resided over by Sir Gilbert Heathcote, the mayor,
a strong Whig. It appears from a newspaper of the day(1973) that although
the mayor caused the Act of Common Council, setting forth the
qualifications of persons who had a right to vote on the occasion, to be
read at the wardmote, he refused to make proclamation that those who were
not qualified should depart from the hall. The result was that a large
number of foreigners and other unqualified persons voted. The lord mayor
having declared the show of hands to be in favour of the four Whig
candidates, a poll was demanded, which reversed the mayor's decision. A
scrutiny was next asked for and allowed, but the mayor steadily refused to
express any opinion as to who of the voters were qualified and who were
disqualified without first consulting counsel. The result of the scrutiny
was declared (27 Oct.) by the mayor to be in favour of all four Whig
candidates, and on the following day he made a report to that effect to
the Court of Aldermen, who thereupon elected Gerrard Conyers alderman of
the ward. The mayor's decision, however, was challenged, and a motion was
made in the Queen's Bench for setting it aside as being manifestly wrong
and not in accordance with the number of lawful votes. After Heathcote's
year of office had expired the assistance of the Common Council was
invoked in support of the rights of electors against such arbitrary
proceedings as had recently taken place. The court agreed to the necessary
legal expenses being defrayed by the Chamber.(1974)

The practice of nominating as many as four candidates for a vacant
aldermanry had prevailed since the commencement of the 15th century,(1975)
but the inconvenience arising from this practice became so manifest during
this last election that the Common Council passed an Act before the result
of the election had been declared, abolishing the custom and enacting that
henceforth only two candidates should be put in nomination, one an
alderman and the other a commoner.(1976) Even this number was found too
many, and within three years was reduced to one commoner,(1977) thus
reverting to the primitive custom of the city before it was enacted,
_temp._ Richard II, that two (commoners) _at least_ should be nominated
for every vacant aldermanry.(1978)

In July, 1712, another dispute arose over the election of an alderman. Sir
John Fleet, alderman of the ward of Langbourn, had recently died, and it
was necessary to appoint a s