uccessor. Four candidates were put up for the
post, of whom two were to be selected for nomination to the Court of
Aldermen according to the provisions of the recent Act. The wardmote was
opened on the 9th July at Pewterers' Hall. Sir Robert Beachcroft, the lord
mayor, was himself one of the candidates, the other three being Sir
William Withers, alderman, Sir Samuel Clarke and Peter Delme, commoners.
The show of hands being declared to be in favour of Withers and Clarke,
two Tories, a poll was demanded on behalf of his lordship and Delme. The
result, however, was the same, and a scrutiny followed. To the great
surprise of a large body of the electors, the mayor eventually declared
(22 Aug.) the majority of votes to be in favour of himself and Delme, but
like his predecessor he steadily refused to give any explanation as to how
he had arrived at that conclusion. Again there appeared to be no remedy
but to apply to the Queen's Bench. The Common Council was again appealed
to (6 Sept.), but whilst the matter was in course of debate the lord mayor
was suddenly taken ill, and the court had to break up before coming to any
resolution on the matter. On the 12th November, however, the council
agreed to assist the petitioners as before, but refused any assistance to
Delme, who had already been admitted alderman, and was about to be put on
his defence.(1979)

(M977)

In 1713 the relations between the Courts of Aldermen and Common Council
became still more strained. The latter complained of the city's business
being hindered from insufficient Courts of Aldermen, and of a newly
elected alderman not having been sworn in on a certain day by reason of
there not being a _quorum_ of aldermen present. On the 15th May a joint
committee of aldermen and commoners was appointed to enquire into the
matter. Six weeks elapsed before the committee was ready with its report.
At length, on the 30th June, the committee certified(1980) that having
examined the minute books of the Court of Aldermen it had found that
between the 24th March and the 15th May last six courts had been summoned
to meet, but for want of a _quorum_ only one full court had been held. On
the other occasions only seven, eight, nine, ten or twelve aldermen
appeared, inclusive of the mayor. The committee also found that the courts
were in the habit of meeting between twelve and one o'clock, and reported
its opinion that such a late hour for meeting was prejudicial to the
citizens