1615. On the 22nd June the Corporation ordered that Mr. French the mayor should have an irrevokable power of attorney under the Town seal to prosecute with effect all the suits already begun against those who _kept any fair or market to the prejudice of the town_, and to commence and prosecute suits against all who had done or should do the like; and it was ordered that all charges should be paid by the treasurers on demand. 1620. On 17th Sept., there was held a session of Goal Delivery in Sturbridge Fair, in the place where the courts there were usually kept (“Annals of Camb.” iii. p. 136). No explanation of the circumstance is given. 1622. The suit concerning the right to erect booths in the yard of Sturbridge Chapel which had been pending for some time was this year terminated. The Corporation obtained a grant of the Chapel from the Queen. 1625. In consequence of the Plague again being prevalent in the kingdom Charles I. by Royal Proclamation forbids the holding of this, as also Bartholomew’s Fair, by reason of the usual “extraordinary resort out of all parts of the kingdom” of persons to attend this fair, which would if held lead to the common danger. This proclamation is given _in extenso_ in our chapter on “Legislation.” 1630. The plague existing in Cambridge the holding of this, and also Bartholomew and Southwark Fairs, was prohibited by Royal Proclamation. 1633. A question arose as to Dower, or the right to dower of the widows of booth-holders in this fair; and the Corporation on the 14th May enacted the following declaration: The custom in such case is (and so hath ever time out of mind been used) that the relict and widow of her husband (who in his life was seised of booths in Sturbridge fair) shall have her dower of such booths only whereof her husband was seised and died intestate. But where the husband in his life time made sale of his booths or devised them by his last will and testament, the wife and relict in such case shall have no dower of any booths. 1636. The King (Charles I.) addressed a letter to the Vice-chancellor of the University and the mayor of Cambridge (dated Hampton Court, June 14), setting forth that the town had been often infected with the plague by means of persons repairing to the fairs, with goods brought from infectious places, whereby the scholars had been forced to forsake their studies and scatter themselves for safety unto remote parts of the kingdom: to avoid the like mischief from the contagion then raging in London and other places H. M. required the Vice-chancellor and Mayor to take order that Midsummer fair should not be kept this year, nor the goods of Londoners or others be sold within the town or three miles of the same. Refractory persons were to be bound to appear before the King or the Privy Council to answer the contempt, or on their refusal might be committed to prison. All justices of the peace of the county and town were commanded to be aiding and assisting.