*

wont, in the Time of this Fair, to have the Cuftody of the Town of Oxford, Cum toto regali totius Villa, as it is expreffed, the Mayor, or any other Officer, during the Seafon, could do nothing, according to a Compofition drawn between them.-All the Town Courts ceafed, though they had the Liberties of London never fo much, Et in Signum totius Ville Oxon, which are the Words of the Charter, the Keys of the Town Gates were brought and yielded up to the Prior of the faid Monaftery; and as a further Inftance of their Privilege, they had the Affay or Trial of all Sorts of Measures and Weights, Affize of Wine, Bread, Ale, Fruits, with all Amercements thereto belonging, the punishing of Prostitutes, Felons, and other Malefactors, and the freeing them. They had Stallage and Pitching pence of every one in the faid Fair, not excufing the Townsmen (when fometimes it was kept) before their own Doors. Moreover the Steward of the faid Priory had his Pie-Powders Court for the Punishment of Mifdemeanors committed there, with many other fmaller Liberties, too many at prefent to be recited.In the next King's Reign, viz. H. III. the Canons of the Priory petitioned him, that the Solemnity of this Fair might be changed to another Seafon of the Year.—On which the King by his Charter dated at Westminster, Feb. 28, 1225, did alter the Time, and appoint it to be on the Vigil of St. Frid. Day in October, then on the Feast itself, and fo on the five Days following; afterwards it came to continue 12, and at last 15 Days.-And upon feveral Quarrels between the Priory and the University, Anno 1382, concerning the Affize of Bread, Ale, Wine, and other Vendibles, and alfo Weights and Meafures, for which great Combustions would arife; for the Avoidance of which, and the Rudenefs of the Scholars, to have the Fair kept in the Caftle, it was translated from within the Town to their own Priory, to be kept within their own Limits, which they did, for the most Part, when the Season served, in a Mead on the South Side thereof, called Fridifwede's Mead.

After the Suppreffion of the faid Priory, by the Procurement of Cardinal Wolfey, the Fair went, as most of the Lands did, to his new-erected College, and continued till it came into the Hands of K. H. VIII. who fettling it alfo upon his College, the Dean and Canons made a long Leafe of it to J. Rappe; but afterwards coming into the King's Hands again, the Citizens entertained Thoughts of having it to themselves, it gave to the faid 7. Rappe, 38th H. VIII. 207. for his Leafe, then afterwards 3d of Ed. VI. purchased of

Reg. S. Frid. f. 17. X. 95.

c 8 132. d). 443. • 8.282.

f(-) 249, 382. 8 X. 96.

hA Controverfy fubfifted between the Univerfity and St. Frid. Priory, in Refpect of the Jurifdiction of Fairs held in Oxford, and claimed by the Chancellor in Right of having the Affize of certain mercantile Goods fold in the Market there, which Fairs being interdicted by him, and the Standings, Stalls, &c. being pulled down by his Order, the Prior, by frequent Complaints to the

the King, with Authority from the Parliament, the Fair itself, with all its Appurtenances, for the Sum of 751. to be kept for 15 Days, within the Precincts of Gildhall, which continued, fays Mr. Wood, to his Time.

But the first Year it was there kept, the Profit thereof, with its Appurtenances, above all Charges, yielded but 147 and leffening every Year, is reduced now (fays he) almost to nothing, and hardly acknowledged to be a Fair; whereas before, when it belonged to St. Frid. Priory, it was reputed to be one of the greatest in England, both for its great Privileges granted them by feveral Kings, as alfo from the incredible Concourfe of People from all Parts of the Nation.

The next Fair we find to have been within the Limits of Oxon was, the May Auften or May-Fair, granted' by the Favour of Ed. IV. in the 14th of his Reign (1474) to the Auguftin Friars, to be kept on their own Soil, before their Gates, on the Feast of St. John, ante Port. at. the Vigil of it; or, as it was called, Portlatyns' Eve, and for four Days immediately following; as alfo a Pie-Powder Court to be kept all the while during the faid Fair, by the Steward of the House, for the Redress of all Disorders committed within it.

This Fair continued, with great Concourfe of People, till the Diffolution of the faid Friary.-Then this, with the Scite of the House, which continued for fome Time in the King's Hands, came to H." Duke of Suffolk, and T. Duport, who fhif ing their Hands of it, it came through other Men's Poffeffions to the City, who, after they had it in their Hands," lett out the Profit hereof, together with the Scite of the Friary to Mr. R. Edges, for 21 Years, 14th Eliz. paying annually 77. with the fpecial Condition, that he and one Surety be bound with him to keep the Fair there yearly and orderly, and to perform all fuch other Covenants as the City ftood bound to perform. -After the Lease expired, what became of the Fair, is no where faid that I can find.

About 67 Years ago, fays Mr. Wood in his Time, a Sign of it appeared over against Smithgate, at the Entrance into Holiwell, and over against the Place were Wadham College now ftands (having been the Place where the Fair used to be kept) when feveral Vendibles of Hucksters, and the like, were fold. This Fair, at the Foundation of Wadham College, was conveyed to this College, and after tranflated to Gildhall, where fuch a Fair as it is, confifting only of a few Trumperies, remains to this Day.-Wood.

