probably the rest of the actions had been soon determined; but for fear of the like damages, by other juries, the counsel for the crown must now fight every cause through, or it may happen that all the secret service money left may not be sufficient to pay the damages found in all the causes.

The bill of exceptions filled two large skins of parchment, and had been settled before the trial began; so they could not trust the chief justice, it was very plain, and guessed at what his opinion. would be.

It is a method of practice allowed in the law, but I never recollect its being once done since I was in business. It is arraigning the judgment of the judge, and a very ill compliment to him; and in these cases now depending I am persuaded will do their cause no good with the juries who are to try them, or with the public.

You will be pleased to observe, that the exceptions taken to the chief justice's determination on the questions of law are the more provoking and ungracious, as the objections made by the King's counsel did not at all affect or go to the merits, and tended only to nonsuit the plaintiff, for want of conformity to the mode prescribed by the act of parliament for bringing his action; so that all that was intended was to put off the trial and weary the plaintiff out by expense and delay. As these plaintiffs were not the printers of No. 45, North Briton, if the warrant they were imprisoned by was ever so legal, still it would be false im

prisonment, and therefore yesterday little was said touching the validity or legality of the secretary of state's warrants; but it is universally adjudged to be bad, and not to be supported. I am, Sir,

Your most faithful and obedient servant,

T. NUTHALL.

WILLIAM BECKFORD, ESQ. TO MR. PITT.(')

Soho Square, four of the clock. [August 25, 1763.]

THE Lord Mayor presents his best respects to Mr. Pitt; begs leave to send him the enclosed note;

(1) The ministry, which had always been considered extremely weak, was, on the 20th of August, rendered still more so by the sudden death of the Earl of Egremont, secretary of state for the southern department. Upon which event, Lord Bute, being convinced that the cabinet could not hold together, became anxious to form an administration, under the auspices of Mr. Pitt; and, for this purpose, commissioned Sir Harry Erskine to obtain for him an interview with him, through the medium of Mr. Beckford, then Lord Mayor of London. The particular incidents which led to this extraordinary negotiation, are thus detailed in a letter from a Mr. Erskine to Mr. Mitchell: "The convention between Lord Bute and Mr. Pitt was long carrying on with the utmost secrecy, under the mediation of Lord Shelburne, a young nobleman who is said to be possessed of great abilities, and to have studied the system of ministerial craft with great assiduity, under that able master Mr. Fox. The ministry, suspicious of some such transaction; jealous of the influence Lord Bute still retained over the King; and alarmed at the spirit of discontent which the opposition had spread through

and will wait on him, at seven of the clock precisely, and make a report of a late conversation.

[Enclosure.]

THE EARL OF BUTE TO WILLIAM BECKFORD, ESQ.

Thursday morning [August 25, 1763].

LORD BUTE presents his compliments to my Lord Mayor, and, on reconsideration, thinks that it will be more convenient for all parties to call on Mr. Pitt at his own house; and as he shall attend him in his frock, equally private, he therefore proposes to be at Mr. Pitt's door this evening, about eight, if he hears nothing to the contrary. (1)

the nation, were in the mean time busily employed in forming a private plan for their own support, by which they hoped to regain the confidence of the people, and give weight and consistency to their administration. Threats of a general resignation were the means to be employed for carrying their plan into execution but Lord Egremont's death disconcerted all their measures, and hastened the conclusion of the treaty between Lord Bute and Mr. Pitt.". Mitchell MSS.

(1) The Earl of Hardwicke, in a letter to his son, Lord Royston, written on Sunday the 4th of September, gives the following authentic and interesting account of this interview:

"I have heard the whole from the Duke of Newcastle, and on Friday morning de source from Mr. Pitt. It is as strange as it is long; for I believe it is the most extraordinary transaction that ever happened in any court in Europe, even in times as extraordinary as the present. It began, as to the substance, by a messsage from my Lord Bute to Mr. Pitt at Hayes, through my Lord Mayor, to give him the meeting privately at some third place. This his lordship (Lord Bute) afterwards altered by a note from himself, saying, that as he loved to do things openly,

THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO MR. PITT.

Claremont, Sunday, Aug. 28, 1763.

DEAR SIR, LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISH tells me that the Duke of Cumberland will not be at home to-morrow,

he would come to Mr. Pitt's house in Jermyn Street in broad daylight. They met accordingly, and Lord Bute, after the first compliments, frankly acknowledged that his ministry could not go on, and that the King was convinced of it, and therefore he (Lord B.) desired that Mr. Pitt would open himself frankly and at large, and tell him his ideas of things and persons with the utmost freedom. After much excuse and hanging back, Mr. Pitt did so with the utmost freedom indeed, though with civility. Lord Bute heard with great attention and patience; entered into no defence; but at last said, 'If these are your opinions, why should you not tell them to the King himself, who will not be unwilling to hear you?'-' How can I, my Lord, presume to go to the King, who am not of his council, nor in his service, and have no pretence to ask an audience? The presumption would be too great!' But, suppose his Majesty should order you to attend him, I presume, Sir, you would not refuse it.' 'The King's command would make it my duty, and I should certainly obey it.'

"This was on last Thursday se'nnight. On the next day (Friday) Mr. Pitt received from the King an open note unsealed, requiring him to attend his Majesty on Saturday noon, at the Queen's palace in the Park. In obedience thereto, Mr. Pitt went on Saturday at noon-day through the Mall in his gouty chair, the boot of which (as he said himself) makes it as much known as if his name was writ upon it, to the Queen's palace. He was immediately carried into the closet; received very graciously; and his Majesty began in like manner as his quondam favourite had done, by ordering him to tell him his opinion of things and persons at large, and with the utmost freedom; and I think did in substance make the like confession, that he thought his present ministers could not go on. The audience lasted three hours, and Mr. Pitt went through the whole, upon

but is gone to Woburn for two or three days, and returns on Wednesday, so I shall not have an opportunity of seeing his Royal Highness till towards the end of the week. I hope to hear from you when you have any commands for me. Colonel Fitzroy is come in since you went from hence. (') The Duke of Grafton is now in town, and does not

both heads, more fully than he had done to Lord Bute, but with great complaisance and douceur to the King; and his Majesty gave him a very gracious accueil, and heard him with great patience and attention. And Mr. Pitt affirms that, in general, and upon the most material points, he appeared by his manner, and many of his expressions, to be convinced. Mr. Pitt went through the infirmities of the peace; the things necessary, and hitherto neglected, to improve and preserve it; the present state of the nation, both foreign and domestic; the great Whig families and persons who had been driven from his Majesty s council and service, which it would be for his interest to restore. In doing this, he repeated many names; upon which his Majesty told him there was pen, ink, and paper, and he wished he would write them down. Mr. Pitt humbly excused himself, saying that would be too much for him to take upon him, and he might, upon his memory, omit some material persons; which might be subject to imputation. The King still said he liked to hear him, and bid him go on; but said, now and then, that his honour must be consulted; to which Mr. Pitt answered in a very courtly manner. His Majesty ordered him to come again on Monday ; which he did, to the same place, and in the same public manner."

(1) "Here," says the Earl of Hardwicke, "comes in a parenthesis, that on Sunday Mr. Pitt went to Claremont, and acquainted the Duke of Newcastle with the whole; fully persuaded, from the King's manner and behaviour, that the thing would do; and that on Monday the outlines of the new arrangement would be settled. This produced the messages to those lords who were sent for. Mr. Pitt undertook to write to the Duke of Devonshire and the Marquis of Rockingham, and the Duke of Newcastle to myself."