A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



A feature of the maritime history of the thirteenth century is the appointment of one or more 

 persons, sometimes for one county and sometimes for a group of counties, as keepers of the coast, a 

 step towards the organization of systematic defence. In 1217 Nicholas Donewyz was nominated for 

 Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, and in 1224 Richard Aiguillun for Norfolk and Suffolk ; in the latter 

 case writs were directed to the burgesses of Orwell, 1 Orford, Yarmouth, and Lynn to assist him in 

 his duties.* The functions of the keeper were chiefly military, but were also judicial in matters 

 relating to the sea and coast ; he was in military command both at sea and on land and was given 

 somewhat large powers. In 1295 the keepers were told to send three Yarmouth ships to cruise in 

 the North Sea for the protection of English and Flemish fishermen. 3 In 1297 the four keepers of 

 Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex were directed to maintain six ships at the expense of the inhabitants 

 and of merchants using the North Sea. 4 In 1316 John de Thorpe's duties are defined as being to 

 protect the people of the coast between Ipswich and Lynn from murders and robberies both by sea 

 and land, and he was empowered to appoint constables and to compel all people to assist. 5 

 Practically, the keeper was expected to put down piracy, to beat off raiders, to enable coasters and 

 fishermen to sail in peace, and to summon the county to arms upon invasion. The office did not 

 continue long, for during the second half of the fourteenth century, the growth of the admiral's 

 court, the increased power of the admirals, and, finally, the creation of the post of High Admiral, 

 lessened its importance. Historically, however, the keeper may be considered the ancestor of the 

 conservators of truces instituted locally by Henry V, and of the later vice-admirals of the coast 

 whom we find acting from the middle of the sixteenth century. An illustration of an intermediate 

 class of appointment, when the keeper's duties were ceasing to be military and were becoming 

 administrative, like those of the subsequent conservators and vice-admirals, is to be found in the 

 duties of Hugh Fastolf who, in 1364, was lieutenant for Norfolk and Suffolk of Robert Herle, 

 admiral of the king's fleets, and in that capacity held an inquiry upon the seashore at Covehithe. 6 

 Here, he who would have been formerly keeper of the coast is becoming the admiral's deputy, as 

 two centuries later the vice-admiral of Suffolk was the deputy of the Lord High Admiral. A part 

 of the system of defence under the care of the keeper was the line of beacons, corresponding to the 

 modern coastguard stations, usually placed on the hill nearest the shore and guarded in war time by 

 a watch from the neighbouring parishes. 7 



The Welsh wars of 1277 and 1282-3, anc ^ tne Scotch war of 1295 were mainly fought by 

 the feudal armies. The Cinque Ports furnished most of the squadrons not large ones required 

 for the Welsh wars, but the Scotch campaigns stirred the east coast to greater activity. Parliament 

 granted a subsidy of a thirtieth for the war of 1282, and the taxation roll for Ipswich shows that 

 fourteen ships and sixteen boats were owned in the town. 8 In 1294 three large fleets were equipped ; 

 that from the east coast under the command of Sir John Botetourt included eleven vessels from 

 Bawdsey and Harwich together, seven from Ipswich, four from Dunwich, four from Orford, and 

 two from Goseford. 9 In the following year there was an attempt to keep the intended port of 

 concentration secret, the person collecting the ships in Suffolk and elsewhere being directed to 

 ' bring them on a certain day to a certain place as directed by word of mouth.' 10 Sometimes the 

 levies were very sweeping ; in 1298 all the ships found in Norfolk and Suffolk, suitable for the 

 transport of men and horses, were to be impressed. From a writ of Edward III u we find that 

 about this time (probably in 1294) Dunwich furnished eleven armed ships for service in Gascon 

 waters and lost four of them. A claim of ^1,420 ids. for services and losses was examined by the 

 treasurer and barons of the Exchequer and duly allowed, but for some reason perhaps there was a 

 counterclaim for debts due to the crown was never paid either by Edward I or Edward II. On 

 his accession Edward III was petitioned, and, in directing the rolls of the Exchequer to be 

 examined, ordered that if the decree were found upon them the claim was to be paid, ' having 

 consideration to the estate of the town and the men thereof,' but less any debt due to the crown. 



A general call upon the counties was made in 1301 when some seventy ships were demanded, 

 of which Ipswich supplied two, Goseford and Bawdsey two, Orford one, and Dunwich one. 1 * 



1 Cf. 'The Mythical Town of Orwell,' by Mr. R. G. Marsden, in Engl. Hist. Rev. xxi, 93 et seq. 



' Pat. 2 Hen. Ill, m. 10 ; 8 Hen. Ill, m. 3. 3 Ibid. 23 Edw. I, m. 6. 



4 Ibid. 25 Edw. I, pt. 2, m. 14. 



4 Ibid. 10 Edw. II. pt. i, m. 25. In 1338 the keepers for Suffolk were distraining on the clergy and 

 others to oblige them to provide men (Close, 12 Edw. Ill, pt. 2, m. 13 </.). 



6 Coram Rege, 38 Edw III, Mich. Rot. 33 (Rex). For other civil appointments of the same character 

 see Pat. I Edw. IV, pt. 2, m. 24 ; Add MSS. 30222 fol. 18 ; Hargrave MSS. 93 ; Orig. Writs, ii, 322^. On 

 the subject of coast defence see also Stubbs, Const. Hist. (2nd ed.), ii, 285. 



' ' Signa consueta vocata beknes per ignem.' Cf. Southey, Lives of the Admirals, \, 360 (quoting Froissart), 

 as to the method of constructing them. 



6 E. Powell in Proc. Suf. last, of Arch, xii, pt. 2 (1905). 



' Chanc. Misc. ft. l Pat. 23 Edw. I. m. 9. 



" Close, i Edw. Ill, pt. i, m. I. " Foedera (ed. 1816), i, 901, 928 ; Pat. 29 Edw. I, m. 20. 



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