THE GROWTH OF FREEDOM 65 



as roads. The king himself was constantly moving 

 about with his retainers, in order to visit and draw 

 supplies of provisions and tribute from various parts 

 of the country. Abbots, bishops and nobles journeyed 

 from manor to manor, and such great men must have 

 had numerous followers. Pedlars, musicians and 

 beggars tramped from fair to fair, taking markets, 

 perhaps, on their route : hermits were settled in way- 

 side huts, and not only priests but robed monks and 

 friars were to be met with on the road. 



For those countrymen who had no love of adventure 

 and did not wish to go far afield there were at least 

 markets and fairs to attend. The villages were largely 

 self-supporting, and there was no great amount of 

 national trade such as we have to-day ; but market 

 centres were numerous, and many great and important 

 fairs were held annually throughout England under 

 the protection of the king, of the Church or of some 

 great layman owning trading rights. Market day was 

 an occasion for social meeting even in the XlVth 

 century, and all the village must have gone to the fairs. 



It will thus be realized that whilst the life differed 

 greatly from the life of to-day, it must have been full 

 of interest ; it obtained too a special character owing 

 to the democratic and co-operative spirit that prevailed 

 amongst the people, and influenced not only their 

 work on the land but also their social life and public 

 duties. 



