The Survey of Cornwall Part 1

The Survey of Cornwall.

by Richard Carew.

RICHARD CAREW, the Celebrated Author of the Survey of Cornwall, was born of an antient Family at East-Antonie (a), the Seat of his Ancestors, in the Year 1555, if we may credit Mr. Wood (b). He was the Son of Thomas Carew by Elizabeth Edgec.u.mb, Daughter to Sir Richard Edgec.u.mb, a Gentleman says our Author (c), in whom Mildness and Stoutness, Diffidence and Wisdom, Deliberateness of Undertaking, and Sufficiency of Effecting, made a more commendable, than blazing mixture of Vertue. He adds, that Sir Richard, at his fine House, call'd to this day Mount-Edgec.u.mb,

"during Queen Mary's Reign, entertain'd at one time for some good s.p.a.ce, the Admirals of the English, Spanish, and Netherland Fleets, with many n.o.blemen besides.

But", pursues he, " not too much of this, lest a partial Affection steal, as unawares, into my Commendation, as one, by my Mother, descended from his Loins, and by my Birth a Member of the House (d)."

But Mr. Carew hath given us an account of his Ancestors, which I shall set down here, that the Reader may see they were no less distinguished by the great Estates in their possession, than by the n.o.ble Families they were allyed to. Speaking of the Lyner, which, with the Tamer, discharges itself into the Sea above Plymouth;

"A little within this Mouth of Lyner", says he (e), " standeth East-Antonie, the poore home of mine Ancestours, with which in this manner they were invested:

Sir John Lerchedekne ------- of Ashton in Devon.

Touching our Stock in general", pursues our Author (f), " and my Family in particular ------------- our Queen."

The Pregnancy of his Parts being much above his Age, he was sent to Oxford in the Year 1566, being then but eleven Years old, and

"(g) became a Gentleman Commoner of Christ Church .......

but had his Chamber in Broadgate's Hall:"

And three Years after he was call'd to dispute with the incomparable Sir Philip Sidney, who was a Year older than he (h).

Dr. Fuller and Mr. Wood have taken notice of this memorable Dispute, without mentioning from whence they had that Particular, which, as we have seen already, is related by Mr. Carew himself.

"He was bred", says Dr. Fuller (i), " a Gentleman- Commoner in Oxford; where, being but fourteen Years old, and yet three Years standing, he was call'd out to dispute ex tempore, before the Earls of Leicester and Warwick, with the matchless Sir Philip Sidney.

Si quaeritis hujus Fortunam pugnae, non est superatus ab illo.

Ask you the End of this Contest ?

They neither had the better, both the best."

Mr. Wood expresses it thus:

"At fourteen Years of Age", says he (k), " he disputed ex tempore with the matchless Philip Sidney, (while he was a young (l) Man, I suppose) in the presence of the Earls of Leicester, Warwick, and other n.o.bility, at what time they were lodged in Christ-Church, to receive entertainment from the Muses."

Mr. Wood says afterwards, that

"After Mr. Carew had spent three Years in Oxon, he retired to the Middle Temple, where he spent 3 Years more" (m) ;

which may be true, tho' he brings in no Authority for it. But what he adds, that

"then he was sent with his Uncle (Sir George Carew as it seems) in his Emba.s.sage unto the King of Poland; whom when he came to Dantzick, he found that he had been newly gone from thence into Sweden, whither also he went after him :"

And that

"After his return, and a short stay made in England, he was sent by his Father into France with Sir Hen.

Nevill, who was then Amba.s.sador Leiger unto K. Hen. 4.

that he might learn the French Tongue, which by reading and talking, he overcame in three quarters of a Year :"

All this, I say, cannot hold, if it be true that, tho' he understood Italian, French, High-Dutch, and Spanish, he had never been out of England ; as his Countryman Charles Fitzgeffry seems to a.s.sert in the following Compliment to him:

Quis Deus tibi tam bene invocatus (n), Disertissime millium trecentum Idemq; optime omnium CARAEE, (Seu quis multiplicem eruditionem, Seu quis, quo magis emicas elenchum Morum ponderet elegantiorum, Virtutumq; tot auream coronam) Quis (inquam) Deus (o Deus profecto!) Tantis te spoliis, tot & trophaeis Terrarum locupletat exterarum, Domi perpetuo interim morantem Et libris patriaeque servientem?

