London was given a grant of murage dated 15/9/1312.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Grant, for one year, in enlargement of former grant, date 18 July, 4 Edward II., to the mayor, sheriffs and citizens or London, of murage upon all wares brought for sale into the city; they are to apply the money accruing therefrom to the construction of a tower next the dwelling-house of the Friars Preachers at Baynard Castle upon the bank of the Thames. During that term they are not to levy pontage upon goods passing over or under the bridge. By K., on the information of Edmund de Malo Lacu.
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Letters of King Edward, sent to John de Gisorz, Mayor of London, the Aldermen, and the Commonalty, for the safe-keeping of the City in his behalf; and Ordinances made thereon.
5 Edward II. A.D. 1312. Letter-Book D. fol. cxlii. (Norman French.)
Be it remembered, that on the Wednesday next before the Purification of Saint Mary {2 February}, in the 5th year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Edward, the briefs under-written were sent to the Mayor, Aldermen, and all the commonalty of London, for the safe-keeping of the City, according to the tenor of the writs in the King's behalf to be ordained and executed.—
…
"Let the custody of the City be touched upon before our Lord the King, in such words as these.—Under the first head;—that the murage which our Lord the King has granted to the City and wherewith the old walls of the City ought to be repaired strengthened, and amended, is now spent upon the new wall behind the Friars Preachers at Castle Baynard, towards the Thames, by your command, and nowhere else.
"Also, that such outlays and costs, which are great, and an hastily expended upon so many repairs, whereas in justice they ought to be levied from all those who have rents, and tenements and moveables, within the City, commonly fall upon one part of the citizens only, and not upon persons of the religious Orders and others who have franchises by charter and in almoigne; (fn. Frank-almoigne, or free alms. A tenure by a spiritual corporation, by spiritual service only.) to the amount indeed of the third part of the rental of the said city. And such persons are not willing to give any portion thereof, or any aid or contribution, or any assistance, thereto although they are saved just as much throughout the said city as the rest of the citizens. And if the King shall see fit, and deem it good that they should aid therein, the people of the City will be the better comforted and the better strengthened and the more speedily will they have the City put in due repair.'
Granted by Edward II. (Regnal year 6). Granted at Westminster. Granted by K., on the information of Edmund de Malo Lacu..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1894,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward II (1307-13) Vol. 1 p. 495-6
online copyRiley, H.T., 1868, 'Memorials: 1312',
Memorials of London and London Life: In the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries p. 93-107
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Comments
Edmund de Malo Lacu, steward of kings household.
The enrolled patent letter seems to lag a year behind the letter to the Mayor.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 11/01/2009. Last updated on 03/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
