or Foy, a town of Cornwall in England, 240 miles from London, with a commodious haven on the Channel. It is a populous place, extending above one mile on the east side of a river of its own name; and has a great share in the fishing trade, especially pilchards. It rose so much formerly by naval wars and piracies, that in the reign of Edward III. its ships refusing to strike when required as they sailed by Rye and Winchelsea, were attacked by the ships of those ports, but defeated them; whereupon they bore their arms mixed with the arms of those two cinque-ports, which gave rise to the name of the "Gallants of Fowey." And we learn from Camden, that this town quartered a part of the arms of every one of the cinque-ports with their own; intimating, that they had at times triumphed over them all; and indeed once they were so powerful, that they took several of the French men of war. In the reign of Edward III. they refused certain ships of Rye from distress, for which this town was made a member of the cinque-ports. Edward IV. favoured Fowey so much, that when the French threatened to come up the river to burn it, he caused two towers, the ruins of which are yet visible, to be built at the public charge for its security; but he was afterwards so disgusted with the inhabitants for attacking the French after a truce proclaimed with Louis XI. that he took away all their ships and naval stores, together with a chain drawn across the river between the two forts above mentioned, which was carried to Dartmouth. It is said they were so insolent, that they cut off the ears of the king's pursuivants; for which some lives were forfeited as well as estates. The corporation consists of a mayor, recorder, 8 aldermen, a town-clerk, and 2 assistants. The market is Saturday, the fairs May-day and Sept. 10. Here are a fine old church, a free-school, and an hospital. The toll of the market and fairs, and keyage of the harbour, were vested in the corporation on the payment of a fee-farm rent of about 40s. It does not appear to have sent members to parliament before the 13th of Queen Elizabeth. Here is a coinage for the tin; of which a great quantity is dug in the country to the north and west of it. The river Foy, or Foath, is very broad and deep here, and was formerly navigable as high as Leftwithiel. W. Long. 5° N. Lat. 50° 27'.