The Third George: (Georgian Series) (22 page)

‘Wise woman,’ commented Fox. ‘Tomorrow I go to see my lord and with him to the King. I doubt not soon that your husband will be a noble lord.’

‘The sooner the better since it means your escape from the Government.’

*

Mr Fox presented himself to Lord Bute.

Poor Bute! He was certainly losing his youthful looks. Being head of a government most definitely did not suit him. Fox laughed inwardly with grim satisfaction. These ambitious men who saw themselves as they were not! Let Bute go back to cosseting
the Princess Dowager; he was very good at that. But countries needed more than cosseting.

‘My lord, I have come to tell you that my health is failing, and as I have done that which I gave my word to do, I can see no point in remaining longer in the Government.’

Bute was alarmed. While he had had Fox’s support he had felt secure. Crafty as his name, this man was a brilliant politician, who could be called a worthy rival to Pitt. Bute had clung to high office fervently, knowing that this man was supporting him; but now the sly fellow was withdrawing that support. He had had enough.

‘This is ill news,’ began Bute.

‘Nay, nay,’ cried Fox. ‘A man who is not in the best of health is a poor henchman. You, my lord, with that cleverness which has placed you in your present position, have no need of a poor sick fox. I have made up my mind to retire.’

‘This cannot be final.’

‘Alas, yes. My health demands it. I have promised my wife that today I would come to you and tell you that I intend to offer my resignation. I can be of no further use to you. Therefore I shall go with the title your promised me, to show the people that I am considered worthy of my reward.’

‘Title …’ began Bute.

‘Baron Holland of Foxley, Wiltshire,’ said Fox. ‘And I should hope to retain the post of Paymaster.’

Bute was astounded. How like Fox to ask for his title and a post which was almost a sinecure and brought in a considerable income.

‘I think even my enemies would agree,’ said Fox smiling, ‘that the country owes me this.’

*

The King was deeply disturbed. He had read Wilkes’s sheet. Those terrible accusations against his mother and Lord Bute! Did everyone know of them except himself? What a simpleton he had been! All those years when they had been together he had thought they were just good friends. And they had been living together as husband and wife; and the whole world knew … except George, and was doubtless laughing at George for his simplicity.

The King buried his face in his hands. There were times when
he felt that the whole world was against him. He could trust no one – not even his mother; not even Bute – those two on whom he had relied all his life.

Oh, yes, he could rely on Charlotte; because Charlotte was only a young girl who knew nothing of state affairs. She should never know. She should remain shut away from the Court which was wicked, anyway. Charlotte should retain her innocence; she should go on bearing his children. In August they would have another. Two already and not married two years! Yes, Charlotte was all he cared to think about these days. He was beginning to hate politics and mistrust politicians. But if he were going to be a good King he must understand these matters. The manner in which the peace had been passed through Parliament appalled him. Bribes! And that cynical Mr Fox arranging it all!

What pleasure to escape to Richmond when he could; to walk with Charlotte in the gardens there; to sit beside the baby’s cradle and marvel at the fact that he was such a lusty healthy little fellow.

And now Lord Bute was bringing Fox to him to tell him that the minister wished to offer his resignation, and as a reward for his services he would accept a barony and become Baron Holland; he wished to retain the post of Paymaster.

‘So you are leaving the Government, Mr Fox, sir,’ said the King disapprovingly.

‘Your Majesty, my health has deteriorated and I am in no position to do honour to the high post which Your Majesty in your goodness bestowed on me.’

George felt sick with annoyance and disappointment. Mr Fox was lucky. When he wanted to extricate himself from a difficult situation he only had to resign; and get a title for doing it.

There was nothing to be done. They could only let him go.

*

On 19 April the King opened Parliament and four days later number 45 of
The North Briton
appeared.

In this Wilkes commented on the Peace of Hubertsberg – which had followed the Peace of Paris – as ‘the most abandoned instance of ministerial effrontery ever attempted to be imposed on mankind’.

