 of money
Cornish gentry in London might experience in order to defray their
expenses there, by binding them to furnish tin for money advanced, at
great ultimate loss to the Cornish men. They also had their agents in
Cornwall, who advanced money to the needy tinners, partly in wares and
partly in money, upon agreement that they should furnish certain
quantities of tin at the next coinage, by which the tinners
experienced great loss.

With regard to the loans to the adventurers, Roberts possessed the
inestimable advantage of being on the spot, and so prepared to supply
them with the fuel and the capital they needed. But there were Cornish
gentry who wanted to go to London, and desired loans to cover their
expenses in town. They went to Roberts: he furnished the supplies. As
may be well expected, these gentry did not make money in London, they
became greatly impoverished there, and Roberts, we may infer, was able
to take their estates, or large slices out of them, on the security of
which he had made the advances.

How hard the work of the poor tinners was, on whom the usurers preyed,
we learn from Carew. "In most places," he says, "their toyle is so
extream, as they cannot endure it above four hours a day, but are
succeeded by spels; the residue of the time they weare out at coytes,
kayles, or like idle exercises."

Richard Roberts, the son of John, amassed great wealth, and was
knighted 11 November, 1616. At this time he was threatened with
prosecution by the Privy Seal for usury, and he only escaped trial by
paying a bribe of L12,000. He bought a baronetcy of James I in 1621,
and was created Baron Truro in 1625. One of the charges brought
against Buckingham, when impeached in the House of Commons, was that
he had received a bribe of L10,000 from Richard Roberts for
negotiating for him his elevation to the Barony of Truro. This is
confirmed by the deposition of Roberts himself (_Calendar State
Papers_, 1677-8, p. 220; cf. 1625-6, p. 298).

Richard Roberts married Frances, daughter of John Hender of Botreux
Castle