[George III; Lord North; Lord Barrington; Earl of Onslow; Jeremiah Dyson; John Lloyd] King's Signature ('George R.'), with those of North, Barrington, Onslow, Dyson and Lloyd, to warrant placing Jacob Carnac of 84 Regiment of Foot on half pay.

Author: 
George III (1738-1820); Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford (1732-92); George Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow (1731-1814); Jeremiah Dyson (1722-76); William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington (1717-93)
Publication details: 
'Given at Our Court at St. James's this 27th day of September 1769 in the Ninth Year of Our Reign.'
£750.00
SKU: 23127

The present document carries the signatures of three central figures on the British side during the American War of Independence: King George III, his Prime Minister Lord North, and Secretary at War Lord Barrington, along with the signatures of the Earl of Onslow, Jeremiah Dyson and John Lloyd, Deputy Auditor of the Imprest. 2pp, foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Thin strip of paper from mount adhering to inner edge on first page. Good firm signature of 'George R.' in customary place at top right, with the king making two small blots of ink by the final flourish of the 'R'. Thirty-one lines of text, signed, 'By His Majesty's Command', by 'Barrington'. Written in a secretarial hand, and addressed 'To Our Right Trusty and Wellbeloved Councillor Henry Lord Holland late Paymaster General of Our Guards, Garrisons and Land Forces, and to the Paymaster for the time being.' The document places 'Ensign Jacob Carnac of Our late 84th. Regiment of Foot' on half pay. Three of the five Lords Commissioners of the Treasury – 'North | Geo Onslow. | J. Dyson' – sign at the foot of the document, beneath the following: 'We have been made acquainted with the aforegoing Warrant, Whitehall, Treasury Chambers the 5th day of September 1770'. Annotated along left-hand margin of first page: 'Entred in the Office of the Right Honble. Lewis Lord Sondes Auditor the 8th. of September 1770 | John Lloyd Dep: Audr.' The following at the foot of the second page: 'Jacob Carnac 1s. 10d. a day as a reduced Ensign of his Majs. 84th. Regt. of Foot'. From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library. Hunter and his mother Ida Macalpine had a particular interest in the illness of King George III, and their book 'George III and the Mad Business' (1969) suggested the diagnosis of porphyria popularised by Alan Bennett in his play 'The Madness of George III'.