the companies made a very grand appearance. But the armourers and braziers, the finners, and the fifhinongers companies, were the only companies that had fomething like the pageants exhibited of old on the occation: The firft were marked by an archer riding erect in his car, having his bow in his left hand, and his quiver and arrows hanging behind his left fhoulder, and a man in complete armour. The fkinners were diftinguifhed by feven of their company being dreffed in fur, having their fkins painted in the form of Indian princes. The fifhmongers pageants confifted of a ftatue of St. Peter finely gilt, a dolphin, two mermaids, and two fea-hoifes, which had a very pleafing effect.

The proceffion having paffed me, I pofted away along the back lanes, to avoid the crowd, and got to Guildhall fometime before the lord mayor could reach thither. I had procured a ticket, through the intereit of Mr.- who was one of the committee for managing the entertainment, and a mazarine. You will wonder what this appellation can mean, and what new dignity our friend has arrived at. You muft know it is a fort of nick-name given to the common-council men, on account of their wearing mazarine blue filk gowns upon this occation. When I had got in, I foon found out my friend, who informed me of the following particulars: he told me, that the doors of the hall were opened at nine o'clock, for the private admiflion of fuch ladies into the galleries, who were favoured by the gentlemen of the committee, and confequerily got the heft places that at twelve they were again opened, for the general reception of all

who had a right to come in that particularly, at the entrance of Mr. Pitt and lord Temple, there was a loud and univerfal clap, wich was continued for fome time. The galleries prefented a very brilliant fhow of ladies; and among the company below were all the officers of ftate, the principal nobility, and the foreign ambaffadors, among whom I could not but particularly remark the rich and fingular dreffes of the Algerine and Tripoline ambaffador and his fon. It was paft fix before the lord mayor came in; when imme diately difpofitions were made for the reception of their majefties, and the royal family. The theriffs did not alight from their chariots, but went to Mr. Barclay's, to conduct the royal family to the ha!!. A temporary paffage (enclofed at the fides and top) had been made leading to the hallgate, and this was lined by the mazarines, many of them with candles in their hands: the aldermen not on the committee, in their fearlet gowns flood acrofs the hall, to the fteps leading to the King's bench, and were fupported by the band of gentlemen penfioners with their axes in their hands. At the bottom of these steps flood the lord mayor and lady mayorets, with the aldermen and commoners who were of the committee for conducting this entertainment, to receive each of the royal family as they came in.

After waiting about half an hour in this order, came the princess Amelia, then (at fome intervals) the duke of Cumberland, the three young princes, the prince's dowager of Wales, and lady Augufta, and after that the duke of York, all

of

of them being received with great clapping, &c. They waited in the body of the hall until their majefties entered it. Notice being now given, that their majefties coach was near, the lord and lady mayorefs, with the aldermen, adIvanced to the great door of the hall, and waited there to receive them. At their majefties entrance, the lord mayor, kneeling, prefented the city fword, which being returned, he carried it before the king, the queen following with the lady mayorefs behind her. The mufic had ftruck up, but was drowned in the acclamations of the company in fhort, all was life and joy; even their giantships Gog and Magog feemed to be almoft animated.

Their majefties were pleafed, with wonderful condefcenfion, to return the compliments that were paid to them, and, in exprefs terms declared their admiration at the fplendor and magnificence that every where furrounded them, as did alfo the reft of the royal family. The committee then conducted the royal family to the council chamber, the commoners thereof going first, the aldermen next; after them came the duke of Cumberland, and the four princes; then the great officers, with white ftaves; then his majefty. the queen, the princefs dowager, lady Augufta, princefs Amelia, and followed by the queen's attendants, &c. Their majefties being entered the council - chamber, Sir William Moreton, the recorder, made the compliments of the city in a speech, the aldermen's ladies and daughters were prefented, and had the honour to be faluted by his mafelty, and to Lifs the queen's hand,

