es west of
Hythe (but afterwards at Dover), the parliament being empowered to make
by-laws for the Cinque Ports, to regulate the Yarmouth fishery, to hear
appeals from the local courts, and to give decision in all cases of
treason, sedition, illegal coining or concealment of treasure trove. The
ordinary business of the ports was conducted in two courts known
respectively as the court of brotherhood and the court of brotherhood
and guestling,--the former being composed of the mayors of the seven
principal towns and a number of jurats and freemen from each, and the
latter including in addition the mayors, bailiffs and other
representatives of the corporate members. The court of brotherhood was
formerly called the brotheryeeld, brodall or brodhull; and the name
guestling seems to owe its origin to the fact that the officials of the
"members" were at first in the position of invited guests.

The highest office in connexion with the Cinque Ports is that of the
lord warden, who also acts as governor of Dover Castle, and has a
maritime jurisdiction (_vide infra_) as admiral of the ports. His power
was formerly of great extent, but he has now practically no important
duty to exercise except that of chairman of the Dover harbour board. The
emoluments of the office are confined to certain insignificant admiralty
droits. The patronage attached to the office consists of the right to
appoint the judge of the Cinque Ports admiralty court, the registrar of
the Cinque Ports and the marshal of the court; the right of appointing
salvage commissioners at each Cinque Port and the appointment of a
deputy to act as chairman of the Dover harbour board in the absence of
the lord warden. Walmer Castle was for long the official residence of
the lord warden, but has, since the resignation of Lord Curzon in 1903,
ceased to be so used, and those portions of it which are of historic
interest are now open to the public. George, prince of Wales (lord
warden, 1903-1907), was the first lord warden of royal blood since the
office was held by George, prince of Denmark, consort of Queen Anne.

_Admiralty Jurisdiction._--The court of admiralty for the Cinque Ports
exercises a co-ordinate but not exclusive admiralty jurisdiction over
persons and things found within the territory of the Cinque Ports. The
limits of its jurisdiction were declared at an inquisition taken at the
court of admiralty, held by the seaside at Dover in 1682, to extend from
Shore Beaco