bouchure of the river was at a point southward of Mecching -in fact at the very point where Newhaven harbour at this moment exists. And that the outlet was there in Roman times seems pretty evident from the great earthworks of that era overhanging the western side of the port, and called "Castle Hill." The prevalence of south-west winds, however, is well known to have, on this coast, the effect of causing a great accumulation of shingle, and of driving river currents to seek a more easterly outlet, as exemplified in the Adur, the Cuckmere, and other Sussex rivers. At what precise epoch the ancient mouth of the Ouse became choked up it is impossible to conjecture, though it is evident from the legend of St. Lewinna, detailed in Sussex Arch. Coll. Vol. I. p. 46, et seq. that the port of the Ouse was at Seaford in the middle of the eleventh century; and it was in consequence of this position that Seaford at no great interval of time became one of the CinquePorts. In the time of Queen Elizabeth the port of Seaford fell in its turn to decay, and the outfall being retransferred to Meeching, that place gradually lost its ancient designation in that of Newhaven. In a survey of the Sussex coast made in May 1587, in anticipation of the Spanish Invasion, by Sir Thos. Palmer and Walter Covert, Esq., the village is called Michin, and the port Newhaven. The latter had been defended with ordnance, which is described as "vnmounted and of littell worthe." It is recommended by the surveyors to construct a "Bullwarke of earth for the plantinge of one dimy culveringe and two sacres." Throughout the seventeenth century the harbour seems to have been greatly neglected, and it was not until the beginning of the eighteenth that it began to receive any considerable share of attention.

The above remarks are merely prefatory to a very curious notice of the port of Newhaven and its capabilities, published in 1677 by a projector of many ingenious schemes, Andrew Yarranton, Gent., in a work entitled, "England's Improvement by Sea and Land." As the work is very scarce, and the matter consequently new to most readers, I make no apology for quoting the passage in extenso, and adding a facsimile of the rude map which accompanies it.

"But I find it is not my own single opinion, that safe and

convenient Harbours, are things to be prised, but I find also that some Persons of Honour, and great parts, have been aiming at the same thing, and within some late years have fixed upon a place in Sussex, to make a safe Harbour for Shipping, which I may without arrogancy say, that no one place in this Island doth or can exceed it for the great relief of all Vessels and Ships sailing through the narrow Seas, as also for the benefit and relief of our Men of War, in the times both of War and Peace; this place is New-Haven, in Sussex, where some progress hath been made towards the advancing so generous and Noble a design, wherein I presume Four or Five Thousand pound hath been expended, and the work in some measure advanced, but in this, as in most other publick things, I suppose there was not that helping hand given to it by the publick as it merited; nor I fear countenanced as it deserved by the Gentlemen of the Countrey; but why such a place so fitted and adapted for such good uses, should lie unfinished, and not incouraged by the Publick, I know not; I having at the desire of a Person of Quality, and the Inhabitants of EastGreensted, in Sussex, surveyed that place; I here give you my observations thereof.

"First, Of its usefulness, if once perfected.

tr

Secondly, Of the reasons of its being at present choaked up. And

"Thirdly, The means to be used for perfecting the same, with the Charge it will cost.

"First, New-Haven lyeth over against the Naval of France, and there is no safe or convenient Harbour to secure Shipping all along that Coast, for at least Sixty Miles; and what strange Rekes and Damage are our Merchants and Strangers put unto continually upon that Coast; and if some of our greatest Merchants are not mistaken, that Harbour, if well opened and secured, would be to them and their Trade very advantageous, and in the time of War, the King's Ships which draw not above Twenty Foot Water, may there lie well secured, and upon all occasions be quick out at Sea, and there small Ships of War may be built and repaired; many Shipwracks prevented, and certainly it will invite all persons sailing that way to set a great value upon that Harbour, as now they do on Plimouth and Falmouth.

Secondly, I conceive one great reason, why this so beneficial a work was not perfected, was the want of an Act of Parliament to support the doing thereof, as also it is possible the Engineer first imployed, was not so knowing as was requisite in so great an undertaking, for as the thing now stands, there was one Peer made, which is on the North, but had the Western Peer been first Finished, then the quantities of Sands now lodged in the mouth of the Harbour, had been carried away to Sea, and the freshes of water descending out of the River, would have kept open the mouth of the Harbour.

"Thirdly, This Noble work may be brought to perfection, by making of a Western Peer, as in the Map is described; and thereby all the Sands and Earth which falls from the sides of the Hills and Clifts will be carried to Sea; as also two Turnpikes to be made in the River, to let down flashes of water upon all necessary occasions, to drive and keep out those Sands already lodged in the mouth of the Harbour, or that may hereafter chance to be brought in; and I suppose all the work may be compleated for about Six Thousand Pounds. The Map of the place, and how the work may be Accomplished, is hereunto affixed."-Pp. 97-99.

Could the good Mr. Yarranton revisit Newhaven at the present day, he would behold, in the substantial "western pier" and other improvements connected with the harbour, a partial carrying out of his views. Still, very much remains to be done for the full developement of the natural capabilities of a port which is destined to occupy a high rank among the harbours of England. Fortunately the supineness of the country gentlemen of the seventeenth century upon this subject is not manifested by their descendants of the nineteenth, and as these latter possess influence in a quarter more remote than East Grinstead (and due north from that good old town), Mr. Yarranton's brightest visions must ere long become un fait accompli! These anticipations, however, belong not to Archæology.5

5 I am indebted to R. W. Blencowe, Esq., for calling attention to Yarranton's wish; and to J. H. Hurdis, Esq., for

etching in his own excellent manner, Newhaven and Yainville churches.

COMMISSIONERS FOR THE COLLECTION O

SUBSIDIES IN SUSSEX.

COMMUNICATED BY T. HERBERT NOYES, ESQ., JU.

It is of course unnecessary to remind Sussex archa that the art of taxation, as practised by modern Cha of the Exchequer, is of comparatively modern ancient times the revenues of the extensive crown the produce of the various escheats, fines, and pas cidental to the old feudal tenures, sufficed for t expenditure of the crown. On extraordinary course was had to aids and subsidies, which we principle so nearly akin to the income and pro it would seem that any modern claim to the ho originated that impost, may be fairly questi however, this distinction, that no income. escaped the collector of the subsidy. They labourer were taxed; and as the name and contributor, the valuation of his income. goods, or wages, and the amount of his entered in the Subsidy Roll, there are per more valuable to the Genealogist, than t reign of Henry VIII. to that of Char! reigns of Edward I. and Edward II. ↑ and payments of contributors-and from them have appeared in former but, for the period intervening b Henry VIII., they unfortunately details, but record only the sum collector's district. It was only practice to annex to the acts missioners for the Collection of lists comprise most of the pri therefore afford valuable gen. ponderous tomes of the Res these lists are trans nerality of readers, place among these sidies to which they accessible before lon