Green’s Dictionary of Slang

that area of London, now Smithfield, where trials of skill were held among ‘ordinary, Ruffianly people, with Sword and Buckler’ (T. Blount, Glossographia, 1674); thus phr. he is only fit for Ruffian’s Hall, used of an over-dressed apprentice.

1592		Nashe Pierce Pennilesse 39: Men will need carouse, conspire, and quarrell, that they may make Ruffians hall of Hell.
1605		Chapman & Jonson Eastward Ho! I i: Heyday, Ruffians’ Hall! Sword, pumps, here’s a racket indeed!
1614		J. Stow Annals of England (1631) 1024/1: This field commonly called West-Smithfield, was for many yeares called Ruffians hall, by reason it was the vsuall place of Frayes and common fighting.
1632		Massinger City-Madam I ii: Beat down their weapons. My gate ruffians hall.
1662		Fuller Worthies (1840) II 347: ‘He is only fit for Ruffian’s-hall’. A ruffian is the same with a swaggerer, so called because endeavouring to make that side to swag or weigh down, whereon he engageth.
1670		J. Ray Proverbs 242: He is only fit for Ruffians-hall.
1728		Pope Dunciad II 27: Long Chanc’y-lane [...] And courts to courts return it round and round; Thames wafts it thence to Rufus’ [sic] roaring hall And H-----d re-ecchoes, bawl for bawl.
1822		W. Scott Peveril of the Peak I 117: I would rather have starved in the darkest and lowest vault of Ruffin Castle, than have consented.
1837		(ref. to late 16C) ‘Richardson, the Showman’ in Bentley’s Misc. Feb. 180: Smithfield became [....] a scene of cruel executions; and one where, as old Stow acquaints us, loose serving-men and quarrelsome persons resorted and made uproars, thus becoming the rendezvous of bullies and bravoes, till it earned the appropriate name of ‘Ruffians’ Hall.’.