direct that the poll should be taken only for the
said Thomas Papillon, John Du Bois and Ralph Box, by certain persons
thereunto particularly appointed by the said lord mayor, that one of those
three who had the most voices might be associated to the said Dudley
North. And afterwards the said mayor and aldermen departed out of the
hall. And the poll for the said three persons last named was immediately
begun, and continued until the evening of that day. And then the said
congregation was, by order of the lord mayor, adjourned until the next
day, being Saturday, the 15th of July aforesaid, at 9 o'clock in the
afternoon [_sic._]. At which day the said poll being continued was in the
afternoon of that day finished. And thereupon relation was made by the
common sergeant to the mayor and aldermen that upon the poll taken by the
severall persons appointed by the said lord mayor as aforesaid, there were
60 voices for Mr. Papillon, 60 voices for Mr. Du Bois, and 1,244 voices
for Mr. Box. By which it appeared that the said Ralph Box had the most
voices, and so was elected into the office of one of the sheriffs of the
city of London and county of Middlesex for the year ensuing. And the same
in the afternoon was so declared by the common sergeant to the commons
then and there assembled, which said election of the said Ralph Box was by
the aforesaid mayor, aldermen and commonalty ratified and confirmed. And
thereupon, according to the form and effect of the Act of Common Council
in that case made and provided, publication thereof by proclamation being
then made in the place where the Hustings Court is usually held in the
presence of the said lord mayor, aldermen and sheriffs, the said Ralph Box
was then and there solemnly called, etc."

Very different is the account of the proceedings as given us in a tract of
the day.(1503) From the latter we learn that a separate poll was opened
the same day by the sheriffs, in which all four candidates were submitted
to the choice of the citizens, and the result of which was declared by
Sheriff Pilkington on the 15th, prior to the mayor's declaration.
According to this poll, Papillon and Du Bois were again returned at the
head with 2,487 and 2,481 votes respectively. There were only 107 in
favour of confirming North's election, whilst 2,414 gave their votes
against it. Box found himself with only 173 supporters. It was after the
declaration of this result that the mayor ordered the common sergean