that they landed at night, took the town, slew the townsmen, fired their houses, spoiled their goods, and returned laden to their navy. They were speedily obliged to retreat from the southern coasts, as an English fleet, under Sir John Paveley, swept the seas between the two countries, and forced the French to keep within the Norman ports. The French, in their turn, received full retribution in vengeance of the arrival of the Normans, there assembled in 1360, under the king's auspices at Winchelsea, the navy of the Cinque Ports and the north navy, to the number of 80 ships. This fleet went with 1,000 armed men, and 1,500 archers, to the Isle of Sans, within fifteen days after Easter, and won the town of Luce, and burnt it. "But this jorney, says Leland, was lettid to procede by commandement of Edward, that was, by the French counsail meanes, in treatice of trewes." On 18th March, in this year, 1360, the king landed at Rye in the evening, and immediately started on horseback for London, where he arrived at nine o'clock the next morning; and on 24th March his writ was sent (amongst others) to John Cronhastyng, master of the ship called La Seinte Marie Cog de Winchelsea, requiring him forthwith to unlade the said ship in the port of Southampton, notwithstanding the said ship was freighted for another place, and to fit her out to go at the wages of the king with the other ships of the armed fleet, which were getting together with all expedition to withstand the French, who had invaded the kingdom.2 The attack on the Isle of Sans was not the only return which the French received from the English for their misdeeds; for, in the year 1361, the Isle of Caux, in Normandy, was taken by the English navy "in the revengeing of the Frenchmen displeasure doone to Winchelsey."3 1 Notable Things, by J. Leylande. 3 Leland's Collect., p. 479. 2 Rym. Fœd., vol. 3, p. 479. ROADSTEAD.-The Roadstead off this town was, at this time, as much a place for dispatching the fleet and embarking troops as Portsmouth or Spithead, at the present day. In the summer of 1370, a very large force was sent to France, under Robert de Knolles. Winchelsea was the place whence this force sailed; and in Mr. Devon's Issue Roll of Thomas de Brantingham, the Lord High Treasurer,1 44 Edw. III, we have full particulars of what took place. On the 3rd July, William Fox, a courier, was sent to Winchelsea with letters of Privy Seal, directed to the mayor and bailiffs of the same town, to certify to the king, and also by himself to certify concerning the ships that were in this port. Letters were also sent by messengers and couriers to divers admirals in all parts of the country, to detain ships for the expedition, and hasten and take them to Winchelsea and Rye, for the passage of Knolles and his retinue; and there are several entries of wages paid to the seamen to hasten them. John Lord de Neville, admiral of the fleet, and others were required to find as many armed men and archers as were necessary to secure the safe passage of the ships. The royal commands were obeyed with alacrity. On 18th July, William Lord de Latymer, steward of the king's household, was sent to Winchelsea and Rye to superintend the passage of Knolles and his retinue, and embarking the men at arms and archers, receiving £25 for his expenses. On the same day, John de Thorp was sent with £4,000 to Winchelsea towards payment of the wages of the ships, &c. From the 22nd to 26th July, Lord Latymer had constant communications sent to him at Rye, where he had taken up his abode, and whence he, in company with Lord Neville, Henry de Scrope, and others sent to assist him, went by barge to the Camber, to inspect the ships: no less than 8,464 horses, besides foot men and archers, were embarked 1 See pp. 180-181-205-206-212-213-269. 2 Rym. Fœd., vol. 3, p. 896. before the last day of July; and a sum of 5,000 marks was sent from London on four horses to pay the expenses.1 Towards the close of his reign, Edward again visited the town; and hence he dated, on 6th Oct., 1372, his writs adjourning the parliament that had been summoned to meet fifteen days after Michaelmas, to the 3rd November following. EMBANKING. The exertions which had been made during the two preceding reigns to protect the town from the further encroachments of the sea, to reclaim the land, And, sedulous to stop the coming tide, Lift the tall rampire's artificial pride, Were continued under Edward III. In the 5th year of his reign, (1331) he granted3 to Stephen Padiham, of Winchelsea, 28a. of land, in Laddemarsh, part of Higham, which had been submerged by the sea, yet still existed, rendering a yearly rent of 28s. if he should be able, by ditches and banks, to defend these acres from the sea. In 6 Edw. III, (1332) Thomas de Faversham, Richard de Grofherst, and Robert de Bataille were appointed commissioners for Northmarsh, near Rye, and Spadeland Marsh, between Winchelsea and Danise Wall. In 10 Edw. III, (1336) it having been found by inquisition that the king held 128a. in Roothmershe, near Rye, which belonged to his manor of Ihamme, and that the king's bondmen