Fordwich Municipal Records

( -78 ) PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. BY THE REV. C. EVELEIGH WOODRUPP, M.A. THE books and documents contained in the muniment chest at Eordwich have not received much attention from Kentish antiquaries. Possibly the complete insignificance of the town in the present day may have caused these records to have been overlooked. More probably inquiry has been limited by the personal discomfort entailed by a prolonged visit to the draughty little structure where these records are lodged. Eecent legislation having put an end to the interesting and harmless existence of the Corporation, and its property being now (under the scheme of the Charity Commissioners) in the hands of Trustees, one of whom is a member of the Kent Archaeological Society, there is every reason to beheve that the Pordwich muniments will be removed to some library or institution in the county, where they may be cleaned, arranged, and carefully examined. In the meantime, the following remarks on notes taken from the records in Pebruary 1888, by the kind permission of the late Colonel C. J. Cox of Pordwich House (the last Mayor of the town), may attract attention to these interesting papers, and indicate the kind of information they contain. The little village of Pordwich consists merely of a cluster of houses on the right hank of the Stour, about two and a half miles below Canterbury, and retains to-day no vestige of commercial activity to account for the privilege of self-government enjoyed by the inhabitants for at least 600 years. The population at the last census was only 228, and the size of the church (a building of the thirteenth century, of very modest proportions) does not point to any extraordinary shrinkage in the numher of the inhabitants since it was built. Nor is there any tradition of the former existence of other churches, as at Eomney and elsewhere. But although not very populous, it was during the Middle. Ages and later of some importance, as being practically the port of Canterbury. In Saxon times, when both the " Genlade " and the Sandwich mouth of the "Wantsum were open, the sea doubtless at every high tide covered most of the Stour Valley as far as Pordwich. The town being situated (as the name seems to imply)* on an arm of the * Piord-wyoh, " the hay on the arm of the sea." Vide Arch. Cant., XII., p. 338 (note). PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. 79 sea, had probably not only a commercial but to some extent a military importance, for it was generally up these tidal estuaries that the Danes made their sudden and terrible incursions. This at a later date may have led to the enrolment of the town amongst the Cinque Ports as a member of Sandwich; Bekesbourne, which stood at the head of the tidal estuary of the lesser Stour, being similarly dignified by its connection with Hastings, although probably never of any importance as a trading port. At any rate the Saxon kings considered it worth while to station at Pordwich a collector of customs,* the right to which, together with the king's lands within the town, Edward the Confessor gave to the Monastery of St. Augustine in Canterbury.t The Confessor's charter gave to the Abbot of St. Augustine's the right to levy a toll upon all merchandize brought into the town by water, together with anchorage, lastage, and bulkage of vessels plying between the town and Stour mouth " nasse," but important exceptions were made at a later date in favour of all freemen of the Cinque Ports, all the burgesses of Canterbury, and all men of the Archbishop, of the hundred of Middleton (Milton), of the Abbot of St. Albans, and of the Abbot of Battle.J To the monks of St. Augustine's the quay at Pordwich was a great convenience, enabling them to unship their heavier imports, such as the Caen stone, wine, oil, salt, etc., required for the use of their house, within three miles of the Abbey gates; and fully sensible of the value of their privileges at Pordwich, they did their utmost to prevent their rivals at Christ Church from sharing these advantages. Somner gives an account of a quarrel between the rival monasteries in 1285, which attained to such proportions that it was necessary to appoint a Special Commission to arrange their differences. The matter in dispute was the right of the Prior of Christ Ohurch to put up a house on or near the quay at Pordwich. He had twice done so, but on each occasion it had been pulled down hythe Abbot's men, and all its contents were thrown into the Stour. § The Commissioners succeeded in effecting a compromise, The Prior pledged himself not to attempt to place his crane house in the position which gave offence to the Abbot, but said it was necessary that he should have some place in the town at which to land his imports, "non potest bene esse sine domo super ripam de Pordwico pro suis vinis et aliis suis victualibus reeipiendis." He received from the Abbot a piece of land on the banks of the river in exchange for another piece farther away.|| * Hasted, Sistory of Kent, vol. iii., fol. ed. And the Pordwich Custumal, when defining the duties of the bailiff of the Abbot of St. Austin's, says, he ought to collect the customs, etc., " because he has the royalty by grant of kings, as those Mngs held the aforesaid town, and not otherwise." f Chartce Antiques of Christ Ohurch, Canterbury, P. 47,1 and 2, % Pordwich Custumal, chap. xxi. § Batteley's Somner, Appendix, p. 62. Prom a "lieger" book at Canterbury Cathedral. || Somner, Appendix, p. 62. Prom a " lieger " book at Christ Churoh, 80 PORDWICH CHARTERS. Amongst the MSS. preserved in the Cathedral Library at Christ Church, Canterbury, are copies of eight charters relating to Pordwich, and St. Augustine's Abbey : 1. The charter of Edward the Confessor previously alluded to. 2. A grant by the same King of soc and sac. 3 and 4i. Similar grants from William I. 5 and 6. Re-grant of the manor hy Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, to St. Augustine's, and its Confirmation by "William I. 7. Writ of Wilham I. re-granting the town to St. Augustine's after it had fallen into the hands of the sheriff on the flight of Ahhot Egelsin. 8. The sheriff's surrender of the town in obedience to the King's warrant.* The last four have been translated by Dr. J. B. Sheppard, and are as follows:— Gkartce Antiques, Canterbury Cathedral, " P. 47." Odo Dei gratia Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent to Lanfranc the Archbishop and Hamo the Sheriff and all other faithful subjects of the King Prench and English greeting. Know ye all that I Odo Bishop and Earl of Kent grant for ever to the Church of St. Augustine all the houses which are mine in the town of Pordwich and all customs which are mine in the said town to be held for the safety of my soul and of that of my lord William King of the English. These being witnesses, William King of the English, Lanfranc Archbishop of Canterbury, Godefried Bishop of Constance, R. Count of Eu, and H. de Montfort, with other of the nobles. William King of the English to Lanfranc Archbishop, and Hamo Sheriff, and R. son of Earl G., and H. Sheriff, and all the Thanes of Kent Prench and English greeting. Know ye that the Bishop of Bayeux my brother for the love of God and for the salvation of my soul and of his own has given to St. Augustine's whatever he possessed at Pordwich as well in lands meadows and houses as in other rights and that he has given what he has given with my leave. William King of the English by the grace of God to Lanfranc Archbishop of Canterbury, and Godefried Bishop of Constance, and R. Count of Eu, and H. de Montfort, and his other nobles of the kingdom of England greeting. I command and enjoin you that you cause St. Augustine and Scotland the Abbot to repossess the borough of Pordwioh which Hamo the Sheriff now holds and all the other lands which Abbot Alsinits my fugitive gave to any one through laxity or fear or cupidity and if any one have taken anything by any force to compel them to restore them be they willing or unwilling. Witness the Bishop of Bayeux on the dedication of Bayeux. Hamo Sheriff and Dapif er of Henry King of the English to all the Barons of Kent and all God's faithful in all England greeting. Know ye that I led by the fear of God restore to God and St. Peter chief of the Apostles and to St. Augustine the Apostle of the English and the Abbot Hugh and the brethren of the same place the town of Pordwich with all its appurtenances so entirely that no one of my lords or my heirs shall claim any kind of right from me or through me or through my heirs for ever. This donation (I have sworn) by the Psalterium of St. Augustine and by my sword laid upon the ohief altar of the aforesaid churoh -with my own hands. These witnesses being present, Por my part were Pulbert of Chilham and his soldier Hugh and many others. Of the followers of the Lord Abbot were William the chaplain and his man Eustace and many others. Bat if after my decease any of my heirs attempt to make this worthless or to infringe it may he be cursed by Almighty God and all his saints for ever. Amen. Done on Easter Monday Anno Domini MOXX. * Sist. MSS. Comm, Fifth Report. PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. ' 81 Pordwich was a corporation by prescription. No original charters are contained amongst the records, hut several are quoted in the Custumal, and there is in the muniment chest a copy of a charter granted by Charles I I . (an inspeximus of one hy Queen Elizaheth). The earliest charter contained in the Custumal is one from Henry II., of which the following translation, made by the late C. Sandys of Canterbury in 1834, is preserved in the town chest:— CHABTEB OJ? KING HEKUX II. Henry by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy, Acquitaine, and Earl of Anjou. To Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Provosts, and all his Bailiffs and faithful servants greeting. Know ye that we have granted and hy this our charter have confirmed to our good