The Gatehouse website record of a grant of murage for Salisbury granted 20/7/1377

Salisbury (Sarum) was given a grant of murage dated 20/7/1377.

This was in the form of:-

Enforcement power:-
Licence to crenellate

Wording

Licence for Ralph, bishop of Salisbury, and for his successors to strengthen with a wall and crenellate that city (Civitatem) and his manor there, also his manors (manerium) of Bisshopwodford, Shirbourne, Chirdestoke, Potterne, Canynge, Rammesbury and Sunnyng, and his manor in (manerium in) Fletstrete in the suburb of London. By p.s.
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Commission to Ralph, bishop of Salisbury, reciting the licence lately granted to him to crenellate that city and divers manors, and empowering him to take as many workmen and labourers within six leagues of the city as he shall need for the strengthening of the same, excepting the fee of the church, and put them upon the works at reasonable wages; with power to arrest and imprison the disobedient. {Hoare's History of Wilts.} By C.
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License of Richard the Second, permitting the Bishop to fortify his manerial residences and the City of Salisbury, 1378.
Ricardus dei gracia Rex Anglie et Francie Dominus IHybcrnie Omnibus ad quos p'sentes litere prevenerint salutem Sciatis quod de gracia nostra speciali concessimus et licentia dedimus pro nobis et heredibus nostris quant'm in nobis est venerabili in Xp'o Sar' Episcopi Radolpho Episcopo Sarisberien' quod ipse et successores sui et eorum quilibet tam civitatem Sar' et manerium suum ib'm quam maneria sua de Byshoppe Wodford Sherborne Chardstocke Poterne Cannynge Rammesbury et Sunning una cum manerio suo in Fletestrete in suburbio London' muro de petra et calce fermare et kernellare et civitatem et maneria ilia sic fermata et kernellata tenere possint impropetuum sine occasione vel impedimento nostri vel heredum nostror' Justiciaror' escactor' Vicecomitem aut alior' ballivor' seu ministror' nostror' quorumcunque. In cujus rei testimonium l'ras literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste me ipso apud Westmon' vicesimo die Julii anno regnor' nostror' primo.
Per breve de private sigillo.
Bishop's Records. H .
Commission by Richard II. authorising the Bishop to exact the services of Workmen and Labourers, to complete the fortifications of the City, and empowering him to imprison the contumacious, 1378.
Ricardus dei gracia Rex Anglie et Fran' et Dominus Hibn venerabili in Xp'o Pr'i Rad'o ead'm gracia Epispico Sar' salutem. Cum de gracia nostra speriali concesserimus vobis et licentiam dederimus pro nobis et heredibus nostris quantum in nobis est quod vos et successores vostrri et eor' quilibet tam civitatem Sarum quam alia diversa maneria vostra in l'ris nostris patentibus inde confectis contenta muro de petra et calce fermare et kernellare et civitatem illam ac cetera maneria praedicta sic fermata et kernellata tenere possitis impropetuum. Nos advertentes dictam civitatem magnam longitudinem et latitudinem in se continere et absque maxima multitudine laborator' et operancium contra inimicor' nostror' aggressus in instanti periculo festinant' firmare non posse et volentes tuico'i et salvaco'i civitatis illius in ea prospicere ut tenemus assignavirnus et constituimus vos ad tot et tales operarios et laboratores infra dictam civitatem et ejus suburbia ac infra sex leucas dictam civitatem circumquaque contigue adjacentes pro vos et deputatos vostros capiend' et capi faciend' quot et quales pro firmaco'e civitatis praedicte fuerint necessarii feodo ecclesie semper excepto ad eos in operaco'ibus pro firmaco'e civitatis illius necessariis pro vadiis et salariis rationabilibus eis solvend' quamdiu indigerent moratur' ponend' seu poni faciend'. Nec non ad om'es illos quos in hac porte contrerios inveneritis seu rebelles arrestand' et arrestari faciend' ac prisonis nostris mancipand' seu mancipare faciend' in eisdem moratur' quousquia de eor' punico'e aliter duxosimus ordinand'. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod circa p'missa per vos et deputatos vestros praedictos diligenter intendatis et ea effectualiter facter et explicatis in forma praedicta. Damus autem universis et singulis vicecomitibus maioribus ballivis ministris et aliis fidefibus nostris Com. Wiltes tenore p'sencium in mandatis quod vobis et deputatis vestris praedictis in permissis omnibus et singulis faciend' et exequend' intendentes sint respondentes consulentes et auxiliantes quotiens et quando per vos seu deputatos vestros aut aliquem eorum ex porte v'ra fuerint requisiti vel aliquis eorum fuerit requisites. In cujus rei testimon' has l'ras nostras fieri fecimus patentes. T. me ipso apud Westmonasterium xx die Julii anno r. n. primo.
Barton, p. cone.
From the original in the Archives of the Corporation. H.

Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 1). Granted at Westminster. Granted by p.s..

Primary Sources

Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Richard II (1377-81) Vol. 1 p. 9, 10 online copy
Hoare, R.C., 1822-44, History of Modern Wiltshire Vol. 6 p. 747-48 online copy

Secondary Sources

Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 pt 2 p. 328, 417 online copy

Comments

A licence was granted in 1328 and 1372. Here the licence recognises Ralph Ergham, Chancellor of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (Virtual ruler of England at the time) from 1373 to 1377, member of King Richard II's first council. But, with regard to Salisbury the LC clearly supports the enforcement power.

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