A Natural and Historical Account of the Islands of Scilly/Preface
THE
PREFACE.
THE Reader probably will be surprised at an Account given of Islands very little known, but by the Sea-faring Part of Mankind, and for the Fate of Sir Cloudesly Shovel, who in the Year 1707, was lost upon some of the neighbouring Rocks, (called Gilston) with other Ships in Company, returning from Thoulon. But as these Islands are remarkable as well for their Situation, as for the Curiosities they contain both of Art and Nature, the Products of their Soil, and the Singularities of the Natives; I persuaded myself that an exact Description of this Part of his Majesty's Dominions, how inconsiderable soever it may or has been thought, would be no unacceptable Present to the Public.
The Islands of Scilly are often misunderstood for the hideous Rocks lying about them, called the Rocks of Scilly, and sometimes mistaken for that Scilla spoken of in the Proverb, incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim; our present Scylly being the Name of Islands near the Land's End of England, and the proverbial Scylla the Name of a Rock, near the Italian Shore, opposite to the Island of Sicily. But however these Islands are unknown or neglected, there cannot be a greater Proof of their intrinsic Worth to this Nation, than the Disadvantage which they so evidently might be turn'd to against it, if possess'd by an Enemy. And their Advantage to us strongly appears, in the great Desire which the Dutch had of possessing them when Sir John Granville was Governor thereof, who then made underhand Proposals to him on Pretence of holding them for King Charles II. (in the Time of his Exile in Holland) a little before Admiral Blake reduced them to the Obedience of the Parliament: But his Sagacity was too penetrating, and his Honour too clear, to be misled by such a designing Artisice.
These Islands were first discovered by the Phœnicians, and afterwards by the Romans, who traded thither for Lead and Tin. They were of such prodigious Advantage to the Former State, in the Riches they afforded, that they were kept by them as long as possible, a Secret to the latter, and the rest of the World. Since the Discovery of the Mines in Cornwall, the said Islands have fallen under several Vicissitudes of Fortune, which, in the Time of mining there, and the Intercourse of the Tin-Trade, flourished in an uninterrupted State of Prosperity.
In collecting the several Materials of this History, I have endeavoured to trace the Series of the Governments, as the Islands have been differently inhabited. First from the Phœnician to the Roman Government, and thence to the British and Saxon Kings, Princes, and Earls of Cornwall; 'till the Time of their Conquest by King Æthelstan, the VIIIth Saxon King of England. Since whose Reign it appears, that these Islands were granted by the Kings of England, his Successors, to the Abbats of Tavistock-Abby, as Lords of Scilly, 'till the Dissolution of Monasteries, when (A°. 30. Hen. VIII.) they were surrender'd to the Crown. They have since been granted by Patent, to several Lords Proprietors, who were sometimes Governors thereof, holding both the civil and military Power. Besides their being thus held of the Crown, they have been anciently held by Proprietors, who transferr'd their Properties in them by Acknowledgments, or Services, for Lives; in like Manner with the Tenures of Cornwall. And they were subject to a Coroner and his Bailiffs, under the Jurisdiction of that County. Also, in 16 Ed. II. a Patent was granted to Henry, Lord of Scilly, for the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey, after the Death of Odonis (or Oats) de Grandison. And in 6 H. V. Sir John Colsbull, Knt. died, seized of Scilly Island, (then called Scilly) the Castle, &c. as appears by Records in the History: Wherein is also shewn, that Scilly, and Launceston Castle of Cornwall, had sometimes the same. Governor. But, for the most Part, the Abbats of Tavistock-Abby, held the spiritual Jurisdiction of these Islands, under the Bishops of Exeter, as granted by the King and confirmed to them by the Pope. The See of Crediton for Devon, and that of Cornwall were united by Livyngus, Bishop of Crediton, Anno 1032, and removed by: Leofrick, his Successor to Exeter, Anno 1049, whither the spiritual Jurisdiction of Scilly devolv'd, on the Dissolution of Tavistock-Abby, and there remains; tho' at this Time not exercised, or exerted among the Islanders.
For military Government, these Islands have been sometimes under the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Cornwall; but, of late Years, Forces being placed in Garrison there, for their better Defence, the Governor, or (in his Absence) the commanding Officer, for the Time being, has had the immediate Direction of all military Power.
In the Pursuit of this Enquiry, (among the Tower-Records, and other Repositories of Manuscripts, and Books of Antiquity) I found it necessary to give some Account of the Earls of Cornwall, whose Power extended to Scilly; and also of the Erection of the Dutchy-Court extending it's Prerogative into other Counties, whereby the Stannery-Laws are explain'd, which may be of use in these Islands. I have likewise annex'd a short Account, or View of Cornwall, to which, by Tradition, Scilly was anciently joined: And herein I acknowledge myself beholding to Mr. Carew's Survey of that County.
The Islands, and County of Cormwall, have Relation in their Soil, Culture, Plants, Produce, Diocess, and (if the Lord Proprietor pleases) in the Stannery-Laws and Dutchy-Jurisdiction, which last is disputable.
The Privileges of the Islanders and County-Inhabitants, are different. The Islanders are chiefly subject to the Determinations of their own Court of civil Judicature, concerning Matters of Debt, Trespass, &c. But the Cornish are subject to the Courts of Westminster, as well as to the Laws of their own County-Courts. The Lord Proprietor of Scilly is Justice there in Chief, as the Bailley of Jersey, or Lord of Man, respectively preside in their Island-Courts; and their respective Determinations are final in all Matters cognizable within the Limits of their several Grants. Foreign Actions for Debt, &c. are not admitted in Jersey or Man, without Leave of those Jurisdictions; nor does it appear that they can enter in Scilly, but by such Leave, without manifest Infringement on that particular Jurisdiction. But the spiritual Jurisdiction, or Bishop's Authority, in Scilly is quite laid aside, or neglected, as if these Islanders are prone to good Morals beyond all others.
