Limerick was given a grant of murage dated 20/1/1414.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Jan. 20. Westminster
Inspeximus and confirmation, with clause licet, in favour of the burgesses of Lymerick of letters patent dated at Westminster, 26 June 1 Henry IV {Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1399-1401, p. 317}, inspecting and confirming letters patent dated at Dublin, 6 May 31 Edward I, inspecting and confirming a charter dated at Westminster, 4 February 20 Edward I. {Calendar, Vol. III. p. 421. Chartae Privilegia et Immunitates, p. 36.} With further grant in consideration of the services of the mayor and commonalty in resisting the king's enemies, of the following articles and liberties :
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the mayor and commonalty of the city shall have all fines, amercements and issues pertaining to the office of justice of the peace and all other forfeiture, chattels of fugitives and felons, escapes of felons, 'wayf' and 'strayf,' amercements, forfeitures of bread and ale and other victuals, tolls and customs called 'Coket' within the said city; and shall have power to collect the same by their own officers for their own use by land and water, and also the profits of a fishery called 'Lexwere';
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By K.
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March 15. 1414. Westminster
Commission to Thomas Comyn, Richard Whyte and Philip Russell to supervise and audit the accounts of the, officers and ministers collecting certain goods and profits lately granted by the king to the mayor and commonalty of the city of Lymer' {Charter Roll, I Henry V, p. 3. No. 10} and to cause the goods and profits to be applied to the repair of the walls of the city.
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Jan. 31. 1524. 15 Henry VIII
"Remembrances for Ireland."
5. That the King's ancestors granted to the cities of Waterford, Cork, and Limerick, and the towns of Youghal, Kinsale, and Galway, their fee farms and customs for murage and pavage. As the walls are now well built and repaired, be it enacted that such grants be resumed.
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March 19. 1583. Westminster. 25 Elizabeth I.
Charter of Limerick reciting charters of Edward VI., Henry VII., Henry VI., HenryV., Henry IV., Edward II., Edward I., and King John, which it inspects and confirms, and at length reciting a charter of Henry V., dated 20th January, in the first year of his reign, who, desirous to bestow greater favour on the citizens, proceeds to grant to them, that although they or their predecessors had not fully used the liberties and allowances contained in their charters on any urgent occasion, nevertheless that they and their heirs might enjoy and use the liberties and allowances thereby granted without interruption or impeachment; and in consideration of the great labours and expenses which the mayor and community had long sustained in resisting the Irish enemies, and in repairing and mending the walls of the city, the King granted that the mayor and community, their heirs and successors for ever, … {numerous liberties}
That the mayor and community, and their successors for ever, might have all manner of fines, amerciaments, and issues to the office of justice of peace pertaining, and all manner of forfeitures, chattels of fugitives and felons, escapes of felons, waifs, strays, amerciaments, forfeiture of victuals, bread, beer, and other victuals, tolls, and the custom, called, "cocket," within the city, lawfully to be levied, and that they might collect and receive all the premises by their proper officers, to their own use as well by land as by water; and the profits of a certain fishery called the "Lex Were," with its appurtenances, to the mayor and community, and their successors for ever. …
Edward the Sixth ratifies and confirms the preceding charters, and Queen Elizabeth also, by charter dated 27th October, in the seventeenth year of her reign …
Granted by Henry V. (Regnal year 1). Granted at Westminster. Granted by By K..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1916,
Calendar of Charter Rolls Vol. 5 15 Edward III - 5 Henry V 1341-1417 (HMSO) p. 463-4
online copyMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1910,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry V (1413-16) Vol. 1 p. 180
online copyBrewer, J.S. (ed), 1875, 'Henry VIII: January 1524, 16-31',
Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII Vol. 4: 1524-1530 p. 15-34. No. 80.
online copyMorrin, 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. 50-56
online copy
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 142-153 (slight - ref CPCR 1583 II 68)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 14/03/2009. Last updated on 03/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
