I have toyed with documents at The National Archives that might relate to the arrival of early Curnows in the Towednack area from St Anthony or St Kevern. Nothing that I have found has any direct bearing on this arrival, but the first case below most probably relates to an ancestor of the Towednack Curnows.
The second, more exciting, case below relates to the families of Peter and Michael Curnow, who died at St Keverne, and who as far as I know did not move to Towednack.
There are a number of obscurities remaining in the transcriptions, but their general meaning I hope is clear.
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TNA reference C1/834/18 Walter Kendall v John Cornewe and Peter Store
Catalogue entry: Walter Kendall. v. John Cornewe and Peter Store.: Demise of a tenement in Grothe (i.e. Grugith in St. Keverne ?) to the said Peter, in breach of a promise to complainants.: Cornwall. Covering dates 1533-1538
To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Ansty knight Lord Chancellor of England
In most humble wise showeth unto your Lordship your daily orator Walter Kendall that whereas one John Cornewe was seized in his demesne as of fee of and in one tenement with certain lands thereunto belonging with its appurtenances in Grothe in the county of Cornwall and so seized the 10th day of October the 23rd year of the reign of our sovereign Lord King Henry the Eighth (1532) the said Cornewe demised and granted the same unto your said orator and his assigns for term of 30 years then next ensuing and fully to be complete yielding and paying therefore yearly during the said term unto the said Cornewe and his heirs 13s 4d at certain days and times between them agreed and the best of your said orator in the name of a heir at the time of the decease of the said orator at the time of the which lease or grant thus made the said John Cornewe covenanted and granted whatever said actions to make unto him sufficient assurances of the p’mises during the said term by writing sealed with the hand of the said John Cornewe by force whereof your said orator unto the said tenement and lands thereunto belonging with appurtenances entered and was thereof possessed according . And not withstanding that your said orator divers and sundry times hath required the said John Cornewe to make unto him good and sufficient assurance of the premises by writing sealed by the said Cornewe according to his promise covenant and grant yet that to do the said John Cornewe not only from time to time always hath denied and yet doth against all right and conscience but of a froward mind and ill intent and minding only trouble and business hath made a lease or grant of the said tenement and lands with the appurtenances unto one Peter Store but whether it be for time of life years or at will your said orator perfectly knoweth not by reason whereof vexing debate and suit is like to be between your said orator and the said Peter Storye. And forasmuch as the said covenant and grant made by the said John Cornewe were made by word and not by writing your said orator hath no remedy against the said Cornewe by the course of the common law nor hath any remedy against the said Peter Storye to cause him to yield up and annul such writing as he hath of the grant of the said tenement and land with the appurtenances made by the said John Cornewe for reformation whereof it will please your good lordship the promises conceded to grant several writs of subpeona to be directed unto the said John Cornewe and Peter Storye commanding them by virtue thereof personally appear before the King in his Chancery at a certain day to answer to the premises there to abide such order decision and judgement as shall be thought by your good Lordship most expedient and neccessary in this behalf. And your said orator shall daily pray for the preservation of your good Lordship long to endure.
