The Princess Anne proclaimed queen 8 March, 1702.On the day that William died the Lords Spiritual and Temporal met together and, "with the assistance" of the Privy Council, a number of other "principall gentlemen of quality" and the lord mayor, aldermen and citizens of London, proceeded to draw up a document proclaiming the Princess Anne successor to the crown. The day happened to be Sunday; nevertheless on that same afternoon public proclamation of the queen's accession was made at Temple Bar and the Royal Exchange in the presence of the mayor and Court of Aldermen, whilst the sheriffs were despatched to learn when her majesty would be pleased to receive the aldermen.1879The Common Council vote an address, 10 March.A picture of the queen for the Guildhall and a statue for the Royal Exchange.Two days later (10 March) the Common Council voted an address condoling with the queen on the death of the late king and congratulating her upon her accession.1880The Court of Aldermen resolved to put themselves into "close" mourning, each alderman providing himself with a mourning gown at his own expense, whilst the Chamberlain was instructed to provide similar gowns for the chief officers of the Corporation at the City's expense, as had formerly been done on the demise of Charles II.1881They further[pg 611]resolved, with her majesty's permission, to cause her portrait to be painted and to be set up in the Guildhall and a statue of her to be set up at the Royal Exchange. It was found on enquiry that the statues of kings and queens already in the Royal Exchange had been set up at the expense of the companies, except those of William and Mary, which (as we have seen) were erected by order of the Common Council. On the other hand, the pictures of Charles II, James II and of William and Mary had all been paid for by the Chamber. Artists were invited to send in sketches or designs for her majesty's picture; and this having been done, the work was entrusted to Closterman.1882The coronation, 23 April, 1702.At the coronation, which took place on the 23rd April, the mayor, aldermen and twelve representatives of the principal livery companies were present, care having been taken by the City Remembrancer that their proper places were assigned them both in the Abbey and at the subsequent banquet in Westminster Hall. The civic dignitaries started from the city as early as seven o'clock in the morning in order to be at Westminster Hall by eight a.m. The mayor was provided at the City's expense with the customary gown of crimson velvet for the occasion, the sword-bearer being only a little less resplendent in a gown of damask.1883Parliament contunues notwithstanding demise of the crown, Stat. 7 & 8 Will. III, c. 15.Before the Revolution it had been the custom for parliament to cease to exist immediately on the demise of the crown. It was held that inasmuch as the king[pg 612]was the head of the parliament, and as the members of a living body could not continue to exist without a head, so a parliament could not continue without a king, but must with the death of the king,ipso facto, itself expire. The inconveniences arising from this had at length become so apparent that an Act had recently been passed permitting a parliament in existence at the demise of the crown to be continued for a period of six months after such demise.1884By virtue of this Act the parliament, which had met for the first time on the 30th December, 1701, was allowed to sit, notwithstanding the king's death, until dissolved in July, 1702.The Tories supplant the Whigs in the new parliament.The "good" Queen Anne, warmly attached as she was to the Church of England, was naturally inclined towards the Tories in preference to the Whigs, and lost no time in dismissing Somers, Halifax and other Whig ministers of the late king and filling their places with Tories. Her action in this respect influenced the coming elections more especially in the city of London, where a new commission of lieutenancy appointed by the queen had already turned out six colonels of Whiggish proclivities and had put in their place others of a different political character.1885The city members.Only one of the old Whig members managed to retain his seat, viz., Gilbert Heathcote, who had recently been elected alderman of Walbrook ward in the place[pg 613]of Sir John Moore, deceased, and who may have inherited some of the Tory principles of his predecessor together with the aldermanic gown. There is nothing like office for chastening a man's political opinions. However this may have been, his three colleagues elected to serve with him in the coming parliament were also aldermen of the city and staunch Tories. These were Sir William Pritchard, Sir John Fleet and Sir Francis Child. A scrutiny had been demanded by Clayton, Ashurst and Abney, the defeated candidates, but it failed to disturb the result of the poll.1886Clayton was successful in finding a seat for Bletchingley, co. Surrey.1887The queen entertained on lord mayor's day, 29 Oct., 1702.When Michaelmas-day came round and Sir Samuel Dashwood—a tried Tory who had sat for the city in the only parliament convened under James II, as well as in the first parliament under William and Mary—was elected to the mayoralty chair, the choice of the citizens was highly commended by the lord keeper,1888and the queen accepted an invitation to dinner on lord mayor's day. It was proposed to invite both Houses of Parliament to the city on that occasion, but it was found that the accommodation at the Guildhall was insufficient for the purpose.1889The cost of the entertainment to her majesty was not thrown on the Chamber, but was discharged by the aldermen, each of them agreeing to subscribe the[pg 614]sum of £25 for the purpose. The entertainment, however, was given on so lavish a scale that these contributions had to be doubled, in addition to which the outgoing as well as the incoming mayor contributed £300 respectively and each of the sheriffs £150. The whole cost of the entertainment amounted to £2,000.1890The queen acknowledged the hospitality thus offered by conferring the honour of knighthood upon Francis Dashwood, brother of the lord mayor, Richard Hoare, the goldsmith of Fleet Street, Gilbert Heathcote, the city member, and upon "Mr. Eaton," the linendraper, of Cheapside, from whose house she had witnessed the pageant.1891Public thanksgiving service at St. Paul's, 12 Nov., 1702.Scarce a fortnight elapsed before the queen again visited the city (12 Nov.), the occasion being a public thanksgiving service in St. Paul's for the successes of Marlborough, Ormond and Rooke. In July Marlborough had opened the campaign against France and Spain, war having been declared against those countries on the 4th May,1892and although he had been unable to bring the enemy to a general engagement he had succeeded in reducing several important towns and in cutting off the communications of the French with the Lower Rhine. At sea the English and Dutch combined fleets under the command of Sir George Rooke, with a large number of troops on board under the command of the Duke of Ormond, had succeeded in capturing a rich booty in Vigo Bay.1893Both Houses of Parliament attended the service.