76 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
horse could not be removed from the buyer if it had been openly exhibited 
for one hour ; but if these regulations were not complied with, the owner 
might seize the horse whoever had it." 
By 31 Elizabeth, c. 12, sellers of horses must be known to the 
toll-keeper, or someone who would vouch for the sale, whose name, 
with the price of the horse, must be entered in the book, and a 
certificate of the same given to the buyer. 
The laws relating to the entertainment of strangers, which in 
early days were very strict, relaxed, however at fair-time. 
There is a painful reminder of the mutual distrust of man and 
man in the edict of Henry II. — 
" That no stranger should be lodged for more than one night by any man 
who would not be made answerable on his behalf, unless upon reasonable 
excuse, which was to be shown by the host to his neighbours ; and when 
such a guest departed, it was to be in the presence of the neighbours, and at 
day-time." 
On the first night a stranger lodged in a house he was accounted 
" unknown ;" on the second, "a guest;" and on the third, "a 
member of the household." 
In the borough of Totnes is mentioned in the corporation 
records, 30th Henry VI., 1452, as follows : 
" Item, that the mayor shall make proclamation that no one shall harbour 
wanders through the town, being beggars, within his house more than a day 
and a night under penalty of being presented as receiver of mendicants." 
Before the age of inns, or rather hostelries, it was at religious 
houses that travellers of all sorts rested ; and doubtless during the 
days of a neighbouring fair such houses were full of guests. But, 
bearing in mind the numbers of all sorts of persons who frequented 
fairs, and the season of the year when pleasure fairs were held, we 
may assume that many slept by night among the booths ; and that 
in the connection of some fairs with certain forms of cooked meat, 
we have the continuance of a custom that arose out of necessity 
when the fair was established, as for instance, South Brent and 
Tavistock "Goose Fairs" in September; Buckfastleigh "Lamb- 
pie Fair" at Midsummer, and "Pear-pie Fair" in September; 
Totnes " Gooseberry- tart Fair " in May. Possibly the Buckfast- 
leigh Lamb-pie at Midsummer may be of earlier origin, as the lamb 
is always associated with John the Baptist. 
For the convenience of fair-goers, the statute 3 Charles L, c. 3, 
1627, which enforces a penalty for selling liquor in unlicensed 