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TNA reference STAC 8/214/7 Mapowder v Mugge, Cornow, Tregayer and others 1603-1625
Catalogue entry: Mapowder v. Mugge, Cornow, Tregayer and others: Corn. Covering dates 04/03/1603-27/03/1625
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(on back of complaint)
Lune septimus die julij anno xv°: Ja: Rg (Monday July 7th 1617)
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To the King’s most excellent Majesty
Humbly complaining informeth and showeth unto your most excellent Majesty your most loyal and obedient subject Richard Mapowder of Keveren in the county of Cornewall gent. That whereas your said subject now is and by the space of seven years now last past hath been lawfully seized in his demesne as of frank tenement for term of his life of and in one messuage twenty acres of land ten acres of meadow and 30 acres of pasture with the appurtenances commonly called or known by the name of Treraboe in the county of Cornwall the ren’con thereof in fee simple to your Majesty your heirs and successors belonging in right of your highnesses crown of England and as parcel of your highnesses manor of Treraboe in the said county of Cornwall. So it is, most gracious sovereign, that one George Mugge dwelling near the said messuage and premises in the tenure of the said subject and finding the same to be very commodiously situated for him if he might get the same and having divers times in vain moved your said subject for the purchase of his estate therein but always in vain for that your subject could not conveniently spare the same being his only place of habitation he the said Mugge by malicious and unlawful combination and confederacy between him and Denys his wife Johan Cornow his mother-in-law Alice Cornowe Bennett Tregayer Thomas Polchirche and Lawrence Chinalls and divers other persons to the number of 12 or more to your orator yet unknown whose names he prays may be injected into this bill when they may be known on or about the first day of November in the year of your highnesses reign over England the twelth did plot and resolve by some indirect and unlawful means to enforce your subject to depart with his right in the premises to the said Mugge. And to that end on or about the third day of November aforesaid in the twelfth year aforesaid at Treraboe aforesaid did arm furnish and prepare themselves and every of them with swords daggers long pikes staves stones and other weapons and engines and so armed prepared and furnished the same third day of November did riotously routously and unlawfully assemble and congregate themselves together at Treroboe aforesaid and then and there with force and arms and strong hand did riotously rowtously unlawfully and against your Majesty’s peace break and throw down one hundred p’ches of the hedges of the said premises in your subject’s tenure and laid the same premises open to the highways and commons thereabouts that your subjects beasts and cattle might stray out of the same premises and commit trespasses to other men and that other mens beasts and cattle might stray into the said premises and there do trespass to your said subject. All which was plotted and done by the combination aforesaid to the only intent and purpose that your subject might thereby be occasioned to prosecute and defend so many suits that the trouble and costs thereof might enforce him to dep’le with his right in the premises unto the said Mugge at such rate as he listed. And further your said orator humbly informeth and showeth unto your most excellent Majesty that whereas afterwards upon the same third day of November your said subject and one George Mapowder his father at the request and in assistance of your subject at Treroboe aforesaid had quietly taken and distrained as damage feasant upon part of the premises in your subjects tenure one horse and divers other beasts and cattle of the said George Mugge that came into the said said premises through the default of the said hedge so by him and the rest of the said confederates broken down as aforesaid and were quietly driving the same horse and other beasts and cattle of the said Mugge to your Majesty’s pound for the said manor there to remain imparked till your subject should be satisfied for the said trespass and damage to him done by the same horse beasts and cattle. So it is most gracious sovereign that the said George Mugge Denys his wife Julyan Cornow Alice Cornow Bennett Tregayer Thomas Polchirche and Lawrence Chynalls and the said persons unknown being all and every of them armed and prepared and furnished as aforesaid did then and there by the combination aforesaid in most riotous routous and unlawful sort with force and arms and contrary to your Majesty’s laws and peace assault your said subject and his said father being a weak aged man and beat and wounded them in most cruel and barbarous manner and with force and strong hand rescued and took the said horse and other beasts and cattle of the said Mugge from the possession of your said subject and his said father contrary to his Majesty’s peace and laws in that behalf and which mean blasphemous and execrable oaths threatened your said subject and his said father to kill and murder them if they should in any further endeavour to complain or seek to redress the p’misses or any other like act against the said Mugge and other the confederates aforesaid. By occasion of which proceedings and threatenings your subject and his servant remained so terrified that from the said third day of November and the 13th day of May then next following being the 13th year of your highnesses reign he durst not amend nor could get the said hedge to be amended but the said premises in his tenure during all that time lay open and in common. And the said George Mugge and John Curnow and other the confederates