 Reform of what Shakespeare called "broking pawn" was in the air at the time, and in the early days of the Commonwealth of England a "mont de pieté" was proposed in "Observations manifesting the Conveniency and Commodity of Mount Pieteyes, or Public Bancks for Relief of the Poor or Others in Distress, upon Pawns" (a 1651 pamphlet).According to "A Short History of the Bank of England", published in 1695, the directors of the early Bank of England intended to help the poor by establishing pawnshops at an interest rate of one penny per pound per month (five percent per year).Suspicion of pawnbrokers continued during the 18th century, when an act of Parliament ended the custom of publicans lending money on pledges so their customers could drink.