“The King has commanded me to acquaint your Royal Highness that His Majesty most heartily rejoices at the safe delivery of the Princess; but that your carrying away her Royal Highness from Hampton Court, the then residence of the King, the Queen and the Royal Family, under the pains--and certain indication of immediate labour to the imminent danger, and hazard both of the Princess and her child, and after sufficient warnings for a week before to have made the necessary preparations for the happy event without acquainting his Majesty or the Queen with the circumstances the Princess was in, or giving them the least notice of your departure, is looked upon by the King to be such a deliberate indignity offered to himself and the Queen, that he has commanded me to acquaint your Royal Highness that he resents it to the highest degree, and _will not see you_.” But this time the worry proved too much for the Queen, whose health was fast failing, and she was seized with a violent attack of the gout. However, she had her comforter in her close attendant, Lord Hervey; and this time she broke through all rules of etiquette and admitted him to the sick room to sit by her bed. Here he made himself agreeable and amusing as usual, and did not forget to keep alive the Queen’s resentment against her son. The Prince of Wales very dutifully sent Lord North to inquire after his mother’s health. This message seemed to annoy Lord Hervey, who, in his petty way, was probably jealous. He offered to write a much more sincere message--from his point of view--than the Prince had really sent. He went into the next room with the Princess Caroline and wrote the following abominable doggerel rhymes. The Griff[46] to the Queen: “From myself and my cub and eke from my wife I send my Lord North notwithstanding our strife, To your Majesty’s residence called Hampton Court Pour savoir au vrai, comment on se porte. For ’tis rumoured in town--I hope ’tis not true Your foot is too big for your slipper or shoe. If I had the placing your gout, I am sure Your Majesty’s toe less pain should endure; For whil’st I’ve so many curs’d things in my head And some stick in my stomach as in Proverbs ’tis said. So just a good reason your good son can see Why, when mine are so plagued, Yours from plague should be free Much more I’ve to say, but respect bids be brief And so I remain your undutiful Griff.” And yet Lord Hervey considered himself a poet! Of course the gentle insinuation intended in his lines was that the Prince hoped that the gout would fly to the Queen’s head or stomach and kill her. Poor soul! she had a much more fatal malady, which she bore in secret, and which even Lord Hervey, her constant companion, knew nothing of. It is said that the Queen was greatly entertained by these verses! Lord Hervey and Pope the Poet were by no means good friends.