Oxford was given a grant of murage dated 20/2/1378.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
To the mayor and bailiffs of Oxford for the time being. Order speedily to repair the walls, towers, gates, ditches and enclosures of the town, and moreover to compel persons whatsoever, religious and secular, who now or hereafter have lands, rents, merchandise or goods within the liberty of the town to contribute to the expense of repairing and building the same, every man according to his means and possessions, sparing none save poor beggars; as the king has particular information that the walls and towers of the town, which was of old time fortified, are so weak and ruinous, and the ditches which were broad and deep are so stopped up, that if the king's enemies of France should invade England it is in great peril, and that although the mayor and bailiffs and other citizens and true men thereof are minded and purpose to repair the walls, towers, and gates, scour the ditches, and at the public expense do other things needful for securing the town for their own advantage and the advantage of others of the parts adjacent flocking thither if danger threatens, certain men of ill will, though sufficient in means and possessions, refuse altogether to contribute, and will not be justified by the mayor and bailiffs.
Et erat patens.
{Foedera.}
----
De villâ Oxoniae fortificandâ, propter periculum, si Franci, quod rarò fecerunt, invasionem faciant.
Rex, majori et ballivis suis villae Oxoniae, qui nunc sunt vel qui pro tempore fuerint, salutem.
Cum, ut certè didicimus, muri et turelli villae praedictae, quae ab antiquo firmari et claudi solebant, adeò debiles et ruinosi devenerunt, et fossata, quae ab antiquo lata et profunda esse solebant, taliter obstructa existunt, quod villa praedicta, si inimici nostri Franciae in regnum nostrum Angliae applicuerint, quod absit, sicut rarò fecerunt, in maximo periculo consistit, nisi celerius remedium apponatur:
Et licet vos, ac caeteri cives et probi homines ibidem pro salvatione villae illius, ac communi utilitate vestrâ, et aliorum de partibus adjacentibus ad dictam villam confluentium, si periculum ibedem imineant aliquale, fueritis et sitis in voluntate et firmo proposito muros, et turellos, ac portas villae praedictae reparare et emendare, necnon eadem fossata, et clausuras dictae villae mundare, vestris ac communibus expensis hominumde villâ praedictâ, propter hujusmodi pericula praecavenda, et quamplura alia, ad fortificationem dictae villae valdè necessaria, facere volueritis, et ea sic fieri disposueritis, quidam tamen malivoli homines ibidem, licet in facultatibus et possessionibus sufficientes fuerint, ad contribuendum expensis, pro salvatione ejusdem villae apponendis omninò contradicunt, nec se volunt ad hoc per vos aliqualiter justiciari;
Et quia utilitatem reipublicae, ubique in regno nostro Angliae, fieri volumus, ut tenemur, vobis mandamus quod muros, turellos, portas, fossata, et clausuras villae praedictae, cum omni celeritate, debitè reparari et construi et emendari;
Et insuper quascumque personas, tam religiosas quam seculares, terras, tenementa, seu redditus, aut etiam mercandisas, aut alia bona, infra libertatem dictae villae habentes, seu imposterùm habituri, ad contribuendum expensis, circa reparationem, emendationem, et constructionem omnium et singulorum praemissorum, pro salvatione dicta villae, apponendis, quemlibet eorumdem, videlicet, juxta faculates et possessiones suas, nemini in hac parte parcendo, pauperibus et mendicantibus dumtaxat exceptis, per districtiones et alios vias et modos quibus melius et celerius poteritis, quacumque excusatione cessante, comelli faciatis; et hoc nullatenus omittatis.
Teste Rege, apud Westm', xx. die Februarii.
{et erat patens.}
Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 1). Granted at Westminster. Granted by K..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1914,
Calendar of Close Rolls, Richard II Vol. 1 p. 51-2
online copyRymer, T. (ed. A.Clark and F. Holbrooke), 1816-69,
Foedera, Litterae & Acta Publica Vol. 4 p. 30
Secondary Sources
Hassall, T.G., 1979, ‘City walls, gates, and postems’, in A Crossley (ed),
VCH Oxford Vol. 4, The City of Oxford (OUP for the Institute of Historical Research) p. 300-4
online copy
Comments
'In 1378 Richard II ordered the repair of weak and ruinous walls.' (VCH)
Can Oxford really have been considered to be at risk, although this invasion scare seems to have been particularly hysterical. The document does show something of the value given to defences both in the detailed and repeated mention of the defences and in the report of these defence being left to so badly decay. I suspect much of this is scaremongering to gain support for a new regime.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 24/01/2009. Last updated on 05/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
