 During the year preceding his acceptance of that office in 1608 the expenditure had risen to £500,000, leaving a yearly deficit of £73,000.Lord Salisbury took advantage of the decision by the judges in the Court of Exchequer in Bates's Case in favour of the king's right to levy impositions (import duties), and imposed new duties on articles of luxury and those of foreign manufacture which competed with English goods.By this measure, and by a more careful collection, the ordinary income was raised to £460,000, while £700,000 was paid off the debt.