By T. H. Baker. 



233 



Walter of Horsington, John of Inmere, John of Hampstede, John 

 )f Burton, John Hodel, William Winking, Adam the Taylor, 

 Robert of the Leigh, Walter Eadel, William Gromme, Roger 

 1 Martin, Walter Stedman, William Hitch, Adam Henton, Julia 

 ^ 3-alye, Thomas Harding, John Harding, Eobert Artur, William 

 . Smith, Walter Carpenter, John Flingere, John and Matilda Caxton, 

 J Humphrey Hatch, William Bellamy, Richard Hatchwolf , William 

 1 and John at the Green, Henry in the open Field, William of the 

 h Marsh, William and Robert at the Ash Tree, Walter and Alicia of 

 ~ the Spring, Reginald below the Water, Roger at the Brook, John 

 * :he Hunter, J ohn the Hayward, John the Shepherd, Osbert the 

 " Tanner, Roger the Wayte, William the Potter, William the Palmer, 

 Edith the Mercier, Adam the Tukere, Eustace of Burton, Henry 

 ; of Pimperleigh, Roger Aylward, William Ingram, John G-oodricke, 

 John Derry, Robert of the Conwich, Peter Brekebut, Stephen 

 •'Solely. 



In 1399 the men and tenants of the castle and lordship of Mere, 

 , in the county of Wilts, being of the ancient demesne of the crown, 

 were confirmed in the privilege of exemption from toll throughout 

 the whole kingdom of England " as they ought and had hitherto 

 " been accustomed to be." In 1408 King Henry IV. granted to his 

 son, Henry, Prince of Wales, that he and his heirs should have 

 ' two fairs yearly in the town of Mere in the county of Wilts, one 

 on the eve and day of St. John ante portam Latinam (May 6th), 

 to continue for six successive days — (this was the origin of the 

 ' fair now held May 17th, which would correspond to May 6th, old 

 1 style ; Sir Richard Hoare has, in his Modern Wiltshire, fallen into 

 the error of putting St. John's Day as the day of St. John the 

 Baptist, June 24th, and therefore concludes that this fair is 

 abolished) — ; and the other on the eve and day of St. Bartholomew, 

 August 24th, to continue for six days successively following ; and 

 also one market weekly, to be holden on Wednesday ; together 

 with all franchises, commodities, and liberties, to the said faii-s 

 and market belonging, for ever. This second fair has ceased to 

 exist, and the present generation has no knowledge of its ever 

 having been kept up. There is no record stating when the market 



