The book: or the investigation of the conduct of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales / being the evidence given under a Commission from the King; with Her Royal Highness's defence and other important documents.

  • Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821
Date:
1813
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The book: or the investigation of the conduct of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales / being the evidence given under a Commission from the King; with Her Royal Highness's defence and other important documents. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    89 tliov have iouml to be of the greatest difficulty and embarra-s- mcnl. They are fully convinced that it never can have been oury Majesty’s intention to require from them, that they should lay before ^ our Majesty a dettiiled and circuinstancial examination and di.'cussion of the various arguments and allegations con- tained ill the letter submitted to your Miijesly, by the Law Ad- visei'sof the i’rinctssof Wales. And they beg leave, with all humilii'y, to represent to your Majesty that the Laws and Con- stitution of ilicir country have not placed them in a situation in which tliey can conclusively pronounce on any question of guilt or innocci ee atfecting :;ny of your Majesty’s subjects, ir.vicli less one of your Majesty's lloyal Family. They have indeed no power or autliority whatever to enter on such a course of en- quiry as could alone leal to any final results of such a nature. “ The main question on wliieh they had conceived themselves called upon by their duty to submit their advice to your M.a- j^esty, was this: IVliether the circiiinslanees which had, by your alajc*!. s cor.nn.ands, been . rought before them, were of an.a- lare to induce your Majesty to order :uiy further steps to be taken upon them by your Majesty’s fioveriiment ? And on this point iliey iiumbly submit toyour M.ajesty that the advice w hirli they offered w as clear and uiiequivoeai. Vour Majcjiy lias since been plcasi d farther to require tliat ihey should sai.mit to your M ij Sly their opiiiicms as to live answer to be given by yonr M.a- jcsty t i tile.request contained in till* I'rincess’s le.'tei\ and as to the mit.iurr in wiiich tliat answer should be communicated to her Ilojal Highness. “■ Tl-ey ii.iv>, therefore, in dutiful obedience to your Majes- ty’s command.-.. pro.-ced.-?d to recniiMdm the vv hole of the subject, •in tiii? new vc w of it; and, after nmcii deliiiera inn, tli<*y Imve agreed hunildv to ivcommend to your .vlajesty the draft of a Me-s:.ge vv!!.,h, it a,'...roved by y oi;r .Majesty, they would lium- bly sagg. sl V oiir olajeaty might send to her lloyal iligiiness through the I.or J .Cuancell.ir. “ Having before hum-I v snbioiiled to yonr Majeslv their opinion, tl.at the facts of c'ie . ase did not warrant ihi ir advis- ing that any further steps s.io ild lie taken ujioii it nv voiir .Ma- jesty’s Gijvern lent, they have not looaglitit n.c;-tsafy loadvise yo'ir Majesty any longer to decline receiving ilie Frince.'S into your Ptoyal presence. But the rcsull of he whole case does, in their.judg uent, rendc^r it indi'pensilile that your .viajtSly s'.ould, by a s.*rioiis admonition, convey to Iut lloyal Iligiiness your Majesty’s evpecia ion that her lloyal Highness sliohld he more circumspect in her future conduct ; and they ti ust that in the terms n wtiicli tliey liave advised, (hat sucli admonition should be conveyed, your M-iJ-sIy will not be of opinion, on a full considerali >11 of the evidence and answer, that they ran he con- sidered as having at all exceeded liie iiccessilv of the case, as arising out of the last reference which yonr Majest.'has been pleased to make to them.” Message was rcco-nmcnded od the 23th of Feb. 1307, by the uoder-meationed persons