, been a base and malicious
falsehood. Fox said, that he had direct authority from his royal
highness for his declaration; and then another of the prince's friends
called upon Rolle to declare to the house that he was satisfied with
these explanations. This he refused to do, and Sheridan rose and
observed, that such a line of conduct was neither candid nor manly, and
that the house ought to come to a resolution, that it was seditious and
disloyal to propagate reports injurious to the character of the Prince
of Wales. At this point Pitt interposed, by declaring that Sheridan's,
and not Rolle's conduct was unparliamentary: adding, that those who
exhibited such warmth ought rather to acknowledge their obligation to
a gentleman who suggested a question which produced such an explicit
declaration on such an interesting subject; a declaration which must
give entire satisfaction not only to him, but to the whole house.
Alderman Newnham still persisted in his intention to bring forward his
motion, but Pitt seems to have considered that after such a declaration
he had no further pretext for refusing the relief which the prince
required. The result was, that an interview took place at Carlton-house
between the premier and the prince, and the motion was withdrawn.
Subsequently a message was delivered from the king to the house on
the subject, which was followed by an addition to his annual income
of L10,000 out of the civil list; an issue of L161,000 from the same
source, for the payment of his debts; and L20,000 more on account of the
works at Carlton-house. In making the declaration, however, which led
to this result, Fox appears to have gone beyond the strict limits of his
commission. Mrs. Fitzherbert continued to live with the prince, and she
alleged, and her friends also alleged for her, that he knew that
there had been a private marriage that was good and binding, _in foro
conscientiae_, whatever it might be by act of parliament. The lady would
never speak to Fox again, and it is said, that she was only reconciled
to the prince by his assurance that something should be done or said
in parliament to save her reputation, by those very friends who had
emphatically denied the marriage. Something was said by Sheridan, but he
did not venture to unsay what had been said, or to affirm more than that
another person who had been alluded to was without reproach, and
was entitled to the truest and most general respect. With this Mrs.
Fit