hundred and fifteen thousand pounds should be granted for
the support of the civil list for the ensuing year, to be raised by a
malt tax and additional duties upon mum sweets, cyder, and perry. They
likewise resolved that an additional aid of one shilling in the pound
should be laid upon land, as an equivalent for the duty of ten per
cent, upon mixed goods. Provision was made for raising one million four
hundred thousand pounds by a lottery. The treasury was empowered to
issue an additional number of exchequer bills to the amount of twelve
hundred thousand pounds, every hundred pounds bearing interest at the
rate of fivepence a-day, and ten per cent, for circulation; finally, in
order to liquidate the transport-debt, which the funds established for
that purpose had not been sufficient to defray, a money-bill was brought
in to oblige pedlars and hawkers to take out licenses, and pay for them
at certain stated prices. One cannot without astonishment reflect upon
the prodigious efforts that were made upon this occasion, or consider
without indignation the enormous fortunes that were raised up by usurers
and extortioners from the distresses of their country. The nation
did not seem to know its own strength, until it was put to this
extraordinary trial; and the experiment of mortgaging funds succeeded so
well, that later ministers have proceeded in the same system, imposing
burden upon burden, as if they thought the sinews of the nation could
never be overstrained.

{WILLIAM, 1688--1701.}

SIR JOHN FENWICK IS APPREHENDED, CONDEMNED, AND BEHEADED.

The public credit being thus bolstered up by the singular address of Mr.
Montague, and the bills passed for the supplies of the ensuing year,
the attention of the commons was transferred to the case of sir John
Fen-wick, who had been apprehended in the month of June at New Romney,
in his way to France. He had when taken written a letter to his lady by
one Webber, who accompanied him; but this man being seized, the letter
was found, containing such a confession as plainly evinced him guilty.
He then entered into a treaty with the court for turning evidence, and
delivered a long information in writing, which was sent abroad to his
majesty. He made no discoveries that could injure any of the Jacobites,
who, by his account, and other concurring testimonies, appeared to
be divided into two parties, known by the names of compounders and
non-com-pounders. The first, headed by the