FAIR

(Either from the Latin ferias or forum.) A meeting held at stated times of the year in particular 437 places, for the purposes of traflSc, to which merchants resort with their wares. Fairs, in Christian countries, were usually held on particular festivals; and are so still in England, unle where they have been fixed to particular days in the month by later grants of privileges. By the English law, the king's authority only is supposed to confer the privilege of holding a fair, with the court of pie-powder to determine disputes arising there, which is incident to it. Fairs are considered free, unle toll is due to the owners by special grant, or by custom, which supposes such grant. [s. 450]