and abominable falsehood that had been so industriously fabricated for the present purpose, but that it would be further promoting the views of those who had been so wickedly labouring to injure His Royal Highness in the public mind, and through him to degrade the rest of the Royal Family. But the moment is now come when I can with propriety withdraw myself from such persecution and injustice, and the conscious satisfaction that I have by my silence and forbearance on my side given the strongest proof of my duty to the Royal Family and of that respectful attachment and gratitude to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, which can never end but with my life.

"I am, Madam, with all possible respect,

"Your Royal Highness's most humble servant, "A. JERSEY."

The reason why the Prince of Wales was so insistent on separation from his Consort was, not his devotion to Lady Jersey (as that lady soon found out, no doubt, much to her surprise), but his desire to resume relations with Mrs. Fitzherbert. Lady Jersey had been entirely indifferent to the fact that the man with whom she had an intrigue was married. Mrs. Fitzherbert was a woman of a very different stamp. She would not even receive any overtures from the man she regarded as her husband so long as he was living, even nominally, with his Consort. In her eyes, George and Caroline were living in adultery. But if the Prince ever loved anyone, it was Maria Fitzherbert.

When he was very ill early in 1796, he signed a will in which is the following passage: "In this my last Will and Testament, I now bequeath, give and settle at my

death all my worldly property of every description, denomination and sort, personal and otherwise, to Maria Fitzherbert, my Wife, the Wife of my heart and soul, although by the laws of this country she could not avail herself publicly of that name. Still such she is in the eyes of Heaven, was, is, and ever will be in mine. And for the truth of which assertion I appeal to that gracious God Whom I have here invited to witness this, my last disposition of my property, etc., together with such explanations as are necessary for me to make to enable me to quit this life with a clear conscience, and even without a sigh, except at the thought of leaving her (and perhaps, too, without receiving the blessing of her forgiveness), who is my real and true Wife, and who is dearer to me, even a million times dearer to me, than the life I am going to resign."

George grew desperate when Mrs. Fitzherbert would not even answer his letters. Alternately he coaxed and threatened. Finally, she, being a devout Roman Catholic, went so far as to say she would appeal to Rome, but that if Rome would not sanction the reunion she would go, and remain, abroad. The Pope pronounced her to be the wife of the Prince of Wales according to the law of the Church, and stated that she was free to rejoin her husband, if he was truly penitent for his sins and sincere in his promise of amendment. That the Pope's decision had been invited was, of course, kept a profound secret; and, indeed, it would have wrought incalculable harm to the Prince had it become known that he had even passively been concerned in an appeal to His Holiness.

Even after this the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert did not openly renew their relations for a while, though they met in private. Very early in the beginning of 1800

they began to appear in public, to the surprise of some of their friends. The affair of Mrs. Fitzherbert and the Prince of Wales becomes very incomprehensible; it is a fact that he meets her whenever he can, and a conversation ensues that takes them both out of the ' company," Lady Jerningham noted. "On Saturday, Lady Kenmare tells me, that Mrs. Fitzherbert, Mrs. Butler, and the Prince were in a high box all night in conversation; the Princess at the opera, and also Lady Jersey. I comprehend it no longer, for I had thought Mrs. Fitzherbert a woman of principle."

There was so much gossip that it was thought wise for Mrs. Fitzherbert, in June, to give a "public breakfast " at her house in Tilney Street" to meet His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales." His Royal Highness made it known that he expected Mrs. Fitzherbert to be invited to any entertainment to which he was asked to go: if she was not so invited he himself stayed away.

Of course, one of Mrs. Fitzherbert's conditions was that all intercourse between the Prince and Lady Jersey should cease; but Lady Jersey was not prepared to efface herself, and there is in the Jerningham Letters mention of an incident that took place at this time at a party at the Duchess of Devonshire's house at Chiswick, at which Mrs. Fitzherbert and the Prince were present: "The Prince stood almost the whole time by his band, with Dr. Burney, ordering different pieces of music. Lady Jersey was coasting round the spot where he stood, with her daughters, Lady Anne Lambton and Lady Elizabeth Villiers (who has not yet been presented, and appears to be quite a girl). The Prince was quite annoyed with her, and eyed her askance; but she is resolved to plague him; she professes it to be her resolution."

Mrs. Fitzherbert told Lord Stourton that the next eight years were the happiest of her connection with the Prince. "She used to say," he has related, "that they were extremely poor, but as merry as crickets; and, as a proof of their poverty, she told me that once, on their returning to Brighton from London, they mustered their common means, and could not raise five pounds between them. Upon this, or some such occasion, she related to me, an old and faithful servant endeavoured to force them to accept sixty pounds which he said he had accumulated in the service of the best of masters and mistresses. She added, however, that even this period, the happiest of their lives, was much embittered by the numerous political difficulties which frequently surrounded the Prince."

Whatever his financial troubles, the Prince found money or credit-for the continual enlargement of the Pavilion at Brighton. He was frequently there, and usually Mrs. Fitzherbert accompanied him to the watering-place, staying near by. Presently she built a mansion that was known as Steyne House, where His Royal Highness was a regular visitor, and was often to be seen on her balcony. Nearly every day they were to be seen walking together on The Steyne. Financial anxiety was removed, temporarily at least, in 1803, when the Prince's debts to the amount of £650,000 were discharged, and an increased income voted by Parliament.

Mrs. Fitzherbert was popular in Brighton, especially with those who knew her best; but the caricaturists found in her an excellent subject. There is a cartoon, "A Brighton Breakfast, or, Morning Comforts." Mrs. Fitzherbert, at breakfast, is pouring Hollands into a large tumbler, marked "Comfort," for Lady Lade, and saying, "Won't you take another comforter? We must

make haste; I expect Noodle here presently." Lady Lade, who takes brandy, says, "I think your comforters are bigger than my John's," John being Sir John Lade, her husband, and a great crony of the Prince. Another drawing was, " Birds of a Feather flock together; Diversions of Brighton." The Prince and Sir John are on the box of an open carriage, in which are seated Mrs. Fitzherbert and a Miss Snow. Sir John is lashing one of the four horses, and says to the Prince, "There, b—t it, don't you see? That's the Cut." Miss Snow says to Mrs. Fitzherbert, "Did Noodle bring your physic this morning?" To which she replies, "Oh, yes, he calls regularly every morning."

It is more pleasant to turn to a passage in a letter written by Thomas Creevey, who often went with his wife to the Pavilion. "We used to dine pretty punctually at six, the average number being sixteen," he wrote in 1805. "Mrs. Fitzherbert always dined there, and mostly one other lady-Lady Downshire very often, sometimes Lady Clare, or Lady Berkeley, or Mrs. Creevey. Mrs. Fitzherbert was a great card-player, and played every night. The Prince never touched a card, but was occupied in talking to his guests, and very much in listening to and giving directions to the band. At twelve o'clock punctually the band stopped, and sandwiches and wine and water were handed about, and shortly after the Prince made a bow, and we all dispersed."

Caroline, though she was bitter enough against Lady Jersey, had no unkind feeling towards Mrs. Fitzherbert. There must, however, have been something of cynicism underlying her remark: "I hope my husband will not feel me any impediment to the reconciliation he is so desirous for." On the other hand, she paid tribute to Mrs. Fitzherbert: "That is the Prince's true wife; she