"THE BOOK," COMPLETE: BEING THE WHOLE OF THE DEPOSITIONS ON THE ^nbe^tigation of t^t ontiuct OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES, BEFORE LORDS ERSKINE, SPENCER, GRENVILLE, AND ELLENBOROUGH, The Four Commissioners of Inquiry, appointed hi/ the KING, I\ THE YEAR 1806 ; Prepared for Pubiitation by 'the late RIGHT HON. SPENCER J^EllCEVAL. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, AN HISTORICAL PREFACE, lncUi(lin;4 every Fact that has traiispircd bince tlie Period of tJie Invcstis^uiioii, tlie whole forniinf^ one of the most iiiieieslit)j{ Documents ever laid before the British Public. By C. V. A^ILLIAMS, Esq. Author of the Life of the Right Hon. Spr)icer Vcrcevat. LONDON: PRIXri'.D FOR SHERWOOD, NEELY, S- JONE?, 20, PATEUNOSTLIMIOVV. 1813. Charles Syii:r, Printer, J^^ Aa5r4 CONTENTS. Page Historical Preface v Particulars respectinjj the Child, &c Ixiii Warrant, or Commission, authorising thelnquirj-, dated May 29, >806... I Deposition of Charlotte Lady Douglas, sworn June 1, 1806 ib. ^ Sir John Douglas, sworn on the 6th of June, 1806. ..... 7 Robert Bidgood, sworn on the 1st of June, 1806 8 William Cole, sworn on the 6th of June, 1806 10 Francis Lloyd, sworn on the 7th of June, 1806, 11 ' ' Mary Ann Wilson, sworn on the 7th of June, 1806 ..... 13 - Samuel Roberts, sworn on the 7th of June, 1806 , , 14 ' Thomas Stikenian, sworn on the 7th of June,' 1806. ..... 15 . John Sicard, sworn on the 7th of June, 1806 17 Charlotte Sander, sworn on the 7th of June, 1 806 18 ' ' ' Sophia Austin, sworn on the 7th of June, li06 21 Letter from Earl Speucer to Lord Gwydir, dated June 20, 1 80S 23 Lord Gwydir to Earl Spencer, dated the 21st of June, 1806. . ib. Lady Willoughby to Earl Spencer, dated the 21sit June, 1806 ib. Extract from the Register of Births and Baptisnjis of Children, born in BrDwnlow-strett Lying-in Hospital, dated the 2Sd of June, 1806.. ib. Deposition of Elizabeth Gosden, sworn the 23d of June, 1806 ib. Betty Townley, sworn the 23d of June 24 . Thomas Ednu-adcs, sworn the 25th day wf June, 1 806. ... 25 Samuel Gillam Mills, sworn the 25th of June, 180tf 26 Harriet Fitzgerald, sworn the 27th of June, 1806 27 Letter from Earl Spencer to I^rd Gwydir, dated the Ut of July, 1806 . . 2tt Lf^rd Gwydir to liarl Spencer, dated the 3d of July, 1806 , . ib. Queries and Answers of Lord Gwydir -iO Robert Bidgood's further Deposition, sworn the 3d of July, 1806 ib. Deposition of Sir Francis Mihnan, sworn the 3d of July, 1 806 31 . iMrs. Lisle, sworn on the 3d of July, 1806 27 Letter frouj Sir Francis Millinan, dated the 4tii of July, 1806 35 Deposition of Lord Cliolmonde'ey, sworn on the 16th of July, 1806 . , , . ?>6 Kcjtort of the Commissioners > 3G Letter from the Princess of Wales to his Majesty, dated Aug. 12, IB06 . . 41 Note from the Princesi of Wales to the Lord Chancellor, dateK)7 . . ib. Note from his Majesty to the Princess of Wales, dated Jan. 29, 1807 ... 175 his Majesty to the Princess of Wales, dated Feb. 10, 1807. . . . 1-76 Letter from the Princess of Wales to his Majesty, dated Feb. 12, 1807. .. . ib. ' the Princess of Wales to his Majesty, dated Feb. 16, 1807 ... 177 ' the Princess of Wales to his Majesty, dated March 5, 1807 . . 206 Statement of Lady Douglas, signed on the 3d December, 1806 209 Narrative of the Duke of Kent, signed on the 27th of Dec. 1805 250 Examinations of Sarah Lampert and William Lampert 254 First Examination of William Cole, dated the 1 1th Jan. 1 806 ib. Second Examination of William Cole, dated the 14th Jan. 1806 255 Third Examination of William Cole, dated the 30th Jan. 1806 257 Fourth Examination of William Cole, dated 23d Feb. 1 806 ib. Examination of Robqrt Bidgood, dated the 4th April, 1 806 ib. -" ' Sarah Bidgood 259 ** Frances Lloyd, dated 12tb May, 1806 260 HISTORICAL PREFACE, BEING A CIRCUMSTANTIAL DETAIL OP ALL THE EVENTS AND PROCEEDINGS Suhseqrtent to the Publication of The Book, Down to Mr. WhithreacVs Motion for the Prosecution of Sir John and Lady Douglas ; WITH SUMMARY RE[I,ECTLONS. Sec. iic. CONTENTS. Birth and relationship of the Priticess- of Wales Description of her personMarriage proposed Preparations at Carlton House, ^c. The Prince's allowance raised Birth of the Princess Charlotte Tenderness of his Majesty Retirement of the Princess to Blackheath Report of the Cotnmissioners His Majesty's message Her Highnesses letter to the King Is still refused admittance at Windsor Mr. Perceval's alarms Advertisement for buying up The Book Debates in the Commons on the allowance to the Princesses^-Speeches of Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Tierney^^c- Attack of the ministe- rial papers upon the Princess Suggestions of a separation, trial, 8fC. Letter of the Princess addressed to her Royal Consort Proceedings on the same Motion of Sir Francis Burdett Another announced by the Hon. Cochrane Johnstone Letters of the Princess to the Speaker of the House of Com- mons and to the Lord Chancellor, &;c. Proceedings on Mr. C. Johnstone's motion Resolutions moved by him Sir John Douglas Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Whitbread Correspon- dence between the Princess of Wales, Lord Liverpool, and Lord Harrowby Report to the Prince Regent by the Privy Council Meeting of the Princess of Wales and the Princess Charlotte in Hyde Park Sir JoJm Douglas at Court Origin of the present Inquiry icith him or his Lady Mr. Whitbread gives notice of a motion for the prosecution of Lady Douglas The motion brought forward Debates Petition of Sir- John and Lady Douglas Summary Reflections, ^c. ^c. HISTORICAL PREFACE. THE Princess Caroline Louisa was bom on the 17th of May, 1769, being the daughter of the late Duke of Brunswick : her mother is a sister of his present Majesty : of course she is first cousin of the Prince her husband. Having been invited by the Court of Great Britain, in 1794, to marriage and to hap- piness, with the heir apparent, they were married on the 8th of April, 1795, the Prince being then thirty-two years of age, and the Princess twenty-six. On the 7th of January, 1796, pre- cisely nine months from the day of their marriage, the Princess Charlotte of Wales was born; who, being their only child, is the rightful heiress to the tlirone, and has now completed her seventeenth year. In some of the newspapers of 1794, supposed to be in the confidence of government, it was then stated that the Princess of Brunswick, to whom the Prince of Wales was shortly to give his hand, was very pleasing in her person, and in her accom- plishments exquisite. It. was also stated that '* the idea of the Prince of Wales's nuptials origiuateen made up ready for her arrival, on which was a plume in imitation of his Highness's crest, studded with brilliants, playing backwards and forwards in the manner of feathers, which had a most beautiful eftt ct. The appearance of the Princess at Court was said to have been majestic, but accompanied with a sweetness and affability of manners which rivetted the admiration of all that beheld her. Het eyes intelligent her countenance highl}^ animated and her teeth white and regular her hair, of v.'hich she had an amazing quantity behind, of a light auburn colour, and dressed in a simple But elegant style. Her taste in every part of her HISTORICAL PREFACE. IX dress was equally elegant, so that no doubt was entertained but that her Royal Highness would be the standard of fashion. The Prince, at the time of his marriage, was greatly^ in debt ; and a proposition was therefore made in PurHament for the payment of them, the Duke of Clarence having stated tliat when the marriage of the Prince was agreed upon, there was a stipu- lation that he should be exonerated from his debts. The Prince's annual allowance was accordingly raised from <60,000 to cl25,000 a year, out of which sum o25,000 were set apart for the discharge of his debts. To this was added .27 ,000 for preparations for the marriage, ofSSjOOO for jewels and plate, and c2G,000 for finishing Carieton House. In addition to all this promised splendour, the Princess was received in England with transports of joy ; addresses of admiration and gratitude poured in upon her from all quarters, and her husband was congratulated as the happiest of men. A similar torrent of ad- dresses carae in upon the birth of the Princess Charlotte. In fine, it has been justly observed, that few events caused more unmixed joy in this country than the marriage of this illustrious Lady. But what a contrast, alas ! is presented in the occur- rences of the present day ! The first appearance of alloy in the connubial happiness of the royal pair was perceived when their sepai'ation of dwelling took place in April 1796', twelve months after the marriage, and only three months after the birth of the Princess Charlotte. At length this was but too fatally confirmed by a letter sent from the Prince to the Princess of Wales, dated Windsor Castle, the substance of which had been previously conveyed in a message through Lady Cholmondeley to her Royal Highness ; but it was thought by her Ro\al Highness to be infinitely too important to rest merely upon a verbal communication, and therefore she desired that his Royal Highness's pleasure should be commu- nicated to her in writing. Her Royal Highness also liad the fortitude to insist upon the delivery of the message, that the Prince's arrangement sltould be considered as final, and that he should not retain thv3 right from time to time, at his pleasure, or under any circum- 6 X HISTORICAL PREFACE. stances to alter it. The letter of his Royal Highness and the dignified answer of the Princess of Wales on this trying occa- sion, appear in the body of this book. There could be no doubt that so touching an appeal as this could fail to interest the paternal feelings of his Majesty; and we are well assured that while his Majesty's powers of mind remained, the Princess never did want at least one protector. And here it may be just, once for all, to pay to the Sovereign, now flattery to him can be no longer suspected, that meed of praise due to his truly paternal kindness, particidarly to this unfortunate stranger. It was to him alone that she owed all the comfort she ever enjoyed in her long banishment, even the eight years society with her beloved child, which it seems secured her an unalienable place in her daughter's af- fections. In a very short time after this we find her Royal High- ness, as it were, completely separated a mensa et thoro, and withdrawn to her solitary retirement at Montague House, Black- heath. Here, to the eye of the world, she seemed totally lost in oblivion and obscurity nearly ten years, viz. from the time of her retirement in the summer of 1796, till the year 1806, when the circumstance of a secret commission began to transpire, through certain newspapers, for inquiring into the truth of certain questions respecting the conduct of her Royal Highness, still living in peaceful retirement at Blackheath. The Report made by the above-mentioned Commission, viz. Lord Erskine, Chancellor ; Lord Grenville, First Lord of the Treasury ; Lord Spencer, Secretary of State; and Lord Ellen-, borough, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, dwelt most upon | the circumstance of having examined the witnesses against her Royal Highness. Their allegations are there said to have been made consistent with certain statements laid before the Prince of Wales, imputing to her Royal Highness great impropriety and indecency of behaviour, expressly asserted, partly oi^ the ground of certain alleged declarations from the Princess's own mouth, and partly on the personal information of the in- formants. Among the most important facts then said to have HISTORICAL PREFACE. Xl been stated was, that her Royal Highness had been pregnant in the year 1802, four years previous to the inquiry ! she having then been delivered of a male child, which child had ever since that period been brought up by her Royal Highness in her own house, and under her immediate inspection. These allegations, it was allowed, had been followed by de- clarations from other persons, who had not indeed spoken to the important facts of the pregnancy and delivery of her Royal Highness, but had stated other particulars extremely suspicious, when connected with the assertions already mentioned. It was then suggested by this commission, that this inquiry was not only nearly touching the honour of his Majesty's family, but, by pessibility, affecting the succession of his Majesty^s croicn. The report, however, declared, there was no foundation what- ever for believing that the child then with the Princess of Wales was her's ; but, on the contrary, it was beyond all doubt that the child was born in Brownlow-street Hospital, on the 11th of July 1802, of the body of Sophia Austin, and was first brought to the Princess's house in the month of November following. But on the precise bearing and effects of the facts thus appear- ing, the commissioners asserted it was not for them to decide, they therefore recommended the case to his Majesty's wisdoin, &c. This document is dated July 14, 1806, and signed by the four noble commissioners. This report produced a message from his Majesty to her Royal Highness, acquitting her of the charges, and recom- mending' all further proceedings to be stopped, excepting such only as his Majesty's law servants might, on a reference to them, think fit to recommend for the prosecution of Lady Douglas, on those parts of her deposition which may appear to them to be justly liable thereto. In this situation, it was added, his Majesty is advised that it is no longer necessary for him to decline receiving the Princess into his Royal presence. Her conduct in future, he observed, he hoped would be such as would fully justify those marks of paternal regard which his Majesty always wishes to shew to every branch of the royal family. Xii HISTORICAL PREFACE. Tlie following aficcting note was written by her Royal High- ness the Princess of Wales, and accompanied her defence, see page 51 : TO THE KING. " Sire, " In discharge of the duty I owe to myself, and the great duty I owe to your Majesty and your illustrious family, I have herewith transmitted a statement, which I coufidently trust will appear to prove me not unworthy of the protection and favour with which your IMajesty has pleased to honour me. " To be restored to that favour and protection, in consequence of a conviction in your Majesty's mind of my innocence, pro- duced by the papers I now humbly lay before your Majesty, is the first wish of my heart. ** Grieved, Sire, deeply grieved as I cannot but be, that your Majesty should be exposed to so much trouble on so painful an occasion, and on my account, it is yet my humble trust that your Majesty will graciously forgive me, if extreme anxiety about my honour, and your Majesty's favourable opinion, leads me humbly to solicit, as an act of justice, that scrupulous atten- tion on your Majesty's part to these papers, which cannot fail, I think, to produce, in your Majesty's mind, a full conviction of my innocence, and a due sense of the injuries I have suf- fered. ' One other prayer I with all possible humility and anxiety address to your Majesty, that, as I can hope for no happiness, nor expect to enjoy the benefit of that fair reputation to which I know I am entitled, till I am re-admitted into your Majesty's presence, and as I am in truth without guilt, suffering what to me is heavy punishment, whilst I am denied access to your Ma- jesty, your Majesty will be graciously pleased to form an early determination- whether my conduct and my sufferings do not authorize me to hope that the blessing of being restored to your Majesty's presence may be conferred upon. Sire, your Majesty's dutifully attached, affectionate, and afflicted daugliter-in-law and subject. (Signed] CAROLINE.*' " BlacJcheath, Oct, 2, IS06. HISTORICAL PREFACE. XUl In reply to a letter of the Princess, intimating a design on the part of her Royal Highness to visit his MSjesty at Windsor; her being received there was expressly recommended by the Commissioners of his Majesty, who also signified his pleasure that he shoidd prefer receiving her in London some day subse- quent to the ensuing week. However gratifying this letter miyht have been to the Prin- cess, she was doomed to meet a disappointment ; for, instead of an early day being appointed to receive her, she was informed, that owing to the interference of the Prince, her reception wsls postponed to an undefined period. This intimation the King gave her with all the tenderness imaginable, stating the real cause of the delay in the most delicate manner which the case would admit of. Immediately after the termination of the inquiries of the Commissioners in 1S06 and 7, Mr. Perceval, it is generally un- derstood, caused the whole of their proceedings to be thrown together in the form of a book, and two large impressions of them to be printed, notwithstanding every individual person en- gaged in this business was sworn to observe the most in- violable secrecy. In vain was all the anxiety expressed for the communication of this mysterious Book to the public at large, as Mr. Perceval conceived that one or two copies for the use of }iis royal master was quite snUicient. Nearly three years had passed on, when Mr. Perceval thought proper to attend to some whispers, implying that some copies of The Book were in the hands of .several persons ; the increas- ing uneasiness occasioned by this conjecture is supposed to have led to the following extraordinary advertisement: " A BOOK ! A BOOK ! " Any person having in their possession a certain Book, printed by Mr. Edwards, in 1807, but never published, with W. Lindsell's name, as the seller of the same, on the title-i)age, and will bring it to W. Lindsell, bookseller, Wimpole Street, will receive a handsome gratuity." Times, March 27, 1809. XIV HISTORICAL PREFACE. INIr. Perceval's apprehensions on this subject were not an-* founded ; it being well known, that several persons subsequent to this notice, encouraged by the large sums gained by the hold* ers of The Book, came forward ; some received five hundred, xonie eight, and one person fifteen hundred guineas for a copy. In fict, it has been averred, that not less than twenty thousand pounds were expended in buying up, and concealing Mr. Perce- val's mysterious Book from the public eye. But, in spite of all these precautions, it was still the fate of Mr. Perceval to be visited with dreadful forebodings, in relation to The Book, only a short time before hi& unexpected death, when the Bill for making provision for the Princesses was before the Commons in March 1811. He then sent for every person whom he knew was acquainted with The Book, and expressed his ap- prehensions that its contents had been improperly divulged. It was then too late to take any effective measures for concealing circumstances that were sought for with an ardour increasing in proportion as the prohibition against them became more gene- rally known. When the business just alluded to came before the Commons, Mr. Perceval, referring to the speech of Mr. Bennet, said, *' That with regard to the separation of the Royal Persons alluded to, he should say nothing. He might, and did lament it as mych as any man could, but neither as a minister, nor in any other character, did he feel himself called upon to say any thing on the subject. As to what had been said respecting the grant of 10,0001. additional to the Queen, the Committee must be aware, that it was entirely of a different nature from that under consi- deration. Its object was to enable the Queen to meet expenses which she would be likely to incur, unconnected in any manner with the Princesses. There was no increase in the civil list of the Prince of Wales above that of the King ; on the contrary, there was a diminution. In the debate on the same evening, Mr. Perceval having spoken of the liberality of the Prince Regent in discharging some debts of the Princess of Wales, Mr. Whitbrcad urged some pre- vious consideration ; he observed. HISTORICAL PREFACE. XV ** When the subject of the household was lately before the House, he understood that the additional 10,0001. granted to the Queen was for the purpose of enabling her Majesty to take the Princesses upon her establishment. Nevertheless, lie was afraid that some such proposal as the present would in a short time be made to the House. He would be glad to hear a satisfactory reason, why the present arrangement was not then taken into consideration ? As to the Princess of Wales, he thought it strange that she should be so poorly provided for, when the Right Hon. Gentleman seemed to be so solicitous for providing for every other branch of the Royal Family. When the Rt. Hon. Gentleman talked of his Royal Highness taking upon himself the payment of debts to the amount of 49,0001. could it be for- gotten, that his Royal Highness was enormously in debt him- self? He, indeed, who could not pay his own debts, engaged to pay those of another: this looked very like a juggle. The 70,000l. which were now appropriated to the payment of the Prince's own debts, he observed, was without controul or limita- tion. The persons to whom it was confided were not responsi- ble to Parliament, and were revocable by the Prince himself. Sixty thousand a-year was given to the King for the privy purse. Did the Right Hon. Gentleman know the extent of the debt due from the Prince B-^and could he give security to the House, that after the payment of the 30,0001. now asked for, other demands should not be made? In his opinion, the only proper way would be, that the 70,0001. should be paid off; and then, if any thing farther remained, they should come to Par- liament fairly and oi)enly to pay off the whole. There was a time when the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Perceval) not only thought it not inconsistent with his duty to give information on the subject of" The Delicate Investigation," but when he took every pains to spread this information as generally as possible. At that time a Book was j)re[)ared, rrh/ch was intended to be cir- fulated most extensively , both here and upon the Continent. The Book, however, had been suppressed, and the outstanding co- pies had been bought up at a great expense, out of some fund or other, whether private or public he could not say. He could XVI HISTORICAL PREFACE. not conceive why the Right Hon. Gentleman now remained mute, v.'hcn before he had a thousand tongues.. As to the real income of the Queen, it was 58,0001. per annum, while she hved on the estabUshment of the King; whereas the Princess of Wales, the consort of the Prince Regent, has only 22,0001. per ann. and is obliged to live entirely at her own ex- pense. All that the nation knows of her residence is, that she lives in retirement somewhere, either at Kensington or Blackheath. This was certainly not the situation in which the country would wish to see the wife of the Prince Regent placed, or in which they considered that she ought to be placed. At a time that additional grants were wanted for the other branches of the Royal Family, it was natural to ask, why had she been so neg- lected?" Mr. Tierney said, ** he had yet another objection to make relative to the civil list, and that was with respect to the provi- sion which it contained for the Princess of Wales. There was talk, indeed, of a separation, but the house knew nothing of such a separation : the Right Hon. Gentleman, (Mr. Perceval) how- ' ever, knew a great deal about it : he had acted as counsel in that investigation so much talked of; and it was surprising he should now sit so mute, and hear all this whispered about, respecting his favourite Princess, his client, awl not have one word to say in her defence ! It struck him very forcibly that there was now a person in this country representing the Prince Regent's wife, who was as much a Queen as he was a King. Thus called upon, however, the Chancellor of the Exchequer did say, on the 17th of April, 1811, " that what he had stated with respect to the Princess of Wales was, that neither in his situation as coimsel to her Royal Highness, nor in any other character, was he con- scious that there existed a ground of charge. He should always be prepared to make the same statement." Mr. Whitbread on this occasion made another luminous speech. ** I have," said he, " heard that the Queen is about to hold a drawing-room : of course, nro hopes can now exist of his Majesty's recovery ; because, if there were any, such a step, I presume, would not be resorted to ; but in ease that drawing- HISTORICAL PREFAdfi. XVU room is held, 1 would wish to know if there is to be any public appearance of tJie Princess of Wales? This is no private con- cern ; the public have a right to demand why the acknowledged consort of their Regent does not appear in public as such ; hq affectation of delicacy can be permitted to stand in the way of a nation's anxiety, upon a question of such national importance ; if any man can satisfy the public upon this topic, it is the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Perceval). They knew him to hav been at one" time the zealous adviser and devoted adherent to the Princess of Wales. They believe him to have conscien- tiously undertaken her defence, to have written her vindication, to have perused that vindication, to haVe published it ; that vin- flication is said to have involved in it an attack Upon her Royal Consort. fHear, Hear ! ) It was known to have been an attack upon his Royal Highness, and the Regent's first Minister is known to have been the author of it ; and after he had published it, after it had been read by one and one hundred, it was bought tip at an enormous expense; bought up by the private secretary of the honourable gentleman. I ask him now, does he retain his former opinion of the unexceptionable conduct of the Princess of Wales? T ask him if he did not lately in the House, solemnly record his confirmation of that opinion, and if it is now, what it was the other night, I call upon him to expliiin, if he can, his apparent desertion of her just claims to that respect, no- tice, provision, and consideration, due to the undoubted Prin- cess Regeut of these realms ? These are questions, which, as he values his own consistency, as he values the character and claims W the Princess, and as he respects the Prince his master, he is bound to answer." And these he did answer in a manner which exculpated her Royal Hii^hness from every shadow of culpa- bility. Singular and extraordinary as it may appear, certain news- papers, supposed to be in the confidence of the administration, had for some time past been in the habit of throwing out indi- rect censures upon the ibrmer conduct of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales ; and from the frequent conferences that were said to hav been held between a great personage, the Lord c XViii HISTORICAL PREFACE. Chancellor, &c. and the knowledge of some disagreement at Windsor, it was, at length, suggested that an important change in the tonnubial connections of the Prince were likely to take place ! As to the innocence of her Rojwil Highness, though it had been proved and admitted by the cabinet council, it was most unfeelingly hinted, that, as the constitution knew nothing of the council's authority or its decisions, another trial would be necessary! Facts also were alluded to, said to be proper to come before a jury, &c. And, one evening paper of infamous notoriety, improving upon these suggestions, relative to a trial and divorce, went so far as to assert that the Prince Regent may lose his wife, may marry again, and have a son. Fortunately, however, for the honour and safety of the country, and to the utter confusion of these unprincipled hirelings who did not pay the least respect to the general sense of the country, which was decidedly against them, they were struck with amaze at the appearance of a letter, in the Morning Chronicle, for Wedneday, Feb. 10, from the Princess of Wales, addressed to fciis Royal Highness the Prince Regent, as follows: Letter of the Princess of Wales to the Prince Regent. " Sir, ** It is with great reluctance that I presume to obtrude my- self upon Your Royal Highness, and to solicit your attention to matters which may, at first, appear rather of a personal than a public nature. If 1 could think them so if they related merely to myself I should abstain from a proceeding which might give uneasiness, or interrupt the more weighty occupations of Your Royal Highness's time, I should continue, in silence and retirement, to lead the life which has been prescribed to me, and console myself for the loss of that society and those domestic comforts, to which I have so long been a stranger, by the reflection that it has been deemed proper I should be afflicted without any fault of my own and that Your Royal Highness knows it. * But, Sir, there are considerations of a higher nature than any regard to my own happiness,which render this address a duty HISTORICAL PREFACE, XIX both to Myself and my Daughter. May I venture to say a duty also to my 'Husband, and the People committed to his care ? There is a point beyond which guiltless woman cannot with safety carry her forbearance. If her honour is invaded, the defence of her reputation is no longer a matter of choice; and it signifies not whether the attack be made openly, man- fully, and directly or by secret insinuation, and by holding such conduct towards her as countenances all the suspicions that malice can suggest. If these ought to be the feelings of every woman in England who is conscious that she deserves no reproach. Your Royal Highness has too sound a judgment, and too nice a sense of honour, not to perceive, how much more justly they belong to the Mother of your Daughter-^the Mother of her who is destined, I trust at a very distant period, to reign over the British Empire. " It may be known to Your Royal Highness, that, during the continuance of the restrictions upon your royal authority, I purposely refrained from making any representations which might then augment the painful difficulties of your exalted sta- tion. At the expiration of the restrictions I still was inclined to delay taking this step ; in the hope that I might owe the redress I sought to your gracious and unsolicited condescension, I have waited, in the fond indulgence of this expectation, until, to my inexpressible mortification, I find that my unwillingness to complain has only produced fresli grounds of complaint ; and I am at length compelled, either to abandon all regard for the two dearest objects which I possess on earth, mine own honour and my beloved Child, or to throw myself at the feet of Your Royal Highness, the natural protector of both. " I presume. Sir, to represent to Your Royal Highness, that the separation, which every succeeding month is making wider, of the Mother and the Daughter, is equally injurious to my character and to her education. I say nothing of the deep wounds which so cruel an arrangement inflicts upon my feelings, although 1 would fain hope that few persons will be found of a disposition to think lightly of these. To see myself cut off from one of the very few domestic enjoyments left me, certainly 1KX HISTORICAL PREFACE^. the only one upon which I set any value, the society of my Child!;, involves me in such misery, as I well know Your Royal High- ness could never inflict upon me if you were aware of its. bit-- terness. Our intercourse has been gradually diminished. A single interview weekly seemed sufficiently hard allowance for a Mother's affection. That, however, was reduced to our meeting , once a fortnight ; and I now learn that even this most rigorous ititerdiction is to be still more rigidly enforced. ** But while I do not venture to intrude my feelings as a mother upon your Royal Highness's noticej I must be allowed to say, that in the eyes of an observing and jealous world, this separation of a daughter from her mother will only admit of one construction* a construction fatal to the mother's reputation. Your Royal Highness will also pardon me for adding, that there is no less in- consistency than injustice in this treatment. He who dares advise Your Royal Highness to overlook the evidence of my innocence, and disregard the sentence of complete acquittal which it pro- duced or is wicked and false enough still to whisper suspicions in your ear, betrays his duty to you. Sir, to your Daughter, and to your People, if he counsels you to permit a day to pass with- out a farther investigation of my conduct. 1 know that no such calumniator will venture to recommend a measure which must speedily end in his utter confusion. Then let me implore you to reflect on the situation in which t am placed ; without the shadow of a charge against me-r-without even an accuser after an Inquiry that led to my ample vindication ^yet treated as if I were still more culpable than the perjuries of my suborned traducers represented me, and held up to the world as a Mother who may not enjoy the society of her only Child. The feelings. Sir, which are natural to my unexampled situation, might justify me in the gracious judgment of Your Royal Highness, had 1 no other motives for addressing you but such as relate to myself. But I will not disguise from Your Royal Highness what I cannot for a moment conceal from my- self, that the serious, and it soon may be, the irreparable injury which my Daughter sustains from the plan at present pursued, "kaa done more in overcoming my reluctance to intrude upon WSTORTCAL PHErAOE* XXI* Vour Royal Highness than any sufferings of my own could accomphsh ; and if for her sake I presume to call away Your Royal Highness's attention from the other cares of your exaitetl station, I feel confident I am not claiming it for a matter of inferior importance either to yourself or your people. " The powers with which the Constitution of these realms vests Your Royal Highness in the regulation of the Royal Family, I know, hecause I am so advised, are ample and unquestionable. My appeal. Sir, is made to your excellent sense and liberality of mind in the exercise of those powers; and I willingly hope that your own paternal feelings will lead you to excuse the anxiety of mine for impelling me to represent the unhappy con- sequences which the present system must entail upon our be- loved child. * Is it possible, Sir, that any one can have attempted to per- suade Your Royal Highness, that her character will not be injured by the perpetual violence offered to her strongest affec-, tions the studied care taken to estrange her from my society,; and even to interrupt all communication between us ? That her love for me, with whom, by His Majesty's wise and gracious arrangements, she passed the years of her childhood, never can be extinguished, I well know ; and the knowledge of it forms the greatest blessing of my existence. But let me implore Your Royal Highness to reflect how inevitably all attempts to abate this attachment, by forcibly separating us, if they succeed, must injure my child's principles- if they fail, must destroy her happiness. The plan of excluding my Daughter from all intercourse with the world, appears to my humble judgement peculiarly unfortunate. She who is destined to be the Sovereign of thii great country, enjoys none of those advantages of j^ociety which are deemed necessary for imparting a knowledge of mankind to persons who have infinitely less occasion to learn that important lesson; and it may so happen, by a chance which 1 trust is very remote, that she should be called upon to exercise the powers of the Crown, with an experience of the world more XXll HISTORICAL PREFACE. confined than that of the most private individual. To the ex- traordinary talents'"with which she is blessed, and which accom- pany a disposition as singularly amiable, frank, and decided, I willingly trust much ; but beyond a certain point the greatest natural endowments cannot struggle against the disadvantages of circumstances and situation. It is my earnest prayer, for her own sake as weW as her country's, that Your Royal Highness may be induced to pause before this point be reached. '* Those who have advised you. Sir, to delay so long the period of "my Daughter's commencing her intercourse with the world, and for that purpose to make Windsor her residence, appear not to have regarded the interruptions to her education which this arrarlgement occasions ; both by the impossibility of obtaining the attetldance of proper teachers, and the time una- voidably consumed in the frequent journeys to town, which she must make, unless she is to be secluded from all intercourse, even with Your Royal Highness and the rest of the Royal Family. To the same unfortunate counsels I ascribe a circum- stance in every way so distressing both to my parental and reli- gious feehngs, that my Daughter has never yet enjoyed the benefit of Confirmation, although above a year older than the age at which all the other branches of the Royal Family have partaken of that solemnity. May I earnestly conjure you. Sir, to hear my intreaties upon this serious matter, even if you should listen to other advisers on things of less near concernment to the welfare of our child ? " The pain with which I have at length formed the resolution of addressing myself to Your Royal Highness is such as I should in vain attempt to express. If I could adequately describe it, you might be enabled, Sir, to estimate the strength of the mo- tives which have made me submit to it. They are the most powerful feelings of affection, and the deepest impressions of duty towards Your Royal Highness, my beloved Child, and the Country, which I devoutly hope she may be preserved to govern^ and to shew by a new example the liberal affection of a free and generous people to a virtuous and constitutional monarch. HISTORICAL PREFACE. XXHi " I am. Sir, with profound respect, and an attacliment which nothing can alter, * Your Royal Highness's *' Most devoted and mest affectionate ' Consort, Cousin, and Subject, (Signed) " CAROLINE LOUISA." ** Montague House, 14th Jan. 1813." The course of the letter is said to have been as follows : It was transmitted immediately after it was written to Lord Liver- pool and Lord Eldon, sealed, by Lady Charlotte Campbell, as lady in waiting for the month, expressing her Royal Highness's pleasure that it should be presented to the Prince Regent, and there was an open copy for their perusal. On the loth of January, the Earl of Liverpool presented his compliments to Lady Charlotte Campbell, and returned the let- ter unopened. On the 16th, it was returned by Lady Charlotte, intimating that as it contained matter of importance to the state she relied on their laying it before his Royal Highness. It was again returned unopened, with the Earl of Liverpool's compli- ments, saying, that the Prince saw no reason to depart from hi determination. Oi\the 17th, it was presented in the same way by command of her Royal Highness, expressing her confidence that the two noble Lords would not take upon themselves the responsibility of not communicating the letter to his Royal Highness, and that she would not be the only subject in the empire whose petition was not permitted to reach the throne. On the 19th, her Royal Highness directed a letter to be ad- dressed to the two noble Lords, desiring to know whether it had been made known to his Royal Highness by being read to him, ,and to know his pleasure thereon. No answer was given to this letter, and therefore, on the 25th of January, she directed a letter to be written, expressing her surprise that no answer had been given to her application for a whole week ! To this an answer was received, addressed to tlie Princess, stating that, in consequence of her Royal Highness's demand. '*xiv HISTORICAL PRETACE. . her letter had been read to the Prince Regent on the 20th, "but that he had not been pleased to express his pleasure thereon. It was remarked that a grand drawing-room was held on account of her Majesty's birth-day on Thursday, February 4, when the expectation of the presentation of the Princess Char- lotte of Wales % her Mo//jer attracted one of the most crowded attendances ever remembered ; disappointment, however, en- sued ; her Royal Highness was not presented to the Queen ! The next publie proceeding, in reference to this state of things, was the motion of Sir Francis Burdett to provide for a Regency in case of the death or incapacity of the ptresent Re- gent. The honourable Baronet wished to guard against any future recurreirce. to those unconstitutional means which had been so lately resorted to in the appointment of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales : he concluded his speech with the wish that factions may not have the power to fill the throne \vith whom they please, and under what authority they please. The motion was, however, lost ; but whilst the enemies of the Princess, through the medium of the daily prints, were congra- tulating each other, and flattering themselves that they should be able to stifle all further enquiry into the affairs of the Jlegent, both vi'ithih and without doors, they had yet to endure greater mortifications. It was to little purpose indeed that they hinted at " a dreadful responsibility somewhere," for those .persons who had advised the publication of the Princess's letter. They even plumed themselves in not having any share in brings i))g these circumsUinces before the public eye, implying, of ' course, that they should have no share in the punishment. In fact, they not only talked of a second trial, but some persons hinted at apartments preparing in the Tower! They imagined that as all enquiry on the part of Sir Francis Burdett had been quaslied by the loss of his motion, that which had been an- riounced by the Hon. Cochrane Johnstone would share the same fate. Nor did they once imagine that the Princess, who had already appealed to the Prince and the people in the letter she had published, would again come forward, and appeal to the Parliameot itself I To their iailnite confusion, however, on the HISTORICAL PREFACE. XXV second of March, 1813, the Speaker acquainted the House, that during the sitting of the House yesterday evening, while in debate, he had received a letter addressed to him, and purport- ing to be from her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales; the letter bore no date, nor any signature, and upon making inquiry from the door-keeper, he learned that the person who had deli- vered it was unknown to him ; he, therefore, thought it his duty to take no step upon it, or notify it to the House, until he should hear further from that Illustrious Personage, or until he had authenticated that paper to be what it professed ; and hoped his conduct in this respect was justified, in not then throwing any impediment in the way of the proceedings of the Hquse. (Hear, Hear.) He was now, however, enabled to state to the House, that that letter was authenticated ; and, with the leave of the House, he would now read a letter he had this day the honour of receiving from her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, enclosing a duplicate of the former letter, which was dated the 1st of March, 1813. (Loud cries of hear! hear! read J read ! from all parts of the House.) The Speaker then proceeded to read the letters as follow : * Montague House, Blackheath, March 2, 1813: ** The Princess of Wales, by her own desire, as well as by the advice of her Counsel, did yesterday transmit to Mr. Speaker a letter, which she was anxious should have been read, without delay, to the House of Commons; and the Princess requests that the said letter may be read, this very day, to, the House of Commons. The Princess of Wales encloses Mr. Speaker a duplicate of the letter alluded to." * Montague House, Blackheath, March 1, 1813. " The Princess of Wales informs Mr. Speaker, that she has received from the Lord Viscount Sid mouth a copy of a Report made to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, by a certain u umber of the Members of his Majesty's Privy Council, to whom it appears that his Royal Highness had been advised to refer the consideration of documents, and other evidence, respecting her character and conduct. d 3CXVI HISTORICAL PREFACE. *' The Report is of such a nature, that her Royal Highness feels persuaded no person can read it without considering it as conveying aspersions upon her; and although their vagueness renders it impossible to discover precisely what is meant, or even what she has been charged with ; yet, as the Princess feels conscious of no offence whatever, she thinks it due to herself, to the Illustrious Houses with which she is connected by blood and by marriage^ and to the people among whom she holds so distinguished a rank, not to acquiesce for a moment under any iinputations affecting her honour " The Princess of Wales has not been permitted to know upon what evidence the Members of the Privy Council pro- ceeded ^still less to be heard in her defence. She knew only by cpmmon rumour of the Inquiries which they have been carrying on, until the result of those Inquiries was communicated to her; and she has no means now of knowing whether the Members acted as a body, to whom she can appeal for redress, at least for a hearing or only in their individual capacities, as persons selected to make a report upon her conduct. The Princess is, therefore, compelled to throw herself upon the wisdom and jus- tice of Parliament, and to desire that the fullest investigation may be instituted of her whole conduct, during the period of her residence in this country. The Princess fears no scrutiny, however strict, provided she may be tried by impartial judge.