Page:The histories of Launceston and Dunheved, in the county of Cornwall.djvu/325

GIFTS FOR PRISONERS. 293 house which, within living memory, stood south-east of the centre of the present Castle Green. King Stephen (1135-1154) gave to the prisoners in the Castle at Launceston 20s. yearly. An inquisition taken in the reign of Edward III. shows that from the time of Richard, Earl of Poictou and Corn- wall (1272), all felons taken in Liskeard were conveyed from Luxecross, within that borough, to the gaol at Launceston. On the 17th April, 1297, Edward I. directed the chaplain of Boyton, and thirty-three other clergymen, to be com- mitted to Launceston gaol for publishing a letter from the Pope. These clergymen had claimed exemption from all taxation, except that which the Pope might impose upon them. The king compelled them to submit. The vicars of Morwenstow, Stratton, Poughill, and St. Gennys, and the chaplains of Kilkhampton, Marhamchurch, Week St. Mary, Jacobstow, Whitstone, and Tamerton, were among the recusants. One of the answers of the mayor and burgesses (p. 1 59) to a royal inquiry instituted at Dunheved, otherwise Laun- ceston, in October, 1478, was, that part of the profits of their possessions were employed " towards the fyndyng of the prisoners yn the Kyng's Gayle." We have no doubt that there are many records which have escaped our research of gifts to prisoners in this gaol. We will presently cite two of them, but, neglect and the Mortmain Act, and possibly dishonourable concealment, have, together, made the gifts of no modern value. By deed, dated 1st May, 161 1, made between Richard Connock of the first part, the Bishop of Exeter of the second part, and Richard Estcott, then Mayor of Dunheved, and the Com- monalty of that borough, of the third part, the vicarial tithes of Boyton were charged with 54s. 8d. yearly for ever to be paid to the said Mayor and Commonalty, and dis-