Athboy was given a grant of murage dated 8/12/1408.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
8 Dec. 1407 Trim
The provost and community of the town of Athboy, co. Meath, have shown by petition that their town has long been situated near the marches and has resisted both the K.'s English rebels and Irish enemies; it is now much impoverished by calamities and plague and they can not longer endure without aid and comfort from the K. They claim the following:
{various liberties}
No outside merchant may sell his goods by retail within the town, under pain of forfeiture; and that all foreigners selling wares are bound to contribute to all tallages and other things for the support of the town, according to the quantity of their goods bought or sold; and the provost has power to distrain concerning this.
And GRANT that for the next 60 years, outside merchants shall pay to the burgesses of that town the following customs for the walling of the town:
on each dozen pieces of English cloth sold in the town, 1d;
on each 100 measures of linen, 1d;
on each 100 measures of Irish wool, 3d;
on each sum of salt or iron, 1/2d;
on each sum of corn, 1/4d;
on each draught animal, 1/4d;
on each cow, 1d.
And that all tallages, charges and contributions are to be faithfully spent by the provost of the town without accounting at the Ex. of Ire.
Witnesses:
Robert , bp Meath;
John , bp Kildare;
Patrick , bp Ferns;
Gerald fitz Maurice, e. Kildare;
Robert Sutton, keeper of the g.s. of Ire.;
William Tynbegh, deputy T. of Ire.
Thomas Fleming kt, baron of Slane;
David Wogan kt;
Christopher Preston kt; and many others.
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Charter of Athboy, in the county of Meath; ... {various liberties}...
The charter proceeds to grant to the burgesses, for the term of 60 years, that all foreign merchants should pay, in aid and defence of the town,
for every 12 pieces of English cloth sold, 1d.;
for every piece of Irish cloth, 3d.;
for every horseload of salt or iron, 1d.;
for every horse-load of corn, 1/4d.;
for every heifer, 1d.;
and for every cow, 1d,
Witnesses—Robert, Bishop of Meath ; John, Bishop of Kildare; Patrick, Bishop of Ferns; Gerald FitzMaurice, Earl of Kildare ; Robert Sutton, Keeper of the Great Seal; William Tynbegh, Deputy Treasurer; Sir Thomas Fleming, Baron of Slane; Sir David Wogan; Sir Christopher Preston; and many others—Trim, Dec. 8, 9° Henry (IV.), 1408.
Granted by Henry IV. (Regnal year 9). Granted at Trim.
Primary Sources
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 9 Hen. IV
View CIRCLE recordMorrin, J. (ed), 1863,
Calendar of the Patent and Close Rolls of Chancery in Ireland, from the 18th to the 45th of Queen Elizabeth Vol. 2 p. 452-4
online copy
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 7-8
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 14/03/2009. Last updated on 04/06/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
