London and the Kingdom - Volume 3 / A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.

by Reginald R. Sharpe

No. 86.

Proceedings relative to the expunging of the recognizance entered into by William Witham, Messenger of the House of Commons—as narrated by James Morgan, Clerk to the Lord Mayor, to the Committee appointed to assist in defending Crosby, Wilkes and Oliver; 22 March, 1771.

Committee Book.

Mr. James Morgan Clerk to the Lord Mayor acquainted the Committee that he was served on Wednesday Morning last the twentieth instant with an order of the House of Commons dated the nineteenth March 1771 to attend that House with the Minutes taken before the Lord Mayor relative to the Messenger of the House of Commons giving security for his appearance at the next General Quarter Session of the Peace for the City of London to answer such Indictments as may be preferred against him for the supposed assault and Imprisonment of J. Miller. In consequence of this Order he attended the House of Commons on Wednesday the twentieth instant with the book from between two and three o'clock in the Afternoon—that he was called in between two and three o'clock the next Morning and was asked by the Speaker who he was—he said he was Clerk to the Lord Mayor of London.—The Speaker ask'd for the Minutes that were taken, then he produced the book at the Bar. The Speaker sent for the book to him and ordered that part relating to Miller to be read. He was likewise ordered up to the Table and the Minutes were read. That a Motion was then made that those Minutes should be expunged which was carried in the Affirmative. That he was ask'd by a Member whether M^r Aldⁿ Wilkes and M^r Aldⁿ Oliver were there. He answered they were. He was then ordered to the Bar and was served with an Order of the House of Commons as follows—Ordered that M^r James Morgan Clerk to the Lord Mayor of London do expunge from the Minute Book kept by him at the Mansion House the entry relative to William Whitham a Messenger of this House giving security for his appearance at the next General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the City of London. That he answered he had no Indemnity for so doing. The Speaker said he was ordered so to do. He then did expunge that Minute accordingly. He was then ordered to withdraw.

This Committee doth desire the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor to call a Court of Common Council for Tuesday next and lay the whole transaction of the above affair before the said Court, when M^r Morgan is to attend with the Minute Book.