The 1522 Military Survey & Loan for the Cornish Parish of St
Stithians From "The Cornwall Military Survey of 1522", edited by
T.L. Sloate The Bookshop - Bernard D. Welchman During the reign
of Henry VIII, his Chancelor, Cardinal Wolsey devised a rather
underhanded method of raising funds to pay for his master's
military adventures. Under the guise of a military muster the
commissioners were to summon all males over the age of 16,
determine what weapons and armour each possessed and then compel
them, under oath, to divulge their total worth in goods;
household furnishings, livestock, loans, debts etc..
Landholders, were to give an account of all land they held in
each parish. No reasons were given for this evaluation of their
material possessions, but once compiled the record became a
basis for demanding a "loan" from those capable of paying. Of
course, the loan was never paid back. The result is a partial
listing of the male residents of Stithians along with their
relative worth in lands and goods. I say a pa