In 1544, Henry Fuller, Esq., being then mayor, kept the first mayor’s feast in grand style in the new hall. In 1561, the Earls of Northumberland and Huntingdon, the Lord Thomas Howard, and Lord Willoughby, with many other lords and knights, came to Norwich to visit the Duke of Norfolk, and they lodged at the Duke’s palace. At that very time the mayor’s feast was held; and William Mingay, then mayor, invited the noble lords and their ladies to the banquet. They accepted the invitation, and were entertained in princely style; and they expressed great satisfaction with their reception. After dinner, Mr. John Martin, a wealthy citizen, delivered the following characteristic speech:— “Maister Mayor of Norwich, and it please your Worship, you have feasted us like a King. God bless the Queen’s Grace. We have fed plentifully; and now, whilom I can speak plain English, I heartily thank you Maister Mayor; and so do we all. Answer, Boys, Answer. Your Beer is pleasant & potent, and will soon catch us by the _caput_, and stop our manners: And so Huzza for the Queen’s Majesty’s Grace, and all her bonny-brow’d Dames of Honour. Huzza for Maister Mayor and our good Dame Mayoress. His noble grace, there he is, {53} God bless him, and all this jolly company. To all our friends round county, who have a penny in their purse, and an English heart in their bodies, to keep out Spanish Dons, and Papists with their faggots to burn our whiskers. Shove it about, twirl your cap cases, handle your jugs, and Huzza for Maister Mayor, and his brethren, their Worships.” On many subsequent occasions, the hall was the scene of grand civic festivities, to which we shall have to allude hereafter. The Triennial Musical Festivals are held here. And, formerly, the assizes for the city; the nomination of candidates to represent the city in Parliament; and the mayor’s feasts, which were generally given on the day when he was sworn into office, were also all held in this spacious building; and on some festive occasions, nearly 1000 ladies and gentlemen have dined here, including most of the principal families of the city. Several times between 1650 and 1700 the hall was proclaimed “a public exchange for the despatch of business between merchants and tradesmen.” The last time was in 1725, when it was used only one year. It was opened in October, 1796, as a corn exchange and continued to be used as such every Saturday till 1828. Under the superintendance of Mr. Barry, the City Surveyor, a complete restoration of the hall was effected in 1863.