this service before the daily one, both during their lives and after, to sing at matins, vespers, and undernsong the psalm De Profundis, during their lives, and after their death Laudate Dominum; and a mass for them whether alive or dead. Aethelraed and Aethelflaed proclaim that they have thus granted with goodwill to God and St. Peter, under witness of Aelfred the king and all the witan in Mercia; … as for … wohcéapung,[1] and all the customs from which any fine may arise, let the lord of the church have half of it, for God's sake and St. Peter's, as it was arranged about the markets and the streets; and without the market-place let the bishop enjoy his rights, as of old our predecessors decreed and privileged. Aethelread and Aethelflaed did this by witness of Aelfred the king, and by witness of those witan of the Mercians whose names stand written hereafter, and in the name of God Almighty they abjure all their successors never to diminish these alms which they have granted to the church for God's love and St. Peter's.

Kemble, Codex Diplomaticus, No. 1075. Saxons in England, I. 328.

904. Grant by Edward of Wessex, son of King Alfred, to the church of Winchester of Taunton Market.

I Edward, who by divine and indulgent clemency am king of the Anglo-Saxons, … consent of my magnates whose names are written below, … grant for ever the market of the town of Taunton, which in English is called thaes tunes cyping, … to the holy church of God in the city of Winchester, … without limitation or impediment and with all easements.[2]

Kemble, Codex Diplomaticus, No. 1084.

968. Confirmation of Edward's grant by Edgar.

Here is made known in this writing how King Edgar renewed the liberty of Taunton, for the Holy Trinity and St. Peter and St. Paul, to the episcopal see of Winchester, as King Edward had before freed it, …; and let the town's market and the produce of the town-dues go to the holy place, as they did before, in the days of my forefathers, and were levied for Bishop Aelfeah and every one of those who enjoyed the land. Whoever will increase this liberty, may God increase his prosperity in a long life here and in eternity. But if any, through audacity and the instigation of the devil and his limbs, will violate this liberty or pervert it to another, unless ere his departure hence he make reparation, be he with malediction cut off from the communion of our Lord and all his saints, and ever be tormented in hell torture, with Judas who was Christ's betrayer.

Thorpe, Diplomatarium Anglicium Aevi Saxonici, 235.

Circa 901-21. Law of Edward and Guthrum.

If any man engage in Sunday marketing, let him forfeit the chattel, and twelve ores among the Danes, and thirty shillings among the English.

Thorpe, Ancient Laws and Institutes, 73.

Circa 1020. Charter of Canute.

We admonish that men keep Sunday's festival with all their might, and observe it from Saturday's noon to Monday's dawning; and no man be so bold that he either go to market or seek any court on that holy day.

Stubbs, Select Charters, 76.

N.B.—These latter enactments were chiefly distinguished by their breach, for throughout the middle ages English markets were frequently held on Sunday. They were probably abortive attempts on the part of pious legislators to end a custom which seemed to them ungodly.

  EFFECT OF THE CONQUEST.

In Domesday Book there is evidence of a considerable number of markets which had existed in England under Edward the Confessor, and which usually yielded to their holders an annual profit of from 20s. to 40s., in those days large sums of money. New markets were in some cases established by the Norman lords who acquired English lands, and they tended to disorganise the market economy.

1087. The ruin of the bishop's market at St. Germans.

The bishop has a lordship called St. Germans. In that lordship, on the day on which King Edward lived and died, there was a market held on Sunday. And now it is made nothing by the market set up close at hand by the count of Mortain in his castle, on the same day.

Exon. Domesday (Rec. Com.), 182, 470.

1087. Necessity to change the day of the market at Hoxne in Suffolk.

Ailmarus, the bishop, held Hoxne in the time of King Edward…. In this manor there was a market in the time of King Edward and afterwards. William the king came, and the market was held on Sunday. And William Malet made his castle at Eye; and on the same day on which there was a market in the bishop's manor, William Malet made another market in his castle, and that so much to the detriment of the bishop's market that this was of little worth. Now therefore it is held on Friday, but the market of Eye still takes place on Sunday.

Domesday (Rec. Com.), II. 379.

1087. Abolition of Launceston Market.

The canons of St. Stephen hold Launceston. Thence the count of Mortain has now taken a market, which was situated there in the days of King Edward, and which was worth 20s.

Domesday (Rec. Com.), I. 120b.

It appears always to have been the intention of the Government that markets and fairs should be held only in the stronger places of the country, where the just and peaceful transaction of business could be secured. Such a situation was in the later middle ages the rule, but that in an early period it was not universal appears from the existence of legislation on the subject.

1066-87. Law of William the Conqueror.

We forbid that any market or fair be held or suffered except in the cities of our realm and in the walled boroughs and in castles and in the safest places, where the customs of our realm, and our common right, and the dues of our crown, which were constituted by our good predecessors, cannot suffer loss nor fraud nor violation; for we will that all things be done with right forms and openly, and in accordance with judgment and with justice.

Thorpe, Ancient Laws and Institutes, 212.

  NEW CREATIONS.

1214. Grant of a market and fair to William of Lancaster.

The King to the Sheriff of Westmoreland greeting.

Know that we have granted to our beloved and faithful William of Lancaster that we have every week a market at his manor of Barton on Thursday, and that he have a fair there every year to last two days, the vigil and the feastday of All Saints. And therefore we command you to cause that the said William have the market and fair according to the tenor of our charter which he has.

Cal. Rot. Lit. Claus. (Rec. Com.), I. 173.

1215. Grant of a market to the men of Beer Hackett.

The King to the Sheriff of Dorset greeting.

Know that we have granted to our men of Beer that they have a market at Beer every week on Wednesday, so that it be not to the injury of neighbouring markets. And therefore we command you to cause them thus to have that market.

Cal. Rot. Lit. Claus. (Rec. Com.), I. 220.

1205. Creation of a royal fair having for