CHRONOLOGY.

1721. On the 24th of January in this year, the two houses of parliament

ordered several of the directors of the South Sea company into the

custody of the usher of the black rod and serjeant at arms: this was in

consequence of a parliamentary inquiry into the company’s affairs, which

had been so managed as to involve persons of all ranks throughout the

kingdom in a scene of distress unparalleled by any similar circumstance

in English annals.