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Provost and Commonalty of Athboy was granted an exemption from murage dated 8/12/1408.

Wording
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Charter of Athboy, in the county of Meath; reciting a petition from the Provost and Commonalty of the town, which sets forth that the town had been, from time immemorial, an ancient borough, situate near the Marches, but was now depopulated, in resisting the English rebels and Irish enemies, by calamities and plagues, for many years, and in consequence of the great losses they sustained, without aid and comfort from the Crown, they could no longer endure; —they claimed the privilege of electing a Provost annually, from amongst themselves, and of presenting him before the Lord of Athboy, in his castle, in every year, on the Feast of Saint Michael, and to hold before him, the provost, pleas of all debts, accounts, transgressions, covenants, detinues, and all personal contracts occurring in the town and liberties; pleas of novel disseisin, concerning the tenures of those who were within the metes, by plaint of frisca forcia, before the Provost, in the hundred of the town, from 15 days to 15 days; saving to the Lord all the issues, revenues, and profits of the hundred, and of all other courts held by the Provost within the town and hundred, together with the tolls, tollbolls, and all other customs and rights of the town, and the issues theretofore received and due to the Lords of Athboy;—they were accustomed to elect in every year an officer who was called a Sergeant, to perform the duties appertaining to the pleas and execution of judgments, according to the custom of the town ; to have a weekly market within the town on Wednesday and Thursday, from nine o'clock until evening; and divers other good usages and customs.
The present charter, for the relief of the town, and to induce merchants and faithful subjects to frequent it, confirms all those privileges, and the privileges and immunities antecedently used and enjoyed, and grants to the burgesses the franchises and liberties following, namely, that they, their heirs and successors, shall have a guild mercatory for ever, with Hanse and other franchises and free usages to the guild pertaining; that the burgesses shall have sac, soc, toll, and theam, infangthef and outfangthef, and they shall be free of toll, lastage, passage, pontage, stallage, and murage, through all ports of the sea and throughout the King's dominions. … {various liberties and a grant of murage for 60 years} …
Witnesses—Robert, Bishop of Meath ; John, Bishop of Kildare; Patrick, Bishop of Ferns; Gerald FitzMaurice, Earl of Kildare ; Robert Sutton, Keeper of the Great Seal; William Tynbegh, Deputy Treasurer; Sir Thomas Fleming, Baron of Slane; Sir David Wogan; Sir Christopher Preston; and many others—Trim, Dec. 8, 9° Henry (IV.), 1408.

Granted by Henry IV. (Regnal year 9). Granted at Trim.
Primary Sources

Morrin, J. (ed), 1862, Calendar of the Patent and Close Rolls of Chancery in Ireland Vol. 2 p. 452-54 view online

Secondary Sources
1835, Reports from Commissioners: Municipal Corporations in Ireland Vol. 27 p. 119

Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 14/03/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.

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