FOWEY. POLITICAL CHARACTER.-It is one of the feudal tenures belonging to the Prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall. The property is principally in the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, and Philip Rafhleigh, cfq. who are under the neceffity of uniting their interefts, in order to carry their point of elective influencec. A very powerful and expenfive oppofition was made to their joint intereft at the laft general election by Lord Shuldham and Sir Ralph Payne, who were fupposed to have the good wifhes of the Prince himself; but, after several law-fuits on abstract points, it was finally determined, by a committee of the house of com→ mons, the laft feffion, in favour of Lord Valletort, fon to the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, and Philip Rafhleigh, efq, A number of furreptitious votes were polled at the last election. The parties each fet up a returning officer, who admitted all the votes tendered in favour of their principals refpectively; but the committee reduced the number to 63, and reported fpecially to the houfe, under the authority of the amended Grenville act on the 7th of March, 1791. "That "That the portreve of the borough of Fowey is "the returning officer for the faid borough;, and "that it is neceffary that fuch returning officer "should be chosen or presented by a homage-jury " of prince's tenants, duly admitted on the court"rolls of the manor of the faid borough: and "that prince's tenants, admitted by the steward or deputy fteward, at the court holden in the said manor, are duly admitted; and that the pre"fentment of the homage is not neceffary to "fuch admiffion." VOL. I. M ANCIENT The ancient prefentment of homage is, according to Lyttylton, the most honourable and most humble fervice of reverence that a free tenant can make to his lord; for, when the tenant fhall do homage, he shall come ungirted, and his head uncovered, while his lord is fitting; and the tenant fhall kneel before him on both his knees, and hold his hands jointly together, between thofe of his lord, and thus fhall fay—" I become your man, from this day forward, of life, and member, and of earthly worship; and unto you I shall be faithful and loyal, and owe you faith for the tenements I claim to hold, faving the faith I owe to my king." And then the ford fo fitting fhall kifs him. Remark.-How low was the natural dignity of man reduced by this abject fubmission, caused by the feudal fyftem! But how muft the mind of the fubject have been debafed, when fuch fervility could have been deemed the moft honourable service that a freeman could pay to his lord! No wonder our prefent oppreffions are borne fo patiently. ANCIENT REPRESENTATION. -It is not determined when this town was made a borough; but it is well known, that it returned no members until 13 Eliz. But in the time of Edw. III, Fowey and East Looe fent a merchant to a council at Westminster, to confult on fea affairs. The last-mentioned prince alfo gave the town the privilege of being a member of the cinque ports, for affording affistance to certain fhips in distress, belonging to Rye. CORPORATION.-Fowey is governed by a mayor, eight aldermen, a recorder, and two affiftants. The mayor, while in office, and the next year, with the feven aldermen, are always juftices of the peace. RIGHT OF ELECTION.-May 5, 1701. Re folved (by the Committee),-That the right of electing burgeffes to ferve in parliament for the borough of Fowey, in the county of Cornwall, is in the prince's tenants* who are capable of being portreves of the said borough, * Prince's tenants were defined on the 5th of March, 701 to be fuch only as have been duly admitted upon the court rolls of the manor, and have done their fealty. borough, and in fuch inhabitants of the faid borough only as pay scot and lot. [It does not appear, by the printed votes, that the boufe agreed to this refolution.] The right of election is, however, understood to be in all the inhabitants paying scot and lot. NUMBER OF VOTERS-63. RETURNING OFFICER-The portreve, chofen by a jury of the Prince's tenants. PATRONS-Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, and P. Rafhleigh, efq. BOSSINEY, alias TINTAGEL. POLITICAL CHARACTER.-The burgeffes or freemen are the electors in this borough. Mr. Crewe's bill difqualified all the eleven voters, who happened to be then revenue-officers, except one, who, being of fuch fingular importance as actually to have sent a member for this town to M 2 parliament parliament in 1784, demands that his name fhould be known to have been Arthur Wade. Three or four more have been fince added to affift this folitary elective individual in the arduous task of member-making. These were added under the direction of the Earl of Bute and the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, who poffefs the patronage of this borough. It is not however certain that the intereft of thefe noblemen is fecure. Certain individuals, claiming a right to be admitted to the franchise of boroughmen or freemen, under the charter, fometimes threaten an oppofition: and the late amendment to the Grenville act, which opened a new avenue to the investigation of borough-right, may induce fome parliamentary adventurer to risk a trial upon this claim. ANCIENT REPRESENTATION.-This town never fent to parliament until the 7th Edw. VI. It was made a borough by Richard Earl of Cornwall, the brother of Henry III. Although it has a titular mayor and burgeffes, it was never incorporated. Dec. |