and the number of city-knights was increafed by the honour of knighthood being conferred on the two fheriffs, Meffieurs Nath and Cartwright, and the lord mayor's brother, heretofore Mr. Thomas Fludyer. After ftaying here for about half an hour, the royal family returned into the hall, and were conducted to the upper end of it, called the huftings, where a table was provided for them. It is where you have feen the drawing of the lottery. This table was fet off with a variety of emblematic ornaments beyond description elegant, and a fuperb canopy was placed over their majefties heads at the upper end. It was almoft nine before the dinner (or rather the fupper) was ferved up to the royal family, who all fat at the fame table, and no other perfon with them. One particular I cannot help acquainting you with, viz. that the ladies in waiting upon the queen had claimed a kind of right by cuftom to dine at the fame table with her majefty; but this was over-ruled, and they dined at my lady mayorefs's tables; which, by the bye, were no less than three in number, and ferved in the most elegant manner, in the apartment called the King's Bench. Other ladies of diftinétion, not accommodated there, had an entertainment at the town-clerk's houfe. The lord mayor, aldermen, and their ladies, had a table fpread for them in the lower hutings. A table for the privy counfellors, minifters of flate, and others of the nobility, was on the right hand, as you afcend the upper huftings; another for the foreign minifters on the left. At the upper end of each of these two lafi-mentioned tables was placed

half

half a fide of roaft beef, in one of which was ftuck a flag with the royal arms; and in the other a flag with thofe of the city. The mazarines (I have already explained the term to you) were not overlooked by thofe of their brethren, who had no fmall fhare in conducting the whole of this entertain ment; for they had eight tables (as well as I can recollect) allotted to them in the body of the hall, at the end where my lord mayor's table was. The judges, ferjeants, &c. dined in the old council-chamber. The attendants upon all the company were plentifully regaled in the court of common pleas. I fhould enclofe you a topographical map, in order for your rightly understanding the various places of action; but let it fuffice to tell you, that the ground was properly marked out, and the commiffaries were much more than not deficient in providing the alimentary fupplies for each party.

The feven aldermen of the committee fet on the dishes and attended the royal table. The lord mayor food behind the king (as we may fay) in quality of chief butler, while the lady mayorefs waited on her majefty in the fame capacity; but were, foon after the royal family were feated, defired by their majefties to go to dinner. The entertainment confiited of three courfes, befides the defert. To fay that it was elegant, fumptuous, and all that, is faying fomething and nothing: It is but juftice to acquaint you, that the committee were wholly difinterested, and took care, that every bottle of wine fhould have the name of the perion who ferved it pafted on the fide; with an intent, as we may real nably prefume, to be a check uca

the venders, as also that every one might have the liberty of calling for this or that perfon's wine, which ever he liked best,

When the fecond courfe was bringing on the royal table, the common cryer, standing before the royal table demanded filence; and then proclaimed aloud, that his ma jefty drank to the health and prof perity of the lord mayor, aldermen, and common-council of the city of London, and the trade thereof

and added thereto, that her majefty alfo drank confirming the fame, whereupon the band of mufick immediately played the march in Judas Maccabaus, accompanied by the fide drum.

The common cryer then came to the lord mayor's table, at the lower end of the hall, and the mufick ceafing, he again demanded filence, and proclaimed, that the lord mayor, aldermen, and common-council, drank health, long life, and a prof perous reign to our most gracious fovereign king George the Third, upon which the mufick immediately played the latter part of Mr. Handell's coronation anthem, God save the king, &c. The mufick again ceafing, the common cryer demanded filence a third time, and proclaimed, that the lord mayor, aldermen, and common-council, drank health, and long life, to our gracious queen Charlotte, upon which the band played again. The healths of the rest of the royal family were in order drank at mỹ lord mayor's, and the other tables, but not in the fame ceremonious publick manner.

I mult not forget to tell уон, that the grand fervice of plate at the king's table was entirely new, and made by Mr. Gilpin The city

exchanged with him their old plate for his new, to do honour to this grand occafion.

