MySource:Peter swaine/Victoria County History of Sussex Vol 2, p154

In 1619 the jurats of Rye protested 'their miserable poor estate' in consequence of the decay of the harbour by reason of which their trade had gone and the fisheries were following, so that there were hundreds of fishermen reduced to beggary; only a few fishing boats were yet remaining. As this statement was made in response to the assessment for the Algiers fleet it may be regarded as emphasizing the worst side of the matter."