York was given a grant of murage dated 28/1/1246.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Allocate to the citizens of York, in their yearly payment of 79s. (corrected from 69s.) for a purpresture, 56s. 6d. yearly for damages inflicted by Geoffrey the king's chamberlain for the defence of the city in time of war, thereby causing damage to the above amount, as the king is informed by inquistion, the balance of the said 79s. to be paid yearly at the Exchequer. Allocate also 69s. yearly as arrears of damages for 16 years. Cancelled quia aliter inferius;
Allocate to the citizens of York, in their farm of purprestures, 66s. 6d. yearly from the Purification in the 5th year to the same feast this year, and the like yearly in future, for damages sustained by a purpresture done by Geoffrey de Nevill, chamberlain of King John the king's father, in widening the city ditch.
Granted by Henry III. (Regnal year 30). Granted at Westminster.
Primary Sources
Stamp, A.E. (ed), 1937,
Calendar of Liberate Rolls Henry III (1245-1251) Vol. 3 (London: HMSO) p. 22-3
online copy
Comments
Payment for damages resulting from improvement of city defences rather than per se royal support for city defences. It is, however, unambiguous evidence that extensive work was done on Yorks ditches tempus King John.
This seems to be back dated to 1221. Payment of the farm does seem often to have been owed so, presumably, this was written off debt rather than a cash payment.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 05/01/2010. Last updated on 03/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
