by a charter bearing that date. Tenterden is a member of the town of Rye.

The privileges of the ports were so advantageous to the inhabitants, that it was natural for the neighbouring towns to wish for a share in them; and, on the other hand, the services which the Ports were bound to perform at the king's summons, though extremely honourable, were so expensive, that they were glad to be eased of a part of their burden by their opulent neighbours. It is observable, that almost the whole of the sea coast, from the north side of Thanet to Hastings, is within the jurisdiction of the Cinque Ports.

That they were originally safe and commodious harbours, is clear from their name, as well as from their history. It is, however, curious to advert to the alteration that has taken place in these once famous havens. Hastings, Romney, and Hithe, have entirely lost their rivers by various operations; and the Rother and the Stour are, by the same means, becoming narrower and shallower every day. Dover pier, by the aid of a suitable income, still receives and protects ships of considerable burden, and it will probably, as a harbour, outlive all the other ports.

The jurisdiction of the admiralty of the Cinque Ports, by an inquisition, taken at a court of admiralty, held by the sea-side at Dover, the 12th of June, 1682, was found to extend from Shore Beacon, in Essex, to Red Cliff, in Sussex, near Seaford.

The lord warden is constable of Dover castle, and it is his first or superior title; but formerly the two offices were not constantly united in one man, as they now always are. He claims to have a right of warren, in which he appoints warreners to preserve the game." This warren is very extensive. Its bounds are from the cross way at Charlton, leading from the river, straight along the Sandwich road from Pinam to Maidensole; thence to Studdolph, along the warren way to Betshanger mill, leaving Betshanger house on the left hand; from thence to Updown, Ham bridge, and Word mill, to Sandwich, into a lane coming out on the highway between Sandwich and Deal; and from thence, pointing over the marshes, to the sea. All the lands within these bounds, to the cliff and to the sea shore, are within the warren.

Brotherhood and Guestlings.

The nature of the service of the barons of the Cinque Ports required them to have frequent meetings to raise supplies. It was therefore found necessary to form an assembly, conposed of the leading men in each port, and its members, to regulate the various affairs in which they were jointly concerned. This general assemblage of the delegates was originally held at Shipway; but after the decline of that place, it was removed to Romney, and has sometimes been held at other places within the jurisdiction of the Ports. It originally consisted of seven persons from each of the head Ports, and their two ancient towns; but the number was afterwards reduced to five; viz. the mayors or bailiffs, two jurats, and two commoners. The chief magistrates succeed to the chair by rotation, and he who presides has the title of Speaker. He is required to give forty days notice for holding a court; and the summons is issued in the name of the speaker, and of the magistrates of the town in which he resides.

As the services of the Ports were dispensed with, the holding of a court of brotherhood became less frequent. It was held annually

until the year 1601, when the yearly guestlings were abolished. After a lapse of many years, a court was held in 1750; again in 1771; in 1812; and in 1821; and it appears to be the intention of the members of this court to hold their meetings more frequently, to guard the rights and privileges of the Ports.

The records of the Cinque Ports, in former times, were kept in Dover castle, but they are now for the most part lost or destroyed. What remain are in the hands of the registrar; and the books containing the entries of the proceedings at the Brotherhoods and Guestlings, are kept in a chest at Romney; which begin with the eleventh of Henry the Sixth, and end with the proceedings of the last brotherhood, in 1821.

THE HARBOUR.

Having described the ancient state of the town of DOVER, with the history and privileges of the Cinque Ports, so far as our limits will admit, we shall now proceed to give some description of the Harbour, beginning from its earliest period.

It has already been conjectured, in the foregoing part of this work, that in early times, and while the town was in the possession of the Romans, the river took its straight course into the sea, and that the entrance of the ancient harbour was in a direct line with the valley, farther to north-east than the present. What circumstance could occasion so total a change is uncertain; either we must suppose, that the old harbour was destroyed, and filled up by design, to prevent the entrance of the Romans; or that the sea threw up such a vast quantity of beach, as rendered it impossible for the inhabitants to clear it, and induced

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