Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
'At supper, the King was cheerful, not shewing the least sign of fear
or apprehension of any danger, neither then, nor at any time during the
whole course of this business, which is no small wonder, considering
that the very thought of his enemies, so great and so many, so diligent
and so much interested in his ruin, was enough, as long as he was
within their reach; and, as it were, in the very midst of them, to have
daunted the stoutest courage in the world, as if God had opened his
eyes, as he did Elisha's servant at his master's request, and he had
seen an heavenly host round about him to guard him, which, to us, was
invisible; who, therefore, though much encouraged by his undauntedness
and the assurance of so good and glorious a cause, yet were not without
secret terrors within ourselves, and thought every minute, a day, a
month, till we should see his sacred person out of their reach.
'Supper ended, the King stood with his back against the fire, leaning
over a chair. Up came mine host (upon some jealousy, I guess, not my
certain knowledge); but up comes he, who called himself Gaius, runs
to the King, catcheth his hand, and kissing it, said, "It shall not be
said but I have kissed the best man's hand in England."
'He had waited at table at supper time, where the boatman also sat with
us, and were there present. Whether he had seen, or heard anything that
could give him any occasion of suspicion, I know not; in very deed,
the King had a hard task so to carry himself in all things, that he
might be in nothing like himself, majesty being so natural unto him,
that, even when he said nothing, did nothing, his very looks (if a man
observed) were enough to betray him.
'It was admirable to see how the King (as though he had not been
concerned in these words, which might have sounded in the ears of
another man as the sentence of death) turned about in silence, without
any alteration of countenance, or taking notice of what had been said.
'About a quarter of an hour after, the King went to his chamber, where
I followed him, craved his pardon with earnest protestation, that I
was as innocent, so altogether ignorant of the cause how this had
happened. "Peace, peace, colonel," said the King, "the fellow knows me,
and I him; he was one (whether so, or not, I know not, but so the King
thought at the time) that belonged to the back stairs to my father. I
hope he is an honest fellow."
'After this, I began to treat with the boatman (Tettersfield,[16] by
name), asking him in what readiness he was. He answered he could not be
off that night, because, for more security, he had brought his vessel
into creek, and the tide had forsaken it, so that it was on ground.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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