The Gatehouse website record of a grant of murage for Newcastle-upon-Tyne granted 30/7/1341

Newcastle-upon-Tyne was given a grant of murage dated 30/7/1341.

This was in the form of:-

Surtax:- for 7 years Starting 24/3/1342 running to 23/3/1349.

Wording

Grant to the mayor and bailiffs of Newcastle-upon-Tyne that, on the expiration of the grant of murage for ten years, made to them by letters patent, dated 24 March, 6 Edward III, they may levy by the hands of John de Denton, Walram de Lomleye, Richard de Acton, Robert de Shilvyngton and Richard de Galwaye, or two of them, certain specified customs for murage for another seven years. By K. & C.
----
May 2. 1343. Westminster
To the mayor, bailiffs and lawful men of Newcastle upon Tyne. Order to elect certain lawful men of that town, whom they know to be fit, with the common assent of the community, to levy and collect certain customs granted by the king in aid of enclosing the town for a term of years, until the end of the term, and to employ it on the said enclosing, so that those who are so elected shall render account to them of all the money collected and answer therefor as they ought, as on 24 March in the 6th year of the reign the king granted to the mayor and others, in aid of enclosing the town, certain customs of things coming for sale in the town to the end of ten years then following, and afterwards because the king learned that the works for enclosing the town were not finished, on 30 July in the 15th year of the reign he granted to the mayor and others that after the end of the ten years, in aid of enclosing the town, for the greater security of the town and of the adjacent parts, they should take the following customs of things coming for sale to the town up to the end of seven years after the end of the ten years by the hands of John de Denton, Waleran de Lomeleye, Richard de Acton, Robert de Shilvyngton and Richard de Galewaye, to wit,
of each ship laden with merchandise other than wine for sale 4d.;
of each boat laden with merchandise for sale 1d.;
of each last of herrings for sale 2d.;
of each 'miliare' of herring for sale 1/4d. of each load of sea fish for sale 1d.;
of each sack of wool for sale 2d.;
of each piece of wool for sale 1/2d.;
of each horse and mare, ox and cow for sale 1/2d.;
of each hide of horse, mare, ox or cow, fresh salted or tanned, for sale, 1/4d.;
of each last of ox hides for sale 12d.;
of ten sheep and pigs for sale 1d.;
of each load of corn for sale 1/2d.;
of each chaldron of corn for sale 1d.;
of each chaldron of salt for sale 1d.;
of four loads of charcoal for sale 1/4d.;
of each cartload of peat and brushwood for sale 1/4d.;
of each piece of grease, tallow, butter and cheese for sale 1/4d.;
of each chaldron of sea coal for sale 1/2d.;
of each hundred of wax for sale 2d.;
of each hundred of pepper for sale 2d.;
of each hundred of almonds, for sale 1d.; for each hundred of cummin for sale 1/2d.;
for each basket (fraella) of figs and raisins for sale 1/2d.;
for each load of garlic for sale 1/4d.;
for each load of onions for sale 1/4d.;
for each tun of wine for sale 2d.;
for each tun of ashes for sale 1d.;
for each assize of woad for sale 1d.;
for each 'miliare' of thistles for sale 1/4d.;
for each hundred of kitchen utensils for sale 2d.;
for each bound truss of cloth of the value of 20s. and more for sale 1d.;
for each load of lead for sale 2d.;
for each truss not bound for sale 1/4d.;
for each tun of white peas for sale 2d.;
for each tun of pitch, and tar and oil for sale 1d.;
for each bacon hog for sale 1/4d.;
for each hundred of alum for sale 2d.;
for each 'miliare' of vair work for sale 6d.;
for each packet of squirrel skins for sale 1/2d.;
for each hundred of linen cloth and canvas for sale 1d.;
for each hundred nets for sale 1d.;
for each entire cloth for sale 1/2d.;
for each hundred of sheep and wool fleeces for sale 2d.;
for each packet of fox skins for sale 2d.;
for each hundred of the skins of lambs, rabbits and hares for sale 1/2d.;
of 20 salmons for sale 1d.;
of each hundred of Melwells for sale 1d.;
of every hundred of green boards for sale 1d.;
of every hundred of boards of 'Murref' for sale 4d.,
of every hundred of boards of Estryng for sale, 1d.;
of every hundred of felt for sale 1d.;
of every sheaf of steel for sale 1/4d.;
of each millstone for sale 1/2d.;
of every hundred of oars for sale 2d.;
of every bale of any merchandise for sale exceeding the value of 2s. 1/4d.;
so that the money arising therefrom may be applied to the enclosing of the town and not to other uses, and because certain of the said John, Walran, Richard, Robert, and Richard are now staying within the town and others staying there do not wish to be attendant upon the collection of the said customs, and John and the others retain the money collected by them of the said customs and refuse to apply them to the enclosing of the town, as the king has learned.
----
June 8. 1347. Reading.
Whereas the king by letters patent, on 24 March, in his sixth year, granted to the mayor and bailiffs of Newcastle-upon-Tyne murage for ten years, and afterwards, on 30 July, in his fifteenth year, granted that at the end of that term they should take murage for another seven years by the hands of John de Denton, Walram de Lonileye, Richard de Acton, Robert de Shilvyngton and Richard de Galweye, and whereas the said John, Richard de Acton and Robert are deceased and Walram and Richard de Galeweye cannot attend to the premises; he has appointed Peter de Graper, John de Emeldon and Gilbert de Mitford to collect the same for the remainder of the term and apply it by view of the mayor and two good men of the town.
By C.

Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 15). Granted at Havering atte Bower. Granted by K. & C..

Primary Sources

Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1900, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1340-43) Vol. 5 p. 271 online copy
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1904, Calendar of Close Rolls Edward III Vol. 7 p. 50 online copy
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1345-48) Vol. 7 p. 299 online copy

Secondary Sources

Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)

Comments

The Black Death does not get to Europe until 1347 and Newcastle until late 1349. Three deceased collectors in six years seems does seem a high number though.
'murage collection must have fallen into some confusion at Newcastle, with risk of erratic collection and/or of misapplication. All five were unavailable and must have acted through deputies, with risk of loss of accountability' (Coulson).

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