REGULATION OF LABOUR. 419 



small details, show how little separated was industrial rule 

 from political rule. 



772. The ecclesiastical regulation of industry in modern 

 societies, has been chiefly incidental, as it was in ancient 

 societies. Sacrifice and worship have brought men together 

 at appointed places and times, and trading has arisen as a 

 concomitant. The names of fairs, habitually identical with 

 the names of church-festivals, yield clear evidence. This 

 origin of meetings for buying and selling in France, is well 

 described by Bourquelot. 



&quot;People came at first purely from the sentiment of devotion. The 

 earliest business done was in eatables, an abundance of which was 

 rendered necessary by the unusual concourse ; then they had the idea 

 of profiting by the circumstance to procure grains which they were 

 ordinarily unable to procure at home or could only be got at high rates. 

 The presence of the consumer brought that of the merchant, and 

 gradually fairs were formed.&quot; 



Challamel, when saying that in Paris the region immedi 

 ately around the cathedral &quot; was devoted to trade, &quot; indicates 

 the way in which not only periodic but permanent localiza 

 tion of trade was incidentally determined by ecclesiastical 

 observances. But in France a direct as well as an indirect 

 clerical influence was exercised. 



&quot;In many quarters the secular or regular clergy had the wardenship, 

 seigneurship, and jurisdiction of the fairs. . . . Usually fairs and 

 markets were held in front of the churches; the priests or monks 

 solemnly opened them.&quot; 



The history of early England furnishes kindred evidence. 

 Indeed the church had become a trading centre quite lit 

 erally. In Mrs. Green s elaborate digest of ancient mu 

 nicipal documents we read 



&quot;The church was their Common Hall where the commonalty met for 

 all kinds of business, to audit the town accounts, to divide the common 

 lands, to make grants of property, to hire soldiers, or to elect a mayor 

 ... we even hear of a payment made by the priest to the corporation 

 to induce them not to hold their assemblies in the chancel while high 

 mass was being performed. ... In fair time the throng of traders . . . 



