e their
proceedings on record, the Common Hall broke up.(1499)

(M764)

On the 7th the mayor and aldermen appeared in the Guildhall prepared to
proceed with the poll, ignoring all that had taken place two days before.
The Hall was very crowded, and soon debate arose as to whom belonged the
right of adjournment. The opinion of counsel was taken by both parties
then and there,(1500) but with little practical result, and the lord mayor
further adjourned the Hall until that day week (14 July).

(M765)

In the meanwhile several aldermen and citizens waited on his majesty in
council, and gave him an account of the late proceedings, with the result
that an order was sent to the mayor to hold a new election, the last being
declared irregular.(1501)

(M766)

The City's own account of what took place at the Common Hall on the 14th
is thus recorded. After the order for a new election had been read,
"relation was ... _de novo_ made that Dudley North, esq., citizen and
mercer of London, was elected by the mayor by his prerogative, according
to the custom, into the office of one of the sheriffs of the city of
London and county of Middlesex for the year ensuing, that another might be
associated to him by the commonalty. And upon this, after declaration made
that the said Dudley North was confirmed and Thomas Papillon, esq.,
citizen and mercer of London, was chosen sheriffs, certain of the commons
demanded that it might be decided by the voices of the commons between the
said Dudley North and Thomas Papillon and John Du Bois, weaver, and Ralph
Box, grocer (named also by the commonalty), that the two of those four who
should have the most voices might be the sheriffs elected for the city of
London and county of Middlesex for the year ensuing. Whereupon the
sheriffs and other officers of the city in the accustomed manner went into
the upper chamber, where declaration of the premisses was made by the
common sergeant to the mayor and aldermen there sitting; which said mayor
and aldermen, the relation aforesaid well weighing, did declare the said
Dudley North to be rightly and duly elected and confirmed according to the
law and custom of the said city, and immediately came down upon the place
where the Court of Hustings is usually held, and there, in their presence
and by their command, the said Dudley North was solemnly called to come
forth and give his consent to take upon him the said office.(1502) And the
said lord mayor did then