,
who had formerly lived under the protection of a Mr. Best, a friend of
his lordship. Some mutual acquaintance told him that Best had said
something slighting of him to this woman. This so exasperated Lord
Camelford that on March 6th, 1804, meeting Mr. Best in the Prince of
Wales's Coffee-house, he went up to him and said in threatening tones:
"I find, sir, that you have spoken of me in most unwarrantable terms."
Mr. Best replied that he was quite unconscious of having done so. Lord
Camelford, then speaking loud enough for every one present to hear,
declared that he knew well enough what Best had said to Mrs. Simmons,
and that he esteemed him, Best, to be "a scoundrel, a liar, and a
ruffian."

Best could do no other than send him a challenge, but with it an
assurance that his lordship had been misinformed, as no such words had
ever passed his lips. He expected, accordingly, that Lord Camelford
would acknowledge his mistake, and then all would be as before. But
Lord Camelford would listen to no explanation, and a meeting was
appointed to take place the following morning.

Lord Camelford went to his lodgings in Bond Street, and there wrote
his will, and added to it the following declaration: "There are many
other matters, which at another time I might be inclined to mention,
but I will say nothing more at present than that in the present
contest I am fully and entirely the aggressor, as well in the spirit
as in the letter of the word. Should I, therefore, lose my life in a
contest of my own seeking, I most solemnly forbid any of my friends or
relations, let them be of whatsoever description they may, from
instituting any vexatious proceedings against my antagonist; and
should, notwithstanding the above declaration on my part, the laws of
the land be put in force against him, I desire that this part of my
will may be made known to the King, in order that his royal heart may
be moved to extend his mercy towards him."

From this it would appear that Lord Camelford was convinced that he
had made a mistake, and no long