The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-28
SOME INTERESTING CHAPTERS OF EARLY
 ENGLISH HISTORY
The Part Played By the "Cinque-Parts" In De fense of the British
 Nation.

Racial Bitterness-Most Wanton Destruction of Life and Property on the High Seas.
 Before the conquest of England by William of Normandy, limited com mercial relations existed between England and the continental coun- tries of Spain, France Italy and Ger | many.
 The seaport towns of Sandwich. Do- yer and Romney on the southern shore of England, opposite France, enjoy ed special privileges under the late Saxon Kings prior to the conquest Succeeding the landing of the Nor | mans at Hastings. where the Duke defeated King Harold, and began his conquest of England, Hastings and Hythe were added to the list of priv 1 ileged ports, and were called "The CinQue Ports.''
 After the Conquest the southern part of England for nearly a hundred years was possessed almost entirely by the Norman-F>rench, their lan- guage was French, consequently in speaking of these five Ports, they would use the French word for five, which is, C-i-n-Q-u-e, and the word "CfnQue" was ever afterward applied to these Ports. These Ports, under Royal Charter, became the prime. pal Ports of Commerce for export and inn port between England and Continen- tai Europe, and,s under the ever in- creasfng necessities of advancing civ ilization, became centers of industry, and developed important and prosper ous towns. There grew up as the re- suit of this domestic and foreign com merce. thriving tradesmen, who be- came opulent BaronS possess ng formidable merchant marine. England in her early history, possessed neith- CT standing Army nor a Navy. The incorporation of the "Cinque Ports" had its origin in the necessity for means of defense, especially from France along the southern sea- board of England.
 The maritime power of these Ports was considered of such importance Tn the defense of the kingdom, by the Crown that Royal grants of particu- lar privileges were given the Barons. on condition of providing, in case of war. a certain number of ships man. ned. at their own expense. and. until the time of Henry VIII, 1509-1547, had to furnish the Crown with nearly all of the sh ps and men that were need full for the State, and. for long time after, were required to give large as- sistance to the permanent fleet. 'sN-
 The gratuities they received from the Crown were: Exemption from tax. ation: full cogniZance of all criminal and civil cases within their liberties: the right to receive toll and to hold serfs: thep over to imprison and ex- ecute felons; the right to erect dykes on any man's land as defense against the sea; the right to appro- Driate lost property. or cattle not claimed within year and day; to seize whatever was cast up by the Sea. as we'll as other minor privileges.
 Later. Winchelsea and Rye, with number of subordinate dependencies were added to the Cinque Ports. and partook of the same privileges as the original Five. The trading vessels of the middle ages were not only en- gagged in the pursuit of commerce. but were also Corsairs of the High-Seas. Their ships. we'll armed and manned. their doughty capta ms, ever on the alert for rich prizes. always prepar- ed for attack or defense, as the eX- agencies of the situation suggested; and it rnattered little whether the prey carried a foreign flag or sailed under the same flag as that of the vessel or vessels making the attack.
 Even so late as the last century, merchant vessels with valuable car
 
 to protect them from the desperate Sea Rovers of the nineteenth century. The mariners of the "C1nque Ports were always an important and power full factor in the naval battles of Eng land.
 These ports swarmed with hardy and practical mariners, and the cour. age of the sailors who manned their rude barks first made the flag of Eng land terrible on the sea.
 The powerful fleets of the Barons of the "Cinque Ports," who by virtue lute power over their dependencies, and immunity from the Crown; de- veloped an arrogant and self-con- scious superiority in the wardens of these ports. and consequent con tempt for the ordinary marine. The insolent and naughty bearing of the mariners of these ports" the pira cies they committed upon vessels bearing a foreign flag, was the prin- cipal cause of the combined attacks of the French and Allied Fleets upon not only the "Cinque Ports but upon ern coast of England. During the reign of King John. 11s9-1216. broth CT of Richard the Lion hearted, the King, with the assent of his Barons enacted, that any ships of other na- tons. though at peace with England.
  refused to salute the Royal flag. {l
 During the later years of his reign, civil war sprang up between the King and his Barons, in consequence of the Kings refusal to abide by his oath, with regard to the charter. the faithless character and extreme du- plic'ty of the monarch, made his oath utterly valueless. The Barons took up arms to enforce the provisions of the Charter. The King secured mer- cenaries; Gascons, Flemings, Braban- ters and others, (outcasts and free booters of Europel and began a war against his insurgent Barons. In desperation. the offending BaronS of- fered the Crown to Prince Louis, eld- est son of Philip Il of France Prince Louis had married Blanche of Castile, a ne:ce of King John, and possible heir to the English throne. The Prince with a numerous and well appointed army embarked on 6S0 vessels, and set sail for England. The mariners of the sCinoue Ports'' who adhered to the King, attacked and captured some of his ships, but on the 30th of May 1216, the Prince landed safely at Sand wich and burned the town. He reach ed London on the 2d of June and was ioyfully received by the BaronS and citizens.
 Early in the civil war King John died. and Prince Henry, the Kings eldest son, 1216-1272 nine years old. at- tended by the Earl of Pembroke, Mar shall of England, and scanty retinue of a few Abbots and Priors was crowned in the city of Glouster, Oc-