-^, known to the Constitution, and in the fair and open manner which the law of the land prescribes. Her only desire is, that she may either be treated as innocent, or proved to be guilty. * The Princess of Wales desires Mr. Speaker to communi- cate this letter to the House of Commons." After a considerable pause, Mr. Whi thread rose and observed, that he had waited in the hope of seeing some Iwnourable mem- ber, more competent than himself, rise in his place, and make some proposition to the House upon that which the Speaker had just communicated. But he felt it to be a subject of such importance, not only to the Illustrious Personage immediately ooacerned, but to other persons as regarding the- share they HISTORICAL PREFACE. XXVli took in the transaction ; but above all, of the utmost import- ance as regarding the nation at large, that it was impossible such a communication could be made to the House, and suf- fered to pass in silence. He had waited until he saw the noble lord opposite (Castlereagh) in his place, as that noble lord was one of the confidential ministers of the crown when the reports were originally taken into the consideration of his Majesty*s couneil, then acting under the popular name of the Cabinet Council. He had waited until he saw that noble lord in his place, who stood in the peculiar situation then as the confi- dential adviser of the crown ; and as the noble lord now filled the same situation as one of the confidential ministers of the' crown, the noble lord must have been one of the members of that Privy Council to whom the matter has lately been referred. He had waited, therefore, until he saw that noble lord in his place : and before he rose to address the chair, he had further waited in the hope that the noble lord would have made some propo- sition to the House upon this most important subject ; but not perceiving the noble lord, or any other honourable member, inclined to rise, he begged leave to ask the noble lord, whether it was or was not his intention to call the attention of the House to this subject? Lord Castlereagh said, from the importance and delicacy of the subject, and from the manner in which it was communi- cated to the House, he did not feel himself called upon to make any proposition to the House; the more especially, as an honourable member had fixed the day after to-morrow (Thurs- day) for a motion, to which this letter appeared to apply he therefore did not think it necessary for him to interfere. What- ever might be the importance or delicacy of the transaction of which the honourable member had given notice, it would im- pose upon )um (Lord Castlereagh) the necessity of giving a full explanation, and, until that time did arrive, he felt he should best fulfil his duty by not anticipating any proceeding upon the subject. Mr. Whitbread observed, that the honourable gentleman who gave that notice (Mr. Cochrane Johnstone) was not then in the* XXViii HISTORICAL PREFACE. House; but as the letter just read originated with her Royal" Highness the Princess of Wales, it might be proper that the House should know how far tlie honourable gentleman had acted in concurrence with the wishes of her Royal Highness and it might be expedient that the honourable gentleman should inform the house upon what grounds he proceeded, whether with or without any concurrence on the part of her Royal Highness. From the subsequent communication of her Royal Highness, he was inclined to think that it was totally uncon- nected with the honourable gentleman's motion, and that the object of that motion was entirely without the concurrence of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and therefore he imagined the house would feel it expedient to make her Royal Highness's communication the grounds of substantive considera- tion but, in the absence of the Hon. Gentleman, it was im- possible for the house to come to any definite conclusion. Here the matter dropped : immediately after, Lord Castle- reagh left the house, and in a few minutes the treasury benches were quite deserted. A duplicate of her Royal Highness's letter to the Speaker was sent early on Monday evening, March 1, to the Lord Chancellor, but his Lordship did not lay it before the Lords, having, as is said, considered that his duty prevented him. We understand his Lordship's Letter, returning the one her Royal Highness sent him to lay before the House of Lords, was to the following effect : *' That his Lordship found himself under the necessity of " returning the letter of her Royal Highness, which he thought " it his duty to advise the Princess, from considerations of pro- * priety as well as safety, not to make public." The letter con- cluded with ^n intimation, that, * by command of the Prince ** Regent, the visits of Her Royal Highness, to Warwick house, * were in future to be discontinued." To the above an answer was returned by the Princess of Wales, expressing * surprise at the manner as well as the matter of ** his Lordship's communication, and particularly ions from it. His lordship could not conct-ive, from any reasons that had been given by the hon. member, that the house v.ould entertain any serious doubt, that the papers called for by the hon. mover, were not at all necessary to remove any apprehension as to the successor to thr; throne of these kingdoms. The commissioners of 1806 had not been commissioners for the trial of the Prin- cess, but as privy counsellors, commissioners of inquiry, and that the appointment of sucii privy counsellors for such pur- poses was the constant practice in all periods of the history of XXXiv HISTORICAL PREFACE. this country. If, however, the hon. mover was serious in his opinion, that the coinmission of 180G was an improper tribunal to have reviewed the conduct of the Princess of Wales, did lie think the House of Commons a proper ])iace to try either the Princess of Wales for treason, or to sit in judgment upon the levity of her manners ? It was rather extraordinary in the hon. member to call upon the House of Commons to clear up the doubts on a subject when he had expressed no doubts of his own ; the two learned judges who were part of the commission. Lords Erskine and Ellenborough, had entertained no doubts: they, with their skill and legal habits, had been able to trace the whole transaction to its source ; it was not a judgment upon credibility of witnesses only, not upon the inconsistency alone of Lady Douglas's testimony, but the realm other of this child, Ann Austin was adduced, and its birth, with every circum- stance attending it, had been clearly proved to the commission. This report, too, of the conmiissioners, with all the evidence on which it was founded, had been referred to his Majesty's then ministers, and they, upon oath, had unanimously confirmed that report. This was not all the same report and evidence had been referred to the subsequent administration, and they in like manner, on their oaths, had unanimously declared the innocence of her Royal Highness.. His lordship did not mean to say, that if any great doubt could be entertained by his Majesty's subjects on this important and delicate question, some declaration from Parliament, as to the succession, might not become necessary, but when such doubts have been so repeatedly negatived, would it not, he asked, be giving a sort of weiglit and authority to the evidence of Lady Douglas? If the aflfidavits of profligate per- sons were thus to be sanctioned, where would be the end of such attempts ? Fortunately there never was a case that could excite so little hesitation. A more monstrous proposition, than to legislate on Lady Douglas's evidence, was never heard. The hon. mover had complained that no proceedings had been in- stituted against Sir John and Lady Douglas. His lordship had to state, that the first cabinet distinctly recommended a refer- ence to the then law officers of the crown, to consider of such '^ HISTORICAL PREFACE. XXXT prosecution; and if it had not been instituted, it did not arise from any doubt in the n:inds of those law officers as to the pu- nishment that would be brought down upon the degraded and guilty heads of Sir John and Lady Douglas, but it was from a wish to avoid bringing such subjects before the public. Sir Samuel Romiliy shortly vindicated the characters of the four commissioners in 1806, as well as the legality of that com- mission. j\Ir. Whitbread rose and said, that the honourable member who made the motion had informed the house he had commu- nicated his motion to him : he had done so ; and Mr. Whitbread told him that he could not support it. I'he noble lord opposite (Ca&tlereagh) on a former occasion had stated, that when the hon. member should produce his motion to-night, he would then furnish all the information that was necessary regarding the late letter. He had not so far favoured the house, and there- fore, if the motion went off, and nothing was said of this letter, the Princess of Wales was most unhai)pily and unfortunately situated. The noble Lord talked of poisoning the public mind, by publishUig the case and just demands of the Princess of Wales; he only knew by public rumour that the letter written by the Princess of Wales, in Sept. 180G, to the king, calling su emphatically for publicity, and a more fair tribunal, had been dictated by Lord KKlon, by Mr. Perceval, and by Sir Thomas Plomer. This fuct had often been asserted in the presence of ^L. Perceval, and never denied by him. The last person now named (Sir Thomas Plomer) now sat opposite, and might deny it if he could. Mr. Whitbread put it to Lord Castlereagh, if it was not known to him, that all that hud been said by the hon. mover, aye, more, much more, had been printed by Mr. Perce- val, Lord I'',ldon, and the cal)iiiet, of which he (the noble lord) was one, for the satisfiction, not only of Lnglund, but of ]%urope? lie inquired if (garbled accounts of this transaction were not now published to the world under the authority of the present cabinet ? Mr. Whitbread then entered into a narrative relating to the recent lettur to the Regent from the Prin>;ess. This letter was twice returned unopened ; the Princess then XXVI HISTORICAL PKErACE. " The Report is of such a nature, that her Royal Highness feels persuaded no person can read it without considering it as conveying aspersions upon her; and although their vagueness renders it impossible to discover precisely what is meant, or even what she has been charged with ; yet, as the Princess feels conscious of no offence whatever, she thinks it due to herself, to the Illustrious Houses with which she is connected by blood and by marriage^ and to the people among whom she holds so dfetinguished a rank, not to acquiesce for a moment under any imputations affecting her honour. ** The Princess of Wales has not been permitted to know upon what evidence the Members of the Privy Council pro- ceeded ^still less to be heard in her defence. She knew only by common rumour of the Inquiries which they have been carrying on, until the result of those Inquiries was communicated to her; and she has no means now of knowing whether the Members acted as a body, to whom she can appeal for redress, at least for a hearing or only in their individual capacities, as persons selected to make a report upon her conduct. The Princess is, therefore, compelled to throw herself upon the wisdom and jus- tice of Parliament, and to desire that the fullest investigation may be instituted of her whole conduct, during the period of her residence in this country. The Princess fears no scrutiny, however strict, provided she may be tried by impartial judges, known to the Constitution, and in the fair and open manner which the law of the land prescribes. Her only desire is, that she may either be treated as innocent, or proved to be guilty. ' The Princess of Wales desires Mr. Speaker to communi- cate this letter to the House of Commons." After a consideraWle pause, Mr, Whitbread rose and observed, that he had waited in the hope of seeing some honourable mem- ber, more competent than himself, rise in his place, and make some proposition to the House upon that which the Speaker had just communicated. But he felt it to be a subject of such importance, not only to the Illustrious Personage immediatel^'^ coacerned, but to other persons as regarding the- share they HISTORICAL PREFACE. XXVll took in the transaction; but above all, of the utmost import- ance as regarding the nation at large, that it was impossible such a communication could be made to the House, and suf- fered to pass in silence. He bad waited until he saw the noble lord opposite (Castlereagh) in his place, as that noble lord was one of the confidential ministers of the crown when the reports were originally taken into the consideration of his Majesty*s council, then acting under the popular name of the Cabinet Council. He had waited until he saw that noble lord in his place, who stood in the peculiar situation then as the confi- dential adviser of the crown ; and as the noble lord now filled the same situation as one of the confidential ministers of the' crown, the noble k>rd must have been one of the members of that Privy Council to whom the matter has lately been referred. He had waited, therefore, until he saw that noble lord in his place: and before he rose to address the chair, he had further waited in the hope that the noble lord would have made some propo- sition to the House upon this most important subject ; but not perceiving the noble lord, or any other honourable member, inclined to rise, he begged leave to ask the noble lord, whether it was or was not his intention to call the attention of the House to this subject? Lord Castlereagh said, from the importance and delicacy of the subject, and from the manner in which it was communi- cated to the House, he did not feel himself called upon to make any proposition to the House; the more especially, as an honourable member had fixed the day after to-morrow (Thurs- day) for a motion, to which this letter appeared- to apply he therefore did not think it necessary for him to interfere. What- ever might be the importance or delicacy of the transaction of which the honourable member had given notice, it would im- pose upon him (Lord Castlereagh) the necessity of giving a full explanation, and, until that time did arrive, he felt he should best fulfil his duty by not anticipating any proceeding upon the subject. Mr. Whitbread observed, that the honourable gentleman who gave, that notice (Mr. Cochrane Johnstone), was not then in thei xxrviii iiistorical pheface. would adopt, if the report was laid on the table, and therefore he should oppose his motion. Sir Thomas Piomer being alluded to personally, said he did jiot know whether he was called upon t^p defend himself against a charge for having been an adviser of Jhe Princess, or for not being any longer her adviser. As to the first point, he had to say he was commanded, in ISOfl, to attend her Royal Highness at Blackheath, to assist in defending her Royal Highness from the charge at that time made against her did he do wrong in not withholding that advice? As to the second point, was it expected he should tell what advice he had given ? Mr. Brand said, he was disnppointed in the speech he had just heard; he expected to have heard ?ome reply to the allusions made, to the learned gentleman. In his opinion circumstances had come out which made him think the country was exposed to difficulty and danger. The noble lord had made no satisfac- tory reply to the honourable member below him (Mr.Whitbread)? it was not enough^ to siiy the Regent had the sole prerogative of educating his daughter. Statements had been handed about in which, it was suh], the Princess was accused by suborned wit- nesses, and to suffi^r the matter to rest here was a denial of justice to the Princess ; for this reason he w'ould support the amend- ment of his honourable friend. Mr. Wortley said, he felt warmly on this occasion, as a man of honour and a gentleman, but he could not vote eithei* for the origi- nal motion or the amendment. He must at the same time say, it was not the speech of the noble lord that induced him to come to this determination, for he has left the points which are tlie most material in the discussion without any answer. He considered this a most galling and disgraceful subject, no less than dragging the royal family before the house. The true question was,'whe- ther ministers had done their duty first to their king, and secondly to their country. In his opinion, the four Commissioners appointed in 1806' had gone farther than they were required ti do. ^The Commission vv^ere to examine into a charge of one kind only; but from the evidence brought to support this, they formed another, and thus exceeded their jurisdiction. If their HISTORICAL PIIEFACE. XXXiX report was only to go to the King, this circumstance would not have been material, but as it was to go to the Princes's, it was sure to be productive of such difficulties as no woman could submit to, without complaining of the imputations that were cast upon her. But passing by this report, the next to be considered is that of 1807, which is a complete acquittal as to every point. This the noble lord has not denied in his speech; but the ministers of that day not only acquitted her royal Highness, but went far- ther, and advised his Majesty to receive the Princess at court; with such a report in existence, why was it necessary now to ransack the evidence of 1800, and to rake together the documents of that period to found a re[Kjrt ui)on what regulations weva necessary to go^'ern the intercourse between the Princess and her daughter ? Documents, in crushing which, the noble lord had formerly been a party. If, instead of such an unjustifiable proceeding, his royal ni^hness the Prince regent had been advised to say, I am the father of this child, and 1 will act as a father is empowered to do I am Prince of these realms, and I will exercise my prerogative of educating the successor to the throne the country would have been satistjed, in his opinion, a:3 he did not conceive the Princess was so popular as to fear tiiat such advice would not have been universally approved of. The hon. gentleman said, he had as high feelings for royalty as any man; but he must say all jjrocecdini^s like these conh-ibute to pull it dovHii. He was very sorry we. had a family wiio do not take warning from what is said and thought concerning them, 'i'hey seemed to be the only person*: in the country who were wholly regardless of their own wellare and respectability. ILi would not have the regent lay the flattering unction to his soul, and think his conduct will bear him harmless throu:,di all these transactions. He said this with no disrepect to him, or his family : no man was more attached to the house of Brunswick than he was ; but if he had a sist(;r in the sam-. situation, Iks would say she was exceedingly ill treated. Sir Samuel Romily said, that the honourable member was mistaken as to the nature of the powers givtjfi to the Commis- tioners in 1S0(). Xl mSTOllICAL PREFACE. After a lew observations, made by Mr. Smith, Mr. Ponsoiiby, Mr. Canning, Mr. Yorke, and Mr. Garrovv, the question was put, and Mr. Johnstone's motion was negatived with a division. The following were the resolutions moved by the Hon. Coch- rane Johnstone : " 1st. Resolved, That from the disputes touching the suc- cession to the throne, bitter public animosities, tumultuous con- tentions, long and bloody civil wars, have at various periods of the history of this kingdom, arisen, causing great misery to the good people thereof, grief and affliction to the Royal Family, and in some cases exclusion of the rightful heir. " That, therefore, loyalty and affection towards the Sovereign, and a just regard to the happiness of the people, call upon every subject of this Realm, and upon this house more especially, to neglect nothing within their power to prevent the recurrence of similar calamities from a similar cause. ** That it has been stated to this house, by a member thereof who has offered to prove the same by witnesses, at the Bar of this house, that, in the year ISOO, a commission was signed under his Majesty's royal sign manual, authorising and directing the then Lord Chancellor, Erskine,- Earl Spencer, the then Secretary of state for the home department. Lord Grenville, the then first lord of the treasury, and the then and present lord chief justice, Ellenborough, to inquire into the truths of certain written decla- rations, communicated to his Majesty by his royal Highness the Prince of Wales, touching the conduct of her royal Highness the Princess of "Wales. ** That the said Commissioners, in pursuance of the said authority and direction, did enter into an examination of several witnesses, and that they delivered to his Majesty a report of such examination, and also of their judgment of the several parts alleged against her royal Highness ; which report, signed by the four Commissioners ^foresaid, and dated on the 14th of July, 1806, was accompanied with copies of the declarations, exanii- pations, depositions, and oth^r documents on which it was ft>unded, HISTORICAL PREFACE. XU ** That it has been stated to this house^ in manner aforesaid, that the said written accusations against her royal Highness expressly asserted, * That her royal Highness had been pregnant in the year 1802, in consequence of an illicit intercourse, and that siie had in the same year been secretly delivered of a male child, which child had ever since that period been brought up by her royal Highness in her own house, and under her immediate inspection. " That the report further stated, that the Commissioners * first examined on oath the principal informants. Sir John Douglas and Charlotte his wife, who both particularly swore, the former to his having known the fact of the pregnancy of her royal High- ness, and the other to all the important particulars contained in a former declaration, and before referred to,' and that report added, * that the examinations are annexed to the report, and are circumstantial and positive.* * That, the Commissioners, after the above statements, pro- ceeded in their said report to state to his Majesty that they thought it their duty to examine other witnesses as to the facts in question, and that they stated, as the result of such farther examination, ' their perfect conviction that there is no founda- tion whatever for believing that the child now with the Princess is the child of her royal Highness, ^r that she was delivered of any child in 1802, or that she was pregnant in that year,' and that the Commissioners added ' That this was their clear and unanimous judgment, formed upon full deliberation and pro- nounced without hesitation, on the result of the whole inquiry/ * That the noble lords composing the Commission aforesaid had not, and could not, in that capacity, have any legal power to pronounce a judgment or decision in the case ; that the matter of charge submitted to them as a subject of inquiry amounted to a charge of high treason, a crime known to the laws, and there- fore liable only in a knov/n Court of Justice; tliat if, as Justices of the Peace, (a character belonging to them as Privy Councillors,) they were competent to receive informations and take examinations regarding the conduct of her royal Highness, they had no legal power in that capacity, nor in any other / k\\\ lilStOftJCAi, PREFACE. that conM be given to them, to pronounce an acquittal or a eondemnation upon the charge referred to thenn ; for that, to ^mit thettrto have been cOrtipetent to acquit, is to admit them torapetent to havfe found gtiiHy, and this would be to admit their competentie to have sent her Royal Highness to an ignomi- liiOus death, in virtue of a decision founded on selected ex parte evidence taken before a secret tribunal. " Tliat the whole report, as it relates to the judgment of the CotYimissiohe't^, (if the making of it be not an unlawful act) iai at least of ho legal validity, and, in the eye of the law, leaves the (Question of th'e guiit vt innox:ence of her royal Higliness where the Commissioners first found it ; that the depositions and Examinations lipon oath (supposfng the Commissioners to have taktn them in their capacity of Justices of the Peace) possess a iegal chtirac'feV ; but that no legal decision has yet been made upon any of the important facts stated in these depositions and iexaminations, and that it has not yet been legally decided that t'he fact positively sWorn to, of her royal Highness having been delivered of a male child in the jrear 1802, is not true. ** That in any claim to the succession to the Throne, which, by possibility, at least, may hereafter be set up, by any aspiring pei*sonage possessed of gfeat power, the circumstantial atid positive evid^ce of Sir John Douglas, and of Charlotte his wife, if again called for, would still retain all its legal character and Weight, while it might happen, that the evidence "on the other "side rrtight, from death or other causes, be found deficient ; and that there can be no doubt that if it should hereafter be made to appear, that the facts sworn to by Lady Douglas are true, and if ttie identity of the male child so bofn should be proved, he would be the legal heir to the Throne, notwithstanding any assertions, or any proofs, relating to the alleged illicit intercourse of her royal Highness the Princess of Wales. " That therefore tlie honour of hfer royal tlighness the Princess of Wales, thfe sacred right of the Princess Charlotte of Wales, the safety of the Throne, and the tranquillity of the country, 'do all unite, in a rftost imperious call on this house, to institutfe HISTORICAL PREFACE. xliii now, while the witnesses on both sides are still living, and while all the charges are capable of being clearly established, or clearly disproved, an ample and impartial investigation of all the allega- tions, facts, ancT circumstances appertaining to this most import- ant subject of inquiry. " 2d. Resolved, That an humble address be presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, requesting that his royal Highness will be graciously pleased to order, that a copy of a report made to his Majesty on the 14th day of July, 1806, by the then lord chancellor Erskine, Earl Spencer, lord Grenville, and lord chief justice Ellenborough, touching the conduct of her royal Highness the Princess of Wales, be laid before the house, together with the copies of the documents annexed to the said report." The reflections cast on the testimony of Sir J. Douglas, in the course of the parliamentary debates, occasioned him to remon- strate with lord Castlereagh and other members, on the terms with which lady Douglas's declaration and evidence in 1806, was mentioned. And he says, that what provoked him to this step was that lady Douglas and himself had actually been examined again by the Prince regeht's ministers, on the very eve of the day when lord Castlereagh pronounced their condemna- tion. Now, he says, and with some reason, that the very saihe men, who in 1807 had pronounced them to be unworthy of all belief, thought fit to examine them again on Thursday the 4th March 1813, thereby giving them credit for integrity, and yet the next day they spoke with the utmost contumely of their evidence. These reflections also produced the following notes to Mr. Whitbread and Lord Castlereagh : ** Major-General Sir John Douglas requests to know from " Lord Castlereagh, as a man of honour, whether he, in his *' place, in the House of Commons, on Friday evening, declared *' his wife to be a perjured person, and upon what ground he ** founded his accusation ?" The object of this note was to obtain from his lordship, out of the house, an avowal of the language he had used in hi^. XUV HISTORICAL PREFACE. place, as a member ; but which was disappointed by the follow- ing note from his lordship to Sir John, in answer : " Lord Castlereagh "deems it his duty to decline giving to Ma- " jor-General Sir J. Douglas any explanation of proceedings in *' which he has felt himself obliged to concur, when acting by ^* his Majesty's command, in discharge of his functions as a Privy Councillor, or, in the explanation of them to the House *' of Commons." A similar note w^as sent by Sir John to Mr. Whitbread, with the same view, to which he returned the following answer: " Major-General Sir John Douglas's question to Mr. Whit- ** bread is founded upon words attributed to him to have been *' spoken in his place in Parliament ; Mr. Whitbread is therefore ** under the necessity of declining all answer to that question.** The Princess Charlotte being indisposed for some time after the fete at Carlton-house, her Royal Highness was necessarily obliged to defer her return to Windsor. In consequence of this, the Princess of Wales, on the 8th of February, addressed herself to Lord Liverpool, desiring that he would communicate to the Prince Regent her Royal Highness's intention to visit the Prin- cess Charlotte at Warwick-house, not anticipating the possibi- lity of a prevention on the part of the Prince Regent, under the ciicumstance of the Princess Charlotte's confinement from ill- ness. Lord Liverpool replied that he was happy to announce the Princess Charlotte so much better, that her Royal Highness would be able to visit the Princess of Wales at Kensington Pa- lace on the following Thursday, 11th February. On that tnorn- ing, however, at the moment fand not before J of the Princess of Wales stepping into her carriage, she received information that the Princess Charlotte was refused coming. Upon this, the Princess of Wales again addressed Lord Liver- pool to know the reason, none having been assigned, for the Princess Charlotte's being thus suddenly prohibited from giving the meeting to her royal mother, and when and how soon her Royal Highness might expect to see the Princess Charlotte. To this inquiry the Princess of Wales received the following extraordinary y but not over-courteous^xt^Ay from Lord Liverpool ; HISTORICAL PREFACE. xlf Fife House, Feb. 14, \8\3. ** Lord Liverpool has the honour to inform your Royal High- ness, that in consequence of the publication in 'The Morning Chronicle of the 10th instant, of a letter addressed by your lloyal Highness to the Prince Regent, his Royal Highness thought fit, by the advice of his confidential servants, to signify his commands that the intended visit of the Princess Charlotte to your Royal Highness on the following day, should not take place. " Lord Liverpool is not enabled to make any further commu- nication to your Royal Highness on the subject of your Royal Highness's note." To this letter the Princess of Wales commanded Lady Anne Hamilton, her lady in waiting, to reply as follows to Lord Liverpool : *' Montague- House, Blackheath, Feb. 15, 1813. *' Lady Anne Hamilton is commanded by her Royal High- ness the Princess of Wales to represent to Lord Liverpool, that the insidious insinuation, respecting the publication of the letter addressed by the Princess of Wales, on the 14th of January, to the Prince Regent, conveyed in his Lordship's reply to her Royal Highness, is as void of foundation, and as false as all the former accusations of the traducers of her Royal Highness's ho- nour in the year 180G. " Lady Hamilton is further commanded to say, that digni- fied silence would have been the line of conduct the Princess would have preserved upon such insinuation (more than unbe- coming Lord Liverpool), did not the efl^ect arising from it ope- rate to deprive her Royal Highness of the sole real happiness she can possess in this world that of seeing her only child. And the confidential servants of the Prince Regent ought to feel ashamed of their conduct towards the Princess in avowing to her Royal Highness their advice to the Prince Regent, that upon unauthorized and unfounded suppositions a mother and daughter should be prevented from meeting a prohibition positively against the law of nature Lady Anne Hamilton is commanded Xlvi IIISTOniCAL PREFACE. further to desire Lord Liverpool, to lay this paper before the Prince Regent, that his Royal Highness may be aware into what error his confidential servants are leading him, and v^^ill involve him, by counselling and signifying such commands." Here ended the correspondence. ^ The cabinet meetings and proceedings succeeded almost im- mediately ; but touching the nature, the form, and the object of those proceedings, the Princess of Wales being left to conjec- ture, her Royal Highness, on the 27th February, addressed the subjoined letter to the Earl of Harrowby : Cpy of a Letter addressed by the Princess of Wales to the Earl of Harrowby. Feb. 27, 1813. *' The Princess of Wales has received reports from various quarters of certain proceedings lately held by his Majesty's Privy- Counsel, respecting her Royal Highness ; and the Princess has felt persuaded that these reports must be unfounded, because she could not believe it possible that any resolution should be taken by that most honourable body in any respect affecting her Royal Highness, upon statements which she has had no oppor- tunity of aw^wenn^, explaining y or even seeing. " The Princess still trusts, that there is no truth in these ru- mours ; but she feels it due to herself to lose no time in protest- ing against any resolution affecting her Royal Highness which may be so adopted. " The noble and rfght honourable persons who are said to have been selected for these proceedings, are too just to decide any thing touching her Royal Highness, without affording her an opportunity of laying her case before them. The Princess has not had any power to choose the Judges before whom any inquiry may be carried on ; but she is perfectly willing to have her whole conduct inquired into by any persons who may be se- lected by her accusers. The Princess only demands that she may be heard in defence or in explanation of her conduct, if it is attacked ; and that she should either be treated as innocent, or proved to be guilty." HISTORICAL PREFACE. xlvil Lord Harrowby replied to the effect, that a copy of the minis- ter's report, laid before the Prince Regent, had been transtnitted that same evening to the Princess of Wales, by the Viscount Sidmouth. Tile following is the Report to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, to which the Princess of Wales also alluded in her letter to the speaker of the House of Commons, which he read on the evening of the second of March. REPORT, &c. TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT. The following Members of his Majesty's most Honourable ' Privy Council, viz. His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Right Hon. the Lord High Chancellor, His Grace the Archbishop of York, His Grace the Lord Primate of Ireland, The Lord President of the Council, The Lord Privy Seal, The Earl of Buckinghamshire, The Earl Bathurst, The Earl of Liverpool, The Earl of Mulgrave, The Viscount Melville, The Viscount Sidmouth, The Viscount Castlcreagh, The Right Hon. the Lord Bishop of London, The Right Hon. Lord Ellenborough, Lord Chief-Justice of the Court of King's Bench, The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of Commons, The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Duchy, His Honour the Master of the Rolls, The Right Hon. the Lord Chief-Justice of the Court of Com- mon Pleas, * * The Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas was prevented by indisposition from attending, during any part of these proceedings. Xlviii HISTORICAL PREFACE. The Right Hon. the Lord Chief Baron of the Court of EjC- chefjuer, The Right Hon. the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, The Right Hon. the Dean of the Arches, Having been summoned by command of your Royal Highness, on the lyth of February, to meet at the office of Viscount ,Sidmouth, Secretary of State for the Home Department, a com- munication was made by his lordship to the lords then present, in the following terms : " My Lords I have it in command from his Royal High- ness the Prince Regent to acquaint your lordships, that a copy of a letter from the Princess of Wales to the Prince Regent hav- ing appeared in a public paper, which letter refers to the pro- ceedings that took place in an Inquiry instituted by command of his Majesty, in the year 1806, and contains, among other mat- ters, certain animadversions upon the manner in which the Prince Regent has exercised his undoubted right of regulating the con- duct and education of his daughter the Princess Charlotte; and his Royal Highness having taken into his consideration the said letter so published, and adverting to the directions heretofore given by his Majesty, that the documents relating to the said Liquiry should be sealed up, and deposited in the office of his ]\iajesty*s Principal Secretary of State, in order that his Ma- jesty's government should possess the means of resorting to them if necessary ; his Royal Highness has been pleased to di- rect, that the said letter of the Princess of Wales, and the whole of the said documents, together with the copies of other letters and papers, of which a schedule is annexed, should be referred to your lordships, being members of his Miyesty's Most Honour- able Privy Council, for your consideration ; and that you should report to his Royal Highness your opinion, whether, under all the circumstances of the case, it be fit and proper that the inter- course between the Princess of Wales and her daughter, the Princess Charlotte, should continue to be subject to regulations and restrictions." Their lordships adjourned their meetings to Tuesday the 23d February ; and the intermediate days having been employed in HISTORICAL PREFACE. XliX perusing the documents referred to them, by command of your Royal Highness, they proceeded on that and the following day to the further consideration of the said documents, and have agreed to report to your Royal Highness as follows : In obedience to the commands of your Royal Highness, we have taken into our most serious consideration the letter from her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales to your Royal High- ness, which has appeared in the public papers, and has been re- ferred to us by your Royal Highness; in which letter the Prin- cess of Wales, amongst other matters, complains that the inter- course between her Royal Highness and her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, has been subjected to certain restrictions. We have also taken into our most serious consideration, toge- ther with the other papers referred to us by your Royal High- ness, all tlie documents relative to the Inquiry instituted in 1S06, by command of his Majesty, into the truth of certain representa- tions respecting the conduct of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, which appear to have been pressed upon the attention of your Royal Highness, in consequence of the advice of Lord Thurlow, and upon grounds of public duty, by whom they were transmitted to his Majesty's consideration. And your Royal Highness having been graciously pleased to command us to report our opinions to your Royal Highiic-s, whether, under all the circumstances of the case, it be fit and proper, that the intercourse between the Princess of Whales and her daughter the Princess Charlotte, should continue to be subject to regulation and restraint. We beg leave humbly to report to your Royal Highness, that after a full examination of all the documents before us, we are of opinion, that, under all the circumstances of the case, it is highly lit and proper, with a view to tlie welfare of her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, in which are equally involved the happi- ness of your Royal Highness in your parental and royal charac- ter, and the most important interests of the state, that the inter- course between her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, should continue to be subject to regulation and restraint. g 1- HISTORICAL PKEFACE. We humbly trust that we may be permitted, witTiout bein^ thought to exceed the Hmits of the duty imposed on us, re- spectfully to express the just sense we entertain of the motives by which your royal highness has been actuated in the post- ponement of the confirmation of her royal highness the Princess Charlotte, as it appears, by a statement under the hand of her Majesty the Queen, that your royal highness has conformed, in this respect, to the declared will of his Majesty; who had been pleased to direct, that such ceremony should not take place till lier royal highness should have completed her eighteenth year. We also humbly trust, that we may be further permitted to notice some expressions in the letter of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, which may possibly be construed as implying a charge of too serious a nature to be passed over without ob- servation. We refer to the words " suborned traducers." As this expression, from the manner in which it is introduced, ma}', perhaps, be liable to misconstruction (however impossible it may be to suppose that it can have been so intended), to have reference to some part of the conduct of your Royal Highness, we feel it our bounden duty not to omit this opportunity of de- claring, that the documents laid before us, afford the most ample proof that there is not the slightest foundation for such an Rspersion. (Signed by the Privy Councillors as above). It appears that Sir John or Lady Douglas, who makes so conspicuous a figure in the present Inquiry, was, in all proba- bility, the first cause of its being instituted ; and, as a know- ledge of what led to the Investigation is necessary to form an opinion of those who are the accusers of the Princess, we ex- tract tliC following article from a respectable daily paper, which appears at once to clear up the whole. affair. In the beginning of November 1805, his Royal Highness the^ Duke of Sussex made known to the Prince, that Sir John Doug- las had communicated to him some circumstances in the con- duct of the Pi^ncess-of Wales, that it was of the utmost con- sequence to the honour of his Royal Highness, and to the security of the royal succession, should be made known to him; HISTORICAL PREFACE. H' and that Sir John said, he and his Lady were ready to give a full disclosure if called upon. He added, that his Royal High- ness the Duke of Kent had been made partly acquainted with the matter a twelvemonth before. In consequence of this, the Prince called on the Duke of Kent, to say what had been communicated to him, and why he had for a whole year kept from his knowledge a matter so interest- ing to the honour of the family. The Duke of Kent, in his written declaration, stated, that about the end of 1804, he had received a note from the Princess of Wales, stating that she had got into an unpleasant alter- cation with Sir John and Lady Douglas, about an anonymous letter, and a filthy drawing, which they imputed to her Royal Highness, and about which they were making a noise. She requested the Duke of Kent to interfere, and prevent its going further. His Royal Highness applied to Sir Sidney Smith, and through him had an interview with Sir John Douglas ; who was greatly enraged, and who seemed convinced that both the anonymous letters and the loose drawing were by the hand of the Princess, and that the design was to provoke Sir John Douglas to a duel with his friend Sir Sidney Smith, by the gross insinuation flung out respecting the latter and Lady Douglas. The Duke of Kent, however, succeeded in prevailing on Sir John Douglas to abstain from his purpose of commencing a prosecution, or of stirring further in the business, as he was satisfied in his mind of the falsehood of the insinuation, and could not be sure that the fabrications were not some gossiping story, in which the Princess had no hand. Sir John, however, was in a great rage, spoke with great indignation of the con- duct of the Princess, and promised only that he would for the present abstain from further investigation, but would not give him a promise of preserving silence if he should be ftirlher an- noyed. The Duke of Kent concluded with stating, tluit nothing was communicated to him beyond tiiis fracas, and that having succeeded in stopping it, he did not think it fit to trouble his Royal Highness with a gossiping story that might be entirely founded on the misapprehension of the offended parties. lii HISTORICAL PREFACE. Sir John and Lady Douglas then made a formal declaratiofo of the whole story, as contained in their subsequent affidavits, before the Duke of York, on the 3d December 1803. This declaration was submitted by the Prince to the late Lord Thurlow, who said that his Royal Highness had no al- ternative it was his duty to submit it to the King, as the royal succession might be affected if the allegations were true. In the mean time it was resolved to make further inquiry, and Mr. Lowten, of the Temple, was directed to take steps accord- ingly. The consequence was, that William and Sarah Lampert (ser- vants to Sir John Douglas), William Cole, Robert and Sarah Bidgood, and Frances Lloyd made declarations, the whole of which, together with that of Sir John and Lady Douglas, were submitted to his Majesty, who thereupon issued the warrant, dated the 29th May 1806, directing Lord Erskine, Lord Gren- viile. Earl Spencer, and Lord Ellenboiough, as our readers have seen, to inquire into the truth of the allegations, and to report to him thereon. Motion for the Prosecution of Lady Douglas. On Monday evening, March 16, Mr. Whitbread being in his place in the House of Commons, and having inquired if Lord Castlereagh would be there also, rose and said, " I am desirous to put one or two questions to the noble lord oppo- site, on a subject which, I had hoped, the discussions which took place in this house on the week before last, had set for ever at rest. But the tumult and indignation excited by things recently published the disgust created by disclosures made in two newspapers under the influence of the government the rumours and communications respecting me and the noble lord, which ha\" come forth, leave no ground for the supposition that matters can rest where they now are, but, on the contrary, shew that they must come to a crisis. Under these circum- stances, I rise to ask the noble lord whether the Prince Regent, under advice, has given any notice to the law officers of the crown to prosecute Lady Douglas for perjury. I also desire the HISTORICAL PREFACE. Hu noble lord to inform me if he knows, or if he does not know, I require the information fropn any other honourable member who may be able to supply me with it : I desire to know if Lady Douglas has, between the 12th of February and the 5th of March, been examined by the Solicitor of the Treasury, and before a Magistrate, in the presence of Sir John Douglas. I de- sire to know from the noble lord, or from any other gentleman who may know the fact, whether or not these examinations have been continued, and are still going on ? And I put these questions with the view, if I am answered by the noble lord, or by others, of giving notice of the proceedings which I may deem it right to institute on the subject." Lord Castlereagh said, " I am sure the house would feel that I was guilty of a dereliction of my duty, were I to answer to the honourable gentleman, unless I knew the nature of the proceed- ings which it may be his intention to pursue." Mr. Whitbread " I have no objection to satisfy the noble lord upon this point. I think the Princess of Wales must either be brought to trial, or Lady Douglas be prosecuted for perjury. The Princess of Wales came to this house, and threw herself pu the wisdom of parliament ; and notwithstanding the means taken to prevent it, the whole discussion that ensued upon that occasion has gone forth and is known to the world. The de- claration of her innocence by the noble lord is known. Sir John Douglas, in consequence of this, waited upon me, and upon the noble lord, and his application and my ansVver (not from me, for I furnished no copy of it to any one,) have been published in the public papers. When he called upon me. Sir John Douglas told me that he conceived he and Lady Douglas were treated with the greatest hardship, as Lady Douglas had been ex- amined as a witness on the very eve of ihe day in which the noble lord had declared her to be a pojured and degraded wo- man. Sir John Douglas also told me of the depositions before the magistrate to which I have alluded ; and that himself and Lady Douglas still persisted in the truth of their statements respecting the Princess of Wales, lie also informed me that he meant to approach this house ; upon which I observed, that liv HISTORICAL PHEFACE. I was sure no member of parliament would refuse to present his petition. As to Ihe second question, whether the Prince Re- gent, under advice, has instructed the law officers of the crown to prosecute Lady Douglas for perjury ; I am sure the Princess of Wales must be considered to be innocent by all the world, and by the noble lord and the Prince Regent ; but if not, I am sure that her guilt ought not to be made apparent through news- papers, but by a message from the throne to parliament. 1'his under any circumstances, would be incumbent on ministers, but it would be peculiarly incumbent on them, placed as the Prince Regent was in being Regent, if guilt can be imputed, to come v.ilh the charge directly to the parliament. If I lind that they do not prosecute Lady Douglas for peijury, I shall deem it my duty to move, " That an humble address be presented to the Prince Regent, to give instructions to his law officers to found that proceeding on such part of her testimony, in 1806, as may appear justly liable to that accusation." Lord Castlereagh acknowledged^^that the honourable gentleman had candidly stated Iiis opinions, and added, " This statement has confirmed me in the determination, that it is my duty not to answer his questions, nor to afford any further information on the topics he has urged, until they are regularly brouo;ht un- der the consideration of the house." Mr. Whitbread said, " The noble lord has satisfied himself that he has done his duty in refusing to answer me. I ad- dressed my questions to other gentlemen, if there were any pre- sent capable of giving me information. The noble lord has* decHned answering me. I now repeat my questions, and put them to others. I ask, first, if thq Prince Regent has, under advice, given instructions to the law-officers to prosecute Lady Douglas for perjury ? 