168 BRIDPORT HARBOUR. 



It will be desirable to make quite clear the meaning of the 

 concluding phrase " Let them go without a day," as much 

 turned upon the use of the words. This was the customary 

 legal formula by which a successful defendant was dismissed 

 from the suit, and may be paraphrased in terms of to-day as 

 " Let there be judgment for the borough." Although victory 

 thus remained with the owners of the haven it brought them 

 only a respite from molestation ; the enemy began a new 

 campaign a few years afterwards, as will presently appear. 



On the same remembrane (204/31) are inscribed the separate 

 pleas of the two abbots in support of the prerogatives they 

 demanded as lords of the respective manors, and it is significant 

 that the claims of these dignitaries do not include any alleged 

 right, as against the King, to levy keelage dues on land or 

 water between the cliffs. 



Those who are familiar with the selections from the borough 

 manuscripts printed by Mr. Wainwright will observe that the 

 passage as translated by him on p. 3 differs very considerably 

 from the verdict and judgment here cited. I take leave to 

 suggest that the memorandum written on p. 289 of the 

 borough's octavo " Dome book " was possibly compiled in 

 part from memory and in part from a scribe's rough draft, 

 as Mr. Wainwright assigns it to the year 1330 approximately, 

 having presumably based his opinion upon the character of 

 the handwriting. The original roll would therefore be about 

 fifty years earlier in date, which might explain the discre- 

 pancies. The statement in the verdict last quoted that the 

 town had paid 20s. p.a. for the disputed right, induced me 

 to turn to the Pipe roll for confirmation, but unfortunately 

 the taxes for which the sheriff renders an account are entered 

 in two lump sums, viz., the early "farm " of 14 Os. Od. and the 

 " increase " 'of 2 Os. Od. Perhaps the latter includes the 20s., 

 but it is a mere conjecture. 



In order to preserve the chronological sequence of events I 

 must turn from the prior and his manor of Brideton to the 

 abbot of Cerne and his manor of Symondsbury, so that I 

 may chronicle some legal proceedings begun by the latter in 



