Dublin Core
Title
Charter Of James I, 16th October 1608, Granting Various Rights And Privileges To Kilkenny
Subject
Charter of James I, granting various rights and privileges to the inhabitants of Kilkenny, who "from time to time have rendered many laudable services to the crown of England, as well by retaining English laws, languages and customs, when the whole circumjacent country was entirely lapsed into Irish barbarism' , and creating a new body corporate to be known by the name of the 'sovereign, Free Burgesses and Commons of the town of Borough of Kilkenny.
Description
Visually, this is one of the most attractive charters in the collection. It consists of three skins covered with a tightly written latin text in dark ink. The opening sentence is beautifully illustrated and shows the king enthroned, holding a sword and and sceptre, with the words 'In my defense God defend me' placed below. There are three coat of arms, separated by the rose of England and the thistle of Scotland, flanked by the banners of England , supported by a lion, and of scotland, supported by a unicorn.
The charter is carefully set out with a series of clauses relating to the government of the town, the operation of the guilds, the urban courts and prison, the regulation of the markets and the ownership of communal property. Regarding the government of the town, the charter states that it should be governed by a common council consisting of eighteen ' chief burgesses' of whom the sovereign was to be one. Fourteen of these individuals are named: Thomas Ley, sovereign, Robert Rooth, Arthur Shee, Richard Ragget, Elias Shee, Henry Shee, Thomas Archer, Patrick Archer, Luke Shee, Edward Rooth, John Rooth FitzPierce, Nicholas Langton, Edward Shee and Walter Lawless. This was presumably the existing council of the day and their names reflect their seniority of election. One may notice that the spelling of 'Rooth' provides clear evidence of how the name 'Rothe' was pronounced in Kilkenny in the early seventeenth century.
The charter is carefully set out with a series of clauses relating to the government of the town, the operation of the guilds, the urban courts and prison, the regulation of the markets and the ownership of communal property. Regarding the government of the town, the charter states that it should be governed by a common council consisting of eighteen ' chief burgesses' of whom the sovereign was to be one. Fourteen of these individuals are named: Thomas Ley, sovereign, Robert Rooth, Arthur Shee, Richard Ragget, Elias Shee, Henry Shee, Thomas Archer, Patrick Archer, Luke Shee, Edward Rooth, John Rooth FitzPierce, Nicholas Langton, Edward Shee and Walter Lawless. This was presumably the existing council of the day and their names reflect their seniority of election. One may notice that the spelling of 'Rooth' provides clear evidence of how the name 'Rothe' was pronounced in Kilkenny in the early seventeenth century.
Creator
Kilkenny Corporation
Source
Kilkenny County Council Library Service
Date
16th October 1608
Relation
Reference taken from the book 'Treasures Of Kilkenny - Charters and Civic Records of Kilkenny City' by John Bradley
Format
3 skins of parchment and ink. Seal attached