PRINTED, FOR THE AUTHOR, BY Ledger and SHAW,

AND SOLD BY THEM, AND ALL THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE COUNTY OF KENT;

AND BY

LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWNE,

39, Paternoster Row, London.

1813.

ADVERTISEMENT.

If the reader expects to find, in the following pages, a list of the names of those, who have directed the public affairs of a frontier town on the coast of Kent for several ages; or if he searches for a collection of epitaphs, inscribed on their tombs, to learn something of their public or private virtues, he will be equally disappointed; as it never was intended to swell this volume with them.

The insertions of such lists, may gratify the vanity of a few individuals, whose ancestors have carried the staff of authority; but they can never be interesting, or edifying, to an indifferent person. Many may think, that the contents of each of the chapters in this book, are equally uncntertaining and useless. Whatever the opinions of such persons may be, there have been many inquisitive travellers, who have visited Dover, whose eyes have been attracted by several noble and extensive ruins, and they have wished to know something more of their origin, than the scanty and doubtful information they could glean on the spot. Those who are conversant in history, have read of privileges having been granted to the Barons of the Cinque Ports, by our Saxon and

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