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Beverley petitioned for a grant of murage in {1321-1322}.

Wording
Petitioners: Burgesses of Beverley.
Addressees: King and council.
Places mentioned: Beverley, {East Riding of Yorkshire}.
Other people mentioned: {William Melton} Archbishop of York.
Nature of request: The burgesses of Beverley request that the king confirm their charters, granted by his ancestors, that they might be able to enclose Beverley with a wall and ditch, and that they might be able to raise the costs of doing this, now and in future, from the people of Beverley, according to the wealth of each one.
Endorsement: Coram rege.The king wishes to speak to the archbishop of York and to see their charters, and to do what pleases him.
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{From Poulson}
A nostre seignr le Roy & a son Counseil prient les burgeys de Beverle, q' il pleyse au dit nostre seignr le Roy confenner les chartres q'il oun de ses auncestres, jadys Roys d' Engleter', de la dite vile de Beverle encloer de mure & de fosse. Et qe eaus puyssent lever de touz ceaus de la di te vile de Beverle., solom la quantite de chescuny benes & chateaus, les despenses qe eaus ount mys ore de novel, en temps a venir mettrount, entour la dite enclostour' de mure et de fosse, en amendement & en assurauns de la vile de Beverle avaundit.
Responsia:—Le Roi veut parler a 1'Ercevesq d' Evwyk, & ver lour chartres, & fere ceo q ly plerra.— Pet. in Parl. A.D. 1321, An. 15-16 Edw. II.—Rot. Parl. vol. 1, p. 394.
To our lord the king and to his council, the burgesses of Beverley pray, that it may please our said lord the king to confirm the charters which they have of his ancestors, late kings of England, to enclose the said town with a wall and ditch. And that they may levy from all those of the said town of Beverley, according to the quantity of the goods and chattels of each the expenses that they have now lately or may in time to come be put to on account of the said enclosure with a wall and a ditch, for the improvement and protection of the town of Beverley aforesaid.
The Answer:—The king will speak to the archbishop of York and inspect their charters, and do what it may please him in the business.

Endorsement
Coram rege.The king wishes to speak to the archbishop of York and to see their charters, and to do what pleases him.

Primary Sources
National Archive SC 8/5/222

Secondary Sources
Poulson, G., 1829, Beverlac p. 95 view online

Comments
One of a collection of petitions published on pages 387ff of Rot. Parl., vol I., which all seem to date from around 1322. This dating is confirmed by PROME, Appendix of Unedited Petitions, 1307-1337, Rotuli Parliamentorum I, pp. 387-415, which dates these petitions to 15 or 16 Edward II (1321-1323). (National Archive note)
Beverely received pavage on several occasions but I've not identified a grant that responded to this petition. The town never received murage. Conflicts between the town and the archbishop were frequent.

Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 23/02/2009. Last updated on 22/03/2012. First published online 6/01/2013.

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