The Gatehouse website record of a grant of murage for Dublin granted 20/12/1374

Dublin was given a grant of murage dated 20/12/1374.

This was in the form of:-

Surtax:- for 24 years + for 20 years Starting 28/10/1374 running to 27/10/1418.

This is a grant which may have been used for walls but could have been used for other civic improvements.

Wording

William de Wyndesore, Governor in Ireland for Edward III. Authority to Mayor and bailiffs, during twenty-four years from 28th October 1374, and for twenty years subsequent to the termination of that period, to levy on merchandize brought to Dublin for sale, all such tolls and imposts as from the time of the conquest of Ireland, they were empowered or accustomed to take for murage, pavage and other necessary works, as well as for strengthening the city. The grant is for the relief of the citizens, for the emendation and repair of the city and its defences, and in "cordial recognition" of the voluntary and laudable services rendered by the citizens to the King and his liege people of his land of Ireland in resisting Irish enemies, in relieving his loyal subjects, incurring divers debts and losses both by subsidies and tallages freely granted to the King in aid of his wars, and in supplying horses and arms in several expeditions against the Irish enemies.
----
20 Dec. 1374 Naas
To the K.'s beloved mayor and bailiffs of his city of Dublin.
In cordial recognition of the good and laudable service which the citizens of the K.'s city of Dublin and his faithful people of the his land of Ire. rendered before this time and still render in resisting various Irish enemies and rebels of the K. in that land, and also in relief of various lieges there, and also recalling various excessive burdens and damages that the same citizens have incurred, both by subsidies and tallages granted to the K. in aid of his wars, and also through the killing and loss of armed horses in various expeditions made by the K. on his said enemies, GRANT and LICENCE, of the K.'s special grace, and in relief, improvement and repair of the said city and the provisioning of same, that the mayor and bailiffs of his city of Dublin may take, collect, receive and have from all and singular articles for sale coming to the same city all tolls, customs, guilds and other accustomed duties from articles for sale by reason of the murage and pavage and other necessary works for the provisioning of same until the end of 24 years from 20 Oct. , and after the end of those 24 years until the completion of a further 20 years, without rendering any account at the K.'s Ex. or elsewhere. Always providing that the money derived from the tolls, customs, guilds and other accustomed duries is spent well and faithfully on the murage, pavage and other necessary works and the provisioning of the city, and not otherwise. The K. orders them to collect, take and receive the tolls, customs, guilds and other accustomed duties from all and singular articles for sale coming to the said city for the remainder of the 24 years and to receive and have them in the said form. And at the end of that term, the tolls, customs, guilds and accustomed duties shall cease and be removed entirely. The K. wishes them to be exonerated and quit from all accounts for the said tolls by these presents, notwithstanding any other grants.
Attested: William Windsor, governor and keeper
----
Consuetudines Civitati Dublin. pro muragio et pavagio concessae confirmantur
RIC'US dei gracia Rex Angl' et Franc' et Dominus Hibernie Omnibus ad quos presentes littere prevenerint Salutem Inspeximus quasdam litteras patentas sigillo quo Dominus E' nuper Rex Angl' avus nostr utebatur in Hibern consignatas in hec verba-Edwardus dei gracia Rex Angl' et Franc' et Dominus Hibern dilictis sibi majori et Ballivis Civitatis sue Dublin' salutem Sciatis quod nos corditer recolentes gratuita et laudabilia obsequia que Cives Civitatis praedicte nobus et fideli populo nostro terre nostre Hibern tam in resistenciam divsorum Hibernicorum inimicorum et rebellium nostrorum ejusdem terre quam in relacõem diversorum ligeorum nostrorum ibidem ante hec tempera impenderunt et impendere non desistunt necnon deiversa onera et dampna excessiva que iidem Cives tam per subsidia et tallagia nobis in auxilium guerrarum nostrrum per ipsos gratanter concessa quam in equis armaturis in diversis viagiis super dictos inimicos nostros per ipsos factis interfectis et deperditis de gracia nostra speciali in relevacionem emendacionem et reperacionem ejusdem civitatis et garnesturarum ibidem concessimus et licenciam dedimus pro nobus er her' nostris quod vos et successores vestri posteri cives dicte civitatis capere colligere percipere possitis et habere de diversis et singulis rebus venalibus ad eandem Civitatem venientibus omnes