Dublin Core
Title
Charter Of James II, 14th December 1687, Granting Various Rights And Privileges To Kilkenny
Subject
Charter of James II, granting to the Mayor and citizens of the City of Kilkenny, that the said city and the parishes and the churches of St. Canice, St. John the Evangelist, St. Patrick and the Blessed Virgin Mary, situated within the city and suburbs of the city, and the town of Irishtown, and the liberties and precints of the city, town, parishes and churches, be one entire county, distinct and entirely separate from the County of Kilkenny, "the County of the City of Kilkenny"
Description
This is the only royal charter in the corporation archives between the years 1609 and 1987. A grant of Charles I dating back to 16th September 1639 it confirms the corporation's rights to the church, precint and lands of St. John the Evangelist. This is an 18th century transcription of the original charter and is the largest in the archive containing a total of ten skins comprising over either. It has a black and white portrait of the kind together with the symbol of the garter along with lettering across the top. The charter begins as follows:
'James the second, by the grace God, king of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc., to all whom these, our present letters, shall come, greeting. Whereas the city of Kilkenny was an ancient and populous city and the mayor and citizens of the city of Kilkenny had used and enjoyed different liberties, franchise, privileges, immunities and pre-eminencies, or at least pretended to have, use and enjoy them, and were used to be a body corporate and politic by the name of the mayor and citizens of Kilkenny, and whereas by a judgement of our court of exchequer of our kingdom of Ireland, all those liberties, franchises, privileges, immunities and pre- eminencies were seized into our hands, nevertheless, we willing that a sure and certain rule be henceforth and forever had in Kilkenny aforesaid, of, for and in the custody of our peace, and the rule and government of the same Kilkenny and of our people dwelling therein and others resorting thereto, and that Kilkenny aforesaid may and shall remain perpetually in future time a city of encouragement to the peace loving and quiet, of the support for the good, and of dread and terror to those disposed towards evil, and also that our peace and other acts of justice and good government be better established and preserved.'
'James the second, by the grace God, king of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc., to all whom these, our present letters, shall come, greeting. Whereas the city of Kilkenny was an ancient and populous city and the mayor and citizens of the city of Kilkenny had used and enjoyed different liberties, franchise, privileges, immunities and pre-eminencies, or at least pretended to have, use and enjoy them, and were used to be a body corporate and politic by the name of the mayor and citizens of Kilkenny, and whereas by a judgement of our court of exchequer of our kingdom of Ireland, all those liberties, franchises, privileges, immunities and pre- eminencies were seized into our hands, nevertheless, we willing that a sure and certain rule be henceforth and forever had in Kilkenny aforesaid, of, for and in the custody of our peace, and the rule and government of the same Kilkenny and of our people dwelling therein and others resorting thereto, and that Kilkenny aforesaid may and shall remain perpetually in future time a city of encouragement to the peace loving and quiet, of the support for the good, and of dread and terror to those disposed towards evil, and also that our peace and other acts of justice and good government be better established and preserved.'
Creator
Kilkenny Corporation
Source
Kilkenny County Council Library Service
Date
14th December 1687
Rights
Kilkenny County Council Library Service
Relation
Reference taken from the book 'Treasures Of Kilkenny - Charters and civic records of Kilkenny City' by John Bradley
Format
10 skins of parchment and ink. Seal attached.
Language
Latin