Add MS 89259/2

Letters and declarations by Princess Charlotte of Wales to her tutor and sub-preceptor, the Rev Dr George Frederick Nott. The letters were later transcribed for the Chancellor, Lord Eldon, as evidence in the case against George Frederick Nott in 1809 (see Add MS 82586, Eldon Papers vol. VI). These originals have been numbered in pencil on the verso with numbers corresponding to the order of the transcripts in Add MS 82586, probably at the time of transcription.

Early undated letters

• My dear Mr Nott, I assure you that I have made resolutions to be good and most sincerely hope you will find me everything you can wish. You need not have recourse to punishment[.] try me once more before you proceed, heaven knows that from this moment to the end of my life I will study to make you and every body happy who are about me [.] you have been so good and kind as to slave for me, that is to say you have been labouring most kindly for my good and you have generously made yourself unhappy for me it is fair I should slave to make amends for my lost time and ill conduct towards you. I am your ever afft. and dutifull pupil – C. P.S. pray give me a line. – Undated [c. 1806]. [Numbered on verso: 2, i.e. no. 2 in ‘Early undated letters’ of Add MS 82586, f. 18].
• My dearest Mr Nott – As I wish to perform my promise I cannot do better than enclose to you Lady de Clifford’s Letter- Have the kindness as to ma[ke a] [paper loss] small prayer that we may have it a prayers to morrow if you will[.] I shall be much obliged to you. I am your ever affte. Child Charlotte. Undated [c. 1806]. Scrawled. [Numbered on verso: 4, i.e. no. 4 in ‘Early undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 20].
• My dear Mr Nott, I entreat of you to come and hear me do some of my Latin lesson, and then tell me what you think of me and if you find I have kept my word in doing it well. I promise you upon my word and honer I will continue to do so for ever and ever. I will not ask you to read because that would be to bold and to much to ask but only come to night for half an hur and see if I keep to my word to do ever-thing you can wish and if I break my Word and Honer never believe me again[.] pray give me a line to tell me weather will you come yes al or not none [?] I am your affte C. Undated. Scrawled. [Numbered on verso: 8, i.e. no. 8 in ‘Early undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 24].
• My dear Mr Nott, I cannot help writing to assure you of my very sincere and true repentance that it is not the fright of punishment that makes me write but it is from a sence of my ill conduct that makes me write let me most humbly implore your forgiveness and let me assure you that I am willing to submit to what ever punishment you think proper to inflict that I trust you will for give my impudence in offering to write this I assure you shall be my last letter that I shall truble you with that my mind is capable of your pooting any thing in it you please[.] O My Dear Dear Mr Nott forgive I pray you me this time and never never shall you have another trouble with me as long as you are with me my heart is penitent I assure you[.] O my God my God enable me to do my duty in the wourld and in the wourld to come[.] do do forgive me my dear Mr Nott I trust you will come at 10[.] it is not a cant but sincere words form my heart I feel it and with these sentiments I am your ever affte. and dutiful [deautiful, crossed out] pupil. C. [never shall another lie come out of me, crossed out]. Undated [c. 1806]. Scrawled. [Numbered on verso: 3, i.e. no. 3 in ‘Later undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 114; however, handwriting and spelling suggest an earlier date].
• Dear Sir, It is by the Bishop’s order that I write these few lines to you to tell you that I confessed to the Bishop that when you came at 12 I was determined to do all in my power to please you but that my mind was distressed & confused at what had happened & that mind wandered but I assure you it will not happen tomorrow. With respect to this evening the Bishop begs you will do as you please. I am Dear Sir, your ever affte. Charlotte. Undated [c. 1806]. [Numbered on verso: 28, i.e. no. 28 in ‘Early undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 44].
• My dear Mr Nott- I was very much shocked & grieved when I opened your kind letter it contained such sad news. I thank you very sincerely for your kind attention in not wishing to let me know of your dangerous situation. Indeed I can feal all what you had the kindness to wright to me. Pray my dearest Mr Nott wright to me when you get to your journeys end that I may have the satisfaction of hereing that you are better. We all will join in fervend prayers for your recovery. We all earnestly hope you will soon recover. I do assure you that I shall do all in my power for you[.] I now inclose to you two lessons I have done for you which I hope you will find done to your liking [etc.]. Undated [c. 1806-1807?]. [Numbered on verso: 33, i.e. no. 33 in ‘Early undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 49].
• My dear Mr Nott- I fear as it is past 11 you are to much indisposed to come out of our house [sic]. I have not, withstanding enclosed [for] you the letter I have written to the Bishop of Exeter & I hope you will find it as you could wish[.] sincerely do I hope you will be better[.] I trust we shall have the happiness of seeing you tomorrow morning better & then I shall make up for the loss of one day’s lesson [etc.]. Undated [c. 1806-1807?]. [Numbered on verso: 35, i.e. no. 35 in ‘Early undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 51. This letter dates from before July 1807, when Fisher became Bishop of Salisbury].

