Canterbury may have been given a grant of murage dated 1378.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
…
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Petitioners: Bailiffs and citizens of Canterbury.
Addressees: King.
Places mentioned: Canterbirs (Canterbury), {Kent}.
Nature of request: The bailiffs and citizens of Kent make two requests:
1) That they may be able to collect certain customs listed in the petition for a period of five years, in aid of the building of the walls of Canterbury;
2) That they may have a warrant to make valuations of all rents and farms of houses within the city, and to levy and collect this sum for the benefit of the walls.
Endorsement: With regard to the first article, he is to have murage in the common form for five years; and with regard to the second, it is to be done.
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At's-redoute Sr' le Roi suppliount humblement v'res liges povers Baillifs & Citeseines de v're Cite de Cant'birs, q' plese a v're haute Se' de graunt' as dites Baillifs & Citeseines, q'ils puissent prendre durauntz v ans a jour de cestes, a l'eide & eops del fesure des Mures de v're dite Cite, touz les Custumes defouz escrites, C'est affavoir de chescune quart' de frument vendu en v're dite Cite, ou les Suburbes, un dener ; de chescune quart' d'orge, & des toutes autres blees vendus, ob; de chescune last de haryng vendu, IIII d.; de chescune M. de haryng vendu, I d.; de chescune carecte de pessoun de meere vendu, IIII d.; de chescune pois & fume des pessouns de mere vendus a fume & value de v s. I d., ; de chescune trussel quecumq' merchandise i foit, & de chescune chose en ceste Bille noon specifie ne mencion fait, vendu a value v s. un dener.
Item ils priount, q' Vous vuilles grant' une garraunt a les avaunt dites Baillifs & Citeseines, q'ils puissent faire Taxaciouns de toutes rentes & fermes des Mesonnes esteauntz deins le dit Cite, si bien des foreines come des dynseines, & hommes de Seinte Esglise, pour lour rentes, mesones, lieux, & autres biens tempeles en mesme la Cite, Et ceo q' est taxe levier & culier a l'oeps des Mures avaunt dites.
Responsio
Quant a prim' article, ait Murage de coe forme p' v ans. Et qnt al secounde article, foit fait.
Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 1).
Details of the petition which resulted in this grant can be seen
at this link. 
Primary Sources
The primary source is lost or obscure.
National Archive SC 8/19/906
online referenceStrachey, J. (ed), 1763-83,
Rotuli Parliamentorum; ut et Petitiones, et Placita in Parliamento 1278-1503 Vol. 3 p. 53
online copy
Secondary Sources
Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 148
Comments
'In the same year, as a result of a petition to Parliament, the bailiffs and citizens were permitted to levy murage for five years on certain goods coming into the city for sale, and in addition to levy a rate on the inhabitants, both native and foreign.' (Turner)
CPR 1377-81 p.49 is dated at Westminster, 1 April 1378, and shows that concern for the upkeep of the walls was current then. A note on the guard dates the petition to '?1377' on the basis of this. However, the petitions in Rot. Parl. III, pp. 50-54 are assigned to the parliament held at Gloucester on the Wednesday after the feast of St Luke, 2 Richard II (1378), so the petition is dated c. 1378. (National Archive note)
I consider the response to this petition was the 1379 grant for 10 years (modified and ?delayed - the petition is not securely dated, but the parliament ran 20 Oct to 16 Nov - after the initial endorsement).
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 26/01/2009. Last updated on 09/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
