William Pitt the Younger however, was comfortable with Shelburne, and thus joined his government; he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Fox, who became Pitt's lifelong political rival, then joined a coalition with Lord North, with whom he collaborated to bring about the defeat of the Shelburne administration. When Lord Shelburne resigned in 1783, King George III, who despised Fox, offered to appoint Pitt to the office of prime minister. But Pitt wisely declined, for he knew he would be incapable of securing the support of the House of Commons. The Fox–North coalition rose to power in a government nominally headed by William Cavendish-Bentinck,
William Pitt (courtier) Nicholas Cadbury of Arne, Dorset. His son Edward inherited Stratfield Saye House and was also an MP. William Pitt (courtier) Sir William Pitt (1559 – 29 May 1636) was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625. Pitt was the son of John Pitt, clerk of the exchequer to Queen Elizabeth, and his wife Joan Swayne, daughter of John Swayne. He became comptroller of the household and a principal officer of the exchequer in the reign of James I. He acquired the manor of Stratfield Turgis from the Marquis of Winchester inl