men of the town of Pordwich, that none of them shall be impleaded without the town aforesaid of any land or tenement being within the limit of the same town, and that they have for ever a " Gylda Mercatoria," with all things to such Guild appertaining. And that they and their heirs be quit of toll through all our realm and dominion. And that they have our writ of right so that no sheriff or bailiff of us hereafter intromit in any summonses distresses or attachments to be executed in the aforesaid town concerning any matter to the same town appertaining. Know ye also that we have granted and by this our charter have confirmed to our same good men of Pordwich that they and their heirs through all our realm and dominion for ever have this liberty, to wit that they or their goods in whatsoever place in our realm and dominion found shall not be arrested for any debt for whioh they shall not be sureties or principal debtors. Wherefore we will and strictly command for us and our heirs that the aforesaid men and their heirs for ever have all the liberties before written as is aforesaid and all the laws and customs which they more fully had of the Kings Edward William the Pirst and Second and King Henry our grandfather. And we prohibit upon forfeiture to us of ten pounds that no one against these liberties shall presume to trouble or disquiet them. Witness Roger (Earl) and Rodolph (Earl) son of Gerard at Westminster in the year, etc., etc. The next charter quoted in the Custumal is of uncertain date, but is by one of the Edwards, probably Edward I I I . The King forbids his marshal and clerk of the market to "intermeddle" within the liberty. The preamble of the charter states that these officers had entered the town before the King's arrival, and interfered in town affairs, and not only previous to the King's coming, but even " whilst he abided there waiting for a favourable wind and a quick passage to the parts of Britanny." It is hardly probable that the King at this date actually embarked at Pordwich, or that he made it his residence until he got a fair wind, and then took ship at Sandwich, This charter was most likely originally addressed to Sandwich, and was merely sent on by the men of that port to their subordinate member, with the alteration of the first syllable of the name, which would be all that would be required, t The next charter is addressed to Sandwich ; this is an inspeximus by Edward III. of a charter by Edward I., and relates to the way in which the municipal authorities were to keep the estate of orphans. The only other charter quoted in the Custumal is the wellknown charter of Edward I, to the Cinque Ports in general. VOi. XVIII. G 8 2 PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. THE MATOB. The charter of Henry H. contains no mention of a mayor at Pordwich, but the town chest contains many scraps of parchment relating to the conveyancing of property in the Mayor's Court as early as the reign of Henry III. The first mayor whom I have found mentioned by name is John Maynard, in the 20th of Edward I. (1292). The mayor was elected, in the parish church, on the Monday next following the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, and heavy penalties were attached should he refuse to take o&ce; in that case the whole commonalty were to proceed to his capital messuage, " if he shall have one of his own, and the same Avith hooks and hy all other means in their power shall prostrate to the ground; " if he had not a house of his own, he was to be disfranchised. On accepting ofiice the mayor swore that he would be " Utilis et fidelis domino nostro Eegi Angliaa et heredibus suis et statum libertatis Villas de Pordwyco et ofBcium Majoratus bene et fideliter per posse meum manutenere, et implere justitiam secundum usum et consuetudinem ejusdem portus tarn extraneo quam vicino tarn pauperi quam diviti non premium vel odium respiciens et consilium mihi traditum tegere et sic me Deus adjuvet," etc. On the day after the election the late mayor was to cause to be sent to the house of the new mayor the common chest, together with the standard weights and measures, and on the Sunday following the mayor was to appoint the town sergeants, and cause two " good men " to be elected to keep the estate of orphans, and two to keep the keys of the common chest during the year. The mayor enjoyed considerable powers; he was coroner for all cases within the liberty. Wills might he proved before the mayor and jurats, or before any three of them. The goods of intestates were administered by the mayor and jurats, together with the rector of the parish church, "if he he willing." No hundred court could be held without the presence of the mayor. All conveyances of land, etc., within the liberty were made in the mayor's court. The mayor and jurats had the right of punishing all their freemen "if they offend against the commonalty without the intervention of the iailijf;'"* they also had the same right with regard to "foreigners" offending within the liberty, but if they withdrew themselves from the liberty complaint was to be made to the Lord Warden. All pleas of the Crown of life or limb were determined before the mayor, hailiff,* and jurats. The following is Mr. Sandys translation of this part of the Custumal (chap, xxx.) :— * The bailiff of the Abbot of St. Augustine's is supposed to have occupied a house in Pordwich, near the quay, formerly called "Hemp Hall." This house, which, after the dissolution of the monastery in 1538, was occupied successively by the Johnsons, P.aramores, Crisps, Darrells, and Shorts, is now the rectory. An old piece of flint wall at the bottom of the rectory garden is probably a part of the original wall built when the monastery owned the property. PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. 83 OJ? PLEAS OJT THE OBOWH-. All pleas of the Crown of life or limb are accustomed to be determined within the said liberty before the mayor bailiff and jurats. The goods of the guilty party to be forfeited to the Lord Abbot of St. Augustine's. "And when the appellant and appellee shall eome before the mayor and jurats and the steward of the Lord Abbot the sergeant of the bailiff who shall so have the oustody of the appellee shall stand with an axe holding him bound only he is to be unbound when he ought to answer . . . . and if .the appellee shall wish to acquit himself according to the customs of the liberties of the Cinque Ports it shall be adjudged him that he have at a certain day . . . . thirty and six good and lawful men and true who shall swear with him that he is not guilty And it is to be known that when the aforesaid thirty and six are to acquit any man their names ought to be written and all called by name and if they shall answer twelve of them ought to be dismissed by the steward of the Lord Abbot and twelve others be dismissed by the mayor and jurats so that the mayor and steward and jurats may ohoose twelve of the thirty six aforesaid whom they shall wish to swear with the appellee that he is not guilty so help him all Holy Saints, kissing the book, etc. After shall he called the said twelve who are chosen to swear and they shall swear as they are called by name to wit every one by himself that the said oath made by the appellee is good and true and that he is not guilty of the things imputed to him so help them all Holy Saints, etc. Which if they shall do the appellee is acquitted and the appellant attachable and all his goods being within the liberty of the will of the Lord Abbot. But if any of the aforesaid twelve shall withdraw himself from the Book being unwilling to swear the appellee shall lose his life. And all who are condemned in that case or in any other case to death ought to be taken from the aforesaid court of the Lord Abbot by the Stour unto a certain place called 'Thiefs' Well' and there their hands ought to be tied under then legs, to wit, 'kneebent,' and they shall be instantly thrust down alive and drowned there. And" this shall bo done by him who prosecutes. And that water is the property of the commonalty howsoever it may have been appropriated by others.".... The mode of inflicting capital punishment in most of the Cinque Ports was peculiar. At Dover the felon was thrown over Sharpness Cliff. At Sandwich they were buried alive on Thiefs' Down. Prof. Montagu Burrows, in his recently published sketch of the Cinque Ports, says that at Pordwich there was a special wMrfv&- served for the purpose of drowning criminals ; but the word used in the Pordwich Custumal is " ThefesweZZe," the tradition amongst the inhabitants identifying it with the well at the bottom of the lane leading to Elbridge, a few yards beyond Colonel Cox's house. This lane is called " Thews " Lane.