Mounsieur la Noue noteth, that in the great hall of [134] iustice, at Paris, there is no roome left, for any more images of the French Kings: which some prophetically interpreted, to signifie a dissolution of that line, if not of the monarchy. But this halfening, the present flourishing estate of that kingdome, vtterly conuinceth of falshood. A farre truer foretoken, touching the Earle of Deuons progeny, I haue seen, at this place of Hall, to wit, a kind of Fagot, whose age and painting, approueth the credited tradition, that it was carefully preserued by those noble men: but whether vpon that prescience, or no, there mine author failes me. This fagot, being all one peece of wood, and that naturally growen, is wrapped about the middle part with a bond, and parted, at the ends, into foure sticks, one of which, is, againe subdiuided into other twayne. And in semblable maner the last Earles inheritance accrued vnto 4. Cornish Gent. Mohun, Trelawny, Arundell of Taluerne, and Trethurffe: and Trethurffes portion, Courtney of Ladocke, and Viuian, do enioy, as descended from his two daughters and heires.
Sir Reig. Mohun is widdower of two wiues; the one, daughter to Sir Henry Killigrew, the other, to Sergeant Heale: his father, Sir William, married, first, the daughter of Horsey, and one of the heires, by the common law, to Sir Iohn her late brother; and next, the widdowe of Trelawny, who, ouerliuing him, enioyeth this Hall, as part of her ioynture; a Lady, gracing her dignitie, with her vertue, and no lesse expressing, then professing religion. Reignald, father to Sir William, wedded the daughter of Sir William Treuanion. The armes of the Mohuns are O. a Crosse engrayled Sa.
Powder Hundred.
SOme impute the force of Powder vnto this, that the same is conuerted, at an instant, from his earthy substance, to a fiery, and from the fire, into ayre; euery of which changes, requireth a greater enlargement, one then other: wherefore it finding a barre, ouer, vnder, and on the back and sides, by the pieces strong imprisonment, by consequence breaketh forth with a sudden violence, at the mouth, where the way is least stopped, & driueth before it, the vnsetled obstacle of the bullet, imparting thereunto a portion of his fury. To which (through want of a probable Etymon) I may, in part, resemble the hundred of Powder, not only for the names sake, but also because this parcel of the Cornish earth extendeth it selfe wider, and compriseth more parishes, then any other Hundred of the shire, as stretching East. and West, from Foy to Falmouth: and South and North, welnere from one sea to the other.
In describing the same, we must begin where we left, to wit, at Foy hauen, in Cornish, Foath. It receyueth this name of the riuer, and bestoweth the same on the town. His entrance is garded with Block-houses, & that on the townes side, as also the towne it selfe, fortified & fenced with ordinance. The commendation of which industry, is principally due to the prouidence and direction of M. Wil. Treffry, a Gent. that hath vowed his rare gifts of learning, wisdome, & courage, to the good of his country, & made proofe thereof in many occurrents, & to whose iudicious corrections, these my notes haue bin not a little beholden. His faire & ancient house, Castle-wise builded [135] and sufficiently flanked, ouerlooketh the towne and hauen with a pleasant prospect, and yet is not excluded from the healthfull ayre, and vse of the country, which occasioned his auncestours (though endowed elsewhere, with large reuennues, of their owne and their wiues inheritance) for many descents, to make, here their ordinary residence, as is witnessed by their toombe-stones, which I haue seen in the church. One of them, about 145. yeeres sithence, valiantly defended this his dwelling, against the French, what time they had surprized the rest of the towne.
Hee married one of Tremaynes heires: his father, the heir of Tresithny; his graundfather, the daughter of Killigrew: and beareth S.