From Saltash I went to Liskeard, about seven miles. This is a
considerable town, well built; has people of fashion in it, and a
very great market; it also sends two members to Parliament, and is
one of the five towns called Stannary Towns--that is to say, where
the blocks of tin are brought to the coinage; of which, by itself,
this coinage of tin is an article very much to the advantage of the
towns where it is settled, though the money paid goes another way.
This town of Liskeard was once eminent, had a good castle, and a
large house, where the ancient Dukes of Cornwall kept their court
in those days; also it enjoyed several privileges, especially by
the favour of the Black Prince, who as Prince of Wales and Duke of
Cornwall resided here. And in return they say this town and the
country round it raised a great body of stout young fellows, who
entered into his service and followed his fortunes in his wars in
France, as also in Spain. But these buildings are so decayed that
there are now scarce any of the ruins of the castle or of the
prince's court remaining.
The only public edifices they have now to show are the guild or
town hall, on which there is a turret with a fine clock; a very
good free school, well provided; a very fine conduit in the market-
place; an ancient large church; and, which is something rare for
the county of Cornwall, a large, new-built meeting-house for the
Dissenters, which I name because they assured me there was but
three more, and those very inconsiderable, in all the county of
Cornwall; whereas in Devonshire, which is the next county, there
are reckoned about seventy, some of which are exceeding large and
fine.
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