R. Conc. Maiori & Burgenfib. Civit. Oxon. feriam & Nundinas vocatas St. Frydefwyde's Fayre infra Civit. præd. & aliis commoditatib. eifd. feriæ & nundinis fpectantib.habend. eif. & fuccefforib. fuis, Pat. 3. Ed. VI. Juli. 22. Afhmol. MSS. in Bib. Oxon. 886. p. 309.

1 L. Pat. 14 Ed. IV. Part 1. m. 23, 8, 112.
m Lib. Merc. f. 128. ). 141.

n Lib. Sen. Conc. f. 255. ). 593, 592.
Lib. Merc. 128.

The

6.

The laft Fair we had, appears in a Charter, procured by the Town, of Queen Eliz. 4th of December, in the 44th of her Reign, wherein the grants them three, to be kept every Year in Broken-Heys and Gloucester Green.-The first to be on the 3d of May; the fecond on the 2d of July; and the 3d on the 23d of October, with a Pie-Powders Court, Toll, and Stallage, and all other Customs belonging to the Fair. But neither did thefe fucced any e

better.

A Fair was attempted fome Years ago for Beafts of all Sorts, to be held on Gloucester-Green. -Some faint Efforts were made for its Reftoration, but foon vanished and disappeared, as heretofore.

At prefent we have no Fair, a Wake is at St. Giles's, called St. Giles's Wake, yearly, the Monday after St. Giles's Day.

The other on Gloucester-Green the 3d of May.

Th

Of the GOVERNMENT of the CITY.

O pafs by the fuperior Powers, whether of King, Conful, or Earl, that fwayed this City, I fhall fpeak of it in a fubordinate or inferior Way.

Befides the early Mention of it in the British Times, under the British Name of Caer, as Caer- Memphric, Caer-Vortigern, &c. a Term answering to the ancient Latin or Roman, Civitas or Civis, a Cieo or Cio, to call together into one, denoting a Corporate Body, or an Affembly of People under the fame Laws, under one Head or Chief."

It paffed with thefe early People under the Appellation of Municipium, See p. 6. i. e. a City Corporate, having Privileges and Liberties of its own, as also particular Laws and Cuftoms for the better Government of its Members or Citizens.-A Munia & Capio, i. e. from fuch as took on them or ferved Offices, or were elected to defend the Rights and Privileges of the Community, to maintain Order and good Policy among themselves.Whence the old Roman Phrases of Jus Municipale, the particular Law of a Corporation, as our Common Law now is; Municipalia Magifteria, the Offices of a Corporation; Municipalia Sacra, fuch Rites of Worship as is customary in Corporate Bodies. Thefe Municipes or Denizens of a City enfrancifed, pleaded Privileges to themselves.-So Paul, when beaten, because born at Tarfus, remonftrated against this Behaviour of the Magistrates; who therefore feared, when they heard he was a Roman, and desired him to depart out of the City. Acтs ch. xvi.

In a certain Cart of King Alfred, Anno 995, on an Occafion to fhew

a Dict. Lyttelton. & aliis.

Id. Lyttelton. Comp. with Chamber's Di&. in Verb. how

how he came by the Ground which he bestowed on the Monaftery of Abendon, he makes exprefs Mention of Winfig, Provost de Oxenforda.

Before the Conqueft, the Burgeffes met in Balliolo, p. 158. which implies a Body Politic; for by this Term, the feveral Members hereof are formed into one Body, in a joint Capacity to act under a Principal.

It cannot be expected the Conqueror himself should prove a good Friend to this Place, which had oppofed his coming here; but it does not appear that he injured the City in any Particular.

But that his Son Henry vouchfafed it Privileges and Liberties, is very evident from the following Cart.

R. Angl. progenitoris

A Chart of H. II. and
Grant of Liberties to the
City of Oxford, as were
Temp. H. I. his Grand-
father.

A Guild of Merchants.
To be free from Tax or

Toll.

