THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
1600. On 16th Aug. the Corporation of Cambridge made ordinances that no
bailiff should “by any wayes, meanes, or culler whatsoever demise or
lett to ferme his bayliwich within this Town or Fayers, or eny profitts
belonging to the same, to eny persone or persones whatsoever, uppon payne
of disfrannchisinge.”
1601. New causes of dispute arose between the University and the Town,
this time about the “King’s beam” (_Pondus Regis_) or the right of the
former to a beam for weighing articles sold at the Fair. The Queen
(Elizabeth) wrote to the parties:
To our loving friends the Vice-chancellor and Proctors of the University
of Cambridge and the Mayor Bailiffs and Burgesses of the Town:
Whereas there were at the last Sturbridge fair some contentions about a
pair of scales used by you of the University: We require you of the Town
in all peaceable sort, to suffer the University to exercise and use the
same in the accustomed place as they have usually done for the most of
these ten years last past; and what contention soever shall seem to arise
about the same scales, either for the interest of the ground whereon they
are settled, or for the payment of any rent for the same: We think it
fit and so we require of you, that it be peaceably reconciled hereafter
in a lawful course, without giving any occasion of disorders. And so we
heartily bid you farewell. Aug. 27, 1601.
1603. The kingdom was threatened with another visitation of the plague.
The new King (James I.) issued a Proclamation, dated from Hampton Court 8
Aug., whereby it was ordained that for “desire of preventing an universal
contagion among our people” (_inter alia_) Stourbridge Fair should not
be held nor anything appertaining to it at the time accustomed, “nor any
time till they [it] shall have been licensed by us.”
1604. On 23rd July this year the King issued the following mandate,
prohibiting all idle games, plays, or shows in or within five miles of
Cambridge; and under its authority the regulations of the Fair were
considerably modified:
James by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland
defender of the faith, &c.:
To our chancellor and vice-chancellor of our university of Cambridge in
the County of Cambridge, and to all and singular our justices of peace
mayors sheriffs bailiffs constables gaolers and all other our ministers
and officers within the said university and the town of Cambridge and
county aforesaid and to every of them greeting,
_For_ the better maintenance safety and quietness of that our said
university and all and every the students there, and to remove take away
and prevent all occasions that may tend either to the infecting of their
bodies or minds, or to the withdrawing or alienating the younger sort
from the courses of their studies there intended, we do by these presents
authorize will and command you our said chancellor and vice-chancellor
of our said university, and either of you and your successors, that
you do from time to time for ever hereafter by virtue hereof, wholly
and altogether restraine inhibit and forbid as well all and all manner
of unprofitable or idle games plays or exercises to be used or made
within our said university and the town there, and within five miles
compass of and from the said university and the town there, and within
five miles compass of and from the said university and town, especially
bull-baiting, bear-baiting, common plays, publick shews, interludes,
comedies and tragedies in the English tongue, games at loggets,
nine-holes, and all other sports and games whereby throngs concourse
or multitudes are drawn together, or whereby the younger sort are or
may be drawn or provoked to vain expence loss of time or corruption of
manners; as also all and all manner of persons that shall go about to
publish act set out or make any such unprofitable or idle games publick
plays or exercises within the said university or town or within five
miles compass of or from our said university or town, any indulgence,
privilege, liberty or authority, by us granted or to be granted to any
our officers or servants, or to any other person or persons whomsoever,
to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
_Provided_ that it is not our pleasure and meaning hereby to abridge the
students of their accustomed exercises in any kind whatsoever within
their several colleges.
_And_ if any person or persons under colour pretence or virtue of any
licence or authority by us or any other whomsoever granted or to be
granted, or by any other means colour or pretence, shall resist or refuse
peaceably to obey your commands herein, then our will and pleasure is and
we do hereby authorize you our said chancellor and vice-chancellor of our
said university, and either of you, and your successors and deputy or
deputies of you and either of you and your successors, from time to time
to apprehend all and every such offenders, and them to commit to prison
either in the castle of Cambridge or any other goal within the town of
Cambridge, there to remain without bail or main-prize until they shall
willingly submit themselves to your said commands and abide such further
order as to you in your discretions shall be thought meet; willing and
by these presents commanding all you our said justices of peace, mayors,
sheriffs, bailiffs, constables and gaolers, and all other our said
ministers and officers, that upon intimation and shew of this our will
and command herein, you and every of you being required thereto, shall
be aiding and assisting to our said chancellor and vice-chancellor of
our said university, and their successors and their and either of their
deputy or deputies from time to time in the due execution of the premises
according to the purport and true intent hereof, as you will answer to
the contrary at your peril.
