Southampton may have been given a grant of murage dated 17/3/1400.
This was in the form of:-
Grant of Money:- £100 from ulnage
Tax Remission:- £100 from fee-farm for 1 year then £200 p.a. from fee-farm 'during pleasure'
Wording
Rex Omnibus ad quos &c salutem. Sciatis quod de gratia nostra speciali & de assensu Consilii nostri, concessimus dilectis nobis Majori Ballivis & probis hominibus Villae nostrae Suthamptoniae, in auxilium fortificationis & reparationis ejusdem Villae, ducentas libras, percipiendas annuatim quamdiu nobis placuerit in forma subscripta, videlicet de Subsidio lanarum in Portu Villae nostrae praedictae, per manus Collectorum ejusdem Subsidii pro anno proximo futuro Centum libras, prima solutione ad festum Paschae jam proximo sequens incipiente, & de firma Villae nostrae praedictae Centum libras proeodem anno elapsoque anno illo, Percipiendum dictas ducentas libras extunc annuatim quamdiu nobis placuerit, de firma supradicta. Ita quod Inhabitantes Villam illam, & arrentati in eadem, necnon possessores bonorum infra Villam praedictam, de bonis suis propriis solvant Centum libras per annum ad reparationem & fortificationem antedictas. Volentes quod per supervisum dilecti Armigeri nostri Ricardi Mawardyn, ac Majoris Villae nostrae praedictae, necnon per Contrarotulationem Contrarotulatoris nostri ibidem, dictae trescentae librae singulis annis super reparatione & fortificatione Villae nostrae praedictae plenarie & sideliter applicentur. In cujus &c. Teste Rege apud Westm{onasterium} xviio die Martii. Per breve de privato Sigillo. Originale 1 Hen. 4. pars 2. Rot. 27. {Madox}
Granted by Henry IV. (Regnal year 1). Granted at Westminster. Granted by p.s..
Primary Sources
Originalia Roll 1 Henry IV, pt. 2, Rot. 27, quoted from Madox
Secondary Sources
Turner, H.L., 1971,
Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 41, 175
Page, Wm (ed), 1908,
VCH Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Vol. 3 p. 493-530
online copyMadox, T., 1726,
Firma Burgi p. 290
view online
Comments
In 1400 the king granted the burgess £200 from the customs duties on wool and further £100 from the fee farm to be taken annually for as long as it should please the king. (Turner)
In 1400 (1 Henry IV) a grant of £200 per annum, during the royal pleasure, £100 out of the duty of wool in the port of the town, and £100 out of the fee-farm for the first year, but after that entirely from the latter source, was made in aid of the fortification, provided the inhabitants raised among themselves another £100 each year for the like purpose. This £300 per annum was to be spent under the supervision of Richard Mawardyn, king's esquire, of the mayor, and controller of the port. (VCH)
K Henry IV in the first year of his reign granted Two hundred pounds to the Mayor Baylifs and Good Men of his town of Southampton, towards fortifying and repairing the Town, To be received by them yearly in the manner mentioned in his Patent-Letter of Grant thereof. (Madox)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 28/01/2009. Last updated on 30/04/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