Being sensible, that appearing as an Author is to be brought to Trial before many Judges of Defects, yet as my Design of writing the following History was for the Benesit of the Islanders, whose Advancement and Prosperity, including the Satisfaction of the Public, I had principally in View, I hope my Endeavours to answer those Ends will excuse my Imperfections, or any Failure in the Attempt.
But I am aware of some Objections that may be raised by the Hypercritics to the ensuing History; and as I know these Gentlemen are always ready to attack an Author on his weakest Side, I will endeavour to guard against their cavilling Efforts, first, by giving those Objections their full Force and Latitude, and then by answering them in the best Manner I can.
The first Objection which possibly may be made to this Work, is; That Part of it, especially regarding Cornwall, is compiled from other Mens Writings, and that I have given myself a great Deal of needless Trouble, since, by consulting Authors, any Body might have known as much as myself. ་ To this I answer, that if Part, or even all my History were taken from the Works of other Men, yet if I quote them fairly, and make proper References to the Places quoted, surely I am not to be charged with the Sin of Plagiarism. If so, I will undertake to prove, that those Historians who have gain'd the highest Reputation in the Republic of Letters, even those whose Merits have carried them through a Succession of Ages, are every one of them chargeable, in some Degree, with the same Crime. And indeed the very Nature or Import of this Kind of Writing, intimates that it cannot be executed intirely without it, except we suppose (which is supponere quod non est supponendum) that an Author was an ocular Witness to all the Transactions he relates: Which, indeed, is impossible even for one who writes the History of his own Times; much more is it so for him who undertakes to give an Account of Persons, Places, Customs, &c. that existed some Ages before he was born. If he collects his Materials with Care; disposes of them with Judgment; and sets them in a clear and perspicuous Light, he, in my humble Opinion, performs the Part of a faithful Historian, and saves a Reader the Trouble and Expence of purchasing, perusing, and collating a great Number of Books, some of which may be very scarce and valuable, and only to be met with in the Libraries of curious and learned Men.
Another Objection, which my critical Readers may possibly make to this History of Scilly, is, that in my Description of the Customs and Manners of the People of those Islands, some of them appear so trifling and even ridiculous, that they ought not to have a Place in a serious History, which (say they) should contain Nothing but what is important and interesting, nothing but Transactions and Events that were accomplished by the superior Talents of the great Men of the Age wherein they lived.
But this Objection, I think, will have but small, Weight, when it is consider'd, that the Limits of our History are confined to no very large Territory, Islands of but a few Miles in Compass, and always in Subjection to England, their Mother Country. Here, therefore, we must not expect to find such glittering Scenes of Action, as have astonished Mankind upon the larger Stages of the World. This is too narrow a Spot for Heroes and Conquerors to signalize their Valour, and work their Wonders upon. Few Exploits of Chivalry, few bloody Battles, few remarkable Sieges, have render'd these Islands famous to Posterity. 'Tis true, they have not wanted Men of Genius and Spirit, who, without doubt, if they had found Employment suitable to their Capacity, would have made no inconsiderable Figure in the Records of Fame: But though they had no Opportunity of immortalizing their Names in the Field of Honour, yet we shall frequently find them occupied in useful Inventions and Improvements, such as tended to the Advantage and Emolument of their well situated Islands.
But further; I consider that the little Oddities in the Customs and Manners of the lower Class of People are not without both Amusement and Instruction. 'Tis from these that we learn the true Genius and Spirit of the Natives of a Country. Here Nature acts without Disguise; here the uses no false or glaring Golours to dazzle the Eyes of the Spectator; Truth appears in it's native Simplicity, unadorned with meretricious Embellishments, and beautiful in its own Nakedness. What is it attracts our Admiration in the simple pastoral Life of the Ancients? What, but their Manners and Customs so agreeable to the Dictates of Reason and Nature. And it is a Doubt with me, as well with much better Critics than myself, Whether Virgil has not acquired as much Fame by his Pastorals, as by his Æneis?
As to the Islanders of Scilly, they have their Peculiarities, which distinguish them from their Neighbours of England; and I doubt not but the curious Reader will be pleased to see Honour, Justice, and every social Virtue exercised among them with the strictest Punctuality, though there is never a Lawyer, and but one Clergyman, in all the Islands. As to the little odd Customs and whimsical Diversions in use among them, they are such as are, at least, innocent, and shew the Humour and Temper of the People who practise them.
Some, perhaps, may object to the Stile, or Language of this History, for its Plainness or Want of Embellishments; to which I shall answer, that a plain Description of interesting Matters of Fact, of the Importance of these Islands to England, and the Improvements they are capable of, is thought most necessary: Being suitable to the People and Manners described; whose Morals and Behaviour flow from the Dictates of pure simple Nature, and Reason unsophisticated.
I have only to add, That as I resided twelve Months upon the Islands, and during all that Time, employed myself assiduously, in making Observations of all Kinds, what I here offer to the Public is genuine; not related from Hearsay, Tradition, or the Writings of others, but where I have quoted Authorities to illustrate or confirm what I advance. Upon the Whole I will venture to assert, that however my Reader may censure this History in some Respects, yet in Point of Veracity, it is the only Account of this Part of his Majesty's Dominions that may be depended upon there being no other Account of these Islands now extant, except some imperfect and scattered Remarks, contained in a few Authors, on different Subjects, which I have collected, and here introduced, with my own particular, and improv'd Observations.