22 History of Inland Transport 



universal concern to the commonwealth," as well as a valuable 

 monetary consideration to those who had the right to collect 

 the tolls ; and they were, in consequence, subjected to close 

 regulation. No person could hold a fair " unless by grant 

 from the King, or by prescription which supposes such grant " ; 

 the time during which it could be kept open was announced 

 by proclamation, and rigidly adhered to ; " just weight and 

 measure " was enforced, and a " clerk of the fair " was 

 appointed to mark the weights. 



On the other hand every encouragement was offered to 

 traders to attend the fairs. " Any citizen of London," says 

 Jacob, " may carry his goods or merchandise to any fair or 

 market at his pleasure." Mounted guards were, in some 

 instances, provided on the main routes leading to the fair, 

 in order to protect the traders from attack by robbers. Tolls 

 were to be paid to the lord of the manor or other owner of the 

 land on which a fair was held under a special grant ; but if 

 the tolls charged were " outrageous and excessive " (to quote 

 again from Jacob), the grant of the right to levy toll became 

 void, and the fair was thenceforth a " free " one. It was 

 further laid down that persons going to a fair should be 

 " privileged from being molested or arrested in it for any other 

 debt or contract than what was contracted in the same, 

 or at least, was promised to be paid there." 



An especially curious feature of these old fairs was the 

 so-called " Court of Pie Powder " this being the accepted 

 English rendering, in those days, of " pied poudre " or 

 " The Court of Dusty Feet." The court was one of summary 

 jurisdiction, at which questions affecting pedlars or other 

 (presumably) dusty-footed traders and their patrons, or 

 matters relating to " the redress of disorders," could be decided 

 by a properly constituted authority during the period of the 

 holding of the fair in which such questions or matters arose. 



Jacob says of this old institution : 



" It is a court of record incident to every Fair ; and to be 

 held only during the time that the Fair is kept. As to the 

 jurisdiction, the cause of action for contract, slander, &c., 

 must arise in the fair or market, and not before at any former 

 fair, nor after the fair ; it is to be for some matter concerning 

 the same fair or market ; and must be done, complained of, 

 heard and determined the same day. Also the plaintiff must 



