And there were a great many people who went to the fair both for business and pleasure.
Farmers and their wives, of the true old Saxon sort, who went to hire their servants, and to spend their money, artful little hussies who intended to enjoy themselves, dancing in the booths, and to pick up fresh acquaintances, or to pull some irresolute swain over that matrimonial precipice, on the brink of which he had long been oscillating, and the great mass of boys and girls who had come, to use their own words, “to see the woild beasteses, and to get bound to the varmers.”
It is incident to a fair that persons shall be free from being arrested in it for any other debt or contract than what was contracted in the same, or at least promised to be paid there.
Fairs of this sort were generally held once or twice a year, and by statute they were not to be held longer than they ought.
Also proclamations were to be made how long they were to continue, and no person was allowed to sell any goods after the time of the fair was ended, on forfeiture of double the value, one-fourth of which was to go to the prosecutor, and the rest to the king.
That was a toll usually paid in fairs on the sale of goods, and for stullage, picage, &c.
Fairs abroad are either free or charged with toll or impost.
The privileges of free fairs consisted chiefly—first, in all the traders, &c., whether natives or foreigners, who were allowed to enter the kingdom, and who were, under royal protection, exempt from duties, tolls, &c.
No. 31.
