There is also a monument to the Rev. Henry Pooley, the late vicar, who departed this life in Sept. 1821, esteemed as a clergyman, as a gentleman, and in his domestic relations. On his decease Doctor William Carey, then Bishop of Exeter, bestowed the living on the Rev. Richard Polwhele, in consideration of his eminence in almost every department of literature.
MANOR OF CARGOLS.
The leasehold property of this manor, purchased by Mr. Philip Hawkins, remained in his family till his great grandson, the late Sir Christopher Hawkins, acquired the freehold in the year 1804 or 5, under the authority of parliament, for redeeming the Land Tax from the See of Exeter.
The other portion of the Borlase property, sold to Sir William Scawen, has not remained so permanently in the possession of any family. Treludra, and its appendages, had certain incorporeal rights, which made them objects of peculiar attention. Mr. Scawen, who inherited this property from the original purchaser, sold it to Mr. Basset, afterwards Lord de Dunstanville; and about the year 1798 it was finally sold to Sir Christopher Hawkins, who thus united again the Borlase property in this neighbourhood.
It is now needless to investigate the constitution of the little borough of Michell, further than to state that the right of voting for Members of Parliament had been determined to reside in five individuals, holding certain nominal tenures within the borough, and denominated mesne lords, and in such persons living within the borough, as paid
scot and lot. These last were in latter times reduced to four, so as to constitute the five mesne lords a majority.
Nothing could primâ facie appear more absurd, or bear more the appearance of a childish mockery of representation. But in point of fact, this and other close boroughs had nothing to do with representation at all, in the sense usually applied to that word: they were fortuitous contrivances giving weight to property, and restraining an assembly partly delegated, and thereby possessing a strong spirit of freedom, within such bounds as allowed distinct branches of government to co-exist with this otherwise all powerful body. They are now swept away, and new institutions seem fast arising; but whether these shall prove advantageous to the happiness and to the welfare of mankind, or the contrary, our posterity will be more able to decide. They may perhaps discover that the apparent obstacles in our Constitution, really contained the secret springs which gave a regulated motion to the British Government, when it was esteemed the wonder and the admiration of the world.
A large extent of waste ground, belonging to the Treludra purchase, having been enclosed, and efforts made to bring it into cultivation by various methods, and among these by folding sheep, it received the name of Shepherds. The late Sir Christopher Hawkins continued with eagerness what he found commenced; and trying the expedient of ploughing deep, to remove the stratum of shattered siliceous spar, which occurs immediately under the peaty turf of all such lands throughout Cornwall, lead ore was brought to the surface; when this spirited individual, who is said to have expended five thousand pounds a year in wages for a considerable length of time, began a mine at his own expense, and encouraged by its first efforts he brought in an adit, erected more than one steam engine, and wrought the mine to a very considerable depth. The quantity of lead raised from the mine proved sufficient to pay all the expenses, and in addition, the lead was found to be rich in silver, much above the general average of such as are usually tested.
All the operations were conducted on the place. The ores were smelted, silver to the amount of some tens of thousands of pounds value was extracted from the lead, and the litharge again revived.
In all these matters Sir Christopher Hawkins was mainly assisted by one whose name I am happy to record.