I had forgotten to say anything of Mr. Willis’s account of this borough, which I shall therefore now insert.
Robert Earl of Morton, and his successors Earls of Cornwall, having their chief residence at this castle, the town increased much in buildings and riches, and had certain privileges and liberties conferred upon it.
There were burgesses inhabiting or belonging to the castle of this town in the reign of King Henry the Second, and the reign of King Henry the Third. The town was by its then lord, Richard Earl of Poictiers and of Cornwall, the King’s brother,[14] made a free borough, who granted to it by his charter, without date, power to choose their own bailiffs, who were to answer the farm of the borough, which was to himself 100l.; to the prior of St. Stephan 65s. 10d.; and to the lepers of St. Leonard, of Lanceston, 100s. of his alms. He granted them also to erect a guild of merchants in the said borough to hold of him and his heirs, which privileges (as may be seen by divers charters and letters patent of the Kings of England, reciting by inspeximus) were frequently confirmed, and with additional liberties. And in the 10th year of Richard the Second, upon the petition of these burgesses, complaining that the last assizes and sessions had been detained from them and held at Lostwithiel, the King grants that these should be kept no where else in the county of Cornwall but at Launceston.
This Prince’s father[15] had, on his being created Duke of Cornwall, inter alia, the castle, borough, and honor of Launceston, assigned to him and the heirs of his body, eldest sons of the Kings of England, in whom accordingly this manor has been vested ever since; and is now held in fee farm by the heir-apparent to the Crown of England, being by birth Duke of Cornwall.
The corporation consists of a mayor, recorder, and eight aldermen, who, with the free burgesses, being in number
about 130, elect the members of Parliament. Its present establishment of incorporation is owing to a charter of Queen Mary, A. D. 1555. At the last Visitation of the Heralds, held on the 27th of Sept. 1620, the entries were,
Thomas Morton, mayor, Sir Anthony Rous, Knt. recorder; John Genis, Richard Estcot, Arthur Pinard, Nicholas Baker, Hugh Vigures, Henry Cary, George Hext, Orwald Cooke, aldermen; and Philip King, town clerk.
Mr. Willis goes on to say, That this was an ancient market town, may be seen by the Pipe Rolls in King John’s time, in whose reign the men of Launceston gave a fine of five marks to change the market from the Lord’s Day, whereon it was formerly kept, to Thursday, although it hath since undergone a second alteration, and is now kept on Saturdays.
THE EDITOR.
No one can approach Launceston, and more especially from the eastward, without being struck by the magnificent remains of the ancient castle.