merchants of Coventry (merchants of Coventre) was granted an exemption from murage dated 2/3/1334.
Wording
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Carta ville de Coventre.
Writ of Privy Seal addressed to Archbishops, Bishops, Bailiffs, &c., that they allow merchants of Coventre to pass quit of certain tolls. Witnesses, J{ohn Stratford}, Archbishop elect of Canterbury, the King's Chancellor, H{enry de Burghersh}, Bp. of Lincoln, R{oger de Northburgh}, Bp. of Coventry and Lichfield, John {of Eltham}, Earl of Cornwall, the King's most dear brother, John de Warren, Earl of Surrey, William de Roos de Hamelak, William de Montagu, Ralph de Neville, Steward of the King's Household, and others {not named}. Dated at York, 2 March, 8 Edward III. {A.D. 1333-4}.
The above being read before John de Pulteneye, the Mayor, and the Aldermen on Monday the morrow of SS. Philip and James {1 May}, the year aforesaid {A.D. 1334}, it was agreed that merchants of Coventry should be quit of murage.
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Writ to the Mayor and Sheriffs and collectors of toll, pavage, pontage, and murage in the City that they permit merchants of the town of Coventre to be quit of such demands, according to the terms of their charter. Witness the King at the Tower of London, 20 May, 12 Edward III. {A. D. 1338}.
Allocac' fc'a mercatoribus de Coventre de muragio etc.
Pursuant to the above writ it was granted that the merchants of Coventre should be quit of murage, &c.
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Inspeximus of divers Charters.
15 Edward III., May 10th {1341}.—Charter of Inspeximus and Confirmation of the Charter of Inspeximus by Edward II. of the Charter by Henry III. of Inspeximus of the Charter whereby Henry II. confirmed the Charter granted to the burgesses of Coventre by Ranulf Earl of Chester: With Inspeximus of a previous Charter by the present King Edward III., granting to the Merchants of Coventre, and to their heirs and successors being merchants of the same town, that they should be exempt for ever from toll, pannage, pontage, murage &c., in respect to their goods and merchandize throughout the said King's realm and dominion; With further concession to the burgesses and honest men of Coventre, that all Inquisitions made in the said town, before the King, his heirs, justices or ministers, or the justices or ministers of his heirs, respecting contracts, agreements, or trespasses made or to be made in the said town, or respecting lands and tenements within the same town, should and ought to be made by burgesses and men of the said town, and not by foreigners, so long as the matters to be enquired into touch neither the King nor the community of the said town.
Confirmation by Richard II. of divers Charters.
1 Richard II., March 4 (1378).—Charter of Inspeximus and Confirmation of the Charter whereby Edward III. granted to the Merchants of Coventre and their successors to be free of toll, pannage, pontage, and murage, &c. With Inspeximus and Confirmation of the Charter granted by Edward III. (10 May 1341, supra) in confirmation of the Charter of Edward II., in confirmation of the Charter whereby Henry III. confirmed the Charter granted by Henry II., confirming the Charter given by Ranulph Earl of Chester to his burgesses of Coventre: With Inspeximus and Confirmation of other Charters of Edward III., conceding liberties, privileges, and powers to the burgesses of Coventre
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March 24. 1378. Westminster. 1 Richard II
Inspeximus and confirmation, with clause licet, in favour of the mayor, bailiffs and men of Coventry, tenants of the manor of Cheilesmore, of the following:-
{various charter and patent letters}
Notwithstanding that the licence of King Edward III was not obtained for the above grants;
and the king further grants that the said mayor, bailiffs and men shall be quit of murage within the city and county of Chester and elsewhere within his realm and power;
and that all future mayors of Coventre upon election shall make oath of office before the king's coroner of the said town in the presence of the commonalty thereof, and shall not be compelled to make such oath before the barons of the Exchequer or elsewhere than in the said town;
and that the mayor, bailiffs and men shall have infangthef and outfangthef within the view of frank pledge granted to them by these charters;
and whenever any array of men at arms, armed men, hobblers or archers shall henceforth be made in the said town under any com- mission or mandate under any seal of the king's, the mayor shall be joined in the said commission, and if he be not so joined, no array shall be made.
By p.s. {290} and for the payment of 70l. for the building of a balinger.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 8). Granted at York.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1912,
Calendar of Charter Rolls Edward III 1327-1341 Vol. 4. (HMSO) p. 305
Sharpe, R.R. (ed), 1903,
Calendar of letter-books of the city of London E: 1314-1337 - Folio ccxxvi b.
onlineSharpe, R.R. (ed), 1904,
Calendar of letter-books of the city of London F: 1337-1352 - Folio xvi.
onlineHMC, 1899, 'The corporation of Coventry: Charters, letters patent, etc.'
The Manuscripts of Shrewsbury and Coventry Corporations {etc} Fourth report, Appendix: Part X p. 109-127
onlineMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1916,
Calendar of Charter Rolls 15 Edward III - 5 Henry V 1341-1417 Vol. 5. (HMSO) p. 240
view online copy
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 27/01/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
