A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



elsewhere. 1 *' Chichester and Lewes acquired gilds merchant as early as the 

 reign of Stephen, 1 ' 7 Rye and Winchelsea rose to importance in the reign of 

 Henry II, 1 * 8 and though Winchelsea suffered utter annihilation in the storm 

 of raSjj^yet after its rebuilding by Edward I it seems to have recovered 

 more than its former prosperity. 1 * 9 



In the thirteenth century, indeed, traders both in town and country 

 suffered to some extent from the tyrannies of the great overlords. Thus 

 William de Braose purchased corn of merchants coming to his borough of 

 Shoreham, paying them what price he would, so that foreign merchants 

 shunned the port; 160 the constables of the castle of Bramber seized the timber 

 which poor folk were carrying to Shoreham market and made no payment 

 for it ; and similar attacks were made on the merchandise which was brought 

 to Lewes, 151 and there are other instances of abuses of the right to take assize 

 of bread and ale, as in the hundred of Hartfield, where Richard of Pevensey, 

 bailiff of the honour, forced bakers to make four loaves for \d., and brewers 

 to sell 3 gallons of beer for id., when corn was as high as 8s. a quarter ; m 

 there was, moreover, a certain amount of unfairness in the exaction of bribes 

 from craftsmen before they were allowed to exercise their trades. 



Nevertheless, it was just at this period that Arundel and Chichester put 

 forward their claim to most extensive privileges ; Arundel asserted its right 

 to choose its own coroner in full borough-court, and had to be reminded that 

 in the matter of presentment of Englishry it must adhere to the custom of 

 the county, and answer for all attachments before the justices as any other 

 town, and the mayor and citizens of Chichester claimed, though ineffectually, 

 the right of trial by duel, and to better purpose testamentary powers over 

 their lands and chattels. 163 About the same time the men of Seaford owed 

 no customary services to their overlord, and sailors and merchants dwelling 

 there were allowed quittance of all dues to the manor court if they were not 

 present in the town on the day of summons. 154 



There can be no doubt that the export of wool was one of the chief 

 factors in the wealth of the Sussex ports in the thirteenth century. 166 The 

 monasteries of Robertsbridge, Dureford, and Bayham, exported considerable 

 quantities to Florence and Flanders, 166 and Sussex stood seventh in the 

 assessment of wool from each county in I34I. 167 In 1353 Edward III fixed 

 a staple at Chichester, which had already been pointed out as the place most 

 suitable for the holding of the county court, 168 and in 13645 it was enacted, 

 in order to obviate unnecessary expenses of carriage, that anyone who chose 

 might take their wools and wool-fells to Lewes, where the Chichester 

 customers were to attend for the purpose of weighing them, 169 though it 

 would seem that this privilege was soon lost, for in 1402 the burgesses of 

 Lewes prayed for its renewal, seeing that the town was situated close to the 

 sea, in the very heart of the wool-growing district of the county, and was 



" V.C.H. Suss, i, 382. 



'" Gross, Gild Merchant, ii, 47 and 145 note. 148 V.C.H. Suss, ii, 'Maritime History.' 



" Inderwick, King Edward and New Winchelsea, 1 8 and 99 et seq. 



160 Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), ii, 203 ; cf. also Assize R. 921, m. 14. 



151 Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), ii, 210 ; Assize R. 921, m. 14. I61 Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), 218-19. 



153 Assize R. 924, m. 65 and m. 73 ; cf. also R. 921. 



164 P.R.O. Rentals and Surv. ptfo. f|. 1M Cal. of Pat. 1272-81, pp. 38, 48, 107. 



1M Cunningham, Growth ofEngl. Industry, i, App. D. 157 Rot. Par/. (Rec. Com.), ii, 131. 



158 Cal. of Pat. 1334-8, pp. 289 and 318. 159 Rot. Part. (Rec. Com.), ii, 288^. 



1 88 



