into the office of alderman. A ftatute 11 Geo. I. c. 18, also regulates the manner of taking polls when demanded, and the qualifications of voters in the election of thefe and other officers in the city. The aldermen of London are the second conftituent part of the city legislature, and all that have paffed the chair, and three under it, are by charter, perpetual justices of peace within the city; and by the fame power, they are by virtue of their office exempt from ferving on inquefts, juries, &c. as they are likewife without the city from parish offices. The court held by them, together with the other courts in the city of London, are mentioned in Vol. II. P. 465.

SHERIFFS. In London and Middlesex there are two fheriff's; the beginning of which cuftom feems to be founded on the charter of king John, who granted the fheriffwick of London and Middlefex to the mayor and citizens of London, at the farm of 300). per annum; fo that being a grant in fee of the fheriffwick to them as a corporation, they had a right to name one or more officers, in order to execute the fame, and they thought it proper to name two officers indifferently to execute both offices, both of whom execute as one fheriff, though the writ in Middlefex is directed to them as one, in London it is to both. The reafon of this difference feems to be, that before this grant of the fheriffwick to the corporation, the corporation nominated to the crown, and the crown appointed the fheriffs for London; and the London fheriffs were refponfible to the king for the London profits of the theriffwick; and that was the reafon why two were appointed, that both might be refponfible, and this nomination was, that the citizens might exhibit to the king refponfible perfons; and that feems to be the reafon that in inany of the corporations that are cities and counties, there are two fheriffs. But when by the charter of king John, the fheriffwick of London and Middlefex, was granted to the citizens as a perpetual fee-farm, then they elected their theriffs, who before were nominated for London only, and the election of the two was for both fheriffwicks, but the directions of the king's writs were as before, viz. in London to the two fheriffs, and in Middlefex as if there was only one. The two fheriffs regularly make but one officer, and therefore if one of them die, the office is at an end until another is chofen, and the courts of Weftminster can award no process to the other. The election is by the liverymen on Midfummer-day in every year; the fheriffs entering on their office on the Michaelmas-day following. In 1748, the corporation of London made a bye-law, impofing a fine of 600l. upon every perfon who, being elected, fhould refufe to ferve the office of theriff.

Ff4

RECORDER

RECORDER. The qualifications of the recorder of the city, are thus fet down in one of the books of the chamber. That "he fhall be, and is wont to be, one of the most skilful and "virtuous apprentices of the law of the whole kingdom; "whofe office is to fit on the right hand of the mayor, in "recording pleas, and paffing judgments; and by whom "records and proceffes, had before the mayor and aldermen "at Great St. Martin's, ought to be recorded by word of "mouth before the judges affigned there to correct errors. "The mayor and aldermen have therefore ufed commonly to "fet forth all other bufineffes, touching the city, before the "king and his council, as alfo in certain of the king's courts, "by Mr. Recorder, as a chief man endued with wifdom, and " eminent for eloquence." His oath is well, and faithfully, to render all the judgments of the huftings, after the mayor and aldermen fhould meet concerning their pleas, and agreed to gether; and alfo all other judgments touching the city of London, &c. And that he thall do juftice as well to poor as rich. And that all the pleas of the huftings, prefently after the huftings is finished, he fhall overfee, order and caufe to be enrolled, according to the things pleaded, &c. And that he fhall come prepared to difpatch the bufinefs of the city, &c. when he fhall be lawfully warned by the mayor and bailiffs. He takes place in councils and in courts, before any man that has not been mayor, and learnedly delivers the fentences of the whole court.

CHAMBERLAIN. The chamberlain is an officer of great repute and truft; and though annually chofen on Midfummer day, yet not difplaced, but generally continued during life, if no juft and great crimes are made out against him. He had the keeping of the monies, lands, and goods of the city orphans, or takes good fecurity for the payment thereof, when the parties came to age. And to that end he was deemed in the law a fole corporation, to him and his fucceffors for orphans; and therefore a bond, or recognizance made to him and his fucceffors, was recoverable by his fucceffors. This officer has a court peculiarly belonging to him. His office may be termed a public treasury, collecting the cuftoms, monies, and yearly revenues, and all other payments belonging to the corporation of the city.

THE COMMON SERJEANT. The duty of this officer is to attend the lord mayor and court of aldermen on court days, and to be in the council with them, on all occafions, within and without the precincts or liberties of the city. He takes care of orphans' eftates, either by taking account of them, or figns their indentures, before their paffing the lord mayor and court of aldermen. And likewife to let, fet and manage the orphans'

estates,

eftates, according to his judgment, to their best advantage. He fits with the recorder as a judge at the feffions of oyer and perminer in the Old Bailey.

TOWN CLERK. This officer keeps the original charters of the city, the books, rolls, and other records, wherein are registered the acts and proceedings of the city. He is to attend the lord mayor and aldermen at their courts.

CORONER. Although the lord mayor is coroner of the city, yet he has an officer appointed to that portion of his duties, which are precifely fimilar to thofe of coroner for any other county.

CITY REMEMBRANCER. This officer is to attend the lord mayor on certain days; his business being to put his lordship in mind of the select days he is to go abroad with the aldermen, &c. He is to attend daily at the parliament houfe during the feflions, and to report to the lord mayor their transactions.

COMMON HUNT. When this officer had any business, it was to take care of the pack of hounds belonging to the mayor and citizens, and to attend them in hunting when they pleased. Formerly, on the north fide of Moorfields, ftood the Doggehoufe, in which were kept the hounds for the amusement of the lord mayor, and which was the refidence of the common hunt. He is an officer, the fecond in rank in the Prætorian establishment. Mafter fword-bearer alone takes place of him. The office is continued although its duties have ceafed.

