was made constable by patent in the seventh year of King Henry V. Richard III., when Duke of Gloucester, held the titles; and Henry, Duke of York, afterwards King Henry VIII., was made Constable &c. for life, and Warden during pleasure by a writ, dated from Canterbury. Passing the intermediate reigns, we find that the last charter granted was by King Charles II., in his twentieth year, which recited all the acts of his predecessors, and not only confirmed them, but granted that they should enjoy all such privileges and exemptions as their predecessors had in the times of King Edward the Confessor and King William I., with other liberties in addition to them. This charter was confirmed by James II., and is the charter under which the Cinque Ports are at present governed. We may get fair ground for precedent if we trace the office from the time of King James I.:-
Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, younger brother of Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, was appointed both Constable and Warden in the first year of King James I. He died in 1614, anno 13 of that reign and was buried in the church of this castle, whence his body was afterwards removed to Greenwich.
Edward, Lord Zouch, of Haringworth, was made Constable and Warden, on his death, and resigned both in the 21st of that reign in favour of
George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, who was stabbed at Portsmouth, by Felton, in the twenty third year of that reign; after which they were put into commission, and continued so until
Theophilus Howard, Earl of Suffolk, was appointed unto them for life, by patent, July 24, 1628, anno 3 Charles I.
James Stuart, Duke of Richmond, succeeded him in both these offices on the sixteenth year of King Charles I., being appointed by patent, 9th of June, for the term of his life; but he seems never to have been sworn into them.
Robert, Earl of Warwick, was appointed unto these offices, but his patent was repealed by ordinance of Parliament in the year 1648, after which, The Council of State was ordered to execute them under Parliament, after which they were put in commission, and, Colonels John Lambart, John Desborough and Robert Blake, executed their offices. But another commission was afterwards granted to Mr. Charles Fleetwood, and the above mentioned John Desborough.
James, Duke of York, King Charles II’s brother, afterwards King James II., was appointed on the King’s restoration in 1660, anno 12 Charles II, both Constable and Warden.
Henry Sidney, Viscount Sidney, afterwards Earl of Romney, succeeded him in both these offices, and died in the possession of them in 1794, anno 3 Queen Anne.
Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne, afterwards -
