[Footnote 211: The clause of the Statute (1285) relating to fairs runs as follows: "And a seal shall be provided to serve for fairs, and the same seal shall be sent to each fair under the seal of the King by a clerk sworn; and by the keeper of the fair and by the community of the merchants there shall be elected two lawful merchants of the city of London, who shall take oath, and the seal shall be opened before them, and the one piece shall be delivered to the aforesaid merchants, and the other shall remain with the clerk, and before them or one of the merchants, if both cannot be present, the recognisances shall be made."] 11. THE AULNAGE OF CLOTH [_Court Roll, 178, 97, m. 2d._], 1291.[212] Court on Monday [14 May, 1291]. Hamo of Bury St. Edmunds brought a letter patent of Sir Roger de Lisle, clerk of the Great Wardrobe, attached to this roll, ordering that he be admitted by the keepers of the fair of St. Ives to measure woollen cloths made in England, linen and canvas. And because the charter of the lord the King touching the fair orders that no bailiff or minister of the lord the King in any wise interfere with the fair aforesaid or its appurtenances, whereby the Abbot and Convent of Ramsey and their bailiffs should be prevented from having administration of all things pertaining to that fair as well within the town as without for ever, answer was made to the same Hamo by the steward that he would in no wise admit him to execute such office, which would be to the disherison and prejudice of the church of Ramsey and contrary to the liberty specified in the fair-charter, unless Hamo would come into the court and yield up his letter patent into the hands of the steward. To which court he came and of his free will delivered up the aforesaid letter and afterwards craved special grace; and at the instance of the merchants, his letter patent having been abandoned and annulled, he is admitted for the present. [Footnote 212: St. Ives fair court. Printed in Selden Society Publications, Vol. 23, p. 42. This incident illustrates the difficulties of the central administration in dealing with local franchises.] 12. THE ORDINANCE OF LABOURERS [_Close Roll, 23 Edward III, p. 1, m. 8d._], 1349.[213]