224 | ON THE DETRITAL TIN-ORE OF CORNWALL. 
but, on the whole, they have failed to realize expectations founded 
on so rich a deposit at the surface. 
‘‘pneople of Cornwall complain...that Antonyn de Pisane and his merchants, 
‘to whom the king (Edward II.) had granted pre-emption of tin in Cornwall 
“ |. weighed it with unlawful weights, and gave no more than forty two 
‘shillings per thousand weight for the tin which they sold for six marks 
‘(Four Pounds Stg.); and that the number of working tinners in Cornwall 
‘‘was consequently reduced from 3000 to 500.” Smirke, Case of Vice against 
Thomas, p. 18. ; 
From 1291 to 1302 ‘the number of white tinners, i.e., of persons em 
ployed in Devonshire in smelting tin, &c., and of black tinners employed in 
mining and producing black tin” (tin-ore)— 
White-tinners. Black tinners. 
varied from 86 to 302, and averaged 180; varied from 199 to 473, and aver- 
aged 370. Ibid, p. 44. 
‘The times of Coynage come twise in the yeere, viz., about Midsummer — 
‘‘and Michalmas; but because it falleth out verie often, that the Tynne 
‘‘ which is wrought, cannot be blowen and brought thither against the limited 
‘“‘ dayes, there are, in favor of the Tynners, certaine later times assigned, 
‘‘ which they term Post-coynages.” Carew, Survey of Cornwall, f. 13. 
‘‘ For the indulgence of Coining at Christmas and Lady-day the owners 
‘‘pay four pence per hundred on stamping, or what is called post-groats, 
‘‘which are generally farmed out every thirty-one years.” GriBERT, (C. 8.), 
Historical Survey of Cornwall, i, p. 245. 
The post-groats were farmed by descendants of a former Surveyor- 
General of the Duchy until 1838, when—like the other imposts—they were 
abolished by Parliament. 
Moreover, at every Coinage, other—though smaller—charges, known as 
Fees and Great-pieces, were also made. Of these the last, at least, was 
probably of very early origin, for ‘‘ the account of Thomas de Ocham, receiver, 
“during the shrievalty of Thomas de la Hide, steward and sheriff of Cornwall, 
“in the time of Earl Edmund, 25 Ed. I [A.D. -1296—1297,] ” mentions “in 
‘240 grossis peciis removendis de aula in curiam, 5s.” SmirKz, Case of 
Vice against Thomas, p. 45. ; 
The Assay was made—as usual in Smelting-houses—by cutting partly 
and then breaking off a small piece from a lower corner of each block; the 
toughness and the fracture sufficiently indicating the quality. By prescriptive 
right the Assay-Master claimed the severed portions as his perquisite; but 
they were always returned to the Tinner on payment of four pence a (Coin) 
piece to the officer ; who, in fact, received no other remuneration, until the 
Coinages were rearranged in 1835; but from that time forward he, like the 
other officers, was paid a fixed salary from the Duchy. 
Each (piece) block of tin assayed and weighed at the Coinage was 
imprinted with ‘the Duchy arms, viz., argent, a lion rampant, gules, 
‘‘erowned or, within a border sable, garnished with bezants, which arms 
‘‘were first*used by Richard, King of the Romans, and Earl of Cornwall.” 
GiLBERT, (C. 8.), Historical Survey of Cornwall, i, p. 246. 
When the Duties and other charges on the Coinage of tin were abolished 
by Parliament in 1838, the Duchy was compensated with an annuity calcu- 
lated on the income of ten immediately previous years which averaged 
£16,216. 5s. 14d. 
