Of the Courts of Pypowder: By John Pettingall, D.D.

Extract

By the statute 17 Edward IV, 1477, it was provided, “That “whereas divers fairs be holden and kept in this realm, some “by prescription, allowed before justices in Eyre, and some by the “grant of our Lord the King that now is, and some by the grants of “his predecessors; and to every of the same fairs, is of right pertaining “a court of Pypowders, to minister in the same due justice in this be-“half, in which court it hath been atall times accustomed, that every “person coming to the said fairs should have lawful remedy of all “manner of contracts, trespasses, covenants, debts and other deeds, “made or done within any of the same fairs, during the time “of the same fair—and within the jurisdiction of the same, and to “be tried by merchants being of the same fair; which courts at this “day be misused by the stewards, under-stewards, bailiffs, commis-“sioners and other ministers, holding and governing the said courts “of the said fairs, for their private profit, holding pleas by plaints, “as well of contracts, debts, trespasses, and other feats, done and “committed out of the time of the said fair, or jurisdiction of the “same, whereof, in truth, they have no jurisdiction surmising the “same debts, trespasses, &c.