Mayor, jurats and community of Rye. King and council. The Mayor, jurats and community...

Petitioners

Mayor, jurats and community of Rye.

Addressees

King and council.

Nature of request

The Mayor, jurats and community of Rye ask, in view of the destruction of their town, for a certain sum of money, or alternatively for the profits of the bailiwick of the town and the custom on wood and fish for ten years, to provide the town with walls and other fortifications to protect it in future. In return, they promise that they will provide the King with two balingers by the feast of Candlemas.

Nature of endorsement

Provided that they work diligently on the enclosure and fortification of the town, and, when it is enclosed and fortified keep it safely, and have the said two balingers ready and prepared between now and Candlemas, as has been said, at their own expense, it is granted to them in parliament that they are to have and receive the customs listed below, by way of murage, through their suitable appointees for whom they will be happy to answer: namely 2 pence from each thousand of firewood passing through their port, and 2 pence from each seine of fish carried from there, and three pence in the pound from all other merchandise carried from there, and brought and unloaded there, except wools, hides and wool-fells, to have for five years: and if the war lasts for longer than five years, which God forbid, without peace or a long truce, then they are to have the said customs for another five years, in the aforesaid form. Provided always that the money is entirely spent on fortification, and not in any other manner.

Places mentioned

Rye, [Sussex].

A related petition is SC 8/68/3391