Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-01-20
Ancient Fairs and Mark sts.

During a recent lecture in New York
on ancient fairs and Inn markets, Chief
Justice ChEles r. DAILY said: Fairs
have come down TO Us from a remote
antiquity, and their origin was probably
hsiatia. They were found ia Mexico
and Peru when those countries we're
first discovered by the Spaaiards, and
were Enogn in Europe az early as the
seventh century. From The fourth 70 the
seventh century Europe was devasta.ei
by the savage tribes OF Asia, and COM
mercial intercourse was almost COM
pletely destroyed. At the close OF this
warfare, the seeds oi new civilization
were sown, and people were again
brought together for mercantile trans
actions, but with great difficulty. The
roads were infested with robbers ant
merchants were forced 10 unite and
travel well armed for protection. 1t is
probable that the great fairs held down
10 the sixteenth century had their origin
in this way. VI srchants encountered
each other at certain seasons OF the year
at central points, and exchanged their
commodities. Another circumstance
fixed the places for these meetings, and
gave rise 70 small local fairs Ia the
middle ages the devotional feelings OF
| the people caused them 10 visit .he
| shrines OF the saints. Pilgrimages were
made at favorable seasons OF the year,
and as travel was difficult and danger
Gus the pilgrims set out in large num-
| bers. With an eye TO business they
usually managed to carry with them
| goods which they knew would be in de-
mand at the holy place; and thus, not
only indemnided themselves for the ex-
/ peuse Of the pilgrimage but served God
and turned an honest penny at the same
time. After the religious ceremony
came the fair and the busy scenes OF
! traffic. The aame causes led 10 the es-
| tablishment Of local fairs or markets on
Sundays and holidays in nearly every
town where the church was established.
They were source OF revenue TO the
religious houses. toll being exacted
/ from all merchants who engaged in
traffic.
There were seven or eight great fairs
in Europe, to which all the great mer-
chants resorted. They were generally
held in an open plain, covering a space
of six or seven mics. II held near a
town ali business was suspended there
during the progress Of the fair. The
manner Of conducting them was thor
oughly republican, every person in"
tcrested having an equal voice in the
government A president was elected
and council OF twelve, in whom all
power was lodged. They also had
court, CON 7"Sed OF twelve persons, and
police to pfcEcrve order. The proceed
inRs Of the court were summary and
without appeal. and execution promptly
followed the sentence. The court settled
all disputes. and theft was punished by
whipping the offender and exposing him,
fastened TO an iron chain, that all might
know that he was thief The fair was
opened and closed by public proclama>
tion, and merchants were exempt from
arrest in person and property while en-
gagged at the fair, and in going 10 or re-
turning from IT, When the fair was
formally opened the spectacle presented
was striking and picturesque. Booths
and tents were spread out in al direc-
tions. and amusements OF all kinds were
literally provided. Everywhere, as
now. the gambler was 70 be found, and
the puppct-show divided attention with
the rope. dancers and fortune-tellers-
With the advance Of civilization, safety
Of travel and the building Of great cities
which are, in fact, but fairs, or mar
kets. on large scale-the necessity for
holding these large fairs disappeared,
and they began TO be patronized more
by the idle and vicious in search of
amusement than by trafiickers in the
necessities of life.