1 ask, secondly, if Lady Douglas has been examined by the Solicitor of the Treasury, and a magis- trate, from the 12th of February to the 5th of March, that very day on which the noble lord, in his place, declared her to be a perjured and degraded woman? And I ask, thirdly, if not of the noble lord, (as I am not sure he possesses a competent knowledge on that point. Sir John Douglas having informed me HISTORICAL PREFACE. ]f he -stated to him he was not acquainted with it), of others, to whom I put it, whether, since the 5th of March, examinations into old matter, or new proof of criminality, have, or liave not been instituted? If I receive no answer from the noble lord,' who thinks it his duty to deny me, or from any other honour- able person, I will content myself with doing my duty, and will, on Wednesday next, execute my purpose of moving for an address, to the effect I have already stated, to the Prince Re- gent. I am certain that the public mind cannot bear to be con- laminated as it has been, or endure the ferment that is excited. I am certain that it will demand justice on the Princess of Wales, if guilty, or upon those who have accused her, if she be innocent." liOrd Castlereagh said, " I see no reason, nor will any reason, nor will any remarks of the honourable gentleman, force me to depart from the course I have laid down for my conduct, which I would not be warranted in doing by any public reports ad- duced by the honourable gentleman. -With respect, however, to disclosures, and the injury done to public feelings, the honourable gentleman will permit me to say, that the responsi- bility of all rests upon those who first originated the production of these documents. fHcar, Hear!) -7'he honourable gentle- man himself has deeply to answer for these things which he thus condemns. He was the first to read and publish garbled ex- tracts and statements of documents which ought not to have been read at all but which being read, and making a partial impres- sion on the public, the whole injury resulting from them, and other productions conec|uent upon them, is to be attributed to the original authors of any disclosures." Mr. Whilbrcad said (with warmth), " I read the minute of the cabinet, the Portland cabinet, the minute to which the name of ihe noble lord is affixed I read it entirely, and garbled no part I omitted no word in it I read it because I thought it necessary; neither was it a secret document; it was printed by Mr. Perceval, and was in the possession of hundreds; I garbled not; but I recorded the verdict of acquittal which had been given. And will the noble lord draw any parallel between the publication of such documents as those to which I have Ivi HISTORICAL PREFACE. alluded, in the public newspapers, and the readinj?, by a mem* ber of this house in^ his place, of a declaration of innocence ? These documents come forth to the country through the medium of two papers, known to be well affected towards the existing administration : they are published in the Morning Herald and in the Morning Post upon the same dayj with comments in the latter, as if the Princess of Wales was brought before the tribu- nal of the editor ; the other is the property of a person who has lately received honours from the Prince Regent, and is known to hold frequent intercourse with Carlton House. But the noble lord now charges me with reading the cabinet minute- he made no complaint at the time I read it (Lord Castlereagh said across the table " I did"). Did you ? I beg your pardon I do not recollect it it had escaped me. But be that as it may, there is a main difference between this recital of a declaration of innocence, and such publications as those, which, after acquittal, load the innocent with ignominy. I am not the adviser of the- publication of the Princess of Wales's letter, or of any of the subsequent publications, but I know, if a person has no other resource from oppression, it is no misdemeanour to resort to this ; I know that it was the last resource of that oppressed per- son, who is so till she is convicted of being guilty. Her Royal Highness has declared that she was not aware of this publication. All that I know is, that this illustrious person comes to par- liament, and calls upon it to pronounce her guilty, or treat her as innocent. I know that there is no message sent to parlia- ment from authority, which would and ought to have been done if guilt could be imputed" Lord Castlereagh said, " Now Iknow the honourable gentle- man's view of the matter, I am the more confirmed in the pro- priety of declining to reply to his questions. I did charge him (I do not mean the word in an offensive sense), I did complain at the time he read the minute, not that he garbled that docu- ment, but that the reading of that document itself, unconnected with others, conveyed a garbled statement, in the constitutional sense, of the whole course of the proceedings. 1 complained of his reading the minute of the Duke of Portland's cabinet, with* out also taking into view antecedent proceedings, as calculated HISTORICAL PREFACE. Ivii to make on the public mind an impression not proper, if the documents were considered altogether. That minute is only intelligible with a reference to the minute of Lord Grenville's cabinet. The honourable gentleman is not correct in thinking that any state document was printed by Mr. Perceval the Book contained only the evidence and strictures upon it, and the defence of the accused. It contained no act of state, and the honourable gentleman is the first on whose head the respon- sibility rests, of having given publicity to any act of the govern- ment in this afl'air." Mr. Whitbread, ** On my head be it On my head be it that I made the first attempt to vindicate the Princess of Wales. On my head be the responsibility for all I have done on the head of others the responsibility for all they have done; and on the head of the noble lord the responsibility for refusing to answer the questions 1 have put to him. I assure the noble lord I will not take olfence at any of his expressions, for I am sure they are not meant personally, however warmly we may feel interested in arguing this case. But I will ask him, after the declaration made of the innocence of the Princess of Wales by a cabinet minister (we believe Mr. Perceval) after what was stated the other night by the Attorney General, in his place after reading the minute of acquittal, are those words to be retracted, " I have no intention of iui,puting criminality to the Princess of Wales." The whole effect of what has since passed is to impute criminality. The noble lord will, however, give no information. 1 trust he will, on Wednesday, be prepared so to do: and in the mean time I presume, from his silence, that no directions have been given for the prosecution of Lady Douglas." Lord Castlcrcagh said, *' I never made any declaration either of guilt or innocence, as I did not consider it to be within our competent jurisdiction. I distinctly stated that the evidence submitted to the Portland cabinet, which went to criminate her Royal Highness, was either contradicted, or not entitled to cre- dence. I did not attempt to pronounce on guilt or innocence, as this house is not a competent tribunal." Mr. Whitbread replied, and after some few observations. Lord h Iviii HlStOftfCAL #Rtf ACE. Milton rose to propose, as an amendment, that the house should adjourn, which not being seconded the original motion was carried. While the general expectation was directed towards Mr. Whitbread's motion, anxious to know its fate in proportion as the public wished for justice to be done to the evidence of Sir John and Lady Douglas, it was found out, durmg the interval of his giving notice, ** That the prosecution against the Dou- glases would not hold in law, as they had not sworn in open court, or after process joined," and l\eHce the hwiourable mover was obliged to alter his motion, and to propose an address to his Royal Highness, " to order the proper measures to be taken for discovering and bringing to justice the persons concerned in giving publicity to the nauseous depositions.'* Upon this newly-discovered ground, when the house opened^ on Wednesday, March 17, Mr. Whitbread brought in a petition from Sir John and Lady Douglas, which was read by the clerk nearly in the following terms : " That your petitioners are advised, that the deposition* which they made on oath before the Commissioners, in June, 1806, were not made before such a tribunal as would subject your petitioners, in case their depositions were false, to prosecu- tion and punit!^hment for perjury. Tliat your petitioners feeling the utmost confidence in their own innocence, and the truth of their depositions so delivered as aforesaid, before the said Com- missioners, are perfectly ready and willing, and hereby offer to swear the said depositions before auy competent tribunal, so as. to render themselves liable to such prosecution and punishment for perjury, if their said depositions should be proved to be false. And your petitioners, therefore, most humbly pray your honour- able house, that they may be sworn before a competent tribu- nal for the purposes aforesaid, as your petitioners do not wish to shelter themselves under any legal forms against the conse- quences of giving the said depositions. " And your petitioners shall ever pray&c.**"* The speech which Mr. Whitbread made on tUis occasion HISTORICAL PREFACE. llX entered so fully into the history of the whole transaction be- tween the Princess and her enemies, that there are very few points indeed which this master-piece of eloquence did not em- brace. As a mediator between the Royal parties, he acknow- ledged that a noble friend of her Royal Highness had, on a former night, when the Princess was declared innocent, done him the honour of asking his advice, and he, on that occasion, sketched out a letter of dignified submission from her to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and sent it to the Princess. She did him the honour of taking a copy of it in her own hand, with the intention of sending it to the Prince ; but this healing and desirable step was prevented, by her receiving information, that Sir John and Lady Douglas w'ere again under examination, and that too with the sanction of the Lord Chancellor. The letter he would read, if the house would indulge him. The following is a correct copy ; " Sir, " I once more approach your Royal Highness, and can ven- ture to assure you. Sir, that if you will deign to read my letter, you will not be dissatisfied with its contents. " The report made by certain members of his Majesty's privy council, was communicated to me by Lord Sidmouth, and its contents appeared to those, upon whose advice I rely, to be such as to require on my part a public assertion of my innocence, and a demand of investigation. It cannot be unknown to \'our royal Highness that I addressed a letter to the lord chancellor, and a duplicate of that letter to the speaker of the house of commons, for the purpose of its being communicated to the two houses of Parliament. " The lord chancellor twice returned my letter, and did not communicate its contents to the house of lords. " The speaker of the house of commons thought it his duty to announce the receipt of my letter, and it was road from the chair. To my inexpressible gratification I have been informed, that, although no proceeding was instituted according to my request, certiin discussions which took place in that honourable house have resulted in the complete, and unequivocal, and uni- Ix HISTORICAL PREFACE. versa! acknowledgment of my entire innocence, to the satisfactior^ of the world. ** Allow me. Sir, to say to your royal Highness, that I address you now relieved from a load of distress which has pressed upon me for many years. *' Iwas always conscious that I was free from reproach. I am now known to be so, and worthy to bear the exalted title of Princess of Wales. " On the subject of the confirmation of the Princess Char- lotte, I bow, as becomes me, and with implicit deference to the opinion expressed by his Majesty, now that I have been made acquainted with it. His Majesty's decision I must always regard as sacred. '* To such restrictions as your royal Highness shall think pro- per to impose upon the intercourse between the Princess Char- lotte and myself, as arising out of the acknowledged exercise of your parental and royal authority, I submit without obser- vation ; but I throw myself upon the compassion of your royal Highness, not to abridge more than may be necessary my great- est, indeed, my only pleasure. ** Your royal Highness may be assured, that, if the selection of society for the Princess Charlotte, when on her visits to me, were left to my discretion, it would be, as it always has been, unexceptionable for rank and character. If your royal Highness would condescend. Sir, to name the society yourself, your injunctions should be strictly adhered to. " I will not detain your royal Highness I throw myself again on your royal justice and compassion, and I subscribe myself, with perfect sincerity, and in the happy feelings of justified innocence, your royal Highness's, &.c. &c. Sec. Mr Tierney, speaking of Lord Castlereagh, said, he could discern by no gesture or look of the noble lord, whether they were to remain in that situation or not. But waving this ques- tion, he wished to know by what authority Mr. (Justice) Co- nant should undertake to meddle with matters of state, by call- ing, as he had done, for evidence on the subject ! People talked of conspiracies," of a conspiracy between the Douglases;. HISTORICAL PREFACE. Jxi but there might be conspiracy and collusion elsewhere." As an amendment to Mr. Whitbread's motion, Mr. Tierney then moved. That the printer and publisher of the Morning Herald, (and he afterwards added the Morning Post) should be called to the bar of the house ; which was negatived. At length Mr. Whitbread agreed to wave his motion, which, as well as Mr. Tierney's amendment, was negatived without a division. On a review of the whole of these transactions, a multiplicity of reflections ofler themselves; the first is, that foul pcrjuiy and insatiable malice somewhere exist. The latter, it seem?, neither time nor submission is able to soothe. Blind to consequences, nothing is able to divert the enemies of the Princess from the prosecution of their object ; not by fair and open means, but by secret machinations, which shun the light, and which, when detected, are not diverted, and when exposed, are not abashed. Unable to find valid or voluntary evidence, this, it would ap- pear, is still sought after amongst persons whose names would be almost a profanation to attach to that of the Princess's ; and from persons whose stations in life expose them to more than a chance of bartering their integrity for a reward, and the advan- tage of gratifying their superiors ! As long, therefore, as this thirst for the life-blood of the fair fame and reputation of her royal highness continues, the country, and the succession, are undoubtedly in danger. Certainly it is not possible that this royal stranger should have been made, from the very first, the stepping-stone of ambition, or of some more ignoble passion I However, it is remarkable that the first letter of her Royal Consort, announcing his determination as to a separation, was written within thirteen months after the marriage took place ! and what is still equally singular is, " the Prince's letter is dated on the very day twelvemonth that the parliament were engaged in discussing his Majesty's gracious message relative to the pro- vision to be made for the " august spouse" of his son, in conse- quence of his recent nuptials, and this at the moment when it was resolved to exclude her from the enjoyment of the splen- jlour due to her rank, if not to her virtues. Ijfii HISTORICAL PREFACE. It has been argued that the whole matter ought to have remained in obscurity, which, in other words, is only saying, that injured innocence, for some unguarded levity, is to continue, from year to year, to suffer without a murmur; to remain the victim and prey of unutterable anguish, without unbosoming itself to any human being! And, as if this misfortune and punishment were not sufficiently severe, it was expected that the same injured person should he held up by the hireling prints in the pay of her enemiejs as one who might expect a legal separation from her husband, icho might lose his wife, marry agaifi, and have a son. This, and the degrading steps with which such intentions were to have been connected, were, no doubt, the first motives that induced the sufferer to break her long silence, and at once appeal to the Parliament and the Prince. It was this provocation that urged the demand, as it were, to be proved, and not presumed, guilty, or otherwise to be declared iwiocent, not in secret, but according to the forms of law ; for it is guilt only that seeks concealment. As to the pretended indelicacy of inquiring into the real situa- tion of tlie party aggrieved, under the pretext that it is prying into family concerns, it is so weak that it is astonishing it should ever have been resorted to. This is belied by that interest taken by almost every individual in the empire; and by that honour- able and general feeling which, like an electric shock, has agi- tated every bosom susceptible of a generous impulse. In fine, the notice of the whole, it must be acknowledged, has been forced upon the public by some of the most striking circum- stances tliat ever occurred in the history of this or any other nation; nor is there any kind of argument or opinion now wanting to prove the interest which all ranks of people feel on this occasion. This is apparent from the concern, and even the anxiety, which is manifested respecting every circumstance relative to the royal stranger and her illustrious daughter, the rightful successor to the throne of these realms, as well as from the contempt and detestation with which the public on all oc- casions speak of their enemies. fllSTORlCAL PRfiPACE* Ixiu StA'fEMENT of Particulars respecting the CHILD now under the protection of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. WITHOUT dwelling on all the trivial circumstances connected with the history of the molher of this child, which are scattered through the documents, we have endeavoured only to furnish our readei-s with a connected view of the leading circumstances belonging to the parties concerned. Austin, the real father of the child, was a porter, in 1798, to Mr. Young, a broker in Lombaid-court, Seven Dials. Some time after this, Mrs. Austin, finding that her husband's earnings scarcely procured a sufficiency for himself, determined to go to service, and engaged in this capacity with Mr. Cooper, a coal merchant of Vil- liers-street, in the Strand, leaving a child, which was born before he came to town, under the care of a relation. With Mr. Villiers she remained about a year, during which time her husband had been so much afflicted with the rheumatism that he left off being a porter, &c. and became a footman to the Duchess of Cumberland- Mrs. Austin, too, acted as nurse in several families, and mostly lived separately from her husband; however, on the 12th of March, 1800, she lay-in with another son, at Brownlow-street Hospital. In the August following, taking care of a house for Mr. Woodford, at Deptford, who was her husband's uncle, she staid there till Austin, probably to be near his wife, got a place as a labourer in his Ma- jesty's Dock-yard, at r2s. per week, but at tlie general peace in, 1802, he was discharged with many more. Being aftenvards in distress, it is said, he proposed to his wife, f hat she and the chil- dren should apply to the parish, which she refusing to do, he left Tier. He, however, returned home in a short time, when Mrs. Austin being pregnant again, and within two months of her time, the endeavoured to get another recommendation to Brownlow-slreet Hospital. This circumstance it was that made her acquainted with the house of her Koyal Highness the Princess of Wales ; for, being j ntimate with a poor woman of the name of Luslei/, who used to get tlie broken victuals from Montague House, she spoke to her to makK interest with sonie of the ladies to get her a letter of admittance into KOrae lying-in hospital. Mrs. Austin and she went together for this purpose; the former waiting upon the heath, while the latter went into the house. Here she did not succeed after all, but got a letter for Brownlow-street Hospitid, from Mr. Iloare, the banker in Fleet- street, and on Sunday, July 11, 1802, was delivered of a son, bap- tized on the 15th of the same month, and named W illiam. After Mrs. Austin came home, having lirard that the Princess of Wales procured employmejit in the Dock-yaid for a number of ap- plicants, her husl)and wrote a j)etition, which she carried, and went with the child William in her arms, on Saturday, October 23d, to Mntague House. At the door, it seems she met with Stikeman, who said her child was a fine child, and that if it had been about a fortnigkt old he could have f^ot it taktn r.are ^if for her. He thea took it into the house, where keeping it half an hour, Mrs. Austin was dreadfully alarmed ; Stikeman nevertheless brought it out agaiu, Ixiv msTORlCAL PREFACE^ and saying' i( had been a very good boy, took a shilling' back whicli- he had given her, and made if up hali-a-guinea, which he then gave her as a prfesent from the ladies. Here she also got some broken victuals, and was told to be sure to bring the child again by eleven o'clock on the following Monday morning. During this interval her husband had packed up his clothes and left her other child with a Woman in the house : he had got a place without her knowledge at a currier's, in Oxford-road. When Mrs^ Austin went to Montague House on the Monday appointed, her husband was asked after, and Mr. Stikeman told her, that if she did not biing him with her he would call on them at Deptford, where* they then resided at No. 7, in the New Row. Stikeman called, and after making many parti- cular inquiries said, he would do what he could by vfay of getting the child taken care of. On the Oth of November she again visited Montague House with the child, and saw the Princess after waiting two hours. Here, after some conversation, she was asked by one of the ladies if she could make up her mind to part with the child, who would be treated like a young Prince. Mrs. Austin said, she would rather part with it to such a lady as the Princess, than keep it to want. She then received a pound note, and was ordered to begin weaning the child that night. This, however, and the final parting with the infant, seems to have cost Mrs. Austin many bitter pangs ; because it appears, that though she was told she might come and see .it, she met with several disappointments ! And though Mrs. Austin had made a request, through Mr. Stikeman, to be employed as nurse to the child, it could not be granted ; but by his recommendation she got a place in this capacity at Mrs. Garrard's, in Panton-street, and as her husband was again out of employ Mr. Stikeman engaged him as an errand man at his own house in Pimlico. Mrs. Austin next became a servant at a private house near Thames-street, and at length returning to her husband at Pimlico, was, on the 19th of April, 1805, a third time admitted into Brown- low-street Hospital, and soon after delivered of another son, named Job. In East-lane, Pimlico, Mrs. Austin remained about three years. During the time she lived at Pimlico, in her occasional visits to Blackheath, she was always admitted to see her son William, who had a regular nurse provided for him within a few days after she first left him. Besides this, she had the additional satisfaction of knowing that when about nine years of age, after being placed at a day school on Blackheath, he was transfened to a boarding school at Greenwich, kept by Dr. Burney, but from this he has been re- moved to another on Blackheath," where he still remains. Mrs. Austin now goes regularly once a quarter to see her son, and to re- ceive some allowance for another child at home ; her husband has a constant place as a locker in the London Docks ; when ill he receives no pay. Young Austin, it is said, veiy strongly resembles his mo- ther in his features, complexion, &c. Such are the outlines of the singular and eventful particulars, which may, in a great measure, be said to have been transacted be- tween a Princess and the innocent child of a porter ! Charlcfi Squire, Printer, Furoival's-Inn-Court, London. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. COPY OF HIS MAJESTY S COManSSION. " GEORGE R. " Whereas our right tiusty and well beloved Coun- cillor, Thomas Lord Erskine, our Chancellor, has this day laid before us an Abstract of certain written decla- rations touching- the conduct of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, we do hereby authorise, empower, and direct the said Thomas Lord Erskine, our Chan- cellor, our right trusty and well beloved Cousin and Councillor George John Earl Spencer, one of our prin- cipal Secretaries of State, our right trusty and well be- loved Councillor W. Windham, Lord Grenville, First Commissioner of our Treasury, and our right trusty and well beloved Councillor Edward Lord Ellenborough, our Chief Justice, to hold pleas before ourself, to in- quire into the truth of the same, and to examine, upon oath, such persons as they shall see fit touching and con- cerning the same, and to report to us the result of such examination. " Given at our Castle of Windsor, on 29th May, in the 46th year of our Reign . " G. R." COPY OF THE DEPOSITION OF CHARLOTTE J.ADY DOUGLAS. *M THINK I first became acquainted with the Fnuomt f Wales in I80L Sir John DougrJas had a iiouse at s 2 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Blackheath. One day, in November, 1801, the snow "Was lying' on the g^ronnd. The Princess and a Lady who, I believe, was Miss Heyman, came on fQot, and walked several times before the door. Lady Stewart was with me, and said, she thought that the Princess wanted something, and that I ought to go to her. I went to her. She said, she did not want any thing but she would walk in ; that I had a very pretty little girl. She came in and staid some time. About a fortnight after Sir J. Douglas and I received an invitation to go to Montague House, after that I was very frequently at Montague House, and dined there. The Princess dined frequently with us. About May or June, 1 802, the Princess tirst talked to me about her own conduct. Sir S. Smith, who had been Sir John's friend for more than to years, came to England about November, 1 80 1 , and came to live in our house. I understood the Princess knew Sir Sydney Smith before she was Princess of Wales. "The Princes-s saw Sir S. Smith as frequently as ourselves. We were usually kept at Montag-ue-house later than the rest of the party, often till three or four in the morning. I never observed any impropriety of con- duct between Sir S. ^mith and the Princess. I made the Princess a visit at Montague-house, in March, 1802, for about a fortnight. She desired me to come ^here, because Miss Garth was ill. Tn May or June following, the Princess came to my house alone she said she came to tell me something that had happened to her, and desired me to guess I guessed several things, and at last I said I could not guess any thing more. She then said she was pregnant, and that the child had come to life. " I don't know whether she said on that day, or a few days before, that she was at breakfast at Lady Wil- loughby's, that the milk flowed up to her breast and came through her gown ; that she threw a napkin over herself and went with Lady Willoughby into her room, and ajdjusted herself to prevent its being observed. She never told me who was the father of the child. She said she hoped it would be a boy. She said that if it. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 8 was discovered she would give the Prince of Wales the credit of being- the father, for she had slept two nights at Carlton-hoiise within the year. I said that I should g*o abroad to my mother. The Princess said she should manage it \evy well, and if things came to the worst, she should give the Prince the credit of it. While I was at Montague-house, in March, I was with child, and one day I said I was very sick, aud the Princess de- sired Mrs. Saunders to get me a saline draught. She then said that she was very sick herself, and that she would take a saline draught too. I observed; that she could not want one, and 1 looked at her. The Princess said, yes, I do. What do you look at me for with your wicked eyes? you are always finding me out. Mrs. Saunders looked very much distressed ; she gave us a saline draug-ht each. " This was the first time I had any suspicion of her being with child. The Princess never said who was the father. When she first told me she was with child I rather suspected that Sir S. Smith was the father, but only because the Princess was very partial to him. I never knew he was with her alone. We had constant intercourse with the Princess, from the time when I was at Montague-liouse, till the end of October. After she had first communicated to me that she was with child, she frequently spoke upon the subject. She was bled twice during the time. She recommended me to bleed too, and said that it made you have a better time. Mr. Edmeads bled her ; she said, oue of the days that Mr. Edmeads bled her, that she had a violent heat in her blood, and that Edmeads should bleed her. I told the Princess that I was very anxious how she would manage to be brought to bed without its being- known ; that I hoped she had a safe person. She said, yes : she should have a person from abroad ; that she had a great horror of having any men about her upon such an occasion she said, 1 am confident in my own plans, and I wish you would not speak to me on that subject again. She said, I shall tell eveiy thing to.. 4 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Saunders. I think this was on the day on which she told me of what had happened at Lady Willoug-hby's. Saunders was a very good woman, and might be trusted, and that she must be with her at the labour ; that she would send Miss Garth to Brunswick, and Miss Milfield was too young to be trusted^ and must be sent out of the way. I was brought to bed on the 23d Joiy, 1802. The Princess insisted on being present. I deterniineid that she should not, but I meant to avoid it wi^out of- fending her. On the day on which I was broaght to bed, she came to my house and insisted on coming in. Dr. Mackie, who attended me, locked the door on the opposite side of the , but there was another door on the opposite side of the room, which> was not locked, and she came in at that door, and was present during the time of the labour, and took the child as soon as it was born, and said she was very glad she had seen the whole of it. The Princess's pregnancy appeared to me to be very visible. She wore a cushion behind and made Mrs.* Saunders make one for me. During my lying-in the Princess came one day with Mrs. Fitzgerald. She sent Mrs. F. away, and took a chair, and sate by my bedside. She said you will hear of my taking children in baskets, but you won't take any notice of it. I shall have then* brought by a poor woman in a basket. I shall do it as a cover to have my own brought to me in that way ; or, that is the way in which I must have my own brought when I have it. Very soon after this two children, who were twins, were brought by a poor woman in a basket. The Princess took them, and had them carried up into her room, and the Princess washed them herself. The Princess told ni this herself. The father, a few days afterwards, came and insisted on having the children, and they were given to him. The Princess afterwards said to me, ** You see I took the children, and it answered very well. The father had got them back, and she could not blame him : that she should take other children, and have quite a nursery." I saw the Princess on a Sunday, either the 30th or 31st of October, 1802, walking before her door. She was dressed so as to con- ceal her pregnancy. She had a long cloak, and a very DELICATE INTESTIGATTON. d great muff. She had just returned from Green wrcli Church. She looked very illy and I thought most bei very near her time. " About a week or ten days after this, I received a note from the Princess, to desiie that I would not coiiieto Montague House, for thiey were apprehensive that the children they had taken had had the measles in theic clothes, and that she was afraid my child might take it. Whew the Princess came to see me during my lying-ia, she told me that, when she should be brought to bed, she wished I would not come to her tor some time, fou she might be confused in seeing me. About the end of December, I went to Gloucestershire, and stayed there about a month. When I retui-ned, which was in Janu- ary, I went to Montague House, and was let in. The Princess was packing up something in a black box. Upon the sofa a child was lying covered over with a piece of red cloth. The Princess got up, and took me by the hand. She then led me to the sofa, and said, there is the child, I had him only two days after I saw you. " The words were, either I had him, or I was brought to bed the words were such as clearly imported that it was her own child. She said she got very well through it ; she shewed me a mark on the child's hand,, it is a pink mark. The Princess said, she has a mark like your little girl. I saw the child afterwards fre- quently with the Princess quite till Christmas, 1803, when I left Blackheath. I saw the mark upon the child's hand, and I am sure that it was the same child; I never saw any other child there. The Princess- Charlotte used to see the child and play with him. The child used to call the Princess of Wales " Mamma.**" I saw the child looking at tlie window of the Princesses house about a month ago, before the Princess went into Devonshire, and I am sure that it is the same child. Not long after I had first seen the child, the Princes* said, that she had the child at first to sleep with her 6 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. for a few nig'hts, but it made her i^ervoias^andiiow^iie^ had' got a regular nurse for her. i)'>:'oc;r :,a?i .:f:>!iLniD " She said, We gave it a little milk at first, but it was too much for me', and now we breed it by hand, and it does very well. I can swear positively that the child I saw at the window is the same child as the Princess told me slie had two days after she parted with me; The child was called William. I never heard that it had any other name. When the child was in long clothes; we breakfasted one day with the Princess, and she said to;^r John Douglass, This is the Deptford boy. Independently of the Princess's confession to me, I can swear that she was pregnant in 1802. In October, 1804> when we returned from Devonshire, I left my card at Montague-house, and on the 4th October, I received a letter from Mrs. Vernon, desiring me not to come any more to Montague House. I had never at this time men- tioned the Princess's being with child, or being deli-* vered of a child^ to any person, not even to Sir John Douglas. After receiving Mrs. Vernon's letter, I wrote to the Princess on the subject. The letter was sent back unopened. I then wrote to Mrs. Fitzgerald, saying, that I thought myself extremely ill used. In two or three days after this, I received an anonymous, which I produce, and have marked with the letter A, and sign- ed with my name, both on the letter and the envelope. " The Princess of Wales has told me, that she got a bed-fellow whenever she could, that nothing was more wholesome: she said, that nothing was more convenient than her own room ; it stands at the head of the stair-, case which leads into the Park, and I have bolts h\ the inside, and have a bed-fellow whenever I like. J, wonder you can be satisfied only with Sir John. She said this more than once. She has told me that Sir Sydney Smith had lain with her. That she believed all men liked a bed-fellow, but Sir Sydney better than any body else; that the Prince was the most complaisant man in the world,; that she did what she liked, went DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 7 where she hked, and had what bed-fellow she liked, and the Prince paid for all. (Signed) CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS. June 1,1806. " Sworn before us, June 1st, 1806, at Lord Grenville's, Downing- street, Westminster. (Signed) " ERSKINE, " SPENCER, " GRENVILLE, " ELLENBOROUGH." THE DEPOSITION OF SIR JOHN DOUGLAS, KNT. " I HAD a house at Blackheath, in 1801. Sir Sydney used to come to my house. I had a bed for him. The Princess of Wales formed an acquaintance with Lady Douglas, and came frequently to our house. I thought she came more for Sir Sydney Smith than for us. After she had been some time acquainted with us, she ap- peared to me t4 be with child. One day she leaned on the sofa, and put her hand upon her stomach, and said Sir John, I shall never be Queen of England. I said, not if you don't deserve it. She seemed angry at first. " In 1804, on the 27th of October, I received two letters by the two-penny post, one addressed to me, which I now produce, and have marked with the letter B. both on the envelope and the enclosure, and the other letter addressed to Lady Douglas, and which I now produce, and have marked with the letter C. both on the envelope and the enclosure. (Signed) " JOHN DOUGLAS, June 1. " Sworn before us, at Lord Gren- ville^s House, in Downing-street, - Westminster, June 1, 1806. (Signed) " ERSKINE, SPENCER, GRENVILLE, ELLENBOROUGH." H 1>BI.TCATE INVESTIGATION. THE DEPOSITION OF 3.0BERT BIDGOOD. ** I HAVE lived with the Prince twenty -fthnee years next September,; I went to the Princess in MarcTh, 1798, and have lived with her Royal Highness ever since. About the year 1802, early in that year^ I iinst ob- served Sir Sydney Smith come to Montague House: he used to stay very late at night; I have seen him early in the morning there^ about ten or eleven o'clock. He was at Sir John Douglas's; and was in the habit, a^ well as Sir John and Lady Douglas, of dining, or having luncheon, or supping there almost every day. I saw Sir Sydney Smitli one day, in 1802, in the blue room, about eleven o'clock in the morning, whidh is full two hours before we ever expected to see company. I asked the servants why they did not let me know that he was there ? The footman informed me that they had let no person in. There was a private door in the Park, by which he might have come in if he had a key to it, and have got into the blue room without any of the servants perceiving him. I never observed any ap- pearance of the Princess which could lead me to sup- pose that she was with child. I first observed Captain Manby come to Montague House either the end of 1803, or beginning of 1804. I was waiting one day in the anti-room. Captain Manby Jiad his hat in his hand, and appeared to be going away : he was a long time with the Princess, and as I stood on the steps wait- ing, I looked into the room in which they were, and in the reflection in the looking-glass, I saw them salute each other ^I mean, that they kissed each others lips. Captain Manby then went away. I then observed the Princess have her handkerchief in her hands, and wipe her eyes as if he was crying, and she went into the drawing-room. The Princess went to Southend in May, 1804; I went ^ithher; we were there, I be- lieve, about six weeks before the African came in. Siccard was very often watching with a glass to see when the ship would arrive. " One day, he said he saw the African, and soon after the Captain put tiS in a boat from the ship. Sic* DEWCATj: INVESTIGATION. 9 card went down the shrubbery to meet him. When the Captain came on shore, Siccard conducted him to the Princess's house, and he dined there with the Prin- cess and her ladies. After this, he came very frequently to see the Princess. The Princess had two houses on the Cliff, Nos. 8 and 9. She aftei-wards took the draw- ing-room of No. 7, which communicated by the balcony with No. 8, the three houses being- adjoining". The Princess used to dine at No. 8, and after dinner to re- move with the company into No. 7, and I have several times seen the Princess, after having gone into No. 7 with Captain Manby and the rest of the company, retire alone with Captain Manby from No. 7 through No. 8 into No. 9, which was the house in which the Princess slept; I suspected that Captain Manby slept frequently in the house. It was a subject of conversation in the house. Hints were g-iven by the servants, and I believe that others suspected it as well as myself. " The Princess took a child, which I imderstood Was brought into the house by Stikeman. I waited only one week in three, and I was not there at the time the child was brought, but I saw it there early in 1803. The child who is now with the Princess is the same I saw there early in 1803; it has a mark on its left hand. Austin is the name of the man who was said to be the father. Austin's wife is, I believe, still alive. She has had another child, and has brought it sonietimes to Montague House. It is very like the child who lives with the Princess. Mrs. Gordon was employed as a nurse for the child, and she used to bring the child to the Princess as soon as the Princess awoke, iind th^ child used to stay with her Royal Highness the whol^ morning. The Princess appeared to b^ extremely fpnji of the child and still appears so. (Signed) " R. BIPGQQP, ** Sworn at Lord Grenville*8 House, in Downing Street, the Sth day of June 1806. (Si^ed) "SPENCER, ie.i.';i0iiu;;-. ORENVILLE." 10 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. THE DEPOSITION OP WILLIAM COLE. " I HAVE lived with the Princess of Wales ever since her marriage. Sir Sydney Smith fii*st visited at Montag-ue House about 1802. I have observed the Princess too familiar with Sir Sydney Smith. One day, I think about February in that year, the Princess or- dered some sandwiches; I carried them into the blue room to her. Sir Sydney Smith was there ; I was sur- prised to see him there, he must have come in from the Park; if he had been let in from Blackheath, he must have passed through the room in which I was waiting. When I had left the sandwiches, I returned, after some time, into the room, and Sir Sydney Smith was sitting very close to the Princess, on the sofa. I looked at him, and at her Royal Highness. She caught my eye, and saw that I noticed the manner in which they were sit- ting together. They appeared both a little confused when I came into the room. A short time before this, one night, about twelve o'clock, I saw a man go into the house from the Park, wrapped up in a great coat. I did not give any alarm, for the impression on my mind was, that it was not a thief. Soon after I had seen the Princess and Sir Sydney Smith sitting together on the sofa, the Duke of Kent sent for me, and told me that the Princess would be very glad if I would do the duty in town, because she had business to do in town whict she would rather trust to me than any body else. *' The Duke said, that the Princess had thought it would be more agreeable to me to be told this by him than through Siccard. After this I never attended at Montague House, but occasionally, when the Princess sent for me. About July, 1802, 1 observed that the Princess had grown very large, and in the latter end of the same year she appeared to be grown thin ; and I observed it to Miss Saunders, who said that the Princess was much thinner than she had been I had not any idea of the Princess being with (jiild. Mr. Lawrence, the painter, used to go to Montague House, about the latter DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 11 end of 1801, when he was painting"; the Princess and he have slept in the house two or three nights together. I have often seen him alone with the Princess at eleven and tweUe o'clock at night. He has been there as late as one or two o'clock in the morning. One night I saw him with the Princess in the blue-room, after the ladies had retired. Some time afterwards, when I supposed that he had gone to his room, I went to see that all was safe, and I found the blue-room door locked, and heard a whispering in it, and I went away. (Signed) " WM. COLE." Sworn at Lord Grenville's House, in Downing- street, the 6th day of June, 1806. (Signed) " SPENCER. " GRENVILLE.*^ THE DEPOSITION OF FRANCES LLOYD. " I HAVE lived twelve years with the Princess of Wales next October. I am in the coffee-room ; my si- tuation in the coffee-room does not give me opportu- nities of seeing the Princess. I do not see her sometimes for months. Mr. Milles. attended me for a cold. He asked me if the Princess came to Blackbeath backwards and forwards, or something to that effect, for the Prin- cess was with child, or looked as if she was with child. This must have been thi-ee or four years ago. It may have beoA five years ago. T think it must have been some time before the child was brought to the Princess. I re- member the child being brought, it was brought into my room. I had orders sent to me to give the mother arrow-root, with directions how to mak^it, to wean the child, and I gave it to the mother, and she took the child away; afterwards tlie mother brought the child back again. Whether it was a week, ten days, or a fortnight, I cannot say, but it might be about that time. 12 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. The second time the mother brought the child, she brought it into my room ; I asked how a mother could part with her child ? I am not sure which time I asked this. The mother cried, and said she could not afford to keep it. The child was said to be about four months old when it was brought. I did not particularly observe it myself. (Signed) FRANCES LLOYD." " I was at Ramsgate with the Princess in 1803. One morning, when we were in the house at East Cliff, somebody, I do not recollect who, knocked at my door, and desired me to get up, to prepare breakfast for the Princess; this was about six o'clock; I was asleep. During the whole time I was in the Princess's service I had never been called up before, to make breakfast for the Princess 1 slept in the Housekeeper's room, on the ground-floor; I opened the shutters of the windows for light. I knew at that time that Captain Manby's ship was in the Downs. When I opened the shutters, I saw the Princess walking down the garden with a Gentle- man; she was walking down the gravel-walk towards the sea. No orders had been given over night to pre- pare breakfast early. The gentleman the Princess was walking with, was a tall man : I was surprised to see tW Princess walking* with a gentleman at that time in the'morning ^lam sure it was the Princess. While we wer6 at Blackheath, a woman at Charlton, of the name of Townley, told me that she had some linen to wash from the Princess's house; that the linen was marked with the appearance of a miscarriage, or a delivery. The woman has since left Charlton, but she has friends there. I think it must have been before the child was brought to the Princess, that the woman told me this. I know all the women in the Princess's house. I don't think that any of them were in a state of pregnancy, and if any had, I think I must have known it. I never told Cole, that Mary Wilson, when she supposed the DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 13 Princess to be in the Library, had gone into the Prin- cesses bed-room, and had found a man there at breakfast with the Princess; or tiiat there was a great to do about it; and that Mary Wilson was sworn to secrecy, and threatened to be turned away if she divulged what she had seen. (Signed) " FRANCES LLOYD." ** Sworn at Lord Grenville's house in Downing- street, the 7th day of June, 1806, before us, (Signed) " ERSKINE, SPENCER, *' GRENVILLE, " ELLENBOROUGH." THE DEPOSITION OF MARY ANN WILSON. " I BELIEVE it will be ten years next quarter that I have lived with the Princess of Wales as house maid. I wait on the ladies who attend the Princess. I re- member when the child who is now with the Princess was brought there. Before it came, I heard say that it was to come. The mother brought the child. It appeared to be about four months old when it was brought. I remember twins being brought to the Princess before that child was brought. I nevernoticed the Princess's shape to be different in that year from what it was before. I never had a thought that the Princess was with child. I have heard it reported. It is a good wliile ago. I never myself suspected her being with child. I think she could not have been with child, and have gone on to her time, without ray knowing it. I was at Southend with the Princess. Captain Manby used to visit the Princess there. I made the Princess's bed, and have been in the habit of making it ever since 14 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. I lived with her Royal Highness. Another maid, whose name is Ann Bye, assisted with me in making the bed. From what I observed, I never had any reason to believe that two persons had slept in the bed ; I never saw any particular appearance in it. The linen was washed by Stikeman's wife. '^MARY WILSON." ** Sworn at Lord Grenville's house in Downing Street, the 7th day of June, 1806, before ils, (Signed) " ERSKINE, SPENCER, " GRENVILLE, ELLENBOROUGH." THE DEPOSITION OF SAMUEL ROBERTS. ** I AM a footman to the Princess of Wales. I re- member the child being taken by the Princess. I ne- ver observed any particular appearance of the Princess in that year nothing that led me to believe that she was with child. Sir Sydney Smith used to visit the Princess at Blackheath. I never saw him alone with the Princess. He never staid after eleven o'clock. I recollect Mr. Cole once asking uie (I think three years ago), whether there were any favourites in the family ? I remember saying, that Captain Manby and Sir Syd- ney Smith were frequently at Blackheath, and dined there oftener than any other persons. I never knew Sir Sydney Smith to stay later than the ladies. I cannot say exactly at what hour he went, but I never remember his staying alone with the Princess. (Signed) SAMUEL ROBERTS.'