From a Cart of Q. Eliz. fhe fays, Infpeximus Cart. Dni. H. II. noftri in hæc v rba." H. R. Angl. Dux. Norman. & Aquit .n. &c. Archiepif. Epif. &c. Salut. fciatis me conceffiffe & confirmaffe civib. meis in Oxenford omn. libertates & confuetudines & leges & quietantias fuas quas habuerunt. Temp. R. avi mei nominatim Ġildam fuam Mercatoriam, cum omnib. libertat. & confuetud. in terr. & infulis, pafturis & als. pertin. ita quod aliquis qui non fit de Gildalla aliquam Mercaturam non faciet in civit. vel fuburb.. nifi ficut folebat. Temp. R. avi mei. præterea conceffe eis quod fint quieti a theolon. & paffag. & omn. confuetud. per totam Angl. & Norman. per terr. aquam per ripam maris, by Land and by Strand. Ex habeant omn. alias confuet. & libertat. & leg. fuas quas habeant communes cum civ. meis Londini. Et quod at feft. meam mihi ferviant. cum i lis de Betteleria, mea. et facient cum eis mercatur. fuam infra Londin. & extra. & in omn. locis.-Et fi dubitaverint vel contenderint de judici. aliquo. quod facere. deobeant, de hoc Londin. mittant nuncios fuas.-Et quod Londin nfes inde judicabunt firmum & ratum habeant.-Et extra civit. Oxenford non placitent de aliquo unde ca'umniati funt, fed de quocunq. in placit. ponentur, fe difrationabunt fecund. leg. & confuetud. civ. London. & non aliter. quia ipfi & cives Lond. funt de una & ead. confuet. & leg. & libertate. Quare volo, &c. quod habeant præd. libert. & leg, & confuet. & tenuras fuas. Ita bene & in pace, &c. cum Saca, & Soca, & Fo.l, & Team, & Infangtheof, & cum omn. aliis libert. & confuet. & quietantiis fuis ficut eas unquam melius habuere Temp. R. H. avi mei. Et ficut civ. mei Lond. eas ht. Teft. Com. Canc. Rog. Com. Cornub. H. Com. Norf. &c. Et Cart. R. Eliz. infpeximus 14 die Jun. Anno Reg. Bri. 1o. d

To have all Liberties and Privileges in common with the Citizens of London, and be Butlers with them at the King's Coronation.

Pleas fhould be held within the City.

Regn. Nri.

In this is mentioned a Gild of Merchants; a no new Privilege to the Oxonians, they had enjoyed the fame in or before William the Conqueror's Time. He confirms to them fuam Gildam, their Gild, which Word comes from the Saxon, Lild, implying a Fraternity met together for the Benefit of a City or Town; whence the Guild Hall of London, Oxford, &c. to this Day, where the Mayor and his Brethren affemble to make Orders and Laws

This Word, in Latin, Præpofitus, fignifies a Ruler or chief Municipal Magiftrate in a Community. The Provoft's Duty was to prefide at the City Courts, to decide Differences relative to Trade and Merchandise, to take Cognizance of the Affairs of its Conftituents, punish Delinquents, &c. having in fhort much the fame Privi

leges as Kings in their Grants or Charters, gave, or rather confirmed to them, in after Times. In this Senfe are the Provosts of Edinburgh, Paris, and Lyons, to this Day.

Rot 7 Eliz. in Domo Conyerforum London. Num. 6.

for

for the better Regulation of the City. Here were kept the Mayor's-Court, the Court of Hulings, Court of Common Council, &c.

But the Name of a Mayor of Oxon seems very early, by the following Script in Lib. Affiz, written in Norman French; wherein is alledged a Clause, out of an ancient Charter of Oxford, figned H... nifi illa tangat Nos aut Commitem illius Comitatus, which refers to the Time of the City being under the Jurifdiction of the Earls of Oxford. — -A MS. in Wood's Library fuppofes him to be Harold.

Nic. de Stowel was Mayor before H. Ciceftre.

H. de Ciceftre was Chancellor of the University; both which prime Offices are at least before Torald, in King H. Ild's Time, 1180.

But there is pofitive Mention of the Mayor of Oxford in King H. Ift's Reign.-See the Cart of Donation to Bartholomew's Hofpital, p. 273.

The Name of Mayor is further confirmed at the Time of the folemn Translation of the Body of St. Fridefwide, Anno 1180, 14th of H. II. in the Records of Ofney.

Mayor and Seal.

Notum fit omnib. quod inter W. Kynthe de Oxon. de una parte & fratrem Philip. piorem monafterii St. Frid. Oxon. et ejufd. conven. et altera; convenit. in hunc modum, &c. in cuj. rei feft. ego Willus. figillum meum appofui, & quoniam figillum meum plurib, eft incognitum figillum Maioratus, Oxon. apponi procuravi. -His Teft. Petro fil. Toroldi, Maiore Oxon. Adam fil. Walter, & Alewy Draperio, tunc Præpofitis, &c.

King R. I. who was born here, and to do Honour and Service to his native Place, especially as he was going Abroad into foreign Parts, thinking it would advance the Strength of his Dominion at Home, confirms a Mayor, with the Addition of two Aldermen, that the Oxford Citizens Rights and Privileges fhould be the fame, and in as ample a Manner, as the City of London-That the Mayor fhould be Butler at his Coronation Feaft, with other Privileges before given. In Return for which Tokens of his Favour conferred on them, to redeem him out of the Imperial Hands, where he was Prifoner in Germany, they cheerfully raised a large Sum of Money.—I mention this Circumstance as a just Commendation due to the Oxonians for fuch loyal Gratitude."

King John, 12 Jan. firft of his Reign, gives them a Cart, confirming that of Henry I.

King Henry III, by a Cart, dated 13th of his Reign, confirms alfo the above of Henry I.

The 29th of his Reign, he extends their Power and Privileges.

F 28. p. 9. in Muf. Oxon.

Twyne, p. 41.

Ex Lib. Ofn. penes Æd, Chrifti. h Wood Hift. Univ. Anno 1198.

H. R. Angl.