Two days later (10 March) the Common Council voted an address condoling with the queen on the death of the late king and congratulating her upon her accession.[1880] The Court of Aldermen resolved to put themselves into "close" mourning, each alderman providing himself with a mourning gown at his own expense, whilst the Chamberlain was instructed to provide similar gowns for the chief officers of the Corporation at the City's expense, as had formerly been done on the demise of Charles II.[1881] They further[pg 611] resolved, with her majesty's permission, to cause her portrait to be painted and to be set up in the Guildhall and a statue of her to be set up at the Royal Exchange. It was found on enquiry that the statues of kings and queens already in the Royal Exchange had been set up at the expense of the companies, except those of William and Mary, which (as we have seen) were erected by order of the Common Council. On the other hand, the pictures of Charles II, James II and of William and Mary had all been paid for by the Chamber. Artists were invited to send in sketches or designs for her majesty's picture; and this having been done, the work was entrusted to Closterman.[1882]
The coronation, 23 April, 1702.
At the coronation, which took place on the 23rd April, the mayor, aldermen and twelve representatives of the principal livery companies were present, care having been taken by the City Remembrancer that their proper places were assigned them both in the Abbey and at the subsequent banquet in Westminster Hall. The civic dignitaries started from the city as early as seven o'clock in the morning in order to be at Westminster Hall by eight a.m. The mayor was provided at the City's expense with the customary gown of crimson velvet for the occasion, the sword-bearer being only a little less resplendent in a gown of damask.[1883]
Parliament contunues notwithstanding demise of the crown, Stat. 7 & 8 Will. III, c. 15.
Before the Revolution it had been the custom for parliament to cease to exist immediately on the demise of the crown. It was held that inasmuch as the king[pg 612] was the head of the parliament, and as the members of a living body could not continue to exist without a head, so a parliament could not continue without a king, but must with the death of the king, ipso facto, itself expire. The inconveniences arising from this had at length become so apparent that an Act had recently been passed permitting a parliament in existence at the demise of the crown to be continued for a period of six months after such demise.[1884] By virtue of this Act the parliament, which had met for the first time on the 30th December, 1701, was allowed to sit, notwithstanding the king's death, until dissolved in July, 1702.
The Tories supplant the Whigs in the new parliament.
The "good" Queen Anne, warmly attached as she was to the Church of England, was naturally inclined towards the Tories in preference to the Whigs, and lost no time in dismissing Somers, Halifax and other Whig ministers of the late king and filling their places with Tories. Her action in this respect influenced the coming elections more especially in the city of London, where a new commission of lieutenancy appointed by the queen had already turned out six colonels of Whiggish proclivities and had put in their place others of a different political character.[1885]
The city members.
Only one of the old Whig members managed to retain his seat, viz., Gilbert Heathcote, who had recently been elected alderman of Walbrook ward in the place[pg 613] of Sir John Moore, deceased, and who may have inherited some of the Tory principles of his predecessor together with the aldermanic gown. There is nothing like office for chastening a man's political opinions. However this may have been, his three colleagues elected to serve with him in the coming parliament were also aldermen of the city and staunch Tories. These were Sir William Pritchard, Sir John Fleet and Sir Francis Child. A scrutiny had been demanded by Clayton, Ashurst and Abney, the defeated candidates, but it failed to disturb the result of the poll.[1886] Clayton was successful in finding a seat for Bletchingley, co. Surrey.[1887]
The queen entertained on lord mayor's day, 29 Oct., 1702.