told him he had been sent for up to town; he desired he would go and do whatever he thought best for himself, and again repeated that he saw no other person in the kingdom that ought to resign upon that measure except Mr. Pitt and himself.

When Mr. Grenville came to town Lord Bute opened to him the King's intention of giving the seals to him, which Mr. Grenville absolutely declined, though earnestly pressed to it by Lord Bute from the King, by every argument that could be suggested, and afterwards by Lord Egremont, but he remained firm in his determination.

Mr. Pitt was not in town when Mr. Grenville came; he came on the Monday following. Mr. Grenville went to see him; the visit passed civilly, though Mr. Grenville differed from him in opinion as to the measure concerning Spain, and his intended resignation. He returned the visit after he had given up the seals, spoke with great decency and gratitude of the King; and upon Mr. Grenville's saying he was glad to hear His Majesty intended him a mark of his favour, Mr. Pitt assented to it, but said it did not become him to point out what it should be. Mr. Grenville said he saw no impropriety in it if there was anything particular he wished.

The seals were given to Lord Egremont at Mr. Grenville's recommendation, and the King expressed his earnest desire to Mr. Grenville that though be had declined the seals, he should give up the thoughts of being Speaker', wishing for the good of his Government that

In the conversation Mr. Grenville had with the King in the spring, 1761, upon the subject of being Speaker, the King repeatedly told him he wished to see him in another situation, and that His

Mr. Grenville should carry on His Majesty's business in the House of Commons. Mr. Grenville made a stand against this proposition, earnestly desiring His Majesty would allow him to go into the Chair, which situation was on many accounts far the most eligible to him; he stated the disjointed situation of the Ministry, his own want of support, the danger His Majesty ran of being obliged to abandon a faithful servant whom he would leave in the midst of his enemies, and by that means deprive of the power of being useful to him.

Lord Bute, to obviate these objections, sent a letter to Mr. Grenville by Mr. Elliot', laying down a plan of his future conduct, giving Mr. Grenville the fullest assurances of the King's support of him through all difficulties, saying the King put the whole upon it; "that Mr. Grenville's honour was the King's honour, his disgrace would be the King's disgrace." Mr. Elliot showed him this letter, but said he had orders from Lord Bute to bring it back again to him, which he did; but Mr. Grenville made Mrs. Grenville set down the heads of it immediately, which he repeated to her. Mr. Grenville obeyed the King's commands, and consented to take the lead in the House of Commons, continuing Treasurer of the Navy and Cabinet Councillor, and upon Mr. Prowse declining it, Sir John Cust was determined upon for Speaker.

When Lord Bute told Mr. Grenville of Mr. Pitt's resignation, Mr. Grenville mentioned what he apprehended to be the distressed state of his private affairs, Majesty only lent him to the public, trusting that whenever the King should think his service required it, Mr. Grenville should leave the Chair. Mr. Grenville assured His Majesty he would, and related these particulars to Lord Temple and Mr. Pitt.-Note by Mr. Grenville. 1 See ante, p. 395.

and as much as possible forwarded Lord Bute's disposition to recommend to the King to give him a mark of favour.

Mr. Elliot was the person who transacted it with Mr. Pitt, and he several times pressed him to declare what was the particular thing he wished: the government of Canada, or the Chancellor of the Duchy, were offered and declined.

He then named the peerage, and the fund for the annuity, to avoid its being a pension upon Ireland, and earnestly pressed the peerage for Lady Chatham, notwithstanding what he had before said on that head to Mr. Grenville. The King was with great difficulty brought to consent to this, though Mr. Pitt states it as His Majesty's own spontaneous act. When Mr. Pitt went into the Closet to resign the Seals, he was so struck with the King's goodness to him that he burst into tears, wished to remain a private man unrewarded, that his future conduct of duty and loyalty might mark his gratitude to his Sovereign.

Letters passed between Lord Bute and Mr. Pitt upon the subject of the pension and peerage, and were carried by Mr. Elliot'.

They are printed in the Chatham Correspondence, and certainly do not display any "earnest pressing" on the part of Mr. Pitt, or any "great difficulty" on the part of the King. It would rather appear to be, as Mr. Pitt stated, "His Majesty's own spontaneous act." The Peerage was scarcely solicited: it is only thus very indistinctly alluded to in one of Mr. Pitt's letters to Lord Bute :-"Too proud to receive any mark of the King's countenance and favour, but, above all, doubly happy could I see those dearer to me than myself comprehended in that monument of Royal approbation and goodness with which His Majesty shall condescend to distinguish me." And Lord Bute replies:Having received the King's commands to consider of the most becoming method of carrying his intentions into execution, I have lost no time in my researches. The English Civil List would by no means

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It was no secret from any one at that time that Mr. Grenville had, from a delicacy of mind, refused the vacant seals; but notwithstanding that, Mr. Pitt never said one word relative to his own situation, nor made the least enquiry whether or no he continued his resolution of going into the Speaker's chair.

Lord Granville informed Mr. Pitt of Mr. Grenville's refusing the seals.

Lord Temple came to town on Thursday the 8th of October, and resigned some days after Mr. Pitt. Mr. Grenville went immediately to call upon him, and repeated his visits frequently for a long time, 'till he was informed Lord Temple had given directions never to let him in; he was therefore never admitted to see him, nor has ever exchanged one word with him since.

Mr. James Grenville resigned his office of Cofferer soon after. Mr. Grenville went to see him and was let in; he found Mr. Elliot there; but Mr. James's behaviour was so very rude and offensive that he went away immediately, and took Mr. Elliot with him.

The arguments chiefly used to Mr. Grenville to induce him to engage in the management of the King's business, was to prevent the seeming danger of the power falling into Mr. Fox's hands, whose party was then very powerful; he was therefore called upon to resist him; but in a conversation with Lord Bute, in which answer: the Irish had objections: one thing only remained, that could possibly serve the King's generous purpose. This His Majesty approves of, and has directed me accordingly to acquaint you, that as you declined accepting any office, His Majesty will confer the dignity of peerage on Lady Hester Pitt, to descend, through her Ladyship, to your sons, with a grant of three thousand pounds per annum, on the Plantation duties, to yourself and any two other lives you shall name.'' It might indeed be imagined that the Peerage was Lord Bute's suggestion, and cheerfully responded to by the King.

Mr. Fox was mentioned, Lord Bute took occasion to desire Mr. Grenville never to name Mr. Fox's name to This conversation happened upon Lord

the King. Bute's telling Mr. Grenville that M. Fox had sent to acquaint his Lordship that he was ready to take a part or not in public business, according as Mr. Grenville should wish and think best for the King's service. Mr. Grenville told his Lordship that he had no personal hatred to any man, but that he could have no intercourse of business with Mr. Fox, and did not think it consistent with his opinions to concert any measures with him, and that he meant to say so to His Majesty; upon which Lord Bute desired him not to mention him to the King, who was already so exasperated against him that it would alarm his mind to hear that any such proposition had been made.

The King and Queen went to Guildhall to dine with the Lord Mayor (Sir Samuel Fludyer)'.

The Privy Councillors met at Whitehall, where Mr. Grenville seeing Lord Temple, asked him how he did; but Lord Temple turned his back upon him.

Lord Temple and Mr. Pitt went to Guildhall in Mr. Pitt's chariot. Mobs were hired by Alderman Beckford, and posted in different parts, to huzza and clap them as they passed along the streets; they were clapped as they came into the Hall; and when they went out, and during the procession, an acclamation was contrived of these hirelings just before the balcony where the King and Queen were sitting (at the Quaker's in Cheapside), as the chariot passed by.

1 On Lord Mayor's-day.