and obtained an order to commence suits in the Court of King's Bench against the newly-elected Aldermen; and for the management of which, not only appointed a committee of their own members, but likewise ordered cash out of the Chamber of London to prosecute the same :—

"This affair being complained of in the House of Lords, they appointed a Committee to examine into the charge the City had been at, upon this and other occasions since the year 1711, relating to the election of Aldermen and Common Councilmen, which the Committee reported to that House:—

"Resolved By the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That it is the opinion of this House, that the Common Councils of London, having issued great sums of money out of the Chamber of London in maintaining several suits of law between citizen and citizen relating to controverted elections, have abused their trust, and been guilty of great partiality, and of a gross mismanagement of the City treasure, and a violation of the freedom of elections in the City.'

GEORGE II.

1727 TO 1760.

"AT a Court of Common Council, held at Guild

* Maitland, pp. 515, 517, 521, 522, 525.

hall on the 6th of October, 1727, it was unanimously resolved to invite their Majesties, His Royal Highness the Duke, and the three eldest Princesses, to dinner at Guildhall, on the approaching Lord Mayor's Day; pursuant to which, the Lord Mayor elect, Sheriffs, and Recorder, were ordered to attend their Majesties, to know their Royal pleasure; at the same time a Committee of four Aldermen and eight Commoners were appointed to attend His Majesty to desire leave to put up His Majesty's and his royal Consort's pictures in Guildhall; upon both which accounts His Majesty being attended, he was graciously pleased to accept of the former and comply with the latter; report whereof being made the next day in Common Council, a Committee of eight Aldermen and sixteen Commoners were appointed to superintend the entertainment to be provided for their Majesties. And the Sheriffs having invited the Duke and the Princesses, their Majesties, accompanied by the latter, and attended by the great Officers of State, with a numerous train of the nobility and all the Foreign Ministers, came into the City, and in a balcony, in Cheapside, the usual place of standing, beheld the pompous procession pass; whereupon their Majesties were conducted to Guildhall, at the entrance whereof the Lord Mayor, kneeling, presented the City Sword to the King, who graciously returning the same, it was by his Lordship carried before their Majesties to the Council

Chamber, where the Recorder complimented His Majesty in the name of the citizens.

"From the Council Chamber, their Majesties (preceded by the Lord Mayor, carrying the City Sword) and the Princesses went to the hustings, where they were most sumptuously entertained; the Ladies of the Bedchamber having the honour to dine at the royal table, while other tables were provided below in the hall for the Nobility, Foreign ministers, Judges, Ladies, and other persons of distinction, together with tables for the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councilmen. The illustrious company having seated themselves, and silence commanded, the Common Crier proclaimed, That His Majesty drank to the health of the Lord Mayor, and prosperity to the City of London and the trade thereof, and that Her Majesty confirmed the same. Silence being again commanded, proclamation was made, That the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councilmen drank health, long life, and a happy and prosperous reign to our Sovereign Lord King George. And silence being again commanded, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councilmen drank health, long life, and happiness to our most gracious Queen Caroline, and all the Royal Family.

"After dinner, their Majesties, accompanied by the Princesses, were graciously pleased to return to the Council Chamber, and thence to the long gal

lery, where they honoured the ball with their presence till eleven o'clock. On this occasion, His Majesty was graciously pleased to order the sum of one thousand pounds to be paid to the Sheriffs, for the relief and discharge of poor insolvent pri

soners.

"The streets of the City and those of Westminster having for a considerable time been grievously pestered with street robbers, their audacity had got to such a height that they formed a design to rob the Queen, in St. Paul's Churchyard, as she privately returned from supper in the City to the Palace of St. James's, as confessed by one of the gang when under sentence of death. But those villians being busily employed in robbing Sir Gilbert Heathcote, an Alderman of London, on his return in his chariot from the House of Commons, Her Majesty luckily passed them in her coach without being attacked.

"On the 3rd of January came on an election for an Alderman for Cheap Ward, on the demise of Sir Robert Kendal Cater, when Sir Joseph Eyles, and Richard Hoare, Esq., were proposed; and the interest of both these gentlemen was so equal among the electors, that, upon casting up the poll, the numbers stood thus

A scrutiny was demanded in favour of the latter,

but, on the 29th, Sir Joseph was declared Alderman of Cheap Ward, by a majority of nine, having gained eight upon the scrutiny.

"The Ministry highly resenting the opposition made by the Common Council of the City of London, it was contrived, by way of sneer, to take off the weight of their application in matter of national concern, to lessen them in the esteem of the members of both Houses, by representing them as an insignificant or contemptible body of tradesmen and mechanics, who could not be expected to be well-informed of, nor reason concerning, matters of State. end, printed lists of the Common Councilmen of this City, with the addition of their several trades and Companies, were dispersed in the avenues of both Houses of Parliament, and sent by the post to most parts of the nation, with the following lines printed in the front of the list:

For this

"So every carpenter and work master, that laboureth night and day, and they that cut and grave seals, and are diligent to make great variety and give themselves to counterfeit imagery, and watch to finish a work; all these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his work; without these cannot a City be inhabited; and they shall not dwell where they will, nor go up and down; they shall not be sought for in public counsel.-Ecclus. xxxviii. 27, 31-33.'

*Maitland, pp. 541, 543, 591, 599.