Kinsale was given a grant of murage dated 10/5/1589.
This was in the form of:-
Surtax:- cocket on hides for 31 years
Grant of money:- £3 6s. 8d. p.a. for 31 years 'out of the Coursies' country' Starting 10/5/1589 running to 9/5/1620.
Wording
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The Queen to the Lord Deputy and the Lord Chancellor touching the town of Kinsale. "Whereas the town of Kinsale, amongst divers other petitioners sent here unto us and our Privy Council, all which we send unto you, have very humbly desired, in respect of their great poverty and ruined walls of the town, to have for their better abilitie to repayre the same, the cocquet of hides transported out of that towne to foraine parts, as also a yearly rent of £3 6s. 8d. issuing out of the Coursies' country, near the town, the said cocquet money being, as we are informed, but 8d. upon every dycker {ten hides} of hydes so transported; and both this cocquet money and the rent of £3 6s. 8d., lately fallen to us by the attainder of the rebell Desmond, are in all, as we are informed, not worth £5 a year; in regard of the poverty of this town, and that the inhabitants have continued very loyal and dutiful in the late rebellion, whereby they allege themselves to have been much impoverished, we are pleased to grant to the town, as well the said cocquet money of hides transported, as also the rent of £3 6s. 8d. out of the Coursies' country, for 31 years next ensuing; on condition that they account yearly to the Exchequer for the profits of the cocquet; to the end that you, the Chief Governors, may from time to time know what the same amounts to, and likewise see the same bestowed upon repairing and strengthening the town, as they thereby may understand the goodness of this our gift; and for the rest of the petition of this town, in which they desire the renewing of their corporation, with certain new privileges and things to be expressly inserted, which, as they say, they either presently enjoy by custom and prescription, or else are such as have been heretofore granted by us to the towns of Cork, Youghal, Kilmallock, and other corporations; though the consideration of this, the rest of their petition, has by our Privy Council here been referred to some of our learned counsel in the law, as you may see by their postils upon the same; yet for that you there are better able to judge as well of the state of this town as what is meet to be passed from us unto them than we here can do, we are pleased to refer to yon and our Privy Council the consideration of this their petition, and what you and our Council there shall think fit for their relief to be passed, in the renewing of their old corporation, these are, accordingly, to will and command you to pass the same from us in good and due {f}orm of law to the town under our great seal."—Greenwich, Jan. 13, 30°, 1587. {sic actually 1588}
Granted by Elizabeth I. (Regnal year 30). Granted at Greenwich.
Primary Sources
Morrin, 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. 179-82
online copy
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 137-41
1835, Reports from Commissioners: Municipal Corporations in Ireland Vol. 27 p. 75-6
Comments
in 1589, the 'great poverty' of the town and its 'ruined walls' resulted in a grant of the cocket of hides, and once more the 'loyalty of the inhabitants' was noted (CPCR 179-82). (Thomas)
The charter consequent on the proceeding letter of the Queen is not of record; it bears date of 10th May, in the 31st year of her reign, and is in possession of the Corportation. … The charter of Elizabeth … further granted the cocket of hides and an annual rent of £3 6s. 8d., issued out of Coursey's country, vested in the crown by attainder of the Earl of Desmond, for a term of 31 years to be expended on the fortifications of the town. (Morrin, p. 180 fotenote plagerised from MCI)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 04/04/2009. Last updated on 30/04/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
