first is divided into 24 wards to each which there is an alderman, and
themselves Consist of Common Council men and all freemen of the Citty,
and have power to Choose these aldermen and make their own orders and to
maintain their own priviledges. All freemen or Livery men of this Citty
hath a Right to Choose their sherriffs of w^{ch} Every yeare there is
two, one for Middlesex y^e other y^e Corporation, but both are joyned
and officiate together in all matters of juries justice or Ceremonies,
and to maintaine all Rights. These freemen alsoe have their voyce in
Choice of their Lord Major w^{ch} is done Every yeare with this
Sollemnity, the Sheriffs being Chosen and sworne at Mid summer, y^e
Michaelmas after y^e Lord Major is Chosen and sworne; y^e evening before
which is Simon and Judes day is a feast Called Calveshead feast. Next
day y^e old Lord Major Comes to meete y^e new one and w^{th} him on his
Left hand is Conducted on horse back in all their gowns of scarlet Cloth
Lined w^{th} ffurr; all y^e aldermen in Like Robes only differenc’d as
their station, those of them w^{ch} have been Lord Majors weare a Gold
Chaine Ever after, but those y^t have not passed y^e Chaire weare none.
Y^e Lord Major is allwayes one of y^e aldermen and he has a great gold
Chaine round his neck, the Sheriffs also weare a gold Chaine round their
neck y^t yeare. Thus on horseback they proceed two and two w^{th} all
their officers. Y^e Lord Major has his Sword bearer w^{ch} walkes before
him w^{th} the Sword in an Embroyder’d Sheath he weares a Great velvet
Cap of Crimson, the bottom and y^e top of ffurr or such Like standing up
Like a turbant or Great bowle in forme of a Great open Pye, this is
Called y^e Cap of Maintenance. This is y^e Lord Majors Chiefe officer,
he holds his place Dureing his Life and has 1500 a yeare allowed him for
his table w^{ch} in all things is as good as Lord Major’s and he
Entertaines all people at it, yet he himself must officiate at the Lord
Majors table to see all things in order and Comes in at sett tymes
accordingly to performe them and bring y^e Lord Majors Compliments to
y^e Campanyes. He thus walkes before the Lord Mayor w^{th} y^e water
Bayliff beareing a Gold Mace &c. At Fleete ditch they Enter y^e Barges
w^{ch} are all very Curiously adorned and thus he is Conducted y^e river
being full of Barges belonging to y^e severall Companyes of London,
adorned with streamers and their armes and fine musick, and have sack to
drinke and Little Cakes as bigg as a Crown piece. They Come to
Westminster staires where they Land and are Conducted, the Lord Majors
traines being borne up as well y^e old as new Lord Major, they Enter
Westminster Hall and are Conducted to y^e severall Courts of justice
where there is severall Ceremonyes perform’d. The new Lord Major is
presented to y^e King or those deputed to act under him and then is
sworne, all which being over they are Conducted back to their Barges and
soe to y^e staires they took barge, where they are received by some of
y^e nobility deputed by the king who make some Little speech of
Compliment and Give y^e Lord Major and aldermen a treate of wine and
sweet meates passant. They mount on horseback and returne only y^e new
Lord Major takes y^e right hand and haveing by y^e sheriffs invited y^e
King and Court to dinner, w^{ch} sometymes they accept but mostly
refuse, because it puts the Citty to a vast Charge; they being then
Conducted through y^e Citty w^{th} Greate acclamations their own habits
and trappings of their horses being very fine, and they haveing all the
Severall Companyes of y^e Citty w^{ch} walke in their order and gowns
w^{th} pagents to most or many of their Companyes, w^{ch} are a sort of
Stages Covered and Carryed by men and on y^e top many men and boys
acting y^e respective trades or Employ^{ts} of Each Company, some in
shipps for y^e Merch^{ts} and whatever Company the new Lord major is off
his pageant is y^e finest and y^t Company has y^e precedency that yeare
of all y^e Companyes Except y^e mercers Company, w^{ch} allwayes is the
first and Esteemed y^e Greatest, and when there is a Lord Major of y^t
Company their pageant is a maiden queen on a throne Crowned and with
Royal Robes and scepter and most richly dressed, w^{th} Severall Ladyes
dressed, her attendants, all on y^e same pageant and w^{th} a Cannopy
over her head and drawn in an open Chariot w^{th} 9 horses very finely
accouter’d and pages that Ride them all, w^{th} plumes of feathers.