* " Sworn at Lord Grenville's house, in Downing Street, the 7th day of June, 1 806, before us, (Signed) " ERSKINE, SPENCER, " GRENVILLE, " ELLENBOROUGH." DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 15 PEPOSITION OP THOMAS STIKEMAN. " I HAVE been Pag-e to the Princess of Wales ever since she has been in England. When I first saw the child who is with the Princess, it is about four years ago. Her Royal Highness had a strong desire to have an in- fant, which I and all the house knew. I heard there was a woman who had twins, one of which the Princess was desirous to have, but the parents would not part with it. A woman came to the door with a [petition to get her husband replaced in the Dock-yard, who had been removed ; she had a child with her ; I took the child, I believe, and shewed it to Mrs. Sanders. I then returned the child to the woman. I made inqui- ries after the father, and afterwards desired the woman to bring the child again to the house, which she did. The child was taken to the Princess ; after the Princess had seen it, she desired the woman to take it again, and bring it back in a few days, and Mrs. Sanders was de- sired to provide linen for it. - i " Within a few days the child was brought again by the mother, and was left, and has been with the Prin- cess ever since. I do not recollect the child had any mark, but, upon reflection, I do recollect that the mother said he was marked with elder wine on the hand. The father of the child whose name is Austin, lives with me at Pimlico. My wife is a laundress, and washes the linen of the Prince. Austin is employed to turn a mangle for me. The child was bom in Brown- low Street. I never saw the woman to my knowledge before she came with the petition to the door. I had no particular directions by the Princess to procure a child; I thought it better to take the child of persons of good character than the child of a pauper. No- thing led me, from the appearance of the Princess, to suppose that she was with child : but from her shape, it is difficult to judge when she is with child. When the was with child of the Princess Charlotte, I should not have known it when she was far advanced in her time, if I had not been told it. 16 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. ** Sir Sydney Smith, at one time, visited very fre- qiaently at Montague House, two or three times a week. At the time the Princess was altering her room in the Turkish style, Sir Sydney Smith's visits were very fre- quent. The Princess consulted him upon them. Mr. Morell was the upholsterer; Sir Sydney Smith came frequently alone. He staid alone with the Princess sometimes till eleven o'clock at night. He has been there till twelve o'clock, and after, I believe, alone with the Princess. The Princess is of that lively vivacity, that she makes herself familiar with gentlemen, which prevented my being struck with his staying so late. I do not believe that at that time any other gentleman visited the Princess so frequently and staid so late. I have seen the Princess, when they were alone, sitting with Sir Sydney Smith on the same sofa, in the blue- room. I had access to the blue-room at all times; there was an inner room which opened into the blue- room. When that room was not lighted up, I did not go into it, I did not consider that I had a right to go into it. I had no idea on what account I was brought here. I did not know that the Princess's conduct was qoestioned, or questionable. .u ic m : i " I was with the Princess at Ramsgate ; whien s^e was at East Cliff, Captain Manby was very frequently there: went away as late at night as eleven o'clock. I do not remember Fanny Lloyd being called up any morning to make breakfast for the Princess. I did not; like Captain Manby's coming so often and staying so late, and I was imeasy at it. I remember a piece of plate, a lver lamp, being sent to Captain Manby ; 1 saw it in Siecard's possession ; he told me it was for Cap- tain Manby, and he had a letter to send with it. I have never seen Captain Manby at the Princess's, at Rams- gate, before nine o'clock in the morning, but I have beard he has be^i there earlier. I had never any suspi- cion of there being any thing improper, either from the frequent visits of Captain Manby, or from his conduct. I was at Cartherington with the Princess ; she used to go out generally in her owa i^aise, '^ ' ^ ' ' "^s H ?o fi DELICATE INVESTIGATION* 17 ** I think I have once or twice seen her ^o out with Mr. Hood, in his one horse chaise ; they have been out for two hours, or two hours and a half, tog-ether. I believe only a day or two elapsed between the time of the child, being- first brought and being- then brought again, and left with the Princess. I am sure the child was not weaned after it had been first brought. ' I do not recol- lect any Gentleman ever sleeping in the House. I do not remember Lawrence, the painter, ever sleeping there. The Princess seems very fond, of the child ; it is always called William Austin. (Signed) " THOMAS STIKEMAN." , . . . . f " Sworn at Lord Grenville's house, in Downing Street, : the 7th day of June, 1806, before us, (Signed) " ERSKINE. _ ; . ';; . " SPENCER. ' 'i ** GRENVILLE. " ELLENBOROUGH." THE DEPOSITCON OF JOHN SICCARD. *,I HAVE lived seven years with the Princess of Wales, am House-stewaid, and have been in that situation from the end of six months after I first lived with her RoyaJ Highness. I remember the child who is now with the Princess of Wales being brought there ; it was about five months old when it was brought ; it is about four years ago, just before we went to Ramsgate. I had not the least suspicion of the object of my being brought \kere. B IS BEIilCATE INVESTIGATION;. " I had opportunity of seeing^ the Princess frequently : I waited on her at dinner and supper ; I never observed that the Princess had the appearance of being with child: I Uiink it was hardly possible that she should have been with child without my perceiving" it. Sir Sydney Smith used to visit very frequently at Montague House, in 1802, with Sir John and Lady Douglas. He was very often, I believe, alone with the Princess, and so was Mr. Canning and other gentlemen. I can- not say that I ever suspected Sir S. Smith of any im- proper conduct with the Princess. I never had any suspicion of the Princess acting improperly with Sir Sydney Smith or any other gentleman. I remember Captain Manby visiting at Montague House. The Princess of Wales did not pay for the expence of fitting up his cabin, but the linen furniture was ordered by me by direction of the Princess, of Newberry and Jones. It was put by Newberry and Jones in the Princess's bill, and was paid for with the rest of the bills by Miss Heyman. (Signed) JOHN SICCARD. " Swoni at Lord Grenville's house, in Downing-street, the 7th June, before us, . . (Signed) ERSKINE. "SPENCER. GRENVILLE. ?' ELLENBOROUGH.*' SHE DEPOSITION OF CHARLOTTE SANBER. " I HAVE lived with the Princess of Wales eleven years. I am a native of Brunswick, and came with PELICATE INVESTiaATION. 19 the Princess from Brunswick. The Princess has had a little boy living' with her under her protection; he had a mark on his hand, but it is worn off; I first saw him four years ago, in the Autumn. The father and mother of the child are still alive. I have seen them both. The father worked in the Dock -yard at Deptford, but has now lost the use of liis limbs ; the father's name is Austin. The mother brought the child ' to the Princess when he was four months old ; I was present when the child was brought to the Princess ; she was in her own room up stairs, when the child was brought; jshe came out and took the child herself. I understood that the child was expected before it was brought I am sure that I never saw the child in the house before it appeared to be four months old. ** The Princess was not ill or indisposed in the au- tumn of 1802. I was dresser to her Royal Highness; she could not be ill or indisposed without my knowing it. I am sure that she was not confined to her room, or to her bed in that autumn; there was not to my know- ledge, any other child in the house ; it was hardly pos- sible there could have been a child there without my knowing: it. I have no recollection that the Princess had grown bigger in the year 1802 than usual ; I am sure the Princess was not pregnant; being her dresser, 1 must have seen it, if she was. I solemnly and po- sitively swear I have no reason to know or believe that the Princess of Wales has been at any time pregnant during the time I have lived with her Royal Highness at Montague-house. I may have said to Cole, that the Princess was grown much thinner, but I do not recollect that I did. I never heard any body say any thing about the Princess being pregnant till I came here to- day. I did not expect to ))c asked any questions res- pecting the Princess being pregnant. Nobody came over to the Princess from Germany, in the Autumn of 1802, to my knowledge. 20 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. ** Her Royal Highness was generally blooded twice ^-year, but not lately. I never had any reason to sup- pose that the Princess received the visits of any gentle- man at improper hours. Sir Sydney Smith visited her frequently, and almost daily. He was there very late, sometimes till two o'clock in the morning. I never saw Sir Sydney Smith in a room alone with the Princess late at night. I never saw any thing which led me to sup- pose that Sir Sydney Smith was on a very familiar footing with the Princess of Wales. I attended the Princess of Wales to Southend. She had two houses. No. 9 and No. 8. I knew Captain Manby ; he com- manded the African ; he visited the Princess while his ship was there; he was frequently with the Princess. " 1 do not know or believe, and I have no reason to believe, that Capt. Manby stayed till very late hours with the Princess. I never suspected that there was any improper familiarity between them. I never expressed to any body a wish that Captain Manby 's visits were not so frequent. If the Princess had company I was never present. The Princess was at Ramsgate in 1803 ; I have seen Captain Manby there frequently. He came to the Princess's house to dinner ; he never stayed till late at nijjht at the Princess's house. I was in Devonshire with the Princess lately ; there was no one officer that she saw when she was in Devonshire more than the rest. ** I never heard from the Princess that she appre- hended her conduct was questioned. When I was brought here I thought I might be questioned respect- ing the Princess's conduct, and I was sorry to come ; J don't know why I thought so, I never saw any thing' in the conduct of the Princess, while I lived with her, which would have made me uneasy if I had been her husband. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 21 " When I was at South End I dined in the Steward's room. I can't say whether I ever heard aiiy body in the Steward's room say any thing- about the Captain (mean- ing- Captain Manby ;) it is so long ago, I may ha\ e forg-ot it : I have seen Captain Manby alone with the Princess, at No. 9, in the drawing* room at South End ; I have seen it only once or twice ; it was at two or three o'clock in the afternoon, and never later. I slept in a room next to the Princess, in the house, No. 9. at South End ; I never saw Captain Manby in any part of that house but the drawing' room ; I have no reason to believe he was in any other room in the house. 1 was at Catherino-ton with the Princess ; she was at Mr. Hood's bouse , I never saw any famiharit^ between her and Mr. Hood ; 1 have seen her drive out in Mr. Hood's carriage with him alone ; it was a g"ig-, they used to be absent for several hours, a servant of the Princess attended them; I have delivered packets by order oi the Princess, which she gave me sealed up, to Sicard, to be by him iorwarded to Captain Manby. The birth day of the child who lives with the Princess is the 1 1th of July, as his mother told me ; she says that he was christened at Deptford. The child had a mark on the hand, the mother told me tliat it w^s from red wine; I believe the cliild came to the Princess in November. (Signed) C. SANDER. Sworn at Lord Grenville's (Signed) ERSKINE, House, in Downing-Street, SPEN'CER, Vhc Till Day of J iinc, 1806. G RENVILLE, ELLENBOROUGH. (No. 12.) THE DEPOSITION OF SOPHIA AUSTIN. 1 KNOW the child which is now with the Princess of Wales ; I am the mother of it ; I was delivered of it four years ago 11th of next July, at Brownlow-street Hospital. I have lain in there three times ; William, who is with the Princess, is the second child I laid in of there. It was marked in the right hand with red wine. My husband was a labourer in lire Dock-yard of Deptford. When peace was proclaimed a number of the workmen were discharged, and my husband was E 22 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. pne who was discharged. I went to the Princess with a petition on a Saturday, to try to get my husband restored, I lived at that time at Deptibrd New Row, No. 7, witii a person of the name of Bearblock ;. he was a milkman. The day I went to the P^-incess with the petition was a fortnight before the 6th of November. Mr. Bennet, a baker, in New-street, was our dealer, and I took the child ^o Mr. Bennet's when I went to receive my husband's wages, every week, from the time I left the Hospital till I carried the child to the Princess. I knew Mr. Stike-^ man only by having seen him once before, when I went to apply for a letter to Brownlovv'-street Hospital. When I went to Mpntague-house I desired Mr. Stikeman to present my petition, He said they were denied to do such thing, but seeing me with a baby, he could do no less. He then took the child from me, and was a long time gone ; lie then brought me back the child, and brought half a guinea which the ladies sent me. He said, if the child had been younger, he thought he could have got it taken care of for me, but desired that I would come up again ; I went up again on the Monday following, and I saw Mr. Stikeman ; Mr. Stikeman afterwards came several times to us, and appointed me to take the child to Montague-house on the 5th of November, but it rained all day, and I did not take it. Mr. Stikeman came down to me on the Saturday, the 6th of November, and I took the child on that day to the Princess's house. The Princess was out, I waited till she returned j she saw the child, and asked its age. I went down into the coffee- room, and they gave me some arrow-root to wean the child, for I was suckling the child at this time, and when I had weaned the child, I was to bring it, and leave it with the Princess. I did wean the child, and brought it to the Princess's house on the 15th of November, and left it there, and it has been with the Princess ever since. I saw the child last Whit-Monday, and I swear that it is my child. (Signed) SOPHU AUSTIN. Sworn at Lord Grenville's (Signed) ERSKINE, Ho\ise, in Downing-street, SPENCER, ^une 7, 1806, before us, GRENVILLE, ELLENBOROUGH. DELICAl'E INVEStiGATION* 23 (No* 13.) My Lord, 20tli June, lacly Wif- longliby's personal attendance. She will ino.t rendily obey the Order of the Council, should her presence becoiiie necessary. 1 have the honour, &c. ToEarlSpencerj &c. &c. .%c. ,, GWYDIR (A tj'ue Copy, J. Becket. ) Qi (No. 24k) fuertes. I. Does Lady Willoughby remember see- ing the Princess of Wales at breakfast or dinner at her house, either at Whitohall or Bechenhain, on or about the inoutlis of May r JuAe, 1802; 2. Has her Ladyship any recollection of the circumstance of her Royal Hii^bness having retired from the company at such breakfast or dinner, on account, or under the pretence of bavins' spiJt any thing over her handkerchief? And if so, did Lady Wil- loughby attend her Royal Highness on that occasion ? and what then passed between theAi relative to that circumstance 2 3. Hail Lady Willoughby frequent oppor- tunities in the course of that year, to see her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, sutd at what periods ? And did she at any time daring the year, observe any appear- ance which led her to suspect that the Prin- cess of Wales was pregnant i 4> la Lady Willoughby acquainted with any other circumstances leading to the tame conclusion, or tending to establish the fact of a criminal intercourse, or improper familiarity between her Royal Highness and any other person whatever ? and if so, what are tbey ? Answers. 1. In the course of the last ten years the Princess of Wales has frequently done me the honour to breakfast and dine at White- hall and Laugley, in Kent. Her Royal High- ness may liave been at my hius in the months of May or June, ISoa, bul of the pe- riods at which I had the hononr of receiving her, I have no precise recollection. 8. I do not remember ber Royal Highness having at any time retired from the com- pany, either ai Whitehall or at Langley, uoder the pretence of having spilt any thing over her handkerchief. S. To the best of my remembrance I had few opportunities of seeing the Princess of Wales in the year 1802, and I do not recol> lect having observed any particular cir- cumstances relative to her Royal Highness'* appearance. i, lOuring the ten years I have bad tb* honour of Knowing the Princess of Wales, I do not bear in mind a single instance of her Royal Highness's conduct in society towards any individual, tending to establish the fact of a criminal intercourse, or improper fa- miliarity. WILLOUGHBY. (No. 25.) HOBERT BIDGOOD's FURTHER DEPOSITION. The Princess used to go out m a Phaeton with coach^ man and helper towards Long Reach, eight or ten times, carrying luncheon and wine Mith her. When Captain Manby's ship was at Long Reach, always Mrs. Fitzgerald was with her, she would go oiit about one, and return about five or six, sometimes soonei- or later. The day the Africaine sailed from South End the Prin- cess ordered us to pack up for Blackheath next morning. Captain Manby was there three times a week, at least, whilst his ship lay for six weeks off South End, at the Nore; he came as tide served; used to come in a room- ing, and dine, and drink tea. I have seen him next morning, by ten o'clock. I suspected he slept at No. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 31 9 with tlie Princess. She always put out the candles herself in the drawing-room, at No. 9, and bid me not to put them out. She g-ave me the orders as soon as she went to South End. I used to see water jugs, basins, and towels set out opposite the Princess's door in the passage. Never saw them so left in the passage at any other time. I suspected he was there at those times, and there was a general suspicion through the house. Mrs. and IVIiss Fitzgerald was there, and Miss Ham- mond, (now Lady Hood). My suspicion arose from seeing them in ti/e glasses kiss each other as mentioned before, like people fond of each other, a very close kiss. Her behaviour like that of a woman attached to a man; used to be by themselves at luncheon, at South End, when ladies not .sent for, a number of times. There was a poney which Captain Manby used to ride. It stood in the stable ready for him, and which Sicard used to ride. The servants used to talk and laugh about Captain Manby. It was a matter of dis- course amongst them. I lived there when Sir Sydney Smith came ; her manner with him appeared very fami- liar; she appeared very attentive to him, but I did not sus- pect any thing further. All the upper servants had keys of the doors to the Park, to let her Royal Highness in and out. I used to see Sicard receive letters from Mrs. Sanders to put in the post instead of the bag ; this was after Captain Manby had gone to sea. I suspected them to be for Captain Manby, and othei"s in the house supposed the same. (Signed) R. BIDGOOD. Sworn at Lord Grenville' (Signed) ERSKfNE, House, in Downing- street, SPENCER, the 3d day of July, 1806. O RENVILLE, ELLENBOROUlace and date of its birth, the time and circumstance of its being first taken Tinder her Royal Highness's protection, arc all estabhsh- ed by such a concurrence both of positive and circum- stantial evidence, as can in our judgment leave no ques- tion on this part of the subject. That child was, beyond all doubt, born in Brownlow-street Hospital on the 1 1th day of July, 1802, of the body of Sophia Austin, and was first brought to the Princess's house iu the month of November following. Neither should \a e be more war- 40 DELICATE INVJBSTIGATION. ranted in expressing- any doubt respecting the alleged pregnancy of the Princess, as stated in the original De- claration, a fact so fully contradicted, and by so many witnesses, to whom, if true, it must iii various ways be known, that we cannot think it entitled to the smallest credit. The testimonies on these two points are con- tained in the annexed Depositions and Letters. We have not partially abstracted in this Report, lest by any unintentional omission we might weaken their effect : but we humbly offer to your Majesty this our clear and una- nimous judgment upon them, formed upon full delibera- tion, and pronounced without hesitation, on the result of the whole inquiry. We do not, however, feel ourselves at liberty, much as we should wish it, to close our Report here. Besides the allegations of the pregnancy and de- livery of the Princess, those declarations, on the whole of which your Majesty has been pleased to command us to inquire and report, contain, as we have already re- marked, other particulars respecting the conduct of her Royal Highness, such as must, especially considering her exalted rank and station, necessarily give occasion to very unfavourable interpretations. From the various de- positions and proofs annexed to this Report, particularly irom the examination of Robert Bidgood, William Cole, Frances Lloyd, and Mr. Lisle, your Majesty will per- ceive that several strong circumstances of this descripr tion have been positively sworn to by witnesses, who can- not, ih our judgment, be suspected of any unfavourable bias, and whose veracity, in this respect, we have seen no ground to question. Ou the "precise bearing and effect of the facts thus appearing, it is not for us to decide ; these we submit to your Majesty's wisdom ; but we conceive it to be our duty to report on this part of the Inquiry, as distinctly as on the former facts, that as on the one hand tlie facts of pregnancy and delivery are to our minds satis- factorily disproved ; so on the other hand we think the circumstances to which we now refer, particularly those stated to have passed between her Royal Highness and Captain Manby, must be credited until they shall receive some decisive contradiction ; and, if true, are justly DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 41 entitled to the most serious consideration. We cannot close this Report without humbly assuring your Majesty that it was on every account our anxious wish to have executed this delicate trust with as little publicity as the nature of the case would possibly allow ; and we entreat your Majesty's permission to express our full persuasion, that if this wish has been disappointed, the failure is not imputable to any thing unnecessarily said or done by us^ *]1 which is most humbly submitted to your Majesty. (Signed; ERSKINE, SPENCER, GRENVILLE, ELLENBOROUGH. July 14, 180G. (A true Copy) I. BECKET. Early in the next year, the Enquiry being resumed, it produced the following : MINl'TES OF THE CABINET, JAN. 25, 1807. Downing Street, January 25, 1807. PRESENT The Lord CHANCELLOR, Lord PRESIDENT, Lord PRIVY SEAL, Earl SPENCER, Earl of MOIRA, Lord HENRY PETTY, Lord Viscount HOWICK, Lord GRENVILLE, Lord ELLENBOROUGH, Mr. Secretary WINDHAM, Mr. T. GRENVILLE. ** Yonr Majesty's confidential servants have given the most diligent and attentive consideration to the matters 42 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. on which your Majesty has been pleased to require their opinion and advice. They trust your Majesty will not think that any apology is necessary on their part, for the delay which has attended their deliberations, on a sub- ject of such extreme importance, and which they have; found to be of the greatest difficulty and embarrass- ment. *' They are fully con\inced that it never can have been your Majesty's intention to require from them, that they should lay before your Majesty a detailed and circumstantial examination and discussion of the various arguments and allegations contained in the letter sub- mitted to your Majesty, by the Law Advisers of the Princess of Wales; and they beg leave, with all hu- mility, to represent to your Majesty, that the laws and constitution of their country have not placed them in a situation in which they can conclusively pronounce on any question of guilt or innocence affecting any of your Majesty's subjects, much less one of your Majesty's Royal Family. They have, indeed, no power or au- thority whatever to enter on such a course of inquiry, as could alone lead to any final results of such a nature. ** The main question on which they had conceived themselves called upon by their duty to submit their ad- vice to your Majesty, was this: whether the circum- stances which had, by your Majesty's commands, been brought before them, were of a nature to induce your Majesty to order any further steps to be taken upon them by your Majesty's Government? And on this point they humbly submit to your Majesty, that the advice which they offered was clear and unequivocal. Your Majesty has since been pleased further to require that they should submit to your Majesty their opinions as to the answer to be given by your Majesty to the request contained in the Princess's letter, and as to the manner in which that answer should be communicated to her Royal Highness. " They have, therefore, in dutiful obedience to your Majesty's commands, proceeded to reconsider the whole of the subject, in this new view of it; and, after much deliberation, they have agreed humbly to recommend to DELICATE INVESTIGATIOX. 43 Your Majesty the draft of a message, which, if approved by your Majest}-, they vvoukl humbly sug-gest your Majesty might send to her Royal Highness, through tlie Lord Chancellor. " Having before humbly submitted to your Majesty their opinion that the facts of the case did not warrant their advising that any further steps should be taken upon it by your Majesty's Government, they have- not thought it necessary to advise your Majesty any longer to decline receiving the Princess into your Royal Presence. But the result of the whole case does, in tlieir judgment, render it indispensable that your Majesty should, by a serious admonition, convey to her Royal Highness your Majesty's expectation that her Royal Highness should be more circumspect in her future conduct; and they trust that in the terms in which they have advised that such admonition should be conveyed, your Majesty will not be of opinion, on a full consideration of the evidence and answer, that they can be considered as having at all exceeded the necessity of the case, as arising out of the last reference which your Majesty has been pleased to make to them." MINUTE OF C OUNCIL, APRIE 22, 1807. PRESENT The T^rd Chancellor (ELDON) The Lord President (CAMDEN) The Lord Privy Seal (WESTMORELAND) The Duke of PORTLAND The Earl of CHATHAM The Earl of BATH URST Viscount CASTLEREAGH LordMULGRAVE Mr. Secretary CANNING Lord HAWKESBURY. Your Majesty's confidential servants have, in obedience to your Majesty's commands, most attentively considered the original Charges and Report, the Minutes of 44 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Evidence, and all the other papers submitted to the con- sideration of your Majesty, on the subject of those charges against her Roval Highness the Princess of Wales. "In the stage in which this business is brought under their consideration, they do not feel themselves called upon to give any opinion as to the proceeding itself, or to the mode of investigation in which it has been thought proper to conduct it ; but , adverting to the advice which is stated by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to have directed his conduct, your Majesty's confidential servants are anxious to impress upon your Majesty their conviction, that his Royal Highness could not, under such advice, consistently with his public duty, have done otherwise than lay before your Majesty the Statement and Examinations which were submitted to him upon this subject. " After the most deliberate consideration, however, f the evidence which has been brougfht before the Com- missioners, and of the previous examinations, as well as of the answer and observations which have been submit- ted to your Majesty upon them, they feel it necessary to declare their decided concurrence in the clear and una- nimous opinion of the Commissioners, confirmed by that of all your Majesty's late confidential servants, that the two main charges alleged against her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, of pregnancy and delivery, are completely disproved 3 and they further submit to your Majesty, their unanimous opinion, that all the other par- ticulars of conduct, brought in accusation against her Royal Highness, to which the character of criminality can be ascribed, are either satisfactorily contradicted, or rest upon evidence of such a nature, and which was given under such circumstances, as render it, in the judgment of your Majesty's confidentiai servants, unde- serving of credit. *' Your Majesty's confidential servants, therefore, con- curring in that part of the opinion of your late servants, as stated in their minute of the 25th of January, liiat there is no longer any necessity for yom* Majesty being ^idvised to decline receiving the Princess into your Royal DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 41 entitled to the most serious consideration. We cannot close this Report without humbly assuring- your Majesty that it was on every account our anxious wish to have executed this delicate trust with as little publicity as the nature of the case would possibly allow ; and we entreat your Majesty's permission to express our full persuasion, that if this wish has been disappointed, the failure is not imputable to any thing- unnecessarily said or done by us, all which is most humbly submitted to your Majesty. (Signed) ERSKINE, SPENCER, GRENVILLE, ELLENBOROUGH. July 14, 1806. (A true Copy)!. BECKET. Blackheath, August 12, 1806. Sire, With the deepest feelings of gratitude to your Ma- jesty, I take the first opportunity to acknowledge having received, as yesterday only, the Report from the Lords Commissioners, which was dated from the 14th of July. It was brought by Lord Erskine's footman, directed to the Princess of Wales ; besides a note enclosed, the con- tents of which were, that Lord Erskine sent the evidences and report by commands of his Majesty. I had reason to flatter myself that the Lords Commissioners would not have given in the report, before they had been properly informed of various circumstances, which must for a feeling, and delicate-minded woman, be very unpleasant to have spread, without having" the means to exculpate herself. But I can in the face of the Almighty assure your Majesty, that your daughter-in-law is innocent, and her conduct unquestionable ; free from all the indecorums, and improprieties, whicli are imputed to her at present H 4^ BEIJCATB INVESTIGATION, by the Lords Commissioners, upon the evidence of per- sons, who speak as falsely as Sir John and Lady Douglas themselves. Your Majesty can be sure that I shall be anxious to give the most solemn denial in my power to all the scandalous stories of Bid good and Cole ; to make my conduct be cleared in the most satisfactory way for the tranquillity of your Majesty, for the honour of your illustrious family, and the gratification of your afflicted daughter-in-law. In the mean time I can safely trust your Majesty's gracious justice to recollect, that the whole of the evidence on which the Commissioners have given credit to the infamous stories charged against me, was taken behind my back, without my having any op- portunity to contradict or explain any thing, or even to point out those persons who might have been called, to prove the little credit which was due to some of the wit- nesses, from their connection with Sir John and Lady Douglas ; and the absolute falsehood of parts of the evi- dence, which could have been completely contradicted. Oh ! gracious King-, I now look for that happy moment, when I may be allowed to appear again before your Majesty's eyes, and receive once more the assurance from your Majesty's own mouth, that I have your graci- ous protection ; and that you will not discard me from your friendship, of which j^our Majesty has been so con- descending to give me so many marks of kindness ; and which must be my only support, and my only consolation, in this country. I remain with sentiments of the highest esteem, veneration, and unfeigned attachment, Sire, Your Majesty's most dutiftd, submissive, and humble Daughter-iu-law and Subject, (Signed) CAROLINA:. io the King. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 43 Montag-ue House, Aug-. 17th, 1806. The Princess of Wales desires the Lord Chancellor tQ I)resent hei' humble duty to the King, and to lay before lis Majesty the accompanying letter and papers. The Princess makes this communication by his Lordship'^ hands, because it relates to the papers with which sh^ has been furnished through his Lordship by his IVJajesty's commands. To the Lord Chancellor. Aug-. 17th, 1806. Sire, Upon receiving the copy of the report, made to your Majesty, by the Commissioners appointed to enquire into certain charges against my conduct, I lost no time, in returning to your Majesty, my heartfelt thanks, for your Majesty's goodness in connnanding* that copy to be communicated to me. I wanted no adviser, but my own heart, to express my gratitude for the kindness and protection which I have uniformly received frOm your Majesty. I needed no caution or reserve, in expressing my confident relir ance, that that kindness and protection would not be withdrawn from me, on this trying occasion ; and thai; your Majesty's justice would not suffer your mind to b^ affected, to my disadvantage, by any part of a report^ founded upon partial evidence, taken in my absence, upon charges, not yet communicated to me, until your Majesty had heard, what itiight be alleged in my behalf, in answer to it. But your Majesty will not be surprisec>rk a prejudica- to my honour and character, could ever be expressed m any terms, by any persons, in a Report upon a solemn formal Inquiry^ and more especially to your Majesty, without my having some notice, and' some opportunity of being heard. And I Was convinced, that, if the Pro- ceeding allowed me, before an opinion was expressed, the ordinary means, which accused persons have, of vindicating their honour and their innocence, my honour and my innocence must, in any opinion, which could then be'expressed, be fully vindicated, and effectually^ cstabJislied. What then, Sire, must have been my as-*- tonishment, and my dismay, when I saw, that notwith- standing the principal accusation was found to be utter- ly false, yet some of the witnesses to those charges which were brought in support of the principal accusation; witnesses, whom, any person, interested to have pro- tected my character, would easily have shewn, out of their own mouths, to be utterly imworthy of credit, an(i confederates in foul conspiracy with my false accusers, are reported to be " free from all suspicion of unfavour* aJjle bias ;" their veracity, " in the judguient of the Commissioners, not to be questioned; and their, infa- mous stories, and insinuations against me, to be "such as deserve the most serious consideration, and as must be credited till decisively contradicted." The Inquiry, after I thus had notice of it, continued for above * two months. I venture not to complain, as The time that the Inquiry was poiidiug, after this notice of it, is hero coiifoundt'd \rith the lime whicli elapsed bet'cjre the Report vras communicated to Her Royal Highness. The Innuiiy if^elf only lasted to the I4ih or l6'lh of July, wJiich i* but beiwe;\ five and kix Veieio fxQ^\ thw /thof Juaw. A6 DBLICATfe iNVEStrGAtlO"^. if it had been unnecessarily protracted. The impoT' tant duties, and official avocations of the Noble' l^ords, appointed to carry it on, may naturally account for, and excuse, some delay. But however excusable it may have been, your Majesty will easily conceive the pain and anxiety, which this interval of suspence has occasi- .oned ; and your Majesty will not be surprised, if I further represent, that I have found a great aggravation qfray painful sufferings, in the delay which occurred in communicating the Report to me. For thoujfh it is dated on the 14 July, I did not receive it, notwithstand- ing 3'our Majesty's gracious commands, till the 11th of August. It was due unquestionably to your INIajesty, that the result of an Inquiry, commanded by your Ma- jesty, upon advice, which had been offered, touching matters of the highest import, (hould be first, and im- mediately, communicated to you. 7'he respect and honour, due to the Prince of VVales, the interest which he must necessarily have taken in this Inquiry, combin- ed to make it indisputably fit, that the result should be forthwith also stated to His Royal Highness. 1 com- plain not therefore that it was, too earh^ communicated to any one: I complain only, (and I complain most se- riously, for I felt it most severely) of the delay in it* communication to me. Rumour had informed the world, that the Report had been early communicated to your Majesty, and to His Royal Highness. I did not receive the benefit, intend- ed for me by your Majesty's gracious command, till a month after tlie Report was signed, l^ut the same ru- mour had represented me, to my infinite j)rejudice, as in possession of the Report, during that month ; and the malice of those, who Avished to stain, my honour, Iras not failed to suggest all that malice couid infer, from its re- maining in that possession, so long unnoticed. May I be permitted to say, that, if the Report acquits me, my innnocence entided me to receive from those, to whom your Majesy's comm.ands had been given, an immediate notification of the fact that it did acquit me ? That, if it condemned me, the weight of such a sentence should not have been left to settle, in any mind, much less ' i - ' . -' ' DELICATE INVtSTlGATlOX. 5J upon your Majesty's, for a month, before I could even begin to prepare an answer, which, when begun, could not speedily be concluded ; and that, if the Report could be represented as both acquitting e^nd condemning me, the reasons, which suggested the propriety of an early communication in each of the former cases, combined to make it proper and necessary in the latter. And why all consideration of my feelings was thus crually neglected; why was I kept upon the rack, dur- ing all this time, ignorant of the result of a charge, which affected my honour and my life;- and why, es- pecially in a case, where such grave matters were to con- tinue to be " credited, to the prejudice of my honour," till they were " decidedly contradicted," the means of knowing, what it was, that I must, at least, endeavour to cantradict, were wilhholden from me, a single unne- cessary hour, 1 know not, and 1 will not trust myself, iu the attempt, to conjecture. On the 1 1th of August, however, I at length received from the Lord Chancellor, a packet containing copies of the Warrant or Commission authorizing the Inquiry; of the Report; and of the Examinations on which the Re- port was founded. And your Majesty will be gracious- ly pleased to recollect, that on the l^th I returned my grateful thanks to your Majesty, for having ordered these papers to be sent to me, Your Majesty will readily imagine that, upon a sub' ject of such importance, 1 could not venture to trust cnly to my own advice; and those with whom I advised, suggested, that the written Declarations or Charges, upon which the Inquiry had proceeded, and which the Commissioners refer to in their Report, and represent to be the essential foundation of the whole proceeding, did not accompany the Examinations and Report; ^nd also that the papers themselves were not authenticated, I therefore, ventured to address your Majesty, upoi^ these supposed defects in the communication, and hun:\- bly requested that the copies of the papers, which I them returned, might, after being exaiiflined, ai^l authenti- cated, be again transmitted to me; and that I might; also be furnished with copies of thq written Dcclarai^ i58 DEDICATE IXVESTIGATION. tions, SO referred to, in the Report. And my humble thanks are due for your Majesty's gracious compliance, with my request. Ojji the 29th of August, I received, iri consequence, the attrsted copies of those Declarations, and of a Narrative of His Royal Highness t\ie Duke of Kent; and a few days after, on the 3d of September, the attested copies of the Examinations which \\er& taken before the Commistsioners. The Papers which 1 have received are as follow : * The Narrative of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, dated ,'27th of December, 1S05. A Copy of the writen Declaration of Sir John and Lady Douglas, dated December 3, 1805. A Paper containing the written Declarations, or Ex* aminations, of the persons hereafter enumerated ; The title to these Papers is, " For the purpose of confirming the Statement made by Lady Douglas, of the circumstances mentioned in her Narrative, The following Examinations have been taken, and which have been signed by the several per- sons who have been examined." Two of Sarah Lampert ; one, dated Chcltenhani, 8th January, 1806; and the other, yth March, 1806. One of William Lampert, baker, 1 14, Cheltenham, apparently of the same date with the last of Sarah Lam^ pert's. Four of William Cole, dated respectively, 3 I th Ja- nuary, 14th January, 30th January, and 23d February, 1806\ One of Robert Bidgood, dated Temple^ 4th April, 1806. One of Sarah Bidgood, dated Temple, 2Sd April, 1806; and -^ T7ra'nces Lloyd, dated Temple, 12th May, rs and Documents which accompanied X (B). + See Appendix (A). isoa No. S9 May, 1. 1 June, 2. ) 3. 6 4. 6 5. 7 6. 7 7. r 8. 7 9. 7 10. 7 11. 7 12. 20 13. t)LICATi; lXVESTIGATIO!ir. 59 The King's Warrant or Commission. Deposition of La^y Douglas. Sir Jolm Doilglas. Robert Bidgood. W. Cole. Frances Lroyd. Mary Ann Wilson. Samuel Roberts. Thomas Stikeman. J. Sicard. Charlotte Sander. Sophia Austin. Letter from Lord Spencer to Lord Gwydif. * 21 14. Lord Gwydir to Lord Spencer. 21 15. Lad)r Willoughby to Lord Spencer. 2S 16. Extract from Register of- Brownlow Street Hospital. Deposition of Elizabeth Gosden. Betty Townley. Thomas Edmeades. Samuel G. Mills. Harriet Fitzgerald. Letter from Lord Spencer to Lord Gwydir. 23. Lord Gwydir to Lord Spencer. 24. Queries of Lady Willoughby and An- swers. Further Deposition of R. Bidgood. Deposition of Sir Francis Milman. Airs. Lisle, Letter from Sir Francis Milman to the Lord Chancellor. Deposition of Lord Cholmondeley. The Report. By the Copy, which I have received, of the Com- 23 n. 23 18. 25 19. 25 20. 27 21. iJi ^ly, 22. 3 25. 3 26'. 3 27. 4 28. IG 29. 14 30. ^0 DELICATE INV'eSTIGATIO^. niissiort, or Warrant, under which the Inquiry has been prosecuted, it appcai'S to be an instrument under your IMajestys Sign I\fanual, not counter-signed, not under any Seal. It recites, that an abstract of, certain written Declarations touching my conduct, (without specifying by whom those Declarations were made, or the nature of the matters, touchinjr which thev had been made, or even by whom the Abstract had been prepared,} had been laid before your iMujesty ; into the truth of which it purports to authorise the four noble Peers, who are named in it, to inquire and to examine upon oath, such persons as they think fit; and to report to your Majesty the result of their Examination. By re- ferrinfT to the written Declarations, it appears that tliey contain alleviations against me, aniountinj; to the charije of High Treason, and also other matters, which, if un- derstood to be, as they seem to have been acted and reported upon, by the Commissioners, not as evidence confirmatory (as they are expressed to be in their title) of the principal charge, but as distinct and substantive subjects of examination, cannot, as I am advised, be represented as in law, amounting to crimes. How most of the Declarations refclTed to were collected, by whom, at whose solicitation, under what sanction, and before iivhat persons, magistrates or others, they were made, dotes not appear. By the title indeed, _ which all tlie written Declarations, except Sir John and Lady Douglas's bear; viz. " That they had been taken for the pur- pose of confirming l^ady Douglas's Statement," it may be collected that they had been made by h(^r, or at least by Sir John Douglas's procurement. And the con- cluding passage of one of them, I mean tljc fourth declaration of W. Cole, strengthens this opinion, as il represents Sir John Douglas, accompaniecl by his So- licitor, Mr. Lowten, to have gone down as far as Chelt- enham for the examination of two of the witnesses whose declarations are there stated. I am, however, at a loss to know, at this moment, whom I am to consider, or whom I could legally fix, as my false accuser. I'rom the circumstance last mentioned, it might be in- ferred, that Sir John and Lady Douglas, or one of them, is that accuser. But La-dy Douglas, in herwriUou DELICATE I N VEST I GAT 10 li^. ^1 Declaration, so far from representing the information which she then ^ives, as moving voluntarily from her- self, expressly states that she gives it under the direct command of llis Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the papers leave me without information, from whom any communication to the Prince originated, which induced him to give such commands. Upon the question, how far the advice is agreeable to law, under which it was recommended to your Majesty, to issue this Warrant or Commission, not coun- tersiiiued, nor under Seal, and without any of your Mi^- jesty's advisers, therefore, being, on the face of it, responsible for its issuing, I am not competent to determine. And undoubteiily, considering that the two high IcL^al authorities, the Lord Chancellor, and the Lord Cliief Ju?.iice of the King's Bench, consented to act under it, it is with the greatest doubt and diffidence, that I can bring myself to express any suspicion of its illegality. But if it be, as I am given to understand it is, open to question, whether, consistently with law, your Majesty should liave been advised, to counnand, by this warrant or commission, persons, (not to act in any known character, as Secretaries of State, as Privy Counsellors, a.s Magistrates otherwise empov/ered ; but to act, as Conmiissioners, and under the sole autho- rity of such warrant, to inquire (without any aulho- riiv to hear and determine any thing upon the subject of" those Inquiries,) into the known crime of High Treason, under the sanction of oaths, to be adminis- tered l)v tlem, as such commissioners, and to report the result tliereof to your Majesty. It', I say, there can be anv question upon the legality of such a Warrant or Commissiot), the extreme hardship, witii which, it has operated ui)on me, the extreme prejudice, which it has done to my character, and to which, such a proceeding niust ever expose the person who is the object of it, obii-res me, till I am fully convinced of its legality, to forbear from acknowledging its authority; and, with all humility and deference to your Majesty, to protest against it, "and against all the proceedings under it. If this, indeed, were matter of mere form, I should be ashamed to urge it. But the actual haidships and 62 DELlCAtE INVESTIGATION, prejudice, nhich I have suffered by this proceeding, are njK)St obvious. IW, upon the principal charge against me, the commissioners ha,ve most, satisfactorily, " and " witliout the least hesitation," for such is their e%- pression, repouted their opinion of its falsehood. Sir John and Lady Douglas, therefore, who have sworn to its truth, have been guilty of the plainest falsehood ; yet upon the supposition of the illegality of this Commission their falsehood inust, as 1 am informed, go unpunished. Upon that supposition, the want of legal authority in the Com- niissioners to inquire and to administer an oath, will render it impossible to give to this falsehood the cha- racter of Perjury. But this is by no means the circum- stance which I feel tlic most severely. Beyond the vindicating of my own character, and the consideration of providing for my future security, I c-an assure your INIajesty,' that the punishment of Sir John and Lady Douglas would afford me no satisfaction. It is not, therefore, with regard to that part of the charge, which is negatived, but with respect to those, Avhich are sanctioned by the Report, those, which, not aiming at my life, exhaust themselves upon my character, and which the Commissioners have, in some measure, sanc- tioned by their Report, that I have the greatest reason to complain. Had the Report sanctioned the principal charge, constituting a know-n legal crime, my innocence would have emboldened me, at all risque, (and to more, no person has ever been exposed from the malice and falsehood of accusers) to have demanded that trial, which could legally determine upon the truth or falsehood of such charge. Though I should even then indeed have had some cause to coniplain, because I should have gone to that trial, under the prejudice, necessa- rily raised against me, by that Report; yet in a pro- ceeding before the just, open, and known tribunals of \'Our Majesty's kingoom, I should have had a safe appeal from the result of an c.v parte investigation. An investicration which has exposed me to all the hard- ships of a secret Inquiry, without giving me the benefit Qf secrecy ; and to all the severe consequences of a public investigation, in point of injury to my character, without affording me any of its substantial benefits in DELICATE INVESTIGATION. ^5* point of security. But the charges, which the Com- missioners do sanction by their lleport, describing them^ with a mysterious obscurity and indefinite generality, constitute, as I am told, no legal crime. They are described as ' instances of great impropriety and in- decency of behaviour," which must " occasion the most unfavx)urable inferpretations," and they are reported to your Majesty, and they are stated to be, " circumstances which ujust be credited till they are decisiv^cly con^ tradictexi" I'Vom this opinion, this judgment of the Commis- sioners, bearing so hard upon my character; (and that a. female character, how delicate, and how easily to be affected by the breath of calumny your Majesty well knows) I can have no appeal. For, as the charges constitute no legal crimes, they cannot be the subjects of any legal trial. I can call for no trial. 