Letters dated 1805

• My dear Mr Nott, I trust you will not think I have forgot to perform my promise…[the Bishop] comes and reads to us in the evenings a very entertaining book called the arts of life … I assure you my dear Mr Nott that I feel quite ashamed at my having given you so much uneasiness and I hope it will not happen again. I send you my exersize and trust it is written well…. 1 September 1805. [Numbered on verso: 3, i.e. no. 3 in ‘1805 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 58].
• My dear Mr Nott, I feel quite anxious to learn from you if you arrived safe. … The Bishop of Exeter has requested Mr. Bolton when Christmas Holidays come to bring some chymical and optic things to show us I wish you were with us to see them. [etc.]. 19 December 1805. [Numbered on verso: 5, i.e. no. 5 in ‘1805 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 60].
• Permit me my Dear Mr Nott to wish that you may live to see and enjoy many many happy years, that as they gradually go round you may find me at the years end more improved than at the beginning. I bear in mind you kind advice and I think I have profited by it I have forgot my self twice but retrieved my faults. … Snap Dragon [etc.]. 29 December 1805. [Numbered on verso: 6, i.e. no. 6 in ‘1805 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 61].

Letters dated 1806

• Declaration, dated 2 May 1806. I solemly declair that I owe everything to the Revd. Mr Nott who by his great goodness & kindness has remained with me for the sole purpose of doing me an ungreatful being good[.] I must intreat the Almighty God who is good & kind to those who pray to him to forgive me my formere sins & to implore the forgiveness of Mr Nott[.] I here solemnly declair that from this time forward I give myself intirely to make him happy & a Child under Pupilage will do my utmost to regain my benefacters friendship. May 2 1806. Witnesses [unsigned]. [Numbered on verso: 1, i.e. no. 1 in ‘1806 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 68.
• Dear Mr Nott, I cannot describe to you how pleased I was when Lady de Clifford told me that Lady Albermarle who is just arrived in Town has brought me the little Pug Dog she had promised me. Lady de Clifford and the Bishop are so good as to try me once more and I have promised them I will not tease it […]. P.S. I have had a letter from my Dear Papa which makes me very happy because he tells me he shall come to Town very soon. 3 January 1806. [unnumbered; no. 3 in ‘1806 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 70].
• Dearest Mr Nott, Mrs C commands me to write to you and to say that both Mr G and Mr Bolton have been very much pleased with me, but Mr B in particular therefore I hope you will do us the favour of your compiny tonight at 7 Oclock. Sis memor mihi. I remain with respect, Your humble servant C. Wednesday 12 [no month], 1806. [Numbered on verso: 4, i.e. no. 4 in ‘1806 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 71].
• My dearest Mr Nott, Sincerely do I hope you are better & that you are getting stronger. I never had you out of my thoughts & Mrs Udny can tell you that I have been trying to please you & all my kind friends – I can not help once more saying to you that the letter you was so kind to wright to me has affected me very much & we all from the bottum of our hearts thank god for your preservation that letter I am sure I shall never part with. What should I have had to answer for if you had been taken out of the world should I have not had the dreadful thought of remembering that it was through me – O what a dreadful reacollection that would have been but now I shall laber to recover your health by my industry & wish to please & make you happy [etc.]. 3 August 180[illegible]. [Numbered on verso: 9, i.e. no. 9 in ‘1806 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 76].