Their majefties with the royal family retired directly after their repaft, to the council chamber, where they had their tea. In the mean time every thing was removed; and the huftings, where they had dined, the floor of which had been covered with rich carpeting, was again covered afreth, and prepared for the bali, which was to enfue. On the return of their majefties, and as foon as they were feated under their canopy, the ball was opened by the duke of York and lady mayorefs. Other minuets fucceeded, by the younger branches of the royal family with ladies of diftinction. It was now about 12 o'clock, when his majefty fignified his intentions of going; and the hurry and confufion without doors, in bringing up the carriages, rendering it impoffible for the royal family to obferve the fame order in returning as in coming to the city, the proceflion back was confequently irregular. Their majefties waited half an hour before their coach could be got up, and after their departure the prin efs dowager was feveral minutes in the temporary paffage, (nor could the be prevailed on to return into the hall) waiting for her's. The rest of the royal family followed them as faft as their coaches could be brought up; the lord mayor with the fword of frate carried before him, the fheriffs and gentlemen of the committee, conducting them to the hall gate. Their majestics did not reach St. James's till two. In going under the gateway one of the glaffes of their coach was broke by the roof of a centrybox, but happily no mifchief followed.

VOL. IV.

His majefty and the queen were pleafed to do fingular honour to Sit Samuel Fludyer, lord mayor, at their departure, as well as to the lady mayorefs.

The rest of the company did not feparate till after three, and the whole was concluded with the utmoft regularity and decorum.

The queen's eafy, elegant, and condefcending behaviour, made an impreffion on the whole company, and the joy of feeing our young and beloved fovereign fo completely happy in his royal confort, might eafily be read in every counte

nance.

Upon the whole, it must be confelfed that this entertainment at Guildhall, as well for the magnificence and profufion that attended it, as for the regularity and decorum with which it was conducted, did great honour to the metropolis. Champagne, Burgundy, and other valuable wines were to be had every where, and nothing was fo fcarce as water. Even the ladies in the galleries had an elegant collation provided for them, to go to as they pleafed, in a feparate apartment. His majefty himfelf was pleafed to declare, that, to be elegantly entertained, he must come into the city. The foreign minifters in general exprefled their wonder; and cne of them faid in French, that this entertainment was fit only for one king to give to another.

The houfes were illuminated in all the ftreets, both in the city and Weftminster, leading to St.James's; and fome of them were adorned with curious tranfparent devices of the initial letters of their majesties names, and of lamps fo difpofed as to rep.efent a crown, particularly Mr. Adams's, his majefty's optician, but all manner of danger

[R]

ous

ous or noify fire-works were ftrictly forbidden.

You will hardly believe, that the crowd in fome places was very near as great at the return of the royal family as at their coming. Mr. Pitt too was attended with the fame acclamations all along quite to his own houfe.

Before I conclude, I cannot but in juffice take notice of the excelTent difcipline obferved by the citymilitia, who were drawirout more for ornament than ufe on this occafion. I do not hear of any lofs that they fuftained, except that fome of them were disabled by drinking too plentifully on account of their hard duty. The officers made a fine how, having exchanged their ufual bobs, and full-bottoms, for queues, ramilies, and majors. My neighbour, Mr. Hofkins the cheefemonger, I hardly knew again, his head was fo metamorphofed.

By looking over the number of losts, (among which was a militiaman's mufquet) in the Daily Advertifer of next day, I find all the mob did not come merely to fee the fhow. Some accidents, you may fuppofe, muft have happened.

A man was killed by a large coping ftone, which fome perfons on the roof of a houfe happened to push out, as they were leaning against it.

Underneath you have the bill of fare ferved up at the royal table. I remain, &c.

Bill of Fare, as served up at the Royal Table in Guildhall, on Lord Mayor's Day, by Messrs. Horton and ir h.

KING and QUEEN. Each four fervices and removes.