London (England) -- History -- 17th century; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- 17th century
So the Sheriffs went home, followed by crowds crying out “God bless the
Protestant Sheriffs! God bless Papillon and Dubois!” This was construed
into a riot, for which the Sheriffs Pilkington and Shute were committed
to the Tower, but immediately afterwards admitted to bail. On the 1st
of July they met at Common Hall, and refusing to obey the order of the
Lord Mayor to adjourn the meeting, declared Papillon and Dubois duly
elected Sheriffs.
Had the Sheriffs the right to ignore the Mayor’s orders? That remained
to be proved. Meantime on the 7th the Mayor repaired to the Guildhall
to carry on the Poll, taking no notice of the Sheriffs’ proceedings.
There was a dispute, naturally, and the Mayor adjourned the Hall until
the 11th.
The matter was laid before the King, who decided that a new election
should take place. Sharpe gives two versions of what took place at this
new election.
According to the official account, Dudley North was duly confirmed and
gave his consent to take office. On taking votes for the other three,
Papillon had 60 voices, Dubois 60, and Box 1244. Therefore Box was
elected.
According to a tract of the time, a separate poll was opened on the
same day by the Sheriffs; all four candidates were submitted to the
Hall. Only 107 voted for the confirmation of North, and 2414 against
it. After the declaration of this result the Mayor caused the reading
of the other, which caused so great an uproar that the Mayor and
Aldermen left the Hall, and the Sheriffs declared Papillon and Dubois
duly elected.
Then petitions were drawn up, praying that as Papillon and Dubois had
been duly elected, the Court would call them; also that a _caveat_
should be entered against North and Box being admitted. The Mayor
returned an evasive answer. The huge majority in favour of Box at the
Mayor’s poll is explained by a remark of Maitland, that nobody voted
for Papillon and Dubois because they had already carried them at the
Sheriffs’ poll.
Box at this point retired, paying the fine. The Mayor therefore
ordered another Common Hall for the election of his successor, and
put forward one Peter Rich. There was a great tumult in the Hall. The
people shouted for their own men, Papillon and Dubois; the Mayor, going
through the ceremony in dumb show, declared Rich duly elected. He then
dissolved the Common Hall and went home. Then the Sheriffs proceeded to
open the Poll, and found 2082 votes in favour of their former choice,
and only 35 for Rich.
The Sheriffs—who were still Pilkington and Shute—proclaimed the result
of the Poll, and the election of Papillon and Dubois.
Then the Mayor and some of the Aldermen went to Whitehall and informed
the King what had happened. The Sheriffs were summoned before the
Council. They were ordered to enter in their own recognizances for
£1000.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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