_Growth of London._—1590. During the reign of Elizabeth various attempts had been made to stop the growth of London. Proclamations had been issued forbidding under heavy displeasure the building of new houses. But the Elizabethan era was an important one in the development of commerce, as it had been in the fostering of learning; and with the development of commerce there came a greater influx of strangers into the city. Thus it came about that more houses in the city were imperative. It was found that the lines of trade marked at Bartholomew Fair by the standings of the clothiers and others, would yield more money as streets of houses than as streets of booths, and so, before the close of the century, as Stow tells us, “notwithstanding all proclamations of the prince, and also the act of parliament, in place of booths within the churchyard (only let out in the fair time and closed up all the year after) be many large houses built, and the north wall towards Long Lane taken down, and a number of tenements are there erected for such as will give great rents.” This last line of trading-houses was substituted for the profitless dead wall. Parallel with it, through the ground vacant of building north of the church, which that wall had enclosed, parallel also with one of the church walls, a street of considerable houses occupied the site and kept the name of Cloth Fair. _Plague._—1593 (53rd of Elizabeth). The plague being now prevailing in the city, the queen issued a proclamation on 6th August, about three weeks before the usual time of the fair, in substance as follows:—Whereas there was a general resort of all kinds of people out of every part of the realm to the said fair; but that (on this occasion) in the usual place of Smithfield there should be no manner of market for any wares kept, nor any stalls or booths for any manner of merchandise, or for victuals, suffered to be set up; but that the open space of the ground called Smithfield, be only occupied with the sale of horses and cattle, and of stall wares, as butter, cheese, and such like in gross, and not by retail, the same to continue for the space of two days only. And for the vent of woollen cloths, kerseys, and linen cloth, to be all sold in gross and not by retail; the same should be brought within the close-yard of St. Bartholomew (afterwards known as the Cloth Fair) where shops were there continued (_i.e._ not deserted by reason of the plague) and have gates to shut the same place in the nights, and then such to be offered to sale, and to be bought in gross and not by retail; the same market to continue but three days—that is to say Even, the Day of St. Bartholomew and the Morrow after. And that the sale and vent of leather be kept in the outside of the ring of Smithfield, as had been accustomed, without erecting of any shops or booths for the same, or for any victualler or other occupier of any wares whatsoever.