in 1662, when the mayor would have elected as well as nominated Thomas
Bludworth as sheriff, the commonalty claimed their rights. Bludworth was
eventually returned together with Sir William Turner.(1463)

(M744)

In the following year (1663) the prerogative exercised by the mayor passed
unchallenged, and so continued until 1674, when, objection being
raised,(1464) the Common Council appointed a committee "to consider of the
matters in difference and now long debated in this court between ye right
honorable ye lord maior and commons of this citty concerneing the eleccon
of one of ye sheriffes and to finde out some expedient for ye reconciling
ye same."(1465)

(M745)

We now read for the first time in the City's Records of a custom in
connection with the election of sheriffs (although that custom is said to
have arisen in the reign of Elizabeth),(1466) namely, the nomination or
election of a sheriff by the mayor drinking to an individual at a public
banquet. It appears that the lord mayor had recently drunk to William
Roberts, citizen and vintner, thereby intimating that it was his
lordship's wish that Roberts should be one of the sheriffs for the year
ensuing. The commons objected to the mayor thus exercising his
prerogative, whilst the aldermen were no less determined to support
him.(1467) The committee to whom the matter was referred suggested a
compromise, namely, that Roberts should be bound over to take upon himself
the office if within the next two or three years he should be either drunk
to by the mayor or elected by the commons to be sheriff; and that,
further, an Act of Common Council should be forthwith made for settling
the shrievalty and all matters connected with it.(1468)

(M746)

No Act of Common Council appears to have been passed pursuant to the
committee's recommendation, but in the following year (1675) and down to
1679 the mayor exercised his full prerogative of electing one of the
sheriffs without opposition, although the person so elected did not always
undertake the office.

(M747)

On Midsummer-day, 1680, the mayor elected George Hockenhall, citizen and
grocer, to be one of the sheriffs, but Hockenhall refused to serve and was
discharged on his entering into a bond for the payment of L400. The
commons thereupon stept in and elected Slingsby Bethell, leatherseller,
and Henry Cornish, haberdasher.(1469) At this juncture political influence
was brought to bear upon the elections. Bethell