[pg 615]The order of the procession and the distribution of seats within the cathedral are given in detail in a report laid before the Court of Aldermen (15 Dec.).1894The queen, who was attired in purple, and wore her collar and George, was met at Temple Bar by the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs on horseback. The city sword, having been presented to her majesty and restored to the mayor, was carried by him next before her majesty's coach to the cathedral. The streets from St. James' to Temple Bar were lined by the Westminster militia, and from Temple Bar to Ludgate by two regiments of the city trained bands. The balconies and windows were hung with carpets and tapestry. On arriving at St. Paul's her majesty was met at the door by the Peers and escorted to the choir of the cathedral by the Duke of Somerset and the lord chamberlain, the sword of state being borne before her by the Duke of Ormond. The spectacle which presented itself inside St. Paul's on this occasion has scarcely ever been equalled. Opposite the altar, on a throne of state, sat the queen. The Peers were accommodated with seats in the body of the choir, whilst the Commons sat in the stalls and upper galleries on either side. In the two lower galleries next the throne sat the foreign ministers and ladies "of quality." There were two other galleries near the altar, one on the north side and the other on the south side of the church. The latter was occupied by the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs, whilst the former was occupied (as usual) by their ladies. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Exeter. The night was given up to bonfires and illuminations.1895[pg 616]The victory at Blenheim, 2 Aug. (o.s.), 1704.Two years later the city's minster—now rapidly approaching completion—was again the scene of a similar gathering, the occasion being a thanksgiving service for a signal victory gained by Marlborough over the French and Bavarian forces at Blenheim, near Hochstadt in Germany (2 Aug., o.s.).1896The 7th September was set apart as a day of public thanksgiving.1897The City in the meanwhile voted (30 Aug.) an address to her majesty1898congratulating her on the success that had attended her arms and complimenting her on her judgment in selecting Marlborough for the command, whose courage and conduct had "settled the tottering empire, relieved Savoy, chastised the Elector of Bavaria, and curbed the ambition of the French king." They prayed that her majesty might long live a terror to her enemies, a defence to her injured neighbours and a delight to her subjects. The next day (31 Aug.) the mayor issued his precept to the several livery companies to prepare their rails, stands, banners and other usual "ornaments of triumph" with the view of taking up such position in the street as should be assigned to them.1899Several of the companies, viz., the Girdlers, the Scriveners and the Glovers, refused to obey the precept, and were thereupon summoned before the Court of Aldermen to answer for their conduct, whilst others like the Dyers, the Cooks and the Poulterers were excused.1900A little difficulty arose touching the seats assigned[pg 617]by the lord chamberlain in St. Paul's to the civic dignitaries, who claimed the right to occupy the seats and places where they usually sat, the more so on this occasion because, parliament not being then in session, the members of neither House were to be in attendance. How matters were eventually arranged does not appear, but the Court of Aldermen up to the last moment were emphatic in their resolution that the lord mayor should insist on keeping his place in the cathedral, and a week later (14 Sept.) appointed a committee to search for precedents as to the place occupied by the mayor and aldermen in processions and their seats in St. Paul's on occasions of any king or queen coming there to hear a sermon.1901In other respects everything passed off well.The Duke of Marlborough at Goldsmiths' Hall, 6 Jan., 1705.On the morning of the 14th December Marlborough arrived in London, bringing in his train Marshal Tallard and other general officers whom he had made captive at Blenheim. On the 20th an invitation was sent for his grace to dine with the Court of Aldermen and the sheriffs at Goldsmiths' Hall, the residence of Sir Owen Buckingham, the lord mayor, on any day he might name. The invitation having been graciously accepted for the 6th January, the duke was further requested to bring with him what company he pleased, for his grace would find none others there besides the lord mayor, aldermen and sheriffs to entertain him. Each alderman and sheriff was called upon to subscribe the sum of £25 towards defraying the cost of the entertainment.1902[pg 618]On the day appointed the duke was conveyed to the city in one of her majesty's own coaches, accompanied by the Duke of Somerset, the foreign ministers and a large number of the nobility and general officers of the army. At Temple Bar he was met by the city marshal, by whom he was conducted to Goldsmiths' Hall. There a "noble treat" was set out for the guests, "the queen's musick playing all the while, and everything performed in great splendor."1903The Common Council acknowledged the great public spirit thus displayed by the Court of Aldermen and the sheriffs by passing an unanimous vote of thanks to them.1904The City's finances, 1702-4.In the meantime, whilst Marlborough had been so successfully carrying on the work which the late king had set himself to do, the city of London had been busy setting its house in order. The poor were with them in greater numbers than ever. The statute (13 and 14 Chas. II, c. 12) passed in 1662 for the better relief of the poor of the kingdom, authorising the erection of workhouses, necessitated the expenditure of a great deal of money, and a sum amounting to nearly £5,000 had to be periodically raised for the purpose by assessment of the several parishes of the city.1905Besides this there was a yearly sum of £8,000 due by the City to the orphans and its other creditors, a sum which exceeded the City's yearly revenue. The consequence was that the City had become greatly in debt. To remedy this state of affairs various methods were resorted to. An attempt was[pg 619]made at the commencement of the present reign to get the queen's sanction for compelling every governor, deputy governor, or committeeman of both the East India companies to take up the freedom of the City. The question was referred to the attorney-general, whose opinion on the matter was duly reported to the Common Council.1906On the 1st July, 1703, another committee was appointed to examine the state of the Chamber, and to consider of ways and means for its supply and for the support of the government of the city. On the 18th August this committee recommended to the Common Council that an exact survey of all the City's estate should be made in each ward by the alderman and his deputy, and that such surveys should be sent to the town clerk so that they might be entered in a book. The court approved of the recommendation, and ordered that it should be carried out "with all expedition