<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2014-08-14</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Colm MacCrossan</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch Z140212.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="B18703">
<STC T="W">C1135A</STC>
<STC T="G">816.m.9[64]</STC>
<STC T="C">R224628</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99885548</BIBNO>
<VID>185271</VID>
</IDG><!-- alt.stc G816.m.9[64] --><!-- alt.stc CR224628 -->
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="account">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>The CASE of the Petitioners touching the Electi|on of Sheriffs for the City of <HI>London.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THE Citizens of <HI>London</HI> in Common-Hall a&s;&s;embled, have had, us'd, and enjoy'd the Liberty (by Pre&s;cription and immemo|rial U&s;age) from time to time freely to elect and appoint their Sheriffs from among them&s;elves; which Liberty hath been con|firmed by the Great Charter of Liberties, and many other Charters and Acts of Parliament, the la&s;t whereof was in the &s;econd Year of the pre|&s;ent King and late Queen, wherein it is declared, That the re&s;toring the Citizens to their Antient Liberties tends very much to the Peace and good Settlement of this Kingdom.</P>
<P>Notwith&s;tanding which, the Court of Aldermen for &s;ome Years la&s;t pa&s;t (for the Lucre of Fines) have di&s;charged tho&s;e from the Shrievalty, (tho every way qualified) who were legally and duly cho&s;en by the Citizens in Common-Hall; and have cau&s;ed new and partial Elections to be carried on and multiplied by an inferior number of the Common-Hall, while the major Part have adhered to their due and former Election;</P>
<P>To the unrea&s;onable Trouble and great Di&s;quiet of the Citizens, who have again been &s;ummoned to ten or more irregular Common-Halls, where have been made (as they humbly hope to make appear) rather forced and pretended, than free Elections, of 15 or more Sheriffs, where|by above 5000 <HI>l.</HI> have been rai&s;ed by Fines in one Year for their Di&s;|charge.</P>
<P>And the&s;e &s;ort of Elections have la&s;ted for near three Months together: which doings, if &s;till &s;uffer'd, ('tis humbly feared) may tend to the hazard of the Peace of the City and Kingdom, and may have evil and dangerous Con&s;equences in the Example, to the encouraging corrupt and &s;ini&s;ter Practices in placing other City Officers.</P>
<P>By this Practice of the Court of Aldermen in di&s;charging of Sheriffs again&s;t the Con&s;ent of the Electors, the Right of the Citizens to make a free Election (according to their Pre&s;cription, U&s;age, and Charters confirm'd as afore&s;aid) is become void and of no effect, and (as they humbly conceive) wholly taken from them, and they render'd thereby un&s;afe in their Lives, Liberties and E&s;tates.</P>
<P>The Power of the Sheriffs is well known, and what Service or Di&s;|&s;ervice they may do the Publick upon emergent Occa&s;ions, according as they &s;tand affected, e&s;pecially the Sheriffs of <HI>London;</HI> where the perverting the antient manner of their Election in the late Reigns was attended with very mi&s;chievous Con&s;equences &s;till fre&s;h in Memory.</P>
<P>The placing this great Tru&s;t in about 8000 of the mo&s;t grave and wealthy Citizens, which is the Number of the Common-Hall, rather than in the Court of Aldermen that are but 26, (who are al&s;o Mem|bers of the Common-Hall, and <HI>Co-Electors</HI> there, and whereof thirteen do make a Court) &s;ufficiently &s;hews the Wi&s;dom of our Ance&s;tors, who judg'd that the&s;e la&s;t, being &s;o &s;mall a Number, might &s;ooner be in|fluenced than the former; &s;even or eight of which Court have often di&s;charg'd Sheriffs duly elected by the Common-Hall: Tho it &s;eems con|trary to Rea&s;on and the Method of Elections, that &s;even or eight <HI>Co-Electors</HI> &s;hould undo what them&s;elves have done in Conjunction with &s;o many thou&s;and others.</P>
<P>Wherefore it is humbly hoped that the Honourable Hou&s;e of Com|mons, will in their great Wi&s;dom find out a Remedy to redre&s;s the&s;e Grievances, and &s;ettle the Election of the afore&s;aid Sheriffs in &s;uch man|ner as may be mo&s;t &s;afe and beneficial for the City and Kingdom.</P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="half title">
<PB REF="2">
<P>The Petitioners CASE Touching the Election of the Sheriffs of <HI>London.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
