ced; the first range being
occupied by hardwaremen, silversmiths, jewellers, and fine ironmongery.
The next range was the row of mercers and linen-drapers, where a draper
from Holborn had a stock of not less than 5,000_l_. value. The next
range of booths was occupied by stuff-merchants, hosiers, lacemen,
milliners, and furriers; here one vender has been known to receive from
1,000_l_. to 1,200_l_. for Norwich and Yorkshire goods. A lace-dealer
from Tavistock-street likewise attended here with a stock of 2,000_l_.
value, together with many other respectable tradesmen, with goods
according to the London fashion. Then followed the ladies and gentlemen's
shoe-makers, hatters, and perfumers; and next to the inn was an
extensive store of oils, colours, and pickles, kept by an oilman from
Limehouse, whose returns were seldom less than 2,000_l_. during the
fair; and the father of the writer of this article, who attended the
fair during forty years, usually brought away from 1,200_l_. to
1,500_l_. for goods sold and paid for on the spot, exclusive of those
sold on credit to respectable dealers, farmers, and gentry. On the
outside of the inn were temporary stables for baiting the horses
belonging to the visiters. The carriages were drawn up in the fields
in a line with the stables or standings for the horses.

Next was the oyster fair; the oysters from Lynn, called the Lynn
channel, were the size of a horse's hoof, and were opened with a pair of
pincers. At the bottom, in the Mead, next the river, was the coal fair;
opposite which were the pottery and fine Staffordshire wares. Returning
to and opposite the oyster fair was the horse fair, held on the Friday
in the week after the proclamation. The show of beautiful animals here
was, perhaps, unrivalled by any fair in the empire; the choicest hunters
and racers from Yorkshire, muscular and bony draught-horses from Suffolk
and every other breeding county, drew together dealers and gentlemen
from all quarters, so that many hundreds of valuable animals changed
masters in the space of twelve hours. Higher up was Dockrell's
coffee-house and tavern, spacious and well stored with excellent
accommodations. About 200 yards onward was Ironmonger-row, where the
dealers from Sheffield, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and other parts,
kept large stocks of all sorts of iron and tin wares, agricultural
implements, and tools of every description. About 20 yards from them,
westward, and bordering on the