ertain, for not only was the prince closely allied with the
opposition, but he was deeply offended at the line Pitt had taken with
reference to his debts. The hopes of the opposition ran high. Fox, who
was travelling in Italy with his mistress, Mrs. Armistead, was sent for
in hot haste. In his absence Sheridan, whose convivial habits made him
acceptable to the prince, busied himself with the affairs of the party.
If they came into power Loughborough had an undoubted claim to the
chancellorship. Thurlow, however, was ready to betray his colleagues if
he were assured that he should retain his office. The prince and
Sheridan arranged that he should have his price, and he secretly joined
them. From the first Pitt decided on his course; the prince must be
appointed regent by act of parliament, with such limitations as would
secure the king, should he recover, from being hampered in the exercise
of his rights.[215] For himself, embarrassed as his private affairs
were, he looked forward calmly to the loss of office, and determined to
practise as a barrister. According to the last prorogation, parliament
was to meet on the 20th. The king's insanity rendered a further
prorogation impossible; parliament met, and Pitt procured an adjournment
until December 4, to see how it would go with the king.

Meanwhile Fox returned home and unwillingly agreed to the arrangement
with Thurlow. The chancellor's colleagues were convinced that he
betrayed their counsels, and one day when the cabinet met at Windsor,
the fact that he had first had a private interview with the prince was
disclosed through the loss of his hat; "I suppose," he growled, "I left
it in the other place," the prince's apartment.[216] Pitt wisely took no
notice of his treachery. On the 3rd the king's physicians were examined
by the privy council; they stated that he was mentally incapable, that
they believed that his illness was curable, and that they could not say
how long it might continue. The opposition was anxious to make the worst
of matters, for if the illness was likely to be a long one, it would be
difficult to refuse the regent full powers. Accordingly, on the 4th, Fox
urged that the physicians should be examined by a committee of the
house. Pitt assented readily, for a new physician had been called in who
took a favourable view of the case. This was Willis, a clergyman, who
had become a doctor, and was a specialist in insanity; he took chief
charge of the king, who