122 THE OLD GUILDHALL. 



" bles, and for redeeming of Thomas Sanders and Miles 

 " Waterford's two Houses by the Church Stile amount 

 in ail to 794 8s. Od. 



The Hall itself was erected on arches, under which, 

 and around the building, the butter and poultry market 

 was held, and in an enclosed court behind it were col- 

 lected the corn-market and the vegetable market to the 

 great annoyance of all passengers, there being on the 

 market days scarcely a possibility of passing, and great 

 was the clamour and dire the confusion that prevailed. 

 But to return to the Edifice, the hall was ascended 

 by a flight of seventeen steps, hence arose a local bye- 

 word, if any one was acting illegally either by the com- 

 mission of any crime, or the incurrence of debt, it was 

 said that he would soon ascend the seventeen steps ; the 

 open stair case in a Tower which projected into the 

 street and rendered it extremely narrow ; over the land- 

 ing place was a Council Chamber, (which will be pre- 

 sently referred to,) and this wassurmounded by a cupola 

 containing a clock. 



On entering the Hall, at the western end of it were 

 erected the seats for the Mayor and other Magis- 

 trates, and various members of the Corporation, and 

 outside the bar the remainder of the Hall was left open 

 for the inhabitants ; at the the eastern end of it another 

 stair-case led to the Council Chamber ; a small room 

 partly over the Hall and partly in the Tower, in this 

 room, the deliberative meetings of the 12 and 24 took 

 place, and here too unfortunately were the archives of 

 the corporate body kept in a place unfit for their preser- 

 vation. Out of the Hall, at the western end was the 

 entrance to the debtors prison, and beyond it another 

 apartment where criminals were confined, or detained pri- 

 orto commitment for any heinous offence ; below, and en- 

 tered by the side of the steps were two dungeons, one 

 called the Clink, whose reputation has long survived its 

 existence, and children are still told they shall be sent 

 to the Clink as a place of terror. The other prison 

 was a low room for the confinement of all offender* 

 having free intercourse with the passers-by. Such wa* 