* The highly objectionable practice of making the prosecutor act as executioner was also in vogue at Dover and Eomney, but at the latter port he was allowed to find a substitute if he could. In later times the corporation had a gallows near the quay, which Hasted says was only taken down shortly before his t ime; but the town books contain no evidence to prove that the extreme penalty of the law was ever actually inflicted within the liberty. Persons drawing a knife (or any arms " having a point") for the purpose of using i t on any man or woman were fined 10s. If the knife was actually used, the offender had the choice of three * This seems to joint to the well having been used in later times for the immersion of " scolds," Thew being a name given to a "cucking-stool." G2 8 4 PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. penalties, either he must pay 60s. to the mayor and commonalty, or remain in prison for a year and a day, or his hand " shall he thrust through with that with which he did smite." Dr. Sheppard remarks that nothing can bring out more clearly the great difference in the value of money than the fact that a fine of 60s. was considered an equivalent to remaining for a year and a day in so filthy a hole as the Pordwich Caol (Hist. MSS. Gommi. Mfth Report). _ Women convicted of scolding, quarrelling, or slandering in the street or elsewhere, were compelled to carry a certain " mortar" (mortarium) through the town, a piper or other minstrel going before her making a laughing-stock of her, and to the minstrel " for his trouble" she had to pay a penny. This mode of punishment must have been exchanged in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries for the " cucking-stool," which still remains in the Town Hall. One remarkable custom of judicial combat is not mentioned in the " Custumal" at Pordwich, but a description of it was discovered by Dr. Sheppard amongst the Chartse Antique in the library at Christ Church, Canterbury, as follows:—• They claim that if a stranger appear as a prosecutor accusing a man of the liberties of felony whether committed within or without the liberties the prosecutor shall come to the boundary fully equipped (cum toto apparatu) as is fit for a prosecutor to be. Then when he comes to the town he shall be led to a certain running water called " Stour," and in that water he shall stand up to his navel with all his equipment prepared to prove his appeal. Then the accused shall come in a boat (batellus) with three poles to oppose the proseoutor clothed in a garment called "a storrie" with an instrument called " an ore" three yards long and the boat shall be made fast to the quay hy a cord and he shall fight with the said prosecutor until the duel between them is decided. The patronage of St. Augustine's Abbey at Canterbury did not bring with it unmixed advantages, and throughout the whole period of its continuance the records give abundant evidence that the connection between the town and the monastery was not altogether to the advantage of the former, at least from a Pordwich point of view. The resident bailiff of the ahbot was regarded with considerable jealousy by the mayor, as introducing a sort of dual control into the administration of town affairs, and the Custumal is very careful to guard against encroachments on his part, by clearly defining the limits of his jurisdiction, and his position in the government of the town * Chap, xxiii. of the Custumal is entirely devoted to enumerating " those things which the lord abbot hath in Pordwich," and proceeds to say that "first he hath his prison and pound holden in his own demesne within the town in all cases which shall happen to arise in the said liberty, and the bailiff for the time being there shall have the custody of the said prison and pound. . . . Although if any one imprisoned shall escape, it shall he the fault of no one except the lord abbot." * On his appointment the bailiff received his staff of office from the abbot's steward, hut if the steward was not present, he received it from the hands of the •mayor. PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. 85 The Mayor, Jurats, and Commonalty had a prison of their own, and so refused all responsibility for the custody of offenders detained by the Lord Abbot. The Abbot was also entitled to the " amerciament of pleas, and the forfeiture of the chattels of felons and fugitives within the liberty, except only the lands aud tenements and rents after the year and day, lying within the liberty belonging to the commonalty." Also to customs, anchorage, lastage, and bulkage of vessels plying between the town and Stourmouth " rTasse," but " he shall not have of any lands or tenements within the liberty any other yearly service besides his rent seek at certain times of the year." The position of the Abbot's Bailiff in the hundred court is also clearly defined in the Custumal. Before summoning the court he must give three days' notice to the Mayor " if he le at leisure, and when he shall consent, the Bailiff shall send his serjeant called ' Catch Pole '* three days before the day of the hundred court to houses of the parties to be summoned; and when the Monday shall arrive in which the hundred court shall be held, the mayor shall cause the bell to be rung in the church of the Blessed Mary about one o'clock in the day, which being rung the whole commonalty with the mayor, jurats, and steward of the Lord Abhot assemhled, the bailiff or his serjeant shall make proclamation of the peace, and the parties who ought to plead shall stand at the bar, and this in the court of the Lord Abbot or elsewhere, when the mayor, iwrats, and the steward also shall consent. , . . And be it known that the roll of the bailiff contains the process of the cause, and the mayor with his roll or without a roll has the record, and that record may abate or falsify when there shall be occasion the roll of the bailiff, because the record of the mayor, who is the judge and has the giving of judgment, is more worthy than the process of the bailiff's roll, who ought to do nothing more in this matter than to receive the amerciaments of the said pleas according to the assessments of the mayor and jurats," etc. But although the rights of the Abbot in Pordwich were thus clearly set forth, there was continual friction between the Abbot or his representative and the Mayor, one of the most fertile sources of dispute between them being the exclusive right of the Stour fishery. The Mayor, Jurats, and Commonalty contended that the weir nets, set opposite to the town quay, were the property of the town, in which the Abbot bad no claim whatever. The Abbot, on the other hand, fully sensible of the excellence of the Pordwich trout, was notdisposed to give up his right, as lord of the manor, to partipicate in the advantages derived from the use of these weir nets. This particular matter of strife was to some extent set at rest by a compromise effected in the 3rd of Henry IV., 1401, * "Behind him stalks Another monster not unlike himself, Sullen of aspect, by the vulgar called A Catchpole." Philips's Splendid Shillina. 1703. 8 6 PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. whereby the Abbot was allotted the net next to the mill, presumably the best place. But differences were continually arising, which occasionally reached such a head that appeal was made to the Lord Warden. The following is a specimen of the way in which the Mayor and Jurats attempted to obtain the intervention of the Warden in some case where their liberties were endangered by the encroachments of the Abbot. It is a copy of a petition to the Duke of Gloucester, Lord Warden of the Ports, neatly written on a narrow strip of parchment, but we cannot learn from the petition exactly what the particular grievance complained of was:— Unto the right high and mighty prince and our right graoious lord the Duke of Gloucester. Besechen most mekely unto your gode grace Thomas Southland maier and the jurates of ffordwich one of the members of the v portes of the which ye ben speciall protectour and defendour that when divers variances were betwix the Abbot of Seynt Austyn's of Canterbury and your said suppliantis ther whereupon compromytted to the reule of iiij of your counseill by your gOde grace thereto assigned. And if the said iiij of yor counseill of the said vazwnces myght not accord then thei to abyde the reule of your highnesse as of the seid variaunces so that ye shuld make a reule and award therein by the fest of the purificacon of our lady next commyng the which iiij men have seen the evidence of both the seid p'ties and none end therein have made and ther tyme is worn out and now it is fully your high reule and judgement. Wherefor your seid beseechers in the most lowly wise besechen you of your highness and gode grace seth your tyme approcheth and wereth out in hast that ye wold of your seid gode graoe in confirmacon of the ryght of your seid members as ye that have it and all the remenaunt of portes in your high reule and gouvernannces to see that the seid Abbot overlede him not in wrong and them disherit of their fraunchise the which thei and their predecessoures at all tymes hav had, for it is the seid Abbotte's entent (that the time ?) to you prefixed shuld were out and he thanne to be at large and out of bond after, the whioh he wold sp'ally labour to the utter undoing of your seid beseohers but that ye of your seid grace wold make a reule the premisses or elles to order the seid Abbot to obey the reule of other by you to be assigned may by likelihede make end of the seid matter and this in reverence of God and in wey of cheriies. And your seid besechers shall pray God for your very high estate. I t is difficult to decide the exact date of this petition, owing to the fact that two Dukes of Gloucester filled the office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in the fifteenth century. Probably this petition was addressed to the popular Duke Humphrey, who was made Warden in 1416 by his brother Henry V., and who died in 1447. Bichard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Eichard- III., was Lord Warden for a short period only. One Thomas Southlond was mentioned in the year 1457 in his brother Wilham Southlond's will, printed in Arch. Qant., Vol. XL, p. 372. In 1456, he was "presented," in the Mayor's Court, for keeping a savage dog. That Thomas Southland died in 1482, and his will is extant in the Archidiaconal Eegister at Canterbury, lib. iii., fol. 24, but the Mayor mentioned in the petition may have been his father. The costs attendant upon litigation of this kind appear to have been shared by the other Ports, for in the Eomney Town Accounts PORDWICH, MUNICIPAL RECORDS 87 for the year 1451 we find the following entry: " Paid 18s. 2d. to the men of Pordwych for our share of a certain suit by them made against the Abbot of St. Augustine's for their liberties." This- may possibly refer to the very suit mentioned in the above petition. The closing of the north mouth of the Wantsum about the middle of the fifteenth century or a little later, and the siltingup of Sandwich Haven, caused a rapid decline in the trade of Pordwich. The town accounts for the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries (as far as they are preserved) prove that the resources of the corporation were very limited at this period; and Leland, writing in the reign of Henry VIIL, can only say of the place, " here ys a pore mayer." In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries matters seem to have mended. somewhat, for in 1635 the town books shew that there were ten freemen of the town who could describe themselves as " gentlemen." In 1673, thirty-four householders paid the Hearth Tax, the principal contributors being Thomas Norton and M1S Eliz'1 Darrell, each of whom paid for thirteen hearths. Eight poor householders were excused from payment. The Mayors were no longer the poverty-stricken officials of Leland's time, but were generally men of substance, and sometimes members of well-known Kentish families. That Pordwich was of some importance to Canterbury, even at the beginning of the present century,, is proved by the price of coals at Pordwich Quay being regularly quoted in the local papers of that date. The last blow to this survival of former activity was probably dealt by the opening of the Whitstable and Canterbury Eailway about 1830. The Corporation was recruited frequently from gentlemen of the neighbourhood, who, although not actually resident within the Liberty, were anxious to preserve the continuity of its ancient traditions, until the ruthless Municipal Beform Act of 1883 cut its slender thread of hie. MAYORS or 1292 John Maynard (1). 