I have noted in this same cartulary, and on the same page, an interesting confirmation by Henry II to the Abbey of the land, 'quam lefwinus et Robertus presbyteri et Bonefacius et ceteri barones mei de Hastingges eidem ecclesie dederunt in Gernemut' apud Den ... Test' Thom' cancellario. Apud Westmonasterium'. The name of Thomas fixes the date as not later than 1158. In the charters of 1205, the people of Hastings are styled 'barons', but those of the other ports only 'homines'.
[22] This represents the 'esporle' of South-Western France (cf. p. 243, n. 278).
[23] Recueil (ut supra), xi. 277.
[24] I can find no trace of it in Professor Burrows' careful résumé of the factors in the Cinque Ports organization.
[25] Cinque Ports, p. 56.
[26] Professor Burrows is very severe on those who question the alleged charter of Edward the Confessor to the Ports and 'the sweeping franchises' that it conferred (pp. 55-6, 59). But the sole evidence for its alleged existence is the charter of 1278, which does not even, I think, necessarily imply it. For the allusion to the liberties the Ports possessed in the days of Edward and his successors might well be taken from such a charter as that of Henry II to Lincoln, in which he grants to the citizens all the liberties 'quas habuerunt tempore Edwardi et Willelmi et Henrici regum Anglorum'. This does not imply that those kings had granted charters.
[The result of my further investigation has been to develop much further the position here Arch. Rev., December 1889, adopted, and to modify accordingly the closing paragraph in the text.]