Besides the drawing for prizes and blanks, there was another for the course of payment, and each 1000 tickets was called a course. The payments to the receivers were on the 10th of November and 10th of December 1713. When the Tickets were drawn, they were exchanged for standing orders, and thus rendered assignable by endorsement; all the blanks were repaid the 10_l. per_ ticket at one payment, in the order their course of payment happened to fall, and they bore an interest of four _per cent._ from Michaelmas 1713. The prizes were payable in the same manner: the first drawn ticket had 500_l._; the last 1000_l._ besides the general chance; 35,000_l. per annum_ was payable weekly from the Exchequer to the Paymaster for the discharge of the principal and interest, and the whole funds of the Civil List were chargeable for thirty-two years for 35,000_l. per annum_. To shew the difference between past and present methods, it may be worth while to insert a modern scheme. "State Lottery begins drawing October 13, 1806, containing more Capital Prizes, and 5000 less Tickets, than last Lottery. The first drawn Ticket entitled to 10,000_l._; all other Capital Prizes are afloat. Purchasers of Tickets and Shares will have the opportunity of obtaining all the Capital Prizes, provided they purchase before the drawing commences. The Scheme has equal advantages of 20,000_l._ Prizes, 10,000_l._ Prizes, 5,000_l._ Prizes, &c. &c. to former Lotteries of double the number of Tickets. No. of Prizes. Value of each: Total Value. 3 of £.20,000 are £.60,000 3 10,000 30,000 3 5,000 15,000 5 1,000 5,000 8 500 4,000 20 100 2,000 40 50 2,000 4,100 20 82,000 ------ --------- 20,000 Tickets. £.200,000 20,000 Tickets only, and no other State Lottery to be drawn this year." BENEFIT SOCIETIES, &C. The first mention of any thing of this kind I have met with is in the year 1708, under the name of the "Taylors' Friendly Society" for insuring the lives of Adults and Children male and female; which was held at the Cross Keys, Wych-street; and the Trustees met twice in each month, when 1500 persons had subscribed 5_s._ each, including policies, stamps, entrance, and first claim; and continued their payments three years. They became entitled to relief in case of illness or poverty, and their Executors after death to 200_l._ Another Society was connected with it, and termed the "Amicable Society," the terms 5_s._ 6_d._ and 2_s. per_ quarter; for which relief was afforded, and 120_l._ paid at the decease of the Subscriber.