OF CORNWALL. 183 
is a permiflion for the owner to fell, and at the fame time an 
aflurance that the tin fo marked has been purpofely examined 
and found merchandable. The flamping of this imprellion by a 
hammer (in like manner as was anciently done to money to make 
it current) is called coining the tin. Every hundred of white tin its annual 
fo coined, pays to the Duke of Cornwall the fum of lour {hillings prol t 
before the property can be dilpofed of, and this makes up a con- 
fiderable annual revenue, much fuperior at prefent to what it was 
formerly. “ The tin fo fold (fays Mr. Carew, p. 1 5) ufually amounted 
heretofore to thirty or forty thoufand pounds q at twenty and thirty 
pounds a thoufand, fometimes higher and fometimes lower but 
for fome years laft paft, the price of each hundred weight of white 
tin has confiderably advanced, and been from three pounds three 
{hillings to three pounds eight {hillings and fix-pence, and the 
quantity fold has been much greater ; fo that the tin of the whole 
county, for fourteen years laft paft, has amounted, one year with 
another, nearly to the fum of 180000 pounds fterling; and for 
ten years laft paft by a particular account of the number of blocks 
coined in that time, and the price they fold at (though fomewhat 
low for four years laft paft) I find that the whole tin of this county has, 
at a moderate computation, brought in cafh, one year with the 
other, at leaft to the amount of one hundred and ninety thouland 
nine hundred and fifty-three pounds nineteen {hillings and three- 
pence halfpenny. Of this the Duke of Cornwall receives (for his 
four {hillings duty upon every hundred weight of white tin) above 
ten thoufand pounds yearly ; the bounders and proprietors of the {oil 
may receive about one fixth at a medium clear, which we may reckon 
about thirty thoufand pounds yearly ; the remainder goes to the adventu- 
rers in the mine, who pay for all labour and materials, and may fome- 
times chance to be lofers (as in every kind of merchandize is fome- 
times the cafe) but muft alw 7 ays have the commendation and in- 
ward comfort of contributing in a great degree to the employment 
of the poor, to the enriching of their county, and to the increafe 
of the public revenue. 
If, together with the Cafh which tin brings in clearly to the 
Lord of the Soil, procures as duties to the King by its mines, and 
to the Duke of Cornwall as tax upon every hundred weight of tin, 
we confider the feveral branches of employ which it creates for boys 
as well as men, carriage by cattle and {hipping, the many handicrafts 
it promotes, and the trade for neceflaries, which belong to mining, 
drefling, and melting, and all this out of a narrow flip of land ufually 
of the moft barren and hilly kind, without diftrefiing the tillage, 
p Till the year 1553 when the coining mill s Yearly, as Mr. Norden, page 14, explains 
was invented. Mr. Carew’s meaning. 
pafture. 