Letters dated 1807

• I cannot begin the new year better than by beginning a letter to my good friend Mr Nott & as I mean to give him a long letter I shall do part one day & part the other. As New Year’s day was a Holiday the Bishop was so kind to allow me to read in Mr Grey’s poems adorned by Mr Bentley’s designs which Lady de Clifford was so kind to give me that morning. The poems that entertained me the most where the favourite Cat & the Heroines in the long story. Such were my amusements & such I wish you could have partook of. But I have not neglected my Latin for I have read the whole story of the Deluge [etc.] 4 January 1807. [Numbered on verso: 1, i.e. no. 1 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 87].
• I would have written to my good Mr Nott before but I had a great many letters to write to thank my kind relations for all their goodness to me on my birthday. I must now thank you for the contents of the box which I shall always keep with the most heartfelt joy as I hope I shall merit some part of your confidence, [etc.]. 13 January 1807. [Numbered on verso: 2, i.e. no. 2 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 88].
• My dear Mr Nott, Late as my congratulations are still I hope you will not think they come less from the heart, for as you must have had a great deal of business I did not like to trouble you with a letter till I thought you might not be so much engaged ….[etc.] P.S. the Bishop & myself have advanced in the Odessey & I am very much entertained with the Incas. The Bishop Begs his compts. Thursday 18 June 1807. [Numbered on verso: 4, i.e. no. 4 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 90].
• My dear Mr Nott, As you was so good to wish to hear about us when we arrived I will now tell you that we got safe & well to Worthing, but we never suffered so much from the heat in our lives. About 3 miles from Worthing we where met by the Arundel Voluntear Cavelry who escorted us to our gate & there we were met by all the regiment of the foot; in the evening all the Town was eliminated which was a great mark of respect to the King & Papa. I assure you we enjoy ourselves extremely, we have the full view of the sea from our windows & the breezes from it are quite refreshing. We have been twice on the sands but find no shells nor sea weeds worth picking up. [etc.]. [Worthing], 24 July 1807. [Numbered on verso: 5, i.e. no. 5 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 91].
• My dear Mr Nott, You cannot think what pleasure your letter gave me, not only because you expressed satisfaction but as it assured me you was in good health. Since I have had the pleasure of a letter from you we have been to the church you have officiated in & I admire it very much as it look’s so white & clean; & because we have such good sermons by Mr. Wood. As you questioned me about my Donkey I must tell you she is in perfect health, & is very happy. I assure you she is in anxious expectation for our leaving Worthing to pay her respects to you in Town [etc.]. [Worthing], 4 August 1807. [Numbered on verso: 6, i.e. no. 6 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 92].
• Feeling conscious my dear Mr Nott how much I must appear to deserve your reproaches for my long silence I had the pen in my hand to write to you thinking what apology I could make to convince you that it neither was idleness nor unwillingness that I have not been so regular a corrispondant as you might have expected when I was agreeably relieved from my fears by your kind & interesting letter […] I will only mention Arundel Castle which was very interesting to me from its being the place where Maud retreated when Stephen beseiged it & I was shewn the apartaments she occupied at that time. It is now inhabited by some German Horned owls & a collection of King Charle’s breed of Dogs one of which I own I longed to have but the Duke is so selfish that he orders the Puppies to be killed rather than any body should have them. [etc.] [Worthing], 26 August 1807. Mail franked Aug 27 1807. [Numbered on verso: 7, i.e. no. 7 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 93, Rectangular excision on final leaf - possibly removal of a postage stamp].
• Your letter my dear Mr Nott gave me both pleasure & pain; the latter as it reminded me of a breach of promise which I hasten to exculpate myself from. the truth was I am sorry to say I really forgot it. Your letter gave me pleasure because it assured me of your perfect recovery & that I should soon have the pleasure of seeing you. As you are so good to say whatever concerns me will give you pleasure I must tell you I have begun a new exercise with the Bishop which is very entertaining. We also have read the beautiful History of Nisus & Euryolus in Latin & English. The oftener I read it the more beauties I find in it. The whole is charming but the simily between Euryolus & the poppey is one of the most beautiful things that can be. [etc.]. 4 September 1807. [Numbered on verso: 8, i.e. no. 8 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 94].
• My dear Mr Nott, As our morning was wholly taken up with the letter, you had not time to look over that lattin lesson you desir’d me to do, I have done it & as you had not left me anything to do I have done this for you wish I hope will meat with your approbation … let me assure you it was done as well as I could & before I conclude let me assure you of my unremitting exursions to correct my temper & my concern at what happened this mourning in the hopes I shall have the pleasure of seeing you well tomorrow [etc.]. 20 November 1807. Scrawled. [Numbered on verso: 9, i.e. no. 9 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 95].
• I hasten My dear Mr Nott according to your wish to write these few lines to assure you of my perfect health & happiness let me hope in like manner that you arrived safe & Bath & that you have benifited from being there. My life being so regular it cannot afford a great fund of entertainment but such as it is & coming from a friend may not be unwelcom. [etc.]. 31 December 1807. [Numbered on verso: 10, i.e. no. 10 in ‘1807 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 96].

