Calverstown (Calffeston') was given a grant of murage dated 1478.
This was in the form of:-
Levy:- 4d. p.a. on inhabitants with ploughs on the lands of fitzEustace and the monks of Kildare for 10 years Starting 1/1/1478 running to 1/1/1488.
Wording
18. It'm al supplicacion' de Roland fitz Eustace Chiualier fr de Portlestre Chancellier dirland q' lou lez vils de Kilcollyn' et Calffeston' est en le ffrounturs de le Marche prochen' adiunant as Irrois Enemiez du Roy lez q'ux vils sount gaund saufgard por touz engleis homms et ne purrount my continuer mez qils soient murez entour' et lez enh'itauntis dez ditz vils ne sount p' de power de eux murer sils qils eient aide du pais Sor q' lez permissez considerez enacte et estable est per auc'te du dit parlment q' chescun' homme q' occupie vn charue sor la terre du dit Roland et sor lez terrez dez moyns en le Counte de Kildare sibien en vn parte del ewe de Anilyffy come en laulter et en semble manere lez enhabitauntis du terrez dez hommes de Nacion' du dit dit Roland en chescun' parte del dit ewe q'ux voudr' concurrer ouesque luy en le m' paian't annuelment duraunt le terme dez x.ans prochen auenantz por edifier lez murez dez ditz vils iiij. d. et q' lez tenantis dez ditz vils eian't plien power por eslier et fair Collc'ours de ent et lez ditz Collc'ours per m' lauc'te eiant plein power de distreiner etprendre lez distressez ouesque eulx iesques al temps qils serrount ent contente et lez enh'itauntis et tenantis q' paiount le dit subsidie soient dischargez del subsidie gaunte al Naas.
XVIII. Also, at the prayer of Roland Fitz Eustace, Knight, lord of Portlester, Chancellor of Ireland. That whereas the towns of Kilcullen and Calfstown are in the frontiers of the March next adjoining the King's Irish enemies, which towns are a great safeguard for all Englishmen and cannot continue unless they be walled round, and the inhabitants of the said towns are not able to wall them unless they have help from the country. Whereupon the premises considered: It is enacted and established by authority of the said Parliament, that every man who occupies a plough on the land of the said Roland and on the lands of the Monks in the county of Kildare, as well on one side of the river Liffey as on the other; and in like manner the inhabitants of the lands of the men of the said Roland's nation in every part of the said river, who will concur with him in the same, pay yearly during the term of ten years next coming, to build the walls of the said towns, 4 pence. And that the tenants of the said towns have full power to elect and appoint collectors thereof; and that the said collectors, by the same authority, have full power to distrain and take the distresses with them, until they shall be contented thereof; and that the inhabitants and tenants who pay the said subsidy be discharged of the subsidy granted at Naas.
Granted by Edward IV. (Regnal year 18).
Primary Sources
Berry, H.F. and Morrissey, J.F. (eds), 1939, Statute Rolls of the Parliament of Ireland Vol. 4 (Dublin) p. 612-5
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 224
Comments
1478-a request for murage was made by the lord, fitzEustace, for Kilcullen and Calfstown (q.v.-6kms S) because the 'frontier position' would be impossible 'if the towns were not walled' and the 'inhabitants were unable to do so'. This resulted in a ten year levy of 4d. p.a. on inhabitants with ploughs on the lands of fitzEustace and the monks of Kildare, who were then discharged of paying a similar levy for Naas. (SR IV Ed IV 613-5). (Thomas p. 229)
The attempt to impose such a tax on the local populous may have led to the rapidly worsening conditions both as the Irish fighters gained more support from the rural community.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 09/04/2009. Last updated on 04/06/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
