the woman again balanced herself head downwards on the points of swords; there was mirth again round the guitar and tambourine, the clothiers went back into the Churchyard, and the priest perhaps went through a last rehearsal with the man who was to be miraculously healed in church on the succeeding day!—“Memorials of Bartholomew Fair,” pp. 71-2. 1321. In this, the 14th Edward II. there was issued a writ inquiring by what warrant the Priory held its rights over Bartholomew Fair. This writ was part of the machinery of a general inquisition into the rights claimed by subjects, which had in many cases been alienated without license from the crown, and often gave rise to private oppression of the people. The Prior pleaded the Royal Charters of his house and testified upon oath that his predecessors had held such a three-day fair since times beyond the reach of memory. The justification satisfied the King’s Exchequer. 1334. In this, the 7th Edward III. a new Charter of the fair was granted to the Hospital of St. Bartholomew confirming the old rights and reassuring the King’s firm peace to all persons travelling towards, staying in, or returning from the fair; also forbidding any servants of a royal or episcopal court to implead any of their persons “or without the consent of the prior and canons on those three days ... to exact tolls either without the City or within it, whether in the passage of roads or bridges, but let all proceeds that arise according to the usage of fairs belong to the canons of the aforesaid church.” This latter provision clearly had reference to the claims of the City. See 1376. It was a review of these and similar facts which induced Mr. Morley to remark that in early times, if not from the beginning, there were practically two fairs held in Smithfield—one within and one without the Priory bounds. The outer fair, he adds, “was possibly composed of the mere pleasure givers and pleasure seekers, who attended on the company of worshippers and traders then attracted to the priory, and whose tents were pitched in the open market of Smithfield, outside the gates, not [? but] free from toll to the Church. Within the gates, and in the Priory churchyard, the substantial Fair was held” (pp. 61-2).