maces that gave dignity to their proceedings, the cups bestowed by
royal or noble personages or by the affluent members of the guild in
token of their affection for their town and fellowship. Therein they
assembled to don their robes to march in procession to the town church
to hear Mass, or in later times a sermon, and then refreshed
themselves with a feast at the charge of the hall. The portraits of
the worthies of the town, of royal and distinguished patrons, adorned
the walls, and the old guild hall preached daily lessons to the
townsfolk to uphold the dignity and promote the welfare of the
borough, and good feeling and the sense of brotherhood among
themselves.

[Illustration: The Town Hall, Shrewsbury]

We give an illustration of the town hall of Shrewsbury, a notable
building and well worthy of study as a specimen of a municipal
building erected at the close of the sixteenth century. The style is
that of the Renaissance with the usual mixture of debased Gothic and
classic details, but the general effect is imposing; the arches and
parapet are especially characteristic. An inscription over the arch at
the north end records:--

"The xv^{th} day of June was this building begonne, William Jones
and Thomas Charlton, Gent, then Bailiffes, and was erected and
covered in their time, 1595."

A full description of this building is given in Canon Auden's history
of the town. He states that "under the clock is the statue of Richard
Duke of York, father of Edward IV, which was removed from the old
Welsh Bridge at its demolition in 1791. This is flanked by an