Frigmare ventus) be the Fiue Ports: Againe, if I should be ruled by the
Rolle which reciteth the Ports that send Barons to the Parliament, I must
then adde to these, Hastings and Hyde, for they also haue their Barons as
well as the other and so should I not onely, not shew which were the first
Fiue, but also (by addition of two others) increase both the number, and
doubtfulnesse. Leauing the verse therefore, for ignorance of the authour
and suspition of his authoritie, and forsaking the Rolle (as not assured of
the antiquitie) I will flee to Henry Bracton, [Sidenote: 1250.] a man both
ancient, learned, and credible, which liued vnder K. Henry the thirde and
wrote (aboue three hundreth yeeres since) learnedly of the lawes of this
Realme.

[Sidenote: Citizens were called Barons in old time.] He (I say) in the
third booke of his worke, [Footnote: _De Legibus et Consuetudinibus
Anglia_.] and treatise of the Crowne taking in hand to shewe the
articles inquirable before the Iustice in Eire, (or Itinerent as we called
them because they vsed to ride from place to place throughout the Realme,
for administration of iustice) setteth forth a special fourme of writs, to
be directed seuerally to the Bailifes of Hastings, Hithe, Rumney, Douer,
and Sandwich, commanding them that they should cause twentie & foure of
their Barons (for so their Burgesses, or townesmen, and the citizens of
London likewise, were wont to be termed) to appeare before the Kings
Iustices at Shipwey in Kent (as they accustomed to do) there to enquire of
such points, as should be giuen in charge. [Sidenote: Contention betwtene
Yarmouth and the Fiue Ports. 1250. Antiquitie of Yarmouth fishing.] Which
done, hee addeth moreouer, that forsomuch as there was oftentimes
contention betwene them of the Fiue Ports, & the inhabitants of Yarmouth in
Norfolke, and Donwich in Suffolke, there should be seuerall writs directed
to them also, returnable before the same Iustices at the same day and
place, reciting, that where the King had by his former writs sommoned the