The Gatehouse website record of a petition for a grant of murage for Rye dated {1379}{1381}

Rye petitioned for a grant of murage in {1379}{1381}.

Wording

2 Ric. II. Plese a notre tres redoute seigneur le Roi et a son conseil d'avoir consideracion de la pouvre ville de la Rye comme il ad este prise sovent foiz et les communes de la dice ville ount apparaillez les murs devers la terre et a cause du povrete des dis communes Us ne pouvent pluis reppailler lis diz mures pour ount la dice ville de part de la mer est punable pour enemies. Et a la darrien prise de la dice ville per lis dis enemys a lour revenu en France si furont plusours de eulz penduz et trainez a cause qu'ils ne eusent tenuz la dice ville et si detoms grandement que la dice ville sera pris autre foitz et tenuz en destruction du paiex environ et a grant peril du roialme. Par quo supplient au votre tres haute seigneure lis diz communes pour Dieu et en ouvre de charite granter que les excesses et fyns faiz et levable de vitaillers et artificiers et laborers devant les justices del pees en la compte de Sussex outre les gages des diz justices soient grantees al facon et repacion de mures de la dice ville pour trois ans prochaines ensuantz en releve de la dice ville et saluacion de tout la paix environ.
Translation.
May it please our most dread lord the king and his council to have consideration of the poor town of Rye, as it has been several times taken, and the municipal authorities of the said town have repaired the walls on the land side ; but, on account of the poverty of the said authorities, they have been unable further to repair the said walls, wherefore the said town on the seaside is liable to be taken by the enemy. And at the last taking of the said town by the enemy, on their return into France, many of them (i. e. the authorities) were hanged and quartered because they had not defended the town, and they are in great fear that the said town may be again taken and possession thereof kept to the detriment of the peace of the surrounding neighbourhood, and to the imminent peril of the whole realm. Wherefore the said authorities pray that your most high Lordship, for God's sake, and as an act of charity, will grant that the penalties and fines, made and leviable from victuallers, and artificers, and labourers, before the justices of the peace, in the county of Sussex, over and above the wages of the said justices, be allowed towards the making and repairing of the walls of the said town, for the three years next following, for the relief of the said town and the safety of all the adjoining neighbourhood. (Parl. Rolls.)
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Petitioners: Community of Rye.
Addressees: King and council.
Places mentioned: Rye, {Sussex}; France.
Nature of request: The community of Rye state that their town has been captured several times, and that they have rebuilt their walls on the land side, but that because of their poverty they can do no more, and fear the vulnerability of the town from the sea, especially as last time the town was captured several people were hung and drawn when the invaders returned to France, for not holding it. They request that the excesses and fines levied on victuallers, craftsmen and labourers before the Justices of the Peace in Sussex, except for the justices' wages, might for the next three years be granted for the repair of the walls.
Endorsement: {None}
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9. Petition to the king and council from the people of the town of Rye (Sussex), which has been taken several times by the king's enemies, asking that they be granted the fines paid by labourers and artificers to the justices of the peace in Sussex to enable them to repair their walls. No endorsement.

Endorsement

None

Details of the murage grant which resulted from this petition can be seen at this link.

Primary Sources

Strachey, J. (ed), 1763-83, Rotuli Parliamentorum 1278-1503 Vol. 3 p. 70
National Archive SC 8/19/917 Former Reference - Parliamentary Petition 7131–*
Martin, G. (ed), 2005, 'Richard II, 1379 April, Appendix', in The Parliament Rolls of Medieval England ed. C. Given-Wilson et al., item 9. Internet version, at http://www.sd-editions.com/PROME, accessed on 13/05/2009. (Scholarly Digital Editions, Leicester)

Secondary Sources

Holloway, Wm, 1847, The History and Antiquities of the Ancient Town and Port of Rye, in the County of Sussex: With Incidental Notices of the Cinque Ports p. 294-5 view online
Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 42, 162

Comments

in 1379 the townsmen sent a petition to parliament asking that the fines levied in Sussex should be given to the town for the building and repair of the walls. (Turner Ref. Rot Parl., III, 70).
CCR 1381-5 p.123 is dated at Westminster, 22 April 1382, so the petition is tentatively dated to that year. If it was presented at a parliament, it would have to be that of November 1381. (National Archive note)
PROME also records as a petition in the 1379 parliament, presumably taking this from Rot. Parl.

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