provost and royal college of the Blessed Mary of Eton (preposito et collegio regali beate Marie de Eton juxta Wyndesore) was granted an exemption from murage dated 27/3/1442.
Wording
Pro preposito et collegio regali beate Marie de Eton juxta Wyndesore.
17. Item, quedam alia peticio exhibita fuit eidem domino regi, in presenti parliamento, per prefatos communes, pro preposito et collegio regali beate Marie de Eton juxta Wyndesore, in hec verba:
To the wyse and discrete communes of this present parlement; please it to youre wise discrecions, consideryng the most blissid and gracious disposicion of oure most Cristien soveraigne lorde the kynge, in the fundacion of his college of Eton, called the Kynges College of Oure Lady of Eton beside Wyndesore, to pray oure saide soveraigne lorde, to graunte his lettres patentz undre his grete seal, by thadvys and assent of the lordes spirituell and temporell in this present parlement assemblid, and by auctoritie of the same parlement, to the provost and the college of the same place, and to theire successours, after the fourme and effect of a cedule to this bille annexed. Tenor vero cedule predicte sequitur in hec verba:
…
Et quod iidem prepositus et collegium, et successores sui, ac tam omnes homines, quam omnes tenentes sui, necnon quicumque residentes, tam de terris et tenementis, quam de feodis suis predictis, quieti sint imperpetuum, de theoloneo, pavagio, pontagio, kaiagio, muragio, passagio, paiagio, lestagio, stallagio, tallagio, cariagio, pesagio, picagio, terragio, ac scotto et geldo, hidagio, scutagio, ac de operacionibus castrorum, parcorum, et poncium, clausurarum, et domorum regalium edificacione: necnon de sectis comitatuum, hundredorum, et wapentachiorum, et de omnimodis auxiliis regum, ac vicecomitum, et ballivorum suorum, de vigiliis, finibus certis, et prestacionibus arrentatis, visu franciplegii, et de denariis ad visum franciplegii \pertinentibus:/ necnon de quibuscumque denariorum summis, redditibus, sive prestacionibus, pro aliquo premissorum, nobis, heredibus vel successoribus nostris,
…
Hiis testibus etc. Date per manum nostram etc.
Quibus quidem peticione et cedula, in parliamento predicto lectis, auditis et plenius intellectis, de avisamento et assensu predictis, responsum fuit eisdem in forma subsequenti:
Le roy, del advys et assent de les seignurs espirituelx et temporelx, et les communes, esteantz en cest present parlement, ad graunte tout le contenue en iceles peticion et cedule; et q'il soit fait en toutz pointz sicome il est desire.
On behalf of the provost and royal college of the Blessed Mary of Eton near Windsor.
17. Item, another petition was presented to the same lord king in the aforesaid parliament by the aforesaid commons for the provost and college royal of the Blessed Mary of Eton near Windsor, in these words:
To the wise and discreet commons of this present parliament; may it please your wise discretions, considering the most blessed and gracious disposition of our most Christian sovereign lord the king in the foundation of his college of Eton called the King's College of Our Lady of Eton near Windsor, to pray our said sovereign lord, with the advice and assent of the lords spiritual and temporal assembled in this present parliament, and by the authority of the same parliament, to grant his letters patent under his great seal to the provost and college of the same place and to their successors, according to the form and effect of a schedule attached to this bill. The tenor of the aforesaid schedule follows in these words:
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And that the same provost and college and their successors, and all men as well as all their tenants, and also any residents whatsoever, shall be forever quit both of lands and tenements and of their aforesaid fees from toll, pavage, pontage, kevage, murage, passage, travellers' toll, lastage, stallage, tallage, carriage, pesage, pickage, land-tax, scot and geld, hidage, scutage, and from the construction of castles, parks, and the building of bridges, enclosures and royal houses, and also from the suits of court of counties, hundreds and wapentakes and from all manner of aid to kings and to our sheriffs and bailiffs concerning watches, certain fines and commuted payments, views of frankpledge and money pertaining to views of frankpledge, and also from any sums of money, rents or payments whatsoever for any of the foregoing to be paid to us, our heirs or successors;
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These being witnesses, etc. Given by our hand, etc.
Which certain petition and schedule, having been read, heard and fully understood in the aforesaid parliament, with the aforesaid advice and assent, this answer was given to the same in the following form:
The king, with the advice and assent of the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons being in this present parliament, has granted all the contents in this petition and schedule; and that it shall be done in all points as it is desired.
Granted by Henry VI. (Regnal year 20). Granted at Westminster.
Primary Sources
Curry, A. (ed), 2005, 'Henry VI, 1442 January, Text/Translation', in
The Parliament Rolls of Medieval England ed. C. Given-Wilson et al., item 17. Internet version, at
online accessed on 24/04/2009. (Scholarly Digital Editions, Leicester)
Comments
The grants to Eton were very considerable taking up three of the 15 membranes that make up the rolls for this parliament which sat from 25 January to 27 March 1442. Further grants were given in the next parliament. I've dated the charter from the end of the parliament.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 24/04/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
