Thomas Philipott Villare Cantianum, 2nd edition King’s Lynn 1776
<1> VILLARE CANTIANUM: OR KENT Surveyed and Illustrated. KENT, in Latin Cantium, hath its derivation from Cant, which imports a piece of land thrust into a nook or angle; and certainly the situation hath an aspect upon the name, and makes its etymology authentic. It is divided into five Laths, viz. St. Augustins, Shepway, Scray, Alresford, and Sutton at Hone; and these again are subdivided into their several bailywicks; as namely, St. AUGUSTINS comprehends BREDGE, which contains these Hundreds: 1 Ringesloe 2 Blengate 3 Whitstaple 4 West-gate 5 Downhamford 6 Preston 7 Bredge and Petham 8 Kinghamford and EASTRY, which con= tains these: 1 Wingham 2 Eastry 3 Corniloe 4 Bewesborough SHEPWAY is divided into STOWTING, and that into these hundreds: 1 Folkstone 2 Lovingberg 3 Stowting 4 Heane and SHEPWAY into these: 1 Bircholt Franchise 2 Streat 3 Worth 4 Newchurch 5 Ham 6 Langport 7 St. Martins 8 Aloes Bridge 9 Oxney SCRAY is distinguished into MILTON. comprehends 1 Milton 2 Tenham SCRAY. 1 Feversham 2 Bocton under Blean 3 Felborough CHART and LONGBRIDGE. 1 Wye 2 Birch-Holt Ba= rony 3 Chart and Long-bridge 4 Cale-hill SEVEN HUN= DREDS. 1 Blackbourne 2 Tenderden 3 Barkley 4 Cranbrook 5 Rolvenden 6 Selbrightenden 7 Great Bern= field ALRESFORD is resolved into EYHORN is divided into 1 Eyhorn 2 Maidstone 3 Gillingham and 4 Chetham HOO 1 Hoo 2 Shamell 3 Toltingtrough 4 Larkfield 5 Wrotham and TWYFORD. 1 Twyford 2 Littlefield 3 Lowy of Tun= bridge 4 Brenchly and Hormonden 5 Marden 6 Little Bern= field 7 Wallingston 2 SUTTON at Hone, does only comprehend the bailywick of Sutton at Hone, and that lays claim to these hundreds. 1 Axstane 2 Little and Lesnes 3 Blackheath 4 Bromely and Bekenham 5 Dartford and Wilmington 6 Rooksley 7 Codsheath 8 Somerden 9 Westram These hundreds were parceled out in such a proportion or number of boroughs, villages or tythings, containing ten housholders, whereof (as the Saxon laws and cus= toms inform us) if any one should commit an unlawful act, the other nine were to attach and bring him to reason. If he fled, thirty-one days were enjoined him to appear; if in the mean time apprehended, he was forced to restore the damage done; otherwise the free-borough-head (that is the tythingman) was to take with him two of the same village, and out of three other villages next adjoining as many, (that is, the tythingman and two other of the principal men) and before the offi= cers of that hundred purge himself and the village of the fact, restoring the damage done, with the goods of the malefactor; which if they sufficed not to satisfy, the free-borough or tythingman must make up the rest, and besides take an oath to be no ways accessary to the fact; and to produce the offender, if by any means they could recover him, or know where he was. Besides, every lord and master stood bo= rough for all his family, whereof, if any servant were called in question, the master was to see him answer it in the hundred were he was accused; if he fled, the master was to resign such goods as he had to the king: if himself were accused to be aiding or privy to his servant’s flight, he was to clear himself by five men, otherwise, to forfeit all his goods to the king, and his man to be outlawed. These links thus in= termutually fastened, made formerly so strong a chain to hold the whole frame of the state together, in peace and order, as all the mingled policies upon earth, all the interleagued societies of men cannot represent a straiter form of combination. As touching the other customs of Kent, they have been so fully discussed by Mr. Lambert, in his Kentish perambulation, that I shall not much insist in the discovery of them: only I shall something winnow the word Gavelkind, because from that it is pretended the tenure itself is derived. First, it is suggested, that the word Gavel= kind is amassed together in three Saxon monosyllables, that is to say, Gœf ele Kent: but how this custom should be originally established on three syllables, by the cor= ruption of time thus