98

IHSTOItY OF ENGLAND.

chap, of the naval and one fifth of the military expenditure.* The■ -whole of the extraordinary aid granted to the King exceededfour millions.

The Commons justly thought that the extraordinary libera-lity with which they had provided for the public service entitledthem to demand extraordinary securities against W'aste and pe-culation. A bill was brought in empowering nine Commissionersto examine and state the public accounts. The nine were name din the bill, and were all members of the Lower House. TheLords agreed to the bill without amendments; and the Kinggave his assent.**

ways and The debates on the Ways andMeans occupied a considerable

neans. j. 0 £ t j ie s ess j on . jt was resolved that sixteen hundred andfifty thousand pounds should be raised by a direct monthly as-sessment on land. The excise duties on ale and beer weredoubled; and the import duties on raw silk, linen, timber,glass, and some other articles, were increased.*** Thus farthere was little difference of opinion. But soon the smoothcourse of business was disturbed by a proposition which wasmuch more popular than just or humane. Taxes of unprece-dented severity had been imposed: and yet it might well bedoubted whether these taxes would be sufficient. Why, it wasasked, should not the cost of the Irish war be borne by the Irishinsurgents? How those insurgents had acted in their mockParliament all the world knew; and nothing could be morereasonable than to mete to them from their own measure. Theyought to be treated as they had treated the Saxon colony. Everyacre which the Act of Settlement had left them ought to beseized by the state for the purpose of defraying that expense

* Commons'Journals, Oct. 9, 10. 13, 14. 1690.

** Commons' Journals of December, 1690, particularly of Dec. 26.;Stat. 2 W. <& M. sess. 2. c-. 11.

*** Stat. 2 W. & M. sess. 2. c. 1. 3, 4.