General history: Market and borough towns and fairs

Market and Borough Towns.

This county returns forty-four members to parliament, two knights of the shire and forty-two burgesses, the borough-towns being twenty-one in number. "Cornwall," says Carew, "through the grace of its Earl, sendeth an equal if not a larger number of burgesses to any other shire. The boroughs so privileged, more of favour (as the case now standeth with many of them) than merit, are these following, Launceston," &c. (he omits Grampound and Penryn). However honourable this privilege may be esteemed, and whatever advantages may have been derived from it of later days, it appears that there have been times, and those not very remote, when the burden of maintaining their burgesses in London, during their attendance in parliament, was esteemed a grievance which was illcompensated by the honourable privilege of electing them. The following letter from Mr. Richard Edgcumbe (fn. n1), then one of the burgesses for Totness, to his constituents, written in the year 1565, seems to intimate that the customary fees or wages were not then paid with the greatest alacrity:—

"To the Right Worshipful the Mayor and Burgesses of Totness.

"After my most harty commendations: where I at my brothers request and for your sakes have been your burgess for the parliament to my no small coste, for myne expence were above twenty marks over and above the forty shillings (fn. n2) I received of you; and forasmuch as it is like the parliament will go forward at this time, which causeth me to call to mind the charge I took in hand, which with like charge should be prosecuted if otherwise I prevented not the same. These are therefore to require you either to bestowe the same upon some other, or else to allow me but the bare fee, which is two shillings a day, and as I have begun so will I end, God willing, to your contentation. Truly at this present season I have no occasion, as I know of, to travel up to London, which considered, I think it reason that I demand, and hope you will take it as very reasonably demanded. Thus trusting you will return an answer of your determination herein with convenient speed, I most hartily commit you to God.—From Mount Edgcumbe this 8th of September 1565. Yours to command,

"Richard Edgecomb. (fn. n3) "

It appears that the custom of the boroughs maintaining their members (fn. n4), had not been discontinued in the early part of the last century; Hals, whose collections were brought down till about the year 1739, speaking of Helston, says, "this place, and many others in Cornwall, are not able to maintain their burgesses in London, during the sessions, at their own proper costs and charges (as old was accustomed), in any tolerable port or grandeur, but have found that profitable expedient (as many others) of making country-gentlemen free of their town, who bear the burden and heat of the day for them, and many times, for the honor of their corporations, distress their paternal estates, to exalt the reputation, and perpetuate the privileges of a petty society, made up of mechanics, tradesmen, and inferior practitioners of the law." The same kind of connection, probably, is still kept up in many instances, between country-gentlemen and the boroughs, though not exactly for the same purpose, since it is not so difficult now to find persons who will accept a seat in the House of Commons, without insisting on the payment of daily wages, during their attendance on parliament. It is said that Padstow, Lelant, and Marazion, formerly sent members to parliament, but were excused, upon their petition, on the score of poverty. We cannot find any records to confirm the tradition, but it is certain that Marazion elected two members for the parliament of 1658 (Thomas Westlake and Richard Myll), though it does not appear that they ever took their seat. The borough of Polruan sent a ship-owner to the council at Westminster, in the reign of Edward III. Seven of the present boroughs sent members to parliament in the reign of Edward I. — Launceston, Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Truro, Bodmin, Helston, and Tregony. The latter, after a long disuse of its privileges, was restored by Queen Elizabeth, in 1564. Saltash, Camelford, West-Looe, Grampound, Bossiny, Michel, and Newport, were first made parliamentary boroughs in the reign of Edward VI.; Penryn and St. Ives, in that of Queen Mary; and St. Germans, St. Mawes, East-Looe, Fowey, and Callington, by Queen Elizabeth.

Carew enumerates only eighteen market-towns in Cornwall; among these is Milbrook, the market at which place has long been discontinued; Bodmin and Launceston, he speaks of as the greatest. The following is a table of the present market-towns:—

The chief markets for corn are Launceston, Liskeard, Bodmin, St. Columb, Truro, Helston, and Penzance, but the corn-markets of Cornwall are much reduced, the principal farmers selling their corn in large quantities at home. The most considerable general markets are Redruth, Liskeard, and Penzance.

The ancient market granted to the Bishops of Exeter, to be held within their manor of Pawton, is still held, though now very inconsiderable, on Friday, at Wadebridge. There are provision-markets of late establishment, for the convenience of the populous mining districts, at Port-Isaac on Fridays, and at Heyle Copperhouse on Saturdays.

The following places had formerly charters for markets, which have been long ago disused; St. Burian, Cargol in Newlyn, Crofthole in Sheviock, St. Germans, Inceworth (held some time in Milbrook), Kilkhampton, Lawhitton, Modeshole or Michel, Mousehole in St. Paul, Polruan, Probus, Shepestall (fn. n7), and West-Looe or Port Pigham.

Fairs.

"Fayres," says Carew, "there are many;" he enumerates about thirty. The following is, we believe, a pretty accurate table of the fairs now held in the county:—

The largest cattle fairs are those of Bodmin (Whitsun fair), Grampound (June 11.), Probus (July 5.), Menheniot (June 11.), and Launceston (November 17.).