in which the poet was born were
often visited by foreigners, even in the poet's lifetime. Their visits
must have taken place before the fire, for the house was destroyed in
the Great Fire, and "Paradise Lost" was published after it. Spread Eagle
Court is at the present time a warehouse-yard, says Mr. David Masson.
The position of a scrivener was something between a notary and a law
stationer.

There was a City prison formerly in Bread Street. "On the west side of
Bread Street," says Stow, "amongst divers fair and large houses for
merchants, and fair inns for passengers, had they one prison-house
pertaining to the sheriffs of London, called the Compter, in Bread
Street; but in 1555 the prisoners were removed from thence to one other
new Compter in Wood Street, provided by the City's purchase, and built
for that purpose."

The "Mermaid" Tavern, in Cheapside, about the site of which there has
been endless controversy, stood in Bread Street, with side entrances,
as Mr. Burn has shown, with admirable clearness, in Friday Street and
Bread Street; hence the disputes of antiquaries.

Mr. Burn, in his book on "Tokens," says, "The site of the 'Mermaid' is
clearly defined, from the circumstance of W.R., a haberdasher of small
wares, 'twixt Wood Street and Milk Street, adopting the sign, 'Over
against the Mermaid Tavern in Cheapside.'" The tavern was destroyed in
the Great Fire.

Here Sir Walter Raleigh is, by one of the traditions, said to have
instituted "The Mermaid Club." Gifford, in his edition of "Ben Jonson,"
has thus described the club:--"About this time (1603) Jonson probably
began to acquire that turn for conviviality for which he was afterwards
noted. Sir Walter Raleigh, previously to his unfortunate engagement with
the wretched Cobham and others, had instituted a meeting of _beaux
esprits_ at the 'Mermaid,' a celebrated tavern in Friday Street. Of this
club, which combined more talent and genius than ever met together
before or since, our author was a member, and here for many years he
regularly repaired, with Shakespeare, Beaumont, Fletcher, Selden,
Cotton, Carew, Martin, Donne, and many others, whose names, even at this
distant period, call up a mingled feeling of reverence and respect." But
this is doubted. A writer in the _Athenaeum_, Sept. 16, 1865,
states:--"The origin of the common tale of Raleigh founding the 'Mermaid
Club,' of which Shakespeare is said to have been a member, has not been
traced. Is it old