there held 30a. of land called Spadeland; and that the king's lands there could not be preserved, except contribution were made towards the expenses of their safeguard; the king commanded the commissioners to assess his lands according to their quantity, as they did others, and he commanded Stephen Padiham, his bailiff of Ihamme, to contribute his proportion out of the profits of that manor; and in 16 Edward III, (1342) he 1 There are particular entries of the cost of the planks, &c. 4 'Dugd. Embank., c. 19. directed his precept to John Glynde, then bailiff of the manor, reciting his commands to Padiham, and giving him strict charge not to omit the contribution. But (says Dugdale) notwithstanding this great care, which it appears the king had, the work was not perfected of three years after: for, in 19 Edw. III, (1345) I find the like precept directed to the same Stephan, who was again his bayliff of the said mannour in that year. What was done in the marsh of Spadelonde before mentioned, in pursuance of the said king's precept, I cannot say: but this is certain, that within few years after through the force of great tempests, the sea banks between Winchelse and Dauneswalle, and betwixt Pykammyll and Trecherie, were so broken and decayed, that, as well the king's lands as the lands of divers other persons in that marsh, were overflowed at every tide, to the danger of their utter ruine, and the apparent depauperation of the town of Winchelse and the parts adjoyning. "The king, therfore, for the speedy repair thereof, did, in the 25th of his reign, (1351,) assign John de Ore, Stephan de Horsham, Robert Arnald, and Stephan de Pageham, his commissioners, to view them and to take order therein," and they were to repair all the walls and ditches.2 1 In 1370 we find that the first bridge to supersede the ferry had been built. In this year The king being informed that the burghers of Wynchelse had, for the advantage of the town and benefit for the whole countrey, built a certain bridge at Pypewel, over a water, called the Chanel of Wynchelse, upon the said king's soyl, on both sides of the water, for the passage of people and all carriages; which was not done with little chardge: and, that by the violence of the tides and flouds of fresh water passing to the sea, 1 By two inquisitions, taken 21st Edw. III, and 30th Edw. III, for the purpose of the bailiff's discharges, and to be found among the MSS. at the Carlton House Ride, it appears that the sea had recently submerged eighteen tenements at Rye, which had formerly paid 4s. rents; two acres of land near Rye; and two tenements in Higham, belonging to the heirs of Pette: that Adam atte Clive had land uncultivated that used to pay a rent of 2s. 103d.; that Stephen Padiham had expended £11 16s. 8d. in repairing the walls, &c., between Winchelsea and Daneswall: and, that in 1356, in spite of all exertions, 128 acres of land in Spadeland, which had formerly paid a rent of £42 16s. 2d., had been submerged. 2 Rot. Pat., 25 Edw. III, part 1, m. 23. the said bridge and banks, on each side of the said water, betwixt the said town of Wynchelse and the towns of Odymere and Rye, were so broken down and ruined, and all the highwayes about the said town of Wynchelse so overflowed, that scarce any one could come in or out thereof; he granted commission to the Abbot of Bataille, Thomas de Reyns, (Lieut. to the Constable of Dovor Castle) William Batesford, Roger de Ashborneham, and others, to view the said bridge and banks, and to take order for the repairing of them.1 me Among the seals found at Winchelsea, is one of the family of Glinde. It is the seal of JOHN, son of Robert Glinde, and was discovered some years since in a garden, then the property of Mr. Thomas Lamb, mayor of Rye, and bears the inscription, XS: IOH IS FILII: ROB'TI: GLINDE: Sigillum Johannis filii Roberti Glinde. The scroll seems to be a merchant's mark, from which it is premised that he had no arms.2 PROPERTY, NAMES, &c.-In consideration of their peculiar burdens, the Freemen of the Cinque Ports claimed, and were allowed exemption from the subsidies imposed upon other subjects of the king. Among the MSS. in the Carlton House Ride, are several rolls to the time of Henry VI, of freemen non-resident in their respective ports, but resident in several parishes in Kent and Sussex, who were exempted from contribution: and there is one roll, Non. Inq. of 15th Edw. III, (1341) which contains the names of the resident freemen who were thus exempted; and we are enabled to mark the changes, which half a century had produced in the new town. The Roll of Winchelsea is very incorrectly printed in the Nona Inquis., p. 403, and the names of several freemen who afterwards claimed exemption are omitted.3 We, 1 1 Dugd. Imb., p. 91. In 8th Henry VIII, the Burgesses paid 20s. for a confirmation of the charter of Edw. III, for building the bridge at Pipewell. Rot. orig. Carl. Ride MSS., m. 54. 2 The seal is engraved in the Arch., for 1794, vol. 7, p. 430, pl. 19. 3 In the same roll the names of 49 freemen in Hastings, 30 in Rye, and 28 in Pevensey, are given. |