ORIGIN OF THE CINQUE PORTS.
Of what antiquity the five ports (commonly called the Cinque Ports) and two ancient towns are, when enfranchised, or, at what time their members were annexed to them, is not mentioned with any degree of certainty; but, according to Lord Coke, it appears that Dover, Sandwich, and Romney, were the ports of special note before the Conquest; and to make the five, William the Conqueror added to them Hastings and Hythe; and afterwards were annexed thereto, the two ancient towns of Winchelsea and Rye.
Lord Coke concludes them all alike enfranchised and privileged; and though Hastings got the precedency of the elder Kentish ports, and is named before, and sits above them, yet it was not because elder than they, or of greater immunities or grandeur, but either by some prenomination in the charter, or confirmation of King William or his successors, or else from the respect the King had to Hastings, on account of the kindness and -
