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169
adorns the Vestry Room of the Church. The excellence of
the carving and gilding so completely shaded the painted
arms that they were removed to the New Chapel in the
Broadway:—
29th May, 1661. It is Ordered that the Kings Armes wch are
painted and lately stood in the Chancell over the Communion
Table in a frame shall be given to Sr William Plaiters to be
disposed of as hee pleaseth.
[A side note.
"Which said Armcs Sr William Plaiters hath disposed of
to the use of the new Chappell."
As the storage of weapons was found to be inconvenient
an Order was passed:—
Thursday, 31st Oct., 1667 That all the Arms both Offensive and
Defensive And also all the Watch Matrs now remaining in the
Dark Vestry be for the better Preservation thereof Removed
thence unto the House Newly Erected in the Artillery Ground
in Tuttle ffields.
Remarkable activity and unanimity prevailed at times
in the Vestry on political questions, and in the support
given in their collective capacity to candidates for election
as Members of Parliament for the Borough. The City and
Liberty of Westminster was created a Borough, to return
two Members, in 1 Edward VI., before the system introduced
by the later Plantagenets of creating new boroughs,
and controlling the elections therein to the advancement of
their own ends, had fallen into disuse. "There is much
reason to conclude that the councillors of the King in
erecting new boroughs acted upon a deliberate plan of
strengthening their influence among the Commons, whose
weight was now so advancing as to cause the Court great
anxiety to obtain favourable elections."* In one short
reign in the fourteenth century, twenty-two seats were
created or restored, seven in Cornwall, and others in insignificant
places. In Mary's reign of live years (1553-8)
fourteen more were added, and the same course was pursued
by Elizabeth's advisers. The object with which these
*Hallam, Constitutional History, Vol. I., p. 60.