These are a collection of four documents relating to the riot.

1. From the people of St Ives to Lord Hobart.

[M.P. for St Ives 1722 & 1727]

St. Ives, 7th Aprill, 1729

Right Honble: Sir,

We the Principall Inhabitants of this Burrough being favoured with the Sight of yours to our Mayor do with him Returne your Lordship our sincere and hearty thanks for ye care you have taken and is allways ready to take of us. We are truely sencible we have a faithfull friend in your Lordship on whom we depend that you will use your utmost Endeavours to continue the fforces in our Country. Mr. Burlace [Borlase] and others may say they are unnecessary these Gentlemen are now satisfied the Tinners will not molest them untill they spend their Revenge on us, When Mr. Burlace will sollicit for forces again lest they go through but that will be too late for us, all places now Rest secure by our late prosperous defence, (No one but our selves are threatned) by it we have preserved vast worth to all our Neighbouring Country who would otherwise had been sufferers as well as our selves and it will be Very hard that we in Return must be left a sacrifice to the Merciless—If Mr. Edgecombe is pleased at Mr. Borlaces request to ease Penzance of the few soldiers they have we beg your Lordship will get them placed on Redruth and for them to abide there untill the Gentlemen of that Country doe give security to the Government for the Quiet and peaceable Behaviour of their Mob.—we desire to keep the Number we have though they be Chargeable and we can as poorly maintain them as other places yet if they be took of we shall be at Ten times the Charge in Keeping watch and then not safe, Begging your Lordship’s Pardon we doe not Observe that the Reward of £40 is promised for the Takeing of any more than is Named its allowed by all Andrew Harris &c. has been the Cheif Leaders these [Times & we are] sorry to tell yr. Lordship that the Gratuity is so great for takeing those named without the Military powers has orders to goe after them will all prove unsucessfull in the Humble Opinion of Your most faithfull & Obedient Humble Servtts. Wm. Symonds, Willm. Tucker, Wm. Anthony, Fras. Stevens, Cha. Worth, Rd. Polkinghorne, Richard Holman, John Williams, Wm. Harry, Richard Harry, jun., Richard Barbar, John Anthony, Hector Hollman, Samll. Noall, John Stephens, J. Busvargus, John Stephens, junr., Francis Stephens, junr., John King, Fran. Ley, Nathanael Anthony, Paul Tremearne, Sam. Williams, jr., Tho: Blighe, Chris. Carpenter, T. Watts, John Gubbs, Hugh Edwards, Timo. Wheelwright, John Jose, Thos. Williams, John Hichens, mayor, John Stevens, Justice, Vivian Stevens, Joseph Gubbs, John Ceely, John Hichens, John Noall, Rich. Harry (senior), Tho: Anthony, John Keigwin, Clerk.

2. From the people of Redruth to the people of St Ives.

To the worshipfull the Mayor, the Magistrates, Gentry, and other principall Inhabitants of the Borough of St. Ives.

Whereas Information attended with too much Truth, have been given us that many Tynners of this parish in Company with severall others of divers neighbouring parishes did of late in a very riotous and insolent manner force themselves into your Town, with an Intention it’s feared of carry off by an high hand (had they not met with a Superior force) such quantities of Corn as they could find laid up for your own necessary Uses; We the Minister and some other principall Inhabitants of the Parish of Redruth do for our selves declare our abhorrence and Detestation of such vile and abominable practices; And whereas upon the Application by You made to the superior powers a Reward is offered for the apprehending [of] some of the Ringleaders of the Faction; We on the behalfe of them likewise, tho’ we know they are not intitled to our favours, much less to any from You; do declare that we believe and hope that they are heartily sorry for what is passed, and would on any occasion give the best Assurances in their power of a peaceable Behaviour to you and all men for the future. And whereas it’s currently reported on great probability that severall of your people refrain from attending our market as usuall out of fear of being ill us’d by the Populace, they the Authors of their own Misery as well as the late Disturbance, will sign any Article or Covenant to oblige themselves to hinder all Insults from being cast on your people in coming and going from our Markett to the best of their power, skill & Capacity. On this presumption, therefore, we presume to offer them to you, tho’ unforthy of any favour from You, for Mercy; hoping by that means a great deal of ill Consequences would be prevented, which must necessarily attend the apprehending and securing an enrag’d Rabble, who, knowing that they have no plea to justify their late rebellious Behavr., might we fear rather than fall into the hands of publick Justice, so long and resolutely defend themselves and their Liberties till they did commit such other Barbarities as would aggravate their past wicked Behavr. These things in Behalfe of an unfortunate parcell of Wretches we offer to your serious and compassionate Consideration and whatever your thoughts and Resolutions shall be herein, we are resolved to acquiesse in it. We are, Gentlemen,

