_The Ancient Custom for Payment and Employing the_ QUARTER SHARE.—“_Item_. The master of every boat at _Brighthelmston_, at _St. Stephen’s Day_, next after his return from any fishing voyage, wheresoever or whensoever it was begun, had, or continued, hath used to divide and pay out of the whole profits of the said boat, without diminution or deduction to any stranger going in the said boat, to be made, the said _quarter share_ unto the Churchwardens of _Brighthelmston_ for the time being, and half a share to the vicar there for the time being, and the other he hath for his own use.”—“_Item_. The master of every boat of _Brighthelmston_ had, time out of mind, used to take up and pay out of the whole profits of every voyage, whether the rest of his companions be of _Brighthelmston_, or strangers of other parishes, the said whole share for the vicar, the town, and himself, without any deduction thereof unto any other town or parish, or the parson, vicar, or proprietary thereof, to be made: and if the master, or any of his company, have been of _Brighthelmston_, and the boat belonging to any other place, then the said master also hath used to make in the said boat the aforesaid share, whereof he hath had a quarter to himself, and of the other three quarters for the town and vicar of _Brighthelmston_, he hath used to have proportionably, according to the number of men and nets which he used and had out of _Brighthelmston_ in the voyage.”—“_Item_. The said wardens used to employ the said quarter share, especially upon building of forts and walls towards the sea, for the defence of the said town, and for provision of shot and powder, and other furniture for that purpose; and entertainment of soldiers in time of wars, and other public service of the prince, and maintenance of the parish church. Whereupon, to the intent that the said annual payment, or quarter share, for the better defence and maintenance of the said town, may, in time to come, justly and truly, without fraud, be both made, yielded, and paid; and also preserved, kept, and employed, according to their ancient custom; as also for the avoiding of all such controversies as heretofore have commonly happened between the said fishermen, touching the just and equal division of their fish in every boat in every voyage, and the profits and charges thereof, the said Lord _Buckhurst_ and _Richard Shelley_, Esq. having the said fishermen before them at _Brighthelmston_, the 23rd day of July, _anno Domini_, 1580, have, by authority aforesaid, and with the consent of the said fishermen, devised and set down to writing, certain orders to be hereafter for ever used and kept by all the fishermen and inhabitants of the said town of _Brighthelmston_, in manner and form following: