for the invasion of England, sent on a vanguard to the support of Odo at Pevensey. But the English who guarded the sea, amongst the chief of whom we may reckon the Hastings Buscarls (crews of the Busses or Transports) attacked the fleet of this advanced force, and an immense number of the enemy were either put to the sword or drowned." Dawson.
The following is an extract from the Charter of Edward I. "Edward, by the Grace of God, etc., greeting. We have seen a certain Certificate before us, into the Chancery by the Treasurer, the Barons of our Exchequer, at our command late sent, specifying the Royal Services yearly due, from the Cinque Ports with their members, if need be, among other things, in these words, etc" . . .
"Hastings is an head Port, whose members are, viz., Winchelsea, Rye, the Lowey of Pevensey, and Bulverhythe, in the County of Sussex, Beaksborne, and Grenvele, in the County of Kent ; which Port, with its members aforesaid, ought to find twenty and one ships, and in every ship there ought to be twenty and one men, strong, apt, well-armed, and prepared for the services of the King ; so that the summons thereof be made of the part of the King 40 days before. And when the said ships and men in them being, shall come to the place to which they were summoned, they shall tarry there in the service of our Lord the King by 15 daies, at their own costs ; and if the King shall need their services after the aforesaid 15 daies, or will them there to tarry, the ships, with the men in them, being in the service of the King, shall be abiding at the costs of the King, as long as it shall please the King, viz., The Master shall take sixpence per day, and the Constable six pence per day, and everyone of the others shall take three pence per day.". . . .
Kent : Romney, the Head Port, Old Romney and Lydde, members of the same, shall find to the King five ships in form aforesaid. The Port of Hithe ought to find the King five ships in form aforesaid. Dover is an Head Port ; whose members are, viz., Faversham, Folkestone, and Margate, and the Port ought to find Twenty and one Ships.
Sandwich is an Head Port, whose members are Fordwich, Stonor, and Sarre, which with its members ought to find Five Ships in form aforesaid. The sum of the service of the Cinque Ports, 57 ships. And as to the Service in the Coronation, etc., it is contained in the same Booke thus : In the 20 yeare, of King Henry, son of King John, Queen Elianor, the daughter of Hugh, Earl of Provence being crowned at Westminster on Sunday before the purification of the Blessed Marie, among other things it is found thus: And a cloth foure square of purple silke by foure Staves Silvered over, borne up with foure little bells silver and gilt, over the King, going whither he would, did the Barons of the Cinque Ports assigned beare at every Staffe Foure, according to the diversity of the Ports, lest Port should be preferred to Port. Likewise the same, a Silke Cloth over the Queene going after the King ; which said clothes they did claime to be theirs of right and obtained them in Court.
