up
at the Royal Exchange. It was found on enquiry that the statues of kings
and queens already in the Royal Exchange had been set up at the expense of
the companies, except those of William and Mary, which (as we have seen)
were erected by order of the Common Council. On the other hand, the
pictures of Charles II, James II and of William and Mary had all been paid
for by the Chamber. Artists were invited to send in sketches or designs
for her majesty's picture; and this having been done, the work was
entrusted to Closterman.(1882)

(M942)

At the coronation, which took place on the 23rd April, the mayor, aldermen
and twelve representatives of the principal livery companies were present,
care having been taken by the City Remembrancer that their proper places
were assigned them both in the Abbey and at the subsequent banquet in
Westminster Hall. The civic dignitaries started from the city as early as
seven o'clock in the morning in order to be at Westminster Hall by eight
a.m. The mayor was provided at the City's expense with the customary gown
of crimson velvet for the occasion, the sword-bearer being only a little
less resplendent in a gown of damask.(1883)

(M943)

Before the Revolution it had been the custom for parliament to cease to
exist immediately on the demise of the crown. It was held that inasmuch as
the king was the head of the parliament, and as the members of a living
body could not continue to exist without a head, so a parliament could not
continue without a king, but must with the death of the king, _ipso
facto_, itself expire. The inconveniences arising from this had at length
become so apparent that an Act had recently been passed permitting a
parliament in existence at the demise of the crown to be continued for a
period of six months after such demise.(1884) By virtue of this Act the
parliament, which had met for the first time on the 30th December, 1701,
was allowed to sit, notwithstanding the king's death, until dissolved in
July, 1702.

(M944)

The "good" Queen Anne, warmly attached as she was to the Church of
England, was naturally inclined towards the Tories in preference to the
Whigs, and lost no time in dismissing Somers, Halifax and other Whig
ministers of the late king and filling their places with Tories. Her
action in this respect influenced the coming elections more especially in
the city of London, where a new commission of lieutenancy appointed by the
queen had already turned