Of Sir Richard Edgcumbe, Fuller tells a romantic story. He says he was “memorable in his generation for being zealous in the cause of Henry, Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII. He was, in the time of Richard III., so hotly pursued, and narrowly searched for, that he was forced to hide himself in his wood, at his house, in Cuttail, in Cornwall. Here extremity taught him a suddain policy, to put a stone in his capp and tumble the same into the water, whilst these rangers were fast at his heels, who, looking down after the noise, and seeing the cap swimming therein, supposed that hee had desperately drowned himself, and deluded by this honest fraud, gave over their further pursuit, leaving him at liberty to shift over into Brittany. Nor was his gratitude less than his ingenuity, who, in remembranse of his delivery, after his return built a chappel (which still remains) in the plase where he lurked, and lived in great repute with prince and people.” After thus cleverly misleading his pursuers, Richard Edgcumbe crossed the Channel in a small ship, to the Earl of Richmond, in Brittany, with whom he afterwards returned to England, and was engaged in the battle of Bosworth Field, in Leicestershire, where King Richard was killed. [Illustration: _In the Gardens._] His son, Piers Edgcumbe, was Sheriff of the county of Devon, 9th, 10th, and 13th Henry VII. and 2nd Henry VIII. “At the creation of Prince Arthur he was one of the twenty individuals who were made Knights of the Cross of St. Andrew.” He, with others, was “appointed to review and array all men at arms, archers, and others, who were to accompany Sir Thomas D’Arcy in his expedition against the Moors and infidels.” He was one of the expedition into France, 5th Henry VIII., and for his distinguished gallantry at the sieges of Tournay and Thurovenne, and at the battle of Spurs, he was created a knight-banneret. Sir Piers Edgcumbe was married twice: first to the daughter and heiress of Stephen Durnford, by his wife the heiress of Rame; and, second, to Katherine, daughter of Sir John St. John, and widow of Sir Griffith Ap Rys, by whom he had no issue. By the first of these marriages, Sir Piers Edgcumbe acquired the manors and estates of the Durnfords, including that of West Stonehouse (now Mount Edgcumbe). He had issue by her, three sons, Richard, John, and James, and three daughters, Elizabeth, Jane, and Agnes (or Anne). Sir Piers Edgcumbe died in 1539, and was succeeded as heir by his eldest son, Richard Edgcumbe, who was knighted in 1536.