by Admiral Lord Hood, created an Irish baron after
the battle of the Saints, and Sir Cecil Wray. The poll was kept open for
forty days and there was much rioting and irregularity of every kind,
for which both sides appear to have been responsible. Fox's friends, and
above all the beautiful Duchess of Devonshire and other whig ladies,
canvassed eagerly for him, and the duchess is said to have bought a
butcher's vote with a kiss. George watched the contest with anxiety, for
Fox's attack on the constitutional rights of the crown had deepened his
animosity towards him. So strong were his feelings that, on hearing that
Fox was gaining votes, he wrote to Pitt that "the advance could only be
by bad votes, yet similar means must be adopted against him rather than
let him get returned". He had heard with delight that 300 Quackers
(_sic_) would vote for Hood and Wray.[188] At the close of the poll Hood
stood first and Fox second. Great was the triumph of the Foxites, and
the Prince of Wales, Fox's pupil in debauchery, was pleased to exhibit
his opposition to his father by taking a prominent part in it; he wore
Fox's colours, was present at banquets in his honour, where he gave the
toast of "True Blue and Mrs. Crewe," one of Fox's lady canvassers, and
got disgustingly drunk. Nevertheless the victory was disputed, for the
high-bailiff granted a scrutiny, and instead of returning Hood and Fox
as elected, merely reported the number of the votes. In this he was
clearly wrong, for he made no proper return to the writ. If a scrutiny
was to be held, it should have been completed before the day fixed for
the return. It was his duty to make a return on that day; a decision as
to the lawfulness of the election pertained to the house of commons.
His action deprived Westminster of representation, and would have shut
Fox out of the house had he not already been returned for Kirkwall.

Fox petitioned the house to order the high-bailiff to make a proper
return. Pitt opposed the petition, and the house ordered that the
scrutiny should proceed, though in two divisions on the question his
majority fell to 97 and 78. Eight months later, in February, 1785, the
scrutiny was still proceeding and was likely to last two years longer.
Against the king's judgment,[189] Pitt persisted in maintaining it; his
majority sank to 39, then to 9, and on March 4 he was in a minority of
38. The high-bailiff was ordered to make an immediate return, and Hood
and Fox we