210 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
matter of detail to expect to find accurately represented in a drawing 
of this kind. About the same time the yard was fortified with 
barricades as part of a plan for the defence of the town, the gates 
being then made. The townsfolk were very satisfied with the 
provisions made for the reception of their adversaries, for the 
Black-book says :—“ Had some four thousand men and some horse 
here, under the command of the Earl of Bath, to the great comfort 
and encouragement of the town and country, who (if it pleased 
God that the enemy should come) were there ready and willing to 
fight.” 
The next reference we have to the yard is in the memorable 
dispute between the vicar and the town in the mayoralty of Nicholas 
Sherwell. No doubt the vicar, who in 1637 was, you may recollect, 
Dr. Aaron Wilson, found that the erection of the new buildings of 
the Hospital of Poor’s Portion was interfering with the yard, and 
one of his complaints was, that encroachments were being made 
“by the mayor and commonalty on the east side of the churchyard 
by building a row of shambles and other houses on parts of the 
churchyard, and on the west side by building of the hospital where 
the vicar had anciently a house.” 
For some reason or other the vicar waived this part of his com- 
plaint, and the matter dropped. In the same year a new wall and 
stile, between the tower and St. Katherine’s Lane, now Catherine 
Street, was built at a cost of £17 16s. 11d. 
In 1651 an old custom was revived of holding a market in the 
churchyard for the sale of yarn, the mayor and corporation ordering 
that “upon due consideration and for divers good reasons then 
alleged, as well as for the public good of the adjacent parts as for 
the benefit of this place, a yarn market should be kept within this 
borough in the churchyard, between the hours of ten and twelve 
in the forenoon, and so weekly on Thursdays thenceforward to 
continue. And all persons who are concerned therein may take 
notice that they may come and attend on the days and time, and 
at the place aforesaid, and then and there may sell wool yarn as 
formerly, and have the weighing of the yarn free for one year next 
ensuing.” 
This use of the churchyard for the purposes of a market was in 
direct contravention of the Act 13 Edward L., cap. 6, by which 
the king commanded and forbad, for the honour of the church, 
that from thenceforth neither fairs nor markets should be kept in 
