late Queen about the Grants to the Barons of the said Cinque-Ports and Towns of Rye and Winchelsea and Members of the same Ports and Towns and every of them and to their Successors the Barons of the said Cinque-Ports Towns and Members made after these words Elizabeth by the Grace of God We have look'd upon the Charters of Eliz. about Fifteenths Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To the Treasurer Chancellor and Barons of Our Exchequer for the time being and to all other the Officers Ministers and Subjects of Us Our Heirs and Successors for the time being or which hereafter shall be to whom it shall or may appertain and to every of them Greeting Whereas it appeareth unto Us by one Record remaining in Our Exchequer amongst the Records of the Term of Easter in the Sixth year of the Reign of Our most Dear Grandfather King Henry the Seventh That John Convers of Winchelsea and William Warwyn of Dover Combons of the five Ports did come before the Barons of the same Exchequer the Seventh day of May in that same Term of Easter in their proper Persons and did exhibite to the said Court there a certain Letter of Attorney Sealed with the Common Seal of the Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons of the five Ports and directed to the Treasurer and Barons of the same Exchequer the Tenor whereof followeth in these words To the Right Mighty and Noble Lord John Dynham Knt. Lord Dynham High Treasurer of England and to the full Honourable the Barons of our Sovereign Lord the Kings Exchequer at Westminster that now be We the Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons of the Towns and Ports of Hasting Winchelsea Rye Romney Heth Dover and Sandwich at our Brotheryield-General at the said Town and Port of Romney the day of the Date hereof Holden Assembled that is to say William Nepsham Bayliff of Hasting Richard Martham Mayor of Winchelsea John Cheeseman Mayor of Rye John Cheynew Jurate of Romney Thomas Walton Jurate of Heth Edward Hextal Mayor of Dover and Thomas Aldy Mayor of Sandwich which send due Recommendations in all humblewise as appertaineth And whereas it hath pleased our Sovereign Lord by the Advice of his Council is Agreed that the Sustentation-Subsidy and maintenance of our Navy to do our old Service to our Sovereign Lord the King and to his Heirs Kings of England That at every whole Fifteenth and Tenth hereafter by the Commons of this His Realm to Him and to His Heirs to be granted the Collectors of the same and every of them within the Counties of Kent and Sussex from thenceforth shall have deduction in their Accompts betwixt them by the Certificate of the said Barons so that they exceed not the Sum of Five hundred Pounds Sterling for the Allowance of all Resiants and Advocants of their Allowance of all such Fifteens as from thenceforth shall be granted to our said Sovereign Lord the King and to His Heirs Kings of England and from thenceforth to be gathered and that his Highness willeth in that behalf that we nor our Heirs shall not in any wise exceed the Sum of Five hundred Pounds and that we should thereupon be bound by Recognizance before His said Barons in His said Exchequer at Westminster to the accomplishment of the same We the said Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons certifie by these Presents that we the day of the making hereof have given full Power and Authority to our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Brethren and Combons Mr. John Convers of the said Town of Winchelsea and William Warwyn of the said Town of Dover our true and lawful Attorneys joyntly and severally in that behalf by the Advice of Learned Councel to bind us to our said Sovereign Lord the King and to His Heirs Kings of England by Recognizance in the said Kings Exchequer before the said Barons in all due and convenient Form and Sum reasonable after the said Wisdoms and Discretions of the said high-High-Treasurer and the said Barons for the accomplishment of the Premises that is to say That we nor our Heirs shall not from henceforth exceed the said Sum of Five hundred Pound In Witness whereof we the said Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons the Seal of our said Brotheryield used and accustomed to thesâ— Presents have put at the saâ— Town and Port of Romney th 12th day of April in the Sixth yea of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord King Henry the Seventh Whereupon the said John Convers and William Warwyn being then present in the said Court in their proper Persons and admitted there by the Barons to be the Attorneys of the said Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons of the aforesaid Ports to execute and do in all things according to the Tenor of the said Letter And the said John and William taking upon them the same did acknowledge the same Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons to owe to Our said Grandfather One thousand Pound Sterling to be paid to Our said Grandfather in the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist then next coming And except they did perform it the said John and