dean and chapter of the church of St. Peter, York was granted an exemption from murage dated 1/4/1340.
Wording
Notification that among other liberties which Henry III. granted to the dean and chapter of the church of St. Peter, York, it is granted that they and the canons, their successors and all their men shall be quit of toll, tallage, passage, pedage, lastage, stallage, hidage, wardage, works and aids of castles, walls, bridges, and parks, walls, dykes and stews, finding ships, building royal palaces, work and custody of castles, and from finding carriage, and that the king has confirmed the same by charter, granting further that none of these liberties shall have lapsed by disuse, and that the dean and chapter, canons and their men shall be quit of murage, pontage, pavage and panage.
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Nov. 6. 1346. Windsor. 20 Edward III
Notification to all persons interested of the grant by charter of Henry III to the dean and chapter of the church of St. Peter, York, among other liberties that they should be quit of toll and other specified charges, and of the confirmation of such liberties by the present king, with the addition that they shall be quit of murage, pontage, pavage and piccage.
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Feb. 20. 1380. Westminster. 3 Richard II
To all sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, ministers etc. to whom these presents shall come. Order to suffer Master John de Clifford treasurer and canon of the church of St. Peter York, his men and tenants of Motesfonte, Alne, Tollerton, Akum, Holgate, Newthorp, Wylton, Langtoft and Clyfton, to use and enjoy all liberties and quittances granted by charters of former kings, confirmed by the king, to the dean and chapter of that church and singular the canons thereof; as among other liberties it was granted that in city and borough, markets and fairs, in passage of bridges and seaports, and in all places throughout England they and all their men shall be quit of toll, tallage, passage, pedage, lastage, stallage, hidage, wardage, murage, pontage, pavage, picage, works and aids of castles, walls, bridges and parks, of sea walls, dikes and fish ponds, of building of shipping and of the king's houses, of all work and ward of castles and all carting and sumpter service, nor should their wains, carts or horses be taken for any carriage, or their woods or aught else for such works.
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June 15. 1392. York. 16 Richard II
To all mayors, coroners, reeves, bailiffs, ministers, lieges and subjects of the king. Order to suffer the (said) dean and chapter and the canons to use and enjoy the liberties and quittances in the king's charter contained, not troubling them touching the same contrary to that charter; as among other liberties etc. to them granted by charters of former kings it is granted that they and their successors and all their men shall in city and borough, in markets and fairs, in passage of bridges and seaports and in all places throughout England, Ireland, Wales and all the king's lands and waters be quit of toll, passage, works and aids of castles, walls and bridges whatsoever, of every earthly service and secular demand; and the king has confirmed those charters by his charter with the clause licet.
Et erat patens.
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July 1. 1407. Westminster. 8 Henry IV
To the sheriff of York for the time being. Order, when required by the dean and chapter of the church of St. Peter York, to cause proclamation to be made of the charters of former kings, whereby among other liberties and quittances it is granted that they and singular the canons and their successors, their men and tenants free and neif shall all be quit in city and borough, market and fair, in passage of bridges and seaports and in all places throughout England, Ireland and Wales and all the king's lands and waters of toll, murage, pontage, tallage, passage, pedage, lastage, stallage, hidage, wardage, works and aids of castles, walls, bridges, parks, sea walls, dikes and stews, and order to cause all things therein contained to be observed, not troubling them, their men or tenants, or suffering them to be troubled or grieved; as the king has confirmed those charters with the clause licet.
{probably should have been cancelled}
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July 1. 1407. Westminster. 8 Henry IV
To the mayor, sheriffs and aldermen of York for the time being. Order, upon petition of the dean and chapter of the church of St. Peter York, when by them required to cause proclamation to be made of the charters of former kings, whereby among other liberties and quittances it is granted that they and singular the canons and their successors, their men and tenants free and neif shall all be quit in city and borough, market and fair, in passage of bridges and seaports and in all places throughout England, Ireland and Wales and all the king's lands and waters of toll, murage, pontage, tallage, passage, pedage, lastage, stallage, hidage, wardage, of works and aids of castles, walls, bridges, parks, sea walls, dikes and stews, and to cause all things therein contained to be kept, suffering them to be thereof quit within that city and the liberty of the same, and not troubling nor grieving them, and if aught has been of them levied or taken by the mayor etc., or by their ministers, order to make them restitution, so behaving that by reason of abuse thereof the king shall be given no cause for revoking his letters patent; as he has confirmed the said charters with the clause licet, and now he has information that by colour of his said letters, made in aid of building the city walls and a bridge called 'Fossebrig,' and repairing another bridge called 'Ousebrig' therein, the mayor etc. have been levying toll etc. of the dean and chapter, the canons, their men and tenants, and cease not so to do, distraining and troubling them for the same contrary to the said charters, wherefore they have prayed for remedy; and it was not the king's intent when his letters were made, neither is it, that any such toll etc. shall by colour thereof be levied of them or any of them.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 14). Granted at Westminster.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1898,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1338-40) Vol. 4 p. 444
view online copyMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1345-48) Vol. 7 p. 199
view online copyMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1914,
Calendar of Close Rolls Richard II (1377-81) Vol. 1 p. 285
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1922,
Calendar of Close Rolls Richard II (1389-92) Vol. 4 p. 469
Stamp, A.E. (ed), 1929,
Calendar of Close Rolls Henry IV (1405-09) Vol. 3 p. 212 [online > http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=102393>online
Stamp, A.E. (ed), 1929,
Calendar of Close Rolls Henry IV (1405-09) Vol. 3 p. 214 [online > http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=102397>online
Comments
Clearly, in practice, this exemption was difficult to enforce, even in York, where access to the charters was relatively easy. How did the dean and chapter manage to get this exemption elsewhere (ie. at Kingston upon Hull) or did they just trade at York?
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 16/01/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.