Whetheritwasduringhiscareerinthiscapacitythathefirstbegantodeclaimagainsttheavariceofthegreat，wearenotinformed。Hecertainlymusthaveseenenoughofittojustifyhisseverestanathema；butifthepreacherhadhimselfbeenfreefromthevicehecondemned，hisdeclamationswouldhavehadabettereffect。HewasbroughtupincustodytothebaroftheHouseofLords，andunderwentalongexamination。Herefusedtoanswerseveralimportantquestions。
HesaidhehadbeenexaminedalreadybyacommitteeoftheHouseofCommons，andashedidnotrememberhisanswers，andmightcontradicthimself，herefusedtoanswerbeforeanothertribunal。Thisdeclaration，initselfanindirectproofofguilt，occasionedsomecommotionintheHouse。Hewasagainaskedperemptorilywhetherhehadeversoldanyportionofthestocktoanymemberoftheadministration，oranymemberofeitherHouseofParliament，tofacilitatethepassingofthehill。Heagaindeclinedtoanswer。Hewasanxious，hesaid，totreattheHousewithallpossiblerespect，buthethoughtithardtobecompelledtoaccusehimself。Afterseveralineffectualattemptstorefreshhismemory，hewasdirectedtowithdraw。Aviolentdiscussionensuedbetweenthefriendsandopponentsoftheministry。ItwasassertedthattheadministrationwerenostrangerstotheconvenienttaciturnityofSirJohnBlunt。TheDukeofWhartonmadeareflectionupontheEarlStanhope，whichthelatterwarmlyresented。Hespokeundergreatexcitement，andwithsuchvehemenceastocauseasuddendeterminationofbloodtothehead。HefelthimselfsoillthathewasobligedtoleavetheHouseandretiretohischamber。Hewascuppedimmediately，andalsoletbloodonthefollowingmorning，butwithslightrelief。Thefatalresultwasnotanticipated。Towardseveninghebecamedrowsy，andturninghimselfonhisface，expired。Thesuddendeathofthisstatesmancausedgreatgrieftothenation。GeorgeIwasexceedinglyaffected，andshuthimselfupforsomehoursinhiscloset，inconsolableforhisloss。
Knight，thetreasurerofthecompany，wasapprehendedatTirlemont，nearLiege，byoneofthesecretariesofMr。Leathes，theBritishresidentatBrussels，andlodgedinthecitadelofAntwerp。
RepeatedapplicationsweremadetothecourtofAustriatodeliverhimup，butinvain。KnightthrewhimselfupontheprotectionofthestatesofBrabant，anddemandedtobetriedinthatcountry。ItwasaprivilegegrantedtothestatesofBrabantbyoneofthearticlesoftheJoyeuseEntree，thateverycriminalapprehendedinthatcountryshouldbetriedinthatcountry。Thestatesinsistedontheirprivilege，andrefusedtodeliverKnighttotheBritishauthorities。
Thelatterdidnotceasetheirsolicitations；butinthemeantime，Knightescapedfromthecitadel。