The mariage of the daughter of Harald, slaine by William the Conquerour, unto Jeruslaus duke of Russia, taken out of the 9. Booke of the Danish historie written by Saxo Grammaticus. An. D. 1067.

HARALD being slaine his two sonnes with their sister sped themselves immediatly into Denmarke. Whom Sweno forgetting their fathers deserts received in most kinde and friendly maner, and bestowed the yong damosell in mariage upon Waldemarus king of Russia who was also called by his subjects Jarislaus. Afterward the said Waldemarus had by his daughter a nephew being duke at this present, who succeeded his predecessour both in lineal descent and in name also. Wherefore the English blood on the one side and the Russian on the other side concurring to the joyfull birth of our prince, caused that mutual kinred to be an ornament unto both nations.

The state of the shipping of the Cinque ports from Edward the Confessour and William the Conquerour, and so downe to Edward the first, faithfully gathered by the learned Gentleman M. Willaim Lambert in his Perambulation of Kent, out of the most ancient Records of England.

I FINDE in the booke of the generall survey of the Realme, which William the Conquerour caused to bee made in the fourth yeere of his reigne, and to be called Domesday, because (as Matthew Parise saith) it spared no man but judged all men indifferently, as the Lord in that great day wil do, that Dover, Sandwich, and Rumney, were in the time of K. Edward the Confessour, discharged almost of all maner of imposicions and burdens (which other townes did beare) in consideration of such service to bee done by them upon the Sea, as in their special titles shall hereafter appeare.

Whereupon, although I might ground reasonable conjecture, that the immunitie of the haven Townes (which we nowe call by a certaine number, the Cinque Ports) might take their beginning from the same Edward: yet for as much as I read in the Chartre of K. Edward the first after the conquest (which is reported in our booke of Entries) A recitall of the graunts of sundry kings to the Five Ports, the same reaching no higher then to William the Conquerour, I will leave my conjecture, and

leane to his Chartre: contenting my selfe to yeelde to the Conquerour, the thankes of other mens benefits, seeing those which were benefited, were wisely contented (as the case then stood) to like better of his confirmation (or second gift) then of K. Edwards first graunt, and endowment.

And to the ende that I may proceed in some maner of array, I will first shewe, which Townes were at the beginning taken for the Five Ports, and what others be now reputed in the same number: secondly, what service they ought, and did in times passed and lastly, what priviledges they have therefore, and by what persons they have bene governed.

If I should judge by the common, and rude verse,

Dover, Sandwicus, Ry, Rum, Frigmare ventus,

I must say, that Dover, Sandwich, Rie, Rumney, and Winchelsey, (for that is, Frigmare ventus) be the Five Ports: Againe, if I should be ruled by the Rolle which reciteth the Ports that send Barons to the Parliament, I must then adde to these, Hastings and Hyde, for they also have their Barons as well as the other and so should I not onely, not shew which were the first Five, but also (by addition of two others) increase both the number, and doubtfulnesse. Leaving the verse therefore, for ignorance of the authour and suspition of his authoritie, and forsaking the Rolle (as not assured of the antiquitie) I will flee to Henry Bracton, a man both ancient, learned, and credible, which lived under K. Henry the thirde, and wrote (above three hundreth yeeres since) learnedly of the lawes of this Realme.

He (I say) in the third booke of his worke, and treatise of the Crowne, taking in hand to shewe the articles inquirable before the Justice in Eire, (or Itinerent, as we called them, because they used to ride from place to place throughout the Realme, for administration of justice) setteth forth a special fourme of writs, to be directed severally to the Bailifes of Hastings, Hithe, Rumney, Dover, and Sandwich, commanding them, that they should cause twentie & foure of their Barons (for so their Burgesses, or townesmen, and the citizens of London likewise, were wont to be termed) to appeare before the Kings Justices at Shipwey in Kent (as they accustomed to do) there to enquire of such points, as

should be given in charge. Which done, hee addeth moreover, that forsomuch as there was oftentimes contention betweene them of the Five Ports, & the inhabitants of Yarmouth in Norfolke and Donwich in Suffolke, there should be severall writs directed to them also, returnable before the same Justices at the same day and place, reciting, that where the King had by his former writs sommoned the Pleas of the Five Ports to bee holden at Shipwey, if any of the same townes had cause to complaine of any (being within the liberties of the said Ports) he should be at Shipwey to propound against him, and there to receive according to law and Justice.

Thus much I recite out of Bracton, partly to shew that Shipwey was before K. Edward the firsts time, the place of assembly for the Plees of the Five Ports: partly to notifie the difference, and controversie that long time since was betweene these Ports, and those other townes : But purposely, and chiefly, to prove, that Hastings, and Hithe, Dover, Rumney, and Sandwich, were in Bractons time accompted the Five principall havens or Ports, which were endowed with priviledge, and had the same ratified by the great Chartre of England.

