as paid for by a subscription of L60
from each of the junior aldermen, and such as had not passed the civic
chair--its total cost being L1,065 3s. Subsequently each alderman, when
sworn into office, contributed that sum to keep it in repair; for which
purpose, also, each Lord Mayor gave L100, which was allowed to him in
case the cost of the repairs during his mayoralty rendered it requisite.
This arrangement was not, however, complied with for many years; after
which the whole expense fell upon the Lord Mayor, and in one year it
exceeded L300. This outlay being considered an unjust tax upon the mayor
for the time being, the amount over L100 was repaid to him, and the
coach became the property of the corporation, the expenses ever since
being paid by the Committee for General Purposes. Even so early as
twenty years after its construction it was found necessary to repair the
coach at an expense of L335; and the average expense of the repairs
during seven years of the present century is said to have been as much
as L115. Hone justly observes, "All that remains of the Lord Mayor's
Show to remind the curiously-informed of its ancient character, is the
first part of the procession. These are the poor men of the company to
which the Lord Mayor belongs, habited in long gowns and close caps of
the company's colour, bearing shields on their arms, but without
javelins. So many of these lead the show as there are years in the Lord
Mayor's age."

Of a later show "Aleph" gives a pleasant account. "I was about nine
years old," he says, "when from a window on Ludgate Hill I watched the
ponderous mayor's coach, grand and wide, with six footmen standing on
the footboard, rejoicing in bouquets as big as their heads and canes
four feet high, dragged slowly up the hill by a team of be-ribboned
horses, which, as they snorted along, seemed to be fully conscious of
the precious freight in the rear. Cinderella's carriage never could
boast so goodly a driver; his full face, of a dusky or purple red,
swelled out on each side like the breast of a pouting pigeon; his
three-cornered hat was almost hidden by wide gold lace; the flowers in
his vest were full-blown and jolly, like himself; his horsewhip covered
with blue ribbons, rising and falling at intervals merely for form--such
horses were not made to be flogged. Coachee's box was rather a throne
than a seat. Then a dozen gorgeous walking footmen on either hand;
grave marshalmen, treading gingerly