At a Common Council, held on the 17th of June, it was ordered that every person who had paid the customary fine of 400l. and "twenty marks more towards the maintenance of the ministers of the several prisons of this city," with the usual fees, should be exempted for ever, from serving the office of Sheriff, "unless he should at any time become an Alderman.” Previously to that act, the payment of the fine excused only for one year.

66 Tuesday, June 23d. Attended the Lord Mayor to a Court of Aldermen, at which Abel Aldridge, who had been nominated for Sheriff, came with six Compurgators, and, (according to the act of Common Council, Sir J. Barnard, Mayor,) swore he was not of the value of 15,000l. in money and separate debts; and his Compurgators swearing also, that they believed what he swore to be true, he was excused from serving the said office, without payment of any fine."

On the 22d of August the Sheriffs waited on the Lord Mayor at Guildhall," and from thence went in procession to Smithfield, with city officers and trumpets to proclaim Bartholomew Fair." On the 2d of September," this day being kept solemn in commemoration of the Fire of London," they went to St. Paul's in their "black gowns, and no chains, and heard a sermon on the said occasion." On the 8th of September the Sheriffs waited on the Lord Mayor, in procession, "the city music going before, to proclaim Southwark Fair, as it is commonly called, although the ceremony is no more than our going in our coaches through the Borough, and turning round by Saint

George's church, back again to the Bridge House; and this to signify the licence to begin the fair." The Journalist adds:" On this day the sword-bearer wears a fine embroidered cap, said to have been worked and presented to the city by a monastery."

"Monday, September 21st, being St. Matthew's Day, waited on my Lord Mayor to the great hall in Christ's Hospital, where we were met by several of the Presidents and Governors of the other Hospitals within the City; and being seated at the upper end, the Children, passed two by two, whom we followed to the church, and after hearing a sermon, came back to the Grammar School, where two boys made speeches in commemoration of their benefactors, one in English, the other in Latin; to each of whom it is customary for the Lord Mayor to give one guinea, and the two Sheriffs halfa-guinea a piece, as we did. Afterwards, the Clerk of the Hospital delivered to the Lord Mayor a list of the several Governors to the several Hospitals nominated the preceding year. Then the several beadles of all the Hospitals came in, and laying down their staves on the middle of the floor, retired to the bottom of the hall. Thereupon the Lord Mayor addressed himself to the City Marshal, enquiring after their conduct, and if any complaint was to be made against any one in particular; and no objection being made, the Lord Mayor ordered them to take up their staves again: all which is done in token of their submission to the Chief Magistrate, and that they hold their places at his will, though elected by their respective governors. We were afterwards treated in the customary manner with sweet cakes and burnt wine."

The shrievalty of Mr. Hoare, and his brother officer, expired on the 28th of September, and about seven o'clock in the evening the indentures with the new sheriffs were executed at Guildhall, and the charge of the gaols and all other trusts relating to this great and hazardous, though otherwise honourable, employment, delivered over to them. And after being regaled with suck and walnuts, I returned to my own house in my private capacity, to my great consolation and comfort."

In concluding this account of a Manuscript, which illustrates so many of the customs and privileges of the city, it should be mentioned that it includes various notices of the treats or dinners which the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs give by turns to the Judges, Sergeants, &c. at the beginning and end of the respective terms; as well as of the manner of delivering petitions to the House of Commons, which is generally done by the Sheriff; the City having a right to present Petitions by an officer of its own, and without the intervention of any member.

SPEAKERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

ALTHOUGH broken in two or three recent instances, it was for centuries the custom of the Speakers elect of the House of Commons to descant in strong disparagement of their own abilities when called to the chair.— Sir Christ. Yelverton was singularly eloquent on such an occasion, as we learn from Sergeant D'Ewes's "Journal," (p. 549) under the date 1597.

"Your speaker," said Yelverton, "ought to be a man big and comely, stately and well-spoken; his voice great, his carriage majestical; his nature haughty, and his purse plentiful and heavy. But, contrarily, the stature of my body is small, myself not so well-spoken, my voice low, my carriage lawyer-like, and of the common fashion; my nature soft and bashful, my purse thin, light, and never yet plentiful."

This apology was, as usual, disregarded; and Yelverton filled the speaker's seat without detracting from its dignity.

About four years previously to the above occurrence, (anno 1593,) as we are informed by the same journalist, the Lord Keeper Puckering, in his reply to the speaker's three customary demands, explained "liberty of speech," to be nothing more than the "liberty of saying Aye and No!"

EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE FROM DEATH.

THE following remarkable event is related in Hoare's Journal of his Shrievalty, under the date of Monday, November the 24th, 1740.

"This day, (in pursuance of a warrant from his Majesty,) was appointed for the execution of the following malefactors in Newgate, condemned the last sessions:—William Duell, William Meers, Thomas Clack, alias Clarke, Eleanor Mumpman, and Margery Stanton, alias Raggety Madge. But two other men, viz. Abraham Hancock and George White, condemned the sessions before, received a reprieve for eight days longer. At this execution a most extraordinary event happened; for William Duell, aged 17. years, indicted for a rape, robbery, and murder, and con

victed of the rape, after having been hung up by the neck, with the others as above, for the space of twenty-two minutes, or more, was cut down, and being begged by the Surgeons' Company, was carried in a hackney-coach to their hall, to be anatomized. But just as they had taken him out of the coach, and laid him on a table at that place, in order to make the necessary preparations for cutting him up, he was, to the great astonishment of the surgeon and assistants, heard to groan; and upon examination, finding he had some other symptoms of life, some of the surgeons let him blood, and after having taken several ounces, he began to stir, and in a short space of time was able to rear himself up, but could not immediately speak, so as to be heard articulately. Upon this, messages were sent to my brother sheriff and me, and the news was soon spread about, insomuch that by about five o'clock in the afternoon, a very great mob had gathered about the hall, which intimidated us and our officers from attempting to carry him back to Tyburn this same day, in order to hang him up again, and complete his execution; as we might have done by virtue of our warrant, which was to execute him any time in the day. Therefore we kept him here till about twelve o'clock in the night, when the mob being dispersed, we signed a warrant for his recommitment to Newgate; whither he was accordingly carried in a hackney-coach, and being put into one of the cells and covered up, and some warm broth given him, he began so far to recover as to be able to speak, and ask for more victuals, but did not as yet seem so sensible as to remember what had happened."

Two days afterwards the sheriffs: waited on the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State, to know his Majesty's pleasure regarding the disposal of the crimi