The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

LONDON, July 2.

SATURDAY the new Lord Mayor, (Mr. Alderman Trecothick) attended by several of the Aldermen, and the Sheriffs Townshend and Sawbridge, with the city officers carrying the regalia, went in state to Westminster-hall, and was sworn in before the Barons of the Exchequer, after which his Lordship paid his compliments to the several other courts of law who were sitting, and then returned in the same state, to the Mansion-House, where an elegant entertainment was provided on the occasion for the worshipful company of clothworkers (of which his Lordship is a member) and the Aldermen who went in the procession, viz. Stephenson, Turner, Crosby, Wilkes, Kirkman, and Bird, and the two Sheriffs.

Saturday evening the remains of the Right Hon. William Beckford, late Lord Mayor of London, were interred at Fonthill in Wiltshire. The church was hung in black, with silver sconces double gilt. A funeral Sermon was preached by his Lordship's Chaplain, and the vault in which the body was interred was illuminated with wax-lights, in large branches, during the performance of the burial service. His Lordship's tenants attended in deep mourning, and six country labourers, to whom his Lordship has left each a suit of grey coarse cloth, and five shillings, were the bearers of the corpse.

Saturday evening a dumb peal was rung on Bow-bells, Cheapside, on account of the interment of the late Lord-Mayor.

After the Recorder on Friday had declared the choice of the Aldermen to have fallen on Mr. Trecothick, the Lord Mayor elect addressed the Livery thus :

"Gentlemen, Whilst I return my thanks to you for the honor you have conferred upon me, I cannot forget the mournful occasion of it. My own particular loss is great ; but I know not where you will be able to repair yours. The late Lord Mayor had great natural and great acquired abilities; he had a very ample fortune, with a spirit and firmness which enabled him to render you services, which I scarce know to whom to look for now. I think his memory and his actions will ever be dear to the citizens of London. I am obliged to you for chusing me your Lord-Mayor; but I could wish you had not gone out of the usual course to elect me for these three or four months. I think Sir Henry Bankes is a very worthy gentleman, and wish that he had been chosen. I shall be careful and impartial in the administration of the oeconomy and laws and functions of my office as chief magistrate.... Whoever has any property or connexions, or any thing of that sort, ought to be very careful to have the laws observed : for my part, I shall do my duty, without any regard to any political reasons, or any thing of that sort. I shall do my endeavour to observe strictly the laws, but it will be in your Power only, my fellow-citizens; that I may do it with effect."

This address was received with some applause, tho' some of the Livery seemed not very well to relish the compliment paid to Sir Henry Bankes so close after the compliment to Mr. Beckford. They thought it polite enough to pay compliments indiscriminately to all sorts of men, but they could not reconcile it to themselves in fact how Mr. Beckford should be so very good sort of a man, and at the same time that Sir Henry Bankes, who acted always in direct opposition to him, should be so good sort of a Man likewise. Plain men cannot easily bring themselves to any thing of that sort.