Quo Graij tibi, quo tibi Latini Auri pondera tanta? quove Hetrusci, Galli, Teutones, invidiq; Iberi Tam a.s.satim te opibus suis bearunt?

O si tot Deus ora, totq; linguas Mihi idulserit, ut tuas referrem Laudes, quot dedit ora quotq; linguas Tibi uno Deus ore, lingua in una?

I may add, that Mr. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, giving an account of the eminent Men born in that Dutchy, reckons among the Civilians Doctor Carew (o) :

"In the Civil Law", says he (p), " there lived of late Doctor Kennals, and now (q) doth Doctor Carew, one of the antientest Masters of the Chancery; in which Calling, after his younger Years spent abroad to his benefit, he hath reposed himself."

He mentions him again among the Persons employed in State Affairs, and therethrough stept to Preferment (r).

"Master George Carew", says he, " in his younger Years gathered such Fruit as the University, the Inns of Court, and Foreign Travel could yield him. Upon his Return, he was first call'd to the Bar, then supply'd the Place of Secretary to the Lord Chancellor Hatton; and after his Decease, performed the like Office to his two Successors, by special Recommendation from her Majesty, who also gave him the Prothonotarys.h.i.+p of the Chancery; and in anno 1598 sent him Amba.s.sador to the King of Poland, and other Northern Potentates, where through unexpected Accidents, he underwent extraordinary Perils; but G.o.d freed him from them, and he performed his Duty in acceptable manner : And at this present the Commonwealth useth his Service, as a Master of the Chancery."

Had our Author attended this worthy Person in his Emba.s.sies, it is hardly possible he should not have taken some notice of it here; being elsewhere so ready to honour himself with the Friends.h.i.+p or Acquaintance of the Great Men of his Time.

As to what Mr. Wood adds, viz. that Mr. Carew was sent by his Father into France with Sir Henry Nevill.... that he might learn the French Tongue, &c. I am afraid he hath mistaken our Author for his Son, who, in effect, went into France with a Nevill, in order to learn the French Tongue ; as it appears by the following Verses of the aforesaid Fitzgeffry, upon his Return.

Ad (s) RICHARDUM CARAEUM, Ri. Filium, e Gallijs reducem.

Melligo juvenum Caraee, quotquot d.a.m.noni occiduis alunt in oris : Ecquid Fama sinistimae (t) auricellae Veris se insinuat meae susurris, Te longae peregrinitates omnes Exancla.s.se (v) molestias, marisq; Emensum omnia taedia, ad parentes Patremq; unanimum, piamq; matrem, Membrorum incolumi statu redisse, Onustum omnigenae eruditionis Gazis & Spoliis, quot aut Camoenae Dant vaenum emporio Lutetiano Aut culto Aureliae urbis in Lycaeo.

Qua tibi Aonii latus NEVILLI Phoeboeumq; TRELAVNIVM sequuto Aulam invisere curiamq; magni Regis contigit, aemulam tonantis.

At o Liligeri potentis Aula AEtatem bene sit tibi, quod almum CAREUM modo patriae patriq; Post desiderium utriusq; longum, Salvumq; incolumenq; reddidisti.

At tu non modo stemmatum opumq; Verum & laudis & eruditionis Patritae genuinus artis haeres Cresce in spem patriae, hostium timores, Patris delicias, Elisae amores, Donec concilijs senex, at ore Et membris juvenis sat intigellus (x) Totum Nestora vixeris, tuisq; Alb.u.m feceris Albiona factis : Melligo juvenum CARAEE quotquot d.a.m.noni occiduis alunt in oris.