1303 Richard Atohurch. 1311 Alexander Reys. 1313 Alexander Curteys. 1376 Adam Shoterick. 1377 John Calewe. ?date. Thomas Southland (2). 1452 James Hope. 1461 John Pantyng. 1485 Christopher Bentley. 1466 JohnGye. 1467 John Pantyng. 1476 William Stokes. 1480 Christopher Beverley (3). 1496 Robert Cooke. 1499 William Maycott (4). 1501 William Martyn. POBDWTOH.* 1510 Thomas Caswell. 1511 John Darrell. 1513 John Cosyn. 1514 Christopher Bentley. 1515 George Roberd (5), 1520 Robert Hylde. . 1522 John Cosyn. 1530 Thomas Norton (6). 1537 Stephen May, 153.9 Thomas Norton. 1547 Richard Dorant. 1552 Yalentme Norton (6). 1553 John Pisher. 1561 John Johnson (7). 1562 Valentine Norton. 1563 John Lukyn (74). 1567 John Williamson. * Notes on the Mayors follow after the end of this List. 88 MAYORS OP PORDWICH. 1572 1575 1577 1578 1579 1581 1583 1585 1591 1699 1603 1604 1605 1606 1609 1611 1613 1616 1617 1620 1621 1630 1631 1632 1633 1634 1635 1636 1637 1638 1639 1640 1641 1642 1643 1644 1646 1646 1647 1648 1649 1650 1651 1652 1653 1654 1655 1656 1657 1658 1659 1660 1661 1662 1663 1664 1665 1666 Thomas Conntrey (8). Anthony May. Thomas Conntrey. Valentine Norton. George Bigg (9). Anthony May (10). John Elmer. Anthony May. Thomas Long. Valentine Norton. Henry Johnson (7). Richard Lukine. Henry Johnson. Walter Bigge. Richard Lukine. Henry Johnson. Walter Bigg. Henry Johnson. Thomas Norton (6). Simon Harlestone (11). Walter Bigge. Thomas Harlestone (11). 33 }3 Simon Harlestone. Capt. Thomas Harlestone. 33 33 33 33 33 33 Anthony May (d. July 2,1637). Simon Harlestone (11). John Gosner. Edmund Young. Thomas Bix (12). Thomas Harlestone. 33 33 Stephen Thompson (13). » >i John Lukin (d. Aug. 26,1647). Thomas Bix. ,3 33 Stephen Thompson. 33 33 Richard Hall. Richard Bates. William Boycote (d. Jan. 25, 1653). Stephen Thompson. 33 ,5 Richard Hall. Thomas Harleston (d. Sept. 30, 1657). Thomas Bix. ii ii . 39 ii Thomas Bigg (14). a n Thomas Norton. a }> fi ii Thomas Lukin. „ , „ (d. Oct. 13,1667). 1667 1668 1669 1670 1672 1673 1674 1675 1676 1677 1678 1679 1680 1682 1686 1687 1688 1694 1695 1696 1697 1698 1699 1700 1701 1702 1703 1704 1705 1706 1707 1708 1709 1710 1711 1712 1713 1714 1715 1716 1717 1718 1719 1720 1721 1722 1723 1724 1725 1726 1727 1728 1729 1732 1736 Robert Darrell (15). Thomas Johnson (d. April 2, 1670). Thomas Bigg. Thomas Boycote 33 33 James Baron. 33 33 Pranois Jull. J J j j Thomas Boycote. Thomas Pilcher (16). Anthony Jennings (17). Thomas Norton (re-elected yearly until 1686). Thomas Piloher. 33 33 Thomas Jennings (re-elected yearly until 1694). Thomas Alleyn. 33 33 Thomas TJnderdown (18). 33 33 John Graydon (19). 33 ,3 33 33 Thomas Jennings. 33 33 33 33 Thomas TJnderdown. 33 >3 " T-, " John Bix. 33 33 Thomas TJnderdown. John Bix. Stephen Taylor (20). Henry Browne. Thomas Younge. Thomas Jennings. 33 3, Stephen Taylor. John Bix. 33 33 Thomas Young. John Adams. John Graydon. 33 >3 33 33 Thomas Young. John Graydon. Robert Austin. John Nicholls (21). 33 33 William Spencer. Earl Cowper. Theodore Sydenham (re-elected yearly until 1743). MAYORS OP PORDWICH. 89 1743 Anthony Jennings (re-elected 1830 Priend Anthony Tomlin. every year till 1764). 1831 „ „ „ 1764 Anthony Jennings (the younger) 1832 Richard Hambrook. 1765 „ „ „ 1833 „ „ 1766 „ _ » ' „ , " , , . , 1834 Charles Mead (re-elected every 1767 John Blaxland (re-elected ye a r t m 1848)t , _ TI e a r ^ J « )- 1848 Thomas Cooper (re-elected every 1775 John Woodruff. ,.,, *»£ J 1776 TJpton Jennings (re-elected no/7C year till 1875). every year till 1785). 18 7 5 Denne Denne, Esq.. (re-elected 1785 Anthony Jennings (re-elected every year till 1884). every year till 1830). 1884 Col. Chas. Jas. Cox. 1. John Maynard was probably the founder (in 1317) of Maynard's Hospital in Canterbury. Somner says that he was surnamed " Dives," and endowed his hospital with six acres of wood called Brotherhedds Wood, in the parish of Pordwich. (See also Kent Pines, in Arch. Cant., Vol. XIII. , p. 294.) 2. T. Southland. See page 86. 3. Christopher Beverley owned an estate between two branches of the Stour, called (from previous owners) Tanorey Island. The house on the right hand of the road coming from Sturrey, and between two bridges, is still known by this name. By tbe marriage of Thomas, son of William Norton of Paversham, to Beatrix, daughter and heir of William Beverley, this estate passed to the Nortons. 4. William Maycott married Alice, daughter of John Pettit, by whom he had a son John. By his will, proved in 1501 {Consist. Court,l\b. vii., 10),heleft "to the reparacons of Pordwich church iij" vj9 viijd. To every light in the churohes of Sturrey and Pordwich of which there is a brodered xijd." He also mentions Anthony Maycot of Reculver, who died in 1532. 5. George Roberd, died in 1553 (will at Cant. Archdeacon's Reg., 30., 1) leaving property at Hawkhurst. Of his daughters, Margaret married Walter Bigg of Pordwich, and Johanna married Gervase Carkeredge. 6. Thomas Norton (nephew of John Norton of Northwood in Milton), by his wife Beatrix Beverley, was the father of Valentine Norton (Mayor in 1552 and 1562); and Valentine, by his wife Isabella Hodgson, had a son Thomas Norton, who was Mayor in 1617. Aphra, daughter of the last-named Thomas Norton, married Henry Hawkins of Nash Court, in Boughton Blean, and died in 1605-6, aged 21. There is in Pordwich Church a monumental brass to her memory. Her father (Mayor in 1617) died in 1625. 7. John Johnson, who in his will (proved 1568) describes himself as " Merchante," purchased the manor of Pordwioh from Sir Thomas Cheney in 1553, and took up his abode there, having formerly resided at Nethercourt, in St. Peter's, Thanet. His son Paul Johnson married Margaret, daughter of Peter Heyman of Selling, by whom he had a numerous family. One of the sons, named Henry, was Mayor of Pordwioh in 1603. Hasted says that Paul's son Timothy alienated the manor of Pordwich to Elizabeth, widow of Sir Moyle Pinch, and the manor house to Thomas Paramore, in the reign of James I. The house had been the residence of the Abbot's bailiff previous to the dissolution of St. Augustine's Abbey, and was known as Hemp Hall. Prom the Paramores it passed to the Orispes of Quex, in Birchington, and thence by marriage to Robert Darrell, Mayor of Pordwich in 1667; it is now the Rectory. 7J. John Lukyn, in 1562, made his will " intending to over the seas to Newhaven in the Queens Majestys affairs;" the will was proved in the following year. By his wife Thomasine, he left two sons, John and Thomas. 8. Thomas Conntrey died in 1603, leaving by his wife Bennetta two sons, Jerome and John. He had land at Pordwich, Sturrey, and Throwley. 9. The Biggs were clothiers from Benenden. Walter Bigg, the first of the name at Pordwich, died in 1565, leaving by his wife Margaret, the daughter of George Roberd, two sons, John and George, and a daughter, Sarah. George was Mayor in 1579; he had two sons, Walter, who died in 1631, and Stephen, who died in 1646, both of them were benefactors to Pordwich and Sturrey. They 9 0 NOTES RESPECTING THE MAYORS. were buried under an "altar tomb," close to the chancel wall, on the south side of the churchyard, but the inscription is now almost obliterated. 10. The Mays have continued to reside at Pordwioh from the beginning of the sixteenth century until the present time, their present representative being Mr. Thomas May, who was for many years Water Bailiff to the late Corporation. 11. Simon Harlestone was the son of the Rev. Samuel Harlestone, Rector of Ickham 1568—1616. Two of Simon's sons were afterwards Mayors of Pordwich, Thomas in 1630, and Simon in 1632. The pedigree of the Harlestones is given in Aroh. Cant., Vol. IV., from Philipot's Visitation, 1619. The seat of the Harlestones in Pordwich was called Hermesland, and stood upon the site now occupied by Pordwich House. 12. The Bix family owned property at Linsted as early as the middle of the fifteenth century. The Pordwich branch carried on the trade of coal merchant. In 1647 Thomas Bix was fined 30s. for allowing Nathaniel Denne, of the City of Canterbury, to unload three score chaldron of coals at his private coalyard, and contrary to his oath as Preeman, etc., " I t being a precedent the like whereof hath not been knowne or suffered here since the memory of man." (Booh of Decrees!) 13. Stephen Thompson, during his Mayoralty, was committed to prison by the Guestling assembled at New Romney, for refusing to pay what was due from the Town to the purse of the Ports. 14. Thomas Biggs by his will, proved 1670, left a yearly sum of 50s. to the poor of Pordwich. 