These cresset lights were lamps, or torches borne on poles surmounted with a cross. Even this was significant, for, according to Stow, the Chronicler of old London, the people carried the cross as hints to the monarch that they must have religious lib erty. The old pageants on May Day were on a grand scale, and the accounts of levies on the various City Guilds for May games in the reign of Elizabeth show that they were conducted without regard to expense. In 1559 the Ironmongers sent "men in armour to the May game that went before the Queen's Majestic to Greenwich; " and in 1 571, the Merchant Taylors sent 187 men in military costume, as their proportion to a splendid " Maying." At Christmas the Lord Mayor and Sher iffs had their several lords of misrule, or "Fools " enter into a tournament of wit, or as an old writer has it: " Ever contending, without quarrel or offence, which should make the rarest pastime." On Twelfth Day, the Lord Mayor, and Aldermen and the Guilds went in proces sion to St. Paul's Cathedral to hear a ser mon, and at the door of the Cathedral the Lord Mayor declared that worship was free to all citizens. At Easter a sermon is preached to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, called the " Spital Sermon," and in the evening the Lord Mayor gives a grand Ban quet to which the authorities connected with the various hospitals are invited. Every judge and law officer of the Crown, together with the barristers and lawyers practicing in the City courts, are expected to join the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in worship at St. Paul's Cathedral on Trinity Sunday. There is a curious custom still main tained, at the election of the Sheriff. The floor of the platform, is strewn over with cut flowers and green herbs, mint and thyme prevailing; and each City function ary, from the Lord Mayor downwards, car
ries a bouquet of flowers. London enjoys the distinction of electing its sheriff, all other places having the sheriff appointed by the Crown. The usual practice is for the counties to present three names, through the Lord Lieutenant of the County, to the Lord Chancellor, who bears the official title of "Keeper of the King's Conscience." On the morrow of All Souls', all the judges of the Common Law Courts and the Chancel lor of the Exchequer meet the Lord Chan cellor in the Court of Exchequer at West minister and then and there propose the three names from each County for the con sideration of the Crown. This is called the "pricking of the sheriffs." The Crown, through the Prime Minister, in recent days selects one of these names for each county to act as sheriff for one year. The office is gratuitous and compulsory, and the holders are generally men of great wealth and in fluence in the County. To refuse to hold the office is an insult to the Monarch, and renders the man liable to indictment. The City of London alone maintains popu lar election of its Sheriff, for in the reign of Edward II., when the right of election by the people was abrogated, the Lord Mayor ordered the gates of the City to be closed against everyone until the city was exempted from the provisions of the act. When the nominations for Sheriff are made in the meeting of the livery, the Lord Mayor rises and taking a large glass of wine in his hand, drinks to the health and prosperity of the men nominated. There are many other customs still main tained in the City of London, which carry the mind back to the troublous times in English history, when the City was a bulwark of freedom against the attempted usurpa tions of the King or parliament. The English people owe a deep debt of gratitude to the City Fathers of centuries ago for preserving many of the liberties which would have been lost had it not been for their sturdy independence.