Letters dated 1808

• Dear Sir, Short as my time is I cannot resist writing these few lines to express my pleasure at hearing what our good friend the Bishop has so kindly done for you. May you life long to enjoy this piece of good fortune which I feel you so much deserve. [etc.]. 5 January 1808. [Unnumbered; ‘1808 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 98].
• My dear Mr Nott, I hasten to answer your very kind letter which I received this morning & return my grateful thanks for it, the worst part of the disorder has been over some time, & I think I may say I feel myself as well as I could have expected [etc.]. 5 April 1808. [Unnumbered; ‘1808 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 99].
• I hasten my Dear Dr Nott to express how truly kind I felt your letter, wch. I received on Saturday…. But I must tell you that I have been to see (with Ly: de le: Lord & Ly: Sudley) a very curious Church, called Box Grove … We have also been on the sea the water was so Ruf that it made me quite sick & I was obliged to come home.[etc.]. 1808 [written in another hand]. [Unnumbered; ‘1808 letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 104. This letter is addressed to “Dr” Nott, so must have been written after he received his DD in 1807].

Later undated letters

• My dear Mr Nott, As I am not to have the pleasure of seeing you to day I cannot let it pass without assuring you how sensible I am of my improper conduct this morning, & I fear I have very seriously offended you, But I can only thank you for your just rebuke in snatching the paper out of my hand, & I never shall be guilty of such incivility again. The only thing I now can do is to intreat your forgiveness as you may be assured I always shall remember this improper conduct. My temper I know is bad, but for that reason I shall keep a very severe watch over myself. I inclose what you desired me to do, & with the hopes you will pardon me. I am your ever Affte. Charlotte. Undated [c.1807?]. [Numbered on verso: 4, i.e. no. 4 in ‘Later undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 115].
• My dear Mr Nott, [The Bi]shop is so good as to interest himself about me I hope if I do not see him tomorrow you will & I hope you will tell him Lady de Clifford can find out no way of arrainging it & therefore meens to ask the King about it. I think tho’ I was not desired to say anything about it yet I think it my duty to mention it to his Lordship as I regard him as a friend & as he is to arrainge those things. I am your ever affte. C. Undated [c. 1807-1808?]. [Numbered on verso: 5 and 4, i.e. no. 5 in ‘Later undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 116].
• Dear Dr Nott, Lady de Clifford begs me to write to you to thank you for your kind Letter & to assure you that everything respecting the Paper (you enclosed) shall be attended to. As to myself, I have nothing to say but, that No care or attention on my part shall be wanting, & that tho’ I dislike Latine More than any thing in the World, yet you may depend upon my learning it with as much good temper as possible & that knowing you dislike to see what dislike I have, I shall endeavour to smother my own Dislike to & endeavour to render it as Pleasant to myself as I can by thinking that by so doing I not only give pleasure & obey the wishes & orders of my kind Parent but also that I do what my friends wish. These are my resolutions & as such I shall remember them therefore you will have on no occasion any need of putting one in mind of what I have not mentioned as it will act as a spur to me & will sting me (as Prince Bebe’s Ring did) if I do wrong. Fair well, Dear Sir & Believe me to be Your sincere friend, Charlotte. Undated [c. 1807-1808?]. [Numbered on verso: 12, i.e. no. 12 in ‘Later undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 121. The ring may refer to a version of the story of Prince Darling (French: Le Prince Chéri), by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont].
• Sir, I cannot say how much I am hurt at what has happened, for I really did not mean to say anything improper or disrespectful to you. I really am sorry for what I have done & hope you will forgive me as you may depend I will not do it again if you will have that goodness I shall feel ever grateful to you & in the mean time. Believe me to be Sir Your affte. Charlotte. PS pray let me know what I am to do for you. Undated [c. 1807-1808]. Addressee on verso: ‘The Revd. Doctor Nott.’. [Numbered on verso: 14, i.e. no. 14 in ‘Later undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 123. Rectangular excision on final leaf].
• Though soon I am to have the pleasure of seeing you my dear Mr Nott yet I cannot help troubling you with a few lines to say how very much concerned I am at my last behavour both to yourself & the Bishop, that I am willing to make any reparation in my power to his Lordship for my past conduct. For yourself allow me to make my oppologies in person when you come again; believe me nothing has hurt me more than the idea of being sunck in your good opinion. [etc.]. Undated [c. 1807-1808]. [Numbered on verso: 15, i.e. no. 15 in ‘Later undated letters’, Add MS 82586, f. 124, Addressee on verso: ‘The Revd. Doctor Nott.’. Rectangular excision on final leaf].