15. Robert Darrell, son of James Darrell, and grandson of John Darrell of Cale Hill (see Aroh. Cant., Vol. XVII., p. 48). He married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Crispe of Quex, through whom he became possessed of the house at Pordwich, which had formerly been the property of the Johnsons and Paramores. He died June 13th, 1668, and there is a flat stone to his memory in the Chancel of Pordwich Church. His daughter and heir was married to Col.Samuel Short, who succeeded him in the house at Pordwich. 16. Thomas Pilcher married Mary, daughter of Thomas Harlestone. He died 1692, and was buried in the Ohurch. Arms: Argent, a fesse dancette between three torteauxes (Hasted's Kent, vol. iii.). 17. Anthony Jennings. The Jennings Pamily succeeded the Nortons at Tancrey about the end of the seventeenth century, and continued to reside there until 1830, when Anthony Jennings (probably a great-grandson of the first Mayor of that name) died after a mayoralty of forty-three consecutive years! a circumstance probably without any parallel. 18. The TJnder&owns were settled at Birchington during the greater part of the seventeenth century. There is a memorial stone in the Church there to the memory of Thomas TJnderdown of Pordwich, 1709. 19. John Graydon was Vice-Adiniral of the White. In 1702 he was with Sir George Rooke at the taking of Vigo. He purchased Hermesland of the Osbornes, and pulled down the old house which had long heen the seat of the Harlestone family, and rebuilt it in the Queen Anne style; it is now known as Pordwich House. In 1709 the Admiral was disfranchised for not attending Sessions of Gaol delivery (Booh.of Decrees), but he was soon afterwards entreated to return to the Corporation, and in proof of his good will towards the town, he presented the Corporation with a handsome silver-gilt mace (Hasted's Kent). He died in 1725, and was buried at Westbere. Arms: Azure, three otters, each holding in its mouth a fish argent. 20. Stephen Taylor. In the transcripts of- the Pordwich Registers at Canterbury, the following entry appears: " 1739. Stephen Taylor, a ragged jurate of Pordwich, was buried July 9th." 21. John Nicholls, Rector of Pordwich 1714—1741. He had previously been Curate of Bastohurch, Minister of Harty, and Vicar of Sheldwich. Soon after the accession of the House of Hanover, he preached a sermon at Pordwich so full of Jacobitish sympathies, that he was for a time suspended from his benefice. By his wife Martha, daughter of Robert Cumberland, Vicar of Chilham, he had two daughters, Catherine married to Thomas Mantell of Chilham, and Mary the wife of John Woodruff of Pordwich. He died 1741, and was buried in the chancel of his Church. PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. 91 THE MACES AND THE SEAL. Pordwich possessed two maces, the earlier one is about 12 inches in length, and bears marks of very bad usage. On the inside of the bowl the Eoyal Arms are engraved, between the letters C. E., and the Oinque Port Arms are on the foot of the stem. There are no hall-marks, but the date 1665 and the letters T. F . (Thomas Norton) are engraved round the upper part of the stem. The large mace is of the usual eighteenth-century type, the bowl is Ornamented with the letters E. Gr. E . between a crowned rose, a thistle, a female bust, and surmounted by an arched.crown, with the Eoyal Arms inside. The marts are: Lion's head erased, Britaunia, the letter E (1720); and the maker's mark N.O. Hasted says this mace was presented to. the Corporation by Admiral Graydon, but there is no inscription upon it to this effect, and the Booh of Decrees states that in 1720 the Corporation voted a sum of " £58 to buy a new mace." The seal appears to be a modern reproduction of the ancient matrix. I t is engraved with a ship having one mast and a yard, and this inscription, iu Lombardic characters: Sigilluon JBaronmn De Forwiz+. The maces and seal are now preserved in the Museum at Canterbury. A LIST OJT THE BUNDLES AND BOOKS CONTAINED IN THE MUNIMENT CHEST AT POUDWIOH. 1 Proceedings before the Mayor. These are "finales conoordicef and date from 1216—1350; they require cleaning. 3 | Records of the Mayor's Court in the Pifteenth Century. Chiefly recognizances for small debts, 4 Conveyances of the Sixteenth Century. 5 Conveyances of the Pifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries. 6 Actions in the Court for all manner of Small Debts and Petty Trespasses. 7 Papers in Law Suits. The most important heing "The Corporation v. Norton," and relate to the exclusive right of the Corporation to the Pishery in the Stour. 8 Accounts of the Pifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, andEighteenth Centuries. On loose sheets of paper, requiring fo be arranged. 9 Inquisitiones post mortem. The Mayor acted as Coroner " ex-offieio." 10 Copy of a Charter granted to Pordwich by Charles II., heing the " inspeximus" of a Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth. 11 Parchment Certificates which the Test and Corporation Acts exacted. 12 Letters from London, and Notices from the Lord Warden, 13 Papers relating to comparatively Modern Criminal Matters. 14 Bonds for Money and Recognizances of Offenders (chiefly illegal Pishers). 15 Records of Court of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, 16 Precepts calling on the Mayor to summon the Court of Quarter Session. 17 A valuable bundle, containing the following parchments: (1) Composition between the Mayor and Commonalty and Robert Hathhrand, Prior of Christ Church. 1357. (2) Appointment of Bailiff (John Maycot) by the Abbot of St, Augustine, temp. Edward IV. (3) Gravamina, Abbot of St. Augustine v. Mayor of Pordwich. (4) Appointment of Attorney temp. Henry VII. (5) „ „ 1571. 9 2 PORDWICH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. (6) A Table of Pees to be levied by the Cranesman, 1564. (7) Appointment of Bailiff by Paul Johnson, 1570. (8) Three "Inquisitions" as to eating flesh in Lent, dated 1563,1603, 1604. (9) Assessment to Highway Rate, 1663. (10) Two copies of a Petition from the Mayor to the Duke of Gloucester re the Abbot of St. Augustine (with modern penoilled note as circa 1430). (11) A Letter from Edward IV. to the Mayor and Barons of Pordwich. BOUND BOOKS. 18 Records of Mayors' Elections 1631—1729 (lacking 1712-15 and 1717). 19 " The Ancient Booke of the Decrees of the town of Pordwich " (of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries). 20 Minutes of the Borough Court, 1550—1621. 21 Treasurers' Accounts, 1718—1828. 22 Minutes of the Court, 1726—1883. 23 Mayors' Oaths; being printed forms of an oath directed against Roman Catholics, filled in, and sworn to by the Mayors at the time of their accession to office. 24 A Bible (in older binding than the text ?). 25 Churchwardens' Accounts, 1509—1538, containing an inventory of the church goods of Pordwich taken in 1501. 26 The Custumal, inscribed " Custumale Antiquum Villae de Pordwico pretiosissimum." THE CUSTDMAD. This is a large octavo volume, written in a fifteenth-century hand, and is probably a copy of more ancient MSS. The Custumal itself occupies eighty-two pages, the remaining forty-one being filled by miscellaneous matters, of which the following is a list:— 1. An illuminated Calendar in English.* 2. Porms of Oaths, of which the most modern specimen is addressed to the " Lord Protector." 3. An Agreement respecting the right of the Stour Pishery between the Mayor and Commonalty and the Lord Abbot. 4. A Description of the Boundaries of the Liberty of Pordwich, settled by an inquest of the four surrounding hundreds, presided over by Sir Gilbert Preston, Justice in Eyre, the Constable of Lover Castle, and Sir Henry Malmaynes, Sheriff of Kent (1272) .f 5. Pour Chapters of Holy Scripture, in neat black letter, with illuminated capitals, one from each of the four Grospels.J * Dr. Sheppard notices that opposite the 29th day of December, where once stood the words, " Sanoti Thome Martyris," nothing but a red smear appears, some zealous Protestant having executed the obliteration at a time when the Saint had fallen into disrepute. f The liberty extended from Pordwich to Stourmouth " Nasse," on both sides of the river, " as far as a man being in a boat at high water can throw an axe of seven pounds weight, called a taper-axe, on to the land." The word translated " throw," is "retier"=draw, though probably (as the weight of the axe is carefully specified) it was thrown. A similar method was employed at Sandwich. X This (says Dr. Sheppard) was the "Book of the Gospels" upon which oaths were taken. It was not considered necessary that the whole Testament should be present, a specimen from each Gospel being considered sufficient to swear by. The version followed is Tyndal's second (Mist. MSS. Comm. Fifth Report). PORDWICH CHURCH GOODS, A.D. 1501. 