Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Market

MARKET, a public place in a city or town, where live cattle, provisions, or other commodities are exposed to sale.

In the country, each article sold in markets must be deposited in the usual place appointed for its sale; but, in London, every shop is a kind of open market.

By the 1 Jac. I. c. 21, all contracts for any article vendible in markets are obligatory; and sales alter or transfer the property, provided they be made in conformity to the following rules; viz. 1. The sale must be in an open place, appointed for the disposal of such goods, so that any person passing by may see it. 2. It must be actual, that is, for a valuable consideration. 3. The buyer is not obliged to know that the vendor has a wrong title to the commodities sold. 4. Such sale ought not to be fraudulent between two persons, with a view to deprive a third of his right or property. 5. There must be a sale and contract, by persons who are legally qualified to execute the same. 6. Such contract should be made in open market. 7. Toll ought to be paid, wherever it is made payable by any statute. 8. The sale ought to be made between sun-rise and sun-set; though, if it be in the night, it is equally binding on the parties. Lastly, if goods, stolen in London, be sold to brokers, &c. the property of the original proprietor remains unaltered.—Beside these rules, the wisdom of the legislature has provided various other regulations, admirably calculated to prevent fraud and imposition, but which our limits will not permit us to detail.—See also Fair.