A baker might not sell bread "before his
oven" or in any secret place--only in the King's markets; and to every
baker was assigned his market, to which the bread was carried in baskets
hence called panniers. "Panyers Alley," in Newgate Street, was a famous
stand for bakers' boys. Bread was sold also by female hucksters or
regratresses, who received it from the bakers and delivered it from
house to house. They were allowed to have thirteen batches for twelve,
which is the origin of the phrase "baker's dozen," and the extra batch
represented their legitimate profit; but a practice grew up whereby they
obtained sixpence on Monday mornings as _estrene_, and threepence on
Fridays as "curtasie money." This was disallowed by ordinance on pain of
amercement, and bakers were admonished, in lieu of such payments, to
increase the size of the loaf "to the profit of the public."
URBAN
CHAPTER XIV
THE BANNER OF ST. PAUL
Blount's "Ancient Tenures," a meritorious seventeenth-century work which
has been edited by Mr. W. C. Hazlitt, contains a description of the
military and civil functions performed, and the privileges enjoyed, by
the house of Fitzwalter, in connexion with the City of London. The
latter stand in close relation to the subject with which we have just
dealt, but it will be convenient to discuss first the obligations and
then the "liberties" annexed to their observance. By way of preface we
may recapitulate what Blount, who obtained his account from Dugdale, has
recorded, and, having done so, we will proceed to investigate and
amplify his version of what is beyond question an important chapter in
the early administration of the city.
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