Warden's pleasure; and, although they acted here jointly, as to the government, for the defence of the liberty of the whole, yet every particular corporation, in each town, acted severally and distinctly ; according to its own privileges, charters, and customs, within their own peculiar limits, without any controul or interference from this court or the rest of the community .[1]
Although this Court has, for a very long period, ceased to exercise its ancient usages of meeting, for holding Pleas and various other matters, and is now held only when, on the election of a new Warden, he attends to take his oaths of office there ; still it may not be uninteresting, in this place, to introduce the summons which was issued to the barons of the Ports, for their attendance, as recorded in the Customal of Winchelsea and Rye.[2]
- "The form of the general summons of the Barons of the Ports, to attend the court at Shepway.
- The King to his beloved and faithful the Mayor of Hasting, greeting,
- "We command you, that every occasion laid aside, ye be at Shepway , at such a-day, before our beloved and faithful A. B. &c. and that you make to come thither twenty four of the more loyal and discreet Barons of Hasting, and others, as they ought, and were wont to come to the Place of Shepway, to answer before the aforesaid Justices of the chief Points underwritten . Of the old Pleas of the Crown, which otherwise were before the Justices at -
- ↑ Hasteds. History of Kent. "
- ↑ Why this form of summons is not taken from the Customal of Hastings itself is from the circumstance of that record not being now in existence. In a cause, tried about a century since, to determine the right of an individual to be admitted to the freedom of the Corporation , under this Customal; on an order of court for its production being made, as necessary to substantiate his claim , it was not to be found. It was conjectured, therefore, to have been destroyed for the purpose of preventing any future similar claims ; but the most material parts, relative to the freedom , are still preserved in the report of the foregoing contest. This Customal is stated to have been written in the 30th of Edward III.