After being drawn through y^e Citty she is jnvited by y^e Lord major to
a dinner provided on purpose for her, and soe many Rich Batchelors are
appointed to Entertaine her that is a ranck among y^e freemen. She has
her traine bore up and is presented to Lady Majoris that salutes her as
doth the aldermens Ladyes, all w^{ch} are Conducted in their Coaches to
Guildhall. The new Lady Majoress Richly habitted has her traine borne
up, and Introduced by one of the officers. The Sheriffs Ladyes Likewise
weares gold Chaines that yeare, the Lady majoress does wear it ever
after as doe all y^e aldermens Ladyes whose husbands have been Lord
majors, and as I said before y^e Lord Majors must be aldermen and must
have served as sheriffs before, and allwayes y^e king Confers Knighthood
on the person that is Chosen to be Sheriff unless he were a knight
before.
In Guild Hall there are severall long tables plenty fully ffurnished
w^{th} all sorts of varietyes suiteable to the season, w^{th} fine
Desserts off sweetemeates, and jellys w^{ch} in Pyramidyes stand all y^e
tyme; the hott meate is brought in in first and second Courses. The Lord
Major and Lady Majoress sitt at the upper End but in Case the Court is
there then the Lord Major has one table, y^e Lady another, and y^e old
Lady Majoress is set at y^e Left hand of y^e new Lady, and the aldermens
Ladyes at her Right hand according to their senioritye, after which they
Retire into a Gallery where is danceing the whole Evening.
All this yeare Lord or Lady Majoress goe no where but w^{th} their
officers to attend them, and y^e old Lord Major and Lady Majoress has
their traines bore up to Guild Hall and after dinner return without it.
The whole affaires of y^e Citty are managed by y^e Lord Major and Court
of aldermen and Common Councill men, he is obliged to take care of
justice and Right, he does during his yeare jnvite Each Company w^{th}
all their Masters Wardens and officers twice—the Last tyme all their
wives alsoe—the Sherriffs doe y^e Like. Each person brings their Gift
two, three Guinneas, some more and according to their Gift at y^e Last
Entertainment they have a silver spoon double Gilt, Either weighing soe
many ounces and soe many as they Give Guinneas many tymes in the yeare:
those y^t would shew particular respect will go dine w^{th} them and
bring presents without haveing spoones.
All offices falling vacant in the Majoralty acruee to Lord Major to
dispose off. There are 24 Companyes w^{ch} have each severall officers,
as masters wardens &c., and doe meete to fix and maintaine their
priviledges. They doe walke at y^e Lord Majors day and make sumptuous
feasts at Each hall appertaineing to their Comp^y w^{ch} is at y^e
Charge of y^e masters and wardens w^{ch} are officers Chosen new Every
yeare. They have great stocks and Lands belonging to their Companyes
Common stock, and w^{ch} does maintaine schooles and Hospitalls and such
Like w^{ch} from tyme to tyme are Encreased by severall Benefactors and
Legacyes, some of w^{ch} are greate as in y^e Mercers Company which have
Lands to a great value for such Ends. There are severall feasts which
Lord Major and Sherriffs are absolutely obliged to make at their first
Entrance into their offices, two dayes following each other, and y^e
first day of y^e terme to all y^e judges, and 3 dayes at Easter going to
hear a sermon at S^t Brides Each day, and then to jnspect y^e severall
Charityes and hospitalls y^t all be kept in due order and provided for.
Y^e Lord Major and Sherriffs attends the King at all tymes to represent
y^e Publick affaires of y^e Citty and receive his orders, they alsoe
officiate at y^e proclaiming any new King or Queen or to Declare peace
or warr, w^{ch} is done in Greate solemnity by y^e King at Arms and
severall of y^e nobillity in Coaches or on horseback, and y^e officers
of y^e kings household.
