yet pending in Parliament, was a notorious and dangerous corruption.
Another resolution was passed a few days afterwards, to the effect
that several of the directors and officers of the Company having, in a
clandestine manner, sold their own stock to the Company, had been
guilty of a notorious fraud and breach of trust, and had thereby
mainly caused the unhappy turn of affairs that had so much affected
public credit. Mr. Aislabie resigned his office as Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and absented himself from Parliament until the formal
inquiry into his individual guilt was brought under the consideration
of the Legislature.

In the mean time, Knight, the treasurer of the Company, and who
was intrusted with all the dangerous secrets of the dishonest
directors, packed up his books and documents, and made his escape from
the country. He embarked in disguise, in a small boat on the river,
and proceeding to a vessel hired for the purpose, was safely conveyed
to Calais. The Committee of Secrecy informed the House of the
circumstance, when it was resolved unanimously that two addresses
should be presented to the King; the first praying that he would issue
a proclamation, offering a reward for the apprehension of Knight; and
the second, that he would give immediate orders to stop the ports, and
to take effectual care of the coasts, to prevent the said Knight, or
any other officers of the South Sea Company, from escaping out of the
kingdom. The ink was hardly dry upon these addresses before they were
carried to the King by Mr. Methuen, deputed by the House for that
purpose. The same evening a royal proclamation was issued, offering a
reward of two thousand pounds for the apprehension of Knight. The
Commons ordered the doors of the House to be locked, and the keys to
be placed upon the table. General Ross, one of the members of the
Committee of Secrecy, acquainted them that they had already discovered