28 
Hustory of Local Rates 
tenure, or for the quantity of their common of pasture 
or fishing, together with the bailiffs of liberties and 
other places . . . to repair the said walls, ditches,” 
and so on, “so that no tenants of lands or tenements, 
nor any having common of pasture or fishing, rich or 
poor, nor other of what condition, station, or dignity 
which have or may have defence, commodity, and 
safeguard by the said walls,” and all the other things, 
“or else any hurt by the said trenches, whether they 
be within liberties or without, shall in any wise be 
spared in this.” Necessary and convenient statutes 
and ordinances might be made by the commissioners 
according to the laws and customs of Romney Marsh, 
and they were to hear and determine all complaints 
according to the law and custom of England and the 
custom of Romney Marsh. 
After being renewed several times, this act was 
superseded by the 23rd of Henry VIIL, c. 5 (1531-2), 
which authorises the commissioners to inquire “who 
hath or holdeth any lands or tenements or coni- 
mon of pasture or profit of fishing, or hath or may 
have any hurt, loss, or disadvantage, as well near 
to the said dangers, lets, and impediments, as in- 
habiting or dwelling thereabouts by the said walls 
... and all those persons and every of them to 
assess, charge, distrain, and punish as well within the 
metes and bounds of old time accustomed as else- 
where within our realm of England after the quantity 
of their lands, tenements, and rents by the number 
of acres and perches after the rate of every person’s 
portion, tenure, or profit, or after the quantity of 
their common of pasture or profit of fishing or other 
commodities there.” If the tax on any lands, tene-