George read the paper, for everyone was now reading
The North Briton,
anxiously scrutinizing it to make sure that they were not being ridiculed in it; and he found that Wilkes had dealt with him personally.

‘The King’s speech,’ wrote Wilkes, ‘has always been considered by the legislature and by the public at large as the speech of the Minister.’

This was an attempt to imply that he had no intention of attacking the King but was blaming the chief minister, George Grenville.

‘Every friend of this country,’ he went on, ‘must lament that a Prince of so many great and amiable qualities, whom England truly reveres, can be brought to give the sanction of his sacred name to the most odious measures and to the most unjustifiable public declarations from a throne ever renowned for truth, honour and unsullied virtue.’

When George read this he was not in the least taken in by the implication of loyalty. This was a sneer at himself, suggesting that he was at best a puppet.

He was suffering from one of his headaches and he kept repeating the phrases of that article over and over again in his mind.

He wanted to get right away. He was weary of his office. If only he could be like Mr Fox and get away to the pleasure of
his
wife’s company. But he was the King; he could not resign.

George Grenville was asking for an audience. He came in clutching
The North Briton
and it was easy to see that he was as angry as the King.

‘We cannot allow this to pass, Your Majesty.’

‘So I thought,’ agreed the King. ‘We are submitted to insult, but what can we do?’

‘We can send a copy of
The North Briton
to the law officers of the Crown. This, in my opinion, is a seditious libel.’

‘Let it be done,’ said George. ‘It is time we took some action against this man Wilkes.’

*

Lord Halifax and the Earl of Egremont as Secretaries of State were only too ready to issue the warrant which Grenville demanded.

This gave permission for a strict and diligent search to be made in the offices of the seditious and treasonable paper
The North Briton
and for the authors of seditious libel to be arrested.

Halifax’s secretary arrived at Wilkes’s house one night and read the warrant to him, but Wilkes pointed out that his name was not mentioned on the warrant and therefore it was not legal. So forcefully did he argue that the secretary retired, but the next morning he had presented himself at the offices of
The North Briton
.

Wilkes was arguing with him when Charles Churchill came in and looking straight at Churchill, Wilkes said: ‘Good day, Mr Thompson. How is Mrs Thompson? Does she dine in the country?’

Churchill immediately guessed what was happening and that Wilkes was warning him, so he replied: ‘Mrs Thompson is in good health, sir. I merely called to enquire after your health before joining her in the country.’

And accepting Wilkes’s kindest regards for Mrs Thompson, Churchill disappeared and without delay went to the country to avoid arrest.

Wilkes’s arguments were waved aside and he was taken away protesting that he would sue them all for breach of the law.

London was in an uproar. Wilkes was arrested. This was a threat against the freedom of the individual; freedom of speech was in jeopardy and Wilkes was the defender of liberty.

Bute engaged Hogarth to draw a derisive cartoon of Wilkes, making him look even uglier than he was, so that it could be circulated throughout the City. Churchill, from a few miles out of the town, was able to retaliate with lampoons and songs about Bute and his followers. He made it clear to the people that Hogarth was in the pay of Bute, that he was an artist who worked for those who would pay him most, and his views were therefore worthless.

When, in May, Wilkes was brought up for trial he claimed privilege as a Member of Parliament and when he was released by Chief Justice Pratt, this was one of the biggest defeats the Government had suffered.

Arrogant and impudent Wilkes returned to his offices. Now he was going to fight them, and his first step was to issue writs against those who had caused his arrest.

The City waited in breathless amusement for what would happen next. The jeers at Lord Bute were more offensive than ever;
the King was often received in a hostile silence. Wilkes was the defender of liberty and the people’s hero.

*

All through that trying summer George escaped to Richmond whenever possible, but by the beginning of August it was time for Charlotte to come back to St James’s to prepare for the birth of the child.