imaginable."1907The City's markets,1908the City's beams1909and everything else that could be let on lease were let at improved rentals, and everything that could be sold was sold. On the 4th November (1703) the lord mayor (Sir John Parsons) informed the Common Council that towards the payment of the City's debts his lordship and the two sheriffs had agreed to lay before the court certain papers showing (1) what the several places under the Corporation would sell for, (2) what the lord mayor himself and the sheriffs were willing to take for their share of each place, and (3) what part of the[pg 620]purchase-money might be devoted to the liquidation of the City's debts.1910The schedule is an interesting one as showing the value attached to various offices under the City. Thus a water-bailiff's place would sell for £2,200, a sword-bearer's for £2,500, and that of a clerk of the Chamber for as much as £2,600 (the highest of all), whilst a City solicitor could purchase his place for £1,500, and a City remembrancer could do the same for £1,200. The scheme proposed by the mayor and sheriffs on this occasion affected no less than one hundred and sixty-three places of employment, and was simplicity itself, being nothing more than that they themselves and their successors should forego one-third of the value of any place that became vacant during their year of office, and that this third should be devoted to payment of the City's liabilities. The total value of these purchaseable places amounted to £107,860, one-third of which, viz., £35,953 6s.8d., would, if this proposal were carried out (andif every place fell vacant within the year), be available for the discharge of the City's debts. In a second schedule were set out certain other places filled chiefly by artificers, who, by their extravagant charges, had contributed (it was said) in no small degree to the City's indebtedness. These were to be excluded from the scheme, much to their disappointment. When any one of them died, surrendered his place or was dismissed from it for just cause, his place was not to be filled up, and the payment of 10s.a week, more or less, which such[pg 621]artificer had been in the habit of receiving from the City, "work or not work," was to cease.The proposals thus laid before the Common Council met with the approval of the court, and the committee was instructed to embody them in a Bill. A Bill was accordingly drawn up and read the first time on the 4th February, 1704. It passed on the 24th,1911and the thanks of the Common Council were returned to the mayor and sheriffs for their generous offers.Another thanksgiving service at St. Paul's, 23 Aug., 1705.In March, 1705, Marlborough sailed for Holland to resume the campaign. By July he had succeeded in forcing the French lines which stretched across the country from Namur to Antwerp. For this success another thanksgiving service was held at St. Paul's, and attended by the queen in person (23 Aug.).1912Had the general been allowed a free hand by his Dutch allies a decisive battle might have been fought. The Dutch officers refused, however, to co-operate in an attack, and Marlborough had to give way with the best grace he could.Meeting of the new parliament, 25 Oct., 1705.During Marlborough's absence the parliament of 1702, which would soon have terminated by efflux of time under the provisions of the Triennial Act, had been dissolved (5 April) and a new one summoned. Once more the political pendulum swung back and a Whig parliament was returned. The Tories rather injured than aided their cause by raising the cry that the Church was in danger, whilst the Whig party was[pg 622]daily increasing in favour not only with the queen, who highly resented such a cry, but also with Marlborough and Godolphin. In the city both parties put up four candidates, but when the poll was declared it was found that all four Whigs had been returned by an overwhelming majority.1913One of the results of an understanding arrived at between Marlborough and the Tory leaders with the Whig Junto was a modification of an article in the Act of Settlement, which, after the accession of the House of Hanover, would have otherwise debarred ministers and other placemen from the House of Commons. A compromise was effected whereby only those who enjoyed a pension or office created after the 25th October, 1705, were to be disqualified from sitting in the House, whilst all other offices were declared compatible with a seat if the holder presented himself to his constituents for re-election at the time of his appointment.1914This arrangement is still in force, although the necessity of it has long since disappeared.The victory at Ramillies, 12 May (o.s), 1706.After a brief stay in England, where he had arrived at the opening of the new year (1706), Marlborough again crossed over to Holland before the spring. A few weeks only elapsed before he gained fresh laurels by another signal defeat of the French[pg 623]at the little village of Ramillies (12 May, o.s.).1915On the 24th May the Common Council voted an address to the queen congratulating her majesty on the victory.1916The 27th June was set apart as a day of public thanksgiving, for which the City made the usual preparations.1917But seeing that these gala days followed so closely on one another the Court of Aldermen resolved that the new crimson velvet gown with which the lord mayor was furnished on these occasions at the City's expense should no longer be appropriated by him, but should be carefully laid up by the hall keeper for future use.1918At the humble request of the lord mayor (Sir Thomas Rawlinson) her majesty graciously consented to bestow the trophies and colours recently taken in Flanders upon the City to the intent that they might be hung up in the Guildhall. It was not, however, until the 19th December, when the Duke of Marlborough was sumptuously entertained at Vintners' Hall, that twenty-six standards and sixty-three colours, taken at Ramillies, were brought into the city in great state, there to be displayed on the walls of the Guildhall.1919£250,000 for Prince Eugene, March, 1706.These successes were not achieved without great expenditure of blood and money. At the close of the previous year (1705) the lord mayor had received an order under the royal sign manual requiring him and the Court of Aldermen to forthwith impress 1,000[pg 624]men—such as had no visible means of subsistence—for service by land or sea,1920whilst in the following March (1706) it was found necessary to open a subscription at Mercers' Chapel for furnishing Prince Eugene with £250,000 to assist him in carrying on the campaign in Italy. Notwithstanding the depressed state of the Corporation finances, the city abounded in wealth, and by the close of the first day no less than £160,000 of the whole loan had been underwritten, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Sir William Scawen, Sir James Bateman and Sir Henry Furnese making themselves each responsible for the sum of £4,000.1921With the pecuniary assistance thus afforded him, and with the reinforcements which Marlborough despatched to him from Holland, the prince was enabled to raise the siege of Turin (7 Sept., 1706).Day of public thanksgiving, 31 Dec., 1706.It was not long before the crimson velvet gown was again brought into requisition. So great success had attended the allied armies in 1706 that the queen ordered another day of public thanksgiving to be kept on the last day of the year, when she paid another solemn visit to St. Paul's, accompanied by both Houses of Parliament. Strange to say the records of the Court of Aldermen are absolutely silent as to the preparations made for the occasion, but from another source we know them to have been on the same scale as formerly, and we may depend upon it that the crimson velvet gown was there.1922Passage of gunpowder through the city.The city was at this time in great danger from the passage of large quantities of gunpowder through[pg 625]the streets on its way to the Tower. One can realise the immense risk which the merchant and trader ran in pursuing his regular vocation when one reads that on the 10th July (1706) a cart with iron-bound wheels and laden with twenty-five barrels of gunpowder had been overturned on Fish Street Hill and the gunpowder scattered. Nor was this the only accident that had occurred; the wonder is that the entire city had not been blown up long since, seeing that gunpowder was a commodity dealt in by grocers! The Common Council took the matter up and made a representation to the queen.1923Next year a Bill was introduced into the House of Commons by Sir Gilbert Heathcote and Samuel Shepheard, two of the city members, for preventing the dangers arising from bringing or laying up quantities of gunpowder within the city and liberties, but before the Lords and Commons could come to an agreement parliament was prorogued (24 April, 1707).1924The municipal authorities were not content to let matters rest here, but prepared a petition to parliament for leave to bring in another Bill. The petition was ordered to lie on the table (24 Feb., 1708),1925and in the meantime the citizens had to be satisfied with an undertaking already given by powder-makers not to carry any gunpowder to any wharf or stairs within half a mile of London Bridge.1926The Union with Scotland, 1607.The Articles of Union between England and Scotland having, after prolonged discussion, been[pg 626]ratified by both the English and Scottish parliaments and received the formal assent of the Crown, a day of public thanksgiving (1 May, 1707) was ordered to be observed for the happy conclusion of the treaty between the two kingdoms. A proclamation had previously been issued (29 April) constituting the existing Houses of Lords and Commons the first parliament of Great Britain for and on the part of England, whilst sixteen peers and forty-five commoners were to be elected to represent Scotland in the same parliament. The first meeting was to take place at Westminster on the 23rd October.1927Meanwhile addresses of congratulation to the queen arrived from various parts of the kingdom; but in consequence of the Article of Union declaring the Presbyterian form to be the true Protestant religion, no such address came from the University of Oxford. It was otherwise with the city of London, where Presbyterianism had always been in favour. On the 9th May the Common Council voted an address to her majesty congratulating her upon the happy union of the two kingdoms, a blessing which Heaven (they declared) had reserved for her to accomplish, who was the true and sincere lover of piety, unity and concord.1928France and the Pretender, March, 1708.The Londoners entertained sincere affection for Queen Anne, and lost no opportunity of showing their loyalty. Such an opportunity presented itself in the spring of the following year (1708), when Scotland was threatened by a French invasion in favour of the Pretender. The citizens hastened to assure her that[pg 627]the French preparations inspired them—her majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects—with no terror. The repeated tenders of their lives and fortunes were (she was asked to believe) not empty words, but they would be ready when occasion offered to demonstrate to the world their unfeigned loyalty in support of her majesty and the maintenance of the Protestant succession against the Pretender and all other enemies at home and abroad.1929Search for Papists and Jacobites in the city, 1708.Not satisfied with mere assurances of support, parliament proceeded to pass a Bill "for the better security of her majesty's person," by virtue of which the oath of abjuration was to be administered to all suspected persons, and those who refused it were to be at once treated as convict recusants. The Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, and the House of Commons engaged to make good any extra expense her majesty might be put to by reason of this threatened invasion.1930On Tuesday, the 30th March, a letter from the Privy Council was read before the Court of Aldermen in which the magistrates of the city were commanded to meet as soon as possible for the purpose of tendering the oath, according to the provisions of the recent Act. The court thereupon gave orders for precepts to be immediately issued to the deputies and common councilmen of the several wards requiring them to return a list in writing under their hands to the town clerk of all disaffected or dangerous persons found in their wards. The returns were to be made before the end of the week.1931This could have been no[pg 628]easy matter considering the number of particulars that were to be set out in the return according to the terms of the precept. The deputy and common councilmen of each ward were called upon to distinguish (1) all Papists or reputed Papists, (2) all such as preached in or frequented Jacobite meetings, (3) all non-jurors,i.e., such as had refused to take the oaths appointed to be taken in place of the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, (4) all such as were found guilty of casting aspersions upon her majesty and the government, (5) all persons suspected of holding correspondence with her majesty's enemies abroad, and lastly (6) all spreaders of false and seditious reports. The christian names and surnames of each and all of these, together with their place of abode, were to be returned in less than a week in order that they might be summoned and have the oath tendered to them.1932City parliamentary elections, 1708.On the 1st April parliament was prorogued; a fortnight later it was dissolved and writs for a new parliament were sent out on the 26th, returnable on the following 8th July.1933Although the Whigs again obtained a majority in the country, and although they succeeded before the end of the year in ousting all Tories from the ministry, they were losing ground in the city of London. In November last Withers, the lord mayor, had obtained Clayton's seat (on the latter's decease) in the Tory interest as already mentioned.1934He was again returned after a close contest with Sir Samuel Stanier, and with him another Tory in the person of John Ward, who[pg 629]subsequently became an alderman and sat in the first parliament of George I. The other two seats were retained by the Whigs, Ashurst and Heathcote.1935

