GUARDIAN, or Warden, of the Cinque-ports, is an officer who has the jurisdiction of the cinque-ports, with all the power that the admiral of England has in other places.
Camden relates, that the Romans, after they had settled themselves and their empire in our island, appointed a magistrate, or governor, over the east parts, where the Cinque-ports lie, with the title of comes littoris Saxonici per Britanniam; having another, who bore the like title, on the opposite side of the sea. Their business was to strengthen the sea-coast with munition, against the outrages and robberies of the barbarians; and that antiquary takes our warden of the Cinque-ports to have been erected in imitation thereof. The wardenship is a place of value, supposed worth L. 7000 per annum.