hood and Guestling, is taken from Jeake's History of the Cinque Ports, which gives the most copious details of its subject and proceedings, and the causes and consequences which led to all but its final and absolute decay ; and the subject cannot be better elucidated than by giving it, verbatim , in the words of that learned and indefatigable enquirer.
" The Court of Brotherhood and Guestling."
" The Cinque Ports and two ancient Towns, being alike and equally privileged, and under the joint charge of shipping to be provided according to their Charter, it could not be long but of necessity they must enter into a joint association and brotherly community one with another, (the more easy to be effected by reason of their neighbourhood ); be cause, whenever the ships they were to equip were to be fitted, according to the number commanded, (which sometimes were less in number than those mentioned in the Charters, though perhaps bigger in quantity, and so as costly) to be made ready, there must be a brotherly conference had amongst them for the provision thereof, and levying the charge proportionable for the same. And this assembly of them is that which is now called a Brotherhood, formerly Brodall, which signifies All Brethren, and is the same with that in the Charter, Brothengeeld. Besides, the staple trade of these Towns consisting much in Fishing, not only of fresh fish at home, but of Herrings, every year in the season thereof at Yarmouth (in Norfolk ) when bringing them to shore, in the sale and delivery among the multitude, divers differences and stirs arose for want of a settled order in that town, as tradition still reports, before there was any town, or any other shew of a town, than some huts or cabins set up near the water-side, like the booths or tents in a fair; and that but during the time of this Herring Fair there : the Ports were forced to agree and join together yearly to elect and send thither their Bailiff to abide there during the Herring Season , allowing them a certain sum for their expence. And the approbation of these Bailiffs, and hearing the reports of -
