be first chosen or elected by the Lord Maior, 100l. of such Forfeiture shall be to him that shall first in the same Year accept that Office. And if after such Acceptance, any other Forfeiture shall happen to be made by any Persons that shall be chosen by the Lord Maior, Aldermen and Commons, 100l. shall be to him, that shall first after accept the Office, being elected by the Lord Maior, Aldermen and Commons.

And that no Alderman by Posteriority of Election shall be inferior to a Commoner: And that the Lord Maior do not choose any Commoner, while there is an Alderman eligible,

The usual Proclamation that beginneth the Common Hall on Midsummer-Day, declareth, That they are summoned for Confirmation of the Person chosen by the Lord Maior; and for Election of another, to be Sheriffs for the Year ensuing.

From the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, Persons drunk to by the Lord Maior, have frequently before Confirmation by the Common Hall, sign'd Bonds to hold the Office, or paid the Forfeiture upon Refusal to hold, or swore themselves not of Ability to hold.

By all which it may appear (as the Paper concluded) that what Sir John Moor the present Lord Maior had done, in choosing Mr. North, and presenting him to the Common Hall to be confirmed, was no Innovation; but was warranted by Usage and Acts of Common Council; notwithstanding the false Insinuation lately set forth in Print to the contrary.

The next Year 1683, Sir VVilliam Pritchard, Maior, there was made an Act of Common Council for the Regulation of the Election of Sheriffs, upon a Report made by Sir James Edwards, Sir John Moor, Sir Henry Tulse, Aldermen, and several other Commoners appointed thereunto. Which Report was to this Tenor:

That they found the Usage for the Lord Maior to nominate and elect one of the Sheriffs of this City and Middlesex, called in question in the troublesome and disorderly Times, as it was unhappily that Year, [viz. 1683.] or the two last: And that they had examined the Usage in that Particular, and found it very ancient, and not questioned that they could find, until the breaking out of those Troubles [between King Charles and the Parliament.] And that they had seen very many Acts of Common Council that took notice of it, and allowed it: and particularly the Act made 7 Car. I. touching the Election of Sheriffs. To which last-mentioned Act they were of Opinion, that certain Additions or Explications should be made in some Particulars, which seemed not sufficiently provided for thereby: And that they had prepared a Bill for that purpose, which they presented to the Honourable Court. All which they humbly submitted to the Wisdom and good Pleasure of this Honourable Court, the 5th of June, 1683, with their Names subscribed: Who were, Sir VVilliam Turner, Sir John Moor, Sir Henry Tulse, Sir Thomas Langham, Fra. Griffith, Nathaniel Hawes, Hen. Loads, Pet. Ailworth, Nic. Charleton, Tho. Vernon.

The Bill being then read, it was put to the Question, whether the same should be read again, or recommitted: and be determined to be read again? it was so done accordingly. And question being put, whether it should be read a third time? it was carried against the further reading thereof. Then upon a further Question, whether the said Bill should pass, or no, and Poll taken thereupon, 113 Commoners being for the passing it; and 78 against it? the same was past and made the Act of this Court.

The Penalty in this Act was, for a Freeman chosen, and refusing to act, to forfeit 400l. For an an Alderman chosen Sheriff, and refusing, to pay 600l. Whereas before, the Forfeiture was but 600 Mark.

And whereas there was of late great and fierce Disputes and Contests touching the Usage of the Maior to elect a Person for Sheriff; which hath given great Disturbance to many good Citizens and Offence to his Majesty: And Feuds and Animosities have thereby arisen, and are still too much continued among many Citizens; and other manifold Inconveniences and Mischiefs have been occasioned thereby to the City, and greater may ensue, if due remedy be not provided: To take away and remove all Occasions of the like Disturbances for the future; It is declared and enacted, that hereafter the Person who shall be nominated and elected by the Maior according to ancient Usage, be one of the Sheriffs, and such Election shall be declared to the Commons of the said City assembled in the Common Hall the 24th of June, being the Day appointed for the Confirmation and Allowance of such Person, and also for the Choice and Election of such other Person as by the Maior, Aldermen and Common Council shall be chosen, to be Sheriff of the said City and County of Middlesex.

These Bandyings among the Citizens, wherein the Dissenters from the Established Church, generally went, for depriving the Maior of the foresaid ancient Custom, gave great Offence to the Court: and both his Highness the Duke of York, and the King himself, soon shewed their Resentments. For in this Year 1683, a Suit commenced, wherein James Duke of York was Plaintiff, and Thomas Pilkington, Esq; (who was afterwards Sir Thomas Pilkington and Maior) was Defendant, upon an Action of Scandalum Magnatum, for that he had charged the Firing the City upon that Duke. And not long after, in the same Year 1683, there was an Information brought against Sir Patience VVard, Knt. and Alderman, who was a Witness on behalf of Pilkington, for Perjury, in the Court of King's Bench, in that he had said, that there were many words laid in the Declaration in the foresaid Action of Scandalum Magnatum, not spoken by Mr. Pilkington. To which Sir Patience Ward and his Witnesses pleaded, that what he deposed was as he believed, or to the best of his Knowledge, or according to the best of his Memory, or that he did not hear such and such words spoken. But the Jury brought him in guilty of the Information.

King Charles the same Year shewed his Displeasure against the City in a higher manner; namely, in seizing the Charter of the City, by an Information against the Maior and Commonalty, for usurping of divers Franchises and Liberties within the said City, and for assuming to themselves an unlawful Power to levy several great Sums of Money as well upon the said Citizens of London as Strangers; and in particular, upon those which came to the Market of the said City; by colour of the Laws and Ordinances of their Common Council by them in fact ordained and established, without any other Right or Authority. And for that the said Maior and Commonalty and Citizens in their Common Council assembled, did vote and ordain, That a certain Petition, under the name of the Maior, &c. should be exhibited to the King maliciously and seditiously: and to the intent that the same Petition might be published and dispersed abroad, &c. they did ordain it to be imprinted, and did print and cause the same to be printed and published. The Import of this Petition was, that the Parliament might sit, and examine the dangerous Plot against the King's Life; taking notice therein of the King's proroguing them just when they were upon the Business.