33 
of Edward I., the French burnt Dover and the Cinque Port 
men burnt Boulogne. In 1300 Gervais Alard first took the 
title of Admiral of the Fleet of the Cinque Ports. He 
hoped he (the Lecturer) was an Englishman as well as a 
parson and he liked to call a spade a spade. He had the 
greatest respect for our neighbours long before the entente 
cordiale was established. At the same time he liked to 
think of the English nation having given blows as good as 
it had received. Simon de Montfort he liked to call ‘ Simon 
the Righteous.’ The battle of Sluys was commemorated 
by the striking of a medal, and about 1350 the Cinque Ports 
were at their zenith. The fortifications and methods of 
defence at the various forts and the churches were amply 
illustrated with the political and natural physical causes 
which led to the decline of the Cinque Ports. The famous 
Church of St. Mary, which adjoins the Pharos at Dover, 
was the oldest building in our 'sland in which the worship 
of God was carried on. Dover Castle had never been properly 
taken. It fell during the Civil War, but into English hands. 
It was still the Key of England and maintained some of the 
old privileges. The Admiralty had spent an immense amount 
of money in improving the harbour whence an excellent 
cross channel service was now carried on. 
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Lecturer 
on the motion of Mr. J. Lancaster, J.P., seconded by Mr. W. 
L. Grant, and in his reply, the Lecturer called Rye the queen 
of all the ports and recommended them to visit it. 