crouded and shut up in one word, is altogether ambiguous and mysterious; for, if we shall unveil the word of its Saxon habit, and put it into an En= glish dress, it will signify thus much, give all child, and how much nonsense lurks in that expression, I think is easily discernible: indeed the phrase should be, if we would at= tempt to spin any thing of advantage out of it, Gœf ele kendern, give all children; but how much of incongruity and incoherence lies wrapt up even in this, I believe is obvious enough; yet admit there was none, how four syllables, all of different vowels in their termination, should at length, by the depravation of language, be all confusedly shuffled and stived into this one word Gavelkind, will certainly appear to the most easy apprehension disputable enough. For my own particular, I am convinced (with submission to clearer speculations) that this word Gavelkind is derived from the saxon word Gabel, which in the Latin we render Census, and put into English signifies some rent-service, or tribute issuable from such and such land, on which it is fixed as a solemn evidence of some homage due to the prince or supreme magistrate, for that security which is received both in life and propriety by his defence and tuition. And certainly this is something proportionate to reason; for all Gravel-kind-land is held in the tenure of free-soccage, which is charged with this manor of rent-charge or imposition; and so in several Latin records is represented under the notion of Terra censualis. It is true, that by the ancient custom of Germany, called Land-skiftan, the lands of the deceased was by equal portions, to be distributed amongst all his sons, but 3 then it is as probable that this tribute of Gabel did accompany it, because the most es= sential part of this custom hath through the channel of many hundred years, flowed down to this present age, and is in force in sundry places in Germany at this instant: for though the hernelickeis or lordship, as they style it, descend patrimonially per jus dominatus, by the right of signory to the eldest son, yet all the land, exclusively from that, is equally divided between the cadets or younger brothers, only return= ing some inconsiderable rent-service to the prince, as a character of that feal= ty they owe him, for sheltering them in their several patrimonies by his mutual sup= port and protection, Certain it is when Hengist transported his saxons first into Britain, that custom of Land-Skiftan was wafted over with them, and was by him, allowed to his abettors and partisans when they were invested in their new acquisitions and possessions in Kent, as all other franchises and immunities were, which before in Germany they were by prescription endowed with, that they might more vigorously improve his designs up= on this island; yet still it is possible he reserved out of those demeans, thus by grant conveyed to his accomplices, some annual tax or gabel (though perhaps of a low and narrow value) as a signal acknowledgement that the superiority or sovereignty was solely lodged in him. There are two other customs which are properly calculated for the meridian of Romeney Marsh, and perhaps through inadvertency were not recited by Mr. Lam= bert, and they are these: first, the king had anciently no waste there, and secondly, he had no wrecks, but they were appropriated to those manors of the Marsh that con= fined the sea: and surely if we fathom their original, we shall find their foundation established on much of reason. For first, how could the crown entitle itself to any waste there, where the sea by its impetuous encroachments, did engage the inhabi= tants to cast up mounts, and erect banks in any place which they should find most proportionate to their defence, against the fury of so formidable an adversary; for the second, it is very equitable that they that are interested in an expence of that vastness, in which the public (by the obligation of necessary consequences) is so much concerned and wrapt up, should have something of emolument indulged to them by the careful