93 6. Eegulations about the Covernment of the Town and Port, chiefly of an ultra-protectionist character. OHUBOHWAEDENS' ACCOUNTS (NO, 25). This is a small paper book, bound in the parchment leaves of an old service book. The accounts extend from the year 1509 to the year 1538. Por the first few years the entries are remarkably clear and well written, being probably the work of a paid scribe, but afterwards his services appear to have been dispensed with, and the writing becomes almost illegible. "We gather from these accounts that there were two altars; the high altar dedicated to our Lady; and St. Katharine's altar, which stood at the east end of the north aisle. In 1532 the following entry occurs among the receipts: " Bern rd for ij galons and a pynte of honey, made by the chyrche bees ij yeres, iijs vja ob." In 1539 a " bybyll" was purchased for 6s. (This was probably Coverdale's translation, which appeared in 1538, with a dedication to the King.) At the beginning of the volume is the following inventory of plate and vestments belonging to the church in 1501 :— Hereafter evedently appeareth the Jewelles. and gudes appertenyng to the chyrch delyvered the xij"1 day of Decbr the yere of our lord God wc'cccccr by William Martyn then being Mayer John Calway and Richard Serll wardens of the said church, John Cosyn, John Crenlyn, William hallywell, Stephen Brown, John Badcokk, Richard Roch, Edward Barn, and William heHs parochians of the same ohurch. Imprimis in the Rood loft j huch strongly bound w' yryn & a Key th'to. Item a Crosse copper gilt the foyt appertenyng thereto. Item iiij challyces ij gilt and ij ungilt. • Item j good masshooke, every second capitall l're gilt. Item j olde masboke notyd. Item j preciouse antiphonary grete and well notyd. Item ij porteusses 1 olde and a nother newe. Item ij manuelles 1 olde a nother newe. Item ij good processyonalls & 1 olde ordinall. Item j Dirige book notyd. Item j principall westement of Blew velvett. Item j Cope of blewe velvet appertynyng to ye same.. Item j other vestment for doble ffestys. Item iij vestments for other days feriall. Item j Coppe of grene silk. Item ij awtre cloths w' ij frontleys for the hye awtre. Item ij other awtre cloths for the same awter. Item a playne white lynnen oloth for the fonte. Item j awter cloth of diaper for Seynt Kath'yn's awter. Item ij awtre clothes of playn cloth for knyte awter. Item a Bassyn and a laver of latten. Item a towell of diaper for howselying foontenyng in length vi yerds). Item ij Towells one of diaper & one of pleyn cloth for the lettroh. Item ij small towels of Diaper for the lavatory. Item iij stayned cloths for iij Awters feble. Item j cotton for the Sacrament. Item ij olde pyllows covered with silke fox the hye awtre. 9 4 PORDWICH CHURCH GOODS, A.D. 1501. Item ij Candlestyks of latton for ye same awtre. Item a hole water stope of latton. Item ij olde shettes. Item iij corporax w' the casements thereto. Item a bagge of Canvasse to put in the best vestments. Item a Sensor of olde latton w* a shippe thereto. Item (sic) Cruetts. Item ij Bannr oloths one of Seynt George a nother of Seynt X'tofer. Item iiij olde Bannr cloths. Item Leche (?) bell. Item ij sacryng Bells. Item a Lent cloth feble. Item ij slevyd surples. Item ij Rotchetts. Item a nolde chysable. Item ij olde paxes. Item a canape stayned for the Sacrament. Item a pynne of silver a chapitre for the massebuke at hye awtre. The londis apparteneyng unto the Cross light. Imprimis in Bushingbury vj acr lying between the lands of Thos. Bentley and John Penny, p'cm (precium) v d. Item in Crofte of Philip Cosyng j acr p'cm xviij d. Item in p'ych (parish) of Westbere j acre of medowe p'tf" .... xx d. Here ffolwith the weight of the iiij chalisses in ye Church of ffordwich. Imprimis a chalis w' the paten doble gilt w' this scriptour in the uppmost parte " Calicem Salutaris accipiam et nomen Domini invocabo " and w' this scriptour in the foyte " Orate pro anima Joh'is ffreningham* et pro bono statu Johannse nuper uxoris dicti Johannis " and w* this scriptour about the paten " Benedicamus patrem et filium cum sancto Spiritu." In ye foyt of ye chalis an ymage of the c'oifix ynameld, and w*in the Paten ane ymage of ye Trinite ynameld. The weight of the said chalis w* ye paten is xvj unc. iiij d' Item a nother chalis giltyd w* yn the brym and w* oute w' a paten thereto being gilt, and yn the foyte of ye chalis is graven this scriptour " Orate pro anima Johannis Swerder."t The weight of this chalis with paten is x unc. Item the third Chalis is w' outn gilt and the paten brym gilt and also in the mydst. The weight is ix unc 0 d' 1 gr. Item the iiijt u chalis with the paten is playne and clene gilt both without and within. The weight thereof is ix unc. xliiij unc. iiij dl CHUECH LANDS. Patent inferius Redditus et terr pertinentes ecclie beati Marie de flordwico una cum nom'ibus eas tenentium Anno d'ni Milli'mo Qui'gentesimo p'mo. Imprimis Roggerus Loggan holdith a Tenement by a dede paying yerely to this ohurch x d. Philip Cosyn holdeth a tenement paying yerely ij d. * John Preningham resided in Burgate, Canterbury, and was Mayor of that City 1462, 1468. His will, proved 1475 in the Prerogative Court at Canterbury, shews him to have been a great benefactor to the churches and religious houses in Canterbury and the neighbourhood, and amongst his numerous bequests was one " to the parish cherche of ffordwich for to beye w' a new chales iiij11." t A Henry Swerder was residing .in Canterbury in 1474, PORDWIOH MUNICIPAL RECORDS. 95 Item a howse standing upon the hill which is called the church's hows yelding in ferme yerely iiij s. Item John Calway holdith a acre of land at the Ban- of the gift of John hoo berying by yere iiij s. Item 1 acre before the parsonage between the lands of the parsons berying by the yere . . . . ; nj s. Item John Maycott holdith a Rodde of land lying in Bushingbury berying by the yere v d. Item ij acres of land lieth in Westfeld of the gift of hewe Egerley held by Ric4 Serle yelding yerely iiij s. Item iij acres of the gift of John Gye lying round by dryer (?) Wodde next to ye holy Crosso lands held by RiclT Serle yelding to the ohurch yerely vj s. Item a Rodd of land lieth at rede dioh (?) between the lands of X'tofer Bentley & Colman yelding to a tapor to be found burnying before Seynt George, nunc tenet (John Calway*) John Bentley. MATOB,'s ACCOUNTS BEOM BUNULE 8 (1515). JTFORDWICH. Th' accompts of George Roberd Mayer of the towne and porte of the lib'tys of ffordwich ffrom the fest of Seynt Andrew the Appostyll in the vij"1 yere of the reign of Kyng Henry the viijth unto the same fest then next ensuing. Reoeyts. b. ffirst the seyd. Mayer yeldeth accompt of x s. receyved of Vincent Carpenter in p'ty payment of xiiij s. for rentyng of ferme of the Crane x s. Item receyved of John Cosyn the resydue of the rentyng of the Crane for Yyncent iiij s. Item receyved of Mr. X'tofer Bentley in p'ty of payment of the arrerage of hys accompts iij s. viij d. Item receyved of Robert hyld for Willim hoggyn in p'ty of payment of x s. Item receyved of Willim hoggyn in tymber to the reparacon of the brigge to the value of iiij s. viij d. a. Item receyved of the Com'lty in money xxs. Sum of the receps Iij s. iiij d. The expenses of the same Mayer in the seid year whereof he asketh allowance. Imprimis paid for the expense upon the aocomptyng day ij s. viij d. It'm paid to James Mylys for the thachyng of the Crane houset vij s. ij d. * Pen drawn through, t The crane upon the quay was one of the chief sources of revenue to the town. It was generally farmed, the oranesman being entitled, to certain fees, which are given in the table below. And some estimate can be formed of the varying fortunes of the Port by noting the amounts received by the Corporation for the farm of the crane. Thus, in 1516, it let for only 14s.; a hundred years later, in 1616, £15 15s. was paid " for the favour of the crane;" in 1687 £25 10s. was received; and in 1719, when the crane was not farmed, but worked by the Corporation itself, a profit of £27 9s. was made, betokening a considerable increase in the imports during the seventeenth century. Por the privilege of using the crane the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury paid a yearly contribution to this Corporation of £1, which appears in the accounts under the name of the " enlistainment money." Tithes of the crane were paid to the rector of the parish until about the year 1732, when the entries under this heading disappear from the town books. . . . 9 6 PORDWICH TOWN ACCOUNTS, A.D. 1515. It'm paid to the Bayly for ccc and a quarter of rede for the Crane house iiij s. x d. It'm paid for lathe and prig to the same viii d. It'm paid to a perseuant for bryngyng of the gudnys letter and expenses upon hym ij s. ij d. It'm paid to Robert hyld and to Thomas Woodrof for an amercement at West' iiij s. It'm paid to Burges for Wattylls and pylys for werys* iij s, It'm paid to Eustace Goodwyn and to Grove for settyng of the werys viij d. It'm paid to hoggyn and wyf for bere and drynke to them .... iij d. * The " pyleys " were stout stakes fixed in the bed of the river nearly opposite to the quay, to which the weir nets were attached, for catching the Pordwich trout as they ascended the river. The " wattels " were thin pieces of wood used to fill up the spaces not occupied by the nets, so as to force the trout into the weirs. The Pordwich trout have a great reputation, and until the late Mr. Prank Buckland decided that they were really Salmon trout (their peculiar colour being attributable to the bed of the river), it was supposed that they constituted a distinct species. Most of the Kentish writers specially mention • these trout. Puller says, " They differ from all others in many considerables, as greatness, colour, cutting white instead of red when in season, ounning, not being taken with an angle, and abode, remaining nine months in the sea, whence they observe their coming up almost to a day." Somner is of opinion that " they bear away the bell from all others;" and he calls Pordwich a place of note, as Camden saith, in that respect (Somner, p. 25). And Samuel Pegge, in his Proverbs relating to Kent, mentions them, with the remark that he supposes they continue to be as good as ever, " for a noble lord1 has of late caused himself to be made Mayor of Pordwich for the privilege, as I suppose, of having one now and then " (Arch. Cant., IX., p. 137). Hasted says of these trout, that " they are of silver colour speckled with black spots, and the flesh of them is of a yellowish colour; they weigh from 4 to 10 or 12 lbs.; they are a very shy fish, insomuch that they are not often taken with a drag net, and seldom or never with an hook When these fish come into the river they press forward against the stream, so that to take them the Corporation of Pordwioh place in the midst of the river, . . . . from the month of May to September, from 6 in the evening to 6 in the morning, a strong net with grates on each side, through which no fish of any size can pass." The contents of the weir nets were allotted to the mayor, jurats, and commonalty in turn, but the privilege was also extended to certain distinguished persons outside the liberty. In 1671 the "Book of Decrees" gives the following order to be observed in the night's fishing -.