The Gatehouse website record of a grant of murage for Newtown Jerpoint granted 8/4/1375

Newtown Jerpoint (Jeriponte) was given a grant of murage dated 8/4/1375.

This was in the form of:-

Surtax:- for 10 years Starting 8/4/1375 running to 7/4/1385.

Wording

De pontagio muragio et pavagio pro ville de Jeriponte.
Rex praeposito & communitati ville de Jeriponte salutem Sciatis quod in auxilium & reparacionem pontis super aquam del Noor juxta dictam villam situati ac eciam in sustentacionem & emendacionem unius turris & porte in parte Australi dicti pontis ad resistend' inimicis & rebellibus nostris per dictam pontem tam per diem quam per noctem vagantibus inceptarum concessimus vobus quod voss & posteri vestri capere possitis de omnibus rebus venalibus ultra dictam pontem portatis venientibus sive transeuntibus custumas subscriptas tam de Civitatibus & Burgis quam de aliis villis & locis a quibus dicte res venales ultra dictam pontem ut praedicitur venient vel transibunt a die confeccionis preasencium usque ad finem decem annorum extunc proximo sequenc' plenar' complend' videlicet
D' quolibet Crannoco cujuscumque generis bladi ven' unum ob'
de quolibet crannoco salis ven' unum ob'
D' quolibet equo vel equa hobino bove vel vacca ven' unum ob'
de quolibet carcos' bovis vel vacce ven' unum ob'
D' quolibet corio bovis vel vacc' hobini equi vel eque frisco sallit' tannat' ven' unum quadr'
de quinque baconibus ven' unum den'
D' decem ovibus vel capris ven' unum den'
D' quinque porcis ven' unum ob'
de decem agnis ven' unum ob'
D' qualibet centena pell' ovium lanularum vel shorlingorum duos den'
D' qualibet centen' pell' agnorum blotfell' caprarum leporum & cuniclorum ven' unum ob'
D' qualibet centena panni hibernici ven' quatuor den'
D' qualibet centena linee tele ven' duos den'
D' quolibet panno integro Anglico cujuscumque coloris ven' unum den'
de quolibet panno hibernico integro ven' unum ob'
D' qualibet faling' ven' unum quadr'
D' quolibet dolio vini ven' quatuor den'
de qualibet centena ferri ven' quatuor den'
D' qualibet centena de canabo ven' quatuor den'
D' qualibet duodena salmonum vel lampredorum ven' unum den'
D' qualibet pisa uncti sepi butiri & casei ven' unum ob'
de qualibet carectata de Tandoust ven' unum den'
de qualibet meisa allecium ven' unum den'
D' quolibet summag' piscis maris frisci vel salsati ven' unum ob'
D' quolibet miliar' quorumcumque clavorum ven' unum den'
de qualibet centena piscis sicc' ven' unum den'
D' qualibet centena Anguillarum ven' unum ob'
D' qualibet centena de Teselys ven' unum ob'
de qualibet centena cujuscumque baterie eris vel cupri operati vel non operati ven' duos den'
de duabus solidat' cujuscumque mercimonii que non nominantur in literis istis ven' unum ob'
Et ideo vobus mandamus quod praedictas custumas super eundem pontem euntes & redeuntes usque ad finem termini praedicti capiatis sicut praedictum est Ita quod denar' inde provenientes circa reparacionem & emendacionem praedictorum pontis turris & porte & non alibi expendantur Ita quod in fine cujuslibet anni durante termino preadicto compotus inde coram venerabili in Christo patre Episcopo Ossorien' & abbate de Jeriponte qui pro tempore fuerint vel pluries se per eosdem Episcopum & Abbatem requisiti fueritis & non ad scaccarium nostram hibern per vos fidelicet reddatur in forma debita & consueta Completo autem termino praedicto dicte custume penitus cessent & deleantur In cujus &c' T' praefato Gubernatore apud dublin' viii die April &c.
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The King to the Provost and Community of the town of Jerpoint {ville de Jeriponte} Greeting! Know that we, for the aid and repair {auxilium et reparacionem} of the bridge on the River Nore {Noor} next the said town as also for maintenance and improvement {sustentacionem et emendacionem} of a tower and gate on the south end of the bridge for resisting our wandering enemies and rebels with the same bridge by day and night {begun} have granted you and your successors that you make take the customs written below from all goods for sale {rebus venalibus} carried or crossing beyond the bridge both from cities and boroughs and from other vills and places from which the said goods for sale come or cross from beyond the bridge, from the day of this deed to the end of ten years next following fully completed, that is to say:
From each crannock of all kinds of corn for sale 1/2d
From each crannock of salt for sale 1/2d
From each horse, mare, nag, ox, cow for sale 1/2d
From each carcase of ox or cow for sale 1/2d
From every hide of ox or cow, nag, horse or mare, fresh salted or tanned for sale 1/4d
From 5 bacons for sale 1d
From 10 sheep or goats for sale 1d
From 5 pigs for sale 1/2d
From 10 lambs for sale 1/2d
From 100 skins of sheep, wool fells or shorling {shorlingorum} 2d
From each 100 of skins of lambs, blotfell, goats, hares and rabbits, for sale 1/2d
From each 100 of Irish cloth for sale 4d
From each 100 of linen cloth for sale 2d
From each whole English cloth of whatever colour for sale 1d
From each whole Irish cloth for sale 1/2d
From each frieze coak {faling’} for sale 1/4d
From each hogshead {dol’} of wine for sale 4d
From each 100 of iron for sale 4d
From each 100 of hemp {canabo} for sale 4d
From each dozen of salmon or lamprey for sale 4d
From each wey of tallow grease butter and cheese for sale 1/2d
From each cart of tan {Tandoust} for sale 1d
From each mease of herrings for sale 1d
From each seam of seafish fresh or salted for sale 1/2d
From 1000 of whatever nails for sale 1d
From each 100 of dried fish for sale 1d
From each 100 of eels for sale 1/2d
