In which court it hath been all times accustomed, that every person coming to the same fairs, should have lawful remedy of all manner of contracts, trespasses, covenants, debts, and other deeds made or done within any of the same fair, and within the jurisdiction of the same, and to be tried by merchants being of the same fair.
Statute, 17 Edward IV., cap. 2.
The manner of holding a Pied Poudre Court, sometimes called riding the fair.
1277. Award between the barons of the (Cinque) Ports and the men of Great Yarmouth.
With regard to the claim of the said barons to have at Yarmouth royal justice and the keeping of the king's peace in time of the fair lasting for forty days, they are to have the keeping of the king's peace and to do royal justice, namely during the fair they are to have four serjeants, of whom one shall carry the king's banner, and another sound a horn to assemble the people and to be better heard, and two shall carry wands for keeping the king's peace, and this office they shall do on horse-back if they so wish. The bailiffs of the Ports together with the provost of Yarmouth are to make attachments and plead pleas and determine plaints during the fair, according to law merchant, and the amercements and the profits of the people of the Ports are to remain to the barons of the Ports, at the time of the fair, and the profits and amercements of all others who are not of the Ports to remain to the king by the bailiffs of Yarmouth. The aforesaid bailiffs of the barons of the Ports together with the provost of Yarmouth are to have the keeping of the prison of Yarmouth during the fair, and if any prisoner be taken for so grave a trespass that it cannot be determined by them in time of fair, by merchant law, nor the prisons delivered, such persons to remain in the prison of Yarmouth until the coming of the justices.
Cal. of Pat., 1272-81, 203.
The court of Pied Poudre is specified in later grants of fairs.
1462. Charter of Edward IV. to the city of London.
We have … granted to the … mayor and commonalty and citizens, and their successors for ever, that they shall and may have yearly one fair in the town aforesaid (Southwark) for three days, that is to say the seventh, eighth and ninth days of September; to be holden together with a court of pie-powder, and with all liberties and free customs to such fair appertaining; and that they may have and hold there at their said courts, before their said ministers or deputy, the said three days, from day to day and hour to hour, from time to time, all occasions, plaints and pleas of a court of pie-powder, together with all summons, attachments, arrests, issues, fines, redemptions and commodities, and other rights whatsoever, to the same court of pie-powder any way pertaining.
Birch, Charters of City of London, 82.