Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CINQUE'-PORTS, n. [Fr. cinque, five, and ports.]

Five havens on the eastern shore of England, toward France, viz. Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover, and Sandwich. To these ports, Winchelsea and Rye have been added. These were anciently deemed of so much importance, in the defense of the kingdom against an invasion from France, that they received royal grants of particular privileges, on condition of providing a certain number of ships in war at their own expense. Over these is appointed a warden, and each has a right to send two barons to Parliament. – Cowel. Blackstone. Encyc.