Rathkeale was given a grant of murage dated 1463.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
10. Item al Requisicion' dez Co'es Que come la vile de dongarvan deinz le Counte de Waterford et la vile de Rathgele deins le Counte de lymeryk sount semblez de estre spoilez rubbez et ardez per lez Englois Rebelx et irroys Enemies le Roy en defaulte de sufficientez murez et fosses pr la defense de lez ditz viles et que lez ditz viles pur lez diuersez ardementez espoilmentes et robbements et aultres entollerables charges et costes q' ount este iettez et misez sur eaux ne poient my sufficientment fac' eaux fortez ouesque murez et fosses Sur que lez permisses considerez ordeine est establie et enacte per auctorite du dit parliament q' vne co'e Marchee soit tenuz chescun' ior en le semmayn' en le dit vile de dongarvan' et chescun' Maresdy vne co'e Marchee de estre tenuz en la dit vile Rathgele et que tout manere dez biens et merchaundises veignantez al dit Marchee ou Marcheez destre vendeux qils paient reisonablez custumes en lez ditz viles et chescun' de eaux en semblable manere sicome tielx biens paiount deins les Citees de divelin et Waterford et que lez ditz custumez issint paiez soient misez et paiez pr le fesaunce dez murez et fosses et aultres defenses entor lez ditz viles solonque la discrecion' del treshonorable fr Thomas Count de dessemond et sez heires pr toutz iors prvieu a toutz foi{tz q'} cest persente act ne soit my lesion' ne periudiciale a nule person' ne person's qi sount frankez de toutz manerez custumez per lez l'res patentes {du} Roy ou ascun'z aultres gauntez deuant cest temps
X. Also, at the request of the Commons. Whereas the town of Dungarvan in the county of Waterford, and the town of Rathkeale in the county of Limerick are like to be spoiled robbed and burned by the English rebels and Irish enemies of the King, for want of sufficient walls and trenches for the defence of the said towns, and that the said towns, by reason of the divers burnings, pillages, robberies, and other intolerable charges and costs which have been cast and put upon them, cannot sufficiently make themselves strong with walls and trenches. Whereupon the premises considered: It is ordained, established and enacted by authority of the said Parliament, that a common market be held every day in the week in the said town of Dungarvan, and every Tuesday a common market be held in the said town of Rathkeale; and that all manner of goods and merchandises coming to the said market or markets to be sold shall pay reasonable customs in the said towns and each of them, in the like manner as such goods pay in the cities of Dublin and Waterford; and that the said customs so paid be applied and expended for the making of walls and trenches and other defences round the said towns, according to the discretion of the right honorable lord Thomas, Earl of Desmond, and his heirs for ever. Provided always that this present act shall not hurt or prejudice any person or persons who are free of all manner of customs by the King's letters patents, or any other grants heretofore.
Granted by Edward IV. (Regnal year 3).
Primary Sources
Berry, H.F. and Morrissey, J.F. (eds), 1914, Statute Rolls of the Parliament of Ireland Vol. 3 (Dublin) p. 56-9
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 236-7
Comments
1463: grant to Rathkeale (and Dungarvan, co. Waterford) of customs 'as in Dublin and Waterford to go towards walls'; attacks of 'English rebels and Irish enemies' had resulted in 'poverty and destruction for want of sufficient walls and trenches' (SR III Ed IV 57-9). (Thomas)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 09/04/2009. Last updated on 27/04/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