_Given_ under our signet at our palace of Westminster, the three and
twentieth day of July, in the second year of our reign of England France
and Ireland and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth.
1606. In the records of the Skinners Company there is an item under
this date “To the wardens for their allowance in riding to Stourbridge
Fair £3: 6: 8; and 13_s._ 4_d._ to me the Recter Warden for my pains.”
But very soon after this period there are signs of a falling-off in the
importance of the fair in this particular: In 1616 it is the accountant
who receives “in allowance towards his charges in riding to Stourbridge
Fair £6.” The wardens had ceased to attend personally.
1612. In the “Letters of Archbishop Williams” (1866) is one dated from
the Proctors’ booth in the fair this year.
1613. In Dr. Nathan Drake’s “Shakespeare and his Times” it is recounted
that at this date the fair had acquired so great a celebrity that
Hackney coaches attended it from London. Subsequently not less than
sixty of those coaches plied the fair (see 1688, &c.). He adds that vast
quantities of butter and cheese found there a ready market; that it
stocked the people in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex with
clothes and all other necessaries; and that the shopkeepers supplied
themselves from hence with the commodities wherein they dealt.
1615. On the 22nd June the Corporation ordered that Mr. French the mayor
should have an irrevokable power of attorney under the Town seal to
prosecute with effect all the suits already begun against those who _kept
any fair or market to the prejudice of the town_, and to commence and
prosecute suits against all who had done or should do the like; and it
was ordered that all charges should be paid by the treasurers on demand.
1620. On 17th Sept., there was held a session of Goal Delivery in
Sturbridge Fair, in the place where the courts there were usually kept
(“Annals of Camb.” iii. p. 136). No explanation of the circumstance is
given.
1622. The suit concerning the right to erect booths in the yard of
Sturbridge Chapel which had been pending for some time was this year
terminated. The Corporation obtained a grant of the Chapel from the Queen.
1625. In consequence of the Plague again being prevalent in the kingdom
Charles I. by Royal Proclamation forbids the holding of this, as also
Bartholomew’s Fair, by reason of the usual “extraordinary resort out of
all parts of the kingdom” of persons to attend this fair, which would if
held lead to the common danger. This proclamation is given _in extenso_
in our chapter on “Legislation.”
1630. The plague existing in Cambridge the holding of this, and also
Bartholomew and Southwark Fairs, was prohibited by Royal Proclamation.
1633. A question arose as to Dower, or the right to dower of the widows
of booth-holders in this fair; and the Corporation on the 14th May
enacted the following declaration:
The custom in such case is (and so hath ever time out of mind been used)
that the relict and widow of her husband (who in his life was seised
of booths in Sturbridge fair) shall have her dower of such booths only
whereof her husband was seised and died intestate. But where the husband
in his life time made sale of his booths or devised them by his last will
and testament, the wife and relict in such case shall have no dower of
any booths.
1636. The King (Charles I.) addressed a letter to the Vice-chancellor
of the University and the mayor of Cambridge (dated Hampton Court,
June 14), setting forth that the town had been often infected with the
plague by means of persons repairing to the fairs, with goods brought
from infectious places, whereby the scholars had been forced to forsake
their studies and scatter themselves for safety unto remote parts of
the kingdom: to avoid the like mischief from the contagion then raging
in London and other places H. M. required the Vice-chancellor and Mayor
to take order that Midsummer fair should not be kept this year, nor the
goods of Londoners or others be sold within the town or three miles of
the same. Refractory persons were to be bound to appear before the King
or the Privy Council to answer the contempt, or on their refusal might
be committed to prison. All justices of the peace of the county and town
were commanded to be aiding and assisting.
In consequence of this letter it was feared that a similar order might be
made as to Sturbridge Fair; and accordingly on Common Day, held 2nd Aug.
steps were taken by the townsmen in view of procuring this fair to be
held. But the result was the following letter dated 21 Aug.
To our trustie and wel beloved The maior & Aldemen of our Towne
of Cambridge.
