The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-12
LONDON'S LORD MAYOR.
ELECTED NTH SOME TALK AND a
GREAT DEAL or CEREMONY

Choosing the Future Lord Mayor at the
cn,,dbalI-.A Great Amount Of BowinG
and sorapinc--A Gaudy Procession-rak-
ing the Oath.
Tho lord mayor is elected from tue twenty
six aldermen or heads Of the wards INTO
which the city IS divided by the votes OF the
livery; that is, OF the members OF the several
euiIds of the city. lie Is elected at tho
Guildball. on tue feast Of St Michael, the
archangcl. Few more interesting ceremonies
are 10 be seen in England. A wooden screen
is erected outside the Guildhall, with many
doorways ia IT, At each Is stationed the
beadle OF a guild, who IS expected to kno"
all the liveryrnen Of his company, and 50 10
prevent unauthorized persons from entering
The floor OF the Guildhall Is strewn Win
sweet herbs, perhaps the last surviving IN
stance of the medieval method Of carpetlng
a hall The tweuty-siK aldermen come ia, az
in scarlet gowns. The recorder, OF law officer
of the CITY rises. bows ID the lord mayor ana
the assembled hveryinen, ond makes llttle
speech. declaring how from the time OF King
John they have had grants Of certain rights
Of election.
MAKiyS THE SELECTION.
The lord mayor and aldermen then 60 out
another law officer the common sergeant, re
psats what tue recorder has already said and
tell, the lIyerymen that they must name two
for the ONO, VI lord mayor, OK whom the
,ord MAYOR and aldermen VII! select one
Two names are then chosen, and are carried
t. the aldermen by the head, of some OF the
chief guilds one IS selected aud thereupon
the lord mayor aud the aldermen return to
theGuildhall and sit down. tie chosen future
lord mayor sitting on the LETT OF the actual
lord mayor. The recorder again rises ond
reads the two names and the one selected
and asks the llverymen If il IS their free elec.
ton. Yea or No" They shout Yea, and
the sword bearer thereupon takes of tue fur
tippot Of the lord mayor 70 be, aud puts
q chain around his neck.
On the sth Of November there Is another
meeting IL the Guilihau The old lord
mayor rises ami gives the ucw one his seat.
The chamberlain " the city then approaches
with three solemn bows and hands 90 tho
Lew lord mayor a Jewe.ai scepter the com
mon seal Ot the city AMI al ancient purse
The sword bearer next advances, and bow
ing three times. each tine with increasing
reverence. gives the i1sl mayor elect the
great two handed sword " state, which
symbolizes justice and legal supremacy
The crer. with bows equal ln number and
profundlty o. those Cf the sword bearer
next approaches and present, the mace The
aldermen and snerins then congratulate
their new chief. who proceeds 10 sign Ger
tain documents. aud among them a receipt
for the city plate Last vi all, bee Is pre-
scented with the KEYS II the standard weight,
and measures deposited in bis custody The
meeting then breaks up aui the DID lord
mayor goes back 10 the Mansion house, bis
official residence for the last tune
LORD MAYORS DAY
The next day. the 9th Of November. j,
known ia London as Lord Mayor day. be
cause on that morning tie new lord mayor
takes office IN the GulldhalL lie drives
thence through the ward Of which be IS al
derman. and proceeds 10 gauiy procession 10
the courts Of law within the bounds Of
Westminster Before Lis coach are running
fcotmen. ard there ID q long procession Il
the carriages II rae alderman lid ii
the head, Oh the several guilds. AID VI
the main body u his own guild all
in their lest Official gown. TIE ban
ners Of the guilds. their beadles and pa
geants, which vary according u each lord
mayors taste, make up IA wonderful show.
which as it winds IN and out ito narrow
street, If the city, enliyeus them with Dnl.
liant color Though often decried because IL
obstructs business for one day, should tie
progress Of modern times abolish the custom,
1t would be regretted By all who have wit
messed IT,
The lord mayor il 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 in-
yites them to dinner The judges always TO
ply some = hat haughtily that some Of them
will attend, and the lord mayor then returns
10 the city, in which for year be is to " the
greatest person, obliged to give place only
when the queen herself comes " rman
Moore in The Century