ON THE DETRITAL TIN-ORE OF CORNWALL. 223 
insignificant. Many mines have been wrought within its circuit ; 
Macrgan, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, iii, (No. xii), p. 
238 ; iv, (No. xv), p. 187. Hxnwoop, Coinage Lists 1835—1838. 
For several years before the Coinages were rearranged (in 1835) Officers 
attended at the Prince’s Halls, in Truro, Helston, and Penzance, during two 
days each in the first and second months of every quarter; on every (piece) 
block of tin, coined at such times, however, a fee of one shilling was paid 
by the smelter. 
the (pieces) blocks and averaged about 120 lbs. 
fn Tee ae ATOM Eyelets } SO UO eae { (Avoir.) in weight ; 
From 1577 to 1607. ,, a5 308 ,, 346, 5 A 328 ,, 
During 1837—8, ” ” 390 ” 450, ” ” 420 ” 
From the foregoing particulars it may be presumed, that the (pieces) 
blocks of tin were conveyed to the Coinage-halls— 
in .... 1305— 1306 .... mostly on beasts of burthen ;— 
from 1577 to 1607 .... » in carts ;— 
during 1837 — 1838 .... in carts and waggons only ;— 
and thus we may, perhaps, obtain some idea of the roads at different times. 
Between the coast and the interior of Brazil all traffic is, even now, 
conveyed by mules; which travel from (3 to 4 leagues) 12 to 16 miles per 
day, carrying for many weeks in succession—loads of between (10 and 12 
arrobas) 320 and 380 lbs. each. 3 
“‘Tt hapned, that certaine Gentlemen, being Lords of seuen tithings in 
‘“Blackmoore...grew desirous to” [rework the mines]; ‘‘and so vpon suit 
“made to Hdmond Earle of Oornwal, sonne to Richard king of the Romans, 
‘“‘ they obtayned from him a Charter, with sundrie Priuileges,...in consider- 
‘ation whereof, the sayd Lords accorded to pay the Karle a halfpeny for 
‘“‘euery pound of Tynne which should be wrought, and that for better 
‘“‘ answering this taxe, the sayd Tynne should bee brought to certayne places 
‘‘ purposely appointed, and there peized, coyned, and kept until the Earle’s 
‘due were satisfied.” Carew, Survey of Cornwall, £. 16. 
Until the reign of James I, the same rate—or ; speaking more accurately, 
the rate of four shillings Stg. for one hundred Pounds Avoty.—was main- 
tained (Mactran, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, iv, (1873), p. 
188); but from (1686) the time of James II.,(a) Merchant’s was contradistin- 
guished from Stannary (presumably one hundred and twenty lbs. Avoir., to the 
hundred-) weight. (Prarce, Laws and Customs of the Stannaries, p. 66). 
Meanwhile the Duties in Devon were levied at the rate of one shilling 
and sixpence three farthings per one hundred and twelve (Avoir.) lbs. 
It may not be difficult to offer a probable conjecture regarding the 
different rates of Duty levied in the two Counties. ‘In 1314—1315 the 
(a.) On the 12th of June 1688 [two days after the birth of the Prince of Wales, and three 
days after the seven Bishops had been imprisoned] John Lord Bellasis, and other Commis- 
sioners of the Treasury, on behalf of King James II, granted to John Earl of Bath, Lord 
Warden of the Stannaries, and others his partners ‘‘the sole Privilege of making Pence, 
“ Half-pence and Farthings of Tin, to pass throughout all his Majesty’s Dominions, free of 
‘¢ all Customs and other Duties whatsoever....” 
Pearce, Laws and Customs of the Stannaries, p. 91. 
D3 
