both houses.
A severer conflict and a more signal triumph were at hand.

The retirement of the aged chief-justice, Lord Mansfield, in the June of
that year, was followed by some legal appointments, which included those
of Pitt's personal friend, Pepper Arden, as master of the rolls, and
Scott as solicitor-general. Thurlow, who was annoyed by Pitt's assent to
the impeachment of Hastings, strongly objected to Arden's appointment.
The king tried to make peace between him and Pitt. Thurlow was forced to
yield, and remained sulky and hostile. About the same time Howe, the
first lord of the admiralty, who was constantly attacked with reference
to matters which arose out of the reduction of the navy consequent on
the peace, resigned office, because he considered that Pitt did not
afford him adequate support. He was created an English earl on his
retirement. In his place Pitt put his own elder brother Chatham, a
favourite with the king, but, as it proved, an indolent and inefficient
minister, and also appointed Hood to a seat on the new admiralty board.

[Sidenote: _AFFAIRS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES._]

For the most part things were going well with the king. He rejoiced in
the successes of his ministers, and his victory over the coalition
brought him popularity such as he had not enjoyed since his accession.
His popularity was heightened by an attempt to stab him made by an
insane woman named Margaret Nicholson on August 2, 1786. The poor woman
was sent to Bedlam. George, who behaved with the utmost calmness,
escaped unhurt, and the manifestations of loyalty evoked by the incident
deeply gratified him. He was, however, much troubled by the ill conduct
of the Prince of Wales. The prince drank, gambled, betted, and was
addicted to debauchery; he showed no sense of honour in his dealings
either with men or women, was thoroughly mean and selfish, and consorted
with low companions. He was outrageously extravagant, and, in addition
to the large sums lavished on his ordinary expenses, incurred enormous
liabilities in altering and decorating his residence, Carlton house. The
arrangement of his affairs in 1783 was not on a scale sufficient to meet
his expenditure. By August, 1784, he was so deeply in debt that he
informed his father that he intended to leave England and live abroad.
George insisted that he should give up this scheme, which would have
implied a public breach, and said that if he expected help he should
send him a full sta