BRIDPORT HARBOUR. 179 



and boats the number of 54 men and 5 boys, all of which dwell 

 not in the said town but are hired out of other places adjoining 

 when occasion doth serve. 



[Then follows a list of the ships, with the names of their owners 

 and masters and the numbers of the respective crews : ] 



1. GREAT ANNE, 30 tons. John Cowper and Robert Owle 

 are owners, Robert Peach, master. 10 mariners, 2 boys. 



2. JOHN EVANGELIST, 28 tons. Rich. Tygens, owner, Wm. 

 Singleman, master. 10 mariners, 1 boy. 



3. JESUS, 16 tons, Rich. Davidge, owner, Robt. Parker, 

 master. 6 and 1 boy. 



4. CHRISTOPHER, 12 tons, John Cowper and Rich. Tygens, 

 owners, Robt.Norrington, master. 4 and 1 boy. 



5. LEONARD, 6 tons, Rich. Davidge, owner, Robt. Norrington, 

 master. 3. 



6. PRIMROSE, 3 tons, Rich. Davidge, owner, Thos. Downe, 

 master. 3. 



7. LITTLE ANNE, 4 tons, John Cowper, owner and master. 



3 mariners. 



8. GABRIEL, 6 tons, John Wylshere, owner, John Lake, master. 



4 mariners. 



9. SPARHAWKE, 6 tons, John Wylshere and Jone Michells, 

 owners, J. W., master. 4 mariners. 



10. MARY, 4 tons, Robt. Parker, owner and master. 4 

 mariners. 



11. PETER, 3 tons, Wm. Singlemen and Walter Eyres, owners, 

 Wm. Franke, master. 3 mariners. 



Thomas Charde and Henry Waye were appointed " Deputies " 

 for carrying out the instructions. 



[In the museum at Dorchester is a customs certificate of the JESUS, 

 dated 1565, authorising her to sail from Bridport with canvas and 

 other products.] 



Elizabeth, S.P. Dom. 38. No. 9. 



We have in this report an explicit statement that, in the 

 opinion of these Elizabethan men of affairs, the town did 

 not then possess such a shelter for vessels as could be called 

 a " harbour," and therefore we may assume that the accom- 

 modation provided at the river mouth during Norman times 

 was of a still more rudimentary character. In the last 

 mentioned year, 1565, there was also an official investigation 

 as to the working of the Customs ports in Dorset, and the 