munificence of the prince, to poise and balance those important disbursements, which the ill neighbourhood of the ocean does oblige them to, in fortifying the Marsh with perpetual defences and dams against its assaults and erup= tions. Having thus discovered something in relation to the customs of Kent, before I advance farther into the land, I shall represent what care our former kings have embarked themselves in, to secure the sea, by fixing sea-watches and other military guards upon all the avenues and inlets of the coast, to repress and check the attempts of any bold intruder, as if their own safety and indemnity were folded up in the secu= rity of this county. Touching then sea-watches upon the coast, there are three presidents, and a mandate from the king to the sheriff in a time of a more modern inscription, for performing the like service. The first, containing the watch by night, in record is styled Vigiliæ minutæ, which are due of right and custom to be made by the men of certain hundreds, as by the title thereof, and the writ for execution of the same may appear. The second concluding the day-watch, hence called wardan, is arbitrary, and at the pleasure of those, which in time of war and common danger, had authority to appoint them; of these there are three examples, one of the ninth of Edward the third, (which I intend principally to trace, as being the original to the other) which year he made preparation to invade France, and to vindicate his title to the crown, and the other in the twentieth of Edward the third, in which year he sailed into France, and triumphed in the signal battle of Cressey. The third describeth to whose charge several parts of the shore were assigned for defence, in the twenty ninth of Edward the third, at which time he past into France and was victorious in the encounter of Poictiers. It discovers also what parts of the shire were to resort to the coast for protection of the same. This order is arbitrary 4 also, as they that in the record are stiled rectores comitatus, (that is, lieutenants of the shire) shall think meet to appoint. Warda assessa per dom. Willielmum de Clinton, Comitem de Huntingdon, Johannem de Cobham, & Thomam de Aldon, in com. Cantii, super costeram maris anno regni regis, Edwardi Tertii undecimo. videlicet, apud la Yenlade in Hoo. Prior Roffensis 8 homi= nes ad arma. Philip de Pimpe 2. Thomas Malmains 2. Johannes de Fremingham 2. Stephanus de Dalham 2. Thomas Walran 2. Johannes Gifford 2. Henry de Gresford 1 Hominem ad arma. Hobilers supra eandem wardam. Rogerus de Escheker. Johannes Atford. Robertus Viane. Henricus Lomes. Robertus le-Fane. Michael Somers de Higham. Jo. Mortimer de Clives. Summa, hujus Warde 13. homines ad arma, & 7. hobilers. Vigiliæ minutæ super costeram maris per homines diversorum hundredorum villatarum sicut in antiquo tempore fieri consuevit Hundredum de Hoo 9. homines ad vigilandum apud la Yenlade, viz. hundredo de Hoo 2. de Malling 1. de Shamed 5. de Dertford 1. Vigiliæ de Shepeia. Juxta Feversham debent fieri de 33. hominibus, unde de Milton & Merden 25. de. Bocton 3. de Feversham 5. Apud Denge nesse per 12. unde de 7. hundredis omnes. Apud Swale per 5. unde de Milton & Marden omnes. Apud Greistone per 12. homines, unde de Whitstaple 1. de Blengate 3. de Kinghamford 2. de Westgate 2. de Downhamford 2. de Brugge 2. Apud Elmes per 6. homines, unde de Sancto Martino 2. de Oxneia 1. de Aloes-Bridge 2. de Longport 1. Apud Broadhul per 6. homines, unde de Street & Worth 4. de Newchurch 1. de Hamme 1. de Henei. Apud Sebroke per 12. homines, unde de Longbridge & Chart 3. de Calehill 3. de Bircholt 1. de Wye 5. Apud Sangate per 6. homines, unde de Folkston 4. de Lovingborough 1. de Stouting 1. Warda de Shepey apud le Swale. Humfridus de Norwood 2. Homines ad arma. Thomas de Rokesly 2. Johannes de Morston 1. Hobilers super eandem. Lawrence de Ottringden. Bernard de Punch. Jo. Fitz Richard. Summa, 5. homines ad arma, & 3. hobilers. ##Priorissa de Shepey Warda apud Fordmer in eadem. 