ABSTRACT
John, by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justiciars, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and all his bailiffs and liegemen, greetings. Know that we have granted and by our present charter have confirmed that Wells in Somerset shall be a free borough, and that the men of the same town and their heirs shall be free burgesses; and that there shall be a free market there every Sunday just as there is and always has been, and free fairs just as there are yearly, on the feast of blessed Andrew, blessed Callistus, Invention of Holy Cross, on the morrow of blessed John the Baptist; and that there shall be moreover a fair every year in our gift, on the Translation of blessed Andrew, to continue for eight days within the streets of the same borough in the places where the fair of blessed Andrew has always been held, provided it be not a nuisance to neighbouring fairs. Wherefore we will and firmly enjoin that the town of Wells shall be a free borough, and that all its men and their heirs shall be free burgesses for ever; and that they shall have a free market and fairs just as there have always been, together with the eight day fair in our gift; and that they and their heirs shall have all the liberties and free customs of a free borough and
of free burgesses, and those that pertain to a market and to fairs of this kind, well and peacefully, freely and quietly, completely and honourably for ever. We also will that they, their goods and possessions shall be in our hand, charge and protection, forbidding anyone to trouble or disturb them or their heirs against this our charter on pain of our penalty.
