The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-03 00:00:00

ROYAL DEATH.

AUTHENTIC COPY OF A 'LETTER FROM ONE OW THE
ATTENDANTS OF THE LATE QUEEN CAROLINE, TO
A LADY IN LANCASHIRE.

I will not make any apology, dear Madam,
for not having wrote sooner, and I do assure you
this is the first time I have taken up a pen in my
hand since the Qneen's illness, which lasted twelve
(lays ; nine are now past since we lost the best
Queen, Friend, and Mistress, that ever servants
had ; yet still all my faculties were benumbed as
I if :seized with a palsy ; you who know what it is
to, feel, can judge what one suffers with le Cain.
Serre, et /a Tate tout embrouille, and how little
one is capable of uttering even .their own sorrow.
From the first seizure I foresaw our loss, and
hardluever felt a gleam of hope, and yet when
the stroke come it found me unprepared, but not'
`her that urfderwent it. She never from 'her first.

illness had any *hopes of recovery, nor shoved the.
least fear of the pains she endured, or of the last.
closing scene*: her only concern Was for the:
King's affliction, which is certainly as sincere and.
intense •as ever human -nature sustained ; the
Archilishisp„ who constantly attended her, told me
that he never saw a behaviour equally glorious
and Christian to her's, and that all she had said
to him deserved to be printed. The first time he
•ivent, when be expressed his sorrow to see her so
ill, and her pains so great, she told him that
though her body suffered she had a good con-
science, which spoke inexpressible comfort to her,
and supported her in all her torments.
" About two hours before she died, she called
for the Duke (the late Duke of Cumberland),
who was in the room with the King and the
Princesses, though he had at that time a severe
fevere which he contracted by having sat up se-
veral nights together. When he came to her bed-
side she told hint she had called him to give him
her last blessing, and upon that to chat ge him al-
ways to he dutiful to his father, and never to
listen to any one who might be wicked enough
to insinuate to him that thry could have sepa-
rate interests ; for even if that were possible he
%-t ould fiud more comfort in the reflection of hav-
ing adhered to his duty, than in the possession of
all the Empires of the world, and added that whe-
ther he lived long or not he would find no thotight
worth his care on a Dying Bed, but how. he had
lived, and if he could then feel how.he acted the
part of a man of Honour, Justice, and of a Chris-
tian, it would give hint Joy that she could feel
but not describe. Site then ordered. him to go to
bed, which he submitted to with great reluctance.
After she had been quiet some time, they asked
her to take sonic Viper Broth, but she de-
sired to, have something to give., her a little
" They brought her some Palsy Drops in Ma-
deira wine, the swallowing of which gave her a
fit of Coughing and Difficulty of Drawing her
Breath for some time. She then took leave of
the Princesses one by one, and gave some parti-
cular directions to each of them. Last of all she
took leave of the King, and thanked him for all
goodness to her in, the most moving terms
imaginable, and among other things said, my poor
servants they are under Excessive Affliction, give.
me leave Sire to recommend them Ads your pro-
tection ; when she had done speaking she bid
one of the Bedchamber women take away tire
'candles, which stood by the Bed; the King ask-
•ed her if they hurt her Eyes,-she said, No sire,
but I would spare you the, afiliction.of•seeing, me.
die; she, then laid quiet again about a quarter of
an hour, at the end of which she 'called to those
in the Room (for the Archbishop was gone) to
read. the Recommendatory Prayer, and Desired
them. to pray for her and read aloud that she
might hear them ; before it was finished she
Expired.
'flue King-stayed in.the_Room with her about
half an hour after, and I believe has not known. a
thought since, but what tended in the Strongest
manner to shew his tenderness and regard to her
memory. His first act was to confirm to-all her
Servants, from. the_ highest to the lowest, their
respective. Salaries for their Lives ; the next was
to look into her charitable pensions, which
amounted. to 13,0001. per annum, which he like-
wise confirmed,; and not satisfy'd with that, has
ordered that we should let him know the names
of those who received Casual relief through her
hands, that lie may from time to time assist them.
This is the behaviour of the man who has been
called false to her, fickle in his friendship, and
avaricious. He has ordered her body to be Em-
balmed, as near as they could get any light, in
the manner of the Egyptians, at die Expense of
between a & 600 pounds. Her funeral is to he
in the manner of Queen Ann':, and her whole
family attend their Days about her, as if she was
still alive, i. e. the Ladies of her Bed Chamber,
Lord Chamberlain, and Master of the Horse, by
Day—two Maids of Honour, two Bed Chamber
Women, and an Equerry, every Night.
R9th Nour. 1737."