Learning is not only useful, but necessary in all Conditions and States of Life; but I will presume to say, that it is more particularly so to all Gentlemen, who are allotted to live in the Country. And if they cannot pa.s.s their leisure Hours in reading, or cultivating Arts and Sciences, they will spend that time in such things as must be detrimental to their Families, and, at the end, fatal to their own Persons. Our Author could never fall into those Inconveniences : He loved Letters, and not only made them subservient to his own Entertainment, but sometimes useful to the Publick.

As he was a great Master of Languages, he delivered his Opinion upon the true and ready way to learn the Latin Tongue, in answer to a Quaere, Whether the ordinary way by teaching Latin by the Rules of Grammar, be the best way for Youths to learn it (y)? He wrote likewise a Dissertation, shewing the Excellency of the English Tongue (z) : and published a Translation of the Examen de Ingenios para las Sciencias, written by Juan Huerte, that ingenious and learned Spanish Physician. It was printed at London in 1594, with this t.i.tle: The Examination of Mens Wits. In which, by discovering the Variety of Natures, is shewed for what Profession each one is apt, and how far he shall profit therein (A).

His Proficiency in natural Philosophy, enabled him to improve Agriculture and Husbandry to such a degree, that he was accounted among his Neighbours the greatest Husband, and most excellent Manager of Bees in Cornwall (B).

The Enquiries he had made into the History and Antiquities of Nations, and chiefly of Great Britain, engaged him to attempt a Description of Cornwall; as it is natural to every Man to have a particular Fondness for his native Country:

Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit & immemores non finit esse sui.

This he only undertook for his private Satisfaction and Entertainment; but was afterwards prevail'd upon by his Friends to publish it, as we shall see anon. Mr. Camden, who had seen it, and was an excellent Judge in those Matters, thought himself obliged to do justice both to the Author and his Performance, in the first Edition of his Britannia, printed in the Year 1586:

"But these Matters" (says he, at the end of his Account of Cornwall) " will be laid open more distinctly and fully, by Richard Carew of Antonie, a Person no less eminent for his honourable Ancestors, than his own Virtue and Learning, who is writing a Description of this Country, not in little, but at large."

Sed haec planius & plenius docebit Richardus Carew de Antonie, non minus generis splendore, quam virtute & doctrina n.o.bilis; qui hujus regionis descriptionem latiore specie, & non ad tenue elimat (D).

Our Author's Knowledge in the Laws, his Love for Justice and Equity, and his Affection to the Government, rais'd him to all the Posts of Honour, that are consistent with a Country Life. Mr. Wood a.s.sures us (E), that he was made Justice of the Peace in 1581, High-Sheriff of Cornwall in 1586, and about that time was the Queens Deputy for the Militia. And indeed we find in his Survey of Cornwall, that he was Justice of the Peace, and one of the Quorum (F) : and that in the Year 1599, (Sir Walter Raleigh being then Lieutenant General of Cornwall) Mr. Carew was one of the Deputy Lieutenants, Treasurer of the Lieutenancy, and Colonel of a Regiment, consisting of five Companies, or 500 Men, armed with 170 Pikes, 300 Musquets, and 30 Calivers, appointed for Causam Bay (G).

There was at that time a Society of several Gentlemen, eminent for their Learning and Merit, such as Sir Robert Cotton, Mr. Dodderidge, (afterwards Sir John Dodderidge, who died one of the Judges of the King's-Bench) Mr. Camden, Mr. Stow, &c. who had regular Meetings, or Conferences, for the Improvement and Ill.u.s.tration of the History and Antiquities of England. That Society had a particular Claim to our Author; and in 1589 he was elected a Member of the College of the Antiquaries (H). The Oration he made at his Introduction, contained, (as I am informed by a Gentleman who saw it)

"an elegant Display of the Devastations Time so swiftly makes upon all things; thence it subsides to the Advantages and Commendations of that kind of Study, they had chosen to be the Subject of their Conferences : and concludes with a pathetical Exhortation to his Auditory, That they would persevere in establis.h.i.+ng what they had so n.o.bly begun, and continue to employ their Labours upon those things, which were worthy of them; that so they might not be drawn into Oblivion themselves, by that which they would rescue from it, and that Time might not rob them of aught more considerable than that which they should restore."