The Gatehouse website record of a grant of murage for Portsmouth granted 16/11/1342

Portsmouth was given a grant of murage dated 16/11/1342.

This was in the form of:-

Tax Remission:- for 8 years of all tallages, taxations and contributions granted Starting 16/11/1342 running to 15/11/1350.

This is a grant which may have been used for walls but could have been used for other civic improvements.

Wording

Grant, out of compassion for their losses by reason of the war, to the men of the town of Portsmouth, that for eight years from the date of these presents, they shall be quit of all tallages, taxations and contributions granted to the king by the commonalty of the realm; on condition that they apply their contingent of the same in the walling and fortification of their town, under the supervision of the sheriff of Southampton. By p.s.
----
Nov. 16. 1342. Kennington.
To the sheriff of Southampton for the present or the future. Order to cause the king's letters for the walling and paving of Portesmuth to be read and proclaimed and to permit the men of the town to levy the customs contained in those letters, and to see that the money be applied to the walling and not to other uses, as the king having compassion on the state of those men, who have suffered much from the robberies, burnings and destruction of alien enemies at divers times, has granted that those men shall be quit of all tallages, taxation and other contributions for eight years next following, and has granted to them in aid of enclosing, fortifying that town and for paving it, certain customs on things coming to the town for sale, which sums and the portion for tallages and other contributions shall be expended upon the fortifying of the town by the view of the sheriff.
Et erat patens. By p.s.

Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 16). Granted at Kennington. Granted by p.s..

Primary Sources

Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1900, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1340-43) Vol. 5 p. 563 online copy
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1904, Calendar of Close Rolls Edward III Vol. 7 p. 603 online copy

Secondary Sources

Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Page, Wm (ed), 1908, 'The liberty of Portsmouth and Portsea Island: Introduction', VCH Hampshire Vol. 3 p. 172-192 online copy

Comments

Eight years remission of tax must represent a considerable sum.
The tax exemption for 8 years was a practical response which was not renewed (Coulson). It was renewed for 10 years in 1371.

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