Research Notes:

We first hear of Walter Borlase in 1512, when he appears, by his attorney, against Peter Thomas "nuper de Penscawen" in the county of Cornwall, ' husbondman,' to know why and wherefore he broke into his house at Penscawen, - the usual plea of trespass. In 1521, July 4th, he is appointed one of the " King's commissioners and assessors of all lands, stannaries, &:c., in Cornwall and Devon, belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall" ...

In 1525, he was reappointed lo the same office, (as "commissioner and assessor of all lands now assessable, and of all stannaries, tolls of tin, moors and wastes belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall and Devon, as well those which were leased to freemen, as those held by bondmen."

In 1527, he is once more appointed, and again in 1532, when Henry, Marquis of Exeter, was Steward of the Duchy, and John, Bishop of Exeter, Sir John Arundell (the receiver general) Sir Piers Eggecombe, Sir Thomas Denys, Sir John Chamound, John Turnor, and Guthlae Overton (auditors), William Lowre, John Tregian, Wimond Carew, . . . Godolghan, John Thomas, sergeant-at-arms, and Thomas Cokk, are the other Commissioners. He is, perhaps, to be identified with the Borlas who is referred to in a letter from Sir John Arundell to his son Sir Thomas Arundell, the subject of which is unknown.

In 1530, there is a Fine between Walter Burlasse, gent., John Thomas, "servientem domini Regis ad Arma," Willliam Laniene, and William Farnaby, and Wymund Carewe, Esq.. and Martha his wife, of the Manor of Landegey, als. Lansegey, with appurtenances; also of 30 messuages, 2 mills, 200 acres of land, 20 acres of meadow, 100 acres of pasture, l40 acres of wood, 200 acres of furze and heath, and 36s.. 11d. rent, with appurtenances, in Landegey, als. Lansegey, Trevyan, Treles, Holwyne, Lannarth, Keyleneeke, Kaerlyon, Trethewalle, Trelogas, Trelogosek, Treloske and Strettnewham. Wymund and Martha, for themselves and the heirs of Wymund, (and separately for the heirs of Martha) grant to the plaintiffs, and to the heirs of William Farnaby, and receive £200 for the concession.'

Here, in order of date, comes a notice of Walter Borlas, which is important as fixing his place in the pedigree. In it he is described as the grandson of John Borlas, whose heir he is; and from the words used it would seem clear that his father, John Borlas of Borlas, never came into the property but died vita parentis... "CORNUBIA. Walt'us Borlas consanguineus et heres Joh'is Borlas," by his attorney and John Trege[e] and Ralph Tregee, for making destruction, waste, &c. in lands, houses, woods or gardens, demised for term of life or years which they held for term of life or years "ex dimissione quam p'dictus Joh'es Borlas, Avus p'dicti Walt'i eujus heres ipse est, dimisit Nich'o Perowe et Johanne uxori ejus, qui eas prefatis Joh'i Tregee et Rad'o dimiserunt," &c. (De Banco, 23 Hen. VIII, memb. 595). The proof that this John was the father of Walter will be found at the head of the coat of arms in the Heralds' College.

In 1537 we find Walter Burlacy, again in conjunction with John Thomas, as one of the two "overseers" of the will of John Tregian of Wolvedon. After directing that his body shall be "beried in the Churche of Sainct Probes," the testator gives and bequeaths " to Jane my doughter iiii Rialls condicionally that she marry by the advise of John Thomas serjaunte-at-arms, and Walter Burlacy, and, if not, they to apportion her after their discretion." He adds-"I will the proffitts of my Woods to my three yongest dowghters to their marriage; the Residew of all my goods and Cattails not bequethed I give and bequeth to John Tregian my sonne and heir and William Tregian my second Sonne myne executors. And John Thomas serjaunte and Walter Burlacy myne overseers." The witnesses are Walter Burlacye, John Hanys, Richard Tregian, and others.

In 1537 Walter Buries [sic] appears as a plaintiff in respect of the manor of Tregamadon, alias Tregavethan, in Rosenouam. The grant is to Stephen Lagharn, Thomas Trefusys, and Walter Buries, and to the heirs of Walter Barles, [?as co-feoffees] by Thomas Newerk and Alice his wife, one of the daughters and heirs of Thomas Copeland. The plaintiffs pay them £200.

In 1541, Walter Borlas got his copyhold in 'Treludrowe' changed into a freehold by John, Bishop of Exeter. He had previously held these lands of the Bishop as a part of his manor of Cargoule, or Cargol. They are described as Treludrowe, Chironneck, Lawen, and Seghtnans, and from " being dry, furzy, barren, and uninclosed," Walter, " by his great labours and expenses had reduced and made them fat, fertile, fruitful, enclosed them with hedges and ditches, and also built divers houses." One of the stipulations of the Bishop and Chapter was, that Walter and his heirs should, at their own costs and charges, entertain in their house there, the surveyor and steward of the Bishop, together with their servants and six horses, for one night in the year. Letters Patent licensing this grant were obtained from Henry VIII, on the 10th of December, 1541.

In 1543, Walter Borlas paid subsidy - "in terris, xxli, subs. xxs," in the parish of Nulyn, and was himself a Commissioner with two others; his signature appearing on the document "per me Walter B.....", to which his seal is also attached. The name of Edmond Treluddro is on the same roll.

In 1544 (Feb. I6), when Edward Burlas, Citizen and Mercer of London, made his will, he mentioned " two of my brother Walter Borlas his youngest daughters ; to each of them a just portion."

On the subject of his several marriages there is some little vagueness. It is certain that he married twice; perhaps three times. According to the Hals MS., to which Dr. Borlase had access, but of which the portion containing the parish of Newlyn has since been lost, "Treluddero gave name to an ancient family who flourished there till the latter end of Henry the VIII... when the daughter of Oates Treluddero was married to ...... Borlase. The early pedigrees of the family all assign this heiress to Walter Borlas, and, as we find him in possession of the property, although only a copyhold, it is hard to see from what other source he could have derived it. Then again, we have it distinctly stated in the Boscawen pedigree that Christiana, the daughter of John Boscawen of Tregothnan, by Elizabeth, daughter of Lower, married, firstly, Thomas Enys of Enys, and secondly, Walter Borlase, - a statement which is confirmed by the fact that her will...is extant at Somerset House [refer notes under Christian].

Of the first family we know only for certain of two sons, James and John Borlas, but there also seems to have been a daughter Juliana, whose name occurs in the Tonkin pedigree. Walter Borlase must have died circa 1550-2. In the Visitation of Buckinghamshire in the Herald's College, Walter Borlase of Newlyn is stated to have had a son Nicholas, who may possibly be Nicholas "Burlace" of Farnham in Surrey, who, according to the Surrey Visitation, was "descended out of Cornwall." ^{1 2}