Ardee (Athirde) was given a grant of murage dated 28/1/1377.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
De muragio villae de Athirde.
Edwardus dei gracia Rex Angl' & Franc' & Dominus Hibern dilectus sibi praepositis & Communitati ville Athirde salutem Sciatis quod nos forificacionem & emendacionem ville praedicte in relevacionem & auxilium fidelium ipsorum ibidem & resistenciam hibernicorum inimicorum nostrorum marchie eidem ville adjacencium effectuose desiderantes in auxilium ejusdem ville muro lapideo claudende & vicorum ejusdem ville paviandorum concessimus vobis quod vos & posteri vestri per vosmet vel deputandos a vobis capere & precipere & habere possitis de rebus venalibus ad eandem villam venientibus seu in eadem causa vendend' existentibus a dat' confeccionis praesencium usque ad finem decem annorum extunc proximo sequenc' plenar' complendorum consuetudines & custumas subscriptas videlicet
{ } equo ven' unum denar'
de quolibet bove vel vacca mortuo vel vivo ven' unum denar'
de quolibet sacco & de quolibet seme ven' unum obolum
de quolibet corio vacc' vel bovis ven' unum obolum
de qualibet carecta & de qualibet pari rotarum venal' unum denar'
& de quocumque genere mercandizarum vel mercimonii quod non nominatur in istis literis valoris duorum solidorum ven' quadrant' & valoris quinque solidorum unum denar'
Et ideo vobis mandamus quod consuetudines & custumas praedictas de rebus venalibus usque ad finem dictorum decem annorum collegatis levatis & precipiatis in forma { } Ita tamen quod denar' inde provenient circa muragium & pavagium ejusdem ville & non alibi fidelitur expendantur Et quod in fine cujuslibet anni compotus inde coram dilecto nobis Johane Keppok & vic' nostro loueth' qui pro tempe fuerit & non ad scaccarium nostram Hibern de anno in annum durante termino praedicto fidelitur reddatur completo termino illo consuetudines & custume praedicte penitus cessent & deleantur Proviso semper quod consimiles consuetudines & custume Johani Bellewe pro clausura ville de Roch' in marchia dicti com' situate per literas nostras patentes anno regni nostri Angl' quadragesimo tercio precipiend' in eadem villa concesse pro eo quod nos easdem literas sibi inde facas tenore praesencium expresse revocamus & adnullamus decetero nullatenus solvantur aut leventur set penitus cessent & deleantur In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patent' T' Jacobo le Botiller Comite Dormond Justic' nostro Hibern apud Dublin' xxviii die Januar' anno r' n' Angl' quinquagesimo primo regni vero n' Franc' tricesimo octavo.
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28 Jan. 1377
To the provosts and commonalty of the town of Ardee.
For the fortification of the town of Ardee against the Irish enemies in the nearby marches, the K. wishes to assist in the enclosing of that town with a stone wall and the paving of the roads. GRANT to the provost and community of Ardee and their successors that for a term of ten years they may have the following duties and customs on items for sale coming to that town, viz.:
.
Always providing that those duties and customs, which had been granted to John Bellew by letters patent in 43 Edw. III in the town of Roche in the march of the said county shall by no means be paid or owed to them .
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Richardus dei gracia Rex Anglia et Franc' et Dominius Hibern Omnibus ad quos presentes littere prevenerint salutem Inspeximus quasdam litteras patentes sigillo quo dominus E' nuper Rex Anglia avus ñr utebatur in Hibern consignat' in hec verba Edwardus etc-sicut in artculo primo paginae 73 usque ad verba- apud Dublin' xxviii die Januar' anno r.n. Anglia quinquagesimo primo regni vero ñ Franc' tricesimo octavo-Nos autem litteras praedictas et omnia contenta in eisdem rata habentes et grata ea pro nobis et her' nostris quantum in nobis est usque ad finem dictorum annorum plenar' ut praedictitur complendorum concedimus acceptamus approbamus ratificamus et confirmamus prout littere praedicte rationabiliter testantur volentes & concedentes quod tam de tempere dictorum decem annorum preterito quam in fine cujuslibet anni eorumdem decem annorum jam ventur' compotus inde coram dictis Johane et vic' qui pro tempere fuerit et non ad scaccarium nostram praedictem fidelitur reddatur ut preadictem est In cujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras fieri fecimus patentes T' Johane Bromwyche Justic' nostro Hibern Apud le Nass octavo die Febr anno r.n. tercio
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06-February-1380
INSPEXIMUS of certain letters patent dated at Dublin, 28 Jan. 51 Edw. III, sealed with the seal used in Ire. by Edward III, late K. of Eng., grandfather of the present K., by which that K. granted a murage to the town of Ardee. ACCEPTANCE, APPROVAL, RATIFICATION and CONFIRMATION of those letters until the end of the 10 years specified, and further GRANT that both for the remainder of those 10 years and for a further term of 10 years they may faithfully render the account before the said John Keppok and the sheriff of Louth, and not at the Ex.
John Bromwiche, Jcr
Naas
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 51). Granted at Dublin. Granted by Jacobo le Botiller Comite Dormond Justic' nostro Hibern.
Primary Sources
Commissioners on the Public Records of Ireland, 1889 (prepared 1829-30),
Chartae Privilegia et Immunitates, being transcripts of charters and privileges to cities, towns, abbeys and other bodies corporated, 18 Henry II. to 18 Richard II., 1171 to 1395 (Dublin; Irish Record Commission) p. 73 (Ref. E Rot. Mem. 3 Ric. II. m. 29. d.)
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 51 Edw. III
View CIRCLE recordCommissioners on the Public Records of Ireland, 1889 (prepared 1829-30),
Chartae Privilegia et Immunitates, being transcripts of charters and privileges to cities, towns, abbeys and other bodies corporated, 18 Henry II. to 18 Richard II., 1171 to 1395 (Dublin; Irish Record Commission) p. 77 (Ref. E Rot. Mem. 3 Ric. II. m. 29)
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 3 Ric. II
View CIRCLE record
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992,
The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 4-7
1835,
Reports from Commissioners: Municipal Corporations in Ireland Vol. 28 p. 651
online copy
Comments
A corporation is first mentioned in a charter of 28th January, 51 Edw. III. (A. D. 1376,) (sic) 51 Edward III which is set. forth in a charter of inspeximus and confirmation of the 8th February, 3 Ric. II. (A. D. 1379,) enrolled in the Exchequer. (Rot. Mem. 3 Ric. II. m. 29.) In these the corporation is styled, "the Provosts (or Portreeves) and Commonalty of the Town of Athirde," and a grant is made to them of certain customs on goods for sale, for a term of 10 years, in aid of enclosing the town with a stone wall, and paving the streets. (MCI)
Discontent with taxes in the early years of Richard II seem to be widespread requiring confirmations of murage grants in several places, although this is also an additional grant.
This is a very short list of goods compared to most murage grants
each horse 1 penny
each bullock or cow dead or alive 1 penny
each sak' and each seme a halfpenny
each hide of bullock or cow a halfpenny
each cart and each 'trap' (two wheeled vehicle) a penny
and of all other goods and merchandise not named in this letter of the value of 2 shillings a farthing and of the value of 5 shillings a penny
How the last would work in practice? I can't see what do you charge for someone with 5 items each valued at 2 shillings; a penny farthing or tuppence? Why not go for a simpler rate as was done at Hull in 1325 of a straight 1 penny in the pound of goods brought and sold. On the other hand how does a collector at a town gate assess the value of various and possibly mixed goods?
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 15/02/2009. Last updated on 04/06/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