COMMON CRIER. It belongs to the common crier and the ferjeant at arms to fummons all executors and administrators of freemen to appear, and to bring in inventories of the perfonal eftates of freemen, within two months after their deceafe: and he is to have notice of the appraisements. He is alfo to attend the lord mayor on fet days, and at the courts held weekly by the mayer and aldermen.

WATER BAILIFF. This officer is to look after the prefervation of the river Thames against all encroachments; and to look after the fishermen, for the prefervation of the young fry, to prevent the deftroying them by unlawful nets. For that end there are juries for each county, that has any part of it lying. on the fides or fhores of the river, which juries, fummoned by the water-bailiff at certain times, make inquiry of all offences relating to the river and the fish; and make their prefentments accordingly. He is alfo bound to attend the lord mayor on fet days in the week.

Befides these there are many other officers, rendered neceffary by the different eftates and trufts, vefted in the corporation of the city of London, as the register of the orphans' fund, who acts under the chamberlain; the bridge-mafters who take care of all matters relating to property derived to the city from its right in London-bridge, with many others; and there is a

long

long lift of perfons employed in the fervice, or to maintain the ftate and dignity of the chief magistrate.

COMMON COUNCILMEN. By a law of the common council made on the last day of July, in the 8th of Richard II., it was ordained, That the common council fhould be chosen by the wards fifteen days after St. Gregory; and that they should chufe thofe who had ferved the year before, or others; and that once a quarter at least the common council fhould be affembled to confult and take care of the affairs of the city; and in the ninth year of the fame king, there was a confirmation and fettlement of the choice of common councilmen by the wards, by four, fix, and eight, according to the extent of each ward.

WARD. The time when the city of London was first divided into wards is not known, nor does the number first conftituted appear on record. In 1284, they appear to have been twenty-four; in 1393, the great ward of Farringdon being very much increafed both in number of houfes and inhabitants, was by parliament divided into the inward and outward wards, whereby the number was increafed to twenty-five; and in 1550, the citizens having purchafed of Edward VI. the borough of Southwark, with divers privileges thereunto belonging, erected it into a twenty-fixth ward; but it feems, the power granted them by charter not proving fufficient to fupport their title, by excluding the juftices of the peace for the county of Surrey, from interfering in the government, it is only a nominal ward however it ferves to dignify the fenior alderman, called the father of the city, who generally by his great age is rendered unable to undergo the fatigue of bufinefs. Including it with the reft, the names and characteristic circum ftances are as follow.

ALDERSGATE WARD. This ward takes its name from one of the northern gates of the city; and is fituated partly within and partly without the wall. It has an alderman and two deputies, one within the gate and one without, and eight common councilmen.

ALDGATE. This ward takes its name from the eaft-gate of the city, called Aldgate or anciently Ealdgate. It has an alderman, his deputy, and fix common councilmen, including the deputy,

BASINGHALL, or BASSISHAW. This ward is very fmall, confifting of one ftreet, called Bafinghall-ftreet, from Bafinghall, the principal houfe in it. It has an alderman, his deputy, and four common councilmen.

BILLINGSGATE.

This ward is fituated on the river fide; as to the derivation of the name, authors are not agreed;

but

but the most probable opinion refers us to fome eminent perfon, who, in ancient times, had large poffeffions in this part of the city, or held in this ward by the fame tenure, as the Bafings, &c. held other wards. It has an alderman and ten

common councilmen.

BISHOPSGATE Ward. The name of this ward is derived from the gate, which stands almost in its centre. It has an alderman, two deputies, one without the gate and another within, and fix common councilmen.

BREAD STREET WARD. Takes its name from the principal ftreet in it, called Bread-ftreet, which, in old time, was the bread-market. It has an alderman, his deputy, and twelve more common councilmen.

BRIDGE WARD (within). The name of this ward is derived from its connexion with London-bridge; and it begins fouthward at the end of the bridge next Southwark. It has an alderman and his deputy, included in the fifteen common' councilmen.

BRIDGE WARD (without). Confifts of the borough of Southwark, but for the reafon already mentioned, it has only an alderman, whose duties are nominal.

BROAD STREET. This ward derives its name from that part of it called Broad-street, which lies almost in the centre thereof, and in ancient times was peculiarly diftinguished from the rest of the streets in the metropolis by the name of Broad, there being few before the fire of London, of fuch a breadth within the walls. It has an alderman, with his deputy and

nine other common councilmen.

CANDLEWICK. This ward took its name from a ftreet called Candlewick or Candlewright-ftreet, a place remarkable for wax and tallow-chandlers, or candle-wrights, as they were anciently termed. It has an alderman, his deputy, and seven other common councilmen.

CASTLE BAYNARD WARD. Derives its name from an ancient castle built by one Baynard, a nobleman of great authority, who came from Normandy with the conqueror, and which was fituated on the bank near the Thames. It has an alderman, a deputy, and nine other common councilmen.

CHEAP. The name of this ward is taken from the Saxon word Chepe, a market, kept in this divifion of the city in those days. This market was peculiarly known by the name of Weft Cheap, from its fituation, to diftinguish it from the market between Candlewick-ftreet and Tower-street, which from its fituation alfo was called Eaft Cheap. The ward has an alderman, a deputy, and eleven other common council

men.

COLEMAN