THE SPEECH OF Sir Robert Clayton Kt. Lord Mayor Elect For the City of LONDON, at the Guild▪ Hall of the said City, TO THE CITIZENS There Assembled on the 29th of September 1679.  
For the Electing of a LORD MAYOR for the Year ensuing.  
GENTLEMEN,  
I Make no question, but every one of You is sensible of the great Burden, the Honour You have done Me This Day, carries with it, even in the most Sedate Times: But when Public Calamities seem to Threaten this City, and Nation, so much the greater ought the Care and Vigilancy of the Magistrate to be.  
I wish I could truly say, There were no Occasion for any such Apprehensions; and whatever hath been of late of that kind, were without cause.  
I have the Testimony of my own Conscience▪ that I have always had a great sense of my Unfitness for such a Trust; and that my own Ambition hath not had any share in the Work of this Day.  
But seeing the Providence of God, with your good Opinions, hath placed me in this Station, I intent (by His Blessing) to undergo it cheerfully; and endeavour to understand, and then to do my Duty, as becomes an Honest Man, without Favour, or Affection, or regard to any Private Interest of my Own.  
And I resolve, (according to the best of my Understanding, and with the Advice of my Worthy Brethren the Aldermen) that the Law shall be my Rule; the Observation of which, next to our Duties to God, I make no question will by His good Providence, be a means to preserve Us in our Religion, and Properties, protect Me in doing My Duty, and be grateful to You and every good Man.  
There is One Thing I would beg, That every one of You in your several Stations, would consider the Duty incumbent upon himself, by the wholesome Laws, Customs and Usages of this City; and answer to a good Mind the discharge of the same; lest, whilst we are under such great Apprehensions of the Loss of our good Government and Constitution by the Attempts of our Enemies, we become Instruments of our own Ruin, and bring that Confusion upon ourselves by a supine Neglect, which otherwise (I trust) all the diligence of our Enemies will never be able to accomplish.  
Let it never be said of this Famous City, (the present Envy of all her Neighbours) as once it was of old Rome, (than the Envy of the whole World) Rome's Destruction was from herself: but let it never be so said of London. Rome indeed had many and powerful Enemies Abroad; but, had She not Divided within Herself, and fallen into Faction at Home, those could not have hurt Her. We cannot be Ignorant how Busy our Common-Adversaries, the Church of Rome, and Her Emissaries, are, in Sowing Seeds of Dissension amongst us, in hopes of a Plentiful Harvest in our Destructions: Let us therefore, who Intent to be Protestants, as we tender our own Preservation, be Admonished to Unite, and Join Together, as becomes Men in the Same Common-Danger to do; I Mean, in Defence of His Majesty's Royal Person, and Government; The True Protestant Religion, our Laws, our Lives, our Liberties, and Properties; and, This Great Metropolis, Against all such Endeavours, and Damnable Plots and Contrivances, as have been, and (I fear) still are, in Agitation against us; And, let no diligence of the Adversary prevail to make a Breach amongst us; nor no Difference of Opinion, amongst Protestants, be so much as Remembered, or once mentioned in This Our Time of Extremity, When, no less than Utter Ruin is Threatened to the Whole Protestant Interest; and which, nothing but a Firm Union amongst Themselves, and God's Providence, can, in Human Probability, Prevent: And, if we thus Join our Hands, and Unite our Hearts in Prayer, to that God, who hath so Miraculously Preserved, and Restored this CITY hitherto, notwithstanding the many Attempts against it, we may reasonably assure ourselves, He will, in His Good Time, Work out a Mighty Deliverance for us;  
Which God of His Mercy Grant; and, let all Good Protestants Say, AMEN.   

The SPEECH of Sir JAMES EDWARD'S, Lord Mayor; at the Election of Sir ROBERT CLAYTON.  
GENTLEMEN,  
I Bless God for this Opportunity, That I can see the Face of my Successor; a Person, from whom you may, and I do promise myself a Supply, of what was deficient in me. I call God to Witness, that I have endeavoured to Serve you Impartially; for which, I do first Return my Hearty Thanks to that Good God; and next, to my Worthy Brethren, who were always so near me.  
Now, I Pray God to continue his Blessings upon your Persons, and Families; upon the Governor, and Government of this CITY; Particularly, upon HIS MAJESTY, and His Government; That God would give Him a Long and Happy Reign.  
FINIS.   

London, Printed for Tho. Collins, at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet, 1679.