One Leader of the uprising – Richard Borlase of St Wenn

Borlase Coat of Arms
Cota Arvow a Vorlase

Very little is known about Richard Borlase; he may have died in the battle of Blackheath, but this is not certain. He is mentioned in Henry vii’s “Bill of Attainder or Conviction “. A bill of attainder is one in which the convict’ s goods must be forfeit to the crown. Wives, however, if they could prove property was their own, were allowed to keep the property.  Again, Henry viii’ s Roll of Pardons, two people are mentioned;  Thomas Burlas, or Borlase,  and Richard Burlas,  or Borlase, both described as franklins,  or freemen- a franklin was a person who was not subject to a feudal lord,  or feudal laws.  Thomas may have been Richard’s brother.

The manor of Borlase-Burgess, in St Wenn was formerly the property and seat of the ancient family of Borlase. It was given to a Norman by King William Rufus, who was lord of a castle called Talfer, in Normandy. His heirs assumed the name of Borlase after the place. The last heir-male of the elder branch sold this estate, in 1559, to John Hender and the modern Borlase farm is on the site of their home. A younger son, about the beginning of the sixteenth century, married the heiress of Treluddra or Treludderow of Treluddra in Newlyn. From him descended Dr Borlase the antiquarian, and the Borlase family of Bockmer and Danvers in Little-Marlow.

Written, translated and filmed by Heather Ashworth

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