of the House Resolved that it be referred to a Committee to bring
in a New Modell for the Excise, for all old things must passe away, and all
things must be reformed and become new; new Laws, new Religions, new
creatures, and new Christians to crown the new nothing of this Reformation,
and indeed since the publike faith is out of date, it is very necessary
[unr]eft the good cause should starve, to keep up the credit of the Excise for if
that fail, the Members must take up their packs and away.
But however, they are resolved, the time they stay, to live upon the ruines
of Tradesmen and Merchants by Excise, and to that end a Knack is passed,
with rules for the better improvement of it, and to compel all Merchants to
cleer once a yeer at the farthest, and all private houses to cleer once a quarter,
according to what proportion they drink, at a certain rate by the great,
and that no Victualling houses shall brew their drink themselves, unlesse
they put in security to pay the duty of Excise: so by this means they will
pare the horns both of City and Country, if they will not part with their
golden idols willingly, ref[unr]rm them throughly, and leave them not so
much as one superstitious crosse to blesse themselves withall.
And in but little better case are those who write or print any thing contrary
to the sense the supreme Conventicle, as appears by their debates
the other day; where a motion was started by Sir whimsey Mildmay and
some other of the godly gang, that Newmarket Fair, The Tragedy of King
Charles the First, and other (by them stiled) scandalous Pamphlets, might
be examined, and the Authors and Printers receive some corporal punishment,
or be converted to Bullion for the use of the State; which motion
was no sooner started, then approved of, and carried on with a full cry by
the whole kennel (Alderman Atkins squirting out Amen to every sillable)
and was presently past in the Affirmative, and a Committee appointed to
see it done accordingly.
A cool Declaration was likewise past by the supreme Voters, against the
Gestation made between Monk and Owen Roe, which is new trick the supreme
Jugglers have occasion to make use of to deceive the people: for
who is so foolish as to imagine, that such a politick man as Owen Roe, would
venture upon a matter of that consequence, without further security then
Monks own word ? besides, his Agents being often with the Members,
and their kind reception of them before the Cessation was agreed upon,
proves the contrary. Also Owen's party do affirm, that he had 50000 l. in
hand before he would condescend to that Agreement.
Severall knacks that have been long in the forge were this week finished;
as first a knack for setling 2000 l. per annum upon that sneaking fellow
Bradshaw to purge his conscience from the guilt of the late Kings blouck another for setling 1000l, per an. on Harry Martin, to maintain his Mol in
Aldersgate street, and his Mopsa at Charing-Crosse, and to even old Apothecaries