makes strenuous efforts to free himself, 272; suggests a coalition to Lord Bute, 272; his antipathy to the Whigs, 273; sends for Pitt, 274; forced to ask Grenville to remain in office, 275; endeavours to sow dissension among the Whigs, 276; offends the Duke of Bedford, 277; taken ill, 277; first indications of mental derangement, 278, 279, 280; recovery, 281; Regency Bill, 281, 282; intrigue to omit the name of Princess Dowager from the Regency Council, 283, 284; indignation thereover with Lord Halifax and Lord Sandwich, 284; negotiates through the Duke of Cumberland, for the return of the Whigs, 284, 285; Pitt only man able to form a strong administration, 286; Grenville offers resignation, 287; Pitt approached, 287; failure of negotiations 288; recall of Grenville, 288; the King furious at the minister's terms, 289, 290; fresh overtures to Pitt, 293, 294; as a last resource Lord Rockingham offered office, 295; desires to tax the American colonies, II, 1-4; the Stamp Act, 3-4, 11; mismanagement of American colonies, 4-9; outcry in the colonies at the passing of the Stamp Act, 13; mob destroy the Stamp office, 15; the day the Stamp Act comes into force kept as a day of mourning, 16; the King seriously alarmed at the trouble in America, 18; Pitt attacks Stamp Act, 19-23; repeal of the Stamp Act, 25; Whigs mistrust Bute, 26, 27, 29-32; surprise of the nation at the appointment of Rockingham, 32; a weak administration, 32, 33; his difficulties, 35, 36; intrigues against the ministry, 37, 38; defeat of the government in the House of Lords, 39; Rockingham remonstrates against Court intrigue, 40, 41, 42; Rockingham ministry falls, 44; the King sends for Pitt, II, 46; forms ministry, 47, 48; enthusiasm of the people for Pitt, 49; Pitt accepts earldom, 50; unpopularity of the step, _ibid._; his desire to rule, 51; the King's "Friends," 52; the health of Chatham, 56-58; during Chatham's illness leadership devolved on Grafton, 61; character of Grafton, 61; attempt to alienate him from Chatham, 62-64; Grafton becomes Prime Minister, 65; anger of Chatham, 66; the city remonstrance, 67; chancellorship and death of Charles Yorke, 71; resignation of Grafton, 72; North takes office, II, 73, 74; refuses to dissolve Parliament, 76; undertakes management of the House of Commons, 77; reduces bribery to a fine art, 77, 78; regards himself as above criticism, 79; his debts, 79, 80; rebuke of Parliament, 80; North's scandalous loan, 81; no scruples for kingly dignity, 82, 83; his vindictiveness, 84, 85; tenacious of his promises, 86; in his kingly office the slave of deep rooted selfishness, 88; his inability to act wisely, 89, 90; North frequently tenders resignation, 91, 92; the King ever against liberty, 92-93; persecution of Admiral Keppel, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97; family worries, 98-126;