“ In the 12th century Plympton appears as a mesne borough under the lordship of the Redvers, earls of Devon, and in 1224 the burgesses claimed to have received a charter from William, the 6th earl, of which however nothing further is known, and the first charter of which a copy is extant was issued by Baldwin de Redvers in 1242, granting to the burgesses of Plympton the borough, with fairs and markets, and the liberties enjoyed by the citizens of Exeter, in consideration of a yearly payment of £24, 2s. ”

“ In 1437 a charter from Edward IV. granted to the burgesses an eight-days' fair at the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, but at this period the growing importance of Plymouth was steadily robbing Plympton of its position as head of the district. In 1602, in response to a petition of the burgesses, Elizabeth issued a charter of incorporation, instituting a common council to consist of a mayor and 8 principal burgesses; a Saturday market, and fairs at the Feasts of the Ascension and the Annunciation. ”