Perth was given a grant of murage dated 4/8/1338.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Enrolment of indenture between Edward, duke of Cornwall, earl of Chester and keeper of England, and Sir Thomas Ughtred, witnessing that Thomas has undertaken the keeping of the town of Perth from the date of these presents until Easter next, with 100-men-at-arms, 20 of the men of the king of Scotland, 20 of the men of the county of York, divers of whom shall be knights, at the king's customary wages of war, to wit, 4s. each a day for his body, for each of the knights 2s. and for each of the other men-at-arms 12d. daily; and the king will find 120 hobelers to guard the town, 60 on horse at 6d. a day each, 60 on foot at 4d. a day each, and 240 archers, 80 on horse at 4d. a day and 160 on foot at 3d. a day, and in time of war Thomas shall have for his garrison, 200 men-at-arms, 200 hobelers on horse, 400 archers, half on horse and half on foot at the said wages, and he will take 200l. of the king's gift and 100l. of the debt which the king owes him, 50l. upon his wages, and 550l. in assignment at Michaelmas next, and his wages from quarter to quarter, and he shall have a good ship or a barge furnished for war for the said time, at the king's cost, and he shall be served with ships at Berwick at the king's cost to take his men and horses to Perth, and the king will victual that town sufficiently, to wit with cheese, wine, oats, peas, iron, sea coal, lead, boards (berds), salt, bows, saws (seces), quarrels and other things necessary, and it is agreed that the clerk of works at Perth shall have warrant to repair the walls and ditches of the town by the view and advice of Thomas at the king's cost. Dated at Northampton on 4 August, 12 Edward III. French.
Memorandum that Thomas came into chancery at Dalynton on 8 August and acknowledged the preceding indenture.
----
Indenture between Edward duke of Cornwall, &c, guardian of England and Sir Thomas Ughtred, whereby the latter undertakes the ward of the town of Perth from this date till next Easter, with 100 men-at-arms (reckoning therein 20 of the K. of Scots' people and 20 from Yorkshire, and also 12 knights) at the K.'s pay, besides 120 hobelars, one half mounted and half on foot; and in war time he shall have 200 men-at-arms, 200 hobelarss mounted, and 400 archers (half of them mounted), receiving pay in advance {as stipulated}; also a well-found ship or barge at the K.'s costs, and vessels from Berwick to transfer his men and horses to Perth; the K. also providing all munitions of war and provisions for the garrison, and keeping up the
walls and ditches.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 12). Granted at Northampton.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1900,
Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III Vol. 4 p. 525
online copyBain, J. (eds), 1887,
Calendar of documents relating to Scotland 1307-1357 (Edinburgh: H.M. General Register House) Vol. 3 p. 234-5 no. 1283
online copy
Comments
'Contrasting markedly with the evidence from England and the European Mainland, there is a comparative lack of formal walled defences in Scotland. Clearly, Pedro de Ayala, the Spanish ambassador to the court of James IV, was exaggerating when he wrote in 1498 that 'there is not more than one fortified town in Scotland because the kings do not allow their subjects to fortify them'. So too was John Major in 1521, when he referred to Perth as 'the only walled town in Scotland', by which he included towns 'even with low walls'.' (Palliser, D.M. (ed), 2000, The Cambridge urban history of Britain p. 373)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 18/02/2009. Last updated on 21/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