King Williams return after y^e peace was Concluded w^{th} Ffrance and
y^e Confederates, the Kings Entry was in this manner, y^e Lord Major in
Crimson velvet Gown w^{th} a Long traine on horseback attended by all
his officers y^e sword bearer and water Baily very well dress’d. Y^e
Common hunt was Clad in Green velvet, thus with all y^e aldermen in
their scarlet gowns they proceeding to receive y^e King just at y^e End
of Southwark on y^e borders of Kent, the Lord Major Carrying a scepter
w^{th} a Crown of pearle on y^e top. Y^e King was attended thus, ffirst
of all his soldiers and officers marched in Ranke, y^e aldermen and Lord
Major and officers, then all y^e nobillity in their Coaches, the Bishops
and judges, then y^e first Coach of y^e King w^{th} his household, then
y^e guards of his body, and then the Coach where in y^e King was, w^{ch}
was a very rich and Costly thing all y^e fring Rich Gold, y^e Glass very
Large, the Standards and all outwork Like beaton Gold, drawn by 8 very
fine white horses with Massy Gold harness and trappings, the Ffrench
kings present to our king when the peace was concluded, y^e first
article of w^{ch} was owning King William king of England. After the
kings Coach a troope of guards de Corps, then the third Coach of y^e
Kings w^{th} his houshold, and other Coaches with Severall officers of
the houshold; then as the king passed Southwarke the Baily presented him
his mace, he returned it with y^e usuall Ceremony and Grattification;
then at y^e bridge y^e Lord Major demands his place and y^e sword,
w^{ch} is to March as Capt^n of y^e Kings guards just Imediately before
y^e kings own Coach, w^{ch} accordingly was given him and he returns the
said scepter to y^e proper officers who bear y^t and all y^e Maces
before him, and he bare headed beares y^e sword on horseback just before
the kings Coach. At y^e same tyme y^e water baily rides in the middle of
y^e guards as their officer and is on horseback, two men Like pages
Leading it, soe is Lord Majors in this order: they proceeding through
the Citty w^{ch} from y^e Royal Exchange on Each side had placed the
traine bands of the Citty with their officers, next them y^e 24
companyes of y^e Citty in their order and marks of their Honour and
priviledges, w^{ch} reached to y^e Conduite in Cheapside, all w^{ch}
paid their respective Homage and duty to y^e King who receiv’d it very
kind and obligeingly, as he did y^e Generall joy and acclamations w^{ch}
proceeded from thousands which were spectators. At Pauls Schoole y^e
Schollars made him a speech and then he was Conducted to his own pallace
at Whitehall. But before I leave the Citty of London I must describe its
Building and treasure. Y^e Government as I said was Lord Major,
aldermen, sherriffs, Recorder, and Chamberlaine, and other officers as
Common serjeant, and other sergeants, sword Bearers, water Bayly, Common
Cryer, and y^e town Clerke; all these with many other officers has
Considerable salleryes and Endure their Life, Except y^e Chamberlaine
thats annually Chosen tho’ mostly is in the same person againe. Those
others are in the Lord Majors dispose and brings a greate advantage to
him if any dye in his Majoralty. There is alsoe many Considerable
perquisitts belonging to him to support y^e honnour. The Citty plaite is
kept for Each, notwithstanding in y^e year it Costs them more many tymes
than they Receive, and in the whole I have had it from one y^t had been
at y^e charge said it was above 8000^£ in y^e year.
There is as I said great Publick Stock in the Citty by which they have
raised sumptuous Buildings, the Royal Exchange for one, a Large space of
Ground Enclosed round w^{th} Cloysters and open arches on w^{ch} are
built many walkes of Shopps of all trades. Y^e middle space below was
design’d and is used for the merchants to meete to Concert their
buisness and trade and bills, w^{ch} is all open and on y^e top of these
Piaza’s are y^e Effigies in stone of most of our kings and Queens since
y^e Conquest w^{ch} were anoynted Crowned heads, from whence this
Exchange takes its name Royal. In y^e midst of it stands in stone work
on a Pedestal y^e effigies of King Charles y^e second railed in w^{th}
Iron spikes. There is alsoe at y^e Bridge a Great Monument of stone
worke as is y^e Exchange; this is of a Great height 300 stepps up and on
y^e top gives y^e view of y^e whole town. This was sett up in memory of
Gods putting a Check to y^e Rageing flame w^{ch} by y^e plotts and
Contrivance of y^e papists was Lighted. There is a Large Inscription on
it all round mentioning it, and alsoe of y^e popish plott and y^e gun
powd^r treason and all by y^e papists.
