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Home » Law and Order » Law and judicial system » Royal charters

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Monmouth Borough Charter of Charles II, 17th century
  • Partial transcription of contents: 'There shall be elected within the Town fifteen Chief Burgesses of the Common Council. Walter Bunting, gent., John James, esq., Robert Williams, William Sadler, Moore Gwillim, esq., Moore Waters, esq., John Cutler, Matthew Fryer, William Cecill, Hugh Mason junr., Walter Grene and Walter Griffith, are hereby appointed Chief Burgesses. They are to be sworn before the King's Receivor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Mayor, Bailiffs Town and Borough, shall have power to make Ordinances in writing for the government of the same. Appointment of Recorder in the person of John James, esq., B. L., who is to be sworn before the Mayor and Bailiffs and to be a Justic of the Peace for the Borough. The Recorder and the Mayor have power to act as Justices of the Peace in all matters save murder, manslaughter, felony or any offence touching loss of life or limb. The Mayor, Bailiffs and Commonalty may hold any lands and hereditaments in the King's dominions, not being held in chief nor by knight's service nor exceeding the value of 50l a year beyond reprises (the Statute of Mortmain notwithstanding). General grant of all former rights and privileges. No fee to be paid into the Hamper for this grant. L. P. dated. 2 Dec anno 3.' Source: Display boards, Nelson Museum & Local History Centre.
Monmouth town charter of James I, 1605 [image 1 of 2]
  • Extract transcribed from the charter: 'Considering that the Burgesses of his Borough and town of Monmouth in the Marches of Wales within his Duchy of Lancaster have sustained such losses that the liberties granted to them by his progenitors and by Statute of King Henry VIII are almost extinguished and that the town, which is an ancient Borough, is as if dissolved and discorporate: Grant to the Burgesses and Resiants that they may have a Commonalty who may elect out of themselves one Mayor and two Bailiffs yearly on the Monday after Michaelmas. These shall take their corporal oaths before the King's Receiver or Auditor there, or the late Mayor. Two ministers shall be eleceted by the Mayor, each of whom shall carry a Mace with the arms of the King's Duchy engraved theron. The Mayor, Bailiffs and Commonalty of the Town and Borough of Monmouth shall be one Body Incorporate, able to purchase lands, etc., to plead and answer, and to have perpetual succession. Confirmation of the Market and Fairs of the Town, stallages, piccages, tolls, chevage and all other customs and profits thereto belonging, as used before 4 Feb. anno 27 Hen. VIII. Confirmation of the Hundred (Court) of Monmouth, all fines, redemptions, issues and amerciaments therein forfeited, and all other profits, perquisites and commodities thereto appertaining, as used before that date. The Mayor and Bailidffs shall hold before them, by Writ of Right to them directed, all Pleas, real and mixed, of lands and tenements within the precinct and Franchise of the Borough, and no other writ concerning lands or tenements shall run in the Borough. The Mayor and Bailiffs shall hold before them all personal pleas of debts, trespasses, accounts, covenants, and matters whatsoever arising within the Borough, with or without Writ, and no minister of the Crown shall intermeddle therein...' Source: Display boards, Nelson Museum & Local History Centre.
Monmouth town charter of Edward VI, 1549
  • As well as the right to hold markets, Monmouth's town charters also gave the mayor and bailiffs control of the weights and measures used as standards for goods sold in the market. Source: Display boards, Nelson Museum & Local History Centre.
Bushel weight of Elizabeth I from Monmouth, 1601
  • This charter confirms the rights granted to Swansea burgesses under a charter of Edward II, ie, the right to come and go throughout the land with their merchandise for buying, selling and doing business, exempt from tolls, passage, pontage, stallage and lastage, except in the City of London. It was witnessed by: J., Bishop of Winchester, chancellor, W., Bishop of Norwich, treasurer, John de Eltham, Earl of Cornwall, John de Warren, Earl of Surrey, William de Ros de Hamelak, William de Montacute and Ralph de Neville, steward of the royal household. It was given at Westminster.
Charter of Edward III, confirming rights granted to Swansea's burgesses, 1332
  • This charter confirms the rights granted to the burgesses of Swansea by Henry III, ie, the right to come and go throughout the land with their merchandise for buying, selling and doing business, exempt from tolls, passage, pontage, stallage and lastage, except in the City of London. It was witnessed by: W., Bishop of Worcester, J., Bishop of Bath and Wells, Aylmer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, Hugh le Despenser, Nicholas de Seagrave, Edmund de Mauley, steward of the royal household, and William de Montacute. It was given at Windsor.
Charter of Edward II, confirming rights granted to Swansea's burgesses, 1312