The Old Stannaries 
284 
[April, 
were judged by their own laws before the Judges of the 
Stannaries,” and they were “ exempt from all other juris- 
dictions of the kingdom in all causes within the Stannaries 
amongst them, except in such as affeCted land, life, or 
limb.” They were also exempted from serving on juries 
other than those connected with the Stannaries, from paying 
tithes to the clergy out of their wages, and could sell their 
their own goods at fairs or markets without paying any fees. 
The Stannary Courts were held every three weeks, and a 
Court was held once every month by a Vice- or Sub-Warden 
to hear cases brought from the other Courts ; and from the 
decision of this Court there was no appeal, save to the 
Lord Warden, the Duke in Council, or the King in person. 
The history of Stannary matters prior to the seventeenth 
century, owing chiefly to many valuable records having been 
destroyed during the Civil War, is very obscure, but during 
that and the following century the Stannary Parliaments 
were extremely active. The memberships appear to have 
been regarded as posts of considerable importance, and to 
have been eagerly sought after, possibly with some sinister 
motive of ulterior gain, for during those centuries a large 
amount of underhanded dealing in Stannary affairs seems 
to have been practised. The writer of an account of a 
Cornish Parliament which met in 1750 (see note || page 
283) remarks that “ during the time of an election gentlemen 
think it worth while to come down into the county who 
were never seen in it at any other time, and to negleCt their 
business and the pursuit of their affairs for three months 
together, without having or pretending to have the least 
knowledge of tin or Stannary matters.” The same writer 
also remarks “ that whoever will take the pains to search 
into it will find the constitution of the Stannaries to be as 
well established, both by Charter and ACt of Parliament, as 
any particular constitution can be, or even as the constitu- 
tion of the kingdom itself.” Little could he have thought 
that, within another century from the time he wrote, the 
Stannary Parliaments, together with most of the ancient 
customs and privileges of the tinners, would have fallen 
into desuetude, and that the Stannary Courts would have 
merged into a single restricted tribunal, with every prospeCt 
of that being soon combined with the County Court. Pro- 
bably the last of the Stannary Parliaments was the one 
that assembled at Truro on 13th September, 1752.* In 
* The laws made by this Parliament are given in “ Laws of the Stannaries 
of Cornwall, &c.,” published by order of the said Parliament, 1752. In 1752, 
also, the laws made 22 Jac. I., 12 Car. I., and 4 Jac. II. are confirmed. 