Yr. most humble Servts. and wellwishers,

Hughe Ley, Rectr., Antho: Cocke, Jn. Cocke, Philip Reynolds, Richd. Towan jr., Stepn. Michell, Tho: Cocke, Thos. Savage, John Opie, Rich: Banbury, Andrew Harris, Antho: Roskruge, Paul Michell, Jno. Cocke, Jnr., George Lidgey, Ste: Michell, Michal Nicholls, Wa: Hosken.

Redruth, May 14th, 1729.

3. The ringleader’s confession.

To the worshipfull the Mayor of St. Ives.

Present

May it please your Worship,

As Whee are Sensabel of oure faults & of ye dammage youre towne have Receved By the Late disturbances made by us and sevearel others therein and whee are hartily sorry and dew sencearly Repent of what It’s past and will for the future Beave oure selves towards you and all men as shall be Come Good Chrisetians as your worship and ye Reste of ye Jentelmen of your town have given us sume hopes that you will not prosecute us so vigorously as you might, but would Rather Endever to mittigate lessen oure punishment whe do as in duty bound return your Worship harty thanks for such your favourabel intenshons towards us and will upon all acaions as much as Lies in oure Powar Indever to make any sattisfaction you shall be pleased to Requiar from us all as for Richd. Lemyn he Came against us and touled us that thare was But twenty or thirty men in ye Church yard & they had nothing but powdar In there Guns & that they desined nothing but should Go fire them to make us afraide & that if whee whould take his advice whee should Some go one way & some go the other and that he did Beleve that if whee should gitt in the town that ye men in ye Curchyard would Rune away and by his in Caridgement whee Came in town [--- ---] to our great misfortin we are your worships most abediant & moste humbel Servants

Andrew Harris, Junr.

The sine of Richard Woolfe.

The sine of Andrew Towen.

The sine of John Garby.

The sine of Artar Woolf.

Ridth. May ye 14th, 1729.

4. Letter from the mayor of St Ives to Lord Hobart.

Right Honrble. Sir,

We received the [London] Gazett from Your Lordship wherein a reward of forty pounds was promised by the Government, for apprehending each of the Ringleaders of the Tinners, which insulted us; Since which time as we hear they seem to be sorry for their offence, and declare they'll never be concerned in any such Riot or attempt for the future, as Yor. Lordship may observe, by the Inclosed, which we were Complemented with immediately after the Gazett was out. We return Your Lordship our most hearty and heartfull acknowledgements, for this and all other favours received from Yor. Lordship, which lays the strongest Ties and Obligations on

Right Honble.

Your Lordship’s most dutifull and most obedt. humble servts. John Hichens, Mayor, John Stevens, Justice, John Hichens, Vivian Stevens, Nath. Anthony, Tho: Anthony, Joseph Gubbs, John Ceely, Richd. Harry, John Noall, Samll Noall, James Wescott, Jno. Keigwin, Lectr., Hugh Edwards, John Stevens, T. Busvargus, John Stephens, Junr., Wm. Symonds, Vicr., Wm. Anthony, James Bennatts, Wm. Harry, Francis Stephens, Francis Stephens [sic.], Wm. Nance, William Coram, Thos: Richards, [---] Nicholas.