y, with proper warehouses for merchants between, to vary the edifices,
and make it at once one of the most beautiful ranges of structure in the
world."[1] King Charles, however, as Mr. Cunningham observes, "was never
obstinate in any thing for his country's good," and the idea was dropped:
but Wren erected the above Hall as a specimen of his intention of
ornamenting the banks of the Thames. The original hall was destroyed by
the Great Fire.

The ancient importance of the Fishmongers' Company may be thus explained:--

During the days of papacy in England, fish was an article not of optional,
but compulsive consumption, and this rendered the business of a fishmonger
one of the principal trades of London. Fish Street Hill, and the immediate
vicinity, was the great mart for this branch of traffic, from its close
connexion with the river, and here lived many illustrious citizens,
particularly Sir William Walworth, and Sir Stephen Fisher.

Strong prejudices were however entertained against the fishmongers, and to
so great an extent was it carried, that in the fourteenth century, they
prayed the king, by Nicholas Exton, one of their body, that he would take
the company under his protection, "lest they might receive corporeal hurt."
The parliament itself appears to have imbibed the general distrust, for in
1382 they enacted, "that no fishmonger should be mayor of the city." This
was repealed, however, the following year.

The fishmongers consisted of two companies, the salt fishmongers,
incorporated in 1433, and the stock fishmongers in 1509. The two companies
were united by Henry VIII. in 1536. Before the junction, they are said by
Stow, who calls them "jolly citizens," to have had six halls, two in
Thames Street, two in Fish Street, and two in Old Fish Street, and six
lord-mayors were elected from their body in twenty-four years. But being
charged with forestalling, contrary to the laws and constitutions of the
city, they were fined five hundred marks by Edward I. in 1290. In 1384,
these, as well as others concerned in furnishing the city with provisions,
were put under the immediate direction of the mayor and aldermen, by an
act of parliament still in force.[2]

The Hall, on the west side of the ward of Bridge Within, was of brick and
stone, and may be said to have had two fronts. The fore entrance was from
Thames Street by a handsome passage, leading into a large square court,
encompassed by the Great Hall, the Court Roo