66 Mr W. M. Rice"'s Account of an ancient Vessel 



of Henry V. (1415) to repair the breaches past, and for pre- 

 venting the like for the time to come, between Rye and Bo- 

 diam Bridge ;*" and in the intermediate reigns between Edward 

 the First and this period, I find continual documents to the 

 same effect; particularly in the early part of Edward the Third's 

 reign, where, " by letters-patent granted, some new banks were 

 raised which thwarted this river, and prevented such vessels 

 and boats as used to pass on it with victuals, and other things 

 from divers places in Kent and Sussex to Ichingham, and were 

 likewise of the greatest prejudice to the market town of Sale- 

 hurst, which had been supported by the course of this water. 

 The king afterwards revoked these letters-patent, and com- 

 manded those banks to be demolished."" 



It appears also, that " the tide at this time ebbed and flowed 

 above Newenden,'' (which is about two miles higher up the river 

 than the site of the vessel,) " and the stream was so strong, 

 that the bridge there was broken and demolished by it, and the 

 lands on each side the river were greatly overflowed, and much 

 damaged by the salt waters-"" 



In the reign of Edward the First an action was brought by 

 the Abbot of Robertsbridge. agajrvst the Lord of the Manor of 

 Knell, for inclosing salt marshes from the sea, whereby barges 

 and boats were hindered from bringing up provisions and mer- 

 chandise, to the market of Robertsbridge. 



I have taken much pains in searching those authors who have 

 given the best information respecting the changes which have 

 taken place on the coast of Sussex and the neighbouring coast 

 of Kent, in order to get together the aera of the most remark- 

 able floods and tempests which have happened within these 

 parts within the last five or six hundred years. 



Hayley, in his collections for Sussex, states that " in the 12th 

 of Elizabeth chanced a terrible tempest of wind and rain, both 

 by sea and land ; the waters came in so vehemently at Rye, 

 that they brake into the marshes and made such way that, where 

 of late years and now before this great flood came, a cocJcboat 

 could not pass in at low water, now a Jisherman drawing six 

 feet water and more may come in."" 



This shows the state of the mouth of the haven at that period; 

 and as I have given clear proofs that the river was decaying 



