Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/342

 Ancient Customs of the City of London. was bound by the oath of his office to leap, clothes and all, into a large bowl of custard at the Lord Mayor's inaugural banquet. This custom is referred to by Shakespeare in "Airs Well that Ends Well" (Act n, sc. 4) where Lafeu tells Parolles — referring to his having incurred his Lord's displeas ure, — "You have made shift to run into 't, boots and spurs and all, like him that leaped into the custard." Ben Jonson also speaks of it : — '' He may, perchance, in tail of a sheriffs dinner Skip with a nine o' the table, from new nothing, And take his almain leap into a custard. Shall make my Lady Mayoress and her sisters Laugh all their hoods over their shoulders."

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them and gave to each porter a bottle of wine and, as the " Ceremonial Book " says, "regaled them with a dinner." The citizens of London were great be lievers in holidays, and the records are full of accounts of various festivities observed on those occasions. At one time the pageants were very costly and the Lord Mayor was compelled to entertain largely. Some of the pageants had an object beyond mere display, as for instance the setting out of " the Midsummer Watch," or the "Marching Watch." This pageant was for the purpose of forming a regular watch, or guard, for the City. But it was also to acquaint the monarch with the fact that the citizens were free and could protect them selves, without the aid of the King's soldiers. In the reign of Henry VI. we find an entry in the City records as follows: —

At a very early date the distinction was conferred on the Lord Mayor of being ap pointed cup-bearer to the sovereign at the Coronation. This was a distinction much "Payde to iiij men to wacche w* the Mayre, and coveted, and brought its possessor nearer to goe w' him a nyghtes, xvjd." the monarch than the hereditary nobles for the time. The Lord Mayor before the And in the following year we find the en reign of Edward IV., had the privilege of try : — appointing the coroner of the city, but that "Payde in expenses for goyng about w« the right now is vested in the liverymen. Mayre in the town in the wacche, iiijd." In accordance with a very ancient custom The watch was attended by men bearing the Lord Mayor receives from the Crown a present of four bucks from Windsor Park, cresset lights, which were provided partly by the City Chamber and partly by the the Sheriffs, three, and the Recorder, Cham berlain, Town Clerk, Common Serjeant and guilds. Every cresset bearer was pre Remembrancer, one each. Similar gifts of sented with a " Strawen hat and a painted badge, beside the donation of his breakdoes are made in December of each year These venison grants had their origin in the faste next morning." The Lord Mayor, with his sword bearer before him, " in faire early charters granted to the citizens of Lon armour on horseback," preceded by the don, in which their right of hunting was se waits, took part in the procession. Henry cured. In like manner the various guilds make VIII. and his Queen, so Stow tells us, vis ited the city purposely to view the proces an offering to the Lord Mayor as a re minder that their charters are granted to sion. The expense was so great that it be them by the people whose representative came irksome, especially to a Lord Mayor he is. The Fruiterers made the presentation not too wealthy, so the procession was dis day a holiday. A staff of gaily dressed continued in 1539, but was revived, for one porters walked in single file through the year by Sir Thomas Grcsham, then Lord City from Farringdon market, each carrying Mayor, in the second year of Edward VI.'s some fruit. The Lady Mayoress received reign.