he shall have some
privy vein by bodgers, who do accustomably so deal that the sea doth load
away no small part thereof into other countries and our enemies, to the
great hindrance of our commonwealth at home, and more likely yet to be,
except some remedy be found. But what do I talk of these things, or desire
the suppression of bodgers, being a minister? Certes I may speak of them
right well as feeling the harm in that I am a buyer, nevertheless I speak
generally in each of them.

To conclude therefore, in our markets all things are to be sold necessary
for man's use; and there is our provision made commonly for all the week
ensuing. Therefore, as there are no great towns without one weekly market
at least, so there are very few of them that have not one or two fairs or
more within the compass of the year, assigned unto them by the prince.
And albeit that some of them are not much better than Louse fair,[96] or
the common kirkemesses[97] beyond the sea, yet there are divers not
inferior to the greatest marts in Europe, as Stourbridge fair near to
Cambridge, Bristow fair, Bartholomew fair at London, Lynn mart, Cold fair
at Newport pond for cattle, and divers other, all which, or at leastwise
the greatest part of them (to the end I may with the more ease to the
reader and less travel to myself fulfil my task in their recital), I have
set down according to the names of the months wherein they are holden at
the end of this book, where you shall find them at large as I borrowed the
same from J. Stow and the reports of others.

CHAPTER V.

OF THE LAWS OF ENGLAND SINCE HER FIRST INHABITATION.

[1577, Book III., Chapter 3; 1587, Book II., Chapter 9.]

That Samothes (or Dis) gave the first laws to the Celts (whose kingdom he
erected about the fifteenth of Nimbrote), the testimony of Berosus is
proof sufficient. For he not only affirmeth him to publish the same in the
fourth of Ninus, but also addeth thereto how there lived none in his days
of more excellent wisdom nor politic invention than he, whereof he was
named Samothes, as some other do affirm. What his laws were, it is now
altogether unknown, as most things of this age, but that they were altered
again at the coming of Albion no man can absolutely deny, sith new lords
use commonly to give new laws, and conquerors abolish such as were in use
before them.

The like also may be affirmed of our Brute, notwithstanding that the
certain knowledge, so well of the on