The following extracts are from the _Liber Albus_, a book on the government of the City of London, by John Carpenter, who was Town Clerk from 1417 to 1438. It contains a complete description of the administration of the City at this interesting point in its history, and gives particulars of the duties and responsibilities of all the civic officers. The author explains that before the office of Mayor was established, the chief person in the City was the Portreeve, who was also the King's representative and justiciar. Then the "Barons of the City," who may have been the Aldermen, obtained the privilege of electing their own Mayor every year; and gradually a custom arose for the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and certain chosen commoners to meet for the purpose of choosing a new Mayor. At first the same Mayor was frequently re-elected, so long as there was no expense attached to the office; but when it became customary for him to give feasts and liveries, the cost was generally too great for him to continue in office for more than one year, and the practice arose for the Mayor to retire at the end of his term, when the Aldermen might offer him a second year. The Aldermen held their office for life, and had almost despotic authority in their ward, having their own serjeants to attend them. =Source.=—_Liber Albus_, translated by Riley. You shall swear, that well and lawfully you shall serve our lord the King in the office of the Mayoralty of the City of London, and the same City you shall surely and safely keep to the behoof of the King of England, and of his heirs, Kings of England; and the profit of the King you shall do in all things that unto you belong to do, and the rights of the King, in so far as unto the Crown they belong within the said City, you shall lawfully keep. You shall not assent unto the decrease, or unto the concealment of the rights or of the franchises of the King; and where you shall know the rights of the King or of the Crown, be it in lands, or in rents, or in franchises, or in suits, to be concealed or withdrawn, to your utmost power you shall do to repel it; and if you cannot do it, you shall tell it unto the King, or unto them of his Council, of whom you shall be certain that they will tell it unto the King. And that lawfully and rightfully you will treat the people of your bailiwick, and right will do unto everyone thereof, as well unto strangers as to denizens, to poor as to rich, in that which belongeth unto you to do; and that neither for highness, nor for riches, nor for promise, nor for favour, nor for hate, wrong you shall do unto any one; nor the right of anyone shall you disturb, nor shall you take anything whereby the King may lose, or by which his right may be disturbed. And that in all things which unto the Mayor of the said City it pertaineth to do, as well in the regulation of victuals as in all