Order not to molest or aggrieve the men of the town of Retford before them in eyre for holding a market on Saturday in every week in that town, as the king has granted that they may hold a market there every week on the said day during the eyre aforesaid, notwithstanding the proclamation made by the justices according to custom that no market shall be held in the county during the eyre, the men having shewn to the king that they hold the town of him at fee-ferm, and he has assigned the ferm to Queen Isabella for her life, and the greatest aid they have towards levying the ferm comes from the profit of the said market, and they have prayed the king that they may hold the fair notwithstanding the said proclamation, and the king accedes to their supplication for the reason aforesaid, and because of the distance of the town of Nottingham.
Cal. of Close, 1327-30, 585.
PRE-EMPTION AND PRISAGE.
The king exercised certain rights of pre-emption, of buying articles before they were offered for sale in the open market, and of prisage, of taking from the sellers without payment certain articles for his own use.
1207. The King to the Sheriff of Lincoln.
We command you that you acquit in the fair of St. Botolph all the great falcons which Henry de Hauvill and Hugh de Hauvill bought for our use in that fair, … and moreover five hawks which they bought there for our use.
Cal. Rot. Lit. Claus. (Rec. Com.), I. 85.
1218. The King to the Mayor of Lynn greeting.
We command you that you satisfy the merchants of the fair of Lynn as to the merchandise, namely, wax and pepper and cumin, which our bailiffs took in that fair for our use, and we shall cause payment to be made to you in London after the close of the said fair.
Cal. Rot. Lit. Claus. (Rec. Com.), I. 365.