tenants of Cawston and Burgh-next-Aylsham co. Norfolk (Causton and Burgh in the hundred of Sutherpyngham co. Norffolk) was granted an exemption from murage dated 1/12/1385.
Wording
To all sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, ministers and lieges of the king within liberties and without to whom etc. Order to suffer all tenants of Queen Anne in the towns of Causton and Burgh in the hundred of Sutherpyngham co. Norffolk to be quit of payment of toll, stallage, chimenage, pontage, pavage, picage, murage and passage upon their goods and property, as they ought to be, and other such tenants used ever heretofore to be time out of mind; as by the king's grant those towns, which are of the ancient demesne of the crown as it is found by certificate sent into chancery by the treasurer and the chamberlains at the king's command, are held in dower or for life by the queen, and all her tenants therein ought to be quit of toll etc. throughout the realm.
Et erat patens.
----
Feb. 1. 1386. Westminster.
To all sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, ministers and lieges of the king to whom etc. Order to suffer all the tenants of Queen Anne in the town of Causton in the hundred of Southerpyngham co. Norffolk to be quit of payment of toll, stallage, chiminage, pontage, pavage, picage, murage and passage upon their goods and property, as they ought to be and ever heretofore used to be time out of mind; as the said town is of the ancient demesne of the crown, as it is found by certificate of the treasurer and the chamberlains sent into chancery at the king's command, and by his grant the queen holds the same in dower or for life, and all her tenants there ought to be quit of toll etc. throughout the realm.
Like writ in favour of the queen's tenants of Burgh in the same hundred and county.
----
Dec. 8. 1433. Westminster. 12 Henry IV
To all sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, constables, ministers and other lieges of the king to whom etc. Order to suffer the tenants in the towns of Causton and Burgh in the hundred of 'Sutherpyngham' co. Norffolk which are of the ancient demesne of the crown, as appears by certificate of the treasurer and chamberlains sent into chancery by command of King Richard II and remaining upon the file, to be quit of payment of toll, stallage, chiminage, pontage, pavage, picage, murage and passage throughout the realm; as according to the custom heretofore kept and approved in England men and tenants of the ancient demesne ought to be thereof quit.
Et erat patens.
----
{In 1605, James I. granted them his charter of certificate, that they and the tenants of Burgh manors by Aylesham, were tenants in ancient demean, and as such were free from toll, stallage, cheminage, pontage, panage, picage, murage and passage, in all England, and this charter was renewed in King Charles the First's time, ano 1625. (Autog. inter Cartas Edn. Lombe, Armigeri)} (Blomefield)
Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 9). Granted at Westminster.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1921,
Calendar of Close Rolls Richard II (1385-89) Vol. 3 p. 18-19
onlineMaxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1921,
Calendar of Close Rolls Richard II (1385-89) Vol. 3 p. 40
onlineStamp, A.E. (ed), 1933,
Calendar of Close Rolls Henry VI (1429-35) Vol. 2 p. 265
online
Secondary Sources
Blomefield, Francis, 1807, 'Hundred of South Erpingham: Cawston'
An Essay towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk Vol. 6
online
Comments
BURGH NEXT AYLSHAM 6218 3251. 1334 Subsidy £39. The manor was closely associated with Cawston (q.v.).
CAWSTON 6133 3238. 1334 Subsidy £120. Market town c.1600 (Everitt, p. 474). ). Cawston had a complex manorial structure and from the late twelfth century was usually held with Aylsham and Burgh next Aylsham; in 1201 Hubert de Burgh acquired it; in 1272 Hubert's son John de Burgo appears to have given it to King Edward I, who in 1274 assigned it to Queen Eleanor; after her death it remained in royal hands for a number of years (F. Blomefield and C. Parkin, An Essay towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk, vi (London, 1807), pp. 254-7, 269, 427). ((Letters, S., 2003,
Gazetter of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516 (Centre for Metropolitan History)
online)
In 1386 Richard II granted Cawston (and Burgh) to Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk.
The exemption was probably the usual borough exemption but this repeat and affirmation of privileges may have been a 'sweetener' to add value to the manor.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 20/02/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
