Derwent and bridges. Thus, in the year 1302, inhabitants of Walton Ribble bridges. bridges car ried away by floods. en-la-Dale represented that certain bridges over the rivers Derwent and Ribble were broken, and prayed the King to grant them a right of pontage for five years, presumably for the purpose of repairing these bridges. Their request was granted, the reply indicating that it was a matter to be dealt with by the King alone (coram rege). A like petition in Cockermouth 1304, from burgesses of Cockermouth, asked the King for a grant of pontage, "ad reparationem trium pontium ejusdem burgi, qui asportati fuerant per cretinum aque ante Natale hoc anno." A concession for five years was accordingly given to them (Fiat per quinquennium). On a petition from the Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond, rights of pontage were conceded to them for three years to repair a bridge at Boston. In 1306, some poor inhabitants of Windsor alleged that their bridge was unfit for passage of carriages or horses (nimis est debilis, nam nulla carecta seu aliqui equi possint transire ibidem absque magno periculo). As no rents or other sure funds were applicable to repairs, the petitioners asked for pontage for eight years, but the King would only grant it for five.5 Boston. Windsor. Division of A bridge and causeway in the division of Holland, in Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire, was declared, in 1306, by the warden (custos pontis), whose name is not given, to be a source of great danger to passengers, through damage done by floods. He, therefore, begged the King to allow aid towards the cost of repairs by a toll to be levied on carts, horses and merchandize crossing the bridge (aliquod certum auxilium capiendum de carectis, equis et mercandisis). In reply, the King allowed pontage to be taken for seven years, but made the prior of Sempringham warden of the bridge, and charged him to make all necessary repairs. The new warden proved no more efficient or trustworthy than his predecessor; for in 1 The old spelling is brig, brigg, 2 1 Rot. Parl. 154; 30 Edw. I. 4 Ib. 165. 5 Ib. 193; 35 Edw. I. 6 Ib. 199; 35 Edw. I. audit of 1330, certain men of Kesteven and Holland charged the Alleged misapplication of prior with misappropriating tolls, and declared that he had tolls by prior removed several bridges from the causeway, so that no per- ham. of Sempringsons could now pass one way or the other, on horse or on foot, without risk of death, but had to hire boats, to their great cost and delay. Therefore, the petitioners asked that Prayer for good and sufficient auditors should be appointed to inspect accounts. the prior's accounts, during the time he had collected and received the tolls, and that any money found due from him upon this account should be applied in repairing the causeway and bridges. (Q'il pleise a notre Seigneur le roi et a son conseil ordiner que bons et suffisantz auditours soient assignez d'oir l'accompte le dit priour, de tut le temps q'il ad este coillour et receiviour des ditz paiages et custumes, et ce qe trove serra qe le dit priour devra sur cet accompte soit mis en amendement des ditz chausee et pontz.) To this a reply in Latin was given that certain trusty persons should be appointed to enquire into the petitioners' complaints, to take evidence, and to do, further, what justice demanded. 1315. Alianora, widow of Henry Percy, stated, in 1315, that, as Wetherby executrix of Sir Richard Arundel, she had undertaken the bridge, A.D. reconstruction of Wetherby Bridge, a work which Sir Richard had desired to complete as a benefaction. For want of this bridge many people and much cattle had perished, and there was great injury to trade. Lady Alianora prayed for pontage to help this good work, and Edward II. granted it for three years, on condition that upon enquiry no adverse interests were found. In like manner, William de Latimer, lord of Jarmi, obtained a right to levy tolls for five years to renew a bridge across the Tees, connecting roads which led Bridge over towards Scotland. This work was intended by William de Latimer for the repose of his wife's soul, and for common profit to all people passing (pur l'alme Madame sa Cum Tees. Commission of enquiry, bridges in Notts. paygne, qe est a Dieu comaundez, e pur comun profit des gentz passauntz).1 On petition from inhabitants of Nottinghamshire in 13141314-15, as to 15, a commission was appointed to enquire into their complaint that the Sheriff of Nottingham had applied to his own use fines and funds properly applicable to repairs of county bridges and causeways. Owing to this default the petitioners alleged that these bridges and causeways were broken and destroyed, to the great loss of people accustomed to use them, and a common danger. Three Commissioners, Edmund D'Eynecourt, John de Crumbewell, and Lambert de Trykingham, or any two of them (Edmund D'Eynecourt being one), were to examine this alleged default, and see that justice was done." The post of collector of tolls must have been one of some value, for a statute of 1467-83 reserved all rights possessed by "our well-beloved Rauff Machon, squire of our household," under letters patent granting to him "the office of collector and receiver of custom and toll, to us growing by the passage over the brigge, called Newnham Brigge, beside our town of Calais, as well of men, as of beasts, goods, merchandizes, and of all manner of things, which over and under the said brigge should pass, for his life, with all manner of fees and rewards, in value twenty marks by year." Engineers will be interested in a petition for a Bill, sanctioned in 1442, which contains the earliest statutory record of a draw-bridge for the passing of vessels. InTurnbrigg, in habitants of the counties of York, Lincoln, Nottingham, Snaith parish, and Derby, "meekly beseech the wise and discreet Commons" in Parliament, concerning a timber bridge called Turnbrigg, in the parish of Snaith, in Yorkshire. This West Riding. 