The same year, on 6th July, the king prolonged the term during which this exceptional tax should be levied to three years (p. 476*); he also, “understanding that it would hurt neither himself nor the city,” granted to the mayor and commonalty of London three empty spaces, one near the wall of the churchyard “de Wolchurch,” the two others near the wall of St. Paul’s churchyard, for them to build thereon and let the buildings for the benefit of the bridge (10 Ed. I m. 11). Then, in the thirty-fourth year of his reign, Edward I established a detailed tariff of the tolls which all merchandise passing under or over the bridge should pay during the next three years (34 Ed. I m. 25). Even this was not enough, as we find Edward II asking all the archbishops, bishops, rectors and other ecclesiastical authorities of the kingdom to well receive the wardens of London Bridge or their delegates and allow them to piously persuade the people to make offerings for the repair of the bridge: “Eos populum ibidem piis suasionibus excitare et suarum elemosinarum subsidia ad reparationem Pontis predicti caritative invocare permittatis.” (14 Ed. II pt. i. m. 19, p. 477*). {429} IV (p. 65) INQUESTS RELATING TO THE MAINTENANCE OF BRIDGES A great many examples of these inquests may be found in the collection published by the Record Commission, “Placitorum in domo capitulari Westmonasteriensi asservatorum abbreviatio,” London, 1811, fol. Here are references to some of the more interesting ones: Case where an abbot is explicitly obliged, as one of the conditions of his tenure, to repair a bridge, p. 205; 11 and 12 Ed. I. Agreement between the abbot of Croyland and the prior of Spalding for the construction of several bridges, p. 205; 12 Ed. I. Discussion as to the building of a bridge at Chester, p. 209; 13 Ed. I. Refusal by the abbot of Coggeshall to repair a bridge: “Per juratores, Abbas de Coggeshale non tenetur reparare pontem de Stratford inter Branketre et Coggeshale, eo quod de tempore memorie non fuit ibidem alius pons quam quedam planchea de borde super quam omnes transeuntes salvo et secure transire potuerunt,” p. 303; 1 Ed. II. Measures taken to constrain the inhabitants of two towns to repair the bridges of a highway in their neighbourhood: “Distringantur villate de Aswardeby et Skredington ad reparandum pontes in pupplica strata inter Lafford et ecclesiam de Stowe juxta inquisicionem inde captam anno lvi. Henrici iij. coram Gilberto de Preston et sociis suis in comitatu Lincolniensi itinerantibus, per breve ejusdem regis,” p. 305; 2 Ed. II. Finding out of the person who is to repair Chesford bridge, p. 314; 6 Ed. II. Refusal of the abbot of Fountains to repair Bradeley bridge, p. 318; 7 Ed. II. Hamo de Morston’s case, p. 328; 11 Ed. II, referred to above, p. 64. Repair of the bridges of Exhorne, Hedecrone, and Hekinby, in the county of Kent, p. 339; 15 Ed. II.