The
chamberlains and bridge-masters are sworn in the court of aldermen.
Where a Lord Mayor elect refuses to serve, he is liable to be fined;
and if a person chosen sheriff refuses to serve, he is fined 413
pounds 6s. 8d., unless he makes oath he is not worth 10,000 pounds.
When the alderman of any ward dies, another is within a few days
elected in his room, at a wardmote held for that purpose, at which
the Lord Mayor usually presides. Every alderman has his deputy, who
supplies his place in his absence. These deputies are always taken
from among the Common Council. The aldermen above the chair, and
the three eldest aldermen beneath it, are justices of peace in the
City by the charter.
The Lord-Mayor's jurisdiction in some cases extends a great way
beyond the City, upon the river Thames eastward as far as the
conflux of the two rivers Thames and Medway, and up the river Lea as
far as Temple Mills, being about three miles; and westward as far as
Colney Ditch above Staine Bridge: he names a deputy called the
water-bailiff, whose business is to prevent any encroachments,
nuisances, and frauds used by fishermen or others, destructive to
the fishery, or hurtful to the navigation of the said waters; and
yearly keeps courts for the conservation of the river in the
counties it borders upon within the said limits.
The sheriffs also are sheriffs of the county of Middlesex as well as
of London. And here I shall take an opportunity to observe, that
the number of aldermen are twenty-six; the number of Common-Council
men two hundred and thirty-four; the number of companies eighty-
four; and the number of citizens on the livery, who have a voice in
their elections, are computed to be between seven and eight
thousand. The twelve principal companies are:- 1. The Mercers; 2.
Grocers; 3. Drapers; 4. Fishmongers; 5. Goldsmiths; 6. Skinners; 7.
Merchant-Tailors; 8. Haberdashers; 9. Salters; 10. Ironmongers; 11.
Vintners; 12. Clothworkers. The others:- are 13. The Dyers; 14.
Brewers; 15. Leather-Sellers; 16. Pewterers; 17. Barber-Surgeons;
18. Cutlers; 19. Bakers; 20. Wax-Chandlers; 21. Tallow-Chandlers;
22. Armourers; 23. Girdlers; 24. Butchers; 25. Saddlers; 26.
Carpenters; 27. Cord-wainers; 28. Painter-stainers; 29. Curriers;
30. Masons; 31. Plumbers; 32. Innholders; 33. Founders; 34.
Poulterers; 35. Cooks; 36. Coopers; 37. Tilers and Bricklayers; 38.
Bowyers; 39. Fletchers; 40. Blacksmiths; 41. Joiners; 42. Weavers;
43. Woolmen; 44. Scriveners; 45. Fruiterers; 46. Plasterers; 47.
Stationers; 48. Embroiderers; 49. Upholders; 50. Musicians; 51.
Turners; 52. *Basket-makers; 53. Glaziers; 54. *Horners; 55.
Farriers; 56. *Paviours; 57. Lorimers; 58. Apothecaries; 59.
Shipwrights; 60. *Spectacle-makers; 61. *Clock-makers; 62. *Glovers;
63. *Comb-makers; 64.
