The Gatehouse website record of associated evidence for murage concerning Bristol dated 10/2/1339

There is associated evidence for murage, dated 10/2/1339, concerning Bristol.

Wording

The like {Commission of oyer and terminer} to Henry de Stretford and Eborard le French touching alleged misappropriation by divers men of the town of Bristol, co. Gloucester, of large sums of money received by pretext of the grants of murage and quayage made to the good men of that town by Edward II. and the present king.

From Bush
Preserved amongst the Records of the Court of Chancery, in the Tower of London (to wit) in the Inquisitions ad quod dampnum, for the 13th year of the reign of King Edward the 3rd, after the Conquest, No. 8, thus is contained:—
Edward, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine, to his well beloved and faithful Henry de Stretford and Edward le Frensh, greeting.— Whereas, we are given to understand, that divers men of our town of Bristol, by pretext of certain letters granted to the honest men of the town aforesaid, in aid of inclosing the same town, and of repairing our Key there, so well by the Lord Edward, late King of England, our Father, as afterwards by us have received and collected no small sums of money from the goods and merchandizes coming to the same town, and the money so received and collected, which ought to have been applied for the amendment and repair of inclosing the town and Key aforesaid, for the greater part they have retained it in their possession, and converted it to their own use, and as yet do retain the same, to the no small loss of us, and of the men of the town aforesaid, and detriment of the town aforesaid, we, wishing to avoid the frauds of such collectors in this behalf, and to cause the sums of money so collected to be applied in repairing and constructing the inclosure and Key aforesaid, as is proper, we have assigned you to inquire, by the oaths of good and lawful men, of the county of Gloucester, by which the truth of the affair in these premises, better may be known of the names of all and singular the persons deputed to levy and collect the customs of the goods and merchandizes brought to the same town for the purpose aforesaid, in the same town, and for how long a time such deputies have collected and levied the like customs, as well in the time of our said Father, as in our own time, and what sums of money of the customs aforesaid, by whom so levied, they have applied in repairing and amending the inclosures and key aforesaid, and what sums thereof they have retained in their possession, and as yet do retain; also to hear and determine the accounts of the aforesaid collectors in this behalf, as shall be just, and to levy the sums of money so collected, from the said collectors, if there shall re main any in their possession after the rendering of their accounts, and shall cause the same to be applied in repairing and amending the inclosures and key aforesaid, as to you well it shall appear; and to do and fulfil all and singular other things in this behalf, which by auditors of the like accounts might, or is expedient, to be done; and, therefore, we command you that at a certain day and place, which you shall appoint in this behalf, you shall audit and determine the accounts aforesaid, and do and fulfil all and singular the premises in the form aforesaid, as we have commanded our Sheriff of the county aforesaid, that at a certain day and place, which he will make known to you, to cause to come before you such and so many of good and lawful men of his bailiwick, by whom the truth of the affair in these premises better you shall be able to know and inquire. In witness of which, these our letters, we have caused to be made patent. Witness Edward, Duke of Cornwall, and Earl of Chester, our dear son. At Westminster, the 10th day of February, in the 13th year of our reign.
An Inquisition taken at Bristol, by virtue of a writ of the Lord the King, to this Inquisition annexed, on Monday, on the morrow of —, in the 13th year of the reign of King Edward the 3rd from the Conquest, before Henry de Stratford and Edward le French, by the oaths of Thomas Launer, Roger Pluff, Richard le Marescall, Walter le Coupare, Roger de Hunderslow, Galfred le Lane, Robert Pelipas, David de Tymbresburgh, Adam Derby, Walter Atte Walle, Robert le Coteller, and Robert le Spicer, to inquire for the names of all and singular the deputies, to levy and collect the customs of the goods and merchandize brought to the same town of Bristol for the repair and amendment of the enclosure and key of the said town, and for how long a time such deputies have collected and levied the like customs, as well in the time of Lord King Edward, father of the present Lord the King, as in the time of him, the present Lord the King, and what sums of money, of the customs aforesaid, so levied, they have applied in repairing and amending the enclosures and Key aforesaid, and what sums of money thereof they have retained in their own possessions and as yet do retain.

