who must be all of respectable character,
summoned to the first meeting, is always greater than the number
required to serve on the inquest, because many find it very
inconvenient, and others find it impossible, to give their services.
Valid excuses are admitted in plea against the performance of the
duty; but a frivolous excuse is not allowed; and a tradesman, whose
turn it is to serve, if he can prefer no good reason for not serving,
must serve or pay the fine. Six guineas is the heavy penalty inflicted
upon a recusant who declines service altogether. This preliminary
meeting is called merely to insure a sufficient company to be in
attendance in the vestry of ---- Church, at the general wardmote held
on St Thomas's Day.

After an early breakfast on the morning of the day above named, I
repaired to the vestry, which was very fully attended, and where, in
the course of the forenoon, the common-councilmen for the ward were
elected for the ensuing year, and, their election settled, were all
duly admonished respecting their duties by the chairman. Then, from
the number of respectable tradesmen in attendance, myself and eleven
others were elected to prosecute the inquest for that year on behalf
of the poor; and we in our turn were admonished by the same authority,
that we were not to compass any treason, nor to conspire against Her
Majesty the Queen--than which, I am very sure, nothing could have been
further from our thoughts. The inquest being thus incorporated, we
proceeded to elect a foreman and a treasurer, and to decree fines for
non-attendance. The fines were appropriated to the payment of
expenses, no part of the money collected being available for any other
purpose than that of charity. The collection commenced by a
contribution from each member of the inquest, each giving liberally,
and setting a generous example. All these necessary preliminaries
being settled, every man of us got into a handsome cloak, trimmed with
fur, hired for the occasion, at a cost of five shillings per head,
and, with the beadle of the ward blazing in scarlet and gold, pacing
majestically beneath a three-cornered hat, and pushing a ponderous
gold mace in advance, we were marched off to Guildhall, to pass muster
before Gog and Magog, and to be presented to his worship the lord
mayor. His lordship, who was surrounded by a staff of officials in
gorgeous liveries, was very glad to see us: indeed he told us so--said
that he was extremely grati