Lord Ravensworth seemed to think his Royal master came the worst off—­which is true.

He told me the Duke of Cumberland had been abusing every one at Lady Brownlow’s last night, and had declared, as he has before, that he would not go away till he had us out.

Lord Anglesey is reported to be very ill to-day.

May 6.

Cabinet dinner at Sir G. Murray’s.  The Duke saw the King to-day.  He was in good humour, and said the Duke was quite right in declaring Lord Anglesey had not his permission to read the letters.  It seems the King said the same thing in the Duke of Cumberland’s presence on Monday at dinner, and this made the Duke so very angry that evening.

We had a very good division last night on the Retford question.  Almost all the Brunswickers voted with us—­none against us.

In fact the Government is very strong.

There are disturbances at Manchester, which look rather serious.

May 7.

Nothing in the House.

The meeting respecting the statue to the Duke of Wellington seems to have finished in detestable taste.  Hunt proposing a vote of thanks to Lord Anglesey and O’Connell, and Lord Darnley! speaking for it.  Both these said the Catholic Bill arose out of Lord Anglesey’s Government.  Lord Darnley repeated the same thing to me to-day in the House.  I told him the contrary was the fact.  That Lord Anglesey had placed the carrying of the question in peril—­that without his recall it could hardly have been carried.

There have been serious disturbances at Manchester.  The bakers’ shops have been broken open and robbed, and money extorted by fear.  This arises out of real distress; but it seems, as might be expected, that notorious thieves lead on the mobs.

May 8.

The disturbances at Manchester have more the character of robbery than of riot.  Baker’s shops have been broken open and pillaged, and money has been extorted.

At Rochdale an attack was made on the military.  They behaved with extreme forbearance; but at last fired, and killed and wounded many.

May 9.

Dined at the Trinity House.  Hardinge, whom I met there, told me Wood had been asked by Lord Mansfield to go to the Pitt dinner on the 28th.  Wood said he did not know whether the Ministers would go or not.  Lord Mansfield said, ’Why, you must know, it is understood that as soon as Parliament is up the Government will be changed.  At this dinner we shall make such a display of Protestant force as will enable the King to take us as his Ministers.’

It is surprising to me that any able man as Lord Mansfield is should be so deluded by the lies of the Duke of Cumberland.  The country is not agitated, it is not dissatisfied.  It would repudiate, as an act of the basest treachery, such conduct towards a Government which had been permitted to carry a great measure, and which was displaced solely on grounds of personal pique.