SUSSEX, a county of England, deriving its name from its situation in respect of the other Saxons, and called Suffex, i.e. the country of the South Saxons, has Hampshire on the west, the British channel on the south, Surry on the north, and Kent on the east. Its length is 65 miles, its breadth 30, and its circumference 170. It is divided into 6 rapes, and these into 65 hundreds, in which are 342 parishes, of which 123 are vicarages, one city, 16 market-towns, 1,140,000 acres, and about 159,311 souls. It has few good ports, vol. i. p. though it lies along the channel for 65 miles, which is 192. Its greatest length, the coast being encumbered in many places with rocks; and where it is more open, such quantities of sand are thrown upon it by the south-west winds, and the harbours so choked up, that they will not admit vessels of any great draught or burden. The county is well watered by the rivers Arun, Adar, Ouse, Rother, Lavant, Cuckmeer, Alburn, and Aften, by which it is well supplied with fish, as well as from the sea. Hence different places of the county are famed for different sorts of fish, as the Arun for mullets, which enter it from the sea in summer in shoals, and by feeding upon a particular kind of herb become extremely delicious: Chichester for lobsters, Selsey for cockles, Amberley for trout, Pulborough for eels, Rye for herrings, SUT

and the county in general for carp. It is remarkable, that all the rivers above mentioned rise and fall into the sea within the county.

The air, as well as the soil, is various in different parts of the county. Upon the coast the air is agreeable, upon the hills and downs pleasant and wholesome; but somewhat moist and foggy in the valleys, the soil being deep and rich, and the vegetation in summer very vigorous. The downs in some places are very fertile in corn and grass; in others they feed great flocks of sheep, whose flesh and wool are very fine; but of the latter no inconsiderable quantity is clandestinely exported to France. In the Weald and the valleys the roads are very deep, especially in winter. In the north quarter are many woods, and some forests in other places; whence the King's yards are supplied with the largest and best timber in England, beside what is made into charcoal and consumed in the iron-works; for on the east side is plenty of iron ore, with furnaces, forges, and mills for manufacturing it. The gunpowder of this county is said to excel that of any other. Those delicious birds called wheat-ears are bred in this shire; they are not bigger than a lark, but very fat. That part now called the Wild or Weald of Sussex, was anciently a mere desert for hogs and deer, of great extent, taking in a part of Kent and Surrey; and was called Anderida Silva, Coid Andred, and Andradfvald, from Anderida an adjoining city. This county is in the home circuit and diocese of Chichester, giving title of earl to the family of Yelverton, and sends 28 members to parliament, viz. two for the county, two for the city of Chichester, and two for each of the following towns, Horsham, Lewes, Bramber, East-Grinstead, Midhurst, Shoreham, Staining, Arundel, Hastings, Rye, Winchelsea, and Seaford; of which the four last are cinque ports.