burgesses of Tenby was granted an exemption from murage dated 1376.
Wording
June 8. 1375. Westminster. 49 Edward III.
Inspeximus and confirmation to the burgesses of Tenby of a charter of Laurence de Hastynges, late earl of Pembroke and lord of Wexford and Bergeveny, dated at Pembroke, 27 February, 16 Edward III, and witnessed by Sirs Hugh de Hastynges, Randolf de Hastynges, William de Hastynges, Thomas West, Oliver de Cervyngton, steward of his lands,knights, John de Bereford, steward of Pembroke and sheriff, Richard de Stakepole, Robert de Rupe, Owen ap Oweyn, John Joce, William Malenfant, Adam de Bocketon, clerk, and others, inspecting and confirming with additions a charter of Aymer de Valencia, earl of Pembroke and lord of Wexford and Montignac dated in his manor of Wynneferthyng in Norfolk, 24 April, 16 Edward II, and witnessed by Sirs Constantine de Mortuo Mari, John de Nevill, steward of his lands, Richard de Monte Caniso, Robert Bendyn, Richard Symond, steward of Pembroke, Richard Stakepol, John Joce, knights, William Godman, sheriff of Pembroke, Walter Malenfant, Walter de Castro, Thomas de Castro Goderici, clerk, and others, inspecting and confirming with additions a charter of William de Valencia, earl of Pembroke, his father, and Joan the countess, his mother, witnessed by Roger de Woldosof, master of Slebech, Sirs Stephen de Edworth, steward of Pembroke, Robert de Valle Ingram de Vilers,Randolf Gacelyn, Edmund Gacelyn and Gilbert de Rupe,knights, Walter Malefant, Robert de Crippyng, John de Castro John Joce,John Beneger, Roger le Clerc and others, granting to the said burgesses quittance of stallage, passage, toll, lastage, murage and pontage pertaining to him or his heirs, carriage, reaping and binding in his lands and meadows, all other labours pertaining to his mills, houses or lands,and of all wards of castles and mills except of their free will; exempting them from leaving their town for the army or horse service except for such distance that they can return in the same day before dark ; granting them commons for their cattle on his lands and meadows in Tenby after the reaping of harvest and hay-gathering until the Purification; granting them licence to distrain for their clear debts upon pledge or principal debtor for as far as their burgage lands extend, and to elect two pairs of reeves yearly for the earl's use without election of any other bailiff, who shall be subject to no labours except holding the hundred court, taxing the fine of 12d. if it be incurred, collecting the lord's rent for the burgages and toll in the town and port, and the prise of beer-brewers (pandexatoribus) to wit, of 12 bushells of malt, wheat and oats 4d, and of a moiety 2d., and of a tun of honey 4d.,and of tun 2d.; and granting that if a burgess die suddenly, his chattels shall be safe and his heir may enter into his inheritance by relief of 12d., and that the burgesses shall do no suit to Pembroke unless they be impleaded by writ, and that if a burgess be attached, he shall not be taken farther than the gate of the castle of Tenby if he can find pledges, except for a felony for which he should lose life or limb; saving always to himself and his heirs their prises of wine from every ship putting in there and other accustomed prises: and granting also, as far as in him lies,that there shall be a fair (feyra) every year for three days in the said town, to wit, on the Assumption and the two days following.
By fine of 20s. paid in the hanaper
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50 Edward III
The burgesses of Tenby to be quit of toll, murage, quayage, pontage, lastage, picage, pavage, stallage, anchorage, keelage, plancage, passage, and all other customs. Pembroke.
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March 2. 1423. Westminster. 1 Henry VI
Exemption, during pleasure, by advice of the great council, of the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of the town of Teneby, in South Wales, from quayage, murage, pontage, pavage and picage in the port and town of Bristoll. By p.s.
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2nd March, I Hen. VI. 1423.—Minutes of Council. An acquittance to be granted to the inhabitants of Tenby of keyage, murage, pontage, paviage, and piccage, in the town and port of Bristol, for twelve years.
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Nov. 28. 1431. Westminster. 10 Henry VI
Grant to the mayor, bailiffs and good men of the town of Bristoll of murage for ten years, with exemption for the men and tenants of Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, of his town of Teneby in Wales.
By p.s.
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July 12. 1445. Westminster. 24 Henry VI
Whereas the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of the town of Tenby, co. Pembroke, have been granted by the king's letters patent that they and their successors should be quit in the port and town of Bristol of all quayage, murage, pontage, pavage and picage during the king's pleasure;
now the king, in the consideration of the damages done daily to the said town by his enemies of France, grants that they shall be quit, as aforesaid, for ever.
By p.s. and of the said date by authority of parliament.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 50). Granted at Pembroke.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1916,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1374-77) Vol. 16 p. 114
view online copyNational Archive C 143/389/25
onlineMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1901,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry VI (1422-29) Vol. 1 p. 581
view online copyNicolas, H (ed), 1834,
Proceedings and Ordinances of the Privy Council of England Vol. 3 p. x
online (p. 49 has the latin in Record type)
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1907,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry VI (1429-36) Vol. 2 p. 183
view online copyMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1927,
Calendar of Charter Rolls 5 Henry VI - 8 Henry VIII, AD 1427-1516, with an appendix, 1215-1288 Vol. 6. (HMSO) p. 46
Secondary Sources
Ballard, A. and Tait, J. (eds), 1923, British borough charters, 1216-1307 p. 268
Comments
Lordly exemption of murage extended by king. Seemingly a 'normal' exemption by Edward III. But Henry VI exempts for a fixed period initially and then 'during pleasure' and from 1445 'for ever'. Still just exempt at Bristol though. Why not a straight forward general exemption like many other boroughs?
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 20/01/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
