“Opposite to the Cross in Cheapside, on the south side of the street, there stood a superb pile of buildings, called Goldsmiths’ Row, extending from the west to Bread Street. This Row was erected in 1491, by Thomas Wood, Goldsmith, Sheriff of London. Stow describes it in 1598 as ‘the most beautiful frame of fair houses and shops that be within the walls of London, or elsewhere in England. It containeth in number ten fair dwelling-houses and fourteen shops, all in one frame, uniformly builded four stories high, beautified toward the street with the Goldsmith arms and the likeness of Woodmen (in memory of the founder’s name) riding on monstrous beasts, all of which is cast in lead, richly painted over and gilt.’ ‘This said front was again new painted and gilt over in the year 1594, Sir Richard Martin being then Mayor, and keeping the Mayoralty in one of them’ (Stow, edition 1633). ‘At this time the City greatly abounded in riches and splendour, such as former ages were unacquainted with. Then it was beautiful to behold the glorious appearance of Goldsmiths’ shops in the South Row of Cheapside, which, in a continued course, reached from the Old Change to Bucklersbury, exclusive of four shops only of other trades in all that space’ (Maitland’s History of London, edition 1760, vol. i. p. 301). King Charles the First in 1629 issued a Proclamation ordering the Goldsmiths to plant themselves, for the use of their trade, in Cheapside or Lombard Street. The Lords of the Council, in 1637, sent a letter to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen (vide vii. 197), ordering them to close every shop in Cheapside and Lombard Street that did not carry on the trade of a Goldsmith, about twenty-four in all, Grove and one Widow Hill, Stationers; Dover, a Milliner; Brown, a Bandseller; Sanders, a Drugster; Medcalfe, a Cook; Edwards, a Girdler, etc.—Rushworth’s ‘State Papers.’” (Remembrancia, p. 106, n. 1.)