1 can there- fore have no appeal; I can look for no acquittal. Yet this oj)inion, or this judgment, from which I can have no ap[)eal, has been pronounced against me upon mere c\v parte investigation. This hardship, Sire, I am told to ascribe to the nature of the proceeding under this Warrant or Commission ; For had the Inquiiy been entered into before your Majesty's Privy Council, or before any magistrates, autliorised by law as such, to inquire into the existence of treason, the known course of proceeding before that council, or such magistrates, the known extent of their jurisdiction over crimes, and not over the proprieties of behaviour, would have preserved me from the possibi- lity of having matters made the subjects of inquiry which had in law no substantive criminal character, and from the extreme hardship of having my reputation injured by calumny altogether unfounded, but rendered at once more safe to my enemies, and more injurious to me, by being uttered, in the course of a proceeding, assuming the grave semblance of legal form. And it is by the nature of this proceeding, (which could alone have countenanced or admitted of this licentious latitude of inquiry, into the proprieties of behaviour in private life, with which no court^ no magistrate, no public law has 64 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. any authority to interfere,) that I have been deprived of the benefit of that entire and uncjualified acquittal and discharge from tiiis accusation, to which the utter and proved falsehood of the accusation itself so justly en- titled me. 1 trust therefore that your Majesty will see that if this proceeding is not one to which, by the known laws of your Majesty's kingdom, I ought to be subject, that il is no cold formal objection which leads me to protest against it. I ain ready to acknowledge. Sire, from the conse-* quences which might arise to the public, from such mis- conduct as have been falsely imputed to me, that my honour and virtue are of more importance to the state than those of other women. Tiiat my conduct therefore may be fitly subjected, when necessary, to a severer scrutiny. But it cannot follow, because my character is of more importance, that it may therefore be attacked with more impunity. And as I know, that this mischief has been pending over my head for more than two years,, that private examinations of my neighbours' servants, and of my own, have, at times, during that interval^ been taken, for the purpose of establishing charges against me, not indeed by the instrumentality of Sir John and Lady Douglas alone, but by the sanction, and in the presence of The Earl of Moira (as your Ma- jesty will perceive by the deposition of Jonathan Par- tridge which 1 subjoin*;) and as I know also, and make appear to your Majesty likewise by the same means, that declarations of persons of unquestionable credit, respecting my conduct, attesting my innocence, and directly falsifying a most important circumstance respecting my supposed pregnancy, mentioned in the declayations, on which the Inquiry was instituted ; as I know, I say, that those declarations, so favourable to me, appear to my infinite prejudice, not to have been communicated to your Majesty, when that Inquiry was commanded ; and as 1 know not how soon nor how often proceedings against me may be meditated by my ene- mies, I take leave to express my humble trust, that, bc- * See the depositions at the end of this letter. DELICATE INVESTIGATION". 65 fore any other proceedings may be had against me, (dciiirable hs it niav have been thou.tablished by other more known and regular modes of proceedino^. Having therefore, Sire, upon these grave reasons, ventured to submit, I trust without offence, these con- siderations upon the nature of the Connnission and the proceedings under it, I will now proceed to observe upon the Report, and the Examinations; and, with your Majesty's permission, I will go through the whole matter, in that course which has been observed by the Keport itself, and which an examination of the import- ant matters that it contains, in the order in which it states them, will naturally suggest. The Report, after relerriug to . the Commission or Warrant under which their Lordsiiips were acting, after stating that they had proceeded to examine the several %vitnesses. whose depositions tliey annexed to their Re- port, proceeds to slate the elieclof the written declara- tions, which the Commissioners considered as the essen- tial foundation of the whole ])roceeding. "That they were stateuients which had been laid before his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, respecting the conduct of her Royal Highness t!ie Princess; that these state- n-ents-not only imputed to her Roval Hisrrv;ition of the informants, the' follow- ing mos-t imi)ortant facts ; v'iz. liiat her Royal Highness liad b;>eu j)reL>;i!ant in tiie year IbOL', in conser)uence of an illicit inlercouisfj ; am! that she had in the same year, been secretly delivered of a malechUd; which chdd had ever since that period been broui!;ht up by her Royal Highness in her o.vn house, and under her im- mediate Uispeciion. 'i t-ese alh.galions thus made, had, L 66 DELICATE INVESTlSAl'ION". as the Commissioners found, been followed by declara- tions from other persons, who had not indeed spoken to the important facts of the pregnancy or delivery of her llo3'al Highness, but had related other particulars, in themselves extremely suspicions, and still more so, when connected with the asseriioiis already mentioned. The Report then states, that, in the painful situation, in which his Royal Highness was placed by these declara- tions, they learnt that he had adopted the only course which could, in their judgment, with propriety be fol- lowed, when informations such as these had been thus confidently alledged and particularly detailed, and had in some degree been supported by collateral evidence, applying to otiier points of the same nature (though go- ing to a far less extent,) one line could only be pur- sued." "Every sentiment of duty to your Majesty, and of concei-n for the public welfare re(]uired that these par- ticulars should not be withheld from your JNIajesly, to whom more particularly belonged the cognizance of a matter of state, so nearly touching the honour of your ]\{ajesty's Royal Family,' and by possibility affecting the succession to your jNIajesty's crown." Tlie Commissioners, therefore, your Majesty ob- serves, going, they must permit me to say, a little out of their wa}', begin their Report, by expressing a clear and decided oi)inion, that his Royal Highness was pro- perly advised (for your Majesty will undoubtedly con- clude, that, upon a subject of this importance, his. Royal Highness could not but have acted by the advice ofotliers), in referring this complaint to your Majesty, for the purpose of its undergoing the investigation which has followed. And unquestionabl}^ if the charge re- ferred to in this Report, as made by Sir John and Lady Douglas, had been presented under circumstances, in which any reasonable degree of credit could be given to them, or even if they had not been presented in such a manner, as to impeach the credit of the informers, and to bear internal evidence of their own incredibility, I should be the last person who would be disposed to dis- pute the wisdom of the advice which led to make them the subject of the gravest and most anxious Inquiry. DELICATE rNVESTIGATIOX. 67 And your ^Majesty, acting upon a mere abstract of the declarations, whicli was all, that by the recital of the warrant, appears to have been laid before your Ma- jesty, undoubtedly could not but direct an Inquiry con- cerning my conduct. For though 1 have not been fur- nished with that abstract, yet I must presume that it described the criniiuutory contents of these declarations, much in the same manner, as they are stated in the Re- port. And the criminatory parts of these declarations, if viewed without reference to those traces of malice and resentment, with which the declarations of Sir John and Lady Douglas abound ; if abstracted from all these cir- cumstances, which shew the extreme improbability of the story, the length of time, which my accuser had kept mv alledged guilt concealed, the contradictions observ- able in the declarations of the other witnesses, all which, I submit to your IMaJest}'-, are to an extent to cast the greatest discredit upon the truth of these de- clarations; abstracted, I say, from these circum- stances, the criminatory parts of them were unquestion- ably such, as to have placed your Majesty under the necessity of directing some Inquiry concerning them. But that those, who had the opportunity of reading the long and malevolent narration of Sir John and Lady Douglas, should not have hesitated before they gave any credit to it, is matter of the greatest astonishment to me. The improbability of the story would of itself, I should have imagined (unless they believed me to be as insane as Lady Douglas insinuates) have been sufficient to have staggered the belief of any unprejudiced mind. Lor to believe that story, they were to begin with believ- ing that a person guilty of so foul a crime so highly pe- nal, so fatal to her honour, her station, and her life, should gratuitously, and uselessly, have confessed it. Such a person under the necessity of concealing her pregnancy, might have been indispensably obliged to confide her secret with those, to whom she was to look for assistance in concealing its consetpiences. But Lady Douglas, by her own account, was informed by me of this fact, for no purpose whatever. She makes me, as those who read her declarations cannot fail to have ob- 1. 2 68 DKLICATi: INViSTIGATION'. served, state to hcv, that she should, on no account, be entrusted with any part of the management by wl)icli the blrlh was to be concealed. They were to believe also, that, anxious as 1 must have been to have con- cealed the birth of anv such child, 1 had determined to ferine it up in my own house ; and what v.oiild exceed, as J should iniaginc, the extent of all human credulity, that I had determined to suckle it u)yself : that 1 had laid my plan, if discovered, to have- imposed it upon his lioyal I 'ighnrss as his child. Nav, they were to believe, thai i had stated, and that Lady Douglas had believed the statenient to be true, that 1 had in fact attempted to suckl it, and onlv gave up that part of my plan, be- cause it made me nervous, and was too much for my health. And, after all this, tliey were tiien to believe, that having uiade Lady Douglas, thus unnecessarily, the confidant, of this most important and dangerous secret; having thus put my character and my life in her hands, I sought an occasion, wantonly, and without provoca- tion, irorn the n.-ere fickleness and wilfulness of my own mind, to quarrel with her, to insult her openly and vio- lently in n:y own house, to endeavour to ruin her repu- tation ; to expose her in infamous and indecent draw- ings enclosed in letters to her husband. The letters in- deed are represented to have been anonymous, but, though anonymous, they are stated to have been writtea "with my own hand, so undisguised in penmanship and style, that every one who had the least acquaintance with either, could not fail to discover them, and (as if it were through fear, lest it should not be sufficiently plain from whom they came) that I had sealed them with a seal, which 1 had shortly before used on an occasion of writing to her husband. All this tliey were to believe upon the declaration of a person, who, with all that loyalty and atlachment which she expresses to your Majesty, and his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with all her obligatioti lo the whole Ro\al Family, (to whom she expresses herself to be bound by ties of re- spectiul regard and attachment which nothing can ever break ;) uith all iier dread of the mischievous conse- quences to the countjy, which might arise, from the disputed succession to the Crow, on the pretensions of DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 6^ an ille2;itimate child of mine, nevertheless continued, fter this supposed avowal of my infamy, and my crime, after mv siij)poscd acknowledgment of the binh of this child, whicli was to occasion all this mischief, to pre- serve, for near a twelvemonth, her intimacy and appa- rent friendship with me. Nay, for two years.more, after that intimacy had ceased, after that friendship had been broken otf, l)v niy alledged misbehaviour to her, conti- nued siill faithful lo my secret, and never disclosed it till (as her declaration states it) " The Princess of M'ales recommenced a fresh torrent of outrage against Sir John ; and Sir John discovered that she was attempt- ing to undermine hrs and Lady Douglas's character." Those, then, v/ho liad the opportunity of seeing the whole of this Narrative, having had their jealousy aM'akened by these circumstances to the improbability of the story, and to the discredit of the informer, when they came lo observe, how maliciously every circum- stance that imagination could suggest, as most calcu- lated to make a woman contemptible and odious, was scraped and heaiicd up together in this Narrative, must surely have had ti;eir eyes opened to the motives of my accusers, anci tneir minds cautioned against giving too easy a credit to their accusation, when they found my conversation to he represented as most loose and infa- mous; my mind unin.->tructcd, and unwilling to learn ; my languaLie, with regard to your Majesty, and the whole of your Koyal Family, foully disrespectful and offensive ; and all my manners and habits of lite most disgusting, I should have llattered myself, that I could not have been, in charat-ter, so wholly unknown to them, but that they must have observed a s})irit, and a colouring at least in tliis representation, wJiich must have |)roved much more against the di.^jios'ition and character of the informers, aiid the (luality of their information, than against the person who was the object of their charge. But when, in addition to all this, the Declaration states, that I had, with respect to my unfortunate and calami- tous sej)araiion from his Royal Highness, stated that I had acknowledged myself to have been the aggressor, from the beginning, and myself alone; and when it fur- 70 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. thcr s^tates, that if any other woman had so played and sported with her husband's comfort and popularity, she would have been turned out of his house, or left alone in it, and have deservedly forfeited her place in society ; and further still, when, alledging that 1 had once been desirous of procuring a separation from his Royal High- ness, and had pressed former Chancellors to accomplish this purpose, it liippanliy adds, that *' The Chancellor may now? perhaps be able to grant her request." The malicious object of the whole must surely have been most obvious. For supposing these facts to have been all true ; sup- posing this infamous and libellous description of my character had been nothing but a correct and faithful representation of my vices and my infamy, would it not have been natural to have asked why they were intro- duced into this Declaration ? What effect could they have had upon the charge of crime, and of adultery, which it was intended to establish ? If it was only in execution of a painful duty, which a sense of loyalty to your Majesty, and obedience to the commands of the Prince of Wales, at length reluctantly drew from them, why all this malicious accompaniment? " His Royal Highness," indeed, they say, " desired that they would communicate the whole circumstances of their acquaint- ance with me, from the day they first spoke with me till the present time ; a full detail of all that passed during our acquaintance," and " how they became known to me, it appearing to his Royal Highness, from the repre. sentation of his Royal Plighness the Duke of Sussex, that his Majesty's dearest interests, and those of this country, were very deeply interested in the question," and " that he particularly commanded them to be very circum- stantial in their detail respecting all they might know re- lative to the child that I affected to adopt." But from the whole of this it is sufficiently apparent, that the particularity of this detail was required, by his Royal Highness, in respect of matters connected with that question, in which the dearest interests of your JJajesty and this country were involved ; and not of circumstances which could have no bearing on those in- DELICATE IXVESTIGATION". 71 terests. If it had been therefore true, as I most so- lemnly protest it is not, that I had in the confidence of private conversation, so far forgot all sense of decency, loyalty, and gratitude, as to have expressed myself with tha't disrespect of your Majesty which is imputed to me; If I had been what I trust those who have lived with me, or ever have partaken of my society, would not coniirm, of a mind so uninformed and uncultivated, xvithout education or talents, or without any desire of improving myself, incapable of employment, of a temper so furious and violent, as altogether to forma character, which no one could bear to' live with, who had the means of living elsewhere; Vv'hat possible progress would all this make towards proving that I was guilty of adultery ? These, and such like insinuations, as false as tiiey are malicious, could never have proved crime in me, however manifestly they might display the malice of my accusers. Must it not, then, have occurred to any one, who had seen the whole of this Narrative, if the motive of my accusers was, as they represent it, merely that of good patriots, of attached and loyal subjects, bound, in ex- ecution of a painful duty, imposed upon them by his Uoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, to disclose, in de- tail, all the facts which could establish my guilt, that these circumstances never would have made a part of their detail ? But on the other hand, if their object was to traduce me ; if, falsely attributing to his Royal High- ness, sentiments which could belong to no generous bosou), but measuring his nature by their own, they thouglit, vainly and wickedly, to ingratiate themselves with him, by being the instruments of accomj)lishing my ruin ; if aiming at depriving me of my rank and sta- tion, or of driving me from this country, they deter- mined to bring forward a charge of Treason against me which, though they knew in their consciences it was false, yet they might hope would serve at least as a cover, and a preience for such an imputation upon my character, as, rendering my life intolerable in this coun- try, might drive me to seek a refuge in another; if, the better to effectuate this purpose, they had represented 72 DELICATE INVESTIGATION?. jdl my misfortunes as my faults, and m\f faults alonre, drawn an odious and disgusting picture of me, to extin- guish every sentiment of pitv and compassion, which, in the generosity, not only of your Majesty's royal hosom, and of the members of your Royal Family, but of all the inhabitants of your kingdom, miffht arise to com- miserate the unfortunate -siiualion of a stranger, perse- cuted under a charge originating in their njalice ; if, for this, they flung out, that I had justly forfeited my station in society, and that a separalion from my husband was what I myself had once wished, and what the Chancellor might now perhaps procure for me; or, if, in short, their object was to obtain my condemnation by preju- dice, inflamed by falsehood, which never could be ob- tained by justice informed by truth, then the whole tex- ture of the declaration is consistent, and it is well con- trived and executed for its purpose. But it is strange, that its purpose should have escaped the detection of intelligent and impartial minds. There was enough at least to have made them pause before they gave such a degree of credit tQ informations of this description, as to have made them the foundations of so important and decisive a step, as that of advising them to be laid be- fore your Majesty. And, indeed, such seems to have been the effect which this declaration at first produced. Because if it had been believed, the only thing to have been done (ac- cording to the judgment of the Commissioners,) would have been to have laid it immediately before your Ma- jesty, to whom, upon every principle of duty, the com- munication was due. But the declaration was made on the 3rd of December, in the last year, and the commu- nication was not made to your Majesty till the very end of May. And that interval appears to have been em- ployed in collecting those other additional declarations, which are referred to in the Report, and which your Majesty has likewise been pleased, by your gracious commands, to have communicated to me. These additional declarations do not, I submit, appear to furnish much additional reason for believing the in- credible story. They were taken indeed " for the pur- DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 73 pose," (for they are so described, this is the title which is prefixed to them in the authentic copies, with which I liave been furnished,) " for the purpose of confirming the statement made by Lady Douglas of the circum- stances mentioned in her narrative," and they are the examinations of two persons, who appear to have for- merly Hved in the family of Sir John and Lady Douglas, and of several servants oi' my own; they are filled with the hearsay details of other servants' declarations. And one of them, W. Cole, seems to have been examined over and over again. No less than four of his exa- minations are given, and some of them evidently refer to other examinations of his, which are not given at all. These, I submit to your Majesty, are rendered, from iliis marked circumstance, particularly undeserving of credit; because, in the only instance in which the hear- say statement, related to one servant, was followed by the examination of the other, who was stated to have made it, (I mean an instance in which Cole relates what he had heard said by F. Lloyd,) R Lloyd does not ap- pear to have said any such thing, or even to have heard what she is by him related to have said, and she relates the tact thai she really did hear, stripped of all the par- ticulars with which Cole had coloured it, and which alone made it in any degree deserving to be mentioned. Be- sides this, tiie parents of the child, which is ascribed to rue by Lady Douglas, are plainly pointed out, and a clue is afforded, by which, if followed, it would have been as easy to have ascertained that that child was no child of mine, (if indeed it ever had been seriously believed to be so,) and to have proved whose child it was, before the ajjpointment of tiie Commissioners, as it had beeu found to be afterwards. So far, therefore, from concurring with the Commis- sioners in approving the advice, under which his Royal Highness had acted, 1 conceive it to have been at least cruel and inconsiderate, to have advised the transmis- sion of such a charge to your Majesty, till they had ex- hausted all the means which private inquiry could have atforded^ to ascertain its falsehood or its truth. 74 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Andkwhen it appears that it was not thought neces- sary, upon the first statement of it, as the Commis- sioners seem to have imagined, forthwith to transmit to your iVfaJesty ; but it was retained for near six months, from the beginning of December till near the end of May; what is due to myself obliges me to state, that if there had but been in that interval, half the industry employed, to remove suspicions, which was exerted to raise them, there would never have existed a necessity for troubling your Majesty with this charge at all. I beg to be understood as imputing this solely to the ad- vice given to his Royal Highness. He must, of neces- sity, have left the detail and the determination upon this business to others. And it is evident to me, from what I now' know, that his Royal Highness was not fairly dealt with ; that material information was obtained, to clisprove part of the case against me, which, not ap- pearing in the declarations that were transmitted to your Alajesty, I conclude was never communicated to his Royal Highness. l^eeiing, Sire, strongly, that I have much to complain of, that this foul cJharge should have been so readily cre- dited to my great prejudice, as to occasion that advice to be given which recommended the transmission of it to your Maiest%% Twho, once formally in possession of it, could not fail to subject it to some inquiry.) I have dwelt perhaps, nt a tedious length, in disputing the pro- priety of the Commissioners' judgment, in thus ap- proving the course wtiich was pursued. And, looking to the event, and all the circumstances connected with it, perhaps I have reason to rejoice that tlie Inquiry has taken' place. For if three years concealment of my supposed crime could not impeach the credit of my accusers, three times that period might perhaps be thought to hfive left that credit still unimpaired. And, had the false charge been delayed till death had taken away the real parents of the ctiild' which Lady Douglas charges to be mine ; if time had deprived me of those servants and attendants who have been able so fully to disprove the fact of my alledged pregnancy, I know not where I could have found the means of disproving DELICATj: INVESTIGATION'. 75 fdcts and charges, so falsely, so confidently, and posi- tively sworn to, as those to nhich Lady Douglas has attested. Following, as I proposed, the course taken in the Re- port, I next come to tiiat part of it, to which unques- tionably I must recur with the greatest satisfaction; be- cause it is that part, which so completely absolves me of every possible suspicion, wpon the two material charges of pregnancy and child-birth. The Commissioners state in their Report, that they began by examining " on oath the two principal infor- mants, Sir John and Lady Douglas, who both positively swore, the former to his having observed the fact of pregnancy, and the latter to all the important particu- lars contained in her former declaration, and above re- ferred to. Their examinations are annexed to the Re- port, and are circumstantial and positive." The most material of " the allegations, into the truth of which they had been directed to inquire, being thus far sup- ported by the oath of the parties from whom they had proceeded," they state, '' that they felt it their duty to follow up the Inquiry by the examination of such other persons as they judged best able to afford them infor- mation as to the facts in question." ** We thought it," they say, " beyond all doubt, that in this course of in- quiry many particulars must be learnt which would be 7iecessarily conclusive on the truth or falsehood of these declarations. So many persons must have been wit- nesses to the appearances of an actual existing preg- nancy, so many circumstances must have been atten- dant upon a real delivery, and difficulties so numerous and insurmountable must have been involved in any attempt to account for the infant in question as the child of another woman, if it had been in fact the child of the Princess; that we entertained a full and confident expectation of arriving at comi)lete proof, either in the aftirmative or negative, on this part of the subject." " This expectation," they proceeded to state, " was not disappointed. We are happy to declare to your Ma- jesty, Qur perfect conviction that there is no founda- tion whatever for believing that the child now with the 76 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Princefes is this child of iier Royal Highness, or that she was delivered of any child in the year 1802; nor ha* any thing appeared to us which would warrant the belief that she was pregnant in that year, or at any other pe- riod within the compass of our inquiries." They then proceed to refer to the circumstantial evidence, by which they state, that it was proved that tlie child was, beyond nil doubt, born in Brownlow-street Hospital, on the 11th July, 1802, of the body of Sophia Austin, and brought to my house in the month of November follow- ing. " Neither should we," they add, " be more war- ranted in expressing any doubt respecting the alledged pregnancy of the Princess, as stated in the original de- clarations; a fact so fully contradicted, and by so many witnesses, to whom, if true, it must, in various ways, have been known, that we cannot think it entitled to the smallest credit." Then, after stating that they have annexed the depositions from which they have collected these opinions, they add 'V We humbly offer to your Majesty our clear and unanimous judgment upon them, formed on full deliberation, and pronounced without hesitation, on the result of the whole Inquiry." These two most important facts, therefore, which are charged against me, being so fully, and satisfactorily, disposed of, by the unanimous and clear judgment of the Commissioners ; being so fully and completely dis- proved by the evidence. which the Commissioners col- lected, I might, perhnps, in your Majesty's judgment, appear well justified in passing them by without any observation of mine. But though the observations which 1 shall make shall be very few, yet I cannot for- bear just dwelling upon this part of the case, for a few minutes; because, if I do not much deceive myself, upon every principle which can govern the human mind, in the investigation of the truth of any charge, the fate of this part of the accusation must have decisive weight upon the determination of the remainder. 1 there- fore must beg to remark, that Sir John Douglas swears -to my having appeared, some time after our acquaint- ance had commenced, to be vviih child, and that one 'day I leaned on the sofa, arid put my hand upon my DELICATE INVESTlGATIO%% ^7 Stomach, and said, " Sir John, I shall never be Queen of England ;" and he said, " not if you don't deserve/* and I seemed angry at first. This conversation, I apprehend, if it has the least relation to the subject on which Sir John was examined, must be given for the purpose of insinuating that I made an allusion to my pregnancy, as if there was a sort of understanding between him and me upon the sub- ject, and that he made me angry, by an expression which impHed, that what I alluded to would forfeit my right to be Queen of England. If this is not the mean- ing which Sir John intends to be annexed to this con- versation, I am perfectly at a loss to conceive what he can intend to convey. Whether at any time, when I may have felt myself unwell, 1 may have used the ex- pression whicli he here imputes to me, my memory will not enable me, with the least degree of certainty, to state. The words themselves seem to me to be per- fectly innocent; and the action of laying my hand upon my breast, if occasioned by any sense of internal pain at the moment, neither unnatural, nor, as it ap- pears to me, in any way censurable. But that I could have used these words, intending to convey to Sir John Douglas the meaning which I suppose him to insinuate, surpasses all human creduhty to believe. I could not, however, forbear to notice this passage in Sir John's examination, because it must serve to demonstrate to your Majesty how words, in tiiemselves most innocent, are endeavoured to be tortured, by being brought into the context with his opinion of my pregnancy, to convey ^ meaning most contrary to that, which I could by pos- sibility have intended to convey, but which it was neces- sary that he should impute to me^ to give the better co- lour to this false accusation. As to Sir John Douglas, however, when he swears to the appearances of my pregnancy, he possibly might be only mistaken. Not that mistake will excuse or dimi- Disii the guilt of so scandalous a falsehood upon oath. Ikit for Lady Douglas there cannot bo even such an excuse. Independent of all those extravagant confes- Bions which she falsely represents me to have made, she 6 78 t>tICATi; INVESTIGATIOir. States, upon her owrl observation and knowledge, that I was pregnant in the year 1802. Now, in the habits of intercourse and intimacy, wit!i which I certainly did live with her, at that time, she could not be mistaken as to that fact. It is impossible, therefore, that in swear- ing positively to that fact, which is so positively dis- proved, she can fail to appear to your J\Iajesty to be wilfully and deliberately forsworn. As to the conversations which she asserts to have passed between us, I am well aware, that those, who prefer her word to mine, will not be satisfied to disbe- lieve her upon my bare denial; nor, perhaps, upon the improbability and extravagance of the supposed conver- sations themselves. But as to the facts of pregnancy and delivery, which are proved to be false, in the words of the Report, " by so many witnesses, to whom, if true, they must in various ways have been known/' no per- son living can doubt that the crime of adultery and trea- son, as proved by those facts, has been attempted to be fixed upon me, by the deliberate and wilful falsehood of this my most forward accuser. And when it is once established, as it is, that my pregnancy and delivery are all Sir John and Lady Douglas's invention, I should imagine that my confessions of a pregnancy which never existed ; my confession of a delivery which never took place ; my confession of having suckled a child which I never bore, will hardly be believed upon the credit of her testimony. The credit of Lady Douglas, therefore, being thus destroyed, I trust your Majesty will think that I ought to scorn to answer to any thing which her examination may contain, except so far as there may appear to be any additional and concurrent evidence to support it. This brings me to the remaining part of the Report, which I read, I do assure your Majesty, with a degree of astonishment and surprise, that I know not how to express. How the Commissioners could, upon such evidence, from such witnesses, upon such an informa- tion, and in such an ex parte proceeding, before I had had the possibility of being heard, not only suifer them- selves to form such an opinion, but to report it to your DELICATE INVESTIGATION". 70 Majesty, with all the weight and authority of their great names/ I am perfectly at a loss to conceive. Their great ofiicial and judicial occupations, no doubt, pre- vented that fall attention to the subject which it re- quired. But I am not surely without just grounds of complaint, if they proceeded to pronounce an opinion upon my character, without all that consideration and attention, which the importance of it to the peace of your Majesty's mind, to the honour of your Royal Fa- mily, and the reputation of tlie Princess of Wales, seem indispensably to have demanded. In the part of the Report already referred to, the par- ticulars of the charge, exclusive of those two important facts, which have been so satisfactorily disposed of, are, as I have already observed, variously described by tiie Commissioners : as, ' matters of great impropriety awd \ indecency of behaviour ;" as " other particulars in them- selves extremely suspicious, and still more so, when con- nected with Uie assertions r.lready mentioned ;" and as '* points of the same nature, though going to a much less extent." I3ut they do not become the subject of -particular attention in the Report, till after the Com- missioners had concluded that part of it, in which they give so dtjcisive an opinion against the truth of the charge upon the tuo material facts. They then proceed to state '' That they cannot close their Report Uiere," much as they could vvish it ; that besides the allegations of the pregnaucv and delivery of the Princess, those declaration's on 'the whole of which your Majesty had required their Inquiry and Report, contain other parti- culars respecting the conduct of her Roi/al Highness, each as must, especially/ considering her exalted rank and station, 7ieccssarily give occasion to 'very unfavour- aide interpretations, that from various depositions and proofs annexed to their Report, partictdarlif from the examination of Robert Bidgood, JT. Cole, F. Lloyd, and Mrs. Lisle, several strong circumstances of this description have been positively sworn to, by witnesses, w^io cantiot, in the judgment of the Commissioners,^ be suspected of any unfa'vourable bias, and whose veracity, ia THIS RESPECT, they had s^en no ground to question," 80 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. They then state, that *' on the precise bearing and effect of the facts, thus appearing, it is not for them to decide: these they submit to your Majesty's wisdom. But they conceive it to be their duty to report on this part of tiie Inquiry, as distinctly as on the former facts ; tliat as, on the one hand, the facts of pregnancy and delivery are, in their minds, satisfactorily disproved, so on the other hand they think, that the circumstances to xchicJi they now refer, particularly those stated to have passed be- tween her Royal Highness and Captain Manhy, must be credited until they shall receive some decisive contradic- tion, and, if true, are justly entitled to the most serious consideration.^'' Your Majesty will not fail to observe that the Com- missioners have entered in the examination of this part of the case, and have reported upon it, not merely as evidence in confirmation of the charges of pregnancy and delivery which they have completely negatived, and disposed of, but as containing substantive matters of charge in itself. That they consider it indeed as relating to points '* of the same nature, but going to a much less extent," not therefore as constituting actual crime, but as amounting to "improprieties and indecencies of behaviour, aggravated by the exalted rank which I hold," as " occasioning unfavourable interpretations," and as "entitled to the most serious consideration." And when they also state that it is not for them to de- cide on their precise bearing and effect, I think I am jus- tified inconcluding that they could not class them under any known head Of crime; as, in that case, upon their bearing and effect they would have been fully competent to have pronounced. I have, to a degree, already stated to your IVIajesty ,the unprecedented hardship to which I conceive myself to have been exposed by this e.v parte Inquiry into the decorum of my private conduct. I have already stated the. prejudice done to my character by this recorded censure, from which I can have no appeal ; and I press these considerations no further upon your Majesty, at pre- t)ELlCATE INVEiTiaATIOIT* 81 sent, than to point out, in passing this part of the Report the just foundations which it affords me for making the complaint. Your IVIajesty will also, I am persuaded, not fail to remark the strange obscurity and reserve, the mysterioi*9 darkness, with which the Report here expresses itself; and every one must feel how this aggravates the severity and cruelty of the censure, by rendering it impossible distinctly and specifically to meet it. The Commis- sioners state indeed tiiat some things are proved agains,t me, which must be credited till they shall receive a de- cisive contradiction, but what those things are they do not state. They are '' particulars and circumstances which, especially considering uiy exalted rank, must give occasion to the most unfavourable interpretations. There are several strong circumstances of this descrip- tion ;" " they are, if true, justly deserving of most se- rious consideration," and they " must be credited till decidedly contradicted." But what are these circum- stances? What are these deeds without a name ? Was there ever a charge so framed ? AVas ever any one put to answer any charge, and decidedly to contradict it, or submit to have it credited against him, which was con- ceived in such terms, without the means of ascertaining what these things are, except as conjecture may enable me to surmise, to what parts of the examinations of the four witnesses, on whom they particularly rely, they at- tach tiie importance and the weight which seem to them to justify these dark and ambiguous censures on my con- duct? But such as they are/ and whatever they may be, they must, your Majesty is told, be credited unless they are decidedly contradicted. Circumstances, respecting Captain }>[anl)y, indeed are particularized; but referring to the depositions which api)ly to him, they contain much matter of opinion, of hearsay, of suspicion. Are these hearsays, are these opinions, are these suspicions, and conjectures of these witnesses, to be believed auaiivt me, unless decidedly contradicted ? How can I decidedb^ contradict another person's opinion? I may reason against its justice, but how cjtn I contradict it ? Or how can 1 decidedly can- "82 .DELICATE INVESTIGATION. tradict any thing which is not precisely specified, nor distinctly known to me? Your Mtijesty will also observe that the Report states that it is not for the Comtnissioners to decide upon the bearhij:!; and effect of these facts; these are left for your Majesty's decision. But they add that, if true, they are justly entitled to the most serious consideration. I can- not. Sire, but collect from these passages an intimatian that -some further pi oceedinss maybe meditated. And perhaps, if 1 acted with perfect prudence, seeing hovv much reason I have to fear from the fabrications of false- hood, 1 ought to have waited till I knew what course, civil or criminal, your Majesty might be advised to pursue, before I offered any observations or answer. To this alternative however I am driven I must either remain silent, and reserve my defence, leaving the im- putation to operate most injuriously and fatally to my character; or I must, by entering into a defence against so extended a charge, expose myself with much greater hazard to any future attacks. But the fear of possible danger, to arise from the perverted interpretation of my answer, cannot induce me to asquiesce, under the cer* tain mischief of the unjust censure and judgment which stands against me, as it were, recorded in this Report. I shall therefore, at whatever hazard, proceed to submit to your Majesty, in whose justice I have the most satis- factory reliance, my answer and my observations upon this part of the case. And here, Sire, I cannot forbear again presuming ta state to your Majesty, that it is not a little hard, that tlie Commissioners (who stale in the beginning of their Report, that certain particulars, in thcmsefves extreme- ly suspicious, were, in the judgment which they had formed upon them, before they entered into the parti-' culars of the Inquiry, rendered still more suspicious from being connected. with the assertion of pregnancy and delivery, should have made no observation upon the degree in which that suspicion must be proportion- ably abated, when those assertions of pregnancy and delivery have been completely falsified and disproved ; that they should make no remark upon the fact, that all DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 83 the witnesses, (with the exception of Mrs. Lisle,) on whooj they specifically rely, were every one of them brought forward by the principal informers, for the pur- pose of supporting the false statement of Lady Douglas ; that they are the witnesses therefore of persons whom, after the complete falsification of their charge, I am justified in describing as conspirators who have been detected, in supporting their conspiracy by their own perjury. And surely where a conspiracy, to fix a charge upon an individual, has been plainly detected, the witnesses of those who have been so detected in that conspiracy ^^witnesses that are brought forward to sup- port this false charge, cannot stand otherwise than considerably affected in their credit, by their connec- tion with those who are detected in that conspiracy. But instead of pointing out this circumstance, as call- ing, at least for some degree of caution and reserve, in considering the testimony of these witnesses, the Report on the contrary, holds them up as u'orthy of particular credit, as witnesses, who, in the judgment of the Com- missioners, cannot be suspected of unfavourable bias ; M'hose veracity in that respect they have seen no ground to question ; and who ninst be credited till tliey receive some decided contradiction. Now, Sire, I feel the ^fullest confidence that I shall prove to your Majesty's most perfect satisfaction, that all of these witnesses (^of course I still eKcl-ide Mrs. Lisle) are under the influence, and exhiiit the symp- toms of the most unfavourable bias ; that their veracity is in every respect to be doubted ; and that thev cannot, by any candid and attentive mind, be deemed worthy of the least degree of credit upon this charge, your Ma- jesty will easily conceive, how great my surprise and astonishment must have been at this part of the Report. I am indeed a little at a loss to know, whether I under- stand the passage which I have cited from the Report. " The witnesses in the judgment of the Commissioners are not to be suspected of unlav-urable bias, and their Veracity m that respect they have seen no reason to question." What is meant by their having seen no rea- son to suspect their veracity in that respect ? Do they 84 DELICATE INVJESTIGATrON". mean, wliat the qualification seems to imply, that they have seen reason to question it in other respects? Is it meant to be insinuated that they saw reason to ques' tion their veracity not in respect of an unfavourable bias, but of a bias in my favour ? I cannot impute to them such an insinuation, because I am satisfied that the Commissioners would ne\ev have intended to insi' nuate any thing so directly contrary to the truth. The witnesses specificalij- pointed out, as thus parti- cularly deserving of credit, are W. Cole, R. Bidgood, F. Lloyd, and Mrs. Lisle. With respect to Mrs. Lisle, I trust your Majesty will (Sermit me to make my observ- ations upon her examination, as distinctly and sepa- rately as I possibly can from the others. Because, as I ever had, and have now as much as ever, the most per- fect respect for Mrs. Lisle, I would avoid the possibility of having it imagined that such observations as I shall be under the absolute necessity of making, upon the other "witnesses, could be intended in any degree to be ap- plied to her. With respect to Cole, Bidgood, and Lloyd, they have all lived in their places for a long time ; they had lived with his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales before he married, and were appointed by him to situations about me ; Cole and Lloyd immediately upon my marriage, and Bidgood very shortly afterwards. I know not whe- ther from this circumstance they may consider them- selves as not owing that undivided duty and regard to me, which servants of my own appoin-tment might pos- sibly have felt ; but if I knew nothing more of them than that they had consented to be voluntarily exa-i mined, for the purpose of supporting the statement of Lady Douglas on a charge so deeply affecting my ho- nour, without communicating to me the fact of such examination, your Majesty would not, 1 am sure, be surprized to find, that I saw in that circumstance alone sufficient to raise so}?ie suspicions of an i^nfavourable bias. But when I find Cole particularly suJiniitting to this secret and voluntary examination against me, no less than four times, and when I found during the pen-, dency of this Inquiry before the Commissioners;, that KLlCAtfc INVESTIGATIOI^. 