A. D. 1477. Anno dtcimo fcptimo Ed vva r di IV. C. 2. Cotton MS. pur Ic temps efteaint del frank Chapell del Roy de Seint Martyn Ic graund d/a Loundres, ne as Dean & Cha- pitre pur Je de mcfme le Chapell, ne a afcun perfone ou | . »ntz
- z mcfme lc Chapell, ou dedeinz afcune lieu ou lieux d inzli pn incte fee ou fraun-
( hil'c del dit Dean, ou des ditz Dean et Chapitre, ne al afcun des ditz droit* / pri< il< ■..' z I nchi- 1 autrechofe, per le Roy ou per afcun dc fca progenitours. predeceflburs, ou poflel i ne, as Dean et Chapitre del dit Chapell et lour fucceflburs jointement on feveralment en afcune mancre grauntz ey devaunt appertiegnauntz. Kt auxi purvcu qe lc Dean del dit , et le Di in ci Chapite dc mcfme le Chapell, aient teignent et enjoient entierment fraunchement ncnt et efrcctuoufment, toutz les ditz droitez privilegez liberteez fraunchifez immunitecz, et tout < n fourme fuifdit a eux grauntez, per qeconqes noun ou nounz ils foient riofiuez ou appellez jointement ou feveralment en afcuns lettres ou efcript fur ceo faitz ; afcun act ordcignauncc ou cftatuit : qu etlie rait en autre mancre, ou chofc contraric, nient contriflcant. crSuJe , 1 < dr. 2. t. 7. fr{1. 12. 9 & 10 IV. 3. r. 18. IO //i;». f. 16. 6 6Y". I. f. 1 1, ar.d 12 Cro. Z . :. t6. «• .
- , fie iSCar. ». f. 5. 25 dr. 2. <■. 8. 6 & ? W. 3. 1. 17. 7 tf 8 /*'. 3. <-, 10S 19. 8 //'. 3. 1, 1. 8 5f 9 W.
y//'.;. .3.1.21. 1 /inn. /la:, i. c. 9. t^Ann.i.zi. 7j4i)». f, 44- 15 Cm. 2. r, 23. <W 27 07c 2 r. II. CAP. II. For Courts of Pipowders. • (0 ic dSihtr. j. f .z6. ITEM qe come diverfes feires fount tenuz & gardez en ceft Roialmc, afcuns per prefcription allowcz devaunt Juftices en Eire, & afcuns per graunt noftre Seignur lc Roy qorcif, & afcuns per fraunt dc fes nobles progenitours & predeceflburs : it a afcun ou chefcune des mefmes les feires eft de droit appertcignaunt un court de Pcepowders, a miniftrer en ceo due Tufticc en ccllc panic, en quels court il y ad toutz jours eftc accuftumc, qe une perfone venaunt as tielx feires arroit loial remedie des toutz maners contractes, trefpafTes, covenaunts, dettes, & autres fetes ou autrement faits ou commys deins afcuns de les mefmes feires dtirant le temps mcfme le feir, Si deins la jurifdic- tion del mefme, Si deftre triers per marchauntz efteantz al mefme la feire ; queles courtes es cefts jours fount mifufes per fenefchallz fouth fencfchallz baillifs commiiTariez & autres miniftrez teignauntz & governauntz les ditz courtes des ditz feires, pur lour finguler profit tenauntz plee per plaintes, fibieri des contracles dettes trefpafTes & autres feus faitz & commife hors le temps des ditz feires ou la ju- rifdiction del mefme, dounten verite ils ount nulle jurifdiction, furmettauntz les contracted dettes tref- pafTes covenauntz Sz autres fetez eftre faitz deins lz temps des feires, ou deinz la jurifdiction de les mefmes feires, lou en verite ils enfi ne feuflent ; et afcuns fcitz fur plaintez feintes per ymagination de malvais difpofes poeples atroubler ceuxasqueux ils portent male voluntee, a celle entent qils arroi- ent pur lucre favourables enqueftes des venantz as ditz feires lou ils preignount lour actions, Si pe- rount plufours venantz as ditz feires fount gre- voufment vexes & troubles per actions feintes Si auxi per actions des dettes trefpafTes fetes & con- faitz & cemmys hors del temps des ditz fei- tes, ou jurisdictions del mefme, contrarie equite& bon confeience, perount les Seignurs des ditz feires it graundes profites per noun venue des di- Verfcs marchauntz a lour feires, qi pur celle caufe bfteinount, Si auxi les Communes pur celle fount pire ferves dc tie! fruffe & marchaun- oile quelles autrement viendrount as ditz feires : Noftre dit Seignur le Roy, les premiiT.s confidc- res, del advyce & aiTent des ditz Seignurs efpirt- fcuelx & temporelx & a la requefte des Communes en le dit parlement dTemblcs, & per lauctorite d. 1 fciefme ad crdeigne & cftablie, qe al primer jour ITEM, Whereas divers Fairs be holden and kept In a Court of in this Realm, fome by Prefcription allowed be- 1 ' i ? 1 " dl "." the fore Juftices in Eyre, and fome by the Grant of our ^'V" 1 "^ ih , lA Lord the Kinsr that now is, and fome by the Grant ,1, r^?,'**" . or his 1 rogemtors and Iredecellors ; {z) and to m^de in the every of the fame Fairs is of right pertaining a Court Tim.- and jurif- of Pipowders, to minifter in the fame due luftice in *iftiouof the " this Behalf; (3) in which Court it hath been all famc Fair - Times accuftomed, that every Perfon coming to the laid Fairs, fhould have lawful Remedy of all Man- ner of Contracts, TrefpafTes, Covenants, Debts, and other Deeds made or done within any of the fame Fairs, during the Time of the fame Fair, and with- in the Jurifdiction of the fame, and to be tried by Merchants being of the fame Fair ; (4 ) which Courts at this Day be mifufed by Stewards, Under-ftewards, Bailiffs, Commiffioners, and other Minifters holding and governing the faid Courts of the faid Fairs, for their private Profit, holding Pleas by Plaints, as well of Contracts, Debts, TrefpafTes, and other Feats done and committed out of the Time of the faid Fairs, or the Jurifdiction of the fame, whereof of Truth they have no Jurifdiction, furmifing t:i3 fame Debts, TrefpafTes, Covenants or other D.^ !-, to be done within the Time of the F-iirs, or within ' the Jurifdiction of the fame Fairs, where of Truth they were not fo ; (^) and fometime by the Device of evil-difpoled People feveral Suits be feigned, and trouble them to whom they bear evil Will, to the ' Intent that they for Lucre may have favourable I:i -
- quefts of thofe that come to the faid Fairs, where
they take their Actions. (6) And whereas diver-; Perfons coming to the fame Fairs, be grie cully vex- ed and troubled by feigned Actions, and alio by Actions of Debt, Tefpafles, Deeds, and Contracts made and committ ' out of the Time of the laid Fair, or the Jurifdiction of the fame, contrary to Equity and good Confeience, (7) whereby the Lords of the fame Fairs do Iofe great Piofit by the not ' coming of divers Merchants to their Fairs, which by this Occafion do abftarn, and alfo the Commons
- be unferved of fuch Stuff" and Merchandise which
' otherwife would come to fame Fairs." ' (3) Our faid Lo;d the King coniidering the Premiffes, by the Advice ami Aflent of the Lords Spiritual and Tem- poral, and at the Requeft of the Common?, in the faid Parliament afierxfbled, and by the Authority c f the lame, hath ordained, and eftabli:hcd, That from the