The Princess Anne proclaimed queen 8 March, 1702.

On the day that William died the Lords Spiritual and Temporal met together and, "with the assistance" of the Privy Council, a number of other "principall gentlemen of quality" and the lord mayor, aldermen and citizens of London, proceeded to draw up a document proclaiming the Princess Anne successor to the crown. The day happened to be Sunday; nevertheless on that same afternoon public proclamation of the queen's accession was made at Temple Bar and the Royal Exchange in the presence of the mayor and Court of Aldermen, whilst the sheriffs were despatched to learn when her majesty would be pleased to receive the aldermen.1879

The Common Council vote an address, 10 March.

A picture of the queen for the Guildhall and a statue for the Royal Exchange.

Two days later (10 March) the Common Council voted an address condoling with the queen on the death of the late king and congratulating her upon her accession.1880The Court of Aldermen resolved to put themselves into "close" mourning, each alderman providing himself with a mourning gown at his own expense, whilst the Chamberlain was instructed to provide similar gowns for the chief officers of the Corporation at the City's expense, as had formerly been done on the demise of Charles II.1881They further[pg 611]resolved, with her majesty's permission, to cause her portrait to be painted and to be set up in the Guildhall and a statue of her to be set up at the Royal Exchange. It was found on enquiry that the statues of kings and queens already in the Royal Exchange had been set up at the expense of the companies, except those of William and Mary, which (as we have seen) were erected by order of the Common Council. On the other hand, the pictures of Charles II, James II and of William and Mary had all been paid for by the Chamber. Artists were invited to send in sketches or designs for her majesty's picture; and this having been done, the work was entrusted to Closterman.1882

The coronation, 23 April, 1702.

At the coronation, which took place on the 23rd April, the mayor, aldermen and twelve representatives of the principal livery companies were present, care having been taken by the City Remembrancer that their proper places were assigned them both in the Abbey and at the subsequent banquet in Westminster Hall. The civic dignitaries started from the city as early as seven o'clock in the morning in order to be at Westminster Hall by eight a.m. The mayor was provided at the City's expense with the customary gown of crimson velvet for the occasion, the sword-bearer being only a little less resplendent in a gown of damask.1883

Parliament contunues notwithstanding demise of the crown, Stat. 7 & 8 Will. III, c. 15.

Before the Revolution it had been the custom for parliament to cease to exist immediately on the demise of the crown. It was held that inasmuch as the king[pg 612]was the head of the parliament, and as the members of a living body could not continue to exist without a head, so a parliament could not continue without a king, but must with the death of the king,ipso facto, itself expire. The inconveniences arising from this had at length become so apparent that an Act had recently been passed permitting a parliament in existence at the demise of the crown to be continued for a period of six months after such demise.1884By virtue of this Act the parliament, which had met for the first time on the 30th December, 1701, was allowed to sit, notwithstanding the king's death, until dissolved in July, 1702.

The Tories supplant the Whigs in the new parliament.

The "good" Queen Anne, warmly attached as she was to the Church of England, was naturally inclined towards the Tories in preference to the Whigs, and lost no time in dismissing Somers, Halifax and other Whig ministers of the late king and filling their places with Tories. Her action in this respect influenced the coming elections more especially in the city of London, where a new commission of lieutenancy appointed by the queen had already turned out six colonels of Whiggish proclivities and had put in their place others of a different political character.1885

The city members.

Only one of the old Whig members managed to retain his seat, viz., Gilbert Heathcote, who had recently been elected alderman of Walbrook ward in the place[pg 613]of Sir John Moore, deceased, and who may have inherited some of the Tory principles of his predecessor together with the aldermanic gown. There is nothing like office for chastening a man's political opinions. However this may have been, his three colleagues elected to serve with him in the coming parliament were also aldermen of the city and staunch Tories. These were Sir William Pritchard, Sir John Fleet and Sir Francis Child. A scrutiny had been demanded by Clayton, Ashurst and Abney, the defeated candidates, but it failed to disturb the result of the poll.1886Clayton was successful in finding a seat for Bletchingley, co. Surrey.1887

The queen entertained on lord mayor's day, 29 Oct., 1702.

When Michaelmas-day came round and Sir Samuel Dashwood—a tried Tory who had sat for the city in the only parliament convened under James II, as well as in the first parliament under William and Mary—was elected to the mayoralty chair, the choice of the citizens was highly commended by the lord keeper,1888and the queen accepted an invitation to dinner on lord mayor's day. It was proposed to invite both Houses of Parliament to the city on that occasion, but it was found that the accommodation at the Guildhall was insufficient for the purpose.1889The cost of the entertainment to her majesty was not thrown on the Chamber, but was discharged by the aldermen, each of them agreeing to subscribe the[pg 614]sum of £25 for the purpose. The entertainment, however, was given on so lavish a scale that these contributions had to be doubled, in addition to which the outgoing as well as the incoming mayor contributed £300 respectively and each of the sheriffs £150. The whole cost of the entertainment amounted to £2,000.1890The queen acknowledged the hospitality thus offered by conferring the honour of knighthood upon Francis Dashwood, brother of the lord mayor, Richard Hoare, the goldsmith of Fleet Street, Gilbert Heathcote, the city member, and upon "Mr. Eaton," the linendraper, of Cheapside, from whose house she had witnessed the pageant.1891

Public thanksgiving service at St. Paul's, 12 Nov., 1702.

