Page:The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, Volume 2.djvu/278

272 himself, observed, “how reasonable it was to allow counsel to men called as criminals before a court of Justice; when it appeared how much the presence of that assembly could disconcert one of their own body .”

After this he rose fast into honours and employments, being made one of the commissioners of the treasury and called to the privy-council. In 1694, he became chancellor of the exchequer; and the next year engaged in the great attempt of the re-coinage, which was in two years happily completed. In 1696, he projected the general fund, and raised the credit of the exchequer; and, after enquiry concerning a grant of Irish crown lands, it was determined by a vote of the commons, that Charles Montague, esquire, had deserved his Majesty's favour. In 1698, being advanced to the first commission of the treasury, he was appointed one of the regency in the king's absence: the next year he was made auditor of the exchequer, and Rh