ever I had to write to the person she, about this time, most honoured with her confidence, Mons. Guys, the French consul at Beyrout, she would not allow me to make any further allusion to her illness than to state simply that she was confined to her bed-room with a cold. "I see you are afraid about me," she said, "but I have recovered from worse illnesses than this by God's help and the strength of my constitution."
desirous to comply as speedily as possible with the request of his faithful Commons, has given directions for granting to the present Earl of Chatham, and to the heirs of the body of the late William Pitt, to whom the Earldom of Chatham may descend, an annuity of £4,000 per annum, payable out of the Civil List revenue; but his Majesty, not having it in his power to extend the effects of the said grant beyond the term of his own life, recommends it to the house to consider of a proper method of extending, securing, and annexing the same to the Earldom of Chatham in such a manner as shall be thought most effectual to the benefit of the family of the said William Pitt, Earl of Chatham.
On May 20th, in the House of Commons, Mr. Townsend moved in a committee on the king's message—"That the sum of £4,000 be granted to his Majesty out of the Aggregate Fund, to commence from 5th July, 1778, and be settled in the most beneficial manner upon the present Earl of Chatham and the heirs of the body of the late William Pitt, to whom the Earldom of Chatham shall descend." The resolution was agreed to without opposition, and a bill was ordered to be brought in thereon, which passed the Commons without debate.
