The Gatehouse website record of a grant of exemption for murage for men of Gumecestre

men of Godmanchester (men of Gumecestre) was granted an exemption from murage dated 15/2/1392.

Wording

Whereas King John by a charter which Edward I, Edward III, and the present king have inspected and confirmed granted to his men of Gumecestre their manor of Gumecestre to be held from him and his heirs at fee farm with all belonging to the farm of that manor for 120l. weight and tale; and whereas the said men have petitioned the king setting forth that by virtue of the said charter and the general words therein they have had among other liberties the chattels of felons and fugitives and suicides (felonum de se) and of those who abjured the realm, and infangethef and outfangethef, until of late they were disturbed in their enjoyment of the said liberties, and praying that they might have the said liberties confirmed to them by special words;
now the king, considering the damages done by inundations of fresh water to the lands and mills of the said manor, of special grace and for a fine of 40l. paid in the hanaper, has hereby granted to the said men that they shall have the said manor with its appurtenances and all chattels of felons, fugitives, suicides, outlaws, and those who have abjured the realm, infangthef, outfangthef and all other forfeitures within the said manor and liberty as well of natives and residents as of foreigners and strangers; with further grant that the said men shall be quit of toll, murage, stallage, passage and pavage through all the king's realm. By p.s. {7909.}
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27 January 1427. 5 Henry VI. Westminster.
To all sheriffs, mayors, constables, bailiffs, ministers and other liege subjects of the king within the realm. Order to suffer the men and tenants of the manor of Godmondcestre, which is of the ancient demesne of the crown as appears by certificate sent into chancery by the treasurer and chamberlains by command of the king and exemplified by letters patent produced, to be quit of toll, pavage and murage throughout the realm, and of the expenses of knights coming to parliament for the commons, releasing any distresses upon them made; as according to the custom of the realm hitherto kept and approved men and tenants of the ancient demesne are and ought to be quit of paying the same.

Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 15). Granted at Westminster. Grant by By p.s. {a fine of 40l. paid in the hanaper} .

Primary Sources

Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1916, Calendar of Charter Rolls 15 Edward III - 5 Henry V 1341-1417 Vol. 5. (HMSO) p. 327 view online copy
Stamp, A.E. (ed), 1933, Calendar of Close Rolls Henry VI (1422-29) Vol. 1 p. 287 online

Comments

GODMANCHESTER 5245 2707. Borough 1319 (BF, p. 126). 1334 Subsidy £142.67. Site of Roman fort and settlement. Assessed as a borough in 1319, but this probably reflects its status as ancient demesne, rather than its urban character (J.F. Willard, ‘Taxation boroughs and parliamentary boroughs’ in J.G. Edwards, V.H. Galbraith and E.F. Jacob eds, Historical Essays in Honour of James Tait (Manchester, 1933), p. 432; Glasscock, p. 136). Nevertheless, the later medieval settlement had some commercial features (J.A. Raftis, A Small Town in Late Medieval England: Godmanchester 1278–1400 (Toronto, 1982), esp. pp. 189–201). No grants were made to hold a market or fair here in the medieval period. However, it is probable that a market was held at Horseshoe Corner. Market first mentioned in 1533 (VCH Huntingdonshire, ii, p. 291). Market town c.1600 (Everitt, p. 474).(Letters, S., 2003, Gazetter of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516 (Centre for Metropolitan History) online)

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