Who say, upon their oaths, that Robert Otry and William Curteys were deputed by the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol, to collect the customs of the goods and merchandizes for sale, coming and brought to the said town of Bristol, granted for repairing and amending the Key and Pavement of the same town, and for the sums of money which thereupon they had collected, faithfully they had expended about the amendment of the Key and Pavement aforesaid; and they say that the aforesaid Robert and William had collected the aforesaid customs from the 19th day of February, in the — year of the reign of Edward, father of the present Lord the King, to the end of three years next following, fully to be completed by the Letters patent of the aforesaid Lord King Edward, father of the present Lord the King; also, they say, upon their oaths, that the said Robert and William, all and singular the monies which therefore they received (to wit) 67lb. of silver, they did expend well and faithfully in amending and repairing the Key and Pavement aforesaid, and nothing thereof had they retained in their possession, for which they say that the said Robert and William faithfully have rendered an account thereof, before the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol, of all and singular the receipts of the aforesaid customs for the whole time aforesaid; likewise for all costs and expences incurred about the amendment of the Key and Pavement aforesaid, and had obtained acquittances sealed with the common seal of the town of Bristol; likewise, they say, upon their oaths, that John Daxebrugge and Walter Prentiz, then were the collectors of the aforesaid Keyage and Paviage, from the 6th day of October, in the 14th year of the reign of King Edward, father of the present Lord the King, by his letters patent, unto the end of three years then next following, fully to be completed, and for that purpose they had collected 93li. which faithfully they had expended about the amendment and repair of the Key and Pavement aforesaid, and nothing thereof had they retained, and whereof the said John and Walter faithfully had rendered an account, before the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol, and from the same Mayor and Commonalty have obtained their acquittance, sealed with the seal of the said Commonalty. After that they say that William Curties and Thomas de Chesilburgh then were the collectors of the custom aforesaid for Keyage and Murage, by letters patent of Lord King Edward, father of the present Lord the King, from the 7th day of October, in the 17th year of his reign, unto the end of three years then next following, fully to be completed, and for that purpose they had collected, for the whole of the said time, 73li. 7s. 2d. which sum of money faithfully they had expended about the strengthening the Keys and walls of the aforesaid town of Bristol, and nothing thereof had retained in their own possession, and for which the said Thomas and William had rendered a faithful account before the Mayor and Commonalty of the said town of Bristol, and have acquittance for the same, sealed with the seal of the Commonalty aforesaid. Moreover, they say, upon their oaths, that Richard le White and John Frances, Jun. were the collectors of the customs of Keyage and Murage granted in aid of the same town of Bristol, by letters patent of the present Lord King Edward, from the 20th day of October, in the 20th year of the reign of the same King, unto the end of four years then next following, fully to be completed, and that they had collected for that purpose for the same time 112li. 15s. 10d. which same sum of money the same Richard and John Frances faithfully had expended about the repair of the Key Walls and inclosure of the said town of Bristol, and had retained nothing thereof in their own possession, and for which they had rendered a faithful account in the form aforesaid, and had acquittance thereof sealed with the seal of the Commonalty of the town aforesaid; also they say that William de Cameleigh and Richard de Woodhull were the collectors of the custom of Keyage and Murage granted in aid of the said town of Bristol, by letters patent of Lord Edward, the present King of England, from the 20th day of January, in the 5th year of his reign, unto the end of four years next following, fully to be completed, and that for the same time, they had collected, for that purpose 96li. 6s. 3d. which same sum of silver, faithfully they had expendpended about the repairs, and amending the Key, and Walls for inclosing the said town, and had retained nothing thereof in their possession, and for which they had faithfully rendered an account in the form aforesaid, and thereof had acquittances, sealed with the common seal of the said town of Bristol; also, they say that Joyce de Reyne and John de Horncastle were collectors of the customs of Keyage and Murage granted in aid of the said town by the letters patent of the present Lord the King, from the 1st day of February, in the 9th year of his reign, unto the end of four years next following, fully to be completed, and that for the same time they had collected for that purpose, 73li. 16s. 2d. which sum of money faithfully they had expended about the amendment and repairs of the Key and walls of the said town, and had retained nothing thereof in their own possession, and had faithfully rendered an account for the same, in the like manner as aforesaid, and had, and as yet have, acquittances thereof, sealed with the seal of the Commonalty of the said town of Bristol. In witness whereof, all of whom have affixed their seals to this Inquisition. Dated at Bristol the day and year aforesaid.

Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 13). Granted at Westminster. Grant by By C..

The appointed commissoners or auditors were Henry de Stretford; Eborard le French

Primary Sources

Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1898, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1338-40) Vol. 4 p. 276

Secondary Sources

Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Bush, Henry, 1824, 'Chapter 3: Murage, keyage and pavage', Bristol Town Duties: A collection of original and interesting documents {etc.} p. 84-112 online copy

Comments

reason/cause per. overtones of communial conflict here. Murage and quayage renewed ... 1340 (Coulson).

	Murage Home

	Grants
	Exemptions
	Petitions
	Other