3 one of them, R. Bidgood, was i^o far connected, and iq league, witli Sir John and Lady Doaghis; as to have communication with the latter, I thought I saw the proof of such decided hostility and confederacy against me, that I felt obliged to order the discontiimance of his attendance at my house till further orders. Of the real bias of their minds, however, with respect to me, your Majesty will be better able to judge from the considera- tion of their evidence. The imputations which I collect to be considered as cast upon me, by these several witnesses, ar< too great familiarity and iptimacy with several gentlemen, Sir Sidney Smith, Mr. Lawrence, Cdptain Manby, and I know not whetl>er the same are not meant to be extend- ed to Lord Uood, Mr. Chester, and Captain Moore. With your Majesty's permission, therefore, I will examine the depositions of the witnesses, as they re- spect these several gentlemen, in their order, keeping the evidence, which is applicable to each case, as dis- tinct from the others as 1 can. And I will begin with those which respect Sir Sidney Smith, as he is the person first mentioned in the depo- sition of W. Cole. W. Cole says, " that Sir Sidney Smith first visited at iMontagne House in 1802 ; that he observed that the Princess was too familiar with Sir Sidney Smith. One day, be thinks in February, he (Cole) carried into the Jilue Room to the Princess some sandwiches which she had ordered, and was surprised to see that Sir Sidney was there He must have come in from the Park,. If he had been let in from Blackheath he must have passed through the room in which he (Cole) was waiting. When he had left the sandwiches, he returned, after some time, into the room, and Sir Sidney Smith was sitting very close to tlie Princess on the sofa , He (Cole) looked at her Royal Highness, she caugl^i his eye, and saw that he noticed the manner in which tiiey wore sil- ling together, they appeared both a litth; contused." R. Bidgwood says also, in his deposition on the 6th of June, (for he was e)iamined twit j " that it was tjarl^ in 1802 that Ijc first observed Sir Sidney" Sinlih '85 6e1tcat iJ^^vestigation. come to Montague House. He used to stay very late at night; lie had seen hiin early in the morning- tl:iere ; about ten or eleven o'clock. He waS at Sir John Douglases, and was m the habit as well as Sir John and Lady Douglas of dining, or having luncheon, or flip- ping there every day. He saw Sir Sidney Smitb one day in 1802 in the Blue Room, about 1 1 o'clocic in the inorning, which was full two hours before they expected ever to see coaipany. He asked the servants why 'they did not let him know Sir Sidtiey Smith was there; the footman told him that they had let no person in. There was a private door to the Park, by which he might have come in if he had a key to it, and have got into the Blue Room without any of the servants perceiving him. And in his second deposition, taken on the 3d of July, he says he lived at Montague House when Sir Sidney came. Her (the Princess's) manner with him appeared very familiar; she appeared very attentive to him, but he did not suspect any thing further. Mrs. Lis e' says, that the Princess at one time appeared to like Sir John and Lady Douglas. *" I have seen Sir Sidney Smith there very late in the evening, but not alone with the Princess. 1 have no reason to suspect he had a key of the Park gate ; 1 never heard of any body being found wandering about at Blackheath.'' Panny IJoyd does not mention Sir Sidney Smith in her deposition. Upon the whole of this evidence then, which is the whole that respects Sir Sidney Smith, in any of these depositions (except some particular passage in Cole's evidence, which are so important as to require very particular and distinct statement), I would request your Majesty to understand that, with respect to the fact of Sir Sidney Smith's visiting frequently at Montague House, both with Sir John and Lady Douglas, and without them; with respect to his being frequently there, at luncheon, dinner," and supper; and staying with the rest of the company till twelve, one o'clock, or even sometimes later, if these are some, of the facts *' which must give occasion to unfavourable interpre- tations, and must be credited till they are contradicted j'' 4 DELICATE INVESTI-GATION. 87 they are facts^ which 1 never can contradict, for they are perfectly tru<3. A.nd I trust it will imply the con- fession of no guilt, to admit, that Sir Sidney Smithes conversation, his account of the yarious and extraordi- nary events, and heroic achievements in which he had been concerned, amused and interested me ; and th$ circumstance of his living so much with his friends, Sir - John and Lady Douglas, in my neighbourhood on Blacklieath, gave the opportunity of his increasing his acquaintance with ine. It happened also, that about this time I fitted up, as your Majesty may have observed, one of the rooms in my house after tiie fashion of a Turkish Tent. Sir Sidney furnished me with a pattern for it, in a drawing of tlie Tent of Murat Bey, which lie had brought over with him from Egypt. And he taugiit me how to draw Eg}'ptian Arabesques, which were necessary for the ornaments of the cieling; this may have occasioned, while that room was titling up, several visits, and pos- sibly some, though I do not recollect them, as early in the morning as ]\Jr. Bidgood mentions. I believQ also that it has happened more than once, that, walking with my ladies in the Park, we have met Sir Sidney Smith, and that he has come in, with us, through the gate from the Park. My ladies may have gone up to take off their cloaks, or to dress, and have left me alone with him : and, at some one of these times, it may very possibly have happened, that ]\Ir. Cole and Mr. Bidn good may have seen him, when he has not come through the waiting-room, nor been let in by any of the foot- men. But I solemnly declare to your Majesty, that I have not the least idea or belief that he ever hnd a key of the gate into the Park, or that he ever entered in or passed out at that gate, except in company willi myselt' and my ladies. A.s for the circuaistance of my pevmit- ting Jiim to be in the room alone uiih me ; if suffering a man to be so alone is evidence of guilt, from whence the Commissioners can draw any unfavourable infe- rence, I must leave them to draw it. For I cannot deny that it has happened, and happened frequently ; not^only with Sir Sidney Smith, but with many, many 88 DELICATE INVE6tIGATI0^^ Others; gentlemen who have visited ine; tradesmen who have come to receive my orders; masters whom I have had to instruct me, in painting, in music, in English, Sec. that I have received them without any one being by. In short, I trust 1 am not confessing a crime, for unquestionably it is a truth, that I never had an idea that there was any thing wrong, or objectionable, in thus seeing men, in the morning, and I conh* dently believe your Majesty will see nothing in it, from which any guilt can be inferred. I feel cer* tain that there is nothing immoral in the thin Itself; and I have always understood, that it was per- fecdy custuinary and usual for ladies of the first rank, and the first character, in the ceuntry, to receive the visits of gentlemen in a morning, though they might be themselves alone at the tiuie. But, if, in the opinions and fashions of this country, there should be more im- propriety ascribed to it, than what it ever entered into my mind to conceive, I hope your Mnjesty, and every candid tiiind, will make allowance for tiie different no- tions which my foreign education and foreign habits may have given me. But whatever character may belong to this practice, it is not a })ractice which commenced after my leaving Carlton House. While there, a.nd from my firjt arrival in this country, I was accustomed, with the knowledge of His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, and with- out his ever having iiinted to me tlie lightest disappro- bation, to receive lessons froin various masters, for my amusement, and improvement ; I was attended by tlicm frequently, from 12 o'clock till five in the afternoon ; Ml'. Atvvood for music, IMr. Geffadierc for English, Mr. Tourfronelli for painting, Mr. ^utoye for imitating mar- ble, Mr. Elwes for the har[), I saw them ail alone ; and indeed, if I were to see them at all, I could do no other- wise than see them alone. Miss Garth, who was then sub-governess to my daughter, lived, certainly, under the same roof with me, but she could not be spared from her duty and attendance on my daughter. 1 de- sired her sometimes to come down stairs, and read to roe, during the time when I drew or painted, but my DELICATE I^-'VESTIGATION. 89 Lord Cholmondeley informed me this could not b^. I then requested that I might have one of my bed-cham- ber women to live constantly at Carlton House, that I might have her at call whenever I wanted her ; but I was answered that it was not customary, that the atten- dants of the Royal Family should live with them in town ^ so that request could not be complied with. But, inde- pendent of this, I never conceived that it was offensive to the fashions and manners of the country to receive gentlemen who might call upon me in a morning, whe- ther I had or had not any one with me ; and it never occurred to me to think that there was either improprie- ty or indecorum in it, at that time, nor in continuing the practice at Montague House. But this has been con- fined to morning visits, in no private apartments ni my house, but in my drawing-room, where my ladies have at all times free access, and as they usually take their luncheon with me, except when they are engaged with visitors or pursuits of their own, it could but rarely oc- cur that I could be left with any gentleman alone for any length of time, unless there were something, in the known and avowed business, which might occasion his vvaitmg upon me, that would fully account for the circumstance. 1 (rust your Majesty will excuse the length at whicii I have dwelt upon this topic. I perceived, from the ex- aminations, that it had been much inquired after, and I felt it necessary to represent it in its true light. And the candour of your Majesty's mind will, I am confi- dent, suggest that those who are the least coi^iscions of intending guilt, or the least suspicious of having it im- puted to them: and iherefore that they do not think it ne- cessary to guard themselves at every turn, with witnesses to prove their innocence, fancying their character to be safe, as long as their conduct is innocent, and that guilt willnotbc imputed to them from actions quiteindifi'erent. The deposition however of Mr. Cole is not conhned to my being alone with Sir Sidney Smith. The circum- stances in which he observed us together he particula- rizes, and states his opinion. He introduces, indeed, the whole of the evidence by saying tha,t I was too fa- miliar with Sir Sidney Smith; but as I trust I am not o 90 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. yet so far degraded as to have my character decided by the opinion of Mr. Cole, I shall not comment upon that observation. He then proceeds to describe the scene which he observed -on the day when he brought in the sandwiches, which I trust your Majesty did not fail to notice, / had myself ordered to be brought in. For there is an obvious insinuation that Sir Sidney must have come in through the Park, and that tiiere was great impropriety in his being alone with me. And at least the witness's own story proves, whatever impro- priety there might be, in this circumstance, that I was rot conscious of it, nor meant to take advantage of his clandestine entry, from the Park, to conceal the fact from my servant's observation. For if I had such consciousness, or such meaning, I never could have ordered sandwiches to have been brought in, or any other act to have been done, which must have brought myself under the notice of my servants, while I conti- nued in a situation, which 1 thought improper, and wished to conceal. Any of the circumstances of this visit, to which this part of deposition refers, my memory does not enable me in the least degree to particularize and recal. Mr. Cole may have seen me sitting on the same sofa with Sir Sidney Smith. Nay, I have no doubt he must have seen me, over and over again, not only with Sir S. Smith, but with other gentlemen, sitting upon the same sofa, and I trust your Majesty will feel it the hardest thing imaginable, that I should be called upon to account what corner of a sofa I sat upon four years ago, and how close Sir Sidney Smith was sitting to me. I can only solemnly aver to your Majesty, that my conscience suppHes me with the fullest means of confidently assuring you, that I never permitted Sir Sidney Smith to sit on any sofa with me in any manner, which, in my own judgment was in the slightest degree offensive to the strictest propriety and decorum. In the judgment of many persons, perhaps, a Princess of Wales should at no time forget the elevation of her rank, or descend, in any degree, to the familiarities and inti- macies of private life. Under any circumstances, this would be a hard condition to be annexed to her situation. DELICATE INVESTIGATION, ^1 Under the circumstances, in which it has been my mis- fortune to have lost the necessary support to the dignity and station of a Princess of Wales, to have assumed and maintained an unbending dignity would have been im- possible, and if possible, could hardly have been ex- pected from me. After tliese observations, Sire, I must now request your Majesty's attention to those written declarations which are mentioned in the Report, and which I shall never be able sufficiently to thank your Majesty for having condescended, in compliance with my earnest request, to order to be transmitted to me. From ob- servations upon those declarations themselves, as well as upon comparing them with the depositions made before the Commissioners, your Majesty will see the strongest reason for discrediting the testimony of W Cole, as well as others of these witnesses whose credit stands in the opinion of the Commissioners so unim- peachable. They supply important observations, even with respect to that part of Mr. Cole's evidence which I am now considering, though in no degree equal in importance to those which 1 shall afterwards have occa- sion to notice. Your Majesty will please to observe, that there are no less than four difterent examinations, or declarations, of Mr. Cole. They are dated on the 1 Ith, 14th, and SOtli of January, and on the 23rd of February. In these four ditlerent declarations he twice mentions the cir- cumstance of finding Sir Sidney Smith and myself on the sofa, and he mentions it not only in a different manner, at each of those times, but at both of them in a manner, which materially dilFers from his deposition before the Commissioners. In his declaration on the 11th of January lie says, that he found us in so familiar a pos- ture, as to a latvu him very much, which he expressed by a .starl back and a look at the gentleman. In that dated on the 22d February however (being asked, I suppose as to that which he had dared to assert, of the familiar posture which had alarmed him so much,") he says, " there was nothing particular in our dress, position of legs, or arms, that was extraordinary; 2 t)t DEtrCAtfi INVESTIGATION'. He thought it irnpropef that a single gentleman should be sitting quite close to a married lady on the sofa, and from that situation, and former obseiTstions he thought the thing improper. In this second account, tlierefore, your Majesty perceives he was obliged to bnng- in his former observation to help out the statement, in order to account for his having been so shocked with what he saw, as to express his alarm by " startim^ t)ai'k." But unfortunately he accounts for it, as it seems to me at least, by the very circumstance which Mouki have induced him to have been less surprised, and conse- quently less startled by what he saw ; for had his former observations been such as he insinuates, he would havfe been prepared the more to expect, and the less to be surprised at, what he p-retends to have seen. But your Majesty will observe, that in his deposition before the Commissioners (recollecting perhaps how awkwardly he had accounted for his starting in his formei^ declaration) he drops his starting altogether. Instead of looking at the gentleman only, he looked at us both, that I caught his eye, and saw that he noticed the manner in which we were sitting, and instead of his own starting, or any description of the manner in which he exhibited his own feelings, we are represented as both appearing a litt/e confused. Our confusion is a circumstance which, during his four declarations which he made before the appointment of the Commissioners, it never once oc<:urred to him to recollect. And now lie does recollect it, we appeared, he says, " a little con- fused."-^ A little confused !^ -The Princess of Wales de- tected in a situation such as to shock and alarm her ser- vant, and so detected as to be sensible of her detection, and so conscious of the impropriety of the situation as to exhibit symptoms of confusion; would not her con^ ffisfon have been extreme? would it have been so little ds to have slipped the memory of the witness who ob- served it, during his first four declarations, and at last to be recalled to his recollection in such a manner as to ht represented fn the faint and feeble way in which he here descrifees it. Wfeat Mreiglit your llajesty will ascribe to these dif- DELICATE INVESTIGATION". 9^ fereiices in the accounts given by this witness, I cannot p^retend to say. But I am ready to confess that, pro- bably, if there was nothing stronger of the same kind to be observed in other parts of his testimony, the in- ference which v.'ould be drawn from them would depend very much upon the opinion previously entertained of the witness. To me, who icnow many parts of his tes- timony to be absolutely false, and all the colouring given to it to be wholly from his own wicked and malicious in- vention, it appears plain, that these differences in his re- presentations are the unsteady, awkward shuffles and prevarications of falsehood. To those, if there any such, who from preconceived prejudices in his favour, or from any other circumstances, think that his veracity is free from all suspicion, satisfactory means of recon- ciling them may possibly occur. But before I have left Mr. Coles examinations, your Majesty will find that they will have much more to account for, and much more to reconcile. Mr. Cole's examination before the Commissioners goes on thus: *' A short time before this, one night about twelve o'clock, I saw a man go into the house from the Park, wrapt up in a greatcoat. I did not give any alarm, for the impression on my mind was, that it was not a thief." When I read this passage. Sire, I could hardly believe my eyes; when I found such a fact left in tliis dark state, without any further explanation, or without a trace in the examination of any attempt ta get it further explained. How he got this impression on bis mind, that this was not a thief? Whom he believed it to be ? What part of the house he saw liim enter ? If the drawing-room, or any part which I usually occupy, who was there at the time? Whether I was there ? Whether alone, or witii my Ladies? or with other company? Whether he told any body of the circiunstance at the time? or how long - after .'* Whom he told? Whether any inquiries^ v^ere made in consequence ? These, and a thousand other questions, with a view to have pene- trated into the mystery of this strange story, and to, have tried the credit of this witness, would, I should havo thought, have occurred to any one ; but certainly must 5 94. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. have occurred to persons so experienced, and so able in examination of facts, and the trying of the credit of wit- nesses, as the two learned Lords unquestionably are, whom Your Majesty took care to have introduced into this Commission. They never could have permitted these unexplained, and unsifted, hints and insinuations to have had the weight and eftect of proof. But unfor- tunately for me, the duties, probably, of their respective situations prevented their attendance on the examination of this, and on the first examination of another most im- portant witness, Mr. Robert Bidgood ; and surely your ^Majesty will permit me here, without offence, to com- plain, that it is not a little hard, that when your Majesty- had shewn your anxiety to have legal accuracy, and legal experience assist on this examination, the two most important witnesses, in whose examinations there is more matter for unfavourable interpretation, than in all tiie rest put together, should have been examined without the benefit of this accuracy, and this experience. And I am the better justified in making this observation, if what has been suggested to me is correct; that if it shall not be allowed that the power of administering an oath under this warrant or commission is question- able, yet it can hardly be doubted, that it is most ques- tionable whether, according to the terms or meaning of the warrant or commission, as it constitutes no quorum. Lord Spencer and Lord Grenville could administer an oath, or act in the absence of the other Lords ; and if they could not, jVIr. Cole's falsehood must be out of the reach of punishment. Returning then from this digression, will your Ma jesty permit me to ask whether 1 am to understand this fact, respecting the man in a great coat, to be one of those which must necessarily give occasion to the most unfavourable interpretations? which must be credited till decidedly contradicted? and which, if true, deserve the most serious consideration? The unfavourable in- terpretations which this fact may occasion, doubtless are that this man was either Sir Sidney Smith, or some other paramour, who was admitted by me into my house in disguise at midnight, for the accomplishment DELICATE INVESTIGATION-. 95 ofmy wicked and adulterous purposes. And is it pos- sible that your Majesty, is it possible that any candid mind can believe this fact, with the unfavourable inter- pretations which it occasions, on the relation of a ser- vant, w ho for all that appears, mentions it for the first time, four years after the event took place; and who gives, himself, this picture of his honesty and fidelity to a master, whom he has served so long, that he, whose nerves are of so moral a frame, that he starts at seeing a single man sitting at mid-day, in an open drawing- room, on the same sofa, with a married woman, per- mitted this disguised midnight adulterer to approach his master's bed, without taking any notice, without mak- ing any alarm, without offering any interruption. And why, because (as he expressly states) he did nOt believe him to be a thief: and because (as he plainly insinuates) he did believe him. to be an adulterer. But what makes the manner in which the Commis- sioners suffered this fact to remain so unexplained, the more extraordinary is this; Mr. Cole had in his origi- nal declaration of the 11th of January, which was be- fore the Commissioners, stated "that one night, about twelve o'clock, he saw a person wrapped up in a great coat, go across the Park into the gate at the Green House, and he verily believes it was Sir Sidney Smith." In his declaration then, (when he was not upon oath) lie ventures to state, *' that he verily believes it was Sir Sidney Smith." VVhen he is upon his oath, in his de- positions before the Comniissioners, all that he ventures to swear is, " that he gave no alarm, because the im- pression upon his mind was, that it was not a thief! !" And the difference is most important. " The impres- sion upon his mind was, that it was not a thief! V I believe him, and the impression upon my mind too is, that he knew it was not a thief That he knew who it was and that he knew it was no other than my xvatch- man. What incident it is that he alludes to, I cannot pretend to know. But this i know, that if it refers to any man with whose proceedings I have the least ac- quaintance or privity, it must have l^een my watchman ; who, if he executes my orders, nightly, and often in 96 ELlbATE INVESTIGATION. the night goes his rounds, both inside and outside of my houiie. fAnd this eircumstance, which I should think would ratlier afford, to most minds, aa inference that I was not preparing the way of planning facilities for secret midnight assignations, has, in my conscience, 1 believe, (if thei*e is one word of truth in any part of this story, and the whole of it is not pure invention) afford the handle^ and suggested the idea to this honest, trusty man, this witness, " who cannot be suspected o^ any unfavourable bias," " whose veracity in that re* spect the Commissioners saw no ground to question,'* and "who must be credited till he received decided contradiction," suggested, I say, the idea of the dark and vile insinuation contained in this part of his tes- timony. Whether I am right or wrong, however, in this con- jecture, this appears to be evident, that this examina- tion is so left, that sujyposing an indictment for perjury or false swearing, would lie against any witness, exa- mined by the Commissioners, and supposing this ex- amination had been taken before the whole four. If Mr. Cole was indicted for perjury, in respect to this part of his deposition, the proof that he did see the watchman, would necessarily acquit him ; would esta- blish the truth of what he said, and rescue him from the punishment of perjury, though it would at the same time prove the falsehood and injustice of the inference, and the insinuation, for the establishment of which alone, the fact itself was sworn. Mr. Cole chooses further to state, that he ascribes his removal from Montague House to London, to the dis- covery he had made, and the notice he had taken of the improper situation of Sir Sidney Smith with me upon j the sofa. To this I can oppose little more than my i own assertions, as my motives can only be known to i myself. But Mr. Cole was a very disagreeable servant j to me; he was a man, who, as I always conceived, had j been educated above his station. He talked French, J and was a musician, playing well on the violin, By J these qualifications he had got admitted occasionally I into better company, afiil this probably led to that DELICATE INVESTIGATION-. 7 forward and obtrusive conduct, which I thought ex- tremely offensive and impertinent in a servant. I had long been extremely displeased with him ; I had' dis- covered, -that when I went out he would come into my drawing-room, and play on my harpsichord, or sit there reading my books ; and, in short, there was a forward- ness which would have led to my absolutely discharging him a long time before, if 1 had not made a sort of rule to myself, to forbear, as long as possible, from removing any servant who had been placed about me by his Royal Highness. Before Mr. Cole lived with the Prince, he had lived with tlie Duke of Devonshire, and I had reason to believe that he carried to Devonshire House all the observations he could make at mine. For these various reasons, just before the Duke of Kent was about to go out of the kingdom, I requested his Royal High- ness the Duke of Kent, who had been good enough to take the trouble of arranging many particulars in my establishment, to make the arrangements with respect to Mr. Cole; which was to leave him in town to wait; upon me only when I went to Carlton House, and not to come to ^Montague House except when specially re- quired. This arrangement, it seems, offended him. It; certainly deprived him of some perquisites which he had when living at Blackheath; but upon the whole, as it left him so much more of his time at his own disposal, I should not have thought it had been much to his pre- judice. It seems however, that he did not like it : and I must leave this part of the case with this one observa- tion more That Your Majesty, I trust, will hardly be- lieve, that, if Mr. Cole had, by any accident, discovered any improper conduct of mine, towards Sir Sidney Smith, or any one else, the way which I should have taken to suppress his information, to close his mouth, would have been by immediately adopting an arrange- ment in my family, with regard to him, which was either prejudicial or disagreeable to him : or that the way to remove him from the opportunity and the temptation of betraying my secret, whether tinough levity or design, m the quarter where it would be most fatal to me that it should be known, was by making an arrangement p 58 DELICAtE INVESTICATION. which, M'hile all his resentment and anger were fresh and 'varm about him, would place him frequently, nay, almost daily, at Carlton House; would place him pre- cisely at that place, from whence, unquestionably, it must have been my interest to have kept him as far re- moved as possible. There is little or nothing in the examinations of the other witnesses which is material for me to observe upon, as far as respects this part of the case. It appears from them indeed, what I have had no ditBculty in admitting, and have observed upon before, that Sir Sidney Smith was frequently at Montague House, that they have known him to be alone with me in the morning, but that they never knew him alone with me in an evening, or staying later than my company or the Ladies ; for what Mr. Stikeman says, with respect to his being alone with me in an evening, can only mean, and is only reconcile- able with all the rest of the evidence on this part of the case, by its being understood to mean alone, in respect of other company, but not alone, in the absence of my Ladies. The deposition indeed of my servant, S. Ko- berts, is thus far material upon that point, that it exhibits Mr. Cole, not less than three years ago, endeavouring to collect evidence upon these points to my prejudice. For your Majesty will find that he says, " I recollect Mr. Cole once asking me, I think three years ago, whe- ther there were any favourites in the family. I remem- ber saying that Captain Manby and Sir Sidney Smith were frequently at Blackheath, and dined there oftener than other persons." He then proceeds, " I never knew Sir Sidney Smith stay later than the ladies ; I can- not exactly say at what time he went, but 1 never remem- ber his staying alone with the Princess." As to what is contained in the written declarations of Mr. and Mrs. Lampert, the old servants of Sir John and Lady Douglas (as from some circumstance or other respecting, I conceive, either their credit or their sup- posed importance), the Commissioners have not thought proper to examine them upon their oaths, I do not ima- giie your Majesty wonld expect tliat I should take any notice of tlicm. And as to wliat is deposed by my Lady DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 99 Douglas, if your Majesty will observe the gross and hor- rid indecencies with which siie ushers in, and states my confessions to her, of my asserting criminal intercourse with Sir Sidney Smith, your Majesty, I am confident, wiN not be surprised that I do nol descend to my parti- cular observations on her deposition. One, and one only observation, will I make, which, however, could not have escaped your Majesty, if I had omitted it. That your Majesty will have an excellent portraiture of the true female delicacy and purity of my Lady Doug- las's mind and character, when you will observe that she seems wholly insensible to what a sink of infamy she degrades herself by her testimony against me. It is not only that it appears, from her statement, that she was contented to live, in familiarity and apparent friendship with me, after the confession which I made of my adul- tery (for by the indulgence and liberality, as it is called, of modern manners, the company of adultresses has ceased to reflect that discredit upon the characters of other women who admit to their society, which the best interests of female virtue may perhaps require.) But she was contented to live in familiarity with a woman, who, if Lady Douglases evidence of me is true, was a most low, vulgar, and profligate disgrace to her sex. The grossness of whose ideas and conversation, would add infamy to the lowest, most vulgar, and most infa- mous prostitute. It is not, however, upon this circum- stance, that I rest assured no reliance can be placed on Lady Douglas's testimony; but after what is proved, with regard to her evidence respecting my pregnancy and delivery in 1802, I am certain that any observa- tions upon her testimony, or her veracity, must be flung away. Your Majesty has therefore now before you the state of the charge against me, as far as it respects Sir Sidney Smith. And tliis is, as I understand the Report, one of the charges whicJi, with its unj'avourable interpretations^ viust, in the opinion of the Commissioners^ be credited tilt decidedly contradicted. As to the facts of frequent visiting on terms of great intimacy, as 1 have said before, they cannot be contra- 100 DELICATE INVESTIGATION.' dieted at all. How inferences and unfavourable inter- pretations are to be decidedly contradicted, I wisli the Commissioners had been so good as to explain. I know of no possible way but by the declarations of myself and Sir Sidney Smith. Yet we being the supposed guilty parties, our denial, probably, will be thought of no great weight. As to my own, however, I tender it to your Majesty, in the most solemn manner, and if I knew what fact it was that 1 ought to contradict, to clear my inno- cence, I would precisely address myself to that fact, as I am confident, my conscience would enable me to do, to any, from which a criminal or an unbecoming inference could be drawn. I am sure, however, your Majesty will feel for the humiliated and degraded situation, to which this report has reduced your daughter-in-law, the Prin- cess of Wales; when you see her reduced to the neces- sity of either risking the danger, that the most unfavour-^ able interpretations should be credited; or else of stat- ing, as 1 am now degraded to the necessity of stating, that not only no adulterous, or criminal, but no inde-> cent or improper intercourse whatever, ever subsisted between Sir Sidney Smith and myself, or any thing which I should have objected that all the world should have seen. I say degraded to the necessity of stating it ; for your Majesty must feel that a woman's character is degraded when it is put upon her to make such state-! ment, at the peril of the contrary being credited unless she decidedly contradicts it. Sir Sidney Smith's absence from the country prevents my calling upon him to attest the same truth. But I trust when your Majesty shall find, as you will find, that my declaration to a similar effect, with respect to the other gentlemen referred to iu this Report, is confirmed by their denial, that your Ma^ jesty will think that in a case, where nothing but my own word can be adduced, my own word alone may bo opposed to whatever little remains of credit or weight may, after all the above observations, be supposed yet> to belong to Mr. Cole, to his inferences, his insinuations, or his facts. Not indeed that 1 have yet finished my observations on Mfr Cole's credit; but I must reserve the remainder, till I consider his evidence with res|>ec| 7 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 101 to Mr. Lawrence; and till I have occasion to comment upon the testimony of Fanny Lloyd. Then indeed I shall be under the necessity of exhibiting to your Ma- jesty these witnesses, Fanny Lloyd and Mr. Cole, (both of whom are represented as so unbiassed, and so credi- ble) in flat, decisive, and irreconcileable contradiction to each other. The next person, with whom my improper intimacy is insinuated, is Mr. Lawrence, the painter. The principal witness on this charge is also Mr. Cole, Mr. R. Bidgood says nothing about him, Fanny Lloyd says nothing about him; and all that Mrs. Lisle says is perfectly true, and I am neither able, nor feel interest- ed, to contradict it. " Tiiat she remembers my sitting to Mr. Lawrence for my picture at Blackheath ; and in London ; that she has left me at his house in town with him, but she tliinks Mrs. Fitzgerald was with us; and that she thinks 1. sat alone with him at Blackheath." But Mr. Cole speaks of Mr. Lawrence in a manner that calls for particular observation. He says, *' Mr. Law- rence, the painter, used to goto Montague House about the latter end of 1801, when he was painting the Prin- cess, and he has slept in the house two or three nights together. I have often seen him alone with the Prin- cess at 1 1 or 12 o'clock at night. He has been there as late as one and two o'clock in the morning. One night I saw him with the Pr'mcess in the Blue Room, after the ladies had retired. Some time afterwards^ when I sup- posed he had gone to his room, I went to see that all was safe, and I found the Blue Room door locked, and heard a whispering in it; and I went away.'" Here again youi* !^Iajcsty qjjserves, that Mr. Cole deals his deadliest blows against my character by insinuation. And here again his insinuation is left unsifted and unexplained. I here understand him to insinuate that, though he supposed Mr. Lawrence to have gone to his room, he was still where he had said he last left him ; and that the locked door prevented him from seeing me and Mr. Lawrence alone together, whose whispering, however, he notwith' standing ovcrheajd. 102 DELICATE INVESTIGATION". Before, Sire, I come to my own explanation of the fad ofMr. Lawrence's sleeping at Montague House, I must again refer to Mr. Cole's original declarations. I must again examine Mr. Cole, against Mr. Cole : which I cannot help lamenting it does not seem to have occurred to others to have done ; as I am persuaded if it had, his prevarications, and his falsehood, could never have escaped them. They would then have been able to have traced, as your Majesty will now do, through my observations, by what degrees he hardened himself lip to t!ie infamy (for I can use no other expression) of stating this fact, by which he means to insinuate that he heard me and Mr. Lawrence, locked up in this Blue Room, whispering together, and alone. 1 am sorry to be obliged to drag your Majesty through so long a detail ; but I am confident your Majesty's goodness, and love of justice, will excuse it, as it is essential to the vindication of my character, as well as to the illustration of Mr. Cole's. Mr. Cole's examination, as contained in his first written declaration of the 11th of January, has nothing of this. I mean not to say that it has nothing concern- ing Mr. Lawrence, for it has much, which is calculated to occasion unfavourable interpretations, and given with a view to that object. But that circumstance, as I submit to your Majesty, increases the weight of my observation. Had there been nothing in his first decla- ration about Mr. Lawrence at all, it might have been imagined that perhaps Mr. Lawrence escaped his recol- lection altogether; or that his declaration had been solely directed to other persons; but as it does contain observations respecting Mr. Lawrence, but nothing of a locked door, or the whispering within it ; how he hap- pened at that time not to recollect, or if he recollected not to mention, so very striking and remarkable a cir- cumstance, is not, I should imagine, ve.^y satisfactorily to be explained. His statement in that first declaration stands thus, " In 1801, Lawrence the painter was at Montague House, for four or five days at a time, paint- ing the Princess's picture. That he was frequently alone late in the night with the Princess, and much suspicioa DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 103 was entertained of him." Mr. Cole's next declaration, at least the next which appears among the written decla- rations, was taken on the 14th of January ; it does not mention Mr. Lawrence's name, but it has this passage. *' When Mr. Cole found the drawing-room, which \ed to the staircase to the Princess's apartments locked (which your Majesty knows is the same which the wit- nesses call the Blue Room) he does not know whether any person was with her ; but it appeared odd to him, as he had formed some suspicions." The striking and important observation on this passage is, that when he first talks of the door of the drawing-room being locked, so far from his mentioning any thing o^ whisperifig being overheard^ he expressly says, that he did not know that any body was with me. The passage is likewise deserv- ing 3'our Majesty's most serious consitleration on another ground. For it is one of those which shews that Mr, Cole, though we have four separate declarations made by him, has certainly made other statements which have not been transmitted to your Majesty ; for it evidently refers to something, which he had said before, of having found the drawing-room door locked, and no trace of such a statement, is discoverable in the previous exami- nation of Mr. Cole, as I have received it, and I have no doubt that, in obedience to your Majesty's commands, I have at length been furnished with the whole. I don't know, indeed, that it should be matter of complaint from me, that your Majesty has not been furnished with all the statements of Mr. Cole, because from the sample I see of tliem, I cannot suppose that any of them could liave iurnishcd any thing favourable to me, except indeed that they might have furnished me with fresh means of contradicting him by himself. Ikit your Majesty will see that there have been other statements not communicated; a circumstance of which both your M:'.jestyand 1 have reason to complain. But it may be out of its place i'ui thcr to notice that fact at present. To return therefore to Mr. Cole; in his third decla- ration dated the SOth of January, there is not a word about Mr. Lawlcucc. In his fuurlh and last, wh.ich is 104 DELICATE INVESTIGAtloyi dated on the 23d of February he says, " the person wIkJ vas alone with the lady at late hours of the night (twelve and one o'clock,) and whom he left sitting up after he went to bed, was Mr. Lawrence, which happened two different nights." Here is likewise another trace of a former statement which is not given; for no such person is mentioned before in any that I have been fur- iiished with. Your Majesty then here observes, that, after having given evidence in two of his declarations, respecting Mr. Lawrence by name, in which he mentions nothing^ of locked doors, and, after having in another declaration, given an account of a locked door, but expressly stated that he knew not whether any one was with me withii\ it, and said nothing about whisperingbeing overheard, but impliedly, at least, negatived it; in the deposition before the Commissioners, he puts all these things together, and has the hardihood to add to them that remarkable circumstance, which could not have escaped bis recollection at the first, if it had been true, " of his haying on the same night in which he found me and l^ir. Lawrence alone, after the ladies were gone to bed, Gome again to the room when he thought Mr. I^wrence must have been retired, and found the door locked and heard the whispering ;" and then again he gives another instance of his honesty, and upon the same principle on Avhich he took no notice of the man in the great coat, he finds the door locked, hears the M'hispering, and then he silently and contentedly retires. And this witness, who thus not only varies in his testimony, but contradicts himself in such important particulars, is one of those who cannot be suspected of unfavourable bias, and whose veracity is not to be ques- tioned, and whose evidence must be credited till decid- edly contradicted. These observations might probably be deemed suffi- cient, upon Mr. Cole's deposition, as far as it respects Mr. Lawrence; but I cannot be satisfied without explain- ing to your Majesty, all the truth, and the particulars, respecting Mr. Lawrence, which I recollect. I What I recollect then is as follows, lie began a large DELICATE INVEStlGATIOI^'. 105 picture of me, and of my daughter, towards the latter end of the year 1800, or the beginning of 1801. Miss Gartli and Miss Hayman were in the house with me at the time. The picture was painted at Montague House. Mr. Lawrence mentioned to Miss Hayman his wish to be permitted to remain some few nights in the house, that by rising early he might begin painting on the pic- ture, before Princess Charlotte (whose residence being at that time at Slioote-r's Hill was enabled to come early.) or myself, came to sit. It was a similar request to that which had been made by Sir William Beechy, when he painted my picture. And I was sensible of no impro- priety when i granted the request to either of them." Mr. Lawrence occupied the same room which had been occupied by Sir William Beechy ; it was at the other end of the house from my apartment. At that time Mr. Lawrence did not dine with me; his dinner was served in his own room. After dinner he came down to the room where I and my Ladies generally sat in an evening, sometimes tliere was music, in which he joined, and sometimes he read poetry. Parts of Shakespeare's plays i particularly remember, from his reading them very well; and sometimes he played chess with me. It frequently may have happened that it was one or two o'clock before i dismissed Mr. Lavrrence and my Ladies. They, togetlier with Mr. Lavvrence, went out of the same door, up the same stair- case, and at the same time. According to my own recollection I should have said, that in no one instance, they had left Mr. Law- rence behind them, alone with me. But I suppose it did happen once for a short time, since Mr. Lawrence so recollects it, as your Majesty will pi'rceive from his deposition, which I annex. He staid in my house two or three niglits together : but how many nights in the whole, I do not recollect. The picture left my house by April,, 1801, and i\ir. Lawrence never slept in my house iifter wards. That ))icture now belongs to Lady Townsend. He has since completed another picture of me ; an DELICATE INVESTIGATION. substantial and particular. His statement on this head begins by shewing that I was at Southend about six weeks before the Africaine, Captain Manby*s ship ar- rived. That Mr. Sicard was looking out for its arrival, as if she was expected. And as it is my practice to require as constant a correspondence to be kept up with my charity boys, when on board ship, as the nature of their situation will admit of, and as Mr. Si- card is the person who manages all matters concerning them, and enters into their interests with the most friendly anxiety, he certainly was apprised of the pro- bability of the ship's arrival off Southend, before she came. And here 1 may as well, perhaps, by the way, remark, that as this correspondence with the boys is always under cover to the Captain, this circumstance may account to your Majesty for the fact, which is stated by some of the witnesses, of several letters being 4)ut into the post by Sicard, some of which he may have recQ^ed from me, which were directed to Gapt. Manby. Soon after the arrival of the Africaine, however, Bidgood says, the Captain put off in his boat. Sicard went to meet him, and immediately brought him up to me and my ladies ; he dined there then, and came frequently to see me. It would have been as candid, if Mr. Bidgood had represented the fact as it really was, though perhaps the circumstance is not very material : tbat the Captain brought the two boys on shore with him to see me ; and this as well as many other circumstances connected with these boys, the existence of whom, as accounting in any degree for the intercourse between me and Captain Manby, could never have been col- lected from out of Bidgood's depositions, Sicard would have stated, if the Commissioners had examined him to it. But though he is thus referred to, though his name is mentioned about the letters sent to Captain Manby, he does not appear to have been examined to any of them, and all that he appears to have been asked is, as to his remembering Capt. Manby visiting at Mon- tague House, and to my paying the expense of the linen furniture for his cabin. But Mr. Sicard was, I DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 127 suppose, represented by my enemies to be a confidant, from whom no truth could be extracted, and therefore that it was idle waste of time to examine him to such points ; and so unquestionably he, and every other honest servant in my family, who could be supposed to know any thing upon the subject, were sure to be represented by those, whose conspiracy and falsehood, their honesty and truth w^ere the best means of detect- ing. The conspirators, however, had the first word, and unfortunately their veracity was not questioned, nor their unfavourable bias suspected. Mr. Bidgood then proceeds to state the situation of the houses, two of which, with a part of a third I had at Southend. He describes No. 9, as the house in which I slept; No. 8, as that in which we dined ; and No. 7, as containing a drawing-room, to which we re- tired after dinner. And he says, " I have several " times seen the Princess, after having gone to No. 7, *' with Captain Manby and the rest of the company, *' retire with Captain Manby from No. 7, through *' No. 8, to No. 9, which was the house where the " Princess slept. I suspect that Captain Manby slept " very frequently in the house. -Hints were given by *' the servants, and I believe that others suspected it " as well as myself" What those hints were, by what servants given, are things which do not seem to have been thought necessary matters of inquiry. At least there is no trace in Mr. Bidgood's, or any other witness's examination, of any such inquiry having been made. In his second deposition, which applies to the same fact, after saying that we went away the day after the Africa! ne sailed from Southend, he says, " Captain '' Manby was there three times a week at the least, " whilst his ship lay for six weeks off Southend at " the Nore ; he came as tide served in a morn- " ing, and to dine, and drink tea. 1 have seen him *' next morning by ten o'clock. I suspected he slept *' at No. 9, the Princess's. She always put out the *' candles herself in the drawing-room at No. 9, and " bid me not wait to put them up. She gave me the 128 DELICATE INVESTIG.AT10N. *' orders as soon as she went to Southend. I used to " see water jugs, basons, and towels, set out opposite " the Princess's door in the passage. Never saw them *' so left in the passage at any other time, and I sus- " pectcd he was there at that time ; there was a gene- *' ral suspicion through the house. Mrs. and Miss " Fitzgerald there, and Miss Hammond (now Mrs. *' Hood) there. My suspicion arose from seeing them " in the ghiss," &c. as mentioned before. " Her be- *' haviour like that of a woman attached to a man ; " used to be by themselves at luncheon, at Southend, *' when the ladies were not sent for; a number of " times. There was a pony which Captain Manby " used to ride ; it stood in the stable ready for him, " and which Sicard used to ride." Then he says, the servants used to talk and laugh about Captain Manby, and that it was-matter of discourse amongst them; and this, with what has been alluded to before, respecting Sicard's putting letters for him into the post, which he had received from me, contains the whole of his depo- sition as far as respects Captain Manby. And, Sire, as to the fact of retiring through No. 8, from No. 7, to No. 9, alone with Captain Manby, I have no recollect tion of ever having gone with Captain Manby, though but for a moment, from the one room in which the company was sitting, through the dining-room to the other drawing-room. It is, however, now above two years ago, and to be confident that such a circumstance might not have happened, is more than 1 w^ill under- take to be. But in the only sense in which he uses the expression, as retiring alone, coupled with the im- mediate context that follows, it is most false and scandalous. I know no means of absolutely proving a negative. If the fact was true, there must have been other witnesses who could have proved it as well as Mr. Bidgood. Mrs. Fitzgerald is the only person of the party, who was examined, and her evidence proves the negative, so far as the negative can be proved ; for she says, " he dined there, but never staid *' late. She was at Southend all the time I was there, ** and cannot recollect to have seen Captain Manby DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 129 ^* there, or known him to be there, later than nine, or <* half past nine.'