Part 55

A very good account of the King. He has passed twenty-four hours with mitigated symptoms.

Dined with Sir J. Murray. I must next year have an Indian dinner.

May 9.

Read as I went to town to Cabinet, and returned in the carriage Cabell's memorandum on the Hyderabad transactions.

The Duke read the letter he had received from Sir H. Halford. It gave a bad account of the King. Yesterday was a day 'of embarrassment and distress,' and he is swollen notwithstanding the punctures made by Brodie. He is anxious about himself, and must know his danger, yet he talks of the necessity of having a new dining-room at the Cottage ready by Ascot.

We had much conversation respecting the law asserting his power of disposing of his property by will.

The Chancellor was not there. He went to Windsor.

The other matters considered were merely the mode of dealing with several questions to be brought on next week. It seems to be clear that no dependence whatever can be placed in the House of Commons. Every man will vote for his constituents.

No answer has been received from Prince Leopold.

My apprehension is that the King cannot live ten days.

Lord Londonderry went to Windsor yesterday and saw the physician. He had a dinner afterwards at his villa, and told every one, the Lièvens being there, that the King was much worse than he had ever been. This was untrue, for the Duke left Windsor after Lord L., and when he left the Castle the King certainly was not worse, but rather better. I have no doubt Lord L. managed to tell Wood, [Footnote: Lord Londonderry's brother-in-law, having married Lady Caroline Stewart, also sister-in-law of Lord Ellenborough.] and Wood would tell the Duke of Clarence, who would think he was ill-used and deceived.

May 10.

The Duke will read the Hyderabad memorandum as he goes down to Windsor on Wednesday.

I told him of the alteration in the treaty with Nagpore.

The Chancellor was at Windsor yesterday. He did not see the King. The physicians seemed to think it could not last a week. He is greatly swollen, and generally.

Lord Bathurst went to Windsor to-day. His account was a little better, but his expectation did not go beyond a fortnight. In the meantime the physicians are afraid of telling the King of his danger.

Sir W. Knighton sat up with him last night, and was much alarmed by one of the attacks, not having seen one before. However, he did not call Sir H. Halford.

The probability is that the new Parliament will meet in the last week in July.

The Speaker says the House of Commons is like a school two days before the holidays. They do not know what mischief to be at.

Lord Rosslyn seems to think all sorts of intrigues are going on, and has some little doubt as to the Duke of Clarence. I have none.

House. E. Retford again. Wrote to Lord Holland when I came home to call his attention to the Hickson Nullity of Marriage Bill. I cannot take a part; but he must do so if he wishes to preserve his grandfather's clause.

May 11.

Heard from Lord Holland, who is fully alive to the consequences of the Bill. He thinks I am right not to take a part.

There was an indigo-planter before the Committee to-day. It seems, as I supposed, to be just as unnecessary for indigo-manufacturers to be indigo- growers as it is for maltsters to be great farmers. This man took out no capital and he had no licence; yet he was permitted to reside and take a lease, and the agency houses lent him money at 10 and 12 per cent.

The judge, Sir T. Strange, was a sensible man. He deprecated the introduction of English law into the provinces.

The King is getting weaker, which the physicians dread more than his spasms. It is thought he can hardly last a week.

Read the memorandum on Hyderabad a second time, and sent it with the proposed letter and alterations to the Duke.

Prepared materials for Lord Stanhope's motion about shipping on Thursday.