Ministers and others grouped round a table on which lies a goose which Bute holds down by the neck as he raises his broadsword to kill the bird. Bute (right), in profile to the left, wears Highland dress and the Garter ribbon; the bird has a small chain round its neck. In the foreground (left) a fat bishop leans back in an arm-chair watching intently: he is probably Markham, Archbishop of York, see BMSat 5958, &amp;c. Seven other spectators are poorly characterized: one wearing a ribbon and star leaning over the table may be intended for the king or North but resembles neither. A judge leaning on the bishop's chair may be Mansfield, but his profile is almost concave and has more resemblance to Bathurst. Two others wear legal robes, one is perhaps Wedderburn. A profile head on the extreme left resembles Sandwich. Germain is probably one of the other two. A tenth man (left) is walking to the left holding up a large basket full of eggs. On the ground (left) is a map of "North America" which is being befouled by a dog; on the right. are two bags, one inscribed "Taxes" is disgorging eggs. On the wall which forms a background is a picture of the British lion asleep, flanked by two framed inscriptions on which are verses (30 ll.) which explain the print, beginning,
<p><br><br>"In Gotham once the Story goes 
<br>A lot of Wise-acres arose . . ."
<br><br>Their most prized possession was a goose (the colonies),
<br><br>"A Rara Avis to behold 
<br>Who laid each Day an Egg of Gold 
<br>This made them grow immensely rich 
<br>Gave them an Avaritious Itch, . . ."
<br>[Walpole wrote to Mann, 16 June 1779, "we killed the goose that laid a golden egg a day" referring to trade, not to taxes. 'Letters', x. 427.]
<br><br>In order to make the bird lay two eggs instead of one:
<br><br>"About her Neck they put a chain, 
<br>And more their Folly to compleat 
<br>They Stampt upon her Wings &amp; Feet 
<br>But this had no Effect at all, 
<br>Yet made her struggle, flutter, squall, 
<br>And do what every Goose would do 
<br>That had her liberty in view 
<br>When one of more distinguish'd Note
<br>Cry'd D------n her, let us cut her Throat,
<br>They did, but not an Egg was found 
<br>But Blood came pouring from ye Wound." 16 February 1776
</p>
<br>Mezzotint with hand-colouring
1776<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1776-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
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