Scarce a fortnight elapsed before the queen again visited the city (12 Nov.), the occasion being a public thanksgiving service in St. Paul's for the successes of Marlborough, Ormond and Rooke. In July Marlborough had opened the campaign against France and Spain, war having been declared against those countries on the 4th May,1892and although he had been unable to bring the enemy to a general engagement he had succeeded in reducing several important towns and in cutting off the communications of the French with the Lower Rhine. At sea the English and Dutch combined fleets under the command of Sir George Rooke, with a large number of troops on board under the command of the Duke of Ormond, had succeeded in capturing a rich booty in Vigo Bay.1893Both Houses of Parliament attended the service.[pg 615]The order of the procession and the distribution of seats within the cathedral are given in detail in a report laid before the Court of Aldermen (15 Dec.).1894The queen, who was attired in purple, and wore her collar and George, was met at Temple Bar by the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs on horseback. The city sword, having been presented to her majesty and restored to the mayor, was carried by him next before her majesty's coach to the cathedral. The streets from St. James' to Temple Bar were lined by the Westminster militia, and from Temple Bar to Ludgate by two regiments of the city trained bands. The balconies and windows were hung with carpets and tapestry. On arriving at St. Paul's her majesty was met at the door by the Peers and escorted to the choir of the cathedral by the Duke of Somerset and the lord chamberlain, the sword of state being borne before her by the Duke of Ormond. The spectacle which presented itself inside St. Paul's on this occasion has scarcely ever been equalled. Opposite the altar, on a throne of state, sat the queen. The Peers were accommodated with seats in the body of the choir, whilst the Commons sat in the stalls and upper galleries on either side. In the two lower galleries next the throne sat the foreign ministers and ladies "of quality." There were two other galleries near the altar, one on the north side and the other on the south side of the church. The latter was occupied by the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs, whilst the former was occupied (as usual) by their ladies. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Exeter. The night was given up to bonfires and illuminations.1895

The victory at Blenheim, 2 Aug. (o.s.), 1704.

Two years later the city's minster—now rapidly approaching completion—was again the scene of a similar gathering, the occasion being a thanksgiving service for a signal victory gained by Marlborough over the French and Bavarian forces at Blenheim, near Hochstadt in Germany (2 Aug., o.s.).1896The 7th September was set apart as a day of public thanksgiving.1897The City in the meanwhile voted (30 Aug.) an address to her majesty1898congratulating her on the success that had attended her arms and complimenting her on her judgment in selecting Marlborough for the command, whose courage and conduct had "settled the tottering empire, relieved Savoy, chastised the Elector of Bavaria, and curbed the ambition of the French king." They prayed that her majesty might long live a terror to her enemies, a defence to her injured neighbours and a delight to her subjects. The next day (31 Aug.) the mayor issued his precept to the several livery companies to prepare their rails, stands, banners and other usual "ornaments of triumph" with the view of taking up such position in the street as should be assigned to them.1899Several of the companies, viz., the Girdlers, the Scriveners and the Glovers, refused to obey the precept, and were thereupon summoned before the Court of Aldermen to answer for their conduct, whilst others like the Dyers, the Cooks and the Poulterers were excused.1900A little difficulty arose touching the seats assigned[pg 617]by the lord chamberlain in St. Paul's to the civic dignitaries, who claimed the right to occupy the seats and places where they usually sat, the more so on this occasion because, parliament not being then in session, the members of neither House were to be in attendance. How matters were eventually arranged does not appear, but the Court of Aldermen up to the last moment were emphatic in their resolution that the lord mayor should insist on keeping his place in the cathedral, and a week later (14 Sept.) appointed a committee to search for precedents as to the place occupied by the mayor and aldermen in processions and their seats in St. Paul's on occasions of any king or queen coming there to hear a sermon.1901In other respects everything passed off well.

The Duke of Marlborough at Goldsmiths' Hall, 6 Jan., 1705.

On the morning of the 14th December Marlborough arrived in London, bringing in his train Marshal Tallard and other general officers whom he had made captive at Blenheim. On the 20th an invitation was sent for his grace to dine with the Court of Aldermen and the sheriffs at Goldsmiths' Hall, the residence of Sir Owen Buckingham, the lord mayor, on any day he might name. The invitation having been graciously accepted for the 6th January, the duke was further requested to bring with him what company he pleased, for his grace would find none others there besides the lord mayor, aldermen and sheriffs to entertain him. Each alderman and sheriff was called upon to subscribe the sum of £25 towards defraying the cost of the entertainment.1902

On the day appointed the duke was conveyed to the city in one of her majesty's own coaches, accompanied by the Duke of Somerset, the foreign ministers and a large number of the nobility and general officers of the army. At Temple Bar he was met by the city marshal, by whom he was conducted to Goldsmiths' Hall. There a "noble treat" was set out for the guests, "the queen's musick playing all the while, and everything performed in great splendor."1903The Common Council acknowledged the great public spirit thus displayed by the Court of Aldermen and the sheriffs by passing an unanimous vote of thanks to them.1904

The City's finances, 1702-4.

In the meantime, whilst Marlborough had been so successfully carrying on the work which the late king had set himself to do, the city of London had been busy setting its house in order. The poor were with them in greater numbers than ever. The statute (13 and 14 Chas. II, c. 12) passed in 1662 for the better relief of the poor of the kingdom, authorising the erection of workhouses, necessitated the expenditure of a great deal of money, and a sum amounting to nearly £5,000 had to be periodically raised for the purpose by assessment of the several parishes of the city.1905Besides this there was a yearly sum of £8,000 due by the City to the orphans and its other creditors, a sum which exceeded the City's yearly revenue. The consequence was that the City had become greatly in debt. To remedy this state of affairs various methods were resorted to. An attempt was[pg 619]made at the commencement of the present reign to get the queen's sanction for compelling every governor, deputy governor, or committeeman of both the East India companies to take up the freedom of the City. The question was referred to the attorney-general, whose opinion on the matter was duly reported to the Common Council.1906

