HISTORY OFT H'E 



occupied, and its fituation extremely convenient for 

 drying their nets, manufacturing their filh, and ex- 

 poiing it there to fale, they creeled temporary booths 

 or tents, as their feveral circumftances permitted, to 

 retreat, and fecure themfelves from the inclemency 

 of the weather. 



And, that for the better keeping of the peace, and 

 fecuring each his property, the barons of the Cinque 

 ports, then the principal fifhermen of England, de- 

 puted feveral officers, called bailiffs, to attend this 

 nihery or fair, every year, during the fpace of forty 

 days, from Michaelmas to Martinmas, that being 

 the principal herring ieafon. Thus the fiihery con-^ 

 tinued fome time after the firft beginning, which 

 appears from various concurrent circumftances, to 

 have been foon after the landing of Cerdick the 

 Saxon, in 495, 



In later times, when the fandy beach became fafe 

 and commodious to dwell upon, the fifhermen began 

 to build houfes, and for their better defence, foun- 

 ded a burgh, which, gradually increafing, contained 

 in the reign of Edward the Confeflbr, feventy 

 burgefTes. 



In noS, Henry I. in confequence of the great 

 increafe of inhabitants, and concourfe of fifhermen 

 and traders, from various parts of England, Flan- 

 ders, and Normandy, appointed a magiftrate to 

 govern the borough, called in Latin Profofitus, but 

 in the dialect of thofe times Le Provofl.* 



From this period downward, we perceive an un- 

 remitting attention to the fuccefs of the Yarmouth 

 filhery, particularly in 1357, when a body of laws 

 was enacted by Edward III. and his parliament, rela- 

 tive to the better regulation of the fisheries, and 

 the great annual fair held at Yarmouth. That politic 



* This term is ftill ufed in Scotland, where the mayor is called 

 the prqyoft, and the lord mayor, the lord provoit. 



monarch^ 