3. homines ad arma. Hobilers super eandem Willielmus de Middleton. Bartholomeus Watton. John Peyforer de Shepey. Summa, 3. homines ad arma, & 3. hobilers. Warda apud Werden in eadem. Abbas de Boxle 2 homines ad arma. Margareta quæ fuit uxor Willielmi de Ore 1. Robertus Cheyne 1. Hobilers super eandem. Stephanus Bockland. Johannes Frendister. Johannes Er. Summa 4. homines ad arma & 3 hobilers. Warda apud Mosehole in eadem. Prior de Leeds 3. homines ad arma. Hobilers super eandem. Rob. de Folkston. Bartholom. Savage. Thomas Savage. John Donkin. Summa patet, viz. 3 homines ad arma & 4. hobilers. 5 Warda apud Ryde in eadem. Matilda de Idel 1. hominem ad arma. Domina Johanna de Bocland 1. Hobilers super eandem. Johannes de Bladechild. Walter de Wise. Rogerus de Norwood. Summa, 2. homines ad arma, & 3. hobilers. Warda apud Greston. Joanna uxor Thomæ Fever= sham 2. homines ad arma. Margareta Champaigne 2. Hobilers super eandem. Arnold de Eseling. Michael de Bromely. Robert At Berton. John de Esthure. Hamo de Herst. Johannes de Sobbing. Summa, 4. homines ad arma & 6. hobilers. Warda apud Tenet. Abbas Sancti Augustini 12. homines ad arma. Magister Henricus de Shorne. 2. homines ad arma. Hobilers. Thomas Posin 5. Henry de Stoners 6. John Shereve. William de Manston 2. Robert Sherve 3. Petrus Heyward 4. Warda apud Sandwich & Sanctam Margaretam apud Dale. Prior Ecclesiæ Christi Cant. 10. homines ad arma. Joannes Malmains miles 2. Nicholas de Sandwico 2. Johannes de Walmer 2. Joannes de Goshall 1. Nicholas filius Thomæ de Sandwico 1. Thomas Chich 1. John Sandhurst 1. Tho. filius Johannis Retling de Retling 1. Hobilers. Henry Thornton. Richard de Reting. John Soles. Thomas de Allen. Thomas de Goodneston. Henry Daniel John Petit. John Foulmede. Henry Brudelond. John Sheluing. Edward Staplegate. William Berton. Richard Godwin. Richard Fitzbernard. John Betleshanger. John Erdoryard. Thomas Groting. Nigellus Whetare. Thomas Chelmin. Adhuc de eadem warda apud Walmer, Abbas de Langdon 1. hominem ad arma, Prior Sancti Gregorii 2. Prior de Dover 3. Abbas Sanctæ Radegunde 3. Domus Dei de Dover 2. Abbas de Feversham 2. Hobilers. John Penny. John de Polre. William Whitfield. John Fitz. John at Check. Thomas Perot. Robert Greensted. Jacob Kingswood. Eudo Shillingheld. Warda assessa per dominum Willielmus de Clinton, Comitem de Huntingdon, Joannem de Cobham, & Thomam de Aldon, in comitatu Cantii super costaram maris anno regni regis Edwardi tertii undecimo. Warda apud Denge Mersh. Henricus de Valoins, miles, unum hominem ad arma, Abbas de Reding unum, Hobilers super eandem, Willielmus Aleyn, John Ellis de Dengemersh, 6 Joannes de Betham unum, Johannes de Beteringden unum, Stephanus de Fersham unum, Joannes de Winch unum, Margeria de Shurland unum, Isabella de Rokesley unum, Isolda Inge unum, Amicia de Cobham duos, Homines ad arma, Joanna qua fuit uxor Walteri de Huntingfield, duos homines ad arma. Summa hominum ad arma apud Dengemersh 14. Hæredes Roberti de Sharsted, Robertus Samson, Hæredes Roberti Pysenden, Adam Henry, Adam William, Willielmus Thirbarne, Robertus att Hall Thomas at Capell, Margeria quæ fuit uxor Hamonis Colbrand, Thomas Browne, Jacobus at Capell. Et quod unusquisque prædictorum hominum ad arma habeat secum sagittarium bonum (that is, a good archer or bowman) super costaram maris. Et quod fiat signum ubique supra costaram maris, & ubi necesse fuerit lebe elevetur cum Pitchpot, & non cum minuto ligno, quia hujusmodi signa magis apparebunt & longius durabunt. Warda apud Denge Mersh per 12. homines de septem hundredis. Warda apud Helms Kenell per 7. homines, unde de hundredo St. Martini 2. de Oxney, 2. de Aloes bridge 2. de Langport 1. Warda apud Broadhull, per 9. homines, unde de hundredo de Street 2. de hundredo de Worth 2. de hundredo de New-church 2. de hundredo de Felborough. 