Bartholomew's Fair to sell books.
By 1403 the Stationers' Company, which had long been
in existence, was chartered; its headquarters were in
London, at a hall in Milk Street. This guild did not
confine its attention to the book-trade; nor did the booksellers
sell only books. Often, indeed, this was but a small
part of general mercantile operations. For example.
William Praat, a London mercer, obtained manuscripts
for Caxton. Grocers also sold manuscripts, parchment,
paper and ink. King John of France, while a prisoner in
England in 1360, bought from three grocers of Lincoln
four "quaires" of paper, a main of paper and a skin of
parchment, and three "quaires" of paper. From a scribe
of Lincoln named John he also bought books, some of
which are now in the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.[1]
[1] Donnee des comptes des Roys de France, au 14e siecle
(1852), 227; Putnam, i. 312; Library, v. 3-4.
We have a record of an interesting transaction which
took place at the end of the manuscript period (1469).
One William Ebesham wrote to his most worshipful and
special master, Sir John Paston, asking, in a hesitating,
cringing sort of way, for the payment of his little bill,
which seems to have been a good deal overdue, as is the
way with bills.
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