ied out.

(M741)

From the earliest times of which we have any city record until the
commencement of the 14th century it had been the custom for the sheriffs
of London and Middlesex to be elected by the mayor, aldermen and "the good
men of the city" or "commonalty." But a custom sprang up in 1301 of
summoning twelve men only from each ward to take part with the mayor and
aldermen in such elections,(1457) a custom which found little favour with
the bulk of the inhabitants of the city, who insisted upon being present
and taking part in the proceedings. An attempt was made by the civic
authorities in 1313 to put a stop to the noise and confusion resulting
from the presence of such vast numbers at the Guildhall by an order
providing that thenceforth only the best men from each ward should be
summoned to take part in the elections, and two years later (4 July, 1315)
this order was enforced by royal proclamation.(1458) Nevertheless the
practice of summoning representatives from the wards was soon dropt, and
for more than thirty years the sheriffs continued to be elected by the
mayor, aldermen and the "whole commonalty." Another attempt (made under
Brembre in 1384) to restrict the number of the commonalty to "so many and
such of them as should seem needful for the time" (_tantz et tieux come
lour semble busoignable pur le temps_)(1459) was not more successful.

(M742)

In 1347 we meet for the first time with a new method of procedure. In that
year one of the sheriffs was elected by the mayor and the other by the
commonalty;(1460) and this prerogative of the mayor for the time being to
elect one of the sheriffs continued to be exercised with few (if any)
exceptions down to 1638. Neither in 1639 nor in the following year was the
prerogative exercised. In 1641 the mayor attempted to exercise it, but
through some negligence on his part was declared by the House of Commons
to have forfeited his right, and the election of both sheriffs devolved,
_pro hac vice_, upon the commonalty.(1461)

(M743)

From 1642 to 1651 the mayor for the time being exercised his prerogative
in electing as well as nominating one of the sheriffs, but the commonalty
always challenged his right to elect, although they paid the mayor the
compliment of electing his nominee to serve with the sheriff of their own
choice. From 1652 to 1660 (or 1661(1462)?) the mayor did not attempt to
exercise a right either of electing or nominating one of the sheriffs, but