3. Warda apud Seabroke, per 12. homines, unde de hundredo de Hamme 1. de hundredo de Longbridg & Chart 3. de hundredo de Calehill 3. de hundredo de Bircholt, & de hundredo de Wye 5. Warda apud Leswale per 4. homines de Middleton & Marden 9. Warda apud Sangate per 4. homines, unde de hundredo de Folkston & Longbredge 2. de Stouting 2. & de Petham 1. Warda assessa super costaram maris per Johannem Cobham, Rogerum de Northwood, Thomam de Brockhull & Willielmum Langley vicecomitem post Pascham anno regni regis Edwardi tertii vicessimo, regni vero sui Franciæ octavo. Warda apud Denge Mersh. Prior de Bilsington cum aliis sibi assignatis prout nomina eorum particulariter sunt in prædicto veteri rotulo scripta ad numerum 14. hominum hobelarum ibidem quorum nomina recitantur in prædicto antiquo rotulo ad numerum personarum. Minuta Vigilia ibidem (vid.) per 12. homines de septem hundredis. Custodes assignati super litora maris periculosa per rectores comitatus prædicti, scilicet Cantii 12. die Maii anno regni regis Edwardi tertii quadragessimo quinto. Apud Castrum de Saltwood. Dominus archiepiscopus Cantuariensis custodiat castrum suum de Saltwood cum rationabili posse suo in confortatione villarum de Heth & Rumney; & litora maris juxta Sangate ajdacentia una cum auxilio hominum patriæ illius juxta modum consuetum. In Insula Taneti. Abbas St. Augustini & prior ecclesia Christi Cantuarensis, Thomas Chich, & Thomas de St. Nicholao una cum hominibus insulæ. Apud Dale sue Dele. Johannes de Cobham, Rogerus de Cobham, Willielmus de Cobham & Thomas de Cobham, Milites, apud Dele & illas partes. Apud Estrye. William de Paveley, miles, Galfridus de Colepeper, Richardus Charles & Jacobus de Peckham, apud Eastrey versus partes maris. Apud Walmer. Johannes de Criol, prior sancti Gregorii, prior de Leeds, abbas de Lesnes, Thomas de Morant, & Henricus de Apuldrefield, una cum hominibus patriæ. 7 Apud Greiston. Dominus de Say, Robertus de Nottingham, Willielmus de Apulderfield, Thomas Fever= sham, una cum hominibus patriæ. Apud Acrise respectu de Folkston. Johannes de Clinton, Stephanus de Valoins, Johannes Berry, Radulphus de St. Leger, Arnoldus St. Leger, Thomas Travers, milites; Johannes de Brockhull & Johannes Fre= mingham cum auxilio patriæ versus Dover. Apud Yenlade. Episcopus Roffensis & Prior Roffensis apud Yenlade in Hoo. Apud Lidde & Promhill. Prior de Tunbregge, prior de Combwell, prior de Bilsington, Johannes Colepeper, Johannes Diggenby, Rogerus Diggenby, Thomas Archeriges, Johannes Bynott, & Willielmus Horne, apud Lidde & Promhill, una cum hominibus de septem hundredis In Insula Shepey. Abbas de Boxley, Johannes de Northwood, Thomas Apuldrefield, miles, Johannes Raston, Willielmus Syme, Johannes de Manny, Ricardus de Blore, in insula de Shepey, una cum homi= nibus ejusdem insulæ, nec non hundredorum de Tenham, Gillingham, Middleton, & Marden. Before I shut up this discourse concerning sea-watches, I shall represent to the reader the draught of a præcipe directed to Gervas Clifton Esq; sheriff of Kent in the twenty sixth year of Henry the sixth, by that prince, by which we may calculate the extent and latitude of those commands he was to regulate himself by, in his care and provision for the defence and indemnity of this county, against the eruptions of any foreign violence whatsoever. Rex vicecomiti Kantii salutem. Quia datum est nobis intelligi quod nonnuli inimici nostri super mare se tenentes, regnum nostrum Angliæ in diversis locis ingredi intendunt, &c. Nos malitiæ suæ obviare volentes, tibi præcipimus firmiter injungentes, quod statim visis præ= sentibus infra balivam tuam tam infra libertates quam extra, ubi melius & expeditius videris faciendum, ex parte nostra publice proclamari facias, quod omnes & singuli ligei nostri de baliva tua, qui vigilias apud Promhill, Helmes, Kenell, & Denge Mersh, ac in aliis locis ibidem adjacentibus & convicinis super costeras maris antiquitus custodire debeant & solebant hujusmodi vigilias in eisdem locis custodiant & custodire faciant; ita quod (defectu vigilia= rum prædictarum) sub pœna forisfacturæ omnium quæ nobis forisfacere possunt, damnum, periculum aut gravamen nobis aut populo nostro non eveniat ullo modo, & quod legei nostri commitatus tui, signa vocata Beacons in locis consuetis, per quæ gentes de adventu inimicorum prædictorum congruis temporibus poterint præmoneri, ponant, & poni fanciant: et hoc