420 QUEEN CAROLINE. [1821. 



to drink a thing which had at no time of her life the 

 shadow of foundation. Lady Charlotte Lindsay was 

 beset by persons to find out the fact respecting this 

 ridiculous charge, and always gave the same answer, 

 as did all her ladies, and Mrs Darner, who lived a great 

 deal with her. It is undeniable that all these vexa- 

 tious proceedings tended to make her turn her thoughts 

 towards once more travelling; and she had some inten- 

 tions of visiting Scotland, but upon the whole her 

 thoughts were turned more towards Switzerland and 

 the north of Italy. 



It was now determined that the coronation should 

 take place, and till that was over she could not quit Lon- 

 don. Her claim was made to be crowned as a right; and 

 the claim being referred to the Privy Council, we were 

 heard before a very crowded meeting, Lord Harrowby, 

 as President, in the chair. The Attorney and Solicitor 

 General attended as assessors to the Council ; and there 

 were present to assist, the Chancellor, the Chief Jus- 

 tices, and Chief Baron, and all the other judges who 

 were privy councillors. Denman and I argued the 

 case at the bar for the claim, the Attorney and Solici- 

 tor General (Gifford and Copley) against it ; and the 

 decision was, that as the Queen was living separate 

 from the King, she had no right to be crowned ; and 

 thus it was left to the King to refuse it. This was 

 manifestly a political judgment, entirely influenced by 

 what had taken place the year before ; for we showed, 

 by the clearest proofs, that there was no instance 

 whatever of a queen not being crowned, except one, 

 when she was abroad ; and another, where there was 

 a difference of religion, and she declined it ; but none 

 whatever of a queen-consort not being crowned when 



