s endeavored with
his own hand to kill the King in his palace of St. James's he could
hardly have made the monarch more furious. He had long hated and his
ministers had long dreaded the outspoken journalist. King and
ministers now felt that the time had arrived when they could strike,
and strike effectively. The King commanded the law officers of the
Crown to read the article and give their opinion upon it. The law
officers did the work that they knew the King expected from them. They
found that the paper was an infamous and seditious libel tending to
incite the people to insurrection. They declared that the offence was
one punishable in due course of law as a misdemeanor. Upon this hint
the ministers acted, rapidly and rashly. A general warrant was issued
for the apprehension of the authors, printers, and publishers of the
_North Briton_. The printer {59} and the publisher were arrested and
brought before Lord Halifax and Lord Egremont, to whom they gave up the
names of John Wilkes and Charles Churchill as the authors of the _North
Briton_. The next step was to arrest Wilkes himself.

[Sidenote: 1763--Arrest of Wilkes]

The King's messengers came upon Wilkes in his house in Great George
Street, Westminster. It is honorably characteristic of the man that in
the moment of his own danger he felt more concern for the danger of
another. While he was arguing with the officials that they had no
power to arrest him, as he was a member of Parliament and therefore
privileged against arrest, Churchill came into the room on a visit to
Wilkes. Churchill, Wilkes knew, was as certain to be arrested as he
was. Churchill could plead no privilege. It was probable that the
messengers were unfamiliar with Churchill's face. Wilkes, with happy
good-nature and happy audacity, immediately hailed Churchill as Mr.
Thompson, clasped his hand and inquired affectionately how Mrs.
Thompson did and if she was going to dine in the country. If Wilkes
was clever in his suggestion Churchill was no less clever in taking the
hint. He thanked Wilkes, declared that Mrs. Thompson was at that
moment waiting for him, and that he had merely called in to inquire
after the health of Wilkes. Saying which, Churchill swiftly bowed
himself out, hurried home, secured all his papers, and disappeared into
the country. The King's messengers, who were promptly at his lodgings,
were never able to discover his whereabouts.

The flight to which Wilkes