These causes produce a comparatively uniform slope of the bed of a river to the sea, with every species of irregularity of its banks, and the region through which it flows. This is the very fact which proves the aqueous origin of the river beds and valleys, as has been finely remarked by Playfair on Hutton. It is impossible that earthquakes should have formed these continuous slopes to the sea through every different height of banks-this wonderful regularity passing through this wonderful irregularity.

'diluvial'

Mantell tells us that at Hastings a diluvial Mantell's valley intervenes between the white rock and the valley. west cliff, where the ruins of the castle are situated.' Diluvial! Beautiful! A valley made by Noah's flood doubtless! At least it cannot be an igneous crack here because this longitudinal or axial crack happens to run at right angles to all the transverse cracks of the Weald which are mathematically demonstrated by Mr. Hopkins to be igneous. In the next page Mantell says, Pursuing our course eastward, another deep valley occurs, through which is the romantic entrance to Hastings by the London road.' But he fails to tell us whether this 'deep valley' is an igneous or an aqueous crack. And when we pursue our course a little more eastward still, what are we to

call the longitudinal or axial valley of the Rother,

The axial valley of the

Rother.

with a waterslope of perhaps six times the size of its transverse neighbour the Cuckmere? It is impossible that Mantell should have perceived that his valley at Hastings was diluvial without also perceiving that the entire valley of the Rother, from Crowborough to Rye is also diluvial and that this valley, now to so great an extent alluvial flats, is washed by rain out of what was originally the very highest part of the Weald hill. Romney Marsh Why then is he silent on the subject? And why are all the writers on the denudation of the Weald silent on the existence of the Rother and of its delta, Romney Marsh? Why, unless it be that the existence of these totally contradicts and overthrows their igneous crack theory?

the delta of the Rother.

6

With regard to the early history of this delta of the Rother, Holinshed talks of Romneie Marsh, which in old time was called Romania or Romanorum Insula.' Mr. Holloway says that Romney is the Saxon translation of this-ea being island. Dugdale referring to its embankment says, "That it was therefore a work of the Romans, whilst they were masters here, as it is the opinion of some learned men, so do I thereof make no doubt;' and he quotes Tacitus that the Britons complained that the Romans wore out and consumed their bodies and hands in sylvis et paludibus emuniendis.' Dugdale says that Romney Marsh was

'more anciently secured from inundations of the sea than any other part of this realm, as may seem by the laws and constitutions for regulating its repair, which have been long ago made the rule and standard whereunto all other marshes and fens in the nation were to conform.'

In the Saxon times the grants of marsh land to the Church are of constant occurrence. Mr. Holloway gives one of the earliest, A.D. 774. In nomine Jesu, Salvatoris mundi &c. Ego Offa Rex totius Angliorum patriæ, dabo et concedo Janibert Archiep. ad Ecclesiam Christi, partem terræ, trium aratorum quod Cantianite dicitur Three Sulinge in occidentali parte regionis quæ dicitur Mersware, ubi nominatur ad Lyden, et hujus terræ sunt hæc territoria. Mare in oriente, in aquilone et ab austro terra regis Edwy, nominant Dengemere, usque ad lapidem appositam in ultimo terræ, et in occidente et aquilone confinia regni ad Bleechinge.' This seems to place Lydd (Query from Littus) on the shore, though it is now nearly three miles from the shore, and where Dengeness lighthouse stands now the sea probably ranged then.

Leases were granted by Gaufridus, Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, about 1100 (a century and a half before the commission of Henry de Bathe) from which Sumner gives the following: