Market Privileges 1301-1350

Borough Market Privileges: the Hinterland of Medieval London, C.1400. Originally published by Centre for Metropolitan History, London, 2006.

Citation:

Hannes Kleineke, 'Market Privileges 1301-1350', in Borough Market Privileges: the Hinterland of Medieval London, C.1400( London, 2006), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/borough-market-privileges/1400/1301-1350 [accessed 22 December 2024].

Date Date of the granting of the privilege.	Place The principal place(s) concerned.	Description Description of the substance of the privilege. Bibliographic details are given in square brackets at the end of each entry. The abbreviations used may be found in the Editorial note.
1301	Amesbury (Wiltshire)	Corn may have been marketed at Amesbury in 1301. [VCH Wilts XV, 46]
4/10/1301	Northampton (Northamptonshire)	Grant to the mayor, bailiffs and good men of Northampton of murage for 5 years, viz.: of every horseload of corn or malt for sale 1/4d.; for every horse, mare, ox or cow for sale 1/2d.; for every hide of ox, cow, horse or mare, fresh dried or tanned, for sale, 1/4d.; for 5 bacon hogs for sale 1/2d.; for 10 little hogs for sale 1/2d.; for 10 sheep, goats or pigs for sale 1/2d.; for 10 fleeces for sale 1/2d.; for every 100 woollen skins of sheep or goats for sale 1d.; for every 100 of skins of lambs, kids, hares, rabbits, foxes, cats and squirrels for sale 1/2d.; for every 100 of grisework for sale 6d.; for every quarter of salt for sale 1/4d.; for every horseload of cloth for sale 1/2d.; for every whole cloth for sale, to the value of 40s., 1/2d.; for every little bundle of cloth for sale, carried by a cart, 3d.; for every 100 of cloths of worsted for sale 2d.; for every worsted cloth called coverlet of the value of 40s. for sale 1d.; for every 100 of linen web for sale 1/2d.; for every 100 of linen web of Aylesham for sale 1d.; for every garment of cendal, quilted, for sale 1d.; for any other cendal 1/2d.; for every 100 of Mulwell salted or dry fish for sale 2d.; for every cart load of sea fish for sale 4d.; for every horse load of salt fish for sale 1/2d.; for every salmon for sale 1/4d.; for every dozen of lampreys for sale 1d.; for every cask of sturgeon for sale 1/2d.; for every 1,000 herrings for sale 1/4d.; for every horse load of ashes for sale 1/2d.; for every sack of wool for sale 2d.; for every cart load of tan, by the week, 1d.; for the hundred of avoirdupois weight 1d.; for every weigh of tallow and grease for sale 2d.; for 2,000 onions or herrings for sale 1/2d.; for every bale of cordovan for sale 3d.; for every 100 of boards for sale 1/2d.; for every millstone for sale 1d.; for every 100 of faggots for sale 1/4d.; for every cartload of brushwood and timber for sale by the week 1/2d.; for every hundredweight of tin, brass or copper for sale 2d.; for every little truss of whatsoever merchandise for sale, exceeding the value of 10s., 1/2d.; for every cask of wine for sale 1 1/2d.; for any merchandise not specifically mentioned exceeding the value of 5s., 1/4d. [Lancum vs. Lovell, 205-6; Northampton Records I, 58-61]
7/6/1301	Norwich (Norfolk) London	Extract from the Norwich Liber Albus (fol. 23) On 7/6/1301 the sheriffs of London were summoned before the representatives of the mayor and aldermen of London to answer the citizens of Norwich on complaint that whereas by charters of King John and Henry III and confirmation of Edward I the citizens of Norwich are and ought to be quit from the payment of toll etc. throughout England the sheriffs have unjustly distrained them, especially one Adam Cadewold, their fellow citizen by exacting from him 3d. for the toll of 1/2 freight of mercery brought from parts beyond the sea. And the sheriffs say that when they received their bailiwick they found the king seized of 6d. for the custom of every freight of mercery which the said citizens of Norwich brought into the realm from abroad. And the citizens say that they cannot and will not submit their liberties to investigation here. [cf. London Letter Book C, fol. lix] [Norwich Records II, 258]
20/7/1301	Oxford (Oxfordshire)	Charter of Edward I confirming (among others) a charter of Henry II granting and confirming to the burgesses of Oxford (among other privileges) quittance from toll and passage throughout England and Normandy. [Oxford Royal Letters, 16]
8/7/1305	Norwich (Norfolk)	Charter of Edward I granting to the citizens of Norwich (among other liberties) quittance from toll, pontage, passage, picage, murage, pavage, lastage, carriage, quayage and rivage throughout the realm. [Norwich Records I, 18-20]
1312-16	Southampton (Hampshire) Farnham (Hampshire)	Lawsuit between John le Coupere of Farnham, tenant of the bishop of Winchester and the bailiffs of Southampton; the bailiffs having demanded toll for a hide which John brought to Southampton and seized the hide. John claimed to be quit of toll as a tenant of the bishop of Winchester and was acquitted by a jury. [Oak Book II, 46-53]
20/9/1313	Norwich (Norfolk)	Extract from the city of Norwich's book of Pleas (fol. 47d.): Proceedings of the court of the fair at Boston, 20/9/1313. When the men and merchants of Norwich were distrained for pavage and pontage the same citizens and merchants brought their charter [of 1305] by which they claimed to be quit from pontage and pavage and they brought the writ of the lord king for allowing that charter, and so they depart quit without payment of pontage or pavage and order is given to the bailiff to hand over all distraints seized for that reason. [Norwich Records II, 327]
12/2/1313	Portsmouth (Hampshire)	Inspeximus and confirmation by Edward II of charters of Richard I, John, and Henry III granting to the burgesses of Portsmouth an annual fair for 15 days at the feast of St Peter ad Vincula (i.e. 1 August), a weekly market on Thursdays, and quittance from toll, pontage, passage, pedage, payage, stallage and tallage (as well as other liberties). [Portsmouth Charters, 8-11]
1317	Amesbury (Wiltshire)	A Saturday market was granted to Amesbury Priory in 1317. [VCH Wilts XV, 46]
21/3/1318	Reading (Berkshire) London	Record of a dispute between the town of Reading and the city of London over the distraint put on Thomas le Clerke of Wallingford, burgess of Reading, by the sheriffs of London for toll and custom on his merchandise, contrary to the charter granted to Reading by Henry III, by which the burgesses of Reading are quit from toll and other customs throughout the realm. [Reading Records I, 282/83]
4/2/1319	Colchester (Essex)	Inspeximus and confirmation of a charter of Richard I of 6/12/1189 and its confirmation by Henry III, granting to the burgesses of Colchester (among other liberties) quittance from toll, lastage, pontage and all other customs throughout England. Also grant of quittance from murage, picage and pavage throughout the realm. Also grant of a fair for 8 days on the eve and day of St Denis and for 6 days following. [Colchester Charters, 6-9]
3/2/1325-6	Norwich (Norfolk)	Inspeximus and confirmation by Edward II of 2 charters of Edward I confirming and granting to the citizens of Norwich (among other liberties) quittance of toll, pontage, pavage, picage, murage, carriage, quayage, rivage, passage and lastage throughout the realm. [Norwich Records I, 22-23]
10/5/1327	Oxford (Oxfordshire)	Charter of Edward III confirming (among others) charters of Henry II and Edward I granting and confirming to the burgesses of Oxford (among other privileges) quittance from toll and passage throughout England and Normandy. [Oxford Royal Letters, 35-40]
1329	Southampton (Hampshire) Salisbury (Wiltshire)	Agreement between the mayor and community of Southampton and the mayor and community of Salisbury; laying down the tolls due from the citizens of Salisbury for any goods brought to Southampton, and acquitting them of payment of any other toll, murage, pavage, quayage and pontage on their goods. [Oak Book II, 18-27]
5/11/1330	Northampton (Northamptonshire)	Extracts of a presentment in a crown plea: The jury presents that the bailiffs of Northampton take by extortion from all persons coming to the said town to sell straw, trusses of straw to cover the king's both, against fair times, as well within fair time as without. And they take unjust tolls at all times of the year from all persons buying or selling cattle, whereas nothing used to be taken outside fair time, and then from dealers only, and not from those who bought cattle for stock; and they took from Thomas de Shalford who sold 1 ox 1d., and likewise from the purchaser thereof they took toll. The bailiffs could not deny the allegations and made fine with the king. [Lancum vs. Lovell, 207; Northampton Records I, 61-62]
5/11/1330	Northampton (Northamptonshire) Slipton (Northamptonshire)	Crown plea in Northamptonshire: The jury present that the bailiffs of Northampton have newly levied a certain new custom in the town of Slipton which is 15 miles distant from Northampton, namely from every cart loaded with wool, wax and other merchandise or goods there passing 1d., and from every horse load 1/4d., and they know not by what warrant etc. And the bailiffs and commonalty of Northampton claim that the said toll is part of the farm of the king's town of Northampton and that Henry III was seised of such toll when the town was in his hands, and so are the bailiffs ever since they took the town to farm. And they say they take the toll at Slipton from carts and horses which ought to pass with their merchandise through Northampton, for which they ought to take toll in Northampton and not otherwise. And one William de Tichmerch says that the bailiffs receive by their servants the said custom from all carts and loaded horses as well of the neighbours there passing towards Leicester or Rothwell or elsewhere to the north and likewise those passing to the south with their corn and other things, as of those passing there with merchandise. And this is confirmed by a jury. So the bailiffs are in mercy and are commanded not to take the said toll from the neighbours or others there passing, but only from those who avoid the said town of Northampton to evade custom or toll. [Northampton Records I, 62-63]
20/4/1335	Northampton (Northamptonshire)	Grant to the good men of Northampton of pontage for 3 years, for the repair of the bridge over the river Nen outside the south gate of the said town, which is to a great measure dilapidated and gone to decay, to be taken on articles coming to Northampton for sale. [Lancum vs. Lovell, 206; Northampton Records I, 65-66]
18/3/1337	Northampton (Northamptonshire)	Grant to the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of Northampton of a fair for 1 month on the Monday next after the octaves of Holy Trinity and for 27 days next ensuing. And they shall take no other toll in the said fair than has custumarily been taken in the said town before this grant. [Northampton Records I, 66-68]
4/10/1337	Norwich (Norfolk)	Inspeximus and confirmation by Edward III of a charter of Edward II confirming to the citizens of Norwich their various privileges, including quittance of toll, lastage, passage, pavage, picage, pontage, murage, carriage, rivage and quayage and their confirmation by previous kings. [Norwich Records I, 23]
1338	Deddington (Oxfordshire)	Medieval references to a woolmonger, a draper and a weaver, and to a substantial sum owed by 2 Deddington men as customs duty in the port of London in 1338 suggest participation of tredesmen of Deddigton in the wool and cloth trade. [VCH Oxon XI, 105]
22/4/1338	Dover (Kent)	Inspeximus and confirmation by Edward III of a charter of Henry III granting to the Master and brethren of the Hospital of Domus Dei in Dover (among other liberties) quittance from passage, pontage, lastage, paage, tallage and stallage. [Dover Charters, 44-45]
4/4/1341	Southampton (Hampshire)	New exemplification by Edward III of a charter of his dated 28/3/1328, as the original has been lost in a fire, being a charter of inspeximus and confirmation of charters of Henry II, Richard I, John, and Henry III and their confirmation by Edward II and himself, granting to the burgesses of Southampton (among other privileges) quittance from toll, passage, pontage [1189], murage, pavage [1337], and quayage [1328] throughout the realm. [Southampton Charters I, 10-21]
10/6/1344	Reading (Berkshire)	Inspeximus and confirmation by Edward III of a charter of Henry III granting to the burgesses of Reading (among other liberties) quittance from toll, passage and carriage throughout England. [Reading Charters, 1-2]
1348	Ludgershall (Wiltshire)	In 1348 quittance from toll was granted to those attending Ludgershall market. [VCH Wilts XV, 128]