Page:Cornwall (Salmon).djvu/291

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TRURO further privileges were granted by succeeding kings, and Elizabeth granted the sole right of levy on all goods laden or unladen in any part of the river from Truro to the mouth of Falmouth harbour. Falmouth, however, was at that time practically non-existent, and such a monopoly as this naturally caused Truro strenuously to oppose its birth and progress. The town had a castle, still to be traced at the top of Pydar Street ; it was " clene down " in the time of Leland. To the N. of Kenwyn Street stood a Dominican Friary, founded in the thirteenth century ; and there was a house of Clare monks in Lemon Street. The town shared in the great struggle of the Civil War, and gave its hospitality to the fugitive Charles II. Though the " pride of Truro " seems to have been proverbial, it suffered the complete loss of consequence as a port, owing to the growth of Falmouth ; and its modern revival must be traced almost entirely to its selection as cathedral-town. Something has been said of the early Corn- ish bishopric in speaking of Bodmin and St. Germans. When it was decided to revive this bishopric, merged for more than eight centuries in that of Devon, the choice of Truro as cathedral-city was wise and indeed almost inevitable. Launceston and St. Germans were too near Devon ; Camborne and Redruth seemed lacking in dignity ; Penzance was too far south. Bodmin was the only serious competitor ; but there is an old saying, " into Bodmin and