48 General 'History of Bath. 



Prior of Keynsham (an Augustinian foundation) held fairs at 

 Hinton and Marshfield to the detriment of the fairs of the city. 

 6. That the King's own houses within the Abbey gates were out of 

 repair since the Prior was farmer of Bath, and that the cost of 

 restoring them was estimated at ten marks beyond the cost 

 which the King had incurred about two houses he had himself 

 built on his own land within the Priory. 

 The jurors then go on to give a Hst of those who had 

 carried away stones from the city walls, the Prior being the 

 greatest delinquent. 



In 1347, the citizens were called on by Edward III., to 

 provide six fully-armed men to accompany the King from 

 Portsmouth to France. The city could provide but four 

 men, and with difficulty compounded for the other two, by 

 payment of twenty marks. The acquittance says : " This is 

 not to be drawn into a precedent." 



Edward III. sent urgent remonstrances to the citizens to 

 repair the city walls, and directed a rate to be levied on all 

 owners of property within the city or suburbs, and, "all who 

 constantly dwell therein or resort thither for merchandise.'' 



During the reign of Edward IV., the citizens incurred the 

 royal displeasure by receiving Margaret of Anjou. Edward 

 marched against the city, but when he had approached as far 

 as Marlborough she fled to Bristol, and afterwards to Tewkes- 

 bury, where she was taken prisoner. 



The population of Bath did not show much 

 increase. It has been calculated to have been 

 about 890 at the taking of Domesday; and in 1379 a poll 

 tax shows the then population to have been about 1025. 

 But, such as they were, the inhabitants gained their living 

 by the manufacture of wool stuffs. The industry was intro- 

 duced by the monks, who incorporated a weaver's shuttle in 

 the arms of the monastery, and the mill in the Avon, which 



