Page:Mediaevalleicest00billrich.djvu/161

 animals were removed altogether out of the town to the new Cattle Market.

A Cattle Market is mentioned in the Borough Records as early as 1341. It was held, apparently, in the Saturday Market; until it was resolved, at a Common Hall which met in the year 1597, "that the beast market shall from henceforth be kept in the lane called Cow Lane, Cank Street, and Loseby Lane, and not to be any more hereafter kept in the Saturday Market." no regular beast market, however, seems to have been established until the year 1763, when the Corporation made an Order "that a Market shall be opened on every Wednesday hereafter, in this Borough, for the sale of Fat and Lean Cattle." This was held, at first, in the Market Place, or near the East Gate, but in 1774 it was removed to Horsefair Street, "from the wall adjoining the Three Crowns Inn and to extend straight along the Millstone Lane." A few years later, the market was further extended "down the South Gate to the Horse Pool and also along the Welford Road to St. Mary's Workhouse or across Hangman Lane if necessary." The new Cattle Market in the Welford Road was opened in 1872.

The "Horse Fair" is mentioned in the Borough Records for 1508, as the name of the piece of ground, outside the southern wall of the town, where horses were bought and sold. These dealings seem to have taken place chiefly at the Midsummer Fair. Thus the Chamberlains' Accounts for the year 1559-60 acknowledge toll received "of the horse fair at Midsummer, 1s. 8d." In the last century a Horse-fair was held four times a year in Humberstonegate. Two of these fairs lasted a whole day each; the others came to an end at mid-day.

A Wool Market was established by the Second Charter of Queen Elizabeth, granted in 1599, in the following words.

"For the relief of the poor and of sick men and women dwelling in Leicester We grant that the Mayor bailiffs and burgesses may have a wool market for the purchase and sale of wool, woollen thread, and yarn, provided such market damage no neighbouring market, and any subject may buy wool, woollen thread, and yarn brought into Leicester on the days appointed, 121