Citizens of York was granted an exemption from murage dated 26/2/1252.
Wording
Recital that the king has inspected a charter whereby Richard I granted to the citizens of York,
quietanciam cujuslibet theolonii lastagii et de wrek, pontagii et passagii et de trespas et de omnihbuis costumis per totam Angliam, Normanneam, Aquitaniam, Andegariam et Pictaviam et per omnes partus et castas maris Anglie, Normannie, Andegavie, Aquintanie et Pictavie; et quod idem, cives namia capiant pro debitis suis et se defendant ab omnibus appellationibus per juramenta xxxvj hominum civitatis, nisi quis appellatus fuerit de corpore regis.
Moreover the king has inspected a charter of King John granting to the citizens of York the city to hold at a farm of 160l. {Rotuli Chartarum, 187};
and another charter of King John granting a merchant gild and other liberties {Rotuli Chartarum, 40};
All which charters the king confirms, so far as the liberties therein
contained have been used, adding thereto that the said citizens in the
suburbs of the city shall be quit of the expeditation of their dogs; and
shall pay the farm due yearly at the Exchequer at the proper terms by
their own hands, and shall return and answer at the Exchequer the
summonses of the Exchequer touching the citizens in like manner by their own hands, so that no sheriff or other bailiff saving the citizens shall meddle within the liberty of the city with the farm or summonses aforesaid.
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Jan. 8. 1254. Westminster. 38 Henry III
Pro civibus Eboraci.—Rex concessit civibus Eboraci quod a die Sancti Hillarii anno etc. xxxviij. usque ad festum Sancte Margarete Virginis proximo sequens et ab eodem festo Sancte Margarete usque ad finem duorum annorum proximo sequencium non contribuant de aliquibus rebus vel mercandisis suis auxilio quod rex civibus Linc' concessit ad villam suam Linc' claudendam. Et mandatum est majori et ballivis Linc' quod predictos cives occasione predicti auxilii infra terminum predictum non vexent in aliquo contra hanc concessionem regis. Testibus ut supra. Per reginam et H. de Bathonia. {Testibus ut supra apud Westmonasterium viij. die Januarii.}
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Feb. 1. 1312. York. 5 Edward II
Inspeximus and confirmation of the following charters in favour of the citizens of York:-
1. A charter, dated at Westminster, 26 February, 36 Henry III {Cal. Vol. 1 p. 379}
2. A charter, dated at Windsor, 17 May 40 Henry III …
3. A charter dated at Windsor, 18 May, 40 Henry III …
4. Letters patent dated at Windsor, 9 March, 46 Henry III. {Patent Roll, m. 14.}
and although in certain of the said charters it is contained that 'all the citizens shall be quit of toll, pontage, passage, all all customs throughout England and all the king's power,' and also that 'no citizen shall plead or be impleaded before the the king or any of his justices without the said city touching lands or tenements which they hold within the said city nor of any trespass done in the said city; but if any of the said citizens or any other wish to sue for any land or tenement within the said liberty or to complain to any trespass done therein, he shall persue his right or plaint before the mayor and bailiffs of the said city; and if the matter cannot there be determined, it shall be determined at the suit of the plaintiff before the king's justices next in eyre within the city and not without it or before any of the king's justices specially sent therefore.'
yet nevertheless the said citizens complain of many customs exacted from them in diverse places within the king's power, because those customs are not expressed in the said charters, and also that they are wearied by reason of assizes, juries and inquisitions as well in pleas of lands and tenements in the said city and its suburbs (suburbiis) as of trespasses done therein;
wherefore the king, wishing to show grace to the citizens and in consideration of a fine made with him, has granted to them that they, their heirs and successors, shall be quit of murage, pavage, skewyng, stallage, wharfage, terrage, putage and heyage through all his realm and power; and also that they shall not be put upon assizes, juries or inquisitions without the city by reason of any lands or tenements within the said city and suburbs or by reasons of any trespass done therein; and {some other liberties}. By K.
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Feb. 16. 1312. York. 5 Edward II
Breve domini Regis de quietacione muragu pro civibus Ebor'.
Writ to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London that they allow citizens of York to pass free from payment of murage, pavage, "skewynge" (or "skewenge"), and other customs demanded in the City, according to the terms of the King's charter granted to the citizens of York. Dated at York, 16 Feb., 5 Edward II. {A.D. 1311-12}.
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Aug, 25. 1405. Worcester. 7 Henry IV
To all justices, sheriffs, etc. to whom etc. Order to suffer the citizens of York and their successors to be quit of toll, pavage, passage, pontage, picage, quayage, lastage, anchorage, stallage and carriage, as they ought to be, and as they and their ancestors were used to be since the date of the charters of his forefathers which the king has confirmed, notwithstanding that for particular causes those liberties among other things are seized into the king's hand; as among other liberties and quittances to them granted by those charters it was granted that they and their successors should be thereof quit throughout the realm, and the king's will is to shew them special favour, that seizure notwithstanding. By K.
Granted by Henry III. (Regnal year 36). Granted at Westminster.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903,
Calendar of Charter Rolls Henry III 1226-1257 Vol. 1 (HMSO) p. 379
onlineStamp, A.E. (ed), 1929,
Calendar of Close Rolls Henry III (1253-54) Vol. 8 p. 15
onlineMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1908,
Calendar of Charter Rolls Edward I, Edward II 1300-1326 Vol. 3. (HMSO) p. 185-7
onlineSharpe, R.R. (ed), 1902,
Calendar of letter-books of the city of London D: 1309-1314 - Folio cxliv
onlineStamp, A.E. (ed), 1929,
Calendar of Close Rolls Henry IV (1402-05) Vol. 2 p. 465
Secondary Sources
Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 38
Comments
The men of York were freed in 1254. (Turner)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 02/02/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