aforesaid by the combination aforesaid by all that time did daily put their beasts and cattle into the same premises to feed and depasture and their said beasts and cattle and also the beasts and cattle of divers others to your orator unknown coming in through the defaults aforesaid did there feed and depasture by all that time and did utterly eat up and consume ten acres of wheat of your said subject then and there growing to the great damage of your said subject and of the common wealth your subject in all the time last aforesaid not daring to impound or put out the said beasts and cattle for fear of the said Mugge and other the said confederates who watched the said cattle night and day by all that time to see who would or as they said who durst meddle with them until upon the said 13th day of May your said subject finding that none at that time watched the said beasts and cattle did in peaceable manner take and distrain damage feasant upon part of the said premises in his tenure divers horses oxen kine sheep and other cattle both of the said George Mugge and of the said Johan Cornowes and impounded them in the pound aforesaid whereof the said Mugge and Denys his wife Johan Cornow Alice Curnow and John Polchirche and other the said confederates having speedy notice did by the combination aforesaid forthwith again armed and furnished themselves in form as aforesaid and so armed and furnished did riotously routously and in disturbance of your Majesty’s peace upon the same thirteenth day of May assemble and congregate themselves together at the mansion house of your said subject at Treraboe aforesaid and then and there with force and strong hand broke open and entered into the said house and finding therein your subject and his said father did beat and wound them in most cruel manner and swear by many execrable oaths that they would instantly murder them both if they would not deliver the said beasts and cattle out of the said pound without any satisfaction for the trns they had done h.. and so compelled your subject for fear of his life to deliver the same as they required. And not herewith content the said George Mugge Bennett Tregayer and other the said confederates by the combination aforesaid resolved to kill and destroy all the beasts and cattle of your orator and to do him what hurt or mischief they could in any other matter whatsoever. And to that purpose on or about the 7th day of April now last past the said George Mugge Bennett Tregayer and the rest of the said confederates did arm and furnish themselves as aforesaid and so armed and furnished at Treraboe aforesaid the same seventh day of April did routously
assemble themselves together with the intent aforesaid and to disturb your Majesty’s peace. And then and there so armed and furnished as aforesaid in a highway of your Majesty there being not only your subject therein driving certain horses oxen kine sheep and other beasts and cattle of his. And riotously and routously assaulted beat and cruelly wounded your said said subject and with the said swords and other weapons thrust through and killed divers of the said horses oxen kine and sheep of your said subject. And your said subject making resistance in the best manner he could to drive away and save the rest of the his said beasts and cattle the said Bennett Tregayer seeing then and there put the only child of your said subject an infant of two years anf half old by the combination aforesaid and by the abetment and encouragement of the said George Mugge and the rest of his said confederates took up in both hands a stone of 20 pounds weight and more and coming behind the said child lifted up the said stone on the head thereof threatening thereby to dash out the brains of the said child if your subject did not speedily desist from defending his said beasts and cattle from the said confederates so as your said subject to save the life of his only child who else had been slain was compelled to leave his said beasts and cattle to the violence and fury of the said confederates who then and there killed and destroyed the most part of them and have at several times since then by the like combination acted the like outrage in killing of other beasts and cattle of your said subject. And whereas your subject by and between the seventh day of May last past had well and sufficiently repaired all the hedge and fences of the said premises
in his tenure. And whereas by all the time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary it hath been used and accustomed within the said manor of Treraboe that the jury pooren to enquire for your Majesty and your Majesty’s most royal predecessors at and in the Leet or Law day of and for the said manor upon upon evidence upon oath to them given have presented and ought to be present at all the defects and decays of and in their hedges and fences of all the lands and tenements parcel of or holden of the said manor and in whose default the same have ground whereupon the parties at and in the said court by the jury aforesaid to be faulty in that kind by all the time aforesaid have paid and ought to pay such fine as hath been and should be imposed on them by the Stewards of the said court for the time being. So it is most your gracious sovereign that the said George Mugge and Denys his wife Alice Cornow Bennett Tregayer and Thomas Polchirche by the combination and to the evil meant aforesaid upon the seventh day of May last past at which time there being a Leet or Law day for the said manor holden before your Majesty’s Steward there did for bribes and reward corruptly and against your Majesty’s laws and peace hire and suborn the said Johan Cornow and Lawrence Chenalls falsely to say and depose in evidence unto the jury then and there at the said court sworn to make presentem’ for your Majesty that the hedges and fences of the