The Drunken Feathers

Scene xxxix

Outside the House of Commons, that same day. The DUKE OF PORTLAND approaches the PRINCE OF WALES and the rest of the Whigs.

DUKE OF PORTLAND: What in God's name compelled you to say that the Prince should assume power as though the King were dead? Did you not have the slightest notion that the House would judge that you had gone too far? Now we certainly must have lost Lord Thurlow's support.

SHERIDAN: [To FOX] William is right, Charles. We must ascertain Lord Thurlow's allegiance. That way, he can persuade other Tories to abandon the regency bill. Then, the Independents, seeing that both Whigs and Tories approve of the new administration, will support it themselves. The government will be good as ours!

LORD THURLOW suddenly approaches them. Everyone bows to him, and he to them.

LORD THURLOW: Gentlemen, I have had a change of heart.

SHERIDAN: [Frowns] What can you mean?

LORD THURLOW: Whether or not the Prince of Wales is granted full power upon becoming Prince Regent, I am withdrawing my support.

SHERIDAN: You can't!

PRINCE OF WALES: You swore that you would be our Lord Chancellor!

LORD THURLOW: To do so would be to abandon my administration, my party, and my King, and so I have come to this conclusion: when I forget my sovereign, may my God forget me. [Bows] Good day.

The PRINCE OF WALES and SHERIDAN glare as he walks over to the Tories, who welcome him back into their circle.

PRINCE OF WALES: [Sour and sarcastic] Wonderful, absolutely grand. Now we've lost Lord Thurlow.

LORD LOUGHBOROUGH: I should have been presumed to be Lord Chancellor all along. I knew we could never win over a Tory.

FOX: We shall get along fine without Lord Thurlow.

PRINCE OF WALES: I should hope so. If Pitt's Regency Bill is passed-

FOX: It will not be! I'll be damned if it is.

Cut to ACT II, SCENE XXXXI.