* Miss Fitzgerald and Miss Ham- mond (now Mrs. Hood) are not called to this fact ; although a fact so extremely important, as it must ap- pear to your Majesty ; nor indeed are they examined at all. As to the putting out of the candles, it seems he says, I gave the orders as soon as I went to Southend, which was six weeks before the Africaine arrived ; so this plan of excluding him from the opportunity of knowing what was going on at No. 9, was part of a long meditated scheme, as he would represent it, plan- ned and thought of six weeks before it could be exe- cuted ; and which when it was executed, your Majesty will recollect, according to Mr. Bidgood's evidence, there was so little contrivance to conceal, that the ba- sons and towels, which the Captain is insinuated to have used, were exposed to sight, as if to declare that he was there. It is tedious and disgusting. Sire, I am well aware, to trouble your Majesty with such particulars ; but it doubtless, is true, that I bid him not to take the candles away from No. 9. The candles which are used in my drawing-room, are considered as his perquisites. Those, on the contrary, which are used in my private apartment, are the perquisites of my maid. I tliought that upon the whole it was a fairer arrangement, when I was at Southend, to give my maid the perquisites of the candles used at No. 9 ; f^nd I made the arrangement accordingly, and ordered Mr. Bidgood to leave them. This, Sire, is the true account of the fact respecting the candies ; an ar- rangement which, verv possibly, Mr. Bidgood did not like. But the putting out the candles myself, was not the only thing, from which the inference is drawn, that Captain Manby slept at my house, at No. 9, and as is evidently insinuated, if not stated, in my bed-room. There were water-jugs, and basons, and towels left in the passage, which Mr. jiidgood never saw at other times. At what other times does he mean ? At other T 130 DELICATE INVESIIGATIOK. times than those at which he suspected, from seeing them there, that Captain Manby slept in my house ? If, every time he saw the basons and towels, &c. in the passage, he suspected Capt. Manby slept there, it certainly would follow that he never saw them at times when he did not suspect that fact. But, Sire, upon this important fact, important to the extent of convict- ing mCj if it were true, of High Treason, if it were not for the indignation which such scandalous, licentious wickedness and malice excit6, it would hardly be pos- sible to treat it with any gravity. Whether there were or were not basons and towels sometimes left in a pas* sage at Southend, which were not there generally, and ought to have been never there, I really cannot inform your Majesty. It certainly is possible ; but the ut- most it can prove, I should trust, might be some slovenliness in my servant, who did not put them in their proper places ; but surely it must be left to Mr. Bidgood alone to trace any evidence, from such a cir- cumstance, of the crime of adultery in ~me. But I cannot thus leave this fact, for I trust I shall here again have the same advantage from the excess and extravagance of this man's malice, as I have already had on the other part of the charge, from the excess and extravagance of his confederate Lady Douglas. What is the charge that he would insinuate? That I meditated and effected a stolen, secret, clandestine intercourse with an adulterer? No. Captain Manby, it seems according to his insinuation, slept with me in my own house, under circumstances, of such notoriety that it was impossible that any of my female attendants at least should not have known it. Their duties were varied on the occasion ; they had to supply basons and towels in places where they never were supplied, except when prepared for him ; and they were not only purpose- ly so prepared, but prepared in an open passage, exposed to view, in a manner to excite the suspicion of those who were not admitted into the secret. And what a secret was it, that was thus to be hazarded ! No less than what, if discovered, would fix Capt. Manby and myself with high treason ! Not only therefore must I have DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 131 been thus careless of reputation, and eager for infamy ; but I must have been careless of my life, as of my ho- nour. Lost to all sense of shame, surely I must have still retained some regard for life. Capt.Manby too, with a folly and madness equal to his supposed iniquity, must then have put his life into the hands of my servants, and depended for his safety upon their fidelity to me, and their perfidy to the Prince their master. If the excess of vice and crime in all this is believed, could its indiscretion, its madness find credulity to adopt it almost upon an evidence? But what must be the state of that man's mind, as to prejudice, who could come to the conclusion of believing it, from the fact of some water-jugs and towels being found in an unusual place, in a passage near my bed-room ? For as to his suspi- cion being raised by what he says he saw in the look- ing-glass, if it was as true as it is false, that could not occasion his believing, on any particular night, that Captain Manby slept in my house ; the situation of these towels and basons is what leads to that belief. But, Sire, may 1 ask, did the Commissioners believe this man's suspicions ? If they did, what do they mean by saying that these facts of great indecency, &c, went to a much less extent than the principal charges? And that it was not for them to state their bearing and effect ? The bearing of this fact unquestionably, if believed, is the same as that of the principal charge: namely, to prove me guilty of High Treason. They there^. fore could not believe it. But if they did not believe it, and as it seems to me. Sire, no men of common judgment could, on such a statement, how could they bring themsel-ves to name Mr. Bidgood as one of those witnesses on whose unbiassed testimony they could so rely ? or how could they, (in pointing him out with the other three as speaking to facts, particularly with respect to Captain Ma7iby^ which must be credited till decidedly contradicted) omit to specify the facts which lie spoke to, that they thus thought worthy of belief, but leave the whole, including this incredible part of it, recommended to belief by their genert^land unqualiT ficd sanction and approbation. 132 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. But the falsehood of this charge does not rest on its incredibility alone. My servant, Mrs. Sander, who attended constantly on my person, and whose bed- room was close to mine, was examined by the Com- missioners ; she must have known this fact if it had been true ; she positively swears, " that she did not know or believe, that Captain Manby staid till very late hours with me ; that she never suspected there was any improper familiarity between us.** M. Wil- son, who made my bed, swears, that she had been in the habit of making it ever since she lived with me, that another maid, whose name was Ann Bye, assisted her in making it, and swears from what she ob- served, that she never had any reason to believe that two persons h^d slept in it. Referring thus by name to her fellow-servant, who made the bed with her, but that servant, why 1 know not, is not examined. As your Majesty then finds the inference drawn by Eidgood to amount to a fact so openly and undis- gui^ dly profligate, as to outrage all credibility, as your Majesty finds it negatived by the evidence of three witnesses, one of whom, in particular, if such a- fact were true, must have known it ; as your Majesty finds one witness appealing to another, who is pointed out as a person who must have been able, with equal means of knowledge, to have confirmed her if she spoke true, and to have contradicted her if she spoke false. And, Sire, when added to all this, your Majesty is graciously pleased to recollect that Mr. Bidgood was one of those who, though in my service, submitted themselves voluntarily to be examined previous to the appointment of the Commissioners, in confirmation of Lady Douglas's statement, without informing me of the fact ; and when I state to your Majesty, upon the evidence of Philip Krackeler and Robert Eaglestone, whose deposition I annex, that this unbiassed witness, during the pendency of these examinations before the Commissioners, was seen to be in conference and com- munication with Lady Douglas, my most ostensible accuser, do I raise my expectations too high, when I confidently trust that his malice, and his falsehood, as DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 135 well as his connection in this conspiracy against my honour, my station in this kingdom, and my life, will appear to your Majesty too plainly for him to receive any credit, either in this or any other part of his testi- mony ? The other circumstances, to which he speaks, arc comparatively too trifling for me to trouble your Ma- jesty with any more observations upon his evidence. The remaining part of the case, which respects Captain Manbv, relates to my conduct at East Cliff. How little Mrs. Lisle's examination affords for ob- servations upon this part of the case, except as shew- ing how very seldom Captain Manby called upon me while I was there, I have already observed. Mr. Cole says nothing upon this part of the case; nor Mr. Bid- good. The only witness amongst the four whose tes- timonies are distinguished by the Commissioners as most material, and as those on which they particularly rely, who says any thing upon this part of the case, is Fanny Lloyd. Her deposition is as follows : " I was at Ramsgate with the Princess in 1803. " One morning, when we were in the house at East " Cliff, somebody, I don't recollect who, knocked at " my door, and desired me to prepare breakfast for the " Princess. This was about six o'clock ; I was asleep. " During the whole time I was in the Princess's ser- " vice, i had never been called up before to make the " Princess's breakfast. I slept in the house-keeper's " room, on the ground-floor. I opened the shutters *' of the window for light. I knew at that time that " Captain Manby's ship was in the Downs. When " 1 opened the shutters, I saw the Princess, walking " down the Gravel-Walk towards the sea. No orders " had been given me over-night to prepare breakfast " early. The gentleman the Princess was with was a " tall man. 1 was surprised to see the Princess walk- " ing with a gentleman at that time in the morning. ' 1 am sure it was the Princess." What this evidence of Fanny Lloyd implies, I do not feel certain that I recollect. The circumstances which she mentions might, I think, have occurred 134 BELIGATE INVESTIGATION. twice while I was there, and which time she alludes to, I cannot pretend to say. I mean On occasion of two water parties, which I intended; one of which did not take place at all, and the other not so early in the day as was intended, nor was its object effected. Once I intended to pay Admiral Montague a visit to Deal. But, wind and tide not serving, we sailed much later than we intended; and instead of landing at Deal, the Admiral came on board our vessel, and we re- turned to East Cliff in the evening, on which occasion Captain Manby was not of the party, nor was he in the Downs but it is very possible, that having prepared to set off early, 1 might have walked down towards the sea, and been seen by Fanny Lloyd. On the other oc- casion, Captain Manby was to have been of the party* and it was to have been on board his ship. 1 desired him to be early at my house in the morning, and if the day suited me, we would go. He came; 1 walked with him towards the sea, to look at the morning ; I did not like the appearance of the weather, and did not go to sea. Upon either of these occasions Fanny Lloyd might have been called up to make breakfast, and might have seen me walking. As to the orders not having been given her over night, to that I can say nothing. But upon this statement, what inference can be in- tended to be drawn from this fact ? It is the only one in which F. Lloyd's evidence can in any degree be applied to Captain Manby, and she is one of the im- portant witnesses referred to, as proving something which must, particularly as with regard to Captain Manby, be credited till contradicted, and as deserving the most serious consideration. From the examina- tion of Mrs. Fitzgerald I collect, that she was asked whether Captain Manby ever slept in the house at East Cliff, to which she, to the best of her knowledge, answers in the negative. Is this evidence then of Fanny Lloyd's relied upon to afford an inference that Captain Manby slept in my house ? or was there at an improper hour? or in a manner, and under circum- stances, which afforded reason for unfavourable inter-r pretations ? If this were so, can it be believed that \ DELICATE INVESTIGATION; 135 would, under such circumstances, have taken a step, such as callingfor breakfast, at an unusual hour, which must have made the fact more notorious and remark- able, and brought the attention of the servants, who must have waited at the breakfast, more particularly and pointedly to it ? But if there is any thing which rests, or is supposed to rest, upon the credit of this witness though she is one of the four, whose credit your Majesty will recol- lect it has been stated that there was no reason to question, yet she stands in a predicament in which, in general, at least, I had understood it to be supposed, that the credit of a witness was not only questionable^ but materially shaken. For, towards the beginning ol' her examination, she states, that Mr. Mills attended her for a cold; he asked her if the Prince came to Blackheath backwards and forwards; or something to that effect : for the Princess was with child ; or looked as if she was with child. This must have been three or four years ago. She thought it must be sometime before the child (W. Austin) was brought to the Prin- cess. To this fact she positively swears, and in this she is as positivel}^ contradicted by Mr. Mills; for he swears, in his deposition before the Commissioners, that he never did say to her, or any one, that the Prin- cess was with child, or looked as if she was witli child ; that he never thought so nor surmissed any thing of the kind. Mr. Mills has a partner, Mr. Ed- meads. The Commissioners therefore, conceiving that Fanny Lloyd might have mistaken one of the partners for the other, examine Mr. Edmeads also. Mr. Ed- meads, in his deposition, is equally positive that he never said any such thing so the matter rests upon, these depositions; and upon that state of it, what pretence is there for saying, that a witness who swears to a conversation with a medical person, w ho attended me, of so extremely important a nature; and is so ex- pressly and decidedly contradicted in the important fact which she speaks to, is a witness whose credit there appears no reason to question ? This important IS6 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. circumstance must surely have been overlooked when that statement was made. But this fact of Mr. Mills and Mr. Edmeads's con- tradiction of Fanny Lloyd, appears to your Majesty, for the first time, from the examination before the Commissioners. But this is the fact which I charge as having been known to those, who are concerned in bringing forward this information, and which, never- theless, was not communicated to your Majesty. The fact that Fanny Lloyd declared, that Mr. Millstold her the Princess was with child, is stated in the de- clarations which were delivered to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and by him forwarded to your Majesty. The fact that Mr. Mills denied ever having 60 said, though known at the same time, is not stated. That I may not appear to have represented so strange a fact, without sufficient authority, I subjoin the de- claration of Mr. Mills, and the deposition of Mr. Ed- nieades, which prove it. Fanny Lloyd*s original declaration which was delivered to his Royal High- ness, is dated on the 12th of February. It appears to have been taken at the Temple; I conclude therefore at the chambers of Mr. Lowten, Sir John Douglas's solicitor, who, according to Mr. Cole, accompanied liim to Cheltenham to procure some of these declara- tions. On the 13th of February, the next day after Fanny Lloyd's declaration, the Earl of Moira sends for Mr. Mills upon pressing business. Mr. Mills attends him on the Hth ; he is asked by his Lordship upon the subject of this conversation ; he is told he may rely upon his Lordship's honour, that what passed should be in perfect confidence ; (a confidence which Mr. Mills, feeling it to be on a subject too important to his character, at the moment disclaims;) that it was his (the Earl of Moira's) duty to his Prince, as his counsellor, to inquire into the subject, which he had known for some time. Fanny Lloyd's statement being then related to Mr. Mills, Mr. Mills, with great warmth, declared that it was an infamous falsehood. Mr. Lowten, who appears also to have been there by DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 13? appointment, was called into the room, and he fur- nished Mr.Mills with the date to which Fanny Lloyd's declaration applied. The meeting ends in Lord Moira's desiring to see Mr.Mills's partner, Mr.Edmeades, w ho, not being at home, cannot attend him for a few days. He does, however, upon his return, attend him on the 20th of May : on his attendance, instead of Mr. Low- ten, he finds Mr. Conant, the magistrate, with Lord Moira. He denies the conversation with Fanny Lloyd, as positively and peremptorily as Mr.Mills. Notwithstanding however all this, the declaration of Fanny Lloyd is delivered to his Royal Highness, and accompanied by these contradictions, and forwarded to your Majesty on the 29th. That Mr. Lowten was the solicitor of Sir John Douglas in this business, cannot be doubted, that he took some of those decla- rations, which were laid before j^our Majesty, is clear; and that he took this declaration of Fanny Lloyd's, seems not to be questionable. That the Inquiry by Earl Moira, two days after her declaration was taken, must have been in consequence of an early communication of it to him, seems necessarily to follovi^ from what is above stated ; that it was known, on the 14th May, that Mr. Mills contradicted this assertion; and, on the 20th, that Mr.Edmeades did, is perfectly clear; and yet, notwithstanding all this, the fact, that Mr. Ed- meades and Mr. Mills contradicted it, seems to have been not communicated to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, for he, as it appears from the report, forwarded the declarations which had been delivered to his Royal Highness, through the Chancellor, to your Majesty: and the declaration of Fanny Lloyd, which had been so falsified, to the knowledge of the Earl Moira and of Mr. Lowten, the solicitor for Sir John Douglas, is sent in to your Majesty as one of the documents, on which you were to ground your Liquiry, unaccompanied by its falsification by Mills and Edmeades ; at least, no declarations by them are amongst those, which are transmitted to me, as copies of the original declarations which were laid before your Majesty. I know not whether it was Lord 138 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Moira, Or Mr. Lowten, who should have communi- cated this circumstance to his Royal Highness ; but that, in all fairness, it ought unquestionably to have been communicated by some one. I dare not trust myself with any inferences from this proceeding ; 1 content myself with remarking, that it must now be felt, that 1 was justified in saying, that neither his Royal Highness, nor your Majesty, any more thfan myself, had been fairly dealt with, in not being fully informed upon this important fact; and your Majesty vi'ill forgive a weak, unprotected woman, like myself, who, under such circumstances, should apprehend that, however Sir John and Lady Douglas may appear my ostensible accusers, I have other ene- mies, whose ill-will I may have occasion to fear, with- out feeling myself assured, that it will be strictly regu- lated, in its proceeding against me, by the principles of fairness and .of justice. I have now, vSire, gone through all the evidence which respects Captain Manby; whether at Montague House, Southend, or East Cliff, and I do trust, that your majesty will see, upon the whole of it, how mis- taken a view the Commissioners have taken of it. The pressure of other duties engrossing their time and their attention, has made them leave the important duties of this investigation, in many particulars, imperfectly dis- charged- a more thorough attention to it must have given them a better and truer insight into the charac- ters of those witnesses, upon whose credit, as I am convinced, your Majesty will now see, they have with- out sufficient reason relied. There remains nothing for me, on this part of the charge, to perform ; but, adverting to the circumstance which is falsely sworn against me by Mr. Bidgood, of the salute and the false inference and insinuation, from other facts, that Capt. Manby slept in my house, either at Southend or East Cliff, on my own part most solemnly to declare, that they are both utterly false; that Bidgood's assertion as to the salute, is a malicious slanderous invention, with- out the slightest shadow of truth to support it ; that }iis suspicions and insinuations, as to Captain Manby^s tiaving slept in my house, are also the false suggestion^ DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 139 of his own malicious mind ; and that Capt. Manby never did, to my knowledge or belief, sleep in my house at Southend, East Cliff, or any other house of mine whatever ; and, however often he may have been in my company, I solemnly protest to your Majesty, as I have done in the former cases, that nothing ever passed between him and me, that I should be ashamed, or unwilling that all the world should have seen. And I have also, with great pain, and with a deep sense of wounded delicacy, applied to Captain Manby to attest to the same truths, and 1 subjoin to this letter his hen it once occurred to the Commissioners to be material to inquire wlKJse Ijand-writing these pai)crs were, i shouM have been much surprised at their not applying to Sir John and Lady Douglas to swear it, as in their originrj decla- ration they oiler to do, if it had i^ct been that, by that time, I suppose, the (Commissioners liad satisfied them- selves of tiie true vahu; of Sir Jolm and j/ady Doug- las's oaths, ajid therefore did Jiot think it worth wiiile to ask them any further questions, J lis Roval Highness tin; Duke o^ Kent, as appears by his narrative, was convinced, by Sir Sidney .Smith, that these lelters catne from me. liis Royal Highness had been apj.ilied to by uie, in conseciucnce (if my having received a ibruial note frcan Sir .John, Lady Douglas, and Sir Sidney Smith, rtfjut stinu an audience imme- diate'! v ; this was soon alter my having desirei.1 to see jio more of Lady Douglas. I conceived, therefore, the audience was required for the purpose of remon- strance, and explanation upon this circumstance, angl 148 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. as I was determined not to alter my resolution, nor admit of any discussion upon it, I requested his Royal Highness, who happened to be acquainted with Sir Sidney Smith, to try to prevent my having- any further trouble upon the subject. His Royal Highness saw Sir Sidney Smith, and being impressed by him with the belief of Lady Douglas's story, that 1 was the au- thor of these anonymous letters, he did that which naturally became him under such belief; he endea- voured, for the peace of your Majest}^, and the honour of the Royal Family, to keep from the knowledge of the world, what, if it had been true, would have justly reflected such infinite disgrace upon me; and it seems, from the narrative that he procured, through Sir Sidney Smith, Sir John Douglas's assurance that he would, under existing circumstances, remain quiet, if left un- molested. " This result,*' his Royal Highness says, " he com- " municated to me the following day, and I seemed *-' satisfied with it,'* And undoubtedly as he only com- municated the result to me, I could not be otherwise than satisfied ; for as all that 1 wanted was not to he obliged to see Sir John and Lady Douglas, and not to be troubled by them any more, the result of his Royal Highnesses interference, through Sir Sidney Smith, was to procure me all that I wanted. I do not wonder that his Royal Highness did not mention to me the- particulars of these infamous letters and drawings^ which were ascribed to me ; for, as long as he believed- they were mine, undoubtedly it was a subject which he must have wished to avoid; but I lament, as it happens, that he did not, as 1 should have satisfied him, as far, at least, as any assertions of mine could have satisfied him, by declaring to him. as I do now most solemidy, that the letter is not mine, and that I know nothing whatever of the contents of it, or of the other papers ; and, I trust, that his Royal Highness, and everyone else who may have taken up any false . impression concerning them to my prejudice, from the a^^^ertioii of Sir John and Lady Douglas, will, upon my Sizzenion, and the evidence of Lord Choimondeley, DELICATE INVESTICATIO!^. U9 remove from their minds this calumnious fiilsehood, which, with many others, the mahce of Sir John and Lady Douglas has endeavoured to fasten upon Yiie. T^) all these papers Lady Douglas states, in her declaration, that, not only herself and Sir John Douglas, hut Sir Sidney Smith, would have no hesitation in swearing to be in my hand-writing. ^Vhat says Lord Choldmondeley? " that heis perfectly acquainted with my manner of writing. Letter A. is not of my hand- writing; that the two papers marked B. appear to be written in a disguised hand ; that some of the letters in them remarkably resemble mine, but, because of the disguise, he cannot say whether they are or not; as to the cover marked C. he did not see the same resem- blance."" Of these lour papers (ai! of which are stated by Lady Douglas to be so clearly and plainly mine, that there can be no hesitation upon the subject) two boar no resemblance to it, and although the other two, written in a disguised hand, have some letters rei.ark- abiy resembling mine, yet, I trust, I shall not upon iuch evidence, be subjected to so base an imputation ; tmd really, Sire, 1 know not ho,v lo account for the Conmiissioners examining and roportinu, r.poji this subject in tiiis m.anncr. For 1 understand from Mrs, iMtzgerald, that th^'se drawings were produced by the ('on^missioners to her; and tiiut she was examiiied as to her knowled^re of them, and as to the hand-writini.;; upon them ; that she was satisfi; d, and swore tliat they were not my liand-writing, and l'.,it she kiievv nothing of tlu-m, and did not !)eli('V(; the}' could jx;ssibly come from any lady in my lious'.-. She was shewn the sea! also, whic'.i lady Douglas, in h .t d^^claralion, says, was llie " identical one w ith wjiici! 1 hatl si;;nmoned Sir " John Douglas to luijcheon." To this seal, though jt so much reseuibh^d one that belojiged to herself, as to make her hesitate till she had particularly obsth day of Sep- tember, 180G, before me, (Signed) THOMAS LEACH. I6i liEWCATf; INVESTIGATION, The Jbeposilion of Philip Krackelevy one of the Footmen of Het Royal Highness the Princess of Wa/esy and Eobert Eaglestoney Park- Keeper to Her Moyal H ffhness the Princess of Wales, TrtESE deponents say, that on, or about the 28th day df June last, as they were walkings together across Green- wich Park, they saw Robert Bidouglas and Mr. Bidgood. (Signed) ^' PHILIP KRACKELER. "ROBT. EAGLESTONE." Sworn at the Public Office, Hatton Garden, this 27th day of September, 1806, bdfore me. (Sigficd) THOMAS LEAGH.'^ To the King. Sire, I trust your Majesty who knows my constant affection, loyalty, and duty, and the sure confi- dence with which I readily repose my honour, my DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 169 character, my happiness in your Majesty's hands, will not think me g'uiity of any disrespectful or un- duteous impatience, when I thus again address my- self to your Royal grace and justice. It is, Sire, nine weeks to day since my counsel presented to the Lord High Chancellor my letter to your Majesty, containing my observations, in vindication of my honour and innocence upon the report, presented to your Majesty by the Com- missioners who had been appointed to examine into ray conduct. The Lord Chancellor informed my counsel, that the letter should be conveyed to your Majesty on that very day ; and further, was pleased, in about a week or ten days afterwards, to communi- cate to my Solicitor, that your Majesty had read my letter, and that it had been transmitted to his Lord- ship with directions that it should be copied for the Commissioners, and that when such copy had been taken, the original should be returned to your Ma- Your Majesty's own gracious and royal mind will easily conceive what must have been my state of anxiety and suspence, whilst I have been fondly indulging in the hope, that every day, as it passed, would bring me the happy tidings, that your Majes- ty was satisfied of my innocence ; and convinced of the unfounded malice of my enemies, in every part of their charge. Nine long weeks of daily expecta- tion, and suspense, have now elapsed ^ and they have brought me nothing but disappointment. I have remained in total ignorance of what has been done, what is doing, or what is intended upon this subject. Your Majesty's goodness will therefore pardon me, if in the step which I now take, I act A A 170 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. Upon a mistaken conjecture with respect to the fact. But from the Lord Chancellor's communication to my Solicitor, and fi'om the time which has elapsed, I am led to conclude that your Majesty had directed the copy of my letter to be laid before the Commission- ers, requiring- their advice upon the subject ; and, possibly, their official occupations, and their other duties to the state, may not have, as yet, allowed them the opportunity of attending- to it. But your Majes- ty will permit me to observe that, however excusable this delay may be on their parts, yet it operates most injuriously upon me ; my feelings are severely tor- tured by the suspense, while, my character is sinking in the opinion of the public. It is known, that a report, though acquitting me of crime, yet imputing matters highly disreputable to my honour, has been made to your Majesty ; that that report has been communicated to me ; that I have endeavoured to ansv/er it ; and that 1 still re- main, at the end of nine weeks from the delivery of my answer, unacquainted with the judgment which is formed upon it. May I be permitted to observe upon the extreme prejudice which this delay, how- ever to be accounted for by the numerous important occupations of the Commissioners, produces to my honour ? The world, in total ignorance of the real state of the facts, begin to infer my guilt from it, I feel myself already sinking in the estimation of your Majesty's subjects, as well as of what remains to me of my own family, into (a state intolerable* to a mind conscious of its purity and innocence) a state in which my honour appears, at last, equivocal, and my virtue is suspected. From this state I humbly entreat your Majesty to perceive, that 1 can have no hope of being" restored, until either your Majesty's favourable DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 171 Opinion shall be graciously notified to the world, by receiving- me ag-ain into the royal presence, or until the full disclosure of the facts shall expose the malice of my accusers, and do away every possible ground for unfavourable inference and conjecture. The various calamities with which it has pleased God of late to afflict me, I have enain which it brought along with it, affected me with the disappointment of hopes, which! had fondly cherished, Wftn the most perfect confidence, because they rested 6ti your Majesty's gracious assurance. Independent- ly, hdwever, of that communication from your Ma- jesty, t should have felt myself bound to have troubled yOiit Majesty \<^ith much of the contents of the present letter. l/pon the receipt of the paper, which by your Ma- jesty's commands, was transmitted to me by the Lord Chancellor, on the 28th of last month, and which communicated to me thejoyful intelligence, that your Majesty was " advised, that it was no longer neces- *' sary for you to decline receiving me into your royal *^ presence," 1 conceived myself necessarily called Upon to send an immediate answer to so much of it as respected that intelligence. I could not wait the time, which it would 'have required, to state those observa- tions^, which it was impossible forme to refrain from making, at some period, upon the other important particulars \vhich that paper contained. Accordingly, I answered it immedjatety : and, as your Majesty's gracious and instant reply of last Thursday fortnight, announced to me your pleasure, that I should be re- ceived by your Majesty, on a day subsequent to the then ensuing week, 1 was led most confidently to as- sure myself, that the last week would not have passed, without my having received that satisfaction. I there- fore determined to wait in patience, without further intrusion upon your Majesty, till I might have the opportunity of guarding myself from the possibility of being misunderstood, by personally explaining to DELJCATE ,INYESTI.aATIO>\ 17^ your Majesty, that whatever observations I .Iwd tp make upon the paper so communicated to ate, on ,th^ 28th ultimo ; and whatever complaints respecting tli^e dehiy, and the many cruel circumstances .whiph ha^ attended the whole of the proceedings against me, and the unsatisfactory state, in which they were at lengtli left by that last communication, they were observ^a- tions and complaints which affected those only, under whose advice your Majesty had acted, an.d were nptt in any degree, intended to intimate even the mofit distant insinuation against your Majesty's j.ustipe, (^ kindviess. That paper established the opinion, which I, certain- ly, had ever confidently entertained, but the justness of which 1 had not before any document to establisl], that your Majesty had, from the first, deemed this proceeding a high and important matter of state, ip thp consideration of which your Majesty had not felt your- self at liberty to trust to your own generous feeliogs, and to your own royal and gracious judgment. I never did believe, that the cruel state of anxiety, in which I had been kept, ever since the delivery of my aujswer, (tor at least sixteen weeks) could be at all attributable to your Majesty ; it was most unlike every thing which I had ever experienced from your Majesty's conde- scension, feeling, and justice , and I found, from th^t paper, that it was to your confidential servants I was to ascribe the length of banishment from your pre- sence, which they, at last, advised your Majesty, it was no longer necessary should be continued. 1 per- ceive, therefore, what I always believed, that it was to them, and to them only, that I owed the protracted continuance of my sufferings, and of my disgrace ; and that your Majesty, considering the whole of this proceeding to have been instituted and conducted, un- der the grave responsibility of your Majesty's servant.% had not thought proper to take any step, or express any opinion, upon. any part of it, but such as was re- commended by their advice. Intlueneed by these sen- 180 DELICATE ISrVESTIGATlOSr. timents, and anxious to have the opportunity of con- veying them, with the overflowings of a grateful heart, to your Majesty, what were my sensations of surprise, mortification, and disappointment, on the receipt of your Majestyts letter of the 10th instant, your Majes- ty may conceive, though I am utterly unable to express. That letter announces to me, that his Royal High- ness the Prince of Wales, upon receiving the several documents which your Majesty directed your Cabinet to transmit to him, made a personal communication to your Majesty of his intention to put them into the hands of his law^yers, accompanied by a request that your Majesty would suspend any farther steps in the business, until the Prince of Wales should be enabled to submit to your Majesty the state- ment which he proposed to make ; and it also an- nounces to me that your Majesty therefore considered it incumbent on you, ta defer naming a day to me, until the further result of the Prince of Wales's in- tention should have been made known to your ]\Ia- This determination of your Majesty, on this re- quest, made by his Royal Highness, I humbly trust your Majesty will permit me to intreat you, in your most gracious justice, to reconsider. Your ^ Majesty, I am convinced, must have been surprised at the time, and prevailed upon by the importunity of the Prince of Wales, to think this determination ne- cessary, or your Majesty's generosity and justice would never have adopted it. And if I can satisfy your Majesty of the unparalleled injustice and cru- elty of this interposition oF the Prince of Wales, at such a time, and under such circumstances, I feel the most perfect confidence that your Majesty will hasten to recal it. I should basely be wanting to my own interest and feelings, if I did not plainly state my sense of that injustice and cruelty; and if I did not most loudly , DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 181 complain of it. Your ]\Iajesty will better perceive the just grounds of my complaint, when I retrace the course of these proceedings from their commence- ment. The four noble Lords, appointed by your ]\Iajesty to inquire into the charges brought against me, in their Report of the 14tli of July last, after having stated that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales liad laid before him, the charpe which Vvas made against me, by Lady Douglas, and the declarations in support of it, proceed in the following manner. " In the painful situation in which His Ro^'al *' Highness was placed by these communications, " we learnt -that His Ro3;al Highness had adopted " the only course which could, in our judgment, *' with propriety, be followed. When informations '' such as these, had been thus confidently alledged, " and particularly detailed, and had been in some *' degree supported by collateral evidence, applying '* to other facts of tlie same nature, (though going ** to a far less extent), one line onii) could be pur- *' sued. ' Every sentiment of duty to your Majesty, and ** of concern for the public welfare, required that '* these particulars should not be withiield from " your Majesty, to whom more particularly be- *' longed the cognizance of a matter of state, so '* nearly touching the honour of your Majesty's '* Royal Family, and, bv possibility, aifecting the " succession of your IVIajesty's Cro\rn. " Your Majesty has been pleased on your part " to view the subject in the same light. Consi- " dering it as a matter which, on every account, " demanded the most immediate investigation, your " Majesty had thought fit to commit into our *' hands the duty of ascertaining, in the first in- *' stance, what degree of credit was due to the in- ** formation, and thereby enabling your Majesty to ** decide what further conduct to adopt respecting: " them." His Koyal Highness then, pursuing, as the four Lords sa}', the only cour6e, which could in their judgment, with propriety, be pursued, Rubmitted the matter to your Majesty Your Majesty rti- recicd the inquiry by the four noble Lords. The four Lords, in their report j)On the case, justly .cquitted nie of all crmye, and expressed (I will 'not wait now to say how nirju'Sttyj the credit which they gave, and the consequence they ascribed to other matters, which- they -did not, however, characterize as amounting tt) any crime. To this report I made my answer. That aThswer, together 'V^'ith the whole proceedings, was referred by your Majesty to the same fonr noble Lords, and othei's of your Majesty's confidential servant-s. 1 hey advised your Majesty, amongst much other matter, (which must be the subject of further observations) that there was no longer any reason why you should decline receiving me. Your Majesty will necessarily conceive that I have always looked upon my banishment from your royal presence, as, in fact, a punishment, and a severe one too. 1 thought it sufficiently hard, that I should have been suffering that punish- ment during the time that this inquiry has been pending, while I was yet only under accusation, and upon the principles of the just laws of your Majesty's kingdom, entitled to be presumed to be innocent, till I was proved to be guilty. But I find this does not appear to be enough, in the opinion of tlie Prince of Wales. For now, when after this long inquiry into matters which required inmiediate investigation, I have been acquitted of every thing which could call for my banishment from yo'ar royal presence, after your Majesty's coiifidential servants have thus expressly advised your Majesty that they see no reason why you should any longer decline to receive me into your pre- sence ;-- alter your Di'Iajesty had graciously notified DELICATE INVESTIGATIOX-. 183 to me, 5'our extermination to receive me at an early (lay, His Royal Highness interposes the demand of a new^ delav ; desires your Majesty not to take any step ; desires you not to act upon the advic which your own confidential servants have given you,^ that you need no longer decline seeing me; not to execute your intention, and assurance, that you will receive me at an early day ; heqause he has laid the documents hefore his lawyer?, and intends to prepare a further statement. And the judgment of your Majesty's confidential servants, is, as it were, appealed from hy the Prince of Wales, (whom, from this time, at least, I must he permitted to consider as assuming the character of my accuser) ; the justice due to me is to l)e sus- pended, while the judgment of your IMajcsty's sworn servants, is to he suhniitted to the revision of my accuser's counsel ; and 1, though accjuitted in tlie opinirm of your Majesty's confidential ser- vants, of all that should induce your ?Nlajesty to dechne seeing me, am to have that punishment, whicli had been infiicted upon me during the in- quiry, continued after that accjiiittal, till a fresh statement is prepared, to be again submitted, for aught I know, to another inquiry, of as extended a continuance as that which has just terminated. Can it be said that the proceedings of the four noble Lords, or of your Majesty's confidential ser- \'ants, have been so lenient, and considerate to- wards me and my feelings, as to induce a suspicion that I have been too favourably dealt with by.tiiem? and that the a(hice which has been given to your Majesty, that your Majesty need no longer decline to receive me, was liaslily and partially delivered? I am confident, that your Majesty must see tlie very reverse of this to be the case that I have every reason to complain of the inexplicable delay which so long withheld that advice. And the wliole character of the observations with whigh tl^^v 184 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. accompanied it, marks the reluctance with which they yielded to the necessity of giving it. For your Majesty's confidential servants advise your Majesty, " that it is no longer necessary for " you to decline receiving me into your royal *' presence." If this is their opinion and their advice now, why was it not their opinion and their advice four months ago, from the date of my an- swer ? Nay, why was it not their opinion and advice from the date even of the original report itself? for not only had they been in possession of my answer for above sLvteen weeks, Avhich at least furnished them with all the materials on which this advice was at length given, but further, your Majesty's confidential servants are forward to state that after having read my observations, and the affidavits which were annexed to them, they agree in the opinions (not in any single opinion upon any particular branch of the case, but in the opinions gene7^a!li/) which were submitted to your Majesty, in the original report of the four Lords. If there- fore, (notwithstanding their concurrence in all the opinions contained in the report) they have neverthe- less given to your Majesty their advice, "that it is " no longer necessary for you to decline receiving ** me," what could have prevented their offering that advice, even from the 14th of July, the date of the original report itself? Or what could have warranted the withholding of it, even for a single moment r Instead, therefore, of any trace being ob- servable, of hasty, precipitate, and partial deter- mination in my favour, it is impossible to inter- pret their conduct and their reasons togetlier in any other sense than as amounting to an admission of vour Majesty's confidential servants themselves, that I have, in consequence of their withholding that advice, been unnecessarily and cruelly banished from your royal presence, from that 14th. of July, to the 2Sth of January, including, a space of above sfx DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 185 montlis; and the effect of the interposition of thd Prince, is to prolong my sufferings, and my disgrace, under tlie same banishment, to a period perfectly in* definite. The principle which will admit the effect of such interposition now, may be acted upon again ; and the Prince may require a further prolongation upon fresh statements, and fresh charges, kept back possibly for the purpose of being, from time to time, conveni- ently interposed, to prevent for ever the arrival of that hour, which, displaying to the world the ac- knowledgment of my unmerited suffering and dis- grace, may, at the same time, expose the true malicious and unjust quality of the proceedings which have been so long carried on against me. This unreasonable, unjust, and cruel interposition of his Royal Highness, as I must ever deem it, has prevailed upon your Majesty to recal, to my prejudice, your gracious purpose of receiving me, in pursuance of the advice of your servants. Do I then flatter myself too much, when I feel assured that my just entreaty, founded upon the reasoiis which I uige and directed to counteract only the effect of that luijust interposition, will induce your Majesty to return to your original determination ? Restored however, as I should feel myself, to a state of comj)arative security, as well as credit, bv being, at length, permitted upon your Majesty's gracious reconsideration of your last determination, to have access to your IMajcsty ; yet, under all the circumstances under which I should now receive that mark and confirmation of yoin- Majesty's opinion of my innocence, my character would not, I fear, stand cleared in the public opinion, by the mere fact of your Majesty's recej>tion of me. This re- vocation of yur Majesty's gracious purpose has flung an additional cloud about the whole proceed- ing, and the inferences drawn in the public mind, fjom this circumstance, so mysterious and so per- c c IBS DELICATE INVESTIGATIOY. fectly inexplicable, upon any grounds wbicli arc open to their knowledge, has made, and will leave so deep an impression to my prejudice, as scarce any thing short of a public exposure of all that has passed, can possibly efface. The publication of all these proceedings to the "u'orld, then, seems to me, under the present circum- stances, (whatever reluctance I feel against such a measure, and however I reo-ret the hard necessity which drives me to it) to be almost the only remaining re- source for the vindication of my honour and charac- t-er. The falsehood of tlie accusation is, by no means, all that will, by such publication, appear to the credit and clearance of my character : but the course in uhic7h the whole proceedings have been carried on, or rather delayed, by those to whom your IVIajesty refer- red the consideration of them, will shew, that, what- ever measure of justice I may have ultimately received at their hands, it is not to be suspected as arising from any merciful and indulgent consideration of me, of my feehngs, or of my case. It will be seen how my feelings had been harassed, and my character and honour exposed, by the delays which have taken place in these proceedings : it will be seen, that the existence of the charge against me had avowedly been known to the public, from the 7tli of June, in the last year. I say known to the public, because it was on that day that the Commissioners, acting, as I am to suppose, (for so they state in their report) under the anxious wish, that their trust should be executed with as little publicity as possible, autho- rized that unnecessary insult and outrage upon me, as I must always consider it, which, however intended, gave the utmost publicity and exposure to the exist- ence of these charges I mean, the sending two attor- nies, armed with their Lordships' warrant, to my l>ouse, to bring before them, at once, about one half of my household for examination. The idea of priva- cy, after an act so much calculated; from the extraor^ DELICATE IKVESTIGATION. 