CHAPTER II.
The Regency Bill .-- The Ministry of 1766 lay an Embargo on Corn .-- An Act of Indemnity is Passed .-- The _Nullum Tempus_ Act concerning Crown Property; it is sought to Extend it to Church Property, but the Attempt fails .-- The Royal Marriage Act .-- The Lords amend a Bill imposing Export Duties, etc., on Corn.
The prosecution of Wilkes was not the only act of Mr.Grenville's administration which excited both the Parliament and the people.

In 1764 the King was attacked by a serious illness, and, as the Prince of Wales was an infant scarcely two years old, it was manifestly necessary to make arrangements for a Regency, in the event of the throne becoming vacant while the heir was still a minor.

A similar necessity had arisen in the preceding reign on the death of the present King's father, and a bill had accordingly been introduced by Mr.Pelham, the minister of the day, which, in the event of the reigning sovereign dying during the minority of the boy who had now become the immediate heir to the throne, vested both the guardianship of his person and the Regency of the kingdom in his mother, the Princess Dowager of Wales, who, however, in the latter capacity, was only to act with the advice of a council, composed of her brother-in-law, the Duke of Cumberland, and nine principal officers of state.

It was not concealed by either the King or the Duke that they would have preferred a different arrangement, one which would have conferred an uncontrolled Regency on the Duke himself; but the bill was passed by great majorities in both Houses, and served in some respects as a model for that which was now to be brought forward, the difference being that the Regent was not to be expressly named in it.

To quote the words of the royal speech, the King "proposed to the consideration of the two Houses whether, under the present circumstances, it would not be expedient to vest in him the power of appointing from time to time, by instrument in writing under his sign-manual, either the Queen or any other member of the royal family usually residing in Great Britain, to be the guardian of the person of his successor, and the Regent of these kingdoms, until such successor should attain the age of eighteen years, subject to such restrictions and regulations as were specified and contained in an act passed on a similar occasion in the fourteenth year of the late King; the Regent so appointed to be assisted by a council, composed of the several persons who, by reason of their dignities and offices, were constituted members of the council established by that act, together with those whom the Parliament might think proper to leave to his nomination." It may be doubted whether such a power as his Majesty desired was quite consistent with the principles of the constitution.