The Right Honorable Brass Crosby Lord Mayor of the City of London accompanied by Sir Richard Glyn, Bart. and Mr Alderman Peers, set out from the Mansion House on Wednesday the 17th day of July 1771 exactly at eight o’Clock in the Morning to hold a Court of Conservancy at Stratford in and for the County of Essex at which place his Lordship arrived about a Quarter before Nine when the Jury sworn at the former Court appeared, but having no Presentments to make and there not being any other Business to be transacted, the Court was dissolved. His Lordship and the several Aldermen attending him then proceeded to Blackwall and went on board the City State Barge in order to go to Woolwich and arrived at the Ship Tavern there at half past eleven and held the like Court for the County of Kent when the Jury for that County also attended but they likewise having no Presentments to make and there not being any other Business then to be transacted, that Court was also dissolved. At twelve o’Clock his Lordship with Sir James Esdaile Knight Brackley Kennett, Esq John Kirkman Esquire John Wilkes Esquire James Rosseter Esquire Alderman Joseph Martin Esquire one of the Sheriffs of this City, and the Town Clerk attended by Mr Swordbearer Mr Deputy Common Cryer, Mr Common Hunt, Mr Waterbailiff Mr Roberts on behalf of the City Solicitor and all the Officers of his Lordship’s Household embarked on Board the Chatham and Trinity Yachts (his Lordship being accommodated with the same by order of the Lords of the Admiralty and the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House and having dined on board upon a Colation provided for that purpose, they arrived at Gravesend) the wind having been unfavorable, at ten o’Clock the same Evening at the White Hart Inn in that Town, where they supped and staid all Night. His Lordship immediately upon his arrival sent an invitation to the Mayor of Gravesend to sup and spend the Evening with him at the White Hart. The answer to which message was, that he desired his Duty to his Lordship was much obliged to him for the Honor intended, but being engaged desired to be excused. On the next Morning being Thursday the 18th of July at 4 o’Clock, his Lordship and his Company again embarked on board the Yachts and arrived at Sheerness at ten o’Clock, his Lordship and all the Company went on Shore and viewed the Garrison, staid an hour and embarked again on board the yachts and proceeded immediately to Rochester where they arrived after a pleasant Voyage at four o’Clock in the afternoon, soon after which his Lordship sent his Compliments by Mr Swordbearer to the Mayor of Rochester requesting that he and the rest of the Aldermen and likewise the Common Council of that Corporation would favor him with their Company to Dinner on the next day at the Bull Inn in that City and his Lordship being acquainted with the rest of the Aldermen as well as the Common Council to desire him to signify such his request to them for that purpose to which message the Lord Mayor returned for answer by Mr Swordbearer that being much indisposed he could not himself accept that Honor, but that he would agreeably to his Lordships request severally acquaint the rest of the Aldermen and the Common Council thereof – soon afterwards the Serjeant at Mace for the City of Rochester informed his Lordship that most of the Aldermen and Common Council Men would accordingly accept his invitation. His Lordship and his Company then spent the Evening and lay at the Bull.

On the next morning at ten o’Clock being Friday the 19th of July, his Lordship with the several Aldermen attended by the several Officers and being also accompanied by several of the Aldermen and other Gentlemen of the Corporation of Rochester embarked on board the Chatham and Trinity Yachts, and went down the River Medway to see the City’s Stone which stands a little below Upner Castle between that and Cookham Wood, on one side of this Stone are cut the Arms of the City of London with the date of the year 1204 and on the opposite side the following Inscription To wit “God preserve the City of London”. His Lordship having first laid the Sword of State across the said Stone, he and the Company attending him then drank the following Toasts [no text]

After this his Lordship distributed to the several children attending this Ceremony several small pieces of silver of the English Coin for the purpose of preserving for future occasions if necessary a recollection or remembrance of such Ceremony and to perpetuate to Posterity this City’s right to such extent of Jurisdiction. It having been observed by his Lordship that the following letters I.HH appeared to have been recently cut on the North side of the said Stone, which his Lordship was informed had been done by the direction of Mrs Hill Lady of the Manor, the same was in the presence of and by his Lordships direction immediately defaced his Lordship at the same time declaring his Resolution of prosecuting any Person who should at anytime hereafter alter or deface the said Stone. His Lordship and his Company then reimbarked on board the Yachts and amidst repeated firing of Cannon and acclamations from the Shore he relanded at Rochester at two o’Clock in the afternoon, where the Aldermen and Common Council agreeable to their invitation attended his Lordship and having respectively paid their respects to him and being seated at Table on the right hand and the Aldermen of this City on the left hand of his Lordship, they dined together after which the following Toasts were drank with repeated Huzzars [no text]

The Bells of this Town rang all Day and in the Evening illuminations and other marks of rejoicings appeared throughout the Town. The next Morning being Saturday the 20th of July at four o’Clock his Lordship and the Company re-embarked on board the Yachts and at half past nine o’Clock his Lordship attended by Mr Alderman Rosseter and the proper Officers went from on board the Yacht into two Boats at the West Buoy of the middle, the Wind and Tide meeting and the Water being very rough and the Sea running very high the Officers Boat got a head and made the Shore before the Tide dropped but the other Boats struck aground about half a Mile from the Shore, and the Lord Mayor and Mr Alderman Rosseter were carried each of them by two Men into a flat bottomed Boat, which was brought from the Shore and were drawn by about twelve Men through the Shallow water and over the mud to the Beach where they landed exactly at half past ten o’Clock at the Ship at South end about one Mile and a half from Prittlewell, and after taking some Refreshments, it being soon known in the Town of Prittlewell of his Lordships arrival Mrs Camper sent a Post Chaise for my Lord Mayor and Mr Alderman Rosseter, and a sufficient number of Horses for the Company when they all set off to the Stone at Crows Stone point and arrived there at two o’Clock and having viewed the Stone there placed, on the square side of which facing the River are cut the Arms of the City of London 1285 and on the square side facing the Land, God preserve the City of London. The Ceremony performed at the Stone at Upner Castle was here repeated. The Ceremony being over about half past two o’Clock his Lordship and Mr Alderman Rosseter accepted Mrs Campers invitation to Dinner, where they staid about one hour and came back again to the Ship at Southend about four o’Clock and the Tide being risen, they took Boat immediately and arrived in about half an hour on board the Chatham Yacht, which had laid at Anchor waiting for his Lordship and after about two hours and a halfs sailing, they arrived at the Hope and it being the opinion of the Commander of the Yacht that it would be impossible to reach Gravesend before the turn of the tide, his Lordship and the several Aldermen to avoid the inconvenience of remaining on board all night about seven o’Clock in the Evening quitted the Yachts and came to Gravesend in the Boats, where they arrived about ten o’Clock, and it being too late to get to London in any reasonable time his Lordship and the Aldermen …. [text ends abruptly here]