1596. 16th Aug. The Corporation made an order that every burgess who should thereafter buy any booth or booth-ground in this fair should at the time of his admission thereto, make solemn oath before the mayor, that he had bought the same simply to the use of himself and his heirs, and not to the use of any foreigner or foreigners, without fraud, collusion, or deceit. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XI. THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 1600. On 16th Aug. the Corporation of Cambridge made ordinances that no bailiff should “by any wayes, meanes, or culler whatsoever demise or lett to ferme his bayliwich within this Town or Fayers, or eny profitts belonging to the same, to eny persone or persones whatsoever, uppon payne of disfrannchisinge.” 1601. New causes of dispute arose between the University and the Town, this time about the “King’s beam” (_Pondus Regis_) or the right of the former to a beam for weighing articles sold at the Fair. The Queen (Elizabeth) wrote to the parties: To our loving friends the Vice-chancellor and Proctors of the University of Cambridge and the Mayor Bailiffs and Burgesses of the Town: Whereas there were at the last Sturbridge fair some contentions about a pair of scales used by you of the University: We require you of the Town in all peaceable sort, to suffer the University to exercise and use the same in the accustomed place as they have usually done for the most of these ten years last past; and what contention soever shall seem to arise about the same scales, either for the interest of the ground whereon they are settled, or for the payment of any rent for the same: We think it fit and so we require of you, that it be peaceably reconciled hereafter in a lawful course, without giving any occasion of disorders. And so we heartily bid you farewell. Aug. 27, 1601. 1603. The kingdom was threatened with another visitation of the plague. The new King (James I.) issued a Proclamation, dated from Hampton Court 8 Aug., whereby it was ordained that for “desire of preventing an universal contagion among our people” (_inter alia_) Stourbridge Fair should not be held nor anything appertaining to it at the time accustomed, “nor any time till they [it] shall have been licensed by us.” 1604. On 23rd July this year the King issued the following mandate, prohibiting all idle games, plays, or shows in or within five miles of Cambridge; and under its authority the regulations of the Fair were considerably modified: James by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith, &c.: To our chancellor and vice-chancellor of our university of Cambridge in the County of Cambridge, and to all and singular our justices of peace mayors sheriffs bailiffs constables gaolers and all other our ministers and officers within the said university and the town of Cambridge and county aforesaid and to every of them greeting,