To John Jay from Grenville, 19 June 1794
From Grenville
[Downing Street 19th. June 1794.]
Lord Grenville presents his Compliments to Mr. Jay. He had the honor to lay before the King yesterday the Copy of Mr Jay’s letter of Credence.1 As Wednesday is the usual day for His Majesty’s giving Audience to foreign Ministers, and as there will be no Levee next Wednesday on account of His Majesty’s journey to Portsmouth, His Majesty has fixed Wednesday sev’nnight2 for receiving Mr Jay. But if Mr Jay, under the circumstances of his Special Commission should be desirous of having his Audience sooner, His Majesty has been graciously pleased to authorize Lord Grenville to say that His Majesty will permit Lord Grenville to introduce Mr Jay after the Levee tomorrow— In that Case Lord Grenville would wish to see Mr Jay in the morning at Eleven instead of Twelve as they had before fixed.3
AL, NNC (EJ: 08518); C, UK-KeNA: FO 95/512 (EJ: 04974); C, in JJ’s hand, DLC: Washington; LbkC, NNC:JJ Lbk. 8; , 4: 23–24.
1. See “Letter of Credence to His Britannic Majesty,” 5 May 1794, ASP: FR, 1: 470, captioned as George Washington to King of England, DS, UK-KeNA: FO 95/512 (EJ: 04972); C, UK-KeNA: FO 95/512 (EJ: 04963).
2. Sev’nnight or Se’nnight: archaic contraction of seven night, meaning a week. OED.
3. On JJ’s introduction to George III, see the editorial note “Negotiating the Jay Treaty,” below.