Southampton was given a grant of murage dated 14/3/1469.
This was in the form of:-
Tax Remission:- 16 years of 50 tax free sacks of wool and then 20 tax free sacks during pleasure. {8 years 11 months} Starting 14/3/1469 running to 8/2/1478.
Wording
Grant to the mayor, sheriffs, bailiffs, burgesses and men of the town of Southampton, in consideration of their expenses in resisting the king's enemies and repairing the devastation of the sea, and because they are bound to pay the king 200l. yearly for the farm of the town and 25l. 13s. 4d. for the new increment, out of which they are charged with divers parcels, amounting to 225l. 13s. 4d. yearly to the king's consort Elizabeth, queen of England, and Richard, earl of Warwick, severally for their lives by pretext of grants of letters patent of the king, that they or their factors or attorneys in each of the sixteen years after Christmas next may ship 50 sacks of wool in the port of Southampton and take them to foreign parts by the straits of Marrok quit of customs and subsidies and afterwards 20 sacks yearly in like manner during the king's pleasure, provided that in each of the sixteen years they shall expend the sum of 135l. on the repair and fortification of their walls, staithes, quays and wharves. And if in any year they shall not ship the full amount of 50 sacks they may ship the deficiency in the succeeding years. By p.s.
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Feb. 8. 1478. Westminster. 17 Edward IV
Grant to the mayor, sheriff, bailiffs, burgesses and inhabitants of the town of Suthampton of 40l. yearly for seven years from Christmas last for the customs and subsidies of merchandise of burgesses or inhabitants of the town in the port of the town to be expended from time to time on the repair and fortifications of the walls, staithes, quays, wharves and foundations of the town; in lieu of another grant to them by letters patent dated 14 March, 9 Edward IV, surrendered. By K.
Granted by Edward IV. (Regnal year 9). Granted at Westminster. Granted by p.s..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1900,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward IV, Henry VI (1467-77) p. 154-5
online copyMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1901,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III (1476-85) p. 76
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 12/02/2009. Last updated on 03/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
