_The Court of_ COMMON COUNCIL, consists of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and representatives of the several wards, who assemble in Guildhall, as often as the Lord Mayor, by his summons, thinks proper to convene them, in order to make by-laws for the government of the city. They annually select six Aldermen and twelve Commoners for letting the city lands, and this committee generally meet at Guildhall on Wednesdays. They also appoint another committee of four Aldermen and eight Commoners for transacting the affairs belonging to Gresham College, who generally meet at Mercers hall, according to the appointment of the Lord Mayor, who is always one of the number. Besides the appointing of these, and several other committees, they by virtue of a royal grant, annually chuse a Governor, Deputy, and Assistants, for the management of the city lands in Ireland. They have likewise a right to dispose of the offices of town clerk, common serjeant, judges of the Sheriffs court, common crier, coroner, bailiff of the borough of Southwark, and city garbler. _Maitland’s Survey._ COMMON _Clerk_. See TOWN CLERK. COMMON CRIER, an office of the city, who with the serjeant at arms, is to summon all executors and administrators of freemen to appear, and bring inventories of their personal estates, within two months after their decease. He is also obliged to attend the Lord Mayor on particular days, and to be present at the courts held weekly by his Lordship and the Aldermen. He is by his place an Esquire. COMMON HUNT, the chief huntsman of the city, whose principal business is to take care of the city hounds, and to attend the Lord Mayor and citizens in hunting whenever desired. This officer has a house allowed him in Finsbury Fields, where the hounds are kept, and for their support he has a considerable annual allowance, besides his perquisites. He is also to attend the Lord Mayor on set days, and is by his place an Esquire. COMMON _lane_, in Thames street. _Court of_ COMMON PLEAS. This is one of the four great courts of the kingdom, and is so called because in that court are debated the usual or common pleas between subject and subject, and all civil causes whatsoever. It was anciently ambulatory, and followed the King wheresoever he went; but at the confirmation of _Magna Charta_, by King John, in 1215, it was fixed at Westminster, where it still continues. Soon after the fixing of this court at Westminster, such a multitude of causes were brought before it, that the King for the greater dispatch of business, found it necessary instead of three, to constitute six Judges, whom he appointed to sit in two places: but at present the number being only four, they sit together in Westminster hall to hear and decide causes; but no Counsellor can plead before them under the degree of a Serjeant.