mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of Bridgewater, Somerset (Birggewater, co. Somerset) was granted an exemption from murage dated 18/6/1468.
Wording
From the petition of the burgesses of the town or borough of Birggewater, co. Somerset, of which town or borough one third part belongs to the king as earl of March, the king has learnt that the said town is a sea-port and a place frequented by foreign merchants and natives of England (indigenarum) with ships and vessels for trade in those parts, to the profit of the inhabitants of the town or borough and the men of those parts, which town and port are now so decayed that these merchants have ceased to come thither, so that the said inhabitants have withdrawn from the town and port, which will soonremain desolate to the damage of the king and the impoverishing of the country, unless the king show his grace in this matter;
and the king has, therefore, granted of special grace, sure science and mere motion to the burgesses and inhabitants the following liberties;
{numerous liberties}…;
the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses shall be quit through all the king's land and power of all toll, passage, murage, chiminage, pavage, lastage, pontage, stallage, picage, quayage, pecage, carriage, terrage, stricage, pesage and ship-dues (navigio) for all their merchandise through all the king's land power; …
By p.s. and of the said date etc., and for 20s. paid in the hanaper.
Granted by Edward IV. (Regnal year 8). Granted at Westminster. Grant by By p.s. and of the said date etc., and for 20s. paid in the hanaper..
Primary Sources
Maxwell 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. 226-229
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 26/03/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
