174 BRIDPORT HARBOUR. 



Corporation muniment room, which preserves, among other 

 historical treasures, thirteen documents relative to the port 

 during the reign of Henry VI. and more particularly during 

 the year 1446. The inhabitants were then evidently unable 

 to restore the damaged w r orks, and it is not at all unlikely 

 that their temporary poverty, as in 1385, can be traced to the 

 terrible visitation known as the Black Death, which had over- 

 thrown the economic and social equilibrium of the country 

 in the second half of the fourteenth century. 



By the courtesy of the Town Clerk I have been allowed to 

 examine the unrivalled little collection of writings which 

 throw so much light upon the methods adopted by the princes 

 of the Church to raise funds for what was, after all, a local 

 enterprise in a remote part of England. I have, however, 

 sought in vain for the mainspring which set in motion this 

 elaborate clerical machinery for gathering subscriptions, 

 but it may be that we ought to look to John Helyar, the 

 rector of the parish and a zealous supporter of the harbour's 

 cause, as the man who was instrumental in stirring the 

 sympathy of his leaders. In pre-Reformation da} r s it was 

 usual for the Church as a body to confine its efforts to ecclesi- 

 astical matters only, such as the repair of sacred buildings, 

 therefore a general appeal for a pursly secular object at such 

 an early date would suggest a considerable degree of good 

 will in high places. 



The general tenour of the documents is to urge the faithful 

 to contribute in money or in kind towards the reparation 

 of the port, in return for which indulgences (i.e., relaxations 

 of punishment in purgatory) are offered to those who assist. 

 It is difficult to make a selection from deeds of such exceptional 

 interest, but the one I have chosen has the merit of being 

 shorter than the majority of the grants. 



1446. 5 July. The Bishops of London, Exeter, Lincoln, 

 Rochester, Ely, St. Davids, Salisbury, Bangor, Llandaff, Bath 

 and Wells, Chichester, and Norwich, after reciting that the 

 inhabitants of the King's borough of Bridport had begun to 

 construct a harbour near the town and that they were unable to 



