arranged that the men of each guild or "mystery" should choose their
own delegates from among themselves, and this was the more easily
accomplished, as at that time each craft occupied a separate quarter,
as is still the custom in the East. This arrangement, however, was of
brief duration, and a more permanent settlement was effected in the
reign of Richard II. It was then agreed that every ward should
annually elect four of the most efficient persons in the ward to sit
in the Common Council for the following year, and whose names should
be presented to the mayor --that high functionary being charged to
accept no more than eight members of any one "mystery" for the whole
city. As the wards varied in extent and population, it was further
agreed that the larger wards should return six councillors, and the
smaller four or two, according to their sufficiency. The number of the
Common Council was then fixed at 96 members, but gradually increased
to the present number of 206, who are chosen as follows:-

Bassishaw and Lime Street each return 4; Dowgate, Candlewick,
Cordwainers, Cornhill, Queenhithe, Vintry, and Walbrook, 6; Bread
Street, Bridge, Billingsgate, Broad Street, Cheap, Coleman Street,
Cripplegate Within, and Cripplegate Without, Tower, Langbourn, Castle
Baynard, Aldersgate, Aldgate, and Portsoken, 8; Bishopsgate and
Farringdon-within, 14; and Farringdon-without, 16. These true
representatives of the citizens constitute the Court of Common
Council, under the style and title of "Court of the Lord Mayor,
Aldermen, and Commoners of the City of London in Common Council
assembled." It requires the presence of the Lord Mayor, or his
deputy--an alderman who has passed the chair--two aldermen and
thirty-eight common councilmen, to make a quorum. There are usually
twelve ordinary meetings in the year, and on an average thirteen
extraordinary meetings, convened for special purposes by a requisition