File:The budget (BM 1868,0808.4751).jpg

English: Plate III in a set of three, see BMSat 5788. A grotesque monster with four feet, two arms with claws, and a second head in place of its tail represents the National Debt. On its back sit three headless men. It carries a standard inscribed "I am the Kings Friend It's I that Builds his Ships, Mans his Navy, Recruits his Army & I am Grand Pay Master". A label above its head is inscribed "I will support my friends I have head enough for them all". It devours a paper inscribed "20 millions more". Under its feet are papers inscribed "30 Millions more" and "40 Millions more". With one of its claws it gashes the breast of Britannia (left), who stands by its head, one of its fore-paws rests on her foot. She puts her hand on a small British lion which frolics beside her, saying to it, "Oh Woe is me poor fellow thou canst not help me". The monster is saying to Britannia, "I have you & will keep you fast". On one of its arms hangs a watch and a bunch of seals. The headless rider in the centre (whose figure suggests Lord North) is saying "my heart will Burst through my skin for Joy we Carry every thing our own way, the other two say: & mine; and mine too".

The head at the tail of the animal resembles that of a tiger, it is disgorging a quantity of empty bags and papers inscribed, "empty; empty, &c", and is saying, "there my Friends take all the Produce for you Richly Deserve it". A well-dressed man (right) stoops over the heap and picks up a bag, saying "heres nothing in it! what all Empty". Another behind him says, "we are all undone."
Behind the monster (right) stands a man holding a flag, pointing to the beast and saying 2Your Friends have no Heads". His flag is inscribed "I should be sorry he had no Better [ ? head]. It is you that Strips the Country of our finest Youths and Robs the Parents of their Children the Maidens of their Sweet hearts & Drain the land of its wealth for a Shadow". Behind him stands a crowd of melancholy-looking citizens, the two foremost are saying "we are all undone what must we do", and "Oh, oh, oh."
In the lower part of the print (left) a basket and a sack are inscribed "Salt", three casks inscribed respectively "Tobacco", "Porter", "Wine", and two chests, one inscribed "120,000 guineas for America". A cat-faced monster is nibbling at the barrel of Porter. In the centre is a low square table laid for a meal, the centre dish being an infant inscribed "a luscious Bit"; demons and almost-nude men with claws surround the table, one is about to devour the child. Behind the table two monsters, one semi-human, are devouring a ham, one saying "its Mine". A basket of loaves and three fish are inscribed "Provisions for our Friends". Another group (right) of casks, &c, is inscribed "Cider, Sugar, Rum, Brandy"; two monster-like animals are trying to devour their contents.
In the upper left corner of the print is engraved as if on a placard or poster:

"Stock Exchange
3 pr Cent Reduced..... Nil
3 D° Consol....... 58
3 & 1/2........ Shut.
4 pr Cent Consol..... 57
4 p" Cent 1777...... 71
Short Annuities...... Shut
South Seas....... Shut
Navy......... 13 Dist.
Omnium Nil." 1 March 1781

Etching, with two columns of letterpress text at the sides, and letterpress inscription underneath the plate