Commune Concil' tent' in Camera Guihald' Civitat' London die Jovis vicesimo quarto die Februarij anno regni Dominæ nostr' ANNÆ nunc Reginæ Angliæ, &c. secundo, coram Johanne Parsons Mil' Majore dict' Civitat', Roberto Clayton Mil', Thoma Stamp Mil', Thoma Rawlinson Mil', Willielmo Withers Mil', Galfrid' Jefferies Mil', & Roberto Beachcroft Mil', ac ejusdem Civitat' Aldermannis, & Gilberto Heathcote Mil', Aldermanno, ac uno Vicecomit' Civitat' præd' necnon majore parte Communiarum in eodem Communi Concil' tunc & ibidem assemblat'.

WHEREAS the Yearly necessary Charge of the Government of the City of London and the Yearly Payment of eight thousand Pounds out of the Revenue of the said City to the Orphans and other Creditors of the same City, do amount unto much more than the present Yearly Income of the said City, by reason whereof the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London are become greatly indebted: Now, in order to make some Provision for Payment of the present Debt of the said City, and to prevent the further declining State thereof. Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and Commons in Common-Council assmebled, and by the Authority of the same, That when, and as often as the respective Interests of all, any, or either of the several Officers or Persons belonging to the said City, or Bridge-House, who at present stand admitted, or who hereafter shall be admitted into any Office or Offices, Imployment or Imployments, of or belonging to the said City or Bridge-House, or either of them, shall expire or determine, by Death, Alienation, Surrender, or removal for just cause, one full third part of all the Benefit or Profit which shall hereafter arise to the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of the said City for the time being, or any or either of them, by the Sale, Alienation, Surrender, or other Disposition of all or any of the said Offices or Imployments, shall for the future redound, be and accrue unto, and to the sole Benefit of the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the said City, for the Increase of the Publick Revenue of the same. And in case the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of the said City for the time being, or any or either of them, shall give away, permit or allow to be given away by any other person or persons whatsoever, any or either of the said Office or Offices, Imployment or Imployments, to any person or persons whatsoever, the said Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, or any or either of them who shall so give, permit or allow to be given away as aforesaid, any or either of the said Offices or Imployments, shall pay and make good to the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of London, for the increase of the publick Revenue of the said City, one full third part of what such Office or Offices, Imployment or Imployments, would or might have produced to the Lord Mayor and Sheriff or Sheriffs of the said City for the time being, or any or either of them, by the Sale, Alienation, Surrender or removal for just Cause or Disposition of the said Offices or Imployments, or any, or either of them; And that hereafter there shall be no new Admission or Admissions of any person or persons to any or either of the said Offices or Imployments by the Lord Mayor, or by the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen for the time being, or either of them, unless and untill one full third part of the Benefit and Profit which shall be made as aforesaid by the Sale, Alienation, Surrender or other disposal of any of the said Office or Offices, Imployment or Imployments, be paid to the Chamberlain of the City of London, for the time being, to and for the sole Use and Benefit of the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, for the increase of the public Revenue of the same City, and such Payment testified by a Receipt under the Hand of the Chamberlain of the said City for the time being; And all Admission or Admissions of any Person or Persons who shall hereafter be admitted to any of the said Offices or Imployments before such Payment made to the Chamberlain of London for the time being, to the use aforesaid, and testified as aforesaid, shall be, and is hereby Enacted and Declared null, void and of none effect, to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

AND whereas several Artificers and others of and belonging to the said City and Bridge-House, do receive Ten Shillings, more or less, by the Wéek, work or not work, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the Death, Alienation or Surrender, Yielding up, or Removal for just Cause, of all, any or either of the said Artificers or others, the Payment of Ten Shilling by the Wéek, more or less, work or no work, shall not hereafter be paid to any Person or Persons who shall be admitted to the Place or Places, Imployment or Imployments, of all, any or either of the said Artificers or others, but that the said Payment or Payments of such Sum or Sums of Money to any such Person or Persons so admitted, shall utterly cease and determine, any Act of Common-Council, Custom or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

PROVIDED, That nothnoing contained in this Act shall extend, or be construed to extend to any of the Office or Offices of the Coal-Meeters or Corn-Meeters of this City, or any or either of them, but that the same Officers or Offices and every of them, shall remain in the same State as they are settled by Act of Common-Council, made and passed in or about the Twenty Seventh Day of September, One thousand seven hundred and three, any thing herein to contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
ASHHURST.

The City by ancient Custom and Privilege sends four Citizens to be their Representatives in Parliament. The Electors are the Livery-Men of the Companies. At these Elections the Citizens have of late commonly set up eight Persons, some Aldermen and some Commoners, of the Wealthier and more Popular sort, four against four, according as they are thought to stand affected to the Church as by Law established, or less inclined to it. And some time before the Election comes on, they print their Names in different Papers, and disperse them, recommending the said Persons to the Citizens, as fit Men to be their Representatives. These Elections are usually by Poll, which lasts four or five Days sometimes before it be over. For instance, Parliament Men chosen in May, 1705. and the Numbers that polled for each, stood thus:

And this Paper following was delivered them upon the Hustings by several eminent Citizens, immediately upon the Sheriffs declaring them duly elected, in behalf of themselves and the rest of the Common Hall.

Gentlemen,
"WHEN we consider your Affection to the QUEEN, the established Church, the Protestant Interest, and the Government of this Kingdom: We cannot doubt of your sincere Endeavours to answer the Ends for which you are now chosen our Representatives in Par-"