the physicians
was, that his majesty was incapable of attending to business; that,
judging from experience in similar cases, there was a fair prospect of
his recovery; but that the time when that event would take place was
uncertain. Parliament re-assembled on the following day, when this
report was presented to the lords by Earl Camden, and to the commons by
Pitt. In both houses it was represented by ministers that the functions
of government were suspended; that in this dismembered state of the
legislature the right devolved on the two houses of parliament, to make
such provision as should be adequate to meet the case; but that it was
necessary, before any step could be taken in such a delicate business,
that the extent of the deficiency should be fully ascertained. It was
moved by Lord Camden in the lords, and by Pitt in the commons, that
the report should be taken into consideration on Monday, the 8th of
December, which was agreed to; but doubts were expressed in the commons,
whether the house could proceed upon a mere report, and whether they
ought not rather to examine the physicians themselves at their own bar,
or by means of a committee. Pitt replied, that the case required great
delicacy, and that the report of the physicians was made upon oath,
which the house of commons had not the power to administer. Fox agreed
with Pitt, in the propriety of proceeding with delicacy; but, he added,
"if delicacy and duty should happen to clash, the latter ought not to
be sacrificed to the former." Nothing further, however, was said at this
time on the subject, and after deciding that the speaker was competent
to issue writs for new elections, to supply the places of some members
who had died during the recess, the house adjourned to the time above
mentioned.

About this time the royal family removed to Kew, for the greater
convenience of the king's medical attendants, and as the malady
continued without abatement, the Rev. Dr. Willis, who had quitted his
clerical functions, and devoted himself with great success to the cure
of insanity, was called in to undertake the principal and constant
charge of his majesty. When parliament re-assembled on the 8th of
December, Pitt related these circumstances, and conceiving that it would
materially serve his cause, he himself now moved for a committee to
examine the physicians who had attended the king during his illness.
This motion was carried without a division, and a committee of