Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/398

394 that the Council of State Officers that should immediately meet on the joyous Occasion of the Queen's Delivery would not only be the most favour- able Moment for us, but also the most honourable if any of such Business could be introduced. The good Archbishop engaged to try what could be done, and I got the Clerks of the Council to promise me early Notice to attend with the Petition. The Event, however, happened sudden and easy to the Queen, as every Briton had prayed it might and before I could hear of it, and had huddled on my Gown to run to St James' with my Petition, the Council was convened in the King's Closet I meditated whether it was proper to send in any Thing under cover to the Archbishop while in the Royal Presence, and as I was perplexing myself about this, the Council rose. I immediately saw his Grace, who wished me double Joy, on the Birth of a Prince and the Completion of our Business, of which he had not been unmindful. For before he went into Council, he desired Lord Egre- mont, who presides in Lord Granville's absence, to propose it. His Lord- ship doubted whether anything of Business had been ever introduced on such an occasion. Lord Bute, who was very willing to have our busi- ness through, observed that there was on the present occasion, one other Piece of Business to be done, viz : qualifying Lord Berkly as Constable of the Tower, and that ours might also be done. When the Council met, Lord Egremont did accordingly propose our affair (the Archbishop giving the Substance of the Petition, for I had got the original) and after some few Objections and Answers to them, our good and gracious King himself signi- fied his Royal Pleasure that if there was nothing contrary to Right in what we desired, it might be granted, and Lord Bute further informed that his Majesty had so far approved the Thing already as to be a Contributor to it ; upon which it was unanimously and without more Difficulty agreed to, the Chancellor and other State Officers being present ; and I have this Moment received the Order of Council from Mr Sharpe who has been truly oblig- ing in the Affair and made a present of his Fees to the Design, though the other Fees are still pretty high. Would that the life of the young Prince who first saw light this day had been equally meritorious in its purposes and aims as were those of the Brief now granted at the Council called to- register his birth.