Charles R. Trustie and wel beloved we greete you well,
whereas out of our royal care of our Universitie and Towne of
Cambridge, and to prevent the encrease and further spreading
of the plague within our Kingdome by such a publique concourse
of people as doth usually resort to Sturbridge faire from all
parts thereof, wee have thought fitt to forbid the keepinge of
the said faire for this yeare, and have accordingly given order
for signifyeing our royall pleasure therein by a Proclamacion,
which requireing some time for the solemne publicacion thereof;
to yᵉ end ye may not in the meane while proceede to proclaime
and sett forth the precincts of the said faire, as wee are
informed that your custome is to doe on the 24th of this
presente moneth, Wee doe by these our Letters declare our said
purpose to you of putting off the said faire for this yeare.
And in consequence thereof, Our will and pleasure is, That you
now forbeare to make any such preparacion to the said Faire or
to doe any act whatsoever apperteyning thereunto, under paine
of our royal displeasure.
Given under our Signett at our Courte at the Castle of
Warwicke, the 21th day of August, in the Twelfe yeare of our
raigne 1636.
The Town Clerk, the Attorneys of the Town Court and other of the
Corporation were ordered to attend at the fair-field to publish his
majesty’s pleasure and command. This was accordingly done on 24th Aug.,
the letter being read at the usual place of proclaiming the fair.
A proclamation prohibiting the fair was issued; and although it bore date
prior to the Royal letter was only received after it. The proclamation
contained this passage:
... And his majesty doth hereby further charge and command, under the
like penalty, all Citizens and Inhabitants of his City of London, that
none of them for this present year, shall bring or send any of their
Goods or merchandize to _Ely_, _Newmarket_, or any other place near to
the University of Cambridge, at or about the usual time appointed for
Sturbridge fair, which were but to transfer that fair to other places,
with no less Danger of dispersing the Sickness throughout the Kingdom.
Given at our Court at Warwick Castle, the 20 day of Aug.
1637. The fair was also again prohibited on account of the prevalence of
plague.
1638. Although the Plague prevailed this year also, it seems that the
fair was held. On the 24th Aug. the Corporation imposed a rate of 1_s._
in the £ on the booth-holders for defraying the charges of procuring the
fair to be kept again—“being otherwise in danger of being put by”; and
for endeavour of a like nature in the two preceding years.
1644. A writer in the parliamentary interest referred to the “Goodly and
full Fair” held at Sturbridge this year “with free trade and comforable
commerce as was formerly accustomed in our former most peaceable times.”
1647. The University complained to the House of Lords against the
bailiffs of the Corporation for contempt of the order of the House
in favour of the University in the matter of the “Stourbridge fayer
privileges.” The matter appears somewhat obscure.
1649. This year an event occurred which had a considerable though
indirect bearing upon this fair. The “Act for the Draining of the Great
Level of the Fens” was passed. This led to considerable alterations in
the navigation between Lynn and Cambridge. The tide, which formerly
flowed up as far as Ely—bringing merchandise at easy charge up to that
point—did not, on the completion of these works, come within twenty
miles of that place. In 1653 the University and Corporation of Cambridge
justly petitioned Parliament on the subject (“Annals of Camb.” iii.
p. 455). I believe no redress was obtained. There were obviously some
counterbalancing advantages in lessening the frequency of floods, and in
rendering better roads possible.
1650. At a Common Day, held 24th Aug., the Corporation, taking notice
that of late years there had been controversies about a preaching
minister for Sturbridge Fair, agreed that the power of election being in
the mayor and aldermen, such preacher should be elected yearly on the day
of the election of mayor, bailiffs, and other officers. See 1710.
1654. About this time the Corporation of Cambridge erected a
banqueting-room and court-house at Sturbridge fair. It was commonly
called the Mayor’s House. At a later period (1670) Some disputes arose
regarding this building being erected upon grounds subject to the right
of commonage.
1655. When the office of “Lord of the Taps” was founded does not appear,
but on the 20th Aug. this year the Corporation made the following
order:—“It is agreed that xxˢ shall be given out of the moneys in the
chest to Michael Wolfe towards the buyinge of a Coate against Sturbridge
fayer now next ensuinge, he being Lord of the Taps this present yeare.”
The coat in question was a crimson one, gaily decorated with taps.
The office of the Lord of the Taps was to taste the ale in any or all
the booths in the fair, and ascertain if it were in suitable vendible
condition. “Ned Ward” speaks of this functionary (1700) as going “arm’d
all over with spiggots and fossets, like a porcupine with his quills, or
looking rather like a fowl wrapped up in a pound of sausages.”
