Notes on Fairs

[I. Marc Carlson]

According to THE FAIRS OF MEDIEVAL ENGLAND, AN INTRODUCTORY STUDY, by
Ellen Wedemeyer Moore (Toronto : Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies,
1985) The Fair's Owner puts on the Fair (the Owner can be anyone, but
usually is either a local Noble, or Royal representative) and shares with
the King the responsibility for maintaining the Peace.

The fairs discussed in this book are primarily the St. Giles and St. Ives fairs
in England, although there is some discussion of the Fairs of Champaigne and
others both insular and continental.

The Steward or the Keeper of the Fair (Custodes Nudinarum) or Justice of the
Pavilion was responsible for running the Fair's Courts (which were often actual
legal courts), and were assisted by 6-8 bailiffs as well as the
constabulary/footguards/watch.

Other tasks were the Keeper of the Tollgates (Toll seems to have only been really
paid on merchandise, not people), Keepers of the Roads, the Keeper of Tron (the
beam on which large purchases are weighed), Collector of Terrage (what Pensic
refers to as the "Slumlords" and may have collected Seldage (or rents for the
merchant's stalls as well)), as well as Keepers such as the Town Reeve (which may
or may not be anything like the current Society Office) as well as the Wardens
elected by the local Guilds to regulate the affairs of their guildmembers and
visiting merchants at the fairs.  Finally are the keepers of the animals (one for
"in the field" and another "in the fair")

Immeadiately assisting the Justice of the Pavilion were the Chamberlain of
Pavilion (Collected fines/ammercements of the Court), Usher/Porter of Pavilion,
Proclaimer of Banns/Marshall (Summoned the defendents and jurors to court, rode
through the camp declaring the nightime curfew, proclaimed the banns (such as on
open fires), proclaimed the fairs at other towns), and a Clerk of the Pleas.

"Mihi Satis Apparet Propter     Diarmuit Ui Dhuinn
  Se Ipsum Appetenda Sapientia"	University of Northkeep
 -- St. Dunstan			Northkeepshire, Ansteorra
				(I. Marc Carlson/IMC at vax2.utulsa.edu)