On the 1st July, 1703, another committee was appointed to examine the state of the Chamber, and to consider of ways and means for its supply and for the support of the government of the city. On the 18th August this committee recommended to the Common Council that an exact survey of all the City's estate should be made in each ward by the alderman and his deputy, and that such surveys should be sent to the town clerk so that they might be entered in a book. The court approved of the recommendation, and ordered that it should be carried out "with all expedition imaginable."1907The City's markets,1908the City's beams1909and everything else that could be let on lease were let at improved rentals, and everything that could be sold was sold. On the 4th November (1703) the lord mayor (Sir John Parsons) informed the Common Council that towards the payment of the City's debts his lordship and the two sheriffs had agreed to lay before the court certain papers showing (1) what the several places under the Corporation would sell for, (2) what the lord mayor himself and the sheriffs were willing to take for their share of each place, and (3) what part of the[pg 620]purchase-money might be devoted to the liquidation of the City's debts.1910

The schedule is an interesting one as showing the value attached to various offices under the City. Thus a water-bailiff's place would sell for £2,200, a sword-bearer's for £2,500, and that of a clerk of the Chamber for as much as £2,600 (the highest of all), whilst a City solicitor could purchase his place for £1,500, and a City remembrancer could do the same for £1,200. The scheme proposed by the mayor and sheriffs on this occasion affected no less than one hundred and sixty-three places of employment, and was simplicity itself, being nothing more than that they themselves and their successors should forego one-third of the value of any place that became vacant during their year of office, and that this third should be devoted to payment of the City's liabilities. The total value of these purchaseable places amounted to £107,860, one-third of which, viz., £35,953 6s.8d., would, if this proposal were carried out (andif every place fell vacant within the year), be available for the discharge of the City's debts. In a second schedule were set out certain other places filled chiefly by artificers, who, by their extravagant charges, had contributed (it was said) in no small degree to the City's indebtedness. These were to be excluded from the scheme, much to their disappointment. When any one of them died, surrendered his place or was dismissed from it for just cause, his place was not to be filled up, and the payment of 10s.a week, more or less, which such[pg 621]artificer had been in the habit of receiving from the City, "work or not work," was to cease.

The proposals thus laid before the Common Council met with the approval of the court, and the committee was instructed to embody them in a Bill. A Bill was accordingly drawn up and read the first time on the 4th February, 1704. It passed on the 24th,1911and the thanks of the Common Council were returned to the mayor and sheriffs for their generous offers.

Another thanksgiving service at St. Paul's, 23 Aug., 1705.

In March, 1705, Marlborough sailed for Holland to resume the campaign. By July he had succeeded in forcing the French lines which stretched across the country from Namur to Antwerp. For this success another thanksgiving service was held at St. Paul's, and attended by the queen in person (23 Aug.).1912Had the general been allowed a free hand by his Dutch allies a decisive battle might have been fought. The Dutch officers refused, however, to co-operate in an attack, and Marlborough had to give way with the best grace he could.

Meeting of the new parliament, 25 Oct., 1705.

During Marlborough's absence the parliament of 1702, which would soon have terminated by efflux of time under the provisions of the Triennial Act, had been dissolved (5 April) and a new one summoned. Once more the political pendulum swung back and a Whig parliament was returned. The Tories rather injured than aided their cause by raising the cry that the Church was in danger, whilst the Whig party was[pg 622]daily increasing in favour not only with the queen, who highly resented such a cry, but also with Marlborough and Godolphin. In the city both parties put up four candidates, but when the poll was declared it was found that all four Whigs had been returned by an overwhelming majority.1913One of the results of an understanding arrived at between Marlborough and the Tory leaders with the Whig Junto was a modification of an article in the Act of Settlement, which, after the accession of the House of Hanover, would have otherwise debarred ministers and other placemen from the House of Commons. A compromise was effected whereby only those who enjoyed a pension or office created after the 25th October, 1705, were to be disqualified from sitting in the House, whilst all other offices were declared compatible with a seat if the holder presented himself to his constituents for re-election at the time of his appointment.1914This arrangement is still in force, although the necessity of it has long since disappeared.

The victory at Ramillies, 12 May (o.s), 1706.

After a brief stay in England, where he had arrived at the opening of the new year (1706), Marlborough again crossed over to Holland before the spring. A few weeks only elapsed before he gained fresh laurels by another signal defeat of the French[pg 623]at the little village of Ramillies (12 May, o.s.).1915On the 24th May the Common Council voted an address to the queen congratulating her majesty on the victory.1916The 27th June was set apart as a day of public thanksgiving, for which the City made the usual preparations.1917But seeing that these gala days followed so closely on one another the Court of Aldermen resolved that the new crimson velvet gown with which the lord mayor was furnished on these occasions at the City's expense should no longer be appropriated by him, but should be carefully laid up by the hall keeper for future use.1918At the humble request of the lord mayor (Sir Thomas Rawlinson) her majesty graciously consented to bestow the trophies and colours recently taken in Flanders upon the City to the intent that they might be hung up in the Guildhall. It was not, however, until the 19th December, when the Duke of Marlborough was sumptuously entertained at Vintners' Hall, that twenty-six standards and sixty-three colours, taken at Ramillies, were brought into the city in great state, there to be displayed on the walls of the Guildhall.1919

£250,000 for Prince Eugene, March, 1706.

These successes were not achieved without great expenditure of blood and money. At the close of the previous year (1705) the lord mayor had received an order under the royal sign manual requiring him and the Court of Aldermen to forthwith impress 1,000[pg 624]men—such as had no visible means of subsistence—for service by land or sea,1920whilst in the following March (1706) it was found necessary to open a subscription at Mercers' Chapel for furnishing Prince Eugene with £250,000 to assist him in carrying on the campaign in Italy. Notwithstanding the depressed state of the Corporation finances, the city abounded in wealth, and by the close of the first day no less than £160,000 of the whole loan had been underwritten, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Sir William Scawen, Sir James Bateman and Sir Henry Furnese making themselves each responsible for the sum of £4,000.1921With the pecuniary assistance thus afforded him, and with the reinforcements which Marlborough despatched to him from Holland, the prince was enabled to raise the siege of Turin (7 Sept., 1706).

