Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-11-08
THE LORD MAYOR OFLoNDON.

the November Century on the "GuildS
of London" we quote the following:
The Lord Mayor is elected from the
| twenty-siX alderman or head of the wards
into which the city is divided by the
votes of the Livery; that IS, Of the mem
bers of the several guilds of the city. He
is elected at the GuiIdhall, on the feast
of st. Michael, the Archangel. Few
more interesting ceremonies are to be
seen in England. \ wooden screen is
erected outside the Guildhall, with many
doOrwayS in it. At each is stationed the
beadle of guild, who is expected to
know all the iiverymen of his company,
and SO TO prevent unauthorized persons
| from entering. The floor of the Guild
hall is strewn with sweet herbs, perhaps
| the last surviving instance IS the me-
dieval method of carpeting hall The
| twenty-SiX aldermen come in, all in scar
let gowns. The recorder, or law-otficer
of the city, rises, bows to the Lord May
or and the assembled liverymen, and
makes little speech, declaring how
from the time of King John they have
had grants of certain rights of election.
| The Lord Mayor and aldermen then go
out; another law-oflicer, the common
sergeant, repeats what the recorder has
already said, and tells the liyerymen that
they must name two for the office of the
Lord Mayor, of whom the Lord Mayor
and aldermen will select one. Two names
are then chosen, and are carried to the
aldermen by the heads of some of the
chief guilds. One is selected and there
upon the Lord Mayor and the aldermen
return to the Guildhall and sit down, tie
chosen future Lord Mayor sitting on the
left of the actual Lord Mayor. The re-
corder again rises and reads the two
names and the one selected, and asks
the livery men if it is their free selection,
Yea or No They shout y ea,' and the
swOrd-b bearer thereupon takes off the fur
tippet of the Lord Mayor to be, and puts
chain around his neck. On the Sth of
November there is another meeting in
Guildhall. The old Lord Mayor rises
and gives the new one his seat. The
chamberlain of the city then approaches
with three solemn bows, and hands to
the Lord Mayor jeweled scepter, the
common seal of the city, and an ancient
purse. The sword bearer next advances,
and bowling three times, each time with
increasing reverence, gives the Lord
Mayor elect the great two handed sword
of state, which symbolizes justice and
legal supremacy. The crier, with bows
equal in number and profundity of those
of the sword bearer, next approaches
and presents the mace. The aldermen
and sheriff then congratulate their new
chief, who proceeds to sign certain doc
umants, and among them receipt for
the city plate. Last of all, he is pre-
sented with the KEYS of the standard
weights aud measures, deposited in his
custody. The meeting then breaks up
and the old Lord Mayor goes back to the
Mansion House, his official residence,
for the last time.
is kuown in London as Lord Mayors
Day, because on that morning the new
Lord Mayor takes office i'll the Guildhall.
He drives thence through the ward of
which he is alderman, and proceeds in
gaudy procession to the courts of law
within the bounds of Westminster. Be
fore his coach are running foOtman, and
there is long procession of the car
riages of the aldermen and of the heads
of the several guilds, and of the main
bodp of his own guild, all in their best
official gowns. The banners of the guilds,
their beadles, and pageantS, which vary
according so each Lord Mayors taste,
make upa wonderful show, which, as it
winds in and out the narrow streets of
the city, enlivens them with brilliant
color. Though often decried because it
Obstructs business for the day, should
the progress of modern times abolish the
custom it would be regretted by all VINO
have witnessed it.
1.-The Lord Mayor is presented to the
Lord Chief Justice of England, takes an
oath of fidelity, and calls on the judges
of the several divisions of the High
Court of Justice and invites them to din
ner. The judges always reply somewhat
| haughtily that some of them will attend,
and the Lord Mayor then returns to the
city, in which for a year he is to be the
greatest person, obliged to give place
only when the Queen herself comes"
WELLBROUGHT-UP PERSON.
Charles Dudley Warner, in Harper's Magazine.
If we went deeper into this matter we
MIGHT find that what Is meant is that