d that he is
all for the adoption of my suggestion. This I forthwith
despatched to Clarendon, who was gone to the Levee, and desired
him to tell Melbourne of it.

[27] I had already sent my pamphlet to Melbourne and to a
few other people.

[28] [Mr. Greville contended in his pamphlet that the Act of
Henry VIII. for 'Placing the Lords' applied only to
their precedence in the House of Lords and in the Privy
Council, which being statutory could not be changed;
but that it was competent to the Crown to confer any
precedence elsewhere. Prince Albert was not a Peer, and
he was not at this time a Privy Councillor; therefore,
the provisions of the statutes of Henry VIII. did not
apply to him. He was subsequently introduced into the
Privy Council, where by courtesy rank was given him
next the Queen when no other member of the Royal Family
was present. As this pamphlet has some legal and
historical interest, it is reprinted in the Appendix to
this volume.]

February 21st, 1840 {p.270}

On Thursday morning I got a note from Arbuthnot, desiring I would
call at Apsley House. When I got there, he told me that the Duke
of Cambridge had sent for Lord Lyndhurst to consult him; that
they were invited to meet the Queen on Friday at the Queen
Dowager's, and he wanted to know what he was to do about giving
precedence to Prince Albert. Lord Lyndhurst came to Apsley House
and saw the Duke about it, and they agreed to report to the Duke
of Cambridge their joint opinion that the Queen had an
unquestionable right to give him any precedence she pleased, and
that he had better concede it without making any difficulty. The
Duke acquiesced, and accepted the invitation. Melbourne told me
the Queen was well satisfied with my pamphlet, but 'she remarked
that there was a very high compliment to the Duke of Wellington
at the end of it.' I asked if she had said it was a _just one_.
He said, 'No, she did not say that.'

[Page Head: BILL ON THE PRIVILEGE QUESTION.]

I heard from Arbuthnot this morning that the Duke has set his
face resolutely against any Bill in the House of Lords to settle
the Privilege question; and that Lyndhurst, though not so strong
in his opinion as the Duke, is resolved to abide by his
determination, and to go with him. The Duke, in fact, goes as far
as any of the opponents