"Marigold," and was supposed to hold sheaves of papers containing noble,
nay, royal secrets, as well as bushels of family jewels, in its strong
boxes. It had even a family romance of its own, for did not the great Child
of his day pursue his heiress in her flight to Gretna with the heir of the
Villiers, who, leaning, pistol in hand, from his postchaise in front, sent
a bullet into the near horse of the chaise behind, and escaped with his
prize?

Undisturbed by these exciting stories, the aldermen waited in the dim
interior--charged with other than money-lending mysteries, till the worthy
gentlemen were joined by the Lord Mayor and sheriffs, when they proceeded
to mount their chargers in Temple Yard--perhaps the most disturbing
proceeding of any, with the riders' minds a little soothed by the
circumstance that the horses had been brought from the Artillery barracks
at Woolwich, and each was led by the soldier to which it belonged, in the
capacity of groom.

"A few minutes before three the approach of the Queen was announced. The
Lord Mayor dismounted, and, taking the City sword in his hand, stood on the
south side of Temple Bar. As soon as the Queen's carriage arrived within
the gateway it stopped, and then, unfortunately, it began to rain." The
Queen's weather, which has become proverbial, of which we are given to
boast, did not attend her on this occasion. Perhaps it would have been too
much to expect of the clouds when the date was the 9th of November.
Regardless of the weather, "the Lord Mayor delivered the keys of the City
to the Queen, which her Majesty restored in the most gracious manner." At
this time the multitude above, around, and below, from windows,
scaffolding, roofs, and parapets, cheered long and loud. The Lord Mayor
remounted, and, holding the City sword aloft, took his place immediately
before the royal carriage, after which the aldermen, members of the Common