The ninth of November being the day on which the Lord Mayor elect enters upon his office, the Aldermen and Sheriffs attend him to Guildhall in their coaches, and about noon proceed from thence in their coaches to the Three Cranes stairs, where the Lord Mayor, the Lord Mayor elect, the Aldermen, Recorder, and Sheriffs, go on board the city barge, and attended by the several city companies in their several barges, adorned with flags and pendants, proceed by water to Westminster, where his Lordship having taken the oaths prescribed, returns in the same pompous manner to Black Friars stairs, whence the livery of many of the city companies, preceded by colours and bands of music, march to their stands, which are erected on both sides the streets through which his Lordship is to pass.
The Lord Mayor being at length landed at Black Friars, he is preceded by the Artillery company, which is followed by the company of which the Lord Mayor is free. After them follow several others with their music, flags, and streamers, and among the rest the armourers have a person riding on horseback, completely dressed in polished armour. At length march the Lord Mayor’s domestics and servants, followed by his Lordship in the coach of state, and after him come the Aldermen, Recorder, Sheriffs, Chamberlain, Common Serjeant, Town Clerk, &c. in their several coaches and chariots, and in this manner proceed to Guildhall, where a noble entertainment is provided, as there is also for the several Companies at their respective halls.
The power of this great officer is at present much more considerable than it was formerly, for he is not only the King’s representative in the civil government of the city, but also First Commissioner of the lieutenancy, perpetual Coroner and Escheator within the city and liberties of London and the borough of Southwark; Chief Justice of oyer, terminer and goal-delivery of Newgate; Judge of the court of wardmote at the election of Aldermen; Conservator of the rivers Thames and Medway; so that if any citizen or apprentice of London be carried away, and by force detained on ship-board, he can, by his warrant, compel the Captain or Master of such vessel to release such citizen: he is also perpetual Commissioner in all affairs relating to the river Lea, and chief Butler of the kingdom at all coronations, when his fee for that service is a gold cup and cover, with a golden ewer.
The Lord Mayor upon public occasions wears either scarlet or purple robes richly furred, with a velvet hood and gold chain or collar of SS. When he goes abroad in his state coach, the Mace-bearer sits upon a stool in the middle facing one of the windows, and the Sword-bearer upon another stool facing the other, and when on foot his train is supported by a page, and the mace and sword carried before him.
The principal officers for the support of his dignity, are the Sword-bearer, the Common Hunt, Common Crier, and Water Bailiff, who have all great salaries or perquisites, with each the title of Esquire. He has also three Serjeant Carvers, three Serjeants of the chamber, a Serjeant of the channel, two Yeomen of the chamber, four Yeomen of the water side, a Yeoman of the channel, an Under Water Bailiff, six Yeomen waiters, three Meal weighers, two Yeomen of the wood wharf, and an officer called a Foreign taker. Maitland.
Lord Mayor’s Court. This is a court of record held before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Recorder, every Tuesday in Guildhall, wherein actions of debt, trespass, attachments, covenants, &c. arising within the city and liberties, of any value, may be tried, and actions from the Sheriff’s court removed hither, before the jury be sworn.
This is also a court of equity, relating to affairs transacted within the city and liberties; it giving relief when judgment is obtained in the Sheriff’s court for more than the just debt.
This court is, in several respects, the best to commence a process in; since an action, exclusive of stamps, may be entered for so small a sum as four pence; and yet, though not proceeded upon, it never dies, as those in other courts. Besides, a suit may be begun and ended here within the space of fourteen days, for thirty shillings.
The juries for trying causes in this and the Sheriff’s courts, are annually returned at Christmas by the several courts of wardmote, when each ward appoints a sufficient number of persons to serve on those juries for every month of the year.
This court has an office peculiar to itself, consisting of four Attorneys, by whom all actions cognizable therein are entered; for the execution thereof there are six Serjeants at mace. Lex Lond.