*LAUNCESTON, (Cornwall) on the Tamar, 175 cm. 208 mm. from London, is also called Dunhivid, from its situation on a down.
K. Hen. III. made it a free Bor. It was composed before of two other Bor. viz. Dunhivid and Newport. It has been the place
for chusing Kts. of the shire ever since the R. of K. Edw. I. and the assizes T. ever since Richard II. till by a late act
of Pt. the Ld. Chan. or Ld. keeper, was impowered to name any other place in the Co. for it; since which, the summer
assizes have been held at Bodmyn. It was incorporated by Q. Mary in 1555. It is governed by a mayor, recorder, and 8 ald.
has a fr. sc. which was founded by Q. Eliz. is a populous trading T. and gives title of Visc. to the Prince of Wales, of
whom the manor is held in fee-farm, it having been vested in the eldest sons of the Ks. of England ever since Richard II.
Its Mts. are on Th. and S. and its Fairs at Whitsontide, May 1, Midsummer, Catherine-tide, and St. Leonard's. In the 32d
of Henry VIII. an act was made for the repair of this and other decayed Cornish Bors. and it endowed this T. with the
privileges of a sanctuary, though it does not appear to have used them. It had a mon. and a noble castle, which, because
of its strength, was called Castle-terrible, and was given by K. Rich. I. to his brother, afterwards K. John. Here are two
ch. scs. for 48 children of both sexes, where the girls are taught to knit, sew, and make bonelace, and are allowed what
they earn. Leland says, it was walled in his time, and 1 m. in com. Its list of burgesses commences in the 23d of Edw. I.
The lower part of its ancient castle is made use of for the gaol.