1 1 Rot. Parl. 468; Annis incertis, 21 Rot. Parl. 333; 8 Edw. II. a draw-bridge, and in 1334, pontage was exacted from merchants of Picardy for raising and drawing the bridge when their vessels passed with merchandize. Liber Albus (Rolls' Series), Int. p. 50. bridge crossed a stream called the Dike, on which passed all manner of ships charged with wool, lead, stone, timber, victuals, fuel, and other merchandize. The bridge, however, was so low, so near the stream, so narrow, and so strait in the arches, that there is, and of long time hath been, a right perilous passage, and oft times perishing of divers ships." At times, indeed, "there may no ships pass under this bridge by the space of half a year or more; and also a great part of the counties to the said river adjoining is yearly, by the space of twenty miles or more, surrounded with water, by cause of lowness and straightness of the bridge," to the great hurt and damage of the King in his customs and subsidies, and also of his merchants and other liege subjects. Considering the premises, therefore, the King was asked to grant to "the beseechers," by authority of Parliament, as follows: bridge. "That hit shall be lefulle to what sum ever person or persons of the seid shires that will at theire owne costages take away the seid brigge, and ther with and profites thereof, and in othir wise, newe edifie and bilde another brigge there, Authority to lengere in lengthe by the quantity of V yerdes called the build new Kynge's standard, and in hieght a yerd and a half by the same yerd higher than the seid brigge that standes ther nowe, as well for passage of all maner shippes comyng thereto, and voidance of water under the brigge, as for passage of man, best and cariage, over the newe brigge so to be made, with a draght lef1 contenyng the space of IV Drawbridge fete called Paules fete in brede, for the voidyng thorough for passing of the mastes of the shippes passinge under the newe brigg; and that every shipmen that wol passe under the seid brigg with their shippes may lawfully lifte up and close such ships. lef att ther pleser; and that the mayster of evry shippe paie Toll for rais for every liftyng of the seid lef Is. to the lord of the soille ing the leaf. for the time beyng; and that no maner of person or persons her after lette nor stoppe the seid passage of ships or cours of water with stone, piles or any other disceyte in any wise allowed on in the water called Dike; and also that the shipmen passyng Towing by the seid streem or water myght have lawfully halyng and drayng be them or their servauntes with lynes, and either bank. to festyn their vesseles on the bankes and the grounde of 1 A movable flap or leaf. Exemptions from levy for making bridges. either partie of the Dike, like as thei have used of old tyme; and atte what tyme the brigge be so made, who sum ever will amend the seid newe brigge, that hit be repared and amended in the same lenght, hieght, and brede, with the seid lef, and who sum ever will make any otheir brigge ther, after that newe brigge so made, that they make hit of the same lenght, hieght, and brede, with a lef for to be opened in the forme aforeseid, as the same newe brigge shall be made; and that it be leful to the makers of the newe brigge to have free entry and issue, with their tymbre, cariage and other stuffe for the makyng of the seid newe brigge, opon the wast and the soille joynyng to the brigge. For the lofe of Godd and in waye of charite." With the usual advice and assent of Lords and Commons, the King granted the prayer of this petition in all points (graunt tout le contenue en icell petition en toutz pointz).1 Sometimes we find exemptions pleaded from the general levy made upon surrounding property, for repairs of bridges. Thus, in 1335, the King's poor liege men living in the forest of Macclesfield, and there holding lands in his ancient demesne, in return for certain services, complained that bailiffs of the Earl of Chester had called upon them to contribute towards a levy for building Chester Bridge (un mise fait pur la fessour del pount de Cestr'), though the petitioners held no land from the Earl, and owed him no service, but, on the contrary, by their tenure upon part of the royal demesne within the forest, were relieved from all such levies and tolls. 2 From statements in this petition, certain lands in Cheshire were, it appears, "geldable," by ancient custom, for rebuilding the bridge: but these were lands in cultivation, and were liable at a time when there was no cultivated land within the forest of Macclesfield. The petitioners asked his Majesty to direct the justices of Chester that his heritage and demesne should not be subjected to this charge without his express command. Accordingly, the Earl 15 Rot. Parl. 44; 20 Hen. VI. 4 See Bacon's Abridgment, tit. Ancient Demesne, for an account of privileges and exemptions enjoyed under this tenure. |