Vol. III. Mifcellanea Curiofa. 255 



to engrofs all the Profit to himfelf , by 

 Tyrannical fqueezing both Merchants and 

 Miners , whom he not only Taxes very 

 high , but maintaining Spies among them 

 of their own People, on the leaft Inkling 

 that they have been any ways Fortunate, 

 he immediately makes a Demand on them, 

 and raifes their Tax ; elle, on a falfe Pre- 

 tence they have found a great Stone, drubs 

 them till they Surrender what they have^ 

 to redeem their Bodies from Torment. 

 Befides, the Excife is lb high on all forts 

 of Provifions, Beetle^ and Tobacco^ which to 

 them is as abfolutely neceflary as Meat-i 

 or at leaft in their Efteem, that it is 

 thereby railed to double' that Price they 

 bear without the Government ^ and it is 

 furnilh'd only by fome Licensed Perfons; if 

 any other fhould endeavour to bring in the 

 leaft quantity by ftealth, he is Fin'd (evea 

 for one Leaf of Tobacco) if it be a Per- 

 jfbn of any Repute , or worth any thing, 

 elfe very feverely drubbed for it ; by which 

 Courfe there is hardly a Man worth five 

 Hundred Pound to be found among them, 

 moft of them dealing by Monies taken ^ 

 up at Intereft of Ufurers , who refide 

 there purpofely to furnifti them, who, with 

 the Governor eat up their Gains : So that 

 one would wonder any of them fhould 

 ftay, and not betake themfelves to Pla- 

 ces where they might have better Ufage ; 

 35 there are feveral in other Govern- 

 ments, and fome few that have the Senfe 

 to remove v t>ut many their Debts, others 

 hopes of a great hit, detains. Both Mer-' 



chant 



