1546. There appears to have been some suit pending at this time regarding the Fair, for at a meeting of the Corporation of Cambridge Robert Chapman and seven others were appointed to commune and determine what they thought best to be done for Sturbridge Fair, and how the charges of the suit therof should be borne, and all other things concerning the same. Vide “Corporation Common Day Book.”
1547. At the Common Day held on Friday after the Assumption it was ordered that the Bailiffs should enter their wards at this Fair on the 6th Sept. yearly, at 5 o’clock in the morning, and should pay as follows: for the Bridge ward £18, for the Market ward £12, and for the High ward £13.
The proctors of the University upon fresh complaints made going their rounds one night “had taken certain evil persons in houses of sin,” and had brought them to the Tollboth, in order to commit them there. But having sent to the mayor for the keys, he absolutely refused to part with them. So they were fain to carry their prisoners to the castle, where they left them in custody. But the mayor’s son, after an hour or two let them all out, “to return if they pleased to their former lewdness; to the breach of the law; and the affront of the magistrate.” This led to further disagreements.
By an Order of the Privy Council dated 3rd Oct. this year the mayor and undersheriff of the County were required not only to acknowledge before the Vice-chancellor, heads of colleges and proctors, that they had interfered with the privileges of the University in this fair, but also “that the mayor in common hall shall openly, among his bretheren, acknowledge his wilfull proceeding.” The breach consisted of John Fletcher, the mayor, having refused to receive into the tolbooth [prison] certain persons of “naughty and corrupt behaviour,” who were prisoners taken by the proctors of the University, in the last Sturbridge Fair; wherefore he was called before the Lords and others of the Council, and his fault therein “so plainly and justly opened” that he could not deny it, but did “sincerly and willingly confess the said fault.” Dyer’s “Privileges of Cambridge,” i. p. 111.
About this time Nicholas Elton, burgess of Cambridge by his will devised a booth in Sturbridge fair to the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses, after the death of his wife—It is supposed for charitable purposes.
There had been some suggestion that the University should sell their privileges in the Fair to the Corporation—see 1858.
1548. The following is the Proclamation used by the University of Cambridge about this date in “Crying the Fair”:
The Crye in Sturbridge Fayer.
Wee charge & straightlie comaund in yᵉ name of yᵉ Kinge of England oʳ soveraigne Lord, and in yᵉ name of my Lord Chauncellʳ of yᵉ Universitie of Cambridge, yᵗ all manner of schollers, Schollers Servants, and all other persons in this Fayer, and the precinct of yᵉ same, keepe the Kings peace, & make no fraye, cry, owtasse, [“out alas!”, old exclamation(?)] shrekinge, or any other noyse, by yᵉ which Insurations, Conventicles, or gatheringe of people may be made in this Fayer, to yᵉ trouble vexinge and disquietinge of yᵉ Kings leage people or lettinge of the officers of yᵉ University to exercise there offices, under the payne of Imprisonment & further punishment as the offence shall require.
Also wee charge & comaund, that all manner of Schollers, and Schollers servants weare no weapon, to make any fraye upon any of yᵉ Kings people, neither in cominge nor in goinge from this Fayer, under yᵉ payne of banishment.