Letter from Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, London, to Maria Fitzherbert, 1801 November 21 : manuscript signed.

Asking her to speak to his brother [George IV] on his behalf concerning "...the inutility of Colonel Thomas' services" to the Princess of Wales; saying "But I really felt it a duty incumbent upon me, as the person employed by him to put the Princess's affairs under certain regulations, to point out that the Colonel was in every respect unfit for the business, and that the plan could not go on without a more capable person to direct it. I trust it will need no great exertion to convince the Prince of my zeal in his service, of my fidelity in the discharge of the duty he has intrusted me with, or of my firm friendship for him, but I am aware, as in this point, I have been compelled from a sense of what in honor I owed him, to speak a little against what I know to be his sentiments : I am apprehensive that, at the first outset, it may put him a little in ill humour with me; and to prevent this continuing is the object of my thus intruding upon you. Permit me therefore to hope you will assist me in convincing the Prince that I have acted only from the sense of the duty I owed him, and from what, in honour and conscience I felt I should act like a scoundrel if I did not candidly state.