vanities, their froth of weakness floating loose above the storm; all had an eye for the jest of the fair, but under it lay in a heaving mass the solemn earnest of the time. The fair brought together from almost all parts of England, men who had urgent thoughts to exchange, harmonies and conflicts now of principle and now of passion to express. The destiny of fatherland was hidden from all in a future black with doubt. Men brave and honest had their souls pledged in allegiance to an earthly king, over whom and against whom others as brave and as honest set up rights given to them by the King of kings. 1650. There was published a broadside and cut, with a “Description of Bartholomew Fair:”— “Whether this be wit or nonsence, who need care, ’Tis like the subject, which is Bartholomew Fair: A mess of altogether, well enough, To get good money, which will make us huff, And swagger bravely, drink a glass or so, With some kind she-acquaintance which you know, Are pretty tempting things, so much for that, I must now come and tell you plain and flat: That in this song the whole Fair you may view, You may believe me when I tell you true.” Set to the tune of “Digby’s Farewell.” Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke. Containing twelve stanzas of eight lines. 1656. During the Commonwealth several attempts were made by the lord mayors to put some check on the freedom of this fair.[8] One of them, Sir John Deltrich, was knighted by Cromwell soon after the fair-time (viz. 5th Sept.) in 1656; and it has been rightly assumed that he was the mayor who pressed hard against those puppet showmen and others who had commenced the business of the fair, as he conceived, twelve hours too soon, and were already at work when he arrived to proclaim the opening. This event appears to have led to a burlesque opening by a company of tailors who met at the “Hand and Shears” already noticed on the night before the official opening, elected a chairman, and as the clock struck twelve, went out into the Cloth Fair, each with a pair of shears in his hand. The chairman then proclaimed the fair to the expectant mob; and then all formed a procession to proceed in tumultuous array to announce the fair to the sleepers in Smithfield, by the ringing of bells and other discordant manifestations. The following is the form of proclamation used, and contains nothing objectionable.