or HYTHE, a town of Kent in England, 70 miles from London. It is one of the cinque ports; and had formerly five parishes, but by the choking up of its harbour and other accidents is now reduced to one. In the reign of Henry IV. numbers of its inhabitants were cut off by a pestilence, 200 of their houses consumed by fire, and five of their ships sunk at sea, with the loss of 100 men; so that the people were going to abandon the town, had not the king by his charter generously released to them, for five turns next following, their service of five ships of 100 men and five horses, which they were to have furnished out and kept at their own charge in the king's wars for 15 days. It was first incorporated by the name of barons of the town and port of Hith; but the government was afterwards changed. It was incorporated by Queen Elizabeth with the name of the mayor, jurats, and commonalty of the town and port of Hith, who with the freemen elect the members of parliament. The mayor is chosen yearly on Candlemas-day. Here is a market on Saturdays, and fairs in July and December. From hence to Canterbury is a paved Roman military way, called Stoney Street; and at a little distance from hence are the remains of the walls of a castle, which included 10 acres. There is a remarkable pile of dry bones in the town, 28 feet long, 6 broad, and 8 high; they are kept in a vault under the church in as good order as books in a library, consisting of several thousand heads, arms, legs, thigh-bones, &c., some very gigantic, and appear by an inscription to be the remains of the Danes and Britons killed in a battle near this place, before the Norman conquest. From hence to Boulogne is reckoned the shortest cut to France. E. Long. i. 10. Hoadley. N. Lat. 51. 8.