William in the stead and Name of the same Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons did grant that Our Grandfather should cause to be levied the said Money of the Lands and Tenements of the said Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons whereof they or any others or any other that were seized and of their Goods and Chattels to whose hand soever they should come and made that this Recognizance was under such Condition That if the Collectors of the Fifteenths and Tenths to Our said Grandfather then or to His Heirs Kings of England in the Counties of Kent and Sussex and elsewhere within this Realm of England from henceforth to be granted should not have Deductions in their Accompts to Our said Grandfather of such whole Fifteenth and Tenth to be yielded by the Certificates of the Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons or their Successors from thenceforth to be above the Sum of 500 l. And if the said Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons their Heirs and Successors by their Certificates to such Collectors in the said Counties of Kent and Sussex and elsewhere within this Realm of England of and for such whole Fifteenth and Tenth for the same Mayors Bayliffs Jurats and Barons and the Resiants and Advocants of the said Ports to be made and directed should not exceed the Sum of 500 l. at every such Fifteenth and Tenth thenceforth to be granted that then the said Recognizance should be void otherwise it should remain in his strength and effect as by the said Record remaining in the Custody of Our Remembrancer in Our Exchequer more at large appeareth And whereas further it appeareth unto Us by Letters under the Privy Seal of Our said most dear Grandfather King Henry the Seventh directed to Mr. Treasurer and the Barons of his Exchequer bearing Date at Westminster the Three and Twentieth day of June in the Ninth
and Successors be for ever free from all manner of Tenths Fifteenths and other such like Tributes and Tallages although they themselves or any of them be Agents in such Grants And We have further granted for Us and Our Heirs to the aforesaid Barons and Honest Men that none of them their Heirs and Successors shall for the future be put in any Assizes Juries Recognizances Attaints or other Inquisitions whatsoever without the Ports and Members aforesaid although they concern Us or Our Heirs And that none of them be made an Assessor Taxer or Collector of Tenths Fifteenths or any parcel of them or other Subsidies Tallages Taxes or small Summs whatsoever which are or shall be granted to Us or Our Heirs Nor be Collector of the reasonable Aid for the creating the Eldest Son of Us or Our Heirs a Knight or for the Marrying the Eldest Son of Us or Our Heirs Nor shall any of them be chosen or appointed Constable Bailiff or other Officer and Servant to Us or Our Heirs without the Ports and Members aforesaid against his Will And in case that any of the aforesaid Barons Honest Men or their Heirs and Successors be for the future chosen ordained or appointed to undergo and perform the trouble of any of the Offices or Employments aforesaid or to undergo perform or take any other Office against the force tenour and efficacy of this our present Grant although he shall refuse to undergo perform or take upon him those Offices or Troubles yet he shall in no wise upon that account incur any Fine Contempt Forfeit loss or damage upon his Body or Goods but that Our present Letters shewed upon Record by him before any Justices and Officers whosoever to Us and Our Heirs in whatsoever place through Our whole Kingdom of England shall upon that declaration remain in their force and virtue and by that shall be allowed to do the same without any Writ or Process to be thence further prosecuted And that whensoever there shall happen any Examinations to be made before Our Constable of Our Castle of Dover or before the Warden of the Cinque-Ports aforesaid or Admiral of the fame such Inquisitions shall be had taken and done within that Port or Member of the Ports and Members aforesaid where they of the respective Ports and Members by whom these Inquisitions shall be taken do live and dwell and no where else And that they who are mentioned and Empannelled in the Inquiries aforesaid shall no way be bound compelled or forced to go out of their respective Port or Member to any other place to take their Charge or deliver their Verdict Nor shall they nor any of them any way upon that account incur any contempt amerciament penalty forfeiture or any loss to Us or Our Heirs Wherefore We Will and strictly Command for Us and Our Heirs Wherefore We Will. that the aforesaid Barons and Honest Men of the Ports aforesaid their Heirs and Successors have all and singular the Liberties and Acquitances aforesaid and all the Premises by Us renewed to them and every of them and that for the future without any impediment of Us or Our Heirs Without impediment or Our Officers whosoever they for ever use and enjoy them Witness hereunto the Reverend Prelate Thomas Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England