sub periculo incumbente nullatenus omittatis. Teste me ipso apud Westm. quarto die Augusti, anno regni nostri 29. Because there hath been frequent mention of Hobilers in the abovesaid discourse, I shall discover to the reader a brief portraiture of them, as I have copied it by that original which hath been penciled out by the learned industry of Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossary. The word Hobiler, says he, is derived from the French word Hobill, which im= ports as much as a light quilted cassock; and indeed all the Latin records say, they should be wampasa armati, which signifies or denotes a jack; and in some parts both of Germany and the low countries, at this day wampas is used to express a doublet or a short cassock: and if you will know with what horse they were equipped or furnished for service, the abovesaid author will tell you, that every Hobiler should be mediocri equo instructus, & ad omnem motum agili; a horse of no great pro= portion, but light, and fitted for all manner of service. Having represented to the reader, how sedulous the princes of this nation were in modern times, to secure the maritime shores of Kent, which like a girdle of sand almost invested this county, I shall now discover briefly, and in landskip, how they were guarded, fortified, and preserved, in times of an elder inscription; which dis= course I shall marshal under the notion of Littus Saxonicum. 8 We are now come to speak of the sea coast, which the Romans termed LITTUS SAXONICUM, that is, the Saxon shore; and as the opposite shore unto it from the river Rhene to Xantoigne in France, had a ruler over it from Dioclesian’s time, whom Marcellinus calleth tractus maritimi comitem, that is, the count or lieutenant of the maratime tract; the book called Notitia Provinciarum, stileth, the honourable earl or lieu= tenant of the Saxon shore along Britain; whose office was with garrisons, set upon the shore in places convenient, to repress the depredations, spoils, and robberies of the Barbarians, but of Savons especially, who grievously infested Britain. And he had relation in point of command, under the right honourable general of the foot men, whom they called Presentalis, who besides the garrisons lying at the havens assigned unto him at all assays for the defence thereof, had victores juniores Britannicianos, primanos juniores, & secundanos juniores (these are the names of certain bands or companies) these he had for his under officers. Principem ex officio magistri presentalium a parte peditum numerarios duos, Commentariensem, Cornicularium, Adjutorem, Subadjuvam, Regerendarium, Exceptores singulares, &c. The formalities of the ensigns and com= mission assigned to this great officer, are thus described in my former author, and were instituted about MCC * years past, or about Thedosius the second, which falls near the last times, wherein the Roman empire extended itself hither. See PLATE, Figure I. This Comes littoris Saxonici was as admiral of that time, and placed against the maritime incursions of the Saxons, or those of the west part of Germany that were known most commonly by that name; the charge or impress of his ensign was nine maritime towns, but thus placed on the form of the whole island. That which appears * Notitia provinc. 9 in the canton of the banner, besides the towns names is thus expounded by Panci= rollus who notes them to be sigles, and parts of words so well and commonly known in the office of the court of the notaries, or of the clerks of the crown, that it needed not they should be more largely expressed; the words he thinks are these fœlix liber injunctus notariis laterculi continens mandata ordine principis or primicerii, which was the master or president of the clerks of the crown; and for his garrisons he had under him 2200 foot and 200 horse, with his officers thus expressed. Sub dispositione veri spectabilis COMITIS LITTORIS SAXONICI per BRITANNIAM. Præpositus numeri Fortensium, OTHOMÆ, Præpositus numeri Tungricanorum, DUBRI, Præpositus numeri Turnacensium, PORTU LEMANNO, Præpositus