tions
for false imprisonment against the two secretaries of state. His suit
against Egremont was cut short by the earl's death on August 20. Halifax
took advantage of various legal devices to delay the hearing of the suit
against himself, and it was not decided until six years later. Temple,
who had paid Wilkes's law expenses, wished him to avoid giving further
cause of offence. Wilkes, however, set up a press in his own house,
reprinted the _North Briton_ in volumes, and printed other matter also.
The arbitrary proceedings of the government in this case excited much
adverse feeling, especially in London, and gave a fresh impetus to the
discontent in the cider districts. They were attributed to Bute's
influence. In some western villages a man in Scottish dress led about an
ass decorated with a blue ribbon and wearing a paper crown; and at
Exeter an effigy of Bute remained hanging on a gibbet for a fortnight,
no one daring to remove it.

[Sidenote: _MINISTERIAL CHANGES._]

George, though at first well pleased with the new administration, soon
saw that it lacked strength. He made an attempt to enlist Hardwicke and
Newcastle, but they would not take office without their party. Bute
advised an offer to Bedford, who declared that he would not join the
government unless Bute would undertake to retire, not only from the
court, but from London. Negotiations were also carried on with Pitt,
whom Bute was most anxious to secure for the king. Pitt made it clearly
understood that he would not take office with Bedford, the man most
responsible for the peace, nor would he come in alone. In spite of
Pitt's objection to him, Bedford, who did not care for office, advised
the king to take him. George was dissatisfied with his ministers; he was
annoyed by their unpopularity and by the growth of a spirit of
turbulence among the lower classes, and personally was wearied by the
constant interviews and the long harangues which Grenville inflicted
upon him. Bute, too, was not finding Grenville so anxious to win his
approval as he expected, and on Egremont's death had an interview with
Pitt. The result was satisfactory; and George, much to Grenville's
disgust, told him that he meant to ask Pitt to enter the administration,
and would "do it as cheap as he could," with as few changes as possible.
Pitt had an interview with the king on August 27. Both evidently thought
that there was nothing to prevent him from taking office, and he
communicated