premises in your subject’s tenure were then in decay in default of reparation. By and upon which subornation and by the combination aforesaid the said Johan and Lawrence being then and there sworn upon the holy Evangelist to give true evidence to the said jury did nevertheless say and depose that the said hedges and fences were then in decay through the default of your said subject whereby the said jury upon their oaths presented your subject as guilty in that whereas accordingly which presentiment was accepted and entered of record in the said court and your subject thereupon put so a great fine to your Majesty. In which deposition the said Johan and Lawrence by the combination and subornation aforesaid committed most gross wilful and corrupt perjury to the great greivance of your said subject contrary also to your Majesty’s laws and peace and to the evil example of all your Majesty’s loving subjects. In tender consideration whereof and for that all and singular the plots practices riots routs unlawful assemblies subornacious p’indries and other the offences and misdemeanours aforesaid are to the huge displeasure of Almighty God and contrary to your Majesty’s laws and peace and send to the evil example of all your Majesty’s subjects if the same should pass unpunished and were all committed and done since your Majesty’s last most gracious general and full pardon. May it please your Majesty to grant unto your said subject his Majesty’s most gracious writ of subpeona to be directed to the said George Mugge and Denys his wife Johan Cornow Alice Cornow Bennett Tregayer Thomas Polchirche and Lawrence Chynalls and the said unknown persons when they shall be known thereby commanding them and every of them at a certain day and under a certain pain personally to appear before your Majesty and the lords of your Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council then and there to answer the premises and to stand to and abide such direction and punishment therein as shall stand with justice and their demerits. And your subject according to his bounden duty will heartily pray unto God for your Majesty’s long and happy reign over us.
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Martis decimo quinto die Julii Anno xv° Jas Rg (Tuesday 15th July 1617)
The demurrer of George Mugge one of the defendants for his part to
the bill of complaint of Richard Maypowder complainant
The said defendant not confessing nor acknowledging any of the matters or things in the said complainant’s bill of complaint mentioned concerning him to be true saith that the said bill of complaint exhibited against him this defendant and others into this honourable court for so much thereof as concerneth him this defendant is very uncertain and insufficient in the law to be answered unto for divers and sundry faults and manifest imperfections therein appearing. And that by the law of this realm and orders of this most honourable court this defendant is not tied to make some answers there unto both for the pettiness of the offences and for the insufficient laying of the piasie in the to the Leet and Law Day in the said bill mentioned which is so insufficiently laid and charged and of such nature and in ......... lease so as by the ancient precedent of this honourable court this defendant is not bound to an answer thereunto for all which can as this defendant doth most humbly demurre in law upon the said bill of complaint. And demand the judgement of this honourable court whether he shall be compelled to make an other or further answer thereunto. And prayeth to be dismissed out of this honourable court with his reasonable costs and charges by him in this behalf most wrongfully sustained.
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...onis decimo die Octobris Anno xv° Jas Rg (19th? October 1617)
The answer of Bennett Tregayre one of the defendants for his part to the
bill of complaint of Richard Maypowder gent complainant
The said defendant saith that the said bill of complaint (as he verily thinketh) exhibited and s...d up by the said complainant and some others whose bare causeless malice and displeasure against him this defendant and the other defendants in the said bill named who dwell in the county of Cornwall far distant from this honourable court thereby to put them to very serious costs charges and expenses in the law without any good cause or just grounds of suit that the said complainant hath against him this defendant. Nevertheless the benefit and advantage of exception to the uncertainty and insufficiency of the said bill of complaint being to this defendant now and at all times hereafter saved and reserved. And by protestation not confessing nor acknowledging any matter or thing in the said bill concerning him this defendant to be true for answer thereunto this defendant saith. As to all and every the combinations confederacies plots practices riots routs rescusses unlawful assemblies batteries piuries subornation of piurie and all other the offences misdemeanours wherewith this defendant either solely by him self or jointly with any others is or standeth charged in and by the said bill of complaint material for him to answer unto and examinable in this most honourable court that he is of the all and every of them clearly and absolutely not guilty in manner and form as in the said bill of complaint is most untruly alleged. Without that that any other matter or thing in the said
bill mentioned wherewith this defendant is charged and not herein sufficiently contested and avoided traversed or denied or otherwise answered unto is true. All which matters this defendant is and will be ready to avow and prove as this most honourable court shall award. And humbly pray to be dismissed out of the same with his reasonable costs and charges by him in this behalf most wrongfully sustained.
