Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

28 RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH.
days, as in previous years, regarded as a grievous offence.
It was for a time finable for any storekeeper to offer meat
to sell before three o'clock in the afternoon, thus reserving
to those who brought in meat or poultry from the country
for sale, the right of retailing until the dining hour had
passed.
We find among the series of rules adopted for the government of the Market, that no meat of any kind should be
carried into the west front arches of the Market; that no
meat of any kind should be left in the Market over night,
on penalty of forfeiture; that the market be closed at 4 p.
r. except on Saturdays; and that the regular market days
be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It would appear by
this that at first the Market was opened only three days in
the week.
There were six stalls for regular merchants, and four
stalls at the east end for the use of the country traders.
Among the first regular occupants were Anthony Langford, Joseph and Isaac Shepherd, Asa Dearborn, John
French, Amos Sheldon, and Capt. Edward Gove.
The New Market House and Jefferson Hall, with their
good finish, had hardly been soiled by use when, on the
26th of Dec. 1802, its internal work and roof were consumed in the first great conflagration in Portsmouth. For
a time its standing walls and open arches on every side
presented the appearance of some ancient ruinD,-but such
it was not long left to remain.
In 1804 it was rebuilt and in use again, with the same
appearance as before the fire. The roof of the Hall, by a
vote of the town, was better protected against fire, by
being covered with tin. The roof at that time was quite
flat, and hipped-the handsomely projecting eaves in the
front and rear of the building being on a line with those
on the sides. The roof of the Piscataqua Bank building
was made in imitation of that of the Marklet. This good