JOURNAL OF A SHERIFF OF LONDON.
(Concluded from page 198.)
"Wednesday, Oct. 29th. This being our grand feast day, my Lord Mayor, Humphry Parsons, Esq., sent his summons to attend at Guildhall, by ten o'clock, and that he would set out from thence, to Westminster, precisely at eleven, in order to be back to our entertainment more early. What added magnificence to this day's Shew was, that his lordship's coach was drawn by six horses, adorned with grand harnesses, ribbons, &c., a sight never before seen on this occasion.—The Lord Chancellor and some of the Judges dined with us; the whole entertainment was happily conducted with great order and decency, and the company was broken up by about one o'clock in the morning.
"Wednesday, Nov. 5th. This being the commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot, we, the sheriff's, attended my Lord Mayor from Guildhall to St. Paul's: and as his lordship's coach was, on this occasion, drawn as before by six horses, which he intended to do on every public occasion, it caused a more than ordinary concourse of people in the streets."
On Sunday, the 11th of January, Mr. Hoare, in his scarlet gown, with the Lord Mayor, and several of the aldermen, received the holy communion, in St. Lawrence's church, in pursuance of the statutes, to qualify themselves to act as magistrates; and on the following day, being Plough Monday, he attended the Lord Mayor at Guildhall, "to receive the several presentments of the respective wardmote inquests of each ward,—and at the same time to swear in all new constables for the ensuing year." On Wednesday, the 14th the quarter sessions commenced, "when it is usual for the several common councilmen to take the oaths of allegiance;" which was done accordingly.
"Friday, February 20th. Waited on my Lord Mayor to Bow church, in my scarlet, to hear a sermon upon the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts; to which the Archbishop of Canterbury also came in his state coach, and with grand solemnity, attended by seven or eight bishops, and great numbers of gentlemen of that society."
The Lord Mayor (Humphry Parsons) died on the evening of March the 21st, 1741; on the 23rd, Daniel Lambert, Esq. was elected to succeed him, and the same evening he was presented to the Lord Chancellor, and approved of in the usual manner.
"Wednesday, March 15th. This day the new Lord Mayor went in grand state and procession by land to the Tower-gate, on Tower-hill, to be there presented to and sworn in before the Constable of the Tower, according to the charter and ancient custom and usage when a Lord Mayor happened, as in this case, to be chosen out of term time; and, consequently, cannot be presented to the Barons of the Exchequer sitting at Westminster. Just at the entrance of the Tower-gate, a large booth was built up, with seats and benches at the upper end, in the middle of which the right honourable Lord Cornwallis, Constable of the Tower, was seated, attended by the officers and servants belonging to him; to whom the Lord Mayor was conducted and presented, and sworn in the same manner as before the Barons of the Exchequer."
On the 28th of March, being Easter Eve, the sheriff's attended the Lord Mayor "through the streets, to collect charity for the prisoners in the city prisons, according to annual custom;" and on the Monday following, they accompanied his lordship, in procession, with the rest of the court of aldermen to St. Bride's church to hear the 'Spital or Hospital Sermon preached before the governors of the several hospitals and charity schools of the city; and to which "all the charity children of the several schools, as also those of Christ's hospital, go in procession, and are seated in the galleries." This sermon is "generally preached by a bishop," and that on the following day, in the same church (which is likewise attended by the corporation,) by a dean. On the third day in Easter week, the 'Spital sermon is preached by a doctor in divinity.
Speaking of the Easter Entertainments, our journalist states the following particulars as the cause of their origin:—
"The original institution of those entertainments was occasioned by the Lord Mayor and the two sheriffs being accustomed to, separately, ask such of their friends who were aldermen or governors of the hospitals, whom they saw at church, to dine with them at their own houses. But in process of time, it was agreed that the Lord Mayor should invite all that were at church on the first day; and the two sheriff's, in their turn, on the next succeeding days. Hence, by degrees, they began to invite other of their friends; and the aldermen bringing their ladies, other ladies were also invited, so that the private houses not being large enough, they began to entertain at their respective halls: whence it is now brought to pass, that these Easter entertainments are become the chiefest articles of expense both to the Lord Mayor and the two sheriffs.
"Monday, April 6th. The sessions began at Guildhall, but the Lord Mayor dispensed with the presence of the sheriffs, on account that we this day were obliged to attend at Westminster, where we were to make our proffers at the Exchequer by a tender of 40s.; and which was accordingly made by one of the secondaries at the Tally-office; by which, and the annual rent of 300l., the citizens of London hold and enjoy the Sheriffwick of London and Middlesex according to their charter. Afterwards we entertained all the Exchequer officers, according to ancient custom, with fifty-two calves' heads, dressed in different manners."
