New Ross (Rosse) was given a grant of murage dated 26/1/1395.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Custuma vocata le coket pro muragio villae de Rosse concessa.
Ricardus Dei gracia Rex Anglia & Franc' & Dominus Hibern Omnibus ad quos presentes littere pervenerint salutem sciatis quod de gracia nostra speciali ac consideracione grandium deperditorum dampnorum & distruccionum que dilecti ligei nostri Superior & Communes Ville de Rosse per rebelles nostros Hibernicos circa dictam villam conversantes a diu sustinuerunt concessimus eisdem Superiori & Communibus ejusdem ville nostre cujus muri sunt prostrati & que quidictem Villa in tantum depauperata existit quod inhabitantes ejusdem Villam illam absque juvamine nostro reparare nequeunt ut dicitur custumam nostram infra eandem Villam vocat' le coket habend' pro termino decem annorum proximo futur' absque aliquo nobis inde reddendo in auxilium emend fortificandi & reparandi muros Ville supradicte Ita semper quod exitus & proficua de custuma praedicta interim provenient super emendacionem fortificacionem & reparacionem dictorum murorum & non in alios uses integre ponantur & fideliter expendantur et quod praedicti Superior & Communes inde reddend' illis quos ad hoc nobis placuerit assignare In cujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras fieri fecimus patents T' me ipso apud Dublin' xxvi Januar' anno r.n. decimo octavo.
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26 Jan. 1395 Dublin
The K. has considered the great losses, damages and destructions which the K.'s beloved lieges, the sovereign and commons of the town of New Ross, have long sustained from the K.'s Irish rebels dwelling around that town. The walls of that town have fallen down and the town is so greatly impoverished that the residents cannot repair them without aid, as is said. GRANT, of the K.'s special grace, to the same sovereign and commons that they may have the K.'s custom within that town called le coket for the next ten years, without rendering anything to the K., in aid of improving, fortifying and repairing the walls of that town. Such that the issues and profits derived from that custom shall be placed fully and spent faithfully upon the improvement, fortification and repair of the said walls, and not put to any other use. The sovereign and commons shall render from this before those whom it shall please the K. to appoint.
Attested: The K.
Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 18). Granted at Dublin.
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. 42 (ref. E Rot. Mem. 18 Ric.II.m.33.)
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 18 Ric. II
View CIRCLE record
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992,
The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 175-79
1835,
Reports from Commissioners: Municipal Corporations in Ireland Vol. 28 p. 559
online copyFleming, J.S., 1914,
The Town-wall Fortifications of Ireland (Paisley) p. 40
online copyMorrin, J. (ed), 1863,
Calendar of the Patent and Close Rolls of Chancery in Ireland, from the 18th to the 45th of Queen Elizabeth Vol. 2 p. 111 (Some parts plagerised from Commissioners Report)
online copy
Comments
Richard II., by letters patent bearing date the 26th day of January, in the eighteenth year 18 Richard II. of his reign, (A. D. 1394,) (Rot. Mem. 18 Ric. II. m. 33,) granted to the sovereign and commons of the town of Rosse, his custom within the said town, called the "coket," for 10 years, to be applied and expended in the emendation, fortification, and reparation of the walls of the said town. (MCI)
A charter of Richard II., July 17, 1377, provides out of the customs £4 (four pounds), to be faithfully expended (nor applied to any other purpose) on maintenance and repairs of the town walls and port - muros et portum ejusdem repaire et sustintaire. A subsequent charter, January 26, 1394, referring to the wall's then state of dilapidation and destruction caused by "our Irish rebels," concedes for the reparation of the same that custom called " the Coquet." (Fleming)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 05/02/2009. Last updated on 04/06/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