— The Mayor until he takes a trout. The Lord Viscount Cambden. The Lord Warden. The Earl of Winohelsea and Lord of the Manor of Pordwich.2 The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, The Lord Viscount Strangford.3 Mr. William Norton. The Mayor of Sandwich. The Town Clerk of Pordwich. The Mayor of Pordwich two nights together. Then the Jurats of Pordwich and every freeman in course, as they severally dwell according to the course of the sun, from the house of the Mayor for the time being. 1 This was Earl Cowper, who at that time (1732) resided at the Mote, in the parish of St. Martin's, Canterbury. 2 Residing at Eastwell, 3 At Sturry Court, PORDWICH TOWN ACCOUNTS. 97 It'm paid to Stockbery for caryeng of wattylls and to iij men and a boy for the stour cuttyng iij s. v d. It'm paid for a Trought given to my lord Warden iij d. It'm paid for oarryeng of the same trought to Grenwych _ xvjd. Item paid to ij men for ij dayes work for cuttyng of the Stour ij s. vj d. It'm paid for sawyng of tymber for the brigge iij s. Item paid for a wekys bordyng ij s. viij d. It'm paid to a Carpenter for ij dayes workyng at the wode for ye Brigge < xiiij d. It'm paid ij men for ij dayes leying of the Brigge for mete and wage ij s. iiij d. It'm paid to Robert hyld for caryenge iij loads of tymber to the brygge ij s. iijd. It'm paid for storgyng of logge xij d. It'm paid for tymber to Mr. Turbervyl ij s. viij d. It'm paid for mendyng of ye woodyn brigge _ yj d. It'm paid to Eustace for hys wage this yert ij s. iiij d. It'm paid for the Contrybucon to Sandwych iij s. iiij d. It'm paid to Robert hylde for carryenge of lvj loads of gravell tothebrigge vs. It'm paid the Bodell for cartyng of ye seid gravell ij s. iiij d. It'm paid to the Ward for ij courtes.and ij Lawdayes vs. iiij d. It'm for wrytyng of this accompt vj d. S'm thexpenses iij li. xj s. v d. ob. And so the said Com'lty remaynes in dett unto the seid Mayer in xixs. i d. AN OBDEE AND RATE made the Sixteenth day of March in the Sixth yeare of the reign of our Sovereign Ladye ELIZABETH by the Graee of God of England of Prance and of Ireland Quene, By the Mayor & Jurattes of ffordwich for fees to be paid to the Cranesman there for Cranage Wharfage Meatynge and houseing of all manner of Come Grayne Wyne Wood and all other marohandise and goods. Pyrst for Cranage of every tunne of wyne viij d. Por every bunne* of oyle and salte j d. ob. Por every bunne of salmon ffyshe j d. ob, Por every bunne of other merchandise i d, ob. por every bunne of vinegar broken wine viij d, Por every draught of grane under a tunne weight after the said rate as agreed with the Craneman viij d. por every draught of every hundred hoppes ob. Por every 100 weight of lyme or Leade ob. por every paoke of lynnen or wollen cloth after the rate of viij s. the tun viij d. Por Cranage for stone for every tonne viij d. If the stone be more than a tonne then to pay xij d! Metynge. It. for all manner of Come and Grane taken in or delivered of any ly gMer or hoate w*in the liberties of ffordwich being forreners goodes for every v quarters vj d. ob. It. for every weyt of salt or ohaldron of coles w*in the liberties being forreners goods vj d. It. for all come salte and cole being forrene goods put or to be put to sale that ys to saye for come vd. for every twenty quarters for salt for every weyt and for cole for every chaldron iiij d. * In the Canterbury Town Accounts we read "Solut' Will. Paunt pro dimidio le Bunne dupliois Berisie xviij*" (Hist. MSS. Coinm. Ninth Report, p. 186). * VOt. XVIII. H 9 8 PORDWICH WHARPAGE PEES, A.D. 1564 Wharfage, for every hundred of salted ffyshe iiijd. ffor every loade of freshe fysh • iiij d. ffor every tonne of Iorne heing forene goods vj d. ffor every tonne of Iorne being freemen's goods iiij d. ffor every loade of stone bryke or tyle ij d. ffor every Card of herryngs ob. ffor er^ry barrel of herryngs and other salted fyshe in barrels.. 1 d. ffor every loade of marchandise not named ij d. ffor every loade of haye being forrene godes ij d. ffor every hundred of deale Bourdes xij d. Houseing. for the houseings of all manner of corne grayne on the owners chardge for evere quarter being there xiiij dayes j d. and for less tyme for evere quarter ob j d. for wyne oyle herrynges Salmon vynnegar for the loade as is aforesaid ij d. Caryadge for evere loade of merchandise oarryed by townsmen on the brydge or from the common key j d. carryed by forene cartes ij d. for evere loade over the brydge not laded or unladed at the common key.. ijd. for every loade of wood or tymber brought into the towne over the brydge by forene carts being freemen's goods ob. „ „ „ „ of forrene wood ij d. for every wagon bryngyng_ of barley or other corne after vij quarters vj d. the bridge ij d. viij d. Yt is ordered that no freemen suffer or permit any forrener to loade or unlade any wood tymber stone bryke or tyle or other marchandise on his ground except the forrener first agree and pay the Cranesman as ys abovesaid for wharfage uppon paine of forfeyting xij d. for every loade so laide to the losse of the towne. Yt is also ordered by the saide Mayor and Jurattes that no person or personnes whatsoever he or they be bryng any large ffagottes to the said towne to be sold unless every of the said faggottes conteyn in length eight foot and a haulf and weigh one bushell and a haulf of bar lye, and also that evere singoll bat allowed in the -place of one or two faggotts shall be of the weight aforesaid and shall conteyn in length twelve feet not above, and that evere bat for tymber or tymber above that length shall oonteyn in weyght after the rate aforesaid upon payne of forfeyture of suoh wood not conteyning weight aforesaid. December the 15th 1642. Whereas some difference hath bin touohing the wharfage of wood. It was ordered on the day and year above sayed by a generall consent, that evere forrener shall pay twopence the loade and every ffreeman three halfpence a lode for wharfage of wood. A LETTEB JTEOM KING- EDWARD IV. TO THE MAYOR OJ? 3?OBDWICH, A.D. 1462. Edward by the grace of God King of England and of Prance Lord of Ireland. To our trusty and well beloved the Mayor of Pordwich within our shire of Kent gretyng. Porasmuch as we be 'divers means ben credibly informed and understanden for certaine that our grete adversary Henry namyng himselE King of England by the malicious counsaill and eyatacion of Margaret his wif namyng herself Queen of England hath conspired accorded concluded and determined w* oure outward enemies as wel of ffrance and Scotland and of others divers countrees that our seid outward enemyes in grete number shall in all haste to thayine possible enter into this our reaume of England to make in the same such LETTER PROM KING EDWARD IV. 99 cruel horrible and mortaill war depopulation robbery and manslaughter as heretofore hath not been used among cristen people, and with all waies and means to thayme possible to destroie utterly the people the name the tongue and all the blood English of this our reaume. Insomuch that in the said conspiracie amonges other thinges it is agreed and accorded by our saide adversare moved thereto by the malicious and subtle suggestion and entisments of the said malicious woman Margaret his wife that in case -they shall nowe performe this thair malicious and oruell ppes (purposes) whioh God defend that than his oncle Charles de Angieu w' other ffrenshmen shall have the dominacion rule and governaunce of this reaume above said, and over that amonges other wiked and detestable thyngis attempted in this partie by the said Henry and Margaret his wife to the entent that our saide outwarde enemies of ffrance and Scotland should ye rather condescend and applie thamme thair malicious entent and to ye destruction of this our lande the same Henry our adversare hath granted and sent unto our adversarie Dowke De Valois namyng himself King of ffrance a renunoiacion and relesse of the right and tale that the crowne of England hath unto the reaume and crowne of ffrance, and also to the duchie and countrees of Guyenne and Normandie of Ingieu and Mayn Caleis and Guynes w' their marches and appurtenances and over that hath granted to the same extent to the Scotts not only the town and capitoll of Berewik nowe by his connivance had and ocupied by the same Scottis but also a grete part of this oure reaume of England which thingis above rehersed wel and diligently considered it openly apperith that the said Henry and Margaret his wif are not onely to us but also to all this our reaume and all our trew people of same mortall and cruell enemyes, We entending with all our might and power to resiste ye grete crueltie.and malicious purpose of oure said adversarie and enemyes, and therein in no wise to spare our person body or goods nor to refuse any adventure jeopardie or p'rll for the tuicion and defense of this oure reaume andToure trewe subjeotis of the same, Desire and pray you in the most speciall wise that ye immediately on the receipt of these our letters make to be called and assembled before you all the persons whereof mention is made in the instrument within these inclosed and declare unto them the above said malicious furious and cruell intent of our said adversarie and enemie, and over that on our behalf exhort induce and pray them with such gentill language and words of benyvolenee as shall thought to you to be behovefull that they for the defense and suretie of thayme sels and of all this land and in the shewing of the grete and horrible miseries and inconveniences above rehersed wol at this time in this most grete and urgent necessite shew efficiently and in ded their good willis, zele and affection that they have unto us to the comune well of this land and prosperite of thayme sels and that unto the releiwyng and supportation of the grete charges expenses and costes that we must of necessite daily