ORIGIN.
The origin of this Fair—like that of most of the great fairs of the
world—is involved in obscurity. The first trace of it is found in a
charter granted about 1211 by King John to the Lepers of the Hospital of
St. Mary Magdalen at Sturbridge, by Cambridge—a fair to be held in the
Close of the Hospital on the Vigil and Feast of the Holy Cross.
The Commissioners appointed by Edward I. to make inquiry into the rights
and revenue of the Crown, visited Cambridge; and concerning its several
markets and fairs reported (_inter alia_) the existence of this fair to
which fact I shall make further reference, under date 1278.
Whatever its origin, it became in a comparatively short time after
the period of which I am now speaking the most important fair held in
Great Britain, and some writers have declared—without much apparent
information to guide them—in the world. The incidents in its history
are so remarkable, and throw so much light upon the customs of our
forefathers, that I propose to give them in considerable detail. They
have been brought together from various sources—the chief being Cooper’s
“Annals of Cambridge,” compiled by Charles Henry Cooper, F.S.A., who held
the office of Town Clerk, and who consequently had unrestricted access to
the records. The “History and Antiquities of Barnwell Abbey,” 1786, has
been largely consulted. While the ample notes appended to the “Life of
Ambrose Bonwicke,” as edited by Prof. John E. B. Mayor, M.A., 1870, have
been made available. I have followed as best suited to the circumstances,
a strictly chronological arrangement.
As questions continually arise in the progress of our record regarding
the rights of the town of Cambridge over the fair, it will be well
here briefly to indicate how these may have arisen. In the inquisition
of the Commissioners already referred to, it is recorded that “the
keepers of this Hospital hold twenty four acres and a half of land in
Cambridge field, for the support of the Lepers therein dwelling according
to ancient right and custom.” From other sources it appears that the
Hospital was at the disposal of the burgesses of Cambridge previous to
1245; but that about this time Hugh de Northwold, the then Bishop of Ely
“unjustly got the patronage of it.” The burgesses still claimed that
the advowson of the Hospital “belonged by right to them.” The fact
probably being that the hospital was established by the town, before it
was converted into a religious foundation; that upon such conversion the
Church claimed sole jurisdiction; but as the original grant of land was
not relinquished the townsmen still asserted their interest; and it will
be seen, in the end—and after centuries of conflict—obtained it. See 1544.
There is a further element of conflict, of a far more pertinacious
character than the preceding, running almost entirely through our six
centuries of record—and this is with the University, as distinguished
from the Town, of Cambridge. It was the custom to grant to University
towns very large powers regarding the food supplies, _i.e._ the control
of the markets; as also, and necessarily, the control of the morals,
and therefore the amusements, of the scholars. Such a fair as that of
Sturbridge affected alike the food supplies, and the moral discipline of
the students; and hence the whole machinery of the University was put in
force to secure and maintain control. It is in this view that many of the
details of the University Proclamation of the Fair (see 1548) can alone
be explained. On the other hand the Town authorities always had in view
their rights over the Lepers Hospital; and hence their reversion in the
tolls of the fair. Other points will make themselves apparent; but these
are the broad views from which many of the following incidents have to be
regarded.
_Name of the Fair._—The first point of interest is the name of the Fair.
It is occasionally spelled in such a manner as to be entirely misleading
as to its locality; and hence many have come to regard it as being in
the western, instead of the eastern part of the kingdom. The spelling
indeed has varied much at different periods. The original designation
was Steresbrigg, so called from the little river of _Stere_, or _Sture_
flowing into the _Cam_, near Cambridge. There have been several fanciful
origins assigned by those who were too indolent to investigate proper
sources: such as (by Bloomfield) that it was derived from the toll
paid for all young cattle, or _steers_ passing over the bridge! I have
throughout this record followed the spelling of the authorities under
quotation.
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