1658. In “Worthington’s Diary” there is an entry made at the
Vice-chancellor’s court at the fair. In Brathwaite’s “Honest Ghost,”
published this year (p. 189), there occurs the following:—
“When th’ fair is done, I to the colledg come,
Or else I drink with them at Trompington,
Craving their more acquaintance with my heart,
Till our next _Sturbridg faire_; and so we part.”
Local events were associated with the fair, as the most prominent
recurring incident in the district, and dated by reference to it.
1660. Worthington speaks of this fair as “the Carpenter’s harvest.”
1665. The fair was again prohibited this year on account of the
prevalence of the plague.
1666. The like by an order in Council “to prevent the spread of the
infection.”
1668. Pepys received so earnest an invitation from his kinsman, Roger
Pepys, that he resolved to let his wife go to this fair. His entry, under
date 15th Sept., is:—“Up by times ... took wife and Mercer and Deb. and
W. Horner (who are all to set out this day for Cambridge, to cosen Roger
Pepys to see Sturbridge Fayre) ... saw them gone, there being only one
man in the coach beside them.” He probably followed some days after,
or about the 29th; but unfortunately the diary is a blank up to 11th
October. It would have been matter of some interest to know his views of
this great gathering.
Edward Kemp preached a sermon at St. Mary’s Church, Cambridge, on the
Sunday before the fair, which was published.
1673. In the Vice-chancellor’s “Little Black Book” is given a copy of the
following letter from Charles II. restoring to the University the right
of weighing hops, which had been assumed by the Town during the Civil
War troubles:—
Charles R. Trusty and well beloved we greet you well. Whereas wee are
informed from our University of Cambridge that severall of their rights
and priviledges (which they have heretofore injoyed by charter and
custome) have in these late yeares of publick distraction been intrenched
upon by our towne of Cambridge, and some of the officers thereto
belonging, particularly the right of setting up the sole publick beame
for the weighing of hops and other things of great bulk in Sturbridge
faire, which did anciently belong to the said University and their
officers, and which as we are informed (besides other evidences) appears
by the acts of your courts registred in the mayoralty of Mr Foxton.
Now wee being desirous to keepe a good correspondence between our said
University and towne, and that either body should enjoy their just
rights, have thought fitt to request you to permitt our University and
their officers (till you shall shew sufficient cause to the contrary)
to enjoy without disturbance the aforesaid right of sole weighing such
hops as shall be sould at Sturbridge faire, together with all other
their antient priviledges. And upon notice shall be carefull, that no
intrenchment bee made upon any of those rights which you may justly
claime. Given under our signet manuell at our court of Whitehall the
thirtieth day of August in the twelfth yeare of our reigne. (Signed)
William Morrice.
To our trusty and well beloved the mayor and aldermen of the towne of
Cambridge.
The original was delivered to Mr John Ewen, mayor, by me Matth. Whenn.
1677. The Corporation of Cambridge ordered the common seal to be affixed
to a petition to the King for the prevention of a new fair at Maidstone,
which might be prejudicial to Sturbridge Fair. This opposition I assume
had reference to the large trade in hops here transacted. (See hereon
De Foe’s account of this fair under date 1723.) There is this curious
entry in the Corporation Common Day Book:—“It is agreed that Mr. Langley
who took great paines in keeping of the Patent for the intended Faire at
Maidstone shall have two gynneys given him, to be paid by the Treasurers.”
1683. Dixon, in his “Canidia, or the Witches,” published this year, says:—
“A fire licking a Child’s hair
Was to be seen at _Sturbridge fair_,
With a lambent flame, all over a sweating mare.”
And again:—
“Women-dancers, Puppet-players,
At Bartholomew and Sturbridge-Fairs.”
1686. Mr. Millington, book auctioneer of London, sold in Cooks’ Row in
the fair this year (8th Sept.) the library of James Chamberlain, fellow
of St. John’s College (1700).
1688. On 10th September the Corporation made an order that the prices of
hackney coachmen who drive from Cambridge to Sturbridge fair, or from
that fair to Cambridge, from sun rising to sunset, should be 12_d._ for
one, two, three, or four persons, and after sunset 18_d._ for the like
number of persons.
1696. Mr. Morley in his “Memoir of Bartholomew Fair” (1859), writing of
this period says, “The great fair near Cambridge—Stourbridge Fair—was in
the days of which we are now speaking, a place of large commerce” (p.
351).
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