Day of public thanksgiving, 31 Dec., 1706.

It was not long before the crimson velvet gown was again brought into requisition. So great success had attended the allied armies in 1706 that the queen ordered another day of public thanksgiving to be kept on the last day of the year, when she paid another solemn visit to St. Paul's, accompanied by both Houses of Parliament. Strange to say the records of the Court of Aldermen are absolutely silent as to the preparations made for the occasion, but from another source we know them to have been on the same scale as formerly, and we may depend upon it that the crimson velvet gown was there.1922

Passage of gunpowder through the city.

The city was at this time in great danger from the passage of large quantities of gunpowder through[pg 625]the streets on its way to the Tower. One can realise the immense risk which the merchant and trader ran in pursuing his regular vocation when one reads that on the 10th July (1706) a cart with iron-bound wheels and laden with twenty-five barrels of gunpowder had been overturned on Fish Street Hill and the gunpowder scattered. Nor was this the only accident that had occurred; the wonder is that the entire city had not been blown up long since, seeing that gunpowder was a commodity dealt in by grocers! The Common Council took the matter up and made a representation to the queen.1923Next year a Bill was introduced into the House of Commons by Sir Gilbert Heathcote and Samuel Shepheard, two of the city members, for preventing the dangers arising from bringing or laying up quantities of gunpowder within the city and liberties, but before the Lords and Commons could come to an agreement parliament was prorogued (24 April, 1707).1924The municipal authorities were not content to let matters rest here, but prepared a petition to parliament for leave to bring in another Bill. The petition was ordered to lie on the table (24 Feb., 1708),1925and in the meantime the citizens had to be satisfied with an undertaking already given by powder-makers not to carry any gunpowder to any wharf or stairs within half a mile of London Bridge.1926

The Union with Scotland, 1607.

The Articles of Union between England and Scotland having, after prolonged discussion, been[pg 626]ratified by both the English and Scottish parliaments and received the formal assent of the Crown, a day of public thanksgiving (1 May, 1707) was ordered to be observed for the happy conclusion of the treaty between the two kingdoms. A proclamation had previously been issued (29 April) constituting the existing Houses of Lords and Commons the first parliament of Great Britain for and on the part of England, whilst sixteen peers and forty-five commoners were to be elected to represent Scotland in the same parliament. The first meeting was to take place at Westminster on the 23rd October.1927Meanwhile addresses of congratulation to the queen arrived from various parts of the kingdom; but in consequence of the Article of Union declaring the Presbyterian form to be the true Protestant religion, no such address came from the University of Oxford. It was otherwise with the city of London, where Presbyterianism had always been in favour. On the 9th May the Common Council voted an address to her majesty congratulating her upon the happy union of the two kingdoms, a blessing which Heaven (they declared) had reserved for her to accomplish, who was the true and sincere lover of piety, unity and concord.1928

France and the Pretender, March, 1708.

The Londoners entertained sincere affection for Queen Anne, and lost no opportunity of showing their loyalty. Such an opportunity presented itself in the spring of the following year (1708), when Scotland was threatened by a French invasion in favour of the Pretender. The citizens hastened to assure her that[pg 627]the French preparations inspired them—her majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects—with no terror. The repeated tenders of their lives and fortunes were (she was asked to believe) not empty words, but they would be ready when occasion offered to demonstrate to the world their unfeigned loyalty in support of her majesty and the maintenance of the Protestant succession against the Pretender and all other enemies at home and abroad.1929

Search for Papists and Jacobites in the city, 1708.

Not satisfied with mere assurances of support, parliament proceeded to pass a Bill "for the better security of her majesty's person," by virtue of which the oath of abjuration was to be administered to all suspected persons, and those who refused it were to be at once treated as convict recusants. The Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, and the House of Commons engaged to make good any extra expense her majesty might be put to by reason of this threatened invasion.1930On Tuesday, the 30th March, a letter from the Privy Council was read before the Court of Aldermen in which the magistrates of the city were commanded to meet as soon as possible for the purpose of tendering the oath, according to the provisions of the recent Act. The court thereupon gave orders for precepts to be immediately issued to the deputies and common councilmen of the several wards requiring them to return a list in writing under their hands to the town clerk of all disaffected or dangerous persons found in their wards. The returns were to be made before the end of the week.1931This could have been no[pg 628]easy matter considering the number of particulars that were to be set out in the return according to the terms of the precept. The deputy and common councilmen of each ward were called upon to distinguish (1) all Papists or reputed Papists, (2) all such as preached in or frequented Jacobite meetings, (3) all non-jurors,i.e., such as had refused to take the oaths appointed to be taken in place of the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, (4) all such as were found guilty of casting aspersions upon her majesty and the government, (5) all persons suspected of holding correspondence with her majesty's enemies abroad, and lastly (6) all spreaders of false and seditious reports. The christian names and surnames of each and all of these, together with their place of abode, were to be returned in less than a week in order that they might be summoned and have the oath tendered to them.1932

City parliamentary elections, 1708.

On the 1st April parliament was prorogued; a fortnight later it was dissolved and writs for a new parliament were sent out on the 26th, returnable on the following 8th July.1933Although the Whigs again obtained a majority in the country, and although they succeeded before the end of the year in ousting all Tories from the ministry, they were losing ground in the city of London. In November last Withers, the lord mayor, had obtained Clayton's seat (on the latter's decease) in the Tory interest as already mentioned.1934He was again returned after a close contest with Sir Samuel Stanier, and with him another Tory in the person of John Ward, who[pg 629]subsequently became an alderman and sat in the first parliament of George I. The other two seats were retained by the Whigs, Ashurst and Heathcote.1935

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