From each 100 of teasles for sale 1/2d
From each 100 of whatever brass or copper kitchen ware (baterie) worked or not worked 2d
From 2 shilling’s worth of whatever goods for sale not listed here 1/2d
And therefore we order you that you may take the aforesaid customs coming and going on the said bridge until the end of the said term as aforesaid, and that the money collected is spent on the repair and improvement of the said bridge, tower and gate, and not elsewhere. And that at the end of each year of the said term you will faithfully return the due and customary accounts for it before the venerable father in Christ the Bishop of Ossory and the Abbot of Jerpoint for the time being, or others if required by the Bishop and Abbot, and not at our Irish Exchequer. And at the end of the said term the said custom shall completely cease and terminate. In witness whereof etc. the said Governor at Dublin, 8 April {49 Edward III}.
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8 Apr. 1375 Dublin
To the provost and commonalty of the town of Jerpoint.
In aid and repair of the bridge over the river Nore situated near the said town, and also for the sustenance and improvement of one tower and a gate in the southern part of the said bridge, to prevent the K.'s enemies and rebels from crossing the bridge both by day and by night, GRANT that, for ten years from the day these presents were made, the provost and community of the town of Jerpoint, and their successors, may take the following customs from all articles for sale coming beyond the said gated bridge, or crossing the same, both from citizens and burgesses and from other towns and places from which the said articles for sale come or cross the said bridge, as aforesaid, viz.:
from each crannock of any kind of grain, 1/2d;
from each crannock of salt, 1/2d;
from each horse or mare, hobby, ox or cow for sale, 1/2d;
from each carcass of an ox or cow, 1/2d;
from each hide of ox or cow, hobby, horse or mare, fresh, salted or tanned for sale, 1/4d;
from 5 bacon hogs for sale, 1/2d;
from 10 sheep or goats, 1d;
from 5 pigs for sale, 1/2d;
from 10 lambs for sale, 1/2d;
from each hundredweight of wool-fells or shorlings for sale, 2d;
from each hundredweight of skins of lambs, blotfells, skins of goats, hares and rabbits for sale, 1/2d;
from each hundredweight of Irish cloth for sale, 4d;
from each hundredweight of linen cloth for sale, 2d;
from each whole English cloth of whatever colour for sale, 1d;
from each whole Irish cloth for sale, 1d;
from each falding for sale, 1/4d;
from each tun of wine for sale, 4d;
from each hundredweight of iron for sale, 4d;
from each hundredweight of hemp for sale, 4d;
from each dozen salmon or lamprey for sale, 1d;
from each wey of oil, tallow, butter and cheese for sale, 1/2d;
from each cart-load of Tandoust for sale, 1d;
from each mease of herrings for sale, 1d;
from each sum of sea-fish, fresh or salted, for sale, 1/2d;
from each 1000 of any nails for sale, 1d;
from each 100 dried fish for sale, 1d;
from each hundredweight of eels for sale, 1/2d;
from each hundredweight of Teselys for sale, 1/2d;
from each hundredweight of any kitchenware of brass or copper, worked or unworked, for sale, 2d;
from 2 solidates of any merchandise whatsoever that is not named in these letters for sale, 1/2d.
ORDER to take the said customs from those going and returning over that bridge until the end of the said term, as is said before, such that the money derived from this source is spent on the repair and improvement of the said bridge, tower and gate, and not otherwise. At the end of each year during that term, an account for this is to be rendered faithfully by them before the venerable father in Christ, the bishop of Ossory, and the abbot of Jerpoint, or before others if requested by the same bishop and abbot, and not at the K.'s Ex., in the due and accustomed form. And at the completion of the said term, the said customs shall cease and be removed entirely.1
Attested:
governor
Authorized:
By petition of council.
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Rex praeposito et communitati ville de Jeriponte, in reparacionem pontis super le Noer jux' dictam vill', et turris et porte in parte australi dicte pontis, ad reistend' inimicis etc., concessit per 10 annos certas custumas de omnib' reb' venal' ult' dictem pontem portatis etc., viz. etc. Dub', 8 Ap.

Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 49). Granted at Dublin. Granted by Governor.

Primary Sources

Commissioners on the Public Records of Ireland, 1889 (prepared 1829-30), Chartae Privilegia et Immunitates, being transcripts of charters and privileges to cities, towns, abbeys and other bodies corporated, 18 Henry II. to 18 Richard II., 1171 to 1395 (Dublin; Irish Record Commission) p. 69 (Ref. E Rot. Pat. 49 Edw. III. m. 5f.)
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 49 Edw. III View CIRCLE record
Tresham, Edward (ed), 1828, Rotulorum patentium et clausorum cancellariae Hiberniae calendarium (Dublin; His Majesty's printers) p. 91 No. 52

Secondary Sources

The Heritage Council, 2007, Newtown Jerpoint County Kilkenny p. 123-4 (The Heritage Council of Ireland) online copy
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 243

Comments

In the absence of other evidence it must be assumed that the grant refers to defences of the bridge. (Thomas)
Clearly to be taken as a toll at the bridge, rather than at a market, and to be spent on the bridge and its fortified gate. So pontage, rather than murage, although murage in form.

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