736) ascribes this grant to King John of " The 

 royalty over the whole Harbour of Falmouth as far as Carike 

 Road and the Black Eock Island in consideration of twelve 

 pense rent and suits to that Manor Court, which royalty this 

 town enjoyed till the time of King James II, and executed their 

 water processes all over the said harbour for debt and damage ; 

 but then, upon the petition of Sir Peter Killigrew, Bart., it was 

 given by him as augmentation of profit to Mr. Quar(a)m, Rector 

 of Falmouth, and his successors for ever." 



(In 1709 this right and the jurisdiction over the harbour 

 were contested, and decided in favour of Falmouth town.) 



Hence it appears that the State Papers, here quoted from 

 their abstracts, refer to the action of the Mayor of Truro in his 

 capacity as Mayor of Falmouth Haven : it is possible that Capt. 

 John Bonython (of Carclew ?) acted for Penryn, which may have 

 been the town endangered, rather than Truro. 



If William of Worcester is to be trusted, Penryn exercised 

 in his day (1478) jurisdiction over Falmouth Harbour. "Fal- 

 mouth havyn pertinet villse Penryn." 



That "pertinet" has the sense " belong to " and not 

 " extend as far as " is clear from another extract from the same 

 writer : " Insula Rascow (Tresco) pertinet abbati Tavystock." 



Before the subject is closed, another sense may be noticed, 

 which naturally springs out of the first. 



