"Monday, September 29th. This being Michaelmas-day, my brother sheriff and I set out for the first time in our new equipages and scarlet gowns, attended by our beadles, and the several officers of our Counters, and waited on the Lord Mayor, at Merchant Taylors' Hall, at which he kept his mayoralty, and proceeded with him from thence, as is customary, to Guildhall, where the livery-men of the city were summoned to attend at the Court of Hustings for the election of a new lord mayor for the year ensuing. The recorder made a speech to the livery-men, 'apprising them of the custom and manner of choosing a lord mayor; which, he observed, was for the Common Hall to nominate two of the aldermen who had served sheriffs, to the Court of Aldermen, who had then a right to elect either of them into that great office, and which ever that the court so fixed on, the Common Hall was bound to accept.' When he had ended, the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen retired into the Council Chamber, and left us to preside at the election, attended by the Common Sergeant and other officers. The method of voting is, by each alderman going up to the recorder and town clerk, who sit at a separate part of the room, and telling the person he would choose, a scratch is made under each respective name."
On the day following, the two sheriffs again went to Guildhall, with the same company as on the preceding day, and waiting on the Lord Mayor in the Council Chamber, requested that his lordship and the recorder would present them at his Majesty's Court of Exchequer. Each sheriff then paid the usual fees, viz. 6l. 13s. 4d. to the Lord Mayor, and 3l. 6s. 8d. to the recorder; after which, they proceeded to the Three Cranes' Stairs, in Upper Thames Street, "the Lord Mayor first; we, the sheriffs, next; the recorder and aldermen following in coaches, the companies walking before us.
"From thence we went to Westminster in the city barge, taking place of all the aldermen: and our two companies attended in the Goldsmiths' barge, as before agreed on, adorned with half the colours, and rowed with half the watermen belonging to the Drapers' company. On landing, the companies went first, the Lord Mayor next, then the recorder with a sheriff on each side, and last the aldermen. On our approaching the bar of the Exchequer [in Westminster Hall,] the recorder, in a speech, presented us to the Court, one of the Barons being seated there for that purpose, signifying the choice the citizens had made, and that, in pursuance of our charter, we were presented to his Majesty's justices for his royal approbation; and the Baron accordingly approving the choice, he, and the Clerks of the Exchequer, were invited to our dinner; then the late sheriffs were sworn to their accounts, and made their proffers; and the senior alderman present cut one twig in two, and bent another, and the officers of the court counted six horse-shoes and hob-nails.
"This formality, it is said, is passed through each year, by way of suit and service for the citizens holding some tenements in St. Clement's Danes, as also some other lands; but where they are situated no one knows, nor doth the city receive any rents or profits thereby.
"This done, we returned in the same order to the Three Cranes, and from thence, in our coaches, to dinner at Drapers' Hall; where my Lord Mayor, aldermen, gentlemen of Guildhall, and guests invited, dined at one table, and we, the sheriff's, at the head of another, with the Court of Assistance of each of our companies: and the Clerks of the Exchequer by themselves at another table. After dinner, the Lord Mayor, aldermen, &c. returned into a separate room, where we sat with them at the head of the table, one on each side of the Lord Mayor; our two companies were in another room, and the greatest part of the Clerks of the Exchequer remained in the hall."
On the 7th of October they "settled a point," with the keeper of Newgate in regard to the transportation of felons. That was, that the keeper should deliver them to the merchant, "who contracts to carry them over," at the door of Newgate, and there discharge himself of any further custody; but leaving him and his officers the privilege of protecting them down to the water side, according to any private agreement between him and the merchant; it being fully understood that the sheriffs should not be responsible for their charge "from the time of their first delivery."