Neither yet will I deny, but that soone after, Winchelsey and Rie might be added to the number. For I find in an old recorde, that king Henry the third tooke into his owne hands (for the better defence of the Realme) the townes of Winchelsey, and Rie, which belonged before to the Monasterie of Fescampe in Normandie, and gave therefore in exchange, the Manor of Chiltham in Gloucestershire, & divers other lands in Lincolneshire. This he did, partly to conceale from the Priors Aliens the intelligence of the secret affaires of his Realme, and partly because of a great disobedience & excesse, that was committed by the inhabitants of Wincelsey, against Prince Edward his eldest sonne. And therefore, although I can easily be led to thinke, that he submitted them for their correction to the order, and goverance of the Five ports, yet I stand doubtfull whether hee made them partners of their priviledges, or no, for that had bene a preferment, and no punishment unto them: but I suspect rather, that his sonne king Edward the first, (by whose encouragement and aide, olde Winchelsey was afterward abandoned, and the newe towne builded) was the first that apparelled them with that preeminence.

By this therefore let it appeare, that Hastings, Dover, Hithe, Rumney, and Sandwich, were the first Ports of priviledge which (because they were 5. in number) both at the first gave, and yet continue, to all the residue, the name of Cinque Ports, although not onely Winchelsey and Rie, be (since that time) incorporated with them as principals, but divers other places also (for the ease of their charge) be crept in, as partes, lims, and members of the same.

Now therefore, somewhat shalbe said, as touching the services that these Ports of duetie owe, and in deed have done, to the Princes: whereof the one (I meane with what number of vessels, in what maner of furniture, and for how long season, they ought to wait on the king at the Sea, upon their owne charges) shall partly appeare by that which we shall presently say, and partly by that which shall followe in Sandwich, and Rumney: The other shall bee made manifest by examples, drawne out of good histories: and they both shall be testified by the words of king Edward the first in his owne Chartre.

The booke of Domesday before remembred, chargeth Dover with twentie vessels at the sea, whereof eche to be furnished with one and twentie men for fifteene dayes together; and saith further, that Rumney and Sandwich answered the like service. But now whether this (like) ought to be understoode of the like altogether, both in respect of the number and service, or of the (like) in respect of service, according to the proportion of their abilitie onely, I may not hereby take upon me to deterFor on the one side, if Rumney, Sandwich, and the residue, should likewise finde twentie vessels a piece, then (as you shall anone see) the five Ports were subject to a greater charge at that time, then King Edward the first layd upon them: And on the other side, if they were onely chargeable after their proportion, then know I not how farre to burthen them, seeing the Record of Domesday it selfe, bindeth them to no certeintie. And therefore leaving this as I find it, I must elsewhere make inquisition for more lightsome proofe. And first I will have recourse to king Edward the first his Chartre in which I read, that At ech time that the King passeth over the sea, the Ports ought to rigge up fiftie and seven ships, (whereof every one to have twentie armed souldiers) and to mainteine them at their owne costes, by the space of fifteene dayes together.

And thus it stoode with the Ports for their generall charge, in the sixt yeere of his reigne, for then was this Chartre sealed. But as touching the particular burthen of ech one, I have seene two divers testimonies, of which the first is a note in French (bearing the countenance of a Record) and is intituled, to have bene renued in the two and twentie yeere of the Reigne of the same king, by Stephan Penchester, then Constable of Dover Castle, in which the particular charge is set downe in this maner. The Port of Hastings ought to finde three ships. The lowie of Pevensey, one.

Bulverhithe and Petit Jahn, one.
Bekesborne in Kent, seven.

Grenche at Gillingham in Kent, two men and
armour, with the ships of Hastings.

The towne of Rie, five.

To it was Tenterdene annexed, in the time of King
Henrie the sixt.

The towne of Winchelsey, tenne.
The Port of Rumney, foure.

Lydde, seven.

The Port of Hythe, five.

The Port of Dover, nineteene.

The towne of Folkestone, seven.

The towne of Feversham, seven.

The Port of Sandwich, with Stonor, Fordwich, Dale, &c. five.

These ships they ought to finde upon fortie dayes summons, armed and arrayed at their owne charge, and in ech of them twentie men, besides the Master of the Mariners all which they shall likewise mainteine five dayes together at their owne costs, giving to the Maister sixe pence by the day, to the Constable sixe pence, and to ech other Mariner three pence. And after those five dayes ended, the King shall defray the charges.

The other is a Latine Custumall of the towne of Hyde, the which although it pretend not so great antiquity as the first, yet seemeth it to me to import as much or more likelihood and credit: It standeth thus. These be the Five Ports of our soveraigne Lord the King having liberties, which other Ports have not: Hasting, Romenal, Heth, Dover, Sandwich, the chiefe Townes. The services due by the same.

Hasting shall finde 21. ships, in every ship 21. men,