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JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
at some conspicuous place, there to remain the whole legal time of 
the fair, as a token to all that "free trade" was the law of the 
place. 
It has been seen how trade throve under the walls of churches 
on Sundays and on the principal saints' and holy days, with its 
fetters loosened, and defended from taxation by the Sovereign. 
The time soon came when the religious element of fairs was to be 
lost, and they were to remain as places of trade and pleasure 
only. 
This most probably was the case before it was publicly recognized ; 
and it was not until the increase of trade rendered the Sabbath or 
holy day of the fair, the busiest working day of the whole year, that 
the following statute was passed by the influence of the clergy in 
1448, being 27th Henry VI., c. 5. 
" Considering the abominable injuries and offences done to Almighty God 
and to His saints, always aiders and singular assisters in our necessities, be- 
cause of fairs and markets upon their high and principal feasts, as in the 
feasts of the Ascension of our Lord, in the day of Corpus Christi, in the day 
of Whitsunday, in Trinity Sunday, with other Sundays; and also in the 
high feasts of the Assumption of our blessed Lady, the day of All Saints, 
and on Good Friday, accustomably and miserably holden and used in the 
realm of England, in which principal and festive days, for great earthly 
covetise, the people is more willingly vexed, and in bodily labour foiled, than 
in other ' Ferial days,' holiday or resting days, as in fastening and making 
their booths and stalls, bearing, carrying, lifting and placing their wares out- 
wards and homeward, as though they did nothing remember the horrible 
defiling of their souls in the buying and selling, with many deceitful lies 
and false perjury, with drunkenness and strives, and so withdrawing them- 
selves and their servants from divine service. It was ordained that all 
manner of fairs and markets on the said principal feasts, and Sundays, and 
Good Fridays, shall clearly cease from shewing of all goods or merchandises 
(necessary victuals only except) upon pain of forfeiture of all the goods, the 
four Sundays in harvest except. Nevertheless it is permitted to hold fairs, 
which have no time to hold their fair but only upon the festive days afore- 
said, to hold by the same authority of the old grant within three days next 
before the said feasts or next after, proclamation first made to the simple 
common people upon which day the fair shall be holden. Those fairs 
which of old times had special grants for sufficient days before or after the 
feasts aforesaid, shall in like manner hold their fairs the full number of their 
days, the said festive days and Sundays and Good Fridays except." 
In 1486 we find recorded a statute* evidently framed to counter- 
act the endeavours of the Corporation of London to force the trade 
* 3 Henry VIL, c. 9. 
