ourbon powers.

Temple, however, refused office, and Pitt would not come in without him.
As Temple was on the eve of a reconciliation with his brother Grenville,
with whom he had quarrelled over the Wilkes affair, it was thought that
his refusal was due to an ambitious idea of a family administration of
himself, his brothers, and Pitt. Be this as it may, he probably
suspected that Bute would have an influence in the proposed
administration. Pitt allowed himself to be swayed by gratitude for help
which Temple had given him in the days of his poverty. During this
negotiation a riot broke out in London. The silk manufacture was
depressed owing to foreign competition, and thousands were consequently
almost starving. A bill to check the importation of silk by the
imposition of fresh duties was laid before the lords; it was opposed by
Bedford, who was averse from restraints on commerce, and it was
rejected. On this a large number of Spitalfields weavers went to
Richmond, on May 14, to seek help from the king in person. They met him
on Wimbledon common. He received them kindly, but could not, of course,
give them the help they wanted. The next day many thousands gathered in
Spitalfields and Moorfields at beat of drum, marched to St. James's and
Westminster, and stopped members on their way to parliament. Bedford was
assaulted and wounded, and on the 17th a determined attack was made upon
his house on the north side of Bloomsbury Square. It was garrisoned by
soldiers and others, but the attack was only defeated by the arrival of
fresh troops. When the disturbances were at last quelled, a large
collection was made for the relief of the immediate distress, which was
further mitigated by a sudden fall in the price of bread.[69] The affair
increased the king's discontent with his ministers and embittered the
feelings of anger between the Bute and Bedford factions.[70]

[Sidenote: _THE FIRST ROCKINGHAM MINISTRY._]

On Pitt's refusal to take office, Cumberland tried Lord Lyttelton and
Charles Townshend, but they declined the king's offer because they
believed that no strong administration was possible without Pitt. George
was forced to beg his ministers to continue. They took full advantage of
his humiliation. Pitt had asked for assurances on matters of public
policy; they made stipulations which chiefly concerned persons. The king
must promise never again to consult Bute, and must deprive his brother
Mackenzie of the office of pri