tolnetas custumas gildas et alias consuetudines universas de hujusmodi rebus venalibus ratione muragii et pavagii et aliorum necessiorum operum garnesturarum imposterum usque ad finem viginti et quatuor annorum qui a vicesimo die October proximo praeterito de antiquis concessionibus nostris vobis antea inde confectis hucusque restant venturi et ultra post finem dictorum viginti et quatuor annorum per viginti annos extunc proximo sequentium plenar' complend' absque aliquo computato nobus ad scaccarium nostrum hibern aut alibi pro praedictis tolnetis custumis gildis et consuetudinibus sive pro ter terminis in dictis antiquis concessionibus nostris contentis quorum quidem terminorum dicti viginti et quatuor anni a dicto vicesimo oct{ } die hucusque ut praedictur restant ventur' seu pro eodem termino viginti annorum vel ultra eosdem viginti et quatuor annos jam de novo sicut praedictum est per nos concesso aliqualiter reddendo Ita semper quod denar' de hujusmodi tolnetis custumis gildis et consuetudinibus provenientes circa muragium et pavagium et alia nesecceria opera et garnesturas ejusdem Civitatis et non alibi bene et fidelitur expendantur Et ideo vobis mandamus quod tolnetas custumas gildas et alias consuetudines praedictas de universis et singulis rebus venalibus in Civitate praedicta usque ad finem dictorum viginti annorum ultra viginti et quatuor annos praedictos plenarie complend' colligatis capiatis et precipiatis et habeatis in forma praedicta Completo autem termino illo tolnete custume gilde et alie consuet' praedicte penitus cessent et deleantur Volumus enim vos et successores vostros posteros Cives Civitatis praedicte a quocumque computato nobus ad Scaccarium nostrum praedictum aut alibi ratione hujusmodi tolnetarum custumarum gildarum aut consuetudinus de terminis praedictis per vos perceptis sive imposterum usque ad finem dictorum viginti annorum ultra viginti et quatuor annos praedictos plenar' complend' praetextu praesentis concessionis nostre precipiend' aliqualiter reddend' omnio exonerari et quietos fieri per praesentes eo non obstante quod pro eisdem tolnetis custumis gildis et consuetudinibus pro quodam termino in quibusdam aliis litteris nostris vobus inde confectis contento unde dicti viginti et quatuor anni a dicto die ut praemittitur restant ventur' in fine ultimi anni ejusdem termini nobus inde ad scaccarium nostrum praedictum { } reddere teneamini In cujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras fieri fecimus patentes T' Wilhelmo de Wyndesore Gub'natore et custode terre nostre Hibern apud le Naas xx die December anno r.n. angl' quadragesimo octavo r. vero n. Franc' tricesimo quinto-NOS autem littras praedictas et omnia contenta in eisdem rata habentes et grata ea pro nobis et her' nostris quantum in nobis est acceptamus approbamus ratificamus et confirmamus prout littere praedicte rationabiliter testantur In cujus rei testimonium has littras nostras fieri fecimus patentes T' Jacobo le Botiller Comite Dormond' Justic' nostro Hibern apud Tristeldermont nono die Januar' anno r. n. secondo.
----
9 Jan. 1379 Castledermot
INSPEXIMUS and CONFIRMATION of letters patent attested by William Windsor, governor and keeper of Ire., dated at Naas, 20 Dec. 48 Edw. III, by which the K. granted the mayor and bailiffs of the city of Dublin a licence to take certain customs for 24 years from 28 Oct. 1374 remaining from a former grant, and for a further 20 years at the end of that term, for the murage, pavage and other necessary works of the city. (The date of this item is given as 29 Jan. 1379 in CARD, i, pt 1, §51)
Attested:
James Butler, e. Ormond, Jcr

Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 48). Granted at Naas. Granted by William de Wyndesore, Governor in Ireland.

Primary Sources

Gilbert, J.T. (ed) et al, 1889, Calendar of the ancient records of Dublin Vol. 1 p. 24-25 online copy
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 48 Edw. III View CIRCLE record
Commissioners on the Public Records of Ireland, 1889 (prepared 1829-30), Chartae Privilegia et Immunitates, being transcripts of charters and privileges to cities, towns, abbeys and other bodies corporated, 18 Henry II. to 18 Richard II., 1171 to 1395 (Dublin; Irish Record Commission) p. 76 (ref. E Rot. Pat. 3 Ric. II. m. 41. f.)
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 2 Ric. II View CIRCLE record

Comments

The inspeximus and confirmation early in the reign of Richard II may just have been the city establishing a relationship with a new administration. However, it may be there was some dissent about this unusually long murage grant (or about murage per se ) which had increased with the new regime and the city fathers felt a particular need to reassert this taxation power.

	Murage Home

	Grants
	Exemptions
	Petitions
	Other