King John's Charter of 1200 A.D.
William Brewer was friend and confidant to four kings and is
believed to be the man who carried the ransom money to effect King
Richard's release when he was held prisoner on the continent. He was a
shrewd business man and very much a builder - responsible for the first
stone built town bridge in Bridgwater, the castle, St. John's hospital
and no doubt other local premises of his time. During a trip to France,
William Brewer approached the King with a request to grant Bridgwater
its freedom, by a charter, awarding it borough status and the right to
raise certain taxes.
On June 26th, 1200 between Chinon and Tours in France, King John
granted two charters. One gave town the right to build a castle, the
other gave town borough status and with it the right to raise taxes;
payage (pasturage), pontage (bridge tolls), lastage (freight and lading
tolls), stallage (stalls). It also granted the rights to certain fairs
and markets.
The original charter no longer exists but copies of it exist within
the text of later charters. Thus there are a number of copies which are
basically the same except they differ in where the charter was signed,
Tours and Chinon in France being the places to debate. However this can
be explained by the fact that the royal court moved from Chinon to Tours
on June 26th, 1200 with the work on the charter commencing in the
morning at Chinon with completion at Tours in the evening.
The charter, written in Latin, translates as follows:
John, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of
Normandy and Aquitane, Count of Anjou, to Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots,
Earls, Barons, Sheriffs, Reeves, Ministers, Bailiffs and all his
faithful, greeting.
Know that we have given and granted and by our present charter
confirmed to our beloved and faithful William Briwerr that Brugewalter
be a free borough and that there be there a free market and a fair each
year to continue for eight days, to wit, from the day of the Nativity of
St. John the Baptist for eight days with toll, paage, pontage, passage,
lastage, stallage and with all other liberties and free customs
pertaining to a free borough and to a market and fair.
We grant also to the aforesaid William that his burgesses aforesaid
of the aforesaid borough be free burgesses and be quit of toll, paage,
pontage, passage, lastage, stallage and have all liberties and free
customs and quittances which pertain to us throughout our whole land and
throughout all ports of our land, the city of London excepted. Wherefore
we will and firmly enjoin that the aforesaid well and in peace, freely
and quietly, wholly, fully and honourably with all their liberties and
free customs as aforesaid.
Witness, William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke; Ranulf, Earl of
Chester; William; Earl of Salisbury; William des Roches, Seneschal of
Anjou; Warin of Glapian, Seneschal of Normandy; Henry de Nonant; Robert
de Thurnham. Given by the hands of Stephen, Archdeacon of Wells and John
de Gray, Archdeacon of Gloucester at Chinon, the 26th of June in the
second year of our reign.
Up to this time anyone who worked the land had to give occasional
days to the local lord. This would most likely bee at the very time the
serf really needed to be seeing to his own plot. The end of serfdom
which came with the charter meant they could get away with a payment,
probably equivalent to a days pay. The going rate was a shilling per
burgage per year and the penalty for non payment was to have the doors
of their premises sealed until settlement was made.
This was far more convenient for all concerned and the taxes were
collected by the provosts or reeves who had their own seals.
Apart from greater freedom for the locals, the lord of the manor also
befitted from free borough status by more tenants being attracted to the
town. Bridgwater thus increased in rateable value many times over.
The charter allowed the burgesses, a limited number of businessmen,
to hold their own court to deal with local criminal and civil cases. The
court met monthly on a Monday presided over by the lord's steward. |