heve in this partie they and everich of thayme wol grante unto us of thane goodnesse and free wille sum oertaine some_ of money suoh as they shall nowe heve w'oute thaire hurte or grevaunce lating thayme wit for certaine that we have wel in oure fresh and tender remembrance the grete and manyfold oharges that they here before have borne and that if we might by any means otherwise do we wold, not at this time anything desire to thaire charge trusting nevertheless so much in their good dispositions and discretions that they wol not suffer wilfully all this our reaume and thayme sels also to perish and utterly be destroyed. Considering namely that we desire no thing of thayme by way of imposition compulsion or of precedent or example thereupon hereafter to be taken hut all onely of thaire humanite and good will putting and grounding our truste in ye infinite goodnesse grace and righteousness of Almighty God, which herebefore in juste batlaille by victory and oonfusion of oure enemeyes hath deolared openly and in dede for oure sembably to behave us and so from all such perilles and miseries preserve and defend thayme and all this oure land that in fewe days they shall have cause to thinke that they never herebefore better beset or spended any money and over that for your direction and more speedy execution of the matter we send unto you certaine instruments herein within inclosed. Desiring and right specially praying you that ye according to the same wol diligently and effectually labour H 2 100 PORDWIOH TOWN ACCOUNTS, 1579—1648. and entend to the accomplishment of our desire in this behalf, And that ye faille not so to doo as ye desire the welfare prosperite and suretee of us youre sels and all this oure lande. Given under oure prive seal at oure towne of Stamford the xiij day of Marche. The second yere of our reyne (1462). This is a very interesting document, since it must be one of the very earliest efforts of Edward to obtain money by the crafty system of " benevolences," whereby, says the chronicler of Croyland, " each man gave to the king what he pleased, or rather what he did not please." The fears of the good men of Eordwich are most judiciously worked on, aud that they had good reason to fear the allies of Queen Margaret must have been brought home to them by the sacking of Sandwich, less than five years previously, by the French, under the Marshal de Breze. Berwick was surrendered to the Scots by Henry, April 25th, 1461. The seal on the back of this letter has almost entirely disappeared, except the " ffleurs de lys of' Mranee." Eordwich had its Pageant iu former days. In the Booh of Decrees we find the following entry: " An inventory taken the 12th day of dec1' Ann0 1566 of the apparrell appertynyng to the King and Quene of ffordwich ,• It. ane oloke garded w' velvett. It. a Jacket of velvet imbradered w' silver lace. It. ij velvet cappes w* laces about them. It. a pare of bryches imbradered w* silver lace. It. a oyrtyll of tafytas brawded w* silver lace. It. a pare of saten sleaves. It. a peoe of satyn imbrawdery. Ma that the xt1fl day of Aprill 1570 all the foresayd apparell was left in the oustody and keeping of Anthony May Juratt by the Mayor and Juratts of the towne of Pordwich. ITEMS TEOM THE TOWN ACCOUNTS. 1579 Item towards the young men's expenses for their pastymes vj s. viij d. Item for the Serjant his wages x s. 1616 Por the favour of the Crane xv li. xv s. Item to the good wife turner for Salve vj d. (Six other entries of the same kind this year.) Item to the Duke of Lynox his trumpeters the 3vd of April ij s. Item to the Drumer for drynk ij s. ij d. Item for vj quartes of Claret wine iij s. Item to the Queen's players the 16th September vij s. 1620 Item reca for ye intertainment money from Ohristchurch Canterbury xx s. 1639 In this year the Crane was farmed for £1610s. The whole receipts for the year amounted to £38 0s. Od 1648 Item the Widd howse for part of the yeavale house 00 18 00 Willyam Wootton for putting the fences about the yeavale house 03 04 00 Watohing the Lord Warden's nights* 00 01 00 * This refers to the weir nets. The Lord Warden had his turn at these nets, but, as he was an absentee and unable to look after his own interests, it was necessary to watch the nets on his nights, lest the trout should be stolen. PORDWICH TOWN ACCOUNTS, 1663-4. 101 Item 28 November to Mr Denn for his fee for his counsell confirming the Crane duties 00 10 00 To Arnall for mending the whipping post 00 Oi Of The total receipts for the year 1649 amounted to £34 4s. 6d. Disbursements £33 3s 7d 1663 Given to a decayed gentleman 00 01 00 Spent at ye Sergants upon those that took Thomas Graffham 00 04 06 Por putting on ye fetters 00 00 06 To Mr Lovelace for his fee 01 00 00 To Mr May for adjourning ye sessions 00 04 00 Por burning of ye man* ,. 00 02 00 Por two proclamations onconcerning a book called God and ye King, ye other about spices 00 05 06 Por a proclamation concerning Lent 00 02 00 Por a letter about ye smoak moneyf 00 02 06 Por a new casement and glazing ye courthall ,. . 00 09 00 Por two proclamations ye on concerning all Jesuit and popish priests, ye other about transporting cloth into Germany and ye low oountreys •. . . . 00 05 00 Given a man whose tongue was out out in Turkey. . . . . . . . 00 01 00 May 14*. Por 3 horses to Sandwioh 0 12 0 Por our expenses there 0 19 0 Given to a poor redeemed slave 0 1 0 Spent goeing down ye river to ketoh a trout for ye Recorder 0 17 6 Augs' 16th. To Counsellor Pinch for his fee at Hythe. . . . 1 0 0 Por our dinner there , 1 6 6 Por our horses standing ,. 0 7 6 Por our dividend for Mr Pinches horse 0 1 6 Por our horse hyers 1 12 0 To Mr May for eomming and severall times to examine ye towne chest for writings concerning ye composition!.... 0 6 0 To Goodman Movse for lines for ye netts 0 16 0 Por our composition money 1 0 0 Por a messenger to carry it 0 2 0 To Mr May for adjourning ye Court Leet 0 4 0 To Mr May for his horse and Ms fees to Hythe 18 0 To keeping a court of record since Michaelmas last 0 5 4 Por drawing and engrossing ye securities to Mr Bigge being verylong 1 10 0 Por engrossing Mr Pinches award in the towne hook 0 2 6 Spent when I went down the river to gett a trout for ye Judges upon ye entreaty of Sir Thos. Payton 1 0 0 1664 March 12. Pd Browne for whiping Christopher Streeter.. 0 1 0 Por a proclamation to banish any persons that were in any of the rebellious armies out of London 0 2 6 April, Given to Oaptaine Hopton heing one that lost all byserving his Majesty 0 2 6 Por my expenses to recover the annuall rent of one pound by ye yeare for the Deane and Prebends 1 0 0 To the Imprest men ., 0 7 6 Por a proclamation for no commerce with Holland 0 2 0 To Abraham Bradford for heing imprest 0 3 6 Paid to ye guard at Dover Castle when M1 Norton and I went to return Beakesbourne's answer to ye aforesaid orders 0 2 0 Pd Thomas Jones and Edward Ellis for goeing down ye river on information that Westbere men were gone a fishing 0 2 0 * Branding (?). f The " Hearth tax." J This was the annual contribution to the Head Port (Sandwich); previous to 1563 this amounted to 3s. 4d., in that year it was increased to £1. 102 PORDWICH TOWN ACCOUNTS, 1664—95. Sep' 14th. Paid for ye King's declaration for ye opening of Churches in London for ye receipt of goods and for ye sending up provisions to London for ye supply of ye inhabitants together with a proclamation for ye keeping of markets every day at Tower Hill and Smithfield .... 0 2 0 Pd Wilham Man Esq™ for his fee as our Recorder 1 0 0 Oct. 25th. Thomas Meade asketh his salarie as serjeant.... 1 10 0 Paid for ye cloath for his oloake as by bill appeareth 1 13 3 Por ye lace upon ye cape 0 3 0 Por ye making and ye inside materials, etc 0 7 11 To Mr Randolph for his fee as muster master 2 10 0 1665 June 6"'. Por a proclamation for a thanksgiving for a victory against the Dutoh* 0 2 0 July 8th. Por a proclamation for a fastf 0 2 0 Por a proclamation prohibiting Bartholmey faire, and for removing His Majesty's Exchequer from London to Nonsuch 0 2 0 To two distressed gentlemen that had the Duke of Ormond's pass 0 2 6 Por a proclmn to summon the Parlmt to Oxford 0 2 0 Septr. Por our expenses at Deale when we went to wait on ye govemour 2 0 0 1666 March 21st. Given to a couple of released prisoners y' were taken by ye Dutch when ye Charity was lost 0 1 0 Por a proclmn for a fast on ye 14th of June 0 2 0 June 17th. Allowed ye ringers upon ye news of a victory over ye DutchJ 0 2 6 Paid Robert Parrist for foure weare nets 2 0 0 Pd four an order from Colonell Strode§ for ye stopping of private men of warre if they come into any harbour . . . . 0 2 0 1668 Sep4 . It. live horse hire to Dover 1 6 8 Gave the Duke's servants 0 10 0 1674 Expenses at the George when the Stourmouth men compounded for their unjust fishing with Mr Whitfield 0 2 0 Two proclamations against Papist and other .recusants . . . . 0 2 o 1675 The acoomptant craves the allowance sollery being 6 13 4 Item the Sergants sollery 1 10 0 1685 It. when Mary Manger was whipt pa Edw. Browne for whipping her 0 1 6 1689 Por a trowte weighing 10 lbs. for Mr Sergeant Denne .... 0 10 0 • 1694 Paid for a letter from the Speaker to raise the militia .... 0 2 6 Paid two messengers to give Bekesbourne and Sarre notice thereof 02 0 Paid for a proclamation for apprehending the Earl of Soarsdale, the Earl of Litchfield, the Lord Griffin, the Earl of Middleton, and other great persons that fled 0 2 0 Spent at Grove Perry when we tooke the men that were Robbing the river and at ffordwioh when we returned as bybill 0 16 0 Spent when we went to catch a dish of fish for our Recorder 0 11 0 1695 Reca for the warfage of 14 loads of shells for Admiral Rooke 0 7 0 P<" Mr Mayer his salary for the year 1695 6 13 4 * At Solebay (off Lowestoft) June 3rd. t During the Plague of London, In July the deaths were 1100 weekly, but this number increased to 10,000 in September. J June 1 to 4 in the Downs, the viotory was a doubtful one. § Governor of Dover Castle,