The greatest fair in England was that of STURBRIDGE; the greatest fair in London that of ST. BARTHOLOMEW, Smithfield. Their histories are here given. They have some points of resemblance; but on the whole they represent two really distinct pictures of old English manners. The fairs of Continental Europe required some elucidation. I have given therefore an outline of several of the more notable fairs of FRANCE, including those most famous gatherings of the middle ages at Champagne and Brie. Concerning these latter I have been able to present some original documents, forming part of the records of the City of London, and now for the first time printed. Many of these fairs are things of the past. I have added an outline of the fairs of RUSSIA, including the great fair of _Nijni-Novgorod_, because these are institutions of the present. I think the history of this last-named fair has not previously been written in such detail. I trust that the work will be found reasonably free alike from author’s and from printer’s errors. C. W. BELSIZE PARK GARDENS, LONDON, _February, 1883_. [Illustration] ERRATA. Page 17, first line, read _dieta_ for _dicta_. Pages 20, 21, 22, for _Magna Carter_ read _Magna Charta_. Page 21 (note), sixth line, after “Saxon” read _Tholl_, Low Latin. Page 245, nine lines from bottom, for “A.D. 427,” read _in the fifth century_. Transcriber’s Note: These errata have been corrected, along with a few other small printing errors. [Illustration] CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. Origin of Fairs 1 II. Origin and Laws—England 12 III. Early Regulations—England 19 IV. Courts of Piepowder 26 V. Legislation for Fairs—England 32 VI. Modern Legislation 49 VII. Sturbridge Fair, Origin of 54 VIII. Sturbridge Fair, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries 58 IX. Sturbridge Fair, first half of the Sixteenth Century 68 X. Sturbridge Fair, second half of the Sixteenth Century 88 XI. Sturbridge Fair, Seventeenth Century 113 XII. Sturbridge Fair, Eighteenth Century 128 XIII. Sturbridge Fair, Nineteenth Century 149 XIV. Sturbridge Fair, Conclusion 160 XV. Bartholomew Fair, Origin of 164 XVI. Bartholomew Fair, Twelfth to Sixteenth Centuries 167 XVII. Bartholomew Fair, Seventeenth Century 190