Our most Dear Brothers George Duke of Clare and Richard Duke of Glocester the Reverend Priors George Bishop of Exon Our Chancellor of England and Thomas Bishop of London Richard Earl of Warwick and John Earl of Northumberland Our most dear Cosins as also Our Trusty and Well-beloved Mr. Robert Stillington Keeper of Our Privy-Seal and Walter Blunt Knt. Our Treasurer of England and others Given under Our Hand at Westminster the Twenty third day of March in the Fifth year of Our Reign But We Ratifying and likeing the Charters and Letters aforesaid and all and singular the things contained in them do accept and approve of them for Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lieth and by the Tenor of these Presents do Ratifie and Confirm them to Our Well-beloved Barons and Honest Men of the said Cinque-Ports and Members of the same and to their Heirs and Successors as the Charters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably Testifie In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the Thirteenth day of December in the Third year of Our Reign But We Ratifying and likeing well the Charters and Letters aforesaid and all and singular the things contained in them do accept and approve of them for Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lieth and by the Tenor of these Presents do Ratifie and Confirm them to Our Well-beloved Barons and Honest Men of the said Cinque-Ports and their Members and to their Heirs and Successors as the Charters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably Testifie In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the Fifth day of March in the first year of Our Reign But We Ratifying and likeing well the Charters and Letters aforesaid and all and singular the things contained in them do accept and approve of them for Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lieth and by the Tenor of these Presents do Ratifie and Confirm them to Our Well-beloved Barons and Honest Men of the said Cinque-Ports and their Members and to their Heirs and Successors as the Charters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably Testifie In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the Twentieth day of November in the Second year of Our Reign But We Ratifying and likeing well the Charters and Letters aforesaid and all and singular the things contained in them do accept and approve of them for Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lieth and by the Tenor of these Presents do Ratifie and Confirm them to Our Well-beloved Barons and Honest Men of the said Cinque-Ports and their Members and to their Heirs and Successors as the Charters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably Testifie In Witness whereof we have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the Twenty seventh day of October in the First year of Our Reign But We Ratifying and likeing well the Charters and Letters aforesaid and all and singular the things contained in them do accept and approve of them for Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lieth and by the Tenor of these Presents do Ratifie and Confirm them to Our Well-beloved Barons and Honest Men of the said Cinque-Ports and their Members and to their Heirs and Successors as the Charters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably Testifie In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the Eigth day of March in the First year of Our Reign We have also looked upon the Letters Patents of the said Lady Elizabeth
in the Twenty sixth year of Our Reign And we Ratifying the Grants and Confirmations aforesaid do grant and confirm them to be well pleasing to Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lyeth for the Barons aforesaid of the Cinque-Ports their Heirs and Successors for their good and faithful Service which they have hitherto paid to Us and shall pay for the future as the Chatters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably testifie And We further willing to do the said Barons a greater kindness have given and granted to them for Us and Our Heirs That although they have not hitherto enjoyed any one or more of their Liberties and Priviledges contained in the said Charters and Letters yet the said Barons their Heirs and Successors may use and enjoy their Liberties and Priviledges aforesaid and every of them without the let of Us or Our Heirs or Our Officers whatsoever Witness hereunto the Reverend Fathers William Bishop of Worcester J. Bishop of Bath and Wells and W. Bishop of Exeter Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester and Hereford John de Britann Earl of Richmond Adam de Valentia Earl of Pembroke Hugh de le Spencer Robert Son of Pagan Edmund de malo Lacu Steward of Our Houshld and others Given under Our Hand at Westminster the Twenty sixth day of July in the Seventh year of Our Reign We making Good the Grants and Confirmations aforesaid do Ratifie and by the Tenour of the Presents confirm them to be well pleasing to Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lies for the aforesaid Barons of the Cinque-Ports