CINQUE PORTS. The five ports of Eng land which lie towards France.
These ports, on account of their importance as defences to the kingdom, early had certain privi leges granted them, and in recompense were bound to furnish a certain number of ship6 and men to serve on the king's summons once in each year. "The service that the barons of the Cinque Ports acknowledge to owe ; upon the king's summons, if it shall happen, to attend with their ships fifteen days at their own cost and charges, and so long as the king pleases, at his own charge ;" Cowell, Quinque Portus. The Cinque Ports, under the ordi nance of Henry III. In 1229, were Hastings, Dover Sandwich, Hythe and Romney, to which were added Winchelsea and Rye ; 1 Social England 412. The two latter are sometimee reckoned ports of Sand wich ; and the other of the Cinque Ports have ports appended to them in like manner. The Cinque Ports had a Lord Warden, who had a peculiar jurisdic tion, sending out writs in his own name. This office
is still maintained.
The first admiralty jurisdiction in somewhat mod ern form appears to have been committed to the Lord Warden and Bailiffs of the Cinque Porte. The constitution of these ports into a confederacy for the supply and maintenance of the navy was due to Edward the Confessor. Edward I. confirmed their Charter. The last charter was in 1668. Their courts had civil, criminal, equity, and admiralty jurisdic tion and were not subject to the courts at West minster. See the charters in Jeakes' Charters of the Cinque Ports. See Inderwick's King's Peace; Les Cinque Ports, by Benoist-Lucy ; COURT OF THE CINQUE PORTS.
The representatives in parliament and the inhab itants of the Cinque Ports were termed barons ; Brande; Cowell ; Termes de la Ley. And see Round, Feudal England 563.