Henry I. granted to the citizens of London (_inter alia_) that they should be free throughout England and the sea ports from _toll_, passage through towns, ports, gates, and bridges; _and lestage, or a toll paid for freedom to sell at Fairs_. _Magna Charta_ (1215).—The demand of the Barons presented to King John embodied the following: “That merchants shall have safety to go and come, buy and sell, without any evil tolls, but by antient and honest customs.” In the completed _Charter_ the actual grant took the following shape: All merchants shall have safety and security in coming into England and going out of England, and in staying and in travelling through England, as well by land as by water, to buy and sell without any unjust exactions, according to ancient and right customs, excepting in time of war, and if they be of a country at war against us: and if such are found in our land at the beginning of a war, they shall be apprehended without injury of their bodies and goods until it be known to us, or to our Chief Justiciary, how the merchants of our country are treated who are found in the country at war against us; if ours be in safety there, the others shall be in safety in our land. The doctrine of international reciprocity is here very clearly stated. Macpherson (“Annals of Commerce”) is of opinion, after an examination of the trading of the chief commercial ports of Great Britain, that by the middle of the twelfth century (A.D. 1156) “the foreign trade was almost entirely conducted by foreign merchants;” indeed he declared it to be “evidently” so. I expect to be able to show that the great centres of trade at this period were the fairs held in various parts of the kingdom. The case of _Sturbridge Fair_ (Cambridge) is a remarkable instance. 1216.—The first Great Charter of Henry III. confirmed the provisions of _Magna Charta_ as to merchants, except in the case of those _who had been before publicly prohibited_. The privileges thus accorded to foreign merchants were seven. (1) To come into England (2) To depart thereout (3) To remain (4) To travel by land or water (5) To buy and sell (6) To be free of evil tolls[3] (7) To enjoy the ancient customs. This last was of material consequence, and implied privileges not common to ordinary persons. The promise of freedom from “evil tolls” hardly less so, as will hereafter appear.