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resided for some time at Tavistock; probably during the rainy season, which gave rise to his frequent observation in after years, "that he was sure it rained at Tavistock when there was but a cloud elsewhere."

Among the persons of note in Tavistock at this eventful period may be mentioned Sir John Maynard, an eminent lawyer, distinguished as much for his patriotism as for his integrity; who, for some opposition to the despotic will of the Protector, was committed to the Tower, while the Judges who had allowed him to argue the release of a prisoner obnoxious to Cornwall, were told "that they should not suffer lawyers to prate what it would not become them to hear."

At the commencement of the commonwealth, Tavistock had to boast of having for one of its members of parliament the celebrated John Pym, who by his firm, and upright conduct gained the greatest ascendancy over the factious in those troubled times. While Cromwell triumphed in the field, Pym ruled the senate; and by his eloquence and dignified demeanour, reduced to order the most turbulent spirits of the day. At his death the nation mourned his loss, and showed its sense of his lofty virtues by defraying the expences of his funeral obsequies.

Tavistock has also reason to be proud of having returned as one of its borough members the great and unfortunate Lord William Russell, who suffered death in the time of Charles II. Algernon Sydney and Lord Russell were at the same time sacrificed on the altar of constitutional freedom. Supported at his trial, and in his latest hours by the exemplary fortitude of his wife, the noble Lady Rachel, Lord Russell met his death as became a disinterested and unflinching supporter of English liberty. That spirit which led him to the block has ever animated his revered and highly honored successors, on whom his mantle has descended in each

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succeeding generation; "Che Sara, Sara," the motto of the Russell family, shows the inevitable consequence of their ancestor's fame.

To return to our town:-when the plague raged at Exeter in 1591, the summer assizes were held at Tavistock and thirteen criminals were executed on the Abbey Green. About the same time a market and fair were held on the moor above Merivale Bridge. In 1626 the plague appeared in Tavistock, and committed great havoc, raising the mortality of that year to five-hundred and seventy-five persons. Mr. Kempe records a petition sent to the Right Honorable William Earl of Bedford in 1677, petitioning for the lease of "a little cottage much ruined, with two little garden plotts to the same belonginge, called by the name of St John's Chapple, bought in by the parishioners of Tavistock in the time of the late contagious sickness, and by them converted into a pest-house;" signed by John Cudlippe, Portrieve, and others.

In 1674, the name of Nicholas Watts occurs in the annals of our parish: to encourage the independence of those poor persons not receiving parochial relief, he bequeathed the rents of certain lands and houses to be devoted to their benefit; a portion of his wealth was to be appropriated to the assistance of a poor scholar of Tavistock, in maintaining himself at the University.

During the course of many years from the commencement of the last war with France, Tavistock was a depôt of prisoners, who were chiefly naval and military officers, on their parole of honour. It had then much the appearance of a foreign town, as the inhabitants were induced to converse, with those strangers in their respective languages, French, Spanish, and Italian. This increase of residents advanced the interest of trade in the vicinity, and at the same time tended to soften the asperities, previously felt against those who were liable to be considered as national enemies, while in fact they

proved themselves on the broad scale of humanity, worthy of being treated as neighbours and friends. Their residence was also the means of circulating more general intelligence in the neighbourhood. The vicinity of the prisons likewise proved of material profit to the town; many tradesmen being made rich by supplying the various articles of consumption for the prisoners. At the proclamation of a general peace in 1814, Tavistock was not behind in its rejoicing. Bonfires blazed on the various heights; many houses were illuminated; and a dinner was held in the open air at Many Butts; about two miles from the town.

Since that period the place is much improved in size and appearance, although its trade has varied with the fluctuations of the mines, as well as from other causes. The tin works of the neighbouring moor, to which we have already alluded, were carried on in very early times. From the conquest to the reign of Edward Ist, mining seems to have been conducted chiefly by the Jews. When, by a decree of the warrior king, these devoted people were obliged to fly the country, the interest of mining for a period declined, but Edmund, the elder son of the king, and Earl of Cornwall, willing to restore what produced so large a proportion of the revenues of his domain, made some important grants to the miners, which were confirmed by the King by a charter in the 33d. year of his reign." * At this time, when the peculiar laws and customs belonging to the Stannaries were chiefly established, we may perhaps be given leave to suppose that Tavistock was made one of the four Stannary towns? In the reign of Henry 6th. we find that the Beer Ferris mines (at about eight miles from Tavistock) were worked; as John Bottwright, their

* From "The Introduction to Risdon by J. Taylor Esq."

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