OF CORNWALL. 311 
lefs invidious. Queen Mary in her Ihort reign (probably from the 
fame motives) admitted two more, and Queen Elizabeth, who never 
rejected any political precedent which might confirm her power, 
(though always, it mull be owned, exerting that power for the 
profperity of her people, as well as her own glory) admitted fix 
other boroughs. 
The only inftances which could give the lead: colour of juftice 
to thefe proceedings, were few, and weak. The borough ol Tre- 
geny fent burgefles, indeed twice, viz. in the twenty-third and 
thirty-fifth of Edward I. but no more till the firft of Elizabeth. 
Eaft-Loo and Fawy fent one and the fame merchant, then called a 
Ship-owner, to a council at Weftminfter (not to Parliament) in the 
fourteenth of Edward III f . Of thefe, however, Queen Elizabeth 
laid hold for the more fpecious promoting her defigns : In her firft 
year fhe revived the claims of Tregeny ; in the fifth of her reign % 
a Burgefles being returned for St. Jermyne’s and St. Maws in Corn- 
wall, Mr. Speaker declared in the Houfe, that the Lord Steward 
agreed they fhould refort unto the Houfe, and with convenient fpeed 
to fhew their Letters-Patents why they be returned in this Parlia- 
ment “ But they were no farther queftioned (lays Dr. Willis, ib. 
page 168), the Queen’s inclinations being well underftood. ’ 
In the thirteenth of Elizabeth both Eaft-Loo and Fawy eledted 
two members, which being taken notice of and examined into, 
<“ Report was made by the Houfe of the validity of the Burgefles, 
and it was ordered by the Attorney-general’s aflent, that the Bur- 
gefles fhall remain according to their returns ; for that the validity 
of the charters is elfewhere to be examined, if caufe be h “ By 
which means, fays Dr. Willis, (ib. page 102) little or no difpute 
being made againft the Queen’s power, the houfe became greatly 
increafed with reprefentatives, efpecially by the fending of Burgefles 
from thofe boroughs.” 
Nor was it any objection, I imagine, to their fending up mem- 
bers, that thefe boroughs had little trade, few inhabitants, and thofe 
poor and of no eminence ; thefe circumftances in all likelihood did 
rather promote than prevent their being privileged, as rendering 
them more tradable and dependant than if they had been large and 
opulent towns, inhabited by perfons of trade, rank, and difcernment. 
It is true indeed, thefe places fo fummoned were old boroughs (in 
the legal acceptation of the word), that is, had immunities granted 
them by their Princes or Lords, exemptions from fervices in other 
f See the original writ, Pryn. Brev. Parliament. to, flaying, and returning from Weftminfter, four 
vol. IV. page 186, 187, where J. Shakelok was pounds twelve {hillings, 
returned at the fame time for Polruan only, and s Pryn. Brev. Pari. vol. IV. page 1170.^ 
thefe Members allowed for forty-four days in going h Pryn. Pari. Regifter, part xv. page 1179. 
courts, 
