THE TWELFTH TO THE SIXTEENTH CENTURIES. _First Charter_, 1133. The Prior obtained from the King a Charter, wherein, after providing for an independent election of a new prior by the monks in the event of Rahere’s death, and after confirming the privileges and possessions of the Priory, it was declared “I grant also my firm peace to all persons coming to and returning from the fair, which is wont to be celebrated in that place at the Feast of St. Bartholomew; and I forbid any of the Royal Servants to implead any of their persons, or without the consent of the Canons, on those three days, to wit the eve of the feast, the feast itself, and the day following, to levy dues upon those going thither. And let all people in my whole kingdom know that I will maintain and defend this Church, even as my crown; and if any one shall presume to contravene this our Royal privilege, or shall offend the prior, the canons, clergy or laity of that place, he, and all who are his, and everything that belongs to him, shall come into the King’s power.” In addition to the King’s “firm peace,” and the usual privileges, it came to be believed that there were special miracles in store for those who braved the perils of distant travel in making pilgrimage to the Festival and Fair of St. Bartholomew. In Mr. Morley’s book will be found a long enumeration of these. “What wonder (he asks) if to see the miracles worked at the celebration of the Feast of St. Bartholomew, in the first years after the foundation of his Priory in Smithfield, the people came from far and near, and were to be found ‘shouldering each other’ as well as ‘dancing and rejoicing’ in a concourse at the fair”? 1154-86. We have it on the authority of Stow that Henry II. granted to the Priory the privilege of a fair to be kept yearly at Bartholomew tide for three days, to wit the eve, the day, and next morrow; to which the clothiers of all England and drapers of London repaired, and had their booths and standings within the Church Yard of this Priory, closed in with walls and gates, locked every night, and watched for safety of men’s goods and wares. A Court of Piepowder was daily during the fair holden for debts and contracts. But he adds a note in regard to the time of the fair—“that forrens [foreigners] were licensed for three days; the freedmen so long as they would, which was sixe or seven dayes.” It is clear that the venerable historian had mixed and confounded various and distinct events. I do not find other reference to this charter of Henry II. except by Hone, who says this charter gave the mayor and aldermen of the City criminal jurisdiction during the fair. The chief articles of commerce at the fair about this period were cloth, stuffs, leather, pewter, and live cattle.