Charlotte had been taking her English lessons regularly and had progressed considerably. Her accent was decidedly German but she was no longer in the irritating position of being unable to understand what people around her were saying. Not that she was allowed to talk to many people. There were her women who attended to her needs but Schwellenburg had installed herself at their head and in spite of that warning they could not shift her from the position she had chosen for herself. There were so often those occasions when Charlotte could only express herself in German; then either Schwellenburg or Haggerdorn was needed.

Charlotte was aware of the manner in which she was restricted, but reminded herself that she had been pregnant most of the time she had been in England.

Occasionally she heard scraps of conversation. She knew that Elizabeth Chudleigh, that bold lady-in-waiting, was the mistress of the Duke of Kingston, which surprised her, for the Duke had given her the impression that he was a scholarly man and being so much older than Elizabeth hardly the sort of lover one would have expected her to take. But perhaps it was his title which attracted her, although that was not much help to her as he did not marry her.

She wondered why Elizabeth was allowed to remain at Court, for her conduct was a little disreputable.

She mentioned this to George who said he agreed with her. His mother though had recommended her and might be offended if Elizabeth were dismissed without consulting her.

‘When next we meet I shall mention the matter,’ said Charlotte.

And George, who was preoccupied, merely nodded. Poor George, he did seem to be weighed down by his cares now. But he was delighted with her pregnancy of course.

‘Why,’ she laughed, ‘I have little time to see England. All the
time I have been here I have either been going to have a baby or having one.’

‘Which is very laudable,’ added the King.

Yes, thought Charlotte, but there should be a little breathing space between babies.

When she next saw the Princess Dowager she did mention Elizabeth Chudleigh but the Princess Dowager looked confused and muttered that she thought the woman was a good servant.

‘She is a little frivolous,’ suggested Charlotte.

‘Most of these women are.’

‘Doubtless you do not know that she is the Duke of Kingston’s mistress.’

‘There are always scandals.’ The Princess Dowager flushed a little. ‘I doubt not that few of us are spared.’

It was very strange, thought Charlotte, because the Princess Dowager was usually so strict. When she, Charlotte, with George had attended balls after the birth of little George, the Princess had expressed her disapproval of such frivolity – even to celebrate the birth of a Prince of Wales. Now she was being very lenient to Miss Chudleigh. And when Charlotte recalled Miss Chudleigh’s arrogant and altogether complacent manner it made one wonder whether she had not some hold over the Princess.

What a strange thought! Women get strange ideas during pregnancies, she told herself; but she remembered that later when she heard Elizabeth say something about the King’s fondness for Quakers and to say it with a little derisive laugh which could mean almost anything.

Then Charlotte remembered the Lord Mayor’s Show which they had watched from the Barclay house in Cheapside. Yes, the King
was
undoubtedly fond of Quakers.

*

St James’s! That grim dark prison of a palace. How different from dear Richmond. What a pity she could not go there to await the arrival of her second child. But no, the child must be born in London; he might be king if anything happened to little George – which God forbid. But Kings and Queens had to be prepared for these contingencies.

All through the hot August days she waited. George was frequently with her and often seemed worried; in fact he had never been completely well since that illness he had had before the
birth of little George. Politics worried him. There was always some trouble and now it was that ugly Mr Wilkes. Charlotte did not know what the trouble was all about, only that it was trouble. She tried to learn something of it during her brief sessions with her ladies who often disagreed together about the rights and wrongs of the affair. And when she tried to broach it with George he indulgently told her that she must not bother her head with this unpleasantness; it would be bad for the child. As for the Princess Dowager she said that the King would doubtless tell her all he wished her to know.

Where was the determined girl who had written to King Frederick? She seemed to have become lost in the mother. When Charlotte had first come to England she had imagined herself ruling this country with her husband; she had promised herself that she would try to understand state affairs so that she could be of use to him.

But she was shut out from these affairs.

When my baby is born, she promised herself, it will be different.