Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-11-10
A Brief History Of Fairs.


Fairs aro Of very early origin. w
SEQ them in their insipient stages ~ ial
back as the time Of Constantine, whel
We read that Hebrews, Gentiles ant
Christians assembled in great number
to perform their several rites about {
tree reported TO be the oak under which
Abraham received the angels. At thu
same time, adds Tossimus, there also
came together many traders, both fol
the sale and purchase Of wares. ST.
Basil. toward the close OF the sixth cen
tury, complained that his church wat
profaned by the public fairs held at the
martyrs shrine, and under the Fatimite
caliphs, in the eleventh century, there
was an annual fair held even on Mount
Calvary.
The most ancient fair known in France
appears to have been that Of Troyes, in
which mention is made in letter OF
Sidonius Apollonarius, toward the end
Of the fifth century. More than two
centuries after Dagobert I founded the
fair Of st. Denis. This fair was not only
the Oldest, but it was one of the most
celebrated fairs Of France. 1t began on
October 10 and lasted ten days. It was
opened by procession Of monks from
the Abbey of st. Denis, and in later
times it was usual for the parliament of
Paris to allow itself holiday during the
time Of the fair in order that its members
might attend. The great fairs of France
began with the celebrated "Foires de
Champagne ct de Brie " in the twelfth
century. To these fairs focked mer-
chants from all the provinces of France
and also from foreign lands. The duration
of each Of these fairs was six weeks, and
there were six in the course Of a year, 80
that they occupied nine months out of
twelve. The great fairs in Germany
were those at Frankfort and Magdeburg.
In England the great fair was that of st.
Bartholomew, whose memoirs are set
forth in a very interesting manner by
Henry Morley. This fair lasted from
113S, when it was founded by Rayer, n
prior Of the abbey of st. Bartholomew
and former jester Of King Henry I, by
charter from the royal hand, to the year
1855, when it was proclaimed for the
last time.
In old times fair-goers were priv.
ileged class of persons and were granted
certain immunities. The lords of the
land through which merchants passed
were obliged to requite whntever loss
traders suffered by spoilation in passing
through their territory. The Importance
OF these fairs was recognized thus early
in their history. They had an important
effect not only upon the wealth of
the country, but upon the
social relations Of the people, and upon
the language itself.
At what time amusemenis were first
to add to the attraction of
fairs is not definitely known, but it was
quite early in their history. They began,
probably. with miracle plays, given in
with the religious festivals,
and as the religious element faded slowly
away, We may suppose that these amuse-
ments became Of grosser character,
until ut last they formed the principal
features Of the present fair.
In this country the yearly agricultural
show is perhaps the nearest approach to
;he time-honored institution. What we
commonly call "fair" is, however, but
he ghost of that old, rollicking figure of
he past W00nsocket Patriot.