Extracts Relating to Mediaeval Markets and Fairs in England — John Shaqi
Extracts Relating to Mediaeval Markets and Fairs in EnglandDouglas-Irvine, Helen
History
Extracts Relating to Mediaeval Markets and Fairs in England
Douglas-Irvine, Helen
Fairs; Great Britain -- History -- Sources; Markets -- England
With regard to the claim of the said barons to have at Yarmouth royal
justice and the keeping of the king's peace in time of the fair lasting
for forty days, they are to have the keeping of the king's peace and to
do royal justice, namely during the fair they are to have four
serjeants, of whom one shall carry the king's banner, and another sound
a horn to assemble the people and to be better heard, and two shall
carry wands for keeping the king's peace, and this office they shall do
on horse-back if they so wish. The bailiffs of the Ports together with
the provost of Yarmouth are to make attachments and plead pleas and
determine plaints during the fair, according to law merchant, and the
amercements and the profits of the people of the Ports are to remain to
the barons of the Ports, at the time of the fair, and the profits and
amercements of all others who are not of the Ports to remain to the
king by the bailiffs of Yarmouth. The aforesaid bailiffs of the barons
of the Ports together with the provost of Yarmouth are to have the
keeping of the prison of Yarmouth during the fair, and if any prisoner
be taken for so grave a trespass that it cannot be determined by them
in time of fair, by merchant law, nor the prisons delivered, such
persons to remain in the prison of Yarmouth until the coming of the
justices.
_Cal. of Pat._, 1272-81, 203.
The court of Pied Poudre is specified in later grants of fairs.
1462. _Charter of Edward IV. to the city of London._
We have ... granted to the ... mayor and commonalty and citizens, and
their successors for ever, that they shall and may have yearly one fair
in the town aforesaid (Southwark) for three days, that is to say the
seventh, eighth and ninth days of September; to be holden together with
a court of pie-powder, and with all liberties and free customs to such
fair appertaining; and that they may have and hold there at their said
courts, before their said ministers or deputy, the said three days,
from day to day and hour to hour, from time to time, all occasions,
plaints and pleas of a court of pie-powder, together with all summons,
attachments, arrests, issues, fines, redemptions and commodities, and
other rights whatsoever, to the same court of pie-powder any way
pertaining.
Birch, _Charters of City of London_, 82.
The Londoners could hold their own Pied Poudre Courts in all fairs of
England.
1327. _Charter of Edward III. to the city of London._
And forasmuch as the citizens, in all good fairs of England, were wont
to have among themselves keepers to hold the pleas touching the
citizens of the said city assembling at the said fairs: we will and
grant, as much as in us is, that the same citizens may have suchlike
keepers, to hold such pleas of their covenants, as of ancient time they
had, except the pleas of land and crown.
Birch, _Charters of City of London_, 55.
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