their Heirs and Successors for the good and faithful Service hitherto paid to Us and Our Progenitors and for the future to be paid to Us and Our Heirs as the Charters and Letters aforesaid do reasonably testifie And further willing to do to the aforesaid Barons a greater kindness We have granted for Us and Our Heirs to the same Barons of the Cinque-Ports That although they or their Predecessors hitherto have not fully enjoyed any one or more of their Liberties and Acquitances contained in the Charters and Letters aforesaid yet the said Barons their Heirs and Successors may fully enjoy for ever make use of their Liberties and Acquitances aforesaid without any let or impediment of Us Our Heirs or any of Our Officers whatsoever The Witnesses hereunto are the Reverend Fathers S. Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellor J. Bishop of Bath and Wells Our Treasurer Lionel Duke of Clarence John Duke of Lancaster Edmund Earl of Kent Our most dear Sons Edward de le Spencer Guydo Brian John Atley Steward of Our Houshold and others Given under Our Hand at Westminster the First day of July in the Thirty eighth Year of Our Reign We have also look'd upon the Letters-Patents of the same Our Grandfather after these words Edward by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain To all those to whom these present Letters shall come Greeting We have look'd upon Our Charter of Confirmation which We lately made to the Barons of Our Cinque-Ports under the Seal which We then used after these words Edward by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain To all those to whom these present Letters shall come Greeting We have look'd upon Our Charter of Confirmation which we lately made under the Seal which We then used to the Barons of Our Cinque-Ports after these words Edward by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain To all those to whom these present Letters shall come Greeting We have look'd upon the Letters-Patents which the Lord Edward of famous Memory late King of England Our Grandfather made according to these words Edward by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain To all those to whom these present Letters shall come Greeting We considering that the Navy of the Cinque-Ports cannot be sustained without great Costs and Charges left the Navy for the future should fail or decay We have granted for Us and Our Heirs That all the Members of the Cinque-Ports aforesaid and other Advocants and Resiants whatsoever in the Liberties of the same do contribute viz. every of them according to their abilities for the doing the Service with their Ships to Us and Our Heirs whenever by Us or Our Heirs they shall be commanded thereunto In Witness whereof we have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at St. Albans the 28 day of April in the 26 Year of Our Reign And we Ratifying the Grant aforesaid do grant and confirm it to be well pleasing to Us and Our Heirs as the aforesaid Letters do reasonably testifie And because about those general words contained in the Letters aforesaid viz. that every one contribute according to his Abilities there have risen in former times divers dissentions That the Barons of the Ports aforesaid may the more commodiously pay their aforesaid Service to Us and Our Heirs at fit times We have given and granted by the Advice of Our Prelates Earls and Barons and the Commons of Our Realm assembled together in Our present Parliament to the said Barons of the Cinque-Ports that all the Members of the said Ports and all Advocants and Resiants whatsoever in the Liberties of the same contribute to the Navy and Service aforesaid to be kept and maintained out of all their Goods and Chattels as well those that are without the Liberty of the aforesaid Cinque-Ports as within and may be compelled thereunto by the Mayors and Jurats of the Ports aforesaid and also if need be by the Constable of Our Castle of Dover The Goods of Advocants and Barons of the Cinque-Ports not to be taxed with the Goods of Foreigners And that the Goods and Chattels of the said Barons and others as well without the said Liberties as within which are taxed for the maintenance of the Navy and performing that Service be by no means taxed for Tallage and other Tributes with the Goods and Chattels of Foreigners In witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the Twenty fifth day of February in the First year of Our Reign And We thought fit to have a Copy of Our Charter aforesaid under the Seal which We now use to be transcrib'd according to their request In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at York the Twenty sixth day of February in the Second year of Our Reign And We Ratifying the Grants and Confirmations aforesaid as well pleasing for Us and Our Heirs as much as in Us lyeth do grant and confirm to the aforesaid Barons of the Cinque-Ports their Heirs and Successors the Barons of the Cinque-Ports aforesaid for their good and faithful Service to Us and Our Progenitors hitherto paid and for the future to be paid to Us and Our Heirs their Liberties as the Charters