We are almost done with the research phase. After this I want to go through Carew’s 1605 Guide to Cornwall. There is also a book of Scillion folklore. I’m getting to the futility point, though; my sources are quoting either each other or Carew. After that, it’s collating, making plot hooks explicit, and getting art together. I also need to decide on professional or amateur maps.
Timeline
1201: The Warden of the Stanneries gets formal criminal and civil juristiction over the miners, although tradition pushes this back a lot further. The Warden appoints Stewards, who look after local stanneries. There are four in Cornwall.
1204: The Cornish pay a large fee so that there are not royal forests or forest courts, in their country anymore. They have the Stanneries, though. Stannery court for Cornwall at Launceston, but possibly at a later stage: may move around.
1213: Farm of Cornish stanneries is 200 marks to the king.
1217: Gulua the Papal Legate, prevents clergy from partaking in the general amnesty offered in the Treaty of Lambeth, which forces a lot of priests to go to Rome for personal absolution.
1220: Pandulf, Pala Legate, visits Cornwall. Henry Fitz Count loses the shrievalty because he has withdrawn from court without permissin and is suspected of preparing to rebel.
1224: John of Bayeux is made keeper of the coasts of Cornwall and Devon. He is made to provide beacons for every coastal parish.
1226: English ships are forbidden to visit French ports.
1230: Ships requisitioned to invade Brittany.
1242: Willima Marsh raids Devon and Cornwall, and siezes Lundy Island, which lets you reuse the Diabolic Monk Pirate material for the line.
A shire is divided into hundreds, which are divided into tithings, although in Cornwall a hundred and a shire gets confused. Cornwall in the late C13th has nine hundreds.
Stannary rights
Tinners cannot be served warrants from other courts, and may not issue them except for life, limb or land. They may not be forced to be jurors at other courts.
If a tinner became involved in a case in a different sort of court he could deamnd half the jury be tinners.
Who counts as a tinner varies over time. In1376 the law was changed to make it only people who actually mine. Earlier, like in the game period, it includes everyone involved in the industry: artisans who supply tinners and shareholders in mines, as examples.
When tin is discovered on church lands, tinner have the right to seek it. In 1237 the Church tries to get the Crown to rule against this and fails. After this, they refuse to show up in Stannary court, and in 1391 the Church says it’ll esxcommunicate anyone who tries ot draw the church in to the Stannary court system.
The Manor of Bossinney contains Tintagel, and was transfered by Henry Fitz Count to Robert de Hornicote. Henry Fitz Count was the natural son of Henry II, sheriff of Cornwall until 1215, then he swaps it back and forward.
Imports
Fruit from Spain
Fish and mantles from Ireland.
Salt, linen and canvas Brittany (the Cornish don’t make a lot of salt…weird, because they brine a lot of fish using French salt).
Wood and charcoal from Wales and Ireland
Other notes
Copper first mined in the C16th
Most towns have a merchant gild
Gloves on poles mark fair as open.
Shire assizes are at Launceston, move to Lostwithel in Earl Richard’s time, but later move back.
Games From Folktales 