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 13s. 4d. 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 1s. 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:—
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:—
And again:—
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 12d. for one, two, three, or four persons, and after sunset 18d. 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).