Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-11-22

of the aldermen at that date, and some of them still are used
 The oath required of an alderman is quaint and comprehensive and re- mains unchanged from the twelfth century.
 "Ye shall sweare that ye shall well and lawfully serve our Soveraigne Lord the king, ill the City of London, in the office of alderman, in the ward of -, whereof ye be chosen alder man, and every other ward whereof ye shall be chosen alderman hereafter. And lawfully ye shall entreate the people Of the same ward of such things as to them perteyneth to doe, for keping ol the citty and for maEn- tavning of the peace in the same. And the laws an,i franchises of the citty ye shall keepe and maEntayne within the citty and WothOut, after your wit and pOWer.Z And attendant ye shalbe to mayntavne the right of orphans, after the lawes and usages of the same cit. And ready ye shalbe 10 com at the sommOns and warnings Of the major and mynisters of the cittE for the tyme being. to speede tn as- ises, plees and judgments Of the hust ines. and other needs Of the citty, vi ve be not lett by the needs of the king, or by some other reasonable cause and good and laWfull counsell ye shall give for such things as toWch the common proffitt of the city. And ye shall sell no manner victual by re- tayle, as breade, ale, wyne fish ne fysh by your apprentics. allowes ser vaunts, ne by any other way. Ne proffft shall ye none take of any such manner victuall so sould suringyour office The secrets of thic uort ye shall keepe, and not disclose any thing here spoken for the comon wealth of the citty, or that might hurt any person or brother of this said court, unlesse it be spoken to your brother or to any other which in your tnlHck to De TOT tue common wealth or conscience or discretion ye shall this citty And well and lawfully ye shall behave you in in the sayd office, and in all other things rowching the said ctty.
 As God you helpe.
 The election of a lord mayor is al ways preceded by the holy commun- ion and sermon "To the Glory and Praise of God and to the Salvation of the City in the Fair Church of St, Lawrence, called In-the-Jewry, be- cause of old time many Jews inhab tied thereabouts. The sermon is preached by the vicar of St. Lawrence, mayor upon text appropriate to the occa sion, and the incoming official and the members of the board of aldermen are admonished of their duty to God and to their constituents. There are always several Jews in the board of aldermen, and they take their turn serving as lord mayor-an honor to which they aspire because of the pres tige it gives them in commercial and financial circles There are three Jewish members at present. The re- ligious features of the ceremony do not appear to trouble them. They at tend service with their colleagues, but, of course, do not partake of the communion. There is nothing in the oath required of a lord mayor but what member of any church can i subscribe to without hesitation. The latter is quite as quaint as the oath of the alderman, and is administered to the lord mayor by the town clerk, both kneeling at either side of a table:
 "Ye shall sweare that ye shall well and lawfully se.ue the Kings Majes- ty in office of maioralty in the citty of London, and the same citty ye shall
 surely and safely keepe, to the be-
 hoof of his highness, his heires and
 lawful successors and the profit
 of the king. that to the crown apper-
 tayneth, in the same citty of London
 lawfully ye shall keepe. Ye shall
 not consent to the decrease ne con-
 cealment of the rights, ne of the
 franchises of the king, and Whereso-
 eyer ye snail knowe the rishts of the
 king. OF of the crowne (be it in lands
 or in rents fraunchises or sutes) con
 cealed or withdrawn, to your power yt
 shall doe to repeale it, and if ye may :. not ye shall say it to the king, or tC
 them Of his counsell that ye wete vii | say it to the king. Also lawfully ant
 rightfuly Ne shall entreate the peo pie of your ballewick, and right shal a ve doe 10 every one, as well to tn
 strangers as to others, to poore as |