On the 20th of April the sheriffs accompanied the Lord Mayor to hold a Court Baron and Court Leet at the Mitre in St. James's parish, in Duke's-place, which is "a franchise within the liberty of London." After a jury had been sworn, &c., the names of the inhabitants being called over, those who were absent and sent no excuse were amerced, but those who sent "their excuses by their friends, paid only leet pence." The court then granted licenses to the public houses, and swore in the headboroughs, constables, and other officers.
On the 27th of May the sheriffs (by invitation, they having no concern with the jurisdiction of the court,) attended the Lord Mayor to Stratford, in Essex, and Greenwich in Kent, to hold "his Court of Conservancy of the navigation and fishery of the River Thames, from Staines bridge, in Middlesex, down to the mouth of the river Medway, at Sheerness, beyond the Nore;" he "being personally himself, by virtue of his office, the sole Conservator." On returning, "a little after ten o'clock," the party attempted to land at the King's Stairs at the tower, "but they being shut, and, after waiting some time, the wardour refusing to open them," they were obliged to proceed to the common stairs near that fortress.
"Soon after, the major of the tower came to my Lord Mayor to acquaint him, that 'he was sorry for the refusal of which the wardour had been guilty, whom he had ordered to strict duty, and would oblige him to come and ask pardon for his insolence.' Upon this apology, it was agreed that no further notice or complaint should be made; for it is to be known that the Lord Mayor of this city has the privilege of going through the Tower to take water, or on his landing at the King's Stairs, sending reasonable notice of such his intention."
At a Common Council, held on the 17th of June, it was ordered that every person who had paid the customary fine of 400l. and twenty marks more towards the maintenance of the ministers of the several prisons of this city," with the usual fees, should be exempted for ever from serving the office of sheriff, "unless he should at any time become an alderman." Previously to that act, the payment of the fine excused only for one year.
"Tuesday, June 23rd. Attended the Lord Mayor to a court of aldermen, at which Abel Aldridge, who had been nominated for sheriff, came with six Compurgators, and, (according to the act of Common Council, Sir J. Barnard, Mayor,) swore he was not of the value of 15,000l. in money and separate debts; and his Compurgators swearing also, that they believed what he swore to be true, he was excused from serving the said office, without payment of any fine."
On the 22nd of August the sheriffs waited on the Lord Mayor at Guildhall, "and from thence went in procession to Smithfield, with city officers and trumpets to proclaim Bartholomew Fair." On the 2nd of September, "this day being kept solemn in commemoration of the fire of London," they went to St. Paul's in their "black gowns, and no chains, and heard a sermon on the said occasion." On the 8th of September the sheriffs waited on the Lord Mayor, in procession, "the city music going before, to proclaim Southwark Fair, as it is commonly called, although the ceremony is no more than our going in our coaches through the Borough, and turning round by Saint George's church, back again to the Bridge House; and this to signify the license to begin the fair." The journalist adds:—"On this day the sword-bearer wears a fine embroidered cap, said to have been worked and presented to the city by a monastery."
"Monday, September 21st, being St. Matthew's Day, waited on my Lord Mayor to the great hall in Christ's Hospital, where we were met by several of the presidents and governors of the other hospitals within the city; and being seated at the upper end, the children passed two by two, whom we followed to the church, and after hearing a sermon, came back to the grammar school, where two boys made speeches in commemoration of their benefactors, one in English, the other in Latin; to each of whom it is customary for the Lord Mayor to give one guinea, and the two sheriffs half-a-guinea a piece, as we did. Afterwards, the clerk of the hospital delivered to the Lord Mayor a list of the several governors to the several hospitals nominated the preceding year. Then the several beadles of all the hospitals came in, and laying down their staves on the middle of the floor, retired to the bottom of the hall. Thereupon the Lord Mayor addressed himself to the City Marshal, enquiring after their conduct, and if any complaint was to be made against any one in particular; and no objection being made, the Lord Mayor ordered them to take up their staves again: all which is done in token of their submission to the chief magistrate, and that they hold their places at his will, though elected by their respective governors. We were afterwards treated in the customary manner with sweet cakes and burnt wine."
The shrievalty of Mr. Hoare, and his brother officer, expired on the 28th of September, and about seven o'clock in the evening the indentures with the new sheriffs were executed at Guildhall, "and the charge of the gaols and all other trusts relating to this great and hazardous, though otherwise honourable, employment, delivered over to them. And after being regaled with sack and walnuts, I returned to my own house in my private capacity, to my great consolation and comfort."
In concluding this account of a manuscript, which illustrates so many of the customs and privileges of the city, it should be mentioned that it includes various notices of the treats or dinners which the Lord Mayor and the sheriffs give by turns to the judges, sergeants, &c. at the beginning and end of the respective terms; as well as of the manner of delivering petitions to the House of Commons, which is generally done by the sheriff; the city having a right to present petitions by an officer of its own, and without the intervention of any member.