equitum dalmatarum Branodunensium, BRANODUNO, Præpositus equitum stablesianorum Garionensium, GARIANNONO, Tribunus cohortis primæ Vetasiorum, REGULBIO, Præpositus legionis II. Aug. RUTUPI, Præpositus numeri abulcorum, ANDERIDA, Præpositus numeri exploratorum, PORTU ADURNI. Officium autem habet idem vir spectabilis COMES hoc modo, Principem ex officio magistri præsentalium a parte peditum Numerarios duos ut supra, ex officio predicto Comentariensem ex officio superradicto, Cornicularium adjutorem, Subadiuvam, Regerendarium, Exceptores Singulares Et reliquos officiales. For the maritime towns within this government are mentioned here, Othoma is conceived by Mr. Camden and some other learned men, to have been in the hundred of Dengy in Essex, in the same place or near where St. Peters in the wall is. And to this day doth not Brithlingsey, a town adjacent, remain a member of Sandwich, and under the government of the lord warden of the cinque ports? Besides the testimony of sundry inquisitions of survey of the lord wardens admiral jurisdiction, do they not cross in direct line from the south foreland, which is by Margate in Thanet, and so turning up to Reculver, cross the main ocean to the Langrell Point in Essex, passing along St Peters in the wall, where this Othoma is said to have been? Dubris was Dover: Lemanni or Lemannis (which is Portus Lemanni in Antonius, and ¯ in Ptolomy, but not it seems as the word is significant in Greek, but as it was made from the British name) Lime, or Limehill in Kent, the place where Cæsar landed when he conquered Britain; and doth not Shipwey (the place where the lord warden of the ports taketh his oath upon his first entrance into that government) lie in Lime, and is yet within his government? as also Hyth, which implieth as much as portus in Latin, that is, haven, one of the five ports adjoining, and Stutfall castle, at the foot of Lime-hill, was it not a fortress built by the Romans for the Saxon shore, Regulbium Reculver, at which the water Genlade or Wantsum entered in, and passing by Sarre, a place yet under the lord warden’s jurisdiction, insulated the isle of Thanet? Rutupis Richborrow near Sandwich on the same shore, and Anderida were situate near Newenden in Kent upon the river of Rother, that anciently passed by Apeldore Apeldore, and disembogued itself into the ocean at Romney, one of the ports upon the Saxon shore, and under the lord wardens government: Portus Adurni is supposed to have been Arundel, or Edrington near Shorham in Sussex; Branodunum is taken for Brancaster in Norfolk, and Gariono or Gariononum for Yarmouth, both of which lying upon the Saxon shore in Norfolk. And do not the barons of the ports enjoy a privilege upon the sea coast, sending yearly two of their barons as their bailiffs to join with them of Yarmouth, since they 10 were incorporated in the administration of public justice, during the free fishing fair, which thing they have used to do before ever the town of Yarmouth was built? The fortress where the garrison appointed for the defence of this part of the Saxon shore was resident, is now called Borough castle adjoining to the river of Yare, as Mr. Camden hath observed in his description of that place. The barons of the ports did anciently send seven of their barons bailiffs to Yar= mouth, and after reduced that number to four, whereof two were sent to see justice and right done among the portsmen that did fish upon the Saxon shore, where Brano= donum in Norfolk stood, and in those times they continued forty days, which since hath been reduced to two bailiffs; and their time of stay to twenty days, the cerimo= nial of their entrance and reception into Yarmouth, continues some similitude of what is before expressed yearly upon the vigil of St. Michael the archangel; the bailiffs of the barons of the ports, with the banner or ensign of their incorporation displayed, and of this form ride on horseback into the said town, to the house pro= vided for them, during their abode; and are to be received with civil and mutual respect by the magistrates of that place.