Dewsbury.
_Gloves at Fairs_ (Vol. viii., p. 136.).--As an emblem of power and an
acknowledgment of goodness, "Saul set up a hand" after his victory over
the Amalekites, 1 Sam. xv. 12., (Taylor's _Hebrew Concordance_, in voce
¤YDH¤), 2 Sam xviii. 18., Isaiah lvi. 5. The Ph[oe]nician
monuments are said to have had sculptured on them an arm and _hand held
up_, with an inscription graven thereon. (See Gesenius and Lee.) If, as
stated by your correspondents in the article referred to, the glove at
fairs "denotes protection," and indicates "that parties frequenting the
fair are exempt from arrest," it is at least a remarkable coincidence.
The Phoenicians were the earliest merchants to the west of England
that we have any account of; can any connexion be traced historically
between the Phoenician traffic and the modern practice of setting up a
hand, or glove, at fairs? I well remember the feelings of awe and wonder
with which I gazed when taken in childhood to see "the glove brought in"
and placed over the guildhall of my native city (Exeter) at the
commencement of "Lammas Fair." Has the glove been associated with this
fair from its commencement? and if not, how far back can its use be
traced? The history of the fair is briefly this: it existed before the
Norman Conquest, and was a great mart of business; the tolls had
belonged to the corporation, but King John took one-half, and gave them
to the priory of St. Nicholas. Henry VIII. sold the fair with the
priory; and anno second and third of Philip and Mary it was made over to
the corporation, who have ever since been lords of the fair. (Izacke's
_Memorials_, p. 19.; Oliver's _History of Exeter_, pp. 83. 158., &c.)