fixteen burgeffes, at the court of the lord of the manor. The town was anciently a hamlet to Brigham, a parish about a mile diftant; but it has been a distinct parish ever fince the reign of Edward III.

RIGHT OF ELECTION.-The members of parliament are chosen by the inhabitants at large.

NUMBER OF VOTERS-165.

RETURNING OFFICER-the bailiff.

PATRON-Earl of Lonsdale.

DERBYSHIRE.

ANCIENT STATE.

ACCORDING to the Roman divifion of Britain, this county was poffeffed by the Coritani, who also inhabited five other counties; namely, those of Northampton, Leicester, Rutland, Lincoln, and Nottingham. During the

Saxon

Saxon heptarchy, Derbyshire was, as well as the above five counties and eleven more, in the kingdom of Mercia.

POLITICAL CHARACTER. Although Derbyfhire contains fix hundreds, eleven market-towns, one hundred and fix parishes, twenty-one thoufand one hundred and fifty houses, and twentyfix thousand nine hundred inhabitants, it fends only two members to parliament for the county, and two for Derby. The ariftocratic influence prevailing in this county is that of the Duke of Devonshire, whose family contrived to fecure the election of one of the knights of the fhire for this last century; and, until the two last parliaments, Lord Scarfdale fucceeded for the other. The county is however confidered as being half independent.

DERBY.

POLITICAL CHARACTER.-The mayor, aldermen, brothers, and capital burgeffes, who form the common-council, are all in the intereft of the Duke of Devonshire, who, from their confequence, poffefs also great influence in the borough. They attach this intereft to the above nobleman

by

by the exercise of that power which they affume of making honorary freemen, or, as they are most usually termed, in this and every other place, faggots: thefe are made from among such persons as have neither the claim of birth or fervitude. By virtue of this power the aldermen can, at any time, create a number of freemen from among the Duke of Devonshire's tenants and dependents, in various parts of the county. Such faggots will confequently out-number the legal freemen of the borough; and these honorary freemen or faggots, who want no qualification but the fiat of the aldermen, and to have been one whole year invested with their nominal franchife, agreeably to the letter of the Durham act; and they are qualified to come into the town on the day of election, and to ease the inhabitant freemen of all the inconveniences of a conteft, by choosing their members for them. Derby, therefore, though a very large and opulent town, cannot maintain its independence, as it would, if the right of voting was in the inhabitant householders, where it ought to be, or if it were relieved from the tyranny of a corporation, under which no town can be free, unless it is conftituted as that of London. In the cafe of Carlisle, making this de

fcription

fcription of freemen, was deemed illegal: but in the cafe of Bedford and Derby, the reverse has been determined. If, therefore, Mr. Grenville had introduced a claufe into his excellent bill, to afcertain the qualifications of voters, and to abolish honorary freedoms, and fuch furreptitious qualifications, he would have done more to have prevented expenfive litigation, than the committees will ever be able to accomplish; for they are only competent to decide upon the evil when committed, without poffeffing the leaft power of preventing it in future.

ANCIENT REPRESENTATION.-This town has returned from the first summons 23 Edward I.

CORPORATION.-Derby, which is a place of great antiquity, was a royal borough in the reign. of Edward the Confeffor, at which time there were 143 burgeffes; but when the Norman survey was made, they were reduced to 100. It was afterwards incorporated by a charter from king Charles I. This borough furrendered all prior charters and grants, and all its liberties and privileges, into the hands of the crown. Upon this, a new charter was granted, on the 5th of September,

September, 34 Charles II. By this charter the corporate name is, "The mayor and burgesses of

the borough of Derby, in the county of Derby." The corporation confifts of a mayor, a highfteward, nine aldermen, a recorder, a town-clerk, fourteen brethren, fourteen common-council, and an indefinite number of freemen. The mayor is chofen, every Michaelmas-day, from among the aldermen, by a majority of the aldermen and brethren. The aldermen hold their office for life, unless removed for ill-behaviour or non-refidence. If by death, or any other removal, a vacancy happen, one of the brethren is chofen to fill it by the majority of the mayor and remaining aldermen. The brothers and capital burgeffes are, in like manner, chofen for life, but liable to removal, like the aldermen. A vacancy among the brothers is fupplied from among the capital burgeffes, by the election of the majority of the mayor, aldermen, brothers, and remaining capital burgeffes. The recorder is chofen by the majority of the mayor, aldermen, common clerk, brethren, capital burgeffes, and must be vir probus, difcretus, et in legibus Angliæ eruditus. His office continues during the pleasure of the mayor, aldermen, brothers, and capital burgeffes; and the voice of the mayor is neceffary for his removal, as it is for the removal