ad ever enjoyed."

* * * * *

THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

* * * * *

THE CINQUE PORTS--THEIR PAST AND PRESENT STATE.

(_Abridged from the United Service Journal._)

The precise time when the Cinque Ports were first incorporated by
charter is unknown, but it was at a very early period of our history;
the institution being formed on that adopted by the Romans, while
masters of Britain, for the defence of the coasts against the northern
pirates. The difference between them consists in the number of the
stations incorporated, the Roman being nine, under the governance of an
officer whose title was, Comes littoris Saxonici; and the Saxon
consisting of five, under the superintendence of a chief, whose title
is, Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports. There is no charter
extant of the ports prior to Edward I.; and as they are not mentioned
collectively in Domesday, many persons have been led to conclude, I
think erroneously, that they did not exist as a corporation at the time
when that ancient record was taken. Dover, Sandwich, and Romney are
named as privileged ports, from which it may be inferred, that the
corporation flourished at that time,--and for this reason,--Hastings has
always been considered the first port in precedency, which would not
probably have been the case, if it had been one of the latest
privileged. The charter of Edward I. mentions immunities granted to the
Cinque Ports by William the Conqueror; and, what is still more to the
purpose, because it carries back their origin to the Saxon times, is,
that King John, in his charter, says, that the Barons of the Cinque
Ports had in their possession, charters of most of the preceding kings,
back to Edward the Confessor, _which he had seen_. So, having
traced them up to a Saxon origin, I must leave to some future antiquary
the task of settling the precise date of their first incorporation.

The five incorporated ports are, Hastings, Sandwich, Dover, Romney,
and Hythe. Attached to each port are several limbs or members, the
inhabitants of which participate in their privileges, and bear a share
of their expenses. Rye and Winchelsea were united to Hastings about the
first year of the reign of King John, under the denomination of the two
ancient towns, and they appear to have obtained the superiority which
they now hold over the other limbs, at a very early period, a charter
of the year 1247