Page:The reign of George VI - 1763.djvu/56

 fence they had now to trust to was the army, which was itself weak, and discontented for want of pay; that the late misfortune at sea must be speedily repaired. In short, that the urgency of the times required every moment to be made use of. He told them, that money was wanted for a variety of uses, and that instantlythat the time was too short to raise it; and their credit totoo [sic] weak to borrow it—that, as circumstances were thus situated, he saw no expedient but their enabling him to make use of the money in the hands of the Bank-trustees, which was designed for the interest of the public debts, for more public and immediate necessities.

George made little doubt but that the parliament would readily come into any measures, at so critical a juncture, for the good of their country; but in this he was fatally mistaken. Peter had conveyed immense sums into England, and