t is impossible to believe they were not
made purposely deceptive. It would appear that King George, like many
braver and better men, had a nervous objection to any admission by
himself or on his behalf that there was the slightest reason for alarm as
to the state of his health. Greville, who was then in Rome, notes on May
12 that: "Everybody here is in great alarm about the King, who I have no
doubt is very ill." Then Greville adds, in characteristic fashion: "I am
afraid he will die before I get home, and I should like to be in at the
death, and see all the proceedings of a new reign." But he makes up his
mind that he must not hurry his departure on the ground that "I shall
probably never see Rome again, and I have a good chance of seeing at
least one king more leave us."

Days and days went on and the public were still kept in doubt, until on
May 24 a message was sent in the King's name to both Houses of Parliament
to say that the King no longer found it convenient to sign State papers
with his own hand, and hoped some means might be found for relieving him
from the necessity of making any attempt to discharge the painful duty.
This announcement made it clear enough to everybody that the King was in
a very {87} weak condition, but there was naturally some difficulty about
devising an entirely satisfactory method of dispensing him from the duty
of appending his sign-manual to important documents. Not a very long
time had passed away since the throne of England was nominally occupied
by an insane sovereign. It was thought quite possible that insanity
might show itself in the present King, and it was absolutely necessary
that the utmost care should be taken to provide against any chance of the
royal authority being misused by those who surrounded the sovereign. It
was arranged, therefore, that the sign-manual should be affixed in the
King's presence, and in obedience to his order given by word of mouth,
and that the document thus stamped must be endorsed by three members of
the Privy Council. All this was to be provided for by an Act of
Parliament, and the Act was only to be in operation during the session
then going on, in order that if the King's malady should last the renewal
of the regular authority must be formally sought from the Legislature.
The Bill for this purpose became law on May 28, and it remained in
operation but for a very short time. On June 26, about three in the
morning, the reign of George th