Coventry (Coventre) was given a grant of murage dated 3/7/1366 but this grant was then revoked.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Mandate to the mayor and bailiffs of Coventre, and to William de Catesby, Nicholas Michel, William Botoner, Richard de Stoke, Henry de Douedale and John del Tofte, to levy and collect the murage for five years granted by letters patent to the good men of Coventre. By C.
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receive these customs following, viz.
of every tun of wine 2 s.
of every quarter of malt 4 d.
of every Ox 4 d.
of every Hog and Calf a peny,
and every Sheep a farthing, (From Dugdale)
----
Feb. 14, 1370, Westminster
Revocation of letters patent, dated 3 July in the king's fortieth year, granting the men of Coventre licence to collect certain customs for five years in aid of the expenses of making walls around their town; on complaint by the victuallers of the said town that they are impoverished by the imposition made upon them by virtue of the said grant so that they must withdraw from the town unless a remedy be quickly applied. The king, nevertheless, wills that the merchants and other potent men of the town, as also those of middling condition, be assessed according to their estate to contribute to the works. By C.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 40). Granted at Westminster. Granted by C..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1912,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1364-67) Vol. 13 p. 260
online copyMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1913,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1367-70) Vol. 14 p. 369
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009,
Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Turner, H.L., 1971,
Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 38 (re revoking)
Joan C. Lancaster and Margaret Tomlinson, 1969, in Stephens, W.B.(ed),
VCH Warwickshire Vol. 8 p. 1-23
online copyDugdale, Wm., 1656,
The Antiquities of Warwickshire (Thomas Warren) p. 91
online copy
Comments
the K. being very desirous to further the work, granted a Commission (Pat. 40. E. 3. p,I. m. 9.) (dated 3 Julii, 40 of his reign) unto the Mayor and Bailiffs then being, together with Wil. Catesbt, Nich. Michell, Will. Botoner, Ric. de Stoke, Henry de Dovedale, and John del Tofte, giving them power to levy and receive these customs following, viz.
of every tun of wine 2 s.
of every quarter of malt 4 d.
of every Ox 4 d.
of every Hog and Calf a peny,
and every Sheep a farthing,
sold in this Town for the space of 5 years then next ensuing, towards the alleviating their charge. But this assessment much pinching the Victuallers, about 4 years after they made a grievous complaint to the K. alledging, that they were almost undone by it. Whereupon, by his Pat (Pat. 44. E. 3. p. I. m. 29.) dated 14 Febr. 44 of his reign, he revoked the former Commission; commanding nevertheless, that the merchants and other rich men should be taxed with the meaner sort, according to their several abilities towards the suppost of the cost in building those walls. (Dugdale - An old source but notable for his scholarship and is as reliable as many later sources.)
Somewhat unusual wording for a murage grant or the actual murage grant was not enrolled. Revoked after three and a half years. If Dugdale list of tolls is full, and he does not seem to have cut it short, then it can be seen the Victauallers were, with a tax on Wine and malt, carrying the burden of the taxation.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 17/01/2009. Last updated on 23/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
