A. D. 1723. 127 



L33,8o2,483 : 14 (in confideration of the proprietor's great lofles from the 

 bad execution of the fcheme) was alfo hereby intitled to all arrears of 

 intcrefl, from midfummer 1722 ; and the whole was, after midfummer 

 1723, to be divided into two equal moieties, 



The one moiety being . _ _ Li6,90i,24i 17 o 



To be converted into a joint ftock, to be called 

 South-fea annuities, bearing 5 per cent intereft till 

 midfummer 1727, when they fhould be reduced to 

 4 per cent, and be farther redeemable by parlia- 

 ment. The other moiety to remain a capital, or 

 joint trading flock in the company, attended with 

 the remaining yearly fund, redeemable likewife 

 after midfummer 1627, - - 16,901,241 17 o 



The total of both, as above, being - L33, 802,483 14 o 



Notwithftanding which divifion by this adl, yet the real amount of 

 each moiety was fettled as follows, viz. 



South-fea annuities, - - - Li6,9or,24o i 8 



South-fea ftock, _ _ _ _ 16,901,243 12 4 



the difference of L3 : 10 : 8 arifmg from leaving the odd penny of every 

 proprietor's ftock with his moiety of the capital trading fiock. 



The firfl; payment of a quarter's interefl on the joint flock of South- 

 fea annuities, being J~ per cent, was to be at michaelmas 1723 ; and 

 from thence there were to be half-yearly payments at lady-day and 

 michaelmas yearly ; as on the other moiety, to remain capital South- 

 fea ftock, the dividends were to remain as before, at midfummer and 

 chriftmas yearly. 



This year the South-fea company fent out for La Vera Cruz, in Span- 

 ifli Mexico, their rich annual fhip, named the Royal Prince. 



The abufes committed by the inhabitants of a pretended privileged 

 place, adjoining to the borough of Southwark, called Suffolk-place, or 

 the Mint, had been long complained of, and had become a very great 

 grievance. Such great numbers of debtors, flieltering themfelves therein 

 from the purfuit of their creditors, and audacioufly bidding open defiance 

 to the officers appointed to put the laws in execution, it became necel- 

 fary to put an end to fo fliameful an abufe, which was accordingly done, 

 by an a6l of parliament, [9 Geo. I, c. 28J whereby it was made felony to 

 obftrucl: the execution of any writ, rule, or order, of any court of law or 

 of equity, or of any efcape warrant, or warrants of juftices ; and the Ihe- 

 riff of Surrey was empowered to raife the pojfe comitatus, for t;iking by 

 force any debtor out of the Mint : and fundry other regulations are, in 

 the fame flatute, ordained for effedually preventing that or any other 



