iculty, but met with warm opposition in the
house of lords; a good number of whom protested against it, as a law
that subjected all learning and true information to the arbitrary will
of a mercenary, and perhaps ignorant licenser, destroyed the properties
of authors, and extended the evil of monopolies. The bill for regulating
trials was dropped, and, in lieu of it, another produced for the
preservation of their majesties' sacred persons and government; but this
too was rejected by the majority in consequence of the ministry's
secret management. The East India company narrowly escaped dissolution.
Petitions and counter-petitions were delivered into the house of
commons; the pretensions on both sides were carefully examined; a
committee of the whole house resolved, that there should be a new
subscription of a joint stock, not exceeding two millions five hundred
thousand pounds, to continue for one-and-twenty years. The report was
made and received, and the public expected to see the affair brought
to a speedy issue; but the company had recourse to the same expedients
which had lately proved so successful in the hands of the ministry.
Those who had been the most warm in detecting their abuses suddenly
cooled; and the prosecution of the affair began to languish. Not but
that the house presented an address to his majesty, praying that he
would dissolve the company upon three years' warning, according to
the condition of their charter. He told them he would consider their
address, and they did not further urge their remonstrance. The bill for
ascertaining the commissions and salaries of the judges, to which the
king had refused the royal assent in the last session, was revived,
twice read, and rejected; and another for preventing the exportation and
melting of the coin, they suffered to lie neglected on the table. On the
fourteenth day of March the king put an end to the session, after having
thanked the parliament for so great testimonies of their affection, and
promised the supplies should not be misapplied. He observed that
the posture of affairs called him abroad, but that he would leave a
sufficient number of troops for the security of the kingdom; he assured
them he would expose his person upon all occasions for the advantage of
these kingdoms; and use his utmost endeavours to make them a flourishing
nation. [046] _[See note I, at the end of this Vol.]_

TRIAL OF LORD MOHUN--ALTERATIONS IN THE MINISTRY.

During