The Bridge is a stately building all stone w^{th} 18 arches most of them
bigg Enough to admit a Large Barge to pass, its so broade that two
Coaches drives a breast, and there is on Each side houses and shopps
just Like any Large streete in y^e Citty, of w^{ch} there are many and
well built, Even and Lofty, most has 5 if not 6 degrees. Most of y^e
Halls belonging to Each Company are Large and Magnificent buildings, as
alsoe y^e Churches very fine and Lofty of stone work. Ye Greate
Cathedrall is S^t Pauls w^{ch} was a vast building but burnt by fire,
has since by y^e Citty been built up, or rather a tax on Coales w^{ch}
brings all to pay for it in London. It now is almost ffinish’d and very
magnificent, the Quire w^{th} Curious Carved work in wood, y^e arch
Bishops seate and y^e Bishop of Londons and Lord Majors is very finely
Carv’d and adorned, y^e alter alsoe with velvet and gold; on y^e Right
side is placed a Large Crimson velvet Elbow chaire w^{ch} is for the
Dean. This is all finished (w^{th} a sweet organ) but y^e body of y^e
Church w^{ch} is to be Closed on y^e top w^{th} a Large Cupilo is not
quite done. There was formerly in y^e Citty severall houses of y^e
Noblemens w^{th} Large gardens and out houses and Great attendances, but
of Late are pulled down and built into streetes and squares and Called
by y^e names of y^e noblemen, and this is the practise by almost all
even just to y^e Court Excepting one or two.
Northumberland and Bedford house, and Lord Mountagues house indeed has
been new built and is very fine, one roome in y^e middle of y^e building
is of a surpriseing height Curiously painted and very Large, yet soe
Contrived y^t speake very Low to y^e wall or wanscoate in one Corner and
it should be heard w^{th} advantage in y^e very opposite Corner
aCross—this I heard Myself. And this Leads me to y^e Citty of
Westminster in w^{ch} are many of these noblemens houses built into very
fine squares. Y^e kings pallace was a most magnificent building all of
freestone, w^{th} appartments suiteable to y^e Court of a King, in
w^{ch} was a Large roome Called the Banqueting-roome w^{ch} was fitted
for and used in all Publick solemnityes and audiences of ambassadours
&c. This is y^e only thing Left of y^e vast building which by accident
or Carelessness, if not designe, has Laid it in ashes together w^{th}
Exceeding Rich furniture of antiquity, as alsoe y^e greate and good
Queen Mary’s Closet and Curious treasures. This has all along y^e
prospect of y^e Thames on one side and a Large parke on y^e other,
walled in, which is full of very fine walkes and rowes of trees, ponds
and Curious birds Deer, and some fine Cows. In this parke stands another
pallace S^t James, w^{ch} is very well and was built for some of y^e
Royal Familly as y^e Duke of Yorke or Prince of Wales. There is at
Whitehall in y^e privy Garden a Large pond w^{th} a spout of water of a
vast height. This of S^t James is Little but daily building adding may
make it greate.
There is alsoe one Nobleman’s house, is this Parke House w^{ch} is a
very Curious Building. Just by this parke you Enter another Much Larger,
Hide-parke, w^{ch} is for Rideing on horseback but mostly for y^e
Coaches, there being a ring railed in round w^{ch} a Gravel way y^t
would admitt of twelve if not more rowes of Coaches, w^{ch} y^e Gentry
to take y^e aire and see each other Comes and drives round and round;
one row going Contrary to each other affords a pleaseing diversion. The
rest of y^e parke is green and full of deer, there are Large ponds
w^{th} fish and fowle. Y^e whole Length of this parke there is a high
Causey of a good breadth, 3 Coaches may pass and on Each side are Rowes
of posts on w^{ch} are Glasses—Cases for Lamps w^{ch} are Lighted in y^e
Evening and appeares very fine as well as safe for y^e passenger. This
is only a private roade y^e king had w^{ch} reaches to Kensington, where
for aire our Great King W^m bought a house and filled it for a
Retirement w^{th} pretty gardens. Besides these y^e king has a pallace
in y^e Strand w^{th} fine gardens all to y^e Thames river, this
appertaines to y^e Queen Dowager while she Lives. In this place was y^t
cruel Barbarous Murder of S^r Edmund Berry Godfrey by y^e papists.
Westminster is remarkable for haveing in it y^e ancient Large abbey
w^{ch} is a most magnificent Building of stone finely Graved, and within
is adorned w^{th} severall monuments of our Kings and Queens and great
personages.
In Harry y^e sevenths Chapple Layes our Great and good as well as Ever
Glorious King William, and Queen Mary his Royal Consort and joinctly on
y^e throne of these kingdoms, whome noe tyme Can ever obliterate y^e
memory off, their being Englands deliverers in Gods hands from popery
and slavery w^{ch} King James by y^e King of Frances power was involving
us in. This abby alsoe is y^e place where y^e sollemnityes of the Kings
interrments and Corronations are performed of which shall give a
perticular.