187 dmary nature of it, to excite the greatest attention and surprise, your Majesty must feel to have been Impos- sible and absurd ; for an attempt at secresy, mystery, and concealment, on my part, could, under such cir- cumstances, only have been construed into the fear- fulness of guilt. It will appear also, that, from that time, I heard nothing authentically upon the subject till the 11th of August, when I was furnished, by your Majesty's com- mands, with the report. The several papers, necessary to my understanding the whole of these charges, in the authentic state in which your Majesty thought it proper graciously to direct that I should have them, were not delivered to me till the beginning of Septem- ber. My answer to these various charges, though the ^vhole subject was new to those whose advice I had re- course to, long as that answer was, necessarily^ obliged to be, was delivered to the Lord Chancellor, to be forwarded to your Majesty, by the 6th of October;, and, from the ()th of October to the 28th of January, 1 was kept in total ignorance of the effect of that an- swer. Not only will all this delay be apparent, but it will be generally shewn to the world, how your Ma- jesty's servants had, in this important business, treated your daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales : and what measure of justice she, a female and a stranger in your land, has experienced at their hands. Undoubtedly, against such a proceeding I have ever felt, and still feel, an almost invincible repugnance. Kvery sentiment of delicacy, with which a female mind must shrink from the act of bringing before the public such charges, however conscious of their scandal and falsity, and however clearly that scandal and falsity may be manifested bv the answer to those charp-es : the respect still due from me, to persons employed in authority under your Majesty, hoM ever little respect 1 may have received from them : My duty to his lioyal Highness the Prince of Wales ; my regard for ail the members of your august Family ; my esteem, 188. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. my duty, my gratitude to your Majesty, my affec- tionate gratitude for all the paternal kindness wkich I have ever experienced from you ; my anxiety, not only to avoid the risk of giving any offence or displea- sure to your Majesty, but also to fly from every occa- sion of creating the slightest sentiment of uneasiness in the mind of your Majesty, whose happiness it would be the pride and pleasure of my life to consult, and to pro- mote ; all these varioussentimeutshavecompcUed me to submit, as long as human forbearance could endure, to all the unfavourable inferences which were, through this delay, daily increasing in the public mind. What the strength and ef^cacy of these motives have been, your Majesty will do me justice to feel, when you are pleased graciously to consider how long I have been contented to sufHer those suspicions to exist against my innocence, which the bringing before the public of my accusation, and my defence to it, would so indis- putably and immediately have dispelled. The measure, however, of making these proceedings public, whatever mode I can adopt (considering espe- cially the absolute impossii)ility of suffering any par- tial production of them, and the necessity that, if for any purpose any part of them should be produced, the whole must be brought before the public) remains sur- rounded with all the objections which I have enume- rated; and nothing could ever have prevailed upon me, or can now even prevail upon me to have recourse to it, but an imperious sense of indispensable duty to my future safety, to my present character and honour, and to the feelings, the character, and the interests of my child. 1 had flattered myself, when once this long proceeding should have terminated in my reception into your Majesty's presence, that that circumstance alone would have so strongly implied my innocence of all that had been brought against me, as to have been perfectly sufficient for my honour and my security ; but accompanied, "as it now must be, with the know- ledge of the fact, that your Majesty has been brought DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 189 to hesitate upon its propriety, and accompanied also with the very unjustifiable observations, as they appear to me, on which I shall presently proceed to remark ; and which were made by your Majesty's servants, at the time when they gave you their advice to receive me ; I feel myself in a situation, in which I deeply regret that I cannot rest in silence, without an imme- diate reception into your ]\Iajesty*s presence ; nor, indeed, with that reception, unless it be attended by other circumstances, which may mark my satisfactory acquittal of the charges which have been brought against me. It shall at no time be said, with truth, that I shrunk back from these infamous charges ; that I crouched be- fore my enemies, and courted them, by my submission into moderation ! No; I have ever boldly defied them. I have ever felt, and still feel, that, if they should think either of pursuing these accusations, or of brino-incr forward anv other, M'hich the wickedness of indivitluals may devise, to affect my honour ; (since my conscience tells me that they must be as base and groundless as those brought by Lady Douglas,) while the witnesses to the innocence of my conduct are all living, I should be able to disprove them all ; and, whoever may be my accusers, to triumph over their wickedness and malice. But should these accusations be renewed, or any other brought forward in any future time, death may (I know not how soon) remove from my innocence its best security, and deprive me of the means of my justification and my defence. There arc, therefore, other measures, which I trust your Majesty will think indispensable to be taken, for my honour, and for my security. Amongst these, I most luiml)ly submit to your INlajesty my most ear- nest entreaties that the proceedings, including not only my first answer and my letter of the 8th of De- ccndicr, but tins letter also, may be directed by your Majesty to be so preserved and deposited, as that they may, all of them, securely remain permanent au- thentic documents and mcmoriiils of this accusation, ISO I>E1<1CAT INVESTIGATig^N. and of the manner in whkh I met it ; of my defence, as well as of the charge. That they may remain ca- pable, at any time, of being resorted to, if the malice which produced the charge origii^ily shall ever ven- ture to renew it. Beyond this, 1 am sure your Ma- jesty will think it but proper -and just that I should be restored, in every respect,, to the same situation, from whence the proceedirigs, under these false charges, have removed me. That, besides being graciously received again, in the bosom of your Ma- jesty's royal family, restored to my former respect and station amongst them, your Majesty will be gracious- ly pleased either to exert your influence with his Royal liighness the Prince of Wales, that I may be restored to the use of my apartment in Carlton House, which was reserved for me, except while the apartments were un* dergoing repair, till the date of these proceedings ; or to assign to me some apartment in one of your royal palaces. Some apartment in or near London is indis- pcnsibly necessary, for my convenient attendance at the Drawing-room. And if I am not restored to that at Carlton House, I trust your Majesty will graciously perceive, how reasonable it is that I should request, that some apartment should be assigned to me, suited to my dignity and situation, which may mark my re- ception and acknowledgment, as one of your Majesty's family, and from which my attendance at the drawing- room may be easy and convenient. If these measures are taken, I should hope that they vxould prove satisfactory to the public mind, and that, I may feel myself fully restored in public estimation, to m.y former character. And should they prove so- satisfactory, I shall, indeed, bedeliglited to think, that no further step may, even now, appear to he necessary for my jjeace of mind, my security, and my honour. But your Majesty will permit me to say, that if the next week, which will make more than a month from the time of your Majesty's informing me that yoli \\ ould receive me, should pass without my being re- DELICATE INVESTIGATION. l^l ceived into your presence, and without liavinj^ the as- surance that these other requests of mine shall be com- plied with, I shall be under the painful necessit}^ of considering them as refused ; in which case, I shall feel myself compelled, however reluctantlv, to give the whole of these proceedings to the world : unless your Majesty can -suggest other adequate means of securing my honour and my life, from the effect of tJie continuance or renewal of these proceedings, for the future, as well as the present; for I entreat your IMajesty to believe, that it is only in the absence of all otlier adequate means that I can have resort to that measure. That I consider it with deep regret; that I regard it with serious apprehension, by no means so much on account of the eifect it may have upon my- self, as on account of the pain it may give your Ma- jesty, your august family, and your loyal subjects. As far as myself am concerned, I am aware of the observations to which this publication will expose me. ]>ut I am placed in a situation in which I have tlie choice only of two most unpleasant alternatives; and I am perfectly confident that the imputations and the loss of character, which must, under these circum- stances, follow from my silence, are most injurious and unavoidable ; that my silence, under such cir- cumstances, must lead inevitably to my utter infamv and ruin. The publication, on the other hand, will expose to the world nothing, which is spoken to by any witness (whose infamy and discredit is not un- answerably exposed andestablislied) which can, in the slightest degree, affect my character, for honour, vir- tue, and delicacy. There may be circumstances disclosed, manifesting a degree of condescension and familiarity in my beha- viour and conduct, which, in the opinions of many, may be considered as not sufficiently guarded, digni- fied and reserved. Circumstances, however, which my foreign education, and foreign habits, misled me to think, in the humble and retired, situation in which it 192 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. was my fate to live, and where I had no relation, no equal, 110 friend to advise me, were wholly free from offence. But when they have been dragged forward, from the scenes of private life, in a grave proceeding, on a charge of High Treason and Adultery, they seem to derive a colour and character, from the nature of the charge which they are hrought Forward to support. And I cannot but believe that they have been used for no other purpose than to afford a cover, to screen from view the injustice of that charge ; that they have been taken advantage of, to let down my accusers more gently ; and to deprive me of that full acquittal on the report of the four Lords, which my innocence of all offence most justly entitled me to receive. Whatever opinion, however, may be formed upon any part of my conduct, it must, injustice, be formed with reference to the situation in which I\vas placed : if I am judged of as Princess of Wales, with reference to the high rank of that station, I must be judged as princess of VV'ales, banished from the Prince, unpro- tected by the support and countenance which belong- to that station ; and if I am judged of in my private character, as a married woman, I must be judged of as a wife banished from ber husband, and living in a widowed seclusion from him, and retirement from the world. This last consideration leads me to recur to an expression in Airs. Lisle's examination, which de- scribes my conduct, in the frequency and the manner of my receiving the visits of Captain Manby, though alwaj^s in the presence of my ladies, as unbecoming a married woman. Upon the extreme injustice of setting \}D the opinio?! of one womau; as it were, in judgment upon the conduct of another ; as well as of estimating the conduct of a person in my unfortunate situation, by reference to that, which might in general be expected from a married" woman, living happily with her hus- band, I have before generally remarked. But beyond these general remarks, in forming any estimate of my conduct, your Majesty will never forget the very pe- ec DELICATE INVESTIGATIO?r. 103 culiar circumstances and misfortunes of my situation. Your Majesty will reriTemI)er that I had not been much above a year in this country, Mdien I 'received the fol- lowing letter from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. / ''Windsor Castle^ April 30, 179^- Madam, As Lord Cholmondely informs me tliat " you wish I would deiine, in writing,* the terms upon " which \s'e are to live, I shall endeavour to explain *' myself upon that head, with as much clearness, and *' vvith as much propriety, as the nature of the subject *' will admit. C)ur inclinations are not in our power, '' nor should either of us be held answerable to the *' other, because nature has not made us suitable to *' each other. Tranquil and comfortable society is, "however, in our power; let our intercourse, there- '^ fore, be restricted to that, and I will distinctly sub- *' scribe to theconditionf which you required, through " Lady Cholmondely, that even in the event of any " accident happening to my daughter, which I trust " Providence in its mercy will avert, I shall not in- ** fringe the terms of the restriction, by proposing, * The substance of this letter had been previously conveyed in a mes- sage, through Lord Cholmondely, to her Royal Highn-ss. But it was thought by her Royal Highness, to be infinitely too important to rest merely upon a verbal communicaiion, and therefore she desired that his JR-oyal llighness's pleasure upon it should be communicated to hcjr ia writing. + Upon the receipt of the message alluded to, in the foregoing note, her Royal Highness, thou2;h she had nothing to do but to submit to the arrangement which his Royal Highness might determine upon, desired it might be understood that ahe should insist, that any such arrangement, if once made, should be considered as fmal. And that his Royal lliii,hnr;s3 sliould not letain the right, from time to time, at his pleasure, or under any circumstances, to alter it, V D 154 DKLICATE INVESTIGATION. " at any pfriocl, a connection of a more particular nsi-' *' ture. 1 shall now finajly close this disagreeable. cor- *' rcspondence, trusting that, as we have complttely " explained ourselves to each other, the rest of our " lives will be passed in uninterrupted tranquility. 'a am, ** Madam, *' With great truth, very sincerely your's, (Signed) " GEORGE P.'^ And that to this letter I sent the following answer: " L'aveu (]c votre conversation avec Lord Chor- '^' mondely, ne m'6tonne, ni ne m*off"ense. C'(^toit me " connrmer ce que vous m'avez tacitement insinu6 de- " puis une ann^e. Mais il y auroit apr^s cela, uh. " manque de delicatesse ou, pour mieux dire, une bas- " sesse indigne de me plaindre des conditions, que *' vous vous imposez a vous mem.e. *' Je ne vous aurois point fait de repOnse, si votre " lettre n'etoit concue de manierea faire douter, si cet " arrangement vientde vous, ou de nioi ; et vous spa- " vez que vous m'annoncez Thonueur. La lettre que " vous m'annoncez comme la derniere, m'oblige de " communiquer an Roy, comme a mon Souverain, et " a mon Pere, votre aven et ma reponse. Vous trou- " verez 91 incUise la copie de celle que j'ecris au Roy. " Je vous en previens pour ne pas m'attirer de votre *' part la mointh-e rcproche de duplicity. Comme je " n'ai dans ce raon"vent, d'autre protecteur que sa Ma- '*jest6, je m'en rapporte uniquement ^ lui. Et si *' ma conduite merrte son approbation, je serai, du *' m'oius en partre, consol^e. DELICATE INVESTIGATIOI^. IQS *' Du feste, je conserve toiite la reconnoissahcc ** possible de ce (|ue je me trouve jDar votie moyen, *' comnie Prineesse de Galles, dans une situation a " pouvoir me livrer saiis contiainte, a une vertii *' cliere a mon eoeur, je vieux dire la hienfaisanee. C.e *' sera pour moi un devoir d'agir de plus par un autre *' niotit scavoircelui dedonnerl'exemplede la patience, " et de la resignation dans toutes sortes dqjreuves. " liendez moi la justice de me croire, queje ne cesserai **jdinais de taire des voeux pour votre bonbeur, ,et *' d^ire votre bieii devouce. ''* (Signed) "CAROLINE." '*Ce6 deMui, 1796." TRANSLATION. The avowal of your conversation with Lord Cho'mondely neither sur- prises nor offends me. It merely confirmed what you have tat.ii.y msinunt- ed for thi.-) twelve month. But after this, it would be a want ut dciicucy, or rather an unworthy meanness in me, were I to ( ompiaiu of those con- ditions which you in-,posc upon yourself. 1 should have returned no answer to your letter, if it had not been con- ceived in terms to make it doubtful whether thi? arrangtmc-nt proceeds from you or from me, and )Ou are aware that the credit of ii belongs to you alone. The letter which y u ann unce to me as the last, obliges me to chmmu- nicatetothe King, as t-) my sovereijin and my father, b/Ji your avowal and my answer. You will find enclosed tlie copy "f my letter to the King, I appri>e you of it, that I may n-t mcur the s;ightfst reproach of duplicity from you. As I have at this moment no protector but his Majes- ty, I refer myself sujely t him upon thi- subject, and if my conduct meets his apprcbaiion, I shaii be in some degree at ieast c nsoled. I retain every sentiment of o;ratiiude for the situation in which I find myself, as Princess <-f VVaies, enabled by your means, to indulge in the iiee c\- Ci'cise of a virtue dear to my heart, I mean charity It'wili be my duty likewise to act upon another motive, that of giving an example of patience and refcignati n under e\eiy trial. Do m? the justice to believe that I shall pevcr cea-e to pray for your Lappiness, audto be, Ycur much devoted CAROLINE. 6' of Msy, ]T90. 1^6 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. The date of His Royal fjiohness's letter is the 30th of April, i79S. The date of our mariia<>-e, your Ma- jesty will recollect, is the 8th day of April, in the year 1795, and that of the hirth of our only child the 7th of January, \796. On the letter of his Royal Hii^hness I offer no com- ment. I only entreat your Majesty not to understand me to introduce it, as affording any supposed justifi- cation or excuse, for the least departure from the strictest line of virtue, or the slightest deviation from the most refined delicacy. The crime, which has heeri insinuated against me, would beequally criminal andde- testablej the indelicacy imputed to me would be equally odious and abominable, whatever renunciation of" con- jugal authority and affection, the above letter of his Koyal Highness might in any construction of it bp supposed to have conveyed. Such crimes, and faults, derive not their guilt from the consideration of the conjugal virtues of the individual, who may be the ftiost injured by them, however much such virtues may aggravate their enormity. No such letter, therefore, in any construction of it, no renunciation of conjugal affection or duties, could ever palliate them. But V'hether conduct free from all crime, free from all in^ delicacy, (which I maintain to be the character of tlie conduct to which Mrs. Lisle's observations apply, ) yet possibly not so measured, as a cautious wife, careful to avoid the slightest appearance of not preferring her husband to all the world, might be studious to observe; whether conduct of such description, and possibly, in such sense, not becoming a married woman, could be justly deemed, in my situation, an offence in me, I must leave to your Majesty to determine. In making that determination, however, it will not escape your Majesty to consider, that the conduct which does or does not become a married woman ma- terially depends upon what is or is not known by her to be agreeable to her husband. His pleasure and hap- DELICATE INYESTIGATION. 1^7 piness ought unquestionably to be her law ; and his approbation the most favourite object of her pursuit. Different characters of men, require different modes of conduct in their wives ; but when a wife can no longer be capal)le of perceiving from time to time, what is agreeable or offensive to her husband, when her con- duct can no longer contribute to his happiness, no longer hope to be rewarded b}' his approbation, surely to examine that conduct by the standard of wbat ought in general to be the conduct of a married woman, is altogether unreasonable and unjust. What then is my case ? Your Majesty will do me the justice to remark, that, in the above letter of the Prince of Wales, there is not the most distant sur- mise, that crime, that vice, that indelicacy of any description, gave occasion to his determination ; and all the tales of infamy and discredit, which the inven- tive malice of my enemies, has brought forward on. these charges, have their date, years, and years, after the period to which I am now alluding. What then, let me repeat the question, is my case ? After the receipt of the above letter, ajad in about two years from my arrivai in this country, I had the misfortune entirely to lose the support, the countenance, the protection of my husband I was banished, as it were, into a sort of humble retirement, at a distance from him, and almost estranged from the whole of the royal family. I had no means of having recourse, either for society or advice, to those, from whom my inexperience could have l)cst received the advantages of the one, and with whom I could, nu)st becomingly, have enjoyed the comforts of the other ; and if in this retired, unassisted, unprotected state, without the check of a husband's authority, without the benefit of his advice, without the comfort and support of the society of his family, a strangtr to the habits and fashions of this country, I should, in any instance, under the influence of foreign habits^ and foreign education, have observed a con- IpS DELICATE INVESTIGATION. duct, in any degree deviating fpom the reserve and se^ verity of British manners, and partaking ofa conde- scension and tamiharJtv which that reserve and severi- ty would, perhaps, deem beneath ihe dignity of my exalted rank, I feci contident, (since such deviation will be'seen to have been ever consistent with perfect innocence), that not only your Majesty's candour and indulgence, but the candour and indulgence, which notwithstanding the reserve and severity of British manners, always belong to ti e British public, will never visit it with severity or censure. It remains for me now to make some remarks upon the further contents of the paper, which was transmit- ted to me by the Lord Chancellor on the Qsth ult. And I cannot in passing, omit to remark, that that paper has neither title, date, signature, nor attestation ; and unless the Lord Chancellor had accompanied it with a note, stating that it was copied in his own hand from the original, which his Lordship had received from your Majesty, I should have been at a loss to have perceived any single mark of authenticity belong- ing to it, and as it is, 1 am wholly unable to discover what is the true character which does belong to it. It contains, indeed, the advice which your Majesty's servants have offered to your Majesty, and the mes- sage which; according to that advice, your Majesty directed to be delivered tome. Considering it, therefore, wholly as their act, your Majesty will excuse and pardon me, if, deeply injured as 1 feel myself to have been by them; 1 exjiiess myself with freedom upon their conduct. I may speak per- haps with warmth, because I am provoked by a sense of gross injustice : I shall speak certainly with firmness and with courage, because I am emboldened by a sense of conscious innocence. Your Majesty's confidential servants say, "they '' agree in the opinions of the four Lords," and they say this, " after the fullest considei:ation of my oh- DELICATE INVESTIX3ATI0N. l^P " servations, and of the affidavits which were annexed *' to them." Some of" these opinions, your Majesty will recollect, are, that *' William Cole, Fanny Lloyd, *' Robert Bidi^ood, and Mrs Lisle are witnesses who '' cannot," in the judgment of the four Lords, " be sus- *' pected of any unfavourable bias;"' and " whose ve- racity in this respect they had seen no ground to question ;"" and " that the circumstances to v/hich they ' speak, particularly as relating to Captain Manby, *' must be credited until they are decisively contra- ** dieted." Am 1 then to understand your Majesty's confidential servants to mean, that they agree with the four Noble Lords in these opinions ? Am I to under- stand, after having read with the fullest consideration, the observations v/hich 1 have offered to your I\Li,je3- ty ; after having seen William Cole there proved to have submitted himself, five times at least, to private, "unauthorised, voluntary examination by Sir John Douglas's Solicitor, for the express purpose of con- firming the statement of Lady Douglas, (of that Lady Douglas, whose statement and deposition they are convinced to be so malicious and false, that they pro^ pose to institute sncli prosecution against her, as your Majesty's Law.Ollficers may advise, upon a reference, now at length, after six months from the detection of that malice and falsehood, intended to be made) after liaving seen this William Cole, submitting to such re- peated voluntary examinations for such a purpose, and although he v/as all that time a servant on my esta- bliohment, and eating my bread, yet never once com- inunicating to me, that such examinations were going on am I to understand, that your Majesty's confi- dential servants agree with the four Lords in thinking, that he cannot, under such circumstances^ be suspected of unj avourable bias ? That after having had pointed out to them the direct, flat contradiction between the same ^Villiam Cole and Fanny Lloyd, they neverthe- less agree to think them both (though in direct con- 200 DELICATE INVESTlGATiOiT. tradiction to each other, yet both) witnesses, it^hosevc-' racity they see no o round to question ? After having seen Fanny Lloyd directly and positively contradicted, in an assertion, most injurious to my honour, by Mr. Mills and Mr. Edmeades, do they agree in opinion with the four Noble Lords, that they see no ground to ques- tion their veracity ? After having read the observa- tions on Mr. Bidgood's evidence ; after having seen, that he had the hardihood to swear, that he believed Captain Manby slept in my house, at Southend, and to insinuate that he slept in my bed-room ; after having seen that he founded himself on this most false fact, and most foul and wicked insinuation, upon the circum- stance of observing* a bason and some towels where he thought they ought not to be placed ; after having seen that this fact and this insinuation were disproved before the four Noble Lords themselves, by two maid-servants, ^vho, at that time, lived with me at Southend,' and whose duties about my person and my apartments, must have made them acquainted with this fact, as as- serted, or as insinuated, if it had happened ; after having observed too, in confirmation of their tes- timony, that one of them mentioned the name of ano- ther female servant (who was not examined), who had, from her situation, equal means of knowledge with themselves I ask whether, after all this decisive weight of contradiction to Robert Bidgood's testimony, I am to understand your Majesty's confidential servants to agree with the four Noble Lords in thinking, that Mr. Bidgood is a witness, who cannot be suspected of un- favourable bias, and that there is no ground to question his veracity f If, Sire, I were to go through all the remarks of this description, which occur to me to make, I should be obliged to repeat nearly all my for- mer observations, and to make this letter as long as my original answer : but to that answer I confidently ap- peal, and I will venture to chalifenge your Majesty's DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 201 confidential servants to find a single impartial, and honourable man, unconnected in feeling and interest with the parties, and unconnected in Council, with those who have already pledged themselves to an opin- ion upon this subject, who will lay his hand upon his heart, and say that these three witnesses, on whom that Report so mainly relies, are not to be suspected oF the grossest partiality, and that their veracity is not most fundamentally impeached. Was it then noble, was it generous, was it manly^ was it just, in your Majesty's confidential servants, instead of fairly admitting the injustice, which had been, inadvertently, and unintentionally, no doubt, done to me, by the four Noble Lords in their report, upon the evidence of these witnesses, to state to your Majesty, that they agree with these Noble Lords in their opinion, though they cannot, it seems, go the length of agreeing any longer to withhold the advice, which restores me to your Majesty's presence ? And with respect to the particulars to my prejudice, re- marked upon in the report as those '^ which justly *' deserve the most serious consideration, and which ''must be credited till decisively contradicted," in- stead of fairly avowing, either that there was origin- ally no pretence for such a remark, or that, if there had been originally, yet that my answer had given that decisive contradiction which was sufficient to discre- "ditthem; instead, I say, of acting this just, honest, and open, part, to take no notice whatsoever of those contradictions, and content themselves with saying, that "none of the facts or allegations stated in pre- ** liminary examinations, carried on in the absence of " the parties interested, could be considered as legally ** or conclusively est2ihWfi\\ed ?" They agree in the opinion that the facts or allega- tions, though stated in preliminary examination, car- ried on in the absence of the parties interested, must be credited till decisively contradicted, and deserve the E E ' 202 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. most serious coyisideration. They read, with the fullest consideration, the contradiction which I have tendered to them ; they must have known, that no other sort of contradiction could, by possibility, from the nature of things, have been offered upon such su])jects : They do not question the truth, they do not point out the insufficiency of the contradiction, but, in loose, general, indefinite, terms, referring to my answer, consisting, as it does, of above two hundred written pages, and coupling it with those examinations (which they admit establish nothing against an absent party) they advise your Majesty that "there appear many " circumstances of conduct, which could not be re- ** garded by your Majesty without serious concern ;'* and that, as to all the other facts and allegations, exr cept those relative to my pregnancy and delivery, they are not to be considered as " legally and conclusively established^*' because spoken to in preliminary exami- nations, not carried on in the presence of the parties con- cerned. They do not, indeed, expressly assert, that my. contradiction was not decisive or satisfactory ; they do not expressly state, that they think the facts and allegations want nothing towards their legal and conclusive establishment, but a re-examination in the presence of the parties interested, but they go far to imply such opinions. That those opinions are utterly untenable, against the observations I have made, upon the credit and character of those witnesses, I shall ever most confidently maintain ; but .that those obser- vations leave their credit wholly unaffected, and did not deserve the least notice from your Majesty's ser- vants,, it is impossible that any honourable man can assert, or any fair and unprejudiced mind believe. I now proceed. Sire, to observe, very shortly, upon the advice further given to your Majesty as contained in the remaining part of the paper ; which has repre- sented that, both in the examinations, and even in xny answer there have appeared many circumstances of DELICATE INVESTIGATION. gOS conclact which could not be regarded but with serious concern, and which have su ingested the expression of a desire and expectation, that sucli a conduct may in future be observed by me, as may fully justify these marks of paternal regard and affection, which your Majesty wishes to shew to all your royal family. And here, Sire, your Majesty will graciously per- mit me to notice the hardship of the advice, which has suggested to your Majesty, to convey to me this re- proof. I complain not so much for what it does, as for what it does not contain ; I mean the absence of all particular mention of what it is, that is the object of their blame. The circumstances of conduct Avhich appear in these examinations, and in my answer to which they allude as those which may be sujjposed to justify the advice, which has led to this reproof, since your Majesty's servants have not particularly mention- ed them, I cannot be certain that I know. But I will venture confidently to repeat the assertion, which I have already made, that there are no circumstances of conduct spoken to by any witness, (whose infamy and discredit are not unanswerably exposed, and establish- ed), nor any where apparent in my answer which have the remotest approach, either to crime or to indeli- cacy. For my future conduct. Sire, impressed with every sense of gratitude for all former kindess, I shall be bound unquestionably, by sentiment as well as duty, to study your Majesty's pleasure. Any advice which your Majesty may M'ish to give to me in respect of any particulars in my conduct, I shall be bound, and be anxious to obey as my law. But I must trust, that your Majesty will point out to me the particulars, which may happen to displease you, and which you may wish to have altered. I shall be as happy, in thus feeling myself safe from blame under the benefit of your Ma- jesty's advice, as I am now in finding myself secured from danger, under the protection of your justice. 204 Delicate investigation. Your Majesty will permit me to add one word more. Your Majesty has seen what detriment my cha- racter has, for a time, sustained, by the false and malicious statement of Lady Douglas, and by the depositions of the witnesses who were examined in support of her statement. Your Majesty has seen how many enemies I have, and how little their malice has been restrained by any regard to truth in the pur- suit of my ruin. Few, as it may be hoped, may be the instances of such determined and unprovoked malignity, yet I cannot flatter myself, that the world does not produce other persons, who may be swayed by similar motives ro similar wickedness. Whether the statement to be prepared by the Prince of Wales, is to be confined to the old charges, or is intended to bring forward new circumstances, I cannot tell ; but i ' ;ny fresh attempts of the same nature shall be made by my accusers, instructed as they will have been, by their miscarriage in this instance, I can hardly hope that they will not renew their charge, with an improved artifice, more skilfully directed, and with a malice, inflamed rather than abated by their previous disappointment. I therefore can only appeal to your Mi'jesty's justice, in which I confidently trust, that whether these charges are to be renewed against me either on the old or on fresh evidence ; , or whether new accusations, as well as new witnesses, are to be brought forward, your Majesty, after the experience of these proceedings, will not suffer your royal mind to be prejudiced by ex parte, secret ex- aminations, nor my character to be whispered away by insinuations, or suggestions which I have no op- DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 205 portunity of meeting. If any charge, which the law will recognize, should he brought against me in an open and legal manner, I should have no right to complain, nor any apprehension to meet it. But till 1 may have a full opportunity of so meeting it, I trust your Majesty will not suffer it to excite even a suspicion to my prejudice. I must claim the benefit of the presumption of innocence till I am proved to be guilty ; for, without that presumption, against the effects of secret insinuation and e.v parte examinations, the purest innocence can make no de- fence, and can have no security. Surrounded, as it is now proved, that I have been, for years, by domestic spies, your Majesty must, I trust, feel convinced, that if -I had been guilty there could not have been wanting evidence to have proved my guilt. And that these spies have been obliged to have resort to their own invention for the sup- port of the charge, is the' strongest demonstration that the truth, undisguised, and correctly repre- sented, could furnish them with no handle against me. And when I consider the nature and nialignity of that conspiracy, which, I feel confident I have completely detected and exposed, I cannot but think of that detection, with the .liveliest gratitude, as the special blessing of Providence, who, by confounding the machinations of my enemies, has enabled me to find, in the very excess and extravagance of their malice, in the very weapons which they fabricated and sharpened for my destruction, the sufficient guard to my innocence, and the effectual means of my justification and defence. <206 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. I trust, therefore, Sire, that I may now close this long letter, in confidence that many days will not elapse before I shall receive from your Majesty, that assurance that my just requests may be so completely granted, as may render it possible for me (which nothing else can) to avoid the painful disclosure to the world of all the circumstances of that in- justice, and of those unmerited sufferings, which these proceedings, in the manner in which they have been conducted, have brought upon me. I remain. Sire, With every sentiment of gratitude, Your Majesty's most dutiful, most submissive Daughter-in-law, Subject and Servant, (Signed) C. P. Montague HousCy February \6, 1807. As these observations apply not only to the official communication through the Lord Chancellor, of the i28tli ult., but also to the private letter of your Ma- jesty, of the 12th instant, I have thought it most respectful to your Majesty, and your Majesty's servants, to send this letter in duplicate, one part tlnough Colonel Taylor, and the other through the Lord Chancellor to your Majesty. (Signed) C. P. To the King, DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 207 Sire, When I last troubled your Majesty upo a my unfortunate business, I had raised my mind t;o hope, that I should have the happiness of heariug from your IVIajesty, and receiving your gracious commands to pay my duty in your Royal pre- sence, before the expiration of the last Ai^eek. And Avhen that hope was disappointed, (ea.gerly clinging to any idea which offered me a prtjspect of being saved from the necessity of having recourse, for the vindication of my character, to the publication of the proceedings upon the inquiry into my con- duct), I thought it just possible that the reason for my not having received your Majesty's commands to that effect, might have been occasioned by the circum- stance of your Majesty's staying at Windsor through the whole of the week ; I, thereJTore, de- termined to wait a few days longer, before I took a step, which, when once taken, could not be re- calted. Having, however, now assured myself, that your Majesty was in town yesterday as I have re- ceived no command to wait upon your JMajesty, and no intimation of your pleasure I am reduced to the necessity of abandoning all hope, that your Majesty will comply with my humble, my earnest, and anxious requests. Your Majesty, therefore, Avill not be surprised to find, that the publication of the proceedings alluded to, will not be witliheld beyontd Monday next. As to any consequences which may arise fr6m such publication, uripleasant or hurtful to :my own feelings and interests, I may, perhaps, be properly responsible ; and, in any event, haver no one to complain of but myself, and tho.se with whose advice I have acted ; and whatev^-^r those con- sequences may be, I am fully and unalterably con- vinced, that they must be incalci'lably less than those, which I should be exposed to from my 208 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. silence. But as to any other consequences, unplea- sant or hurtful to the feelings and interests of others, or of the public, my conscience will cer- tainly acquit me of them; I am confident that I have not acted impatiently, or precipitately. To avoid coming to this painful extremity, I have taken every step in my power, except that which would be abandoning my character to utter infamy, and my station and life to no uncertain danger, and possibly to no very distant destruction. With every prayer for the lengthened continuance of your Majesty's health and happiness, for every possible blessing which a gracious God can bestow upon the beloved monarch of a loyal people, and for the continued prosperity of your dominions, under your Majesty's propitious reign, I remain, Your Majesty's Most dutiful, loyal and affectionate, but most unhappy, and most injured. Daughter-in-law, Subject, and Servant, C.P, Montague HousCf M^Tch 5 J 1807. To the King, 4 ^ M 209 STATEMENT OF LADY DOUGLAS, Mis Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having judged proper to order me to detail to him, as Heir Apparent, the whole circumstancesof my acquaintance with her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, from the day 1 first spoke with her to the preseist time, I felt it my duty, as a subject, to comply without hesitation with his Royal Highness's commands : and 1 did so, iDccausc I conceived, even putting aside the rights of an Heir Apparent, his Royal Highnes was justified in informing himself as to the actions of his wife, who, from all the information he had collected, seemed so likely to disturb ttie tranquilljty of the country; and it appeared to me that, in so doing, his Roval Highness evinced his earnest regard for the real interest of the country, in endeavouring to prevent such a person from, perhaps, one day placing a spurious Heir upon the English Throne, and which his Royal Highness has indeed a right to fear, and communicate to the Sovereign, as the Princess of Wales told me, " If she were discovered in brin^incr her son into the " world, she would give the Prince of Wales the credit " of it, for that she had slept two nights in the year " she was pregnant at Carlton House." As an Englishwoman, educated in the highest re- spectful attachment to the Royal Family; as the daughter of an English Officer, who has all his life received the most gracious marks of approbation and protection from his Majesty, and from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; and as the wife of an Officer, whom our beloved King |ias honoured with a public mark of his approbation, and who is bound to the Royal Family by ties of respectful regard and attachment, which nothing can ever break, I feel it my duty to make known the Princess of Wales's sen* F F 210 timents and conduct, now, and whensoever I may be called upon. For the information, therefore, of his Majesty and of the Heir Apparent, and by the desire of the Heir Apparent, I beg k^ave to state, that Sir John took a house upon Blackheath in the year 1801, because the air was better for him, after his Egyptian services, than London, and it was somewhat nearer Chatham, where his military duties occasionally called him. I had a daughter, born upon the 17th of February, and we took up our residence there in April, living very happily and quietly ; but in the month of November, when the ground was covered v^^ith snow, as I was sitting in my parlour, which commanded a view of the Heath, 1 saw, to my surprize, the Princess of Wales, elegantly dressed in a lilac satin pelisse, primrose-coloured half boots, and a small lilac satin travelling cap, faced with sable, and a Lady, pacing up and down before the house, and sometimes stop- ping, as if desirous of opening the gate in the iron- railing to come in. At first I had no conc^tion her Royal Highness really wished to come in, but must have mistaken the house for another person's, for I had never been made known to her, and I did not know that she knew where I lived. I stood at the window looking at her, and, as she looked very much, from respect, courtesied (as I understood was customary) ; to my astonishment she returned my courtesy by a familiar nod, and stopped. Old Lady Stuart, a West Indian Lady, who lived in my imme- diate neighbourhood, and who was in the habit of coming in to see me, was in the room, and said, " You should go out, her Royal Highness wants to come in out of the snow." Upon this 1 went out, and she came immediately to me and said, " I believe you are Lady Douglas, and you have a very beautiful child ; 1 should like to see il." I answered that I was Lady Douglas. Her Royal Highness then said, " I should like of all things to see your little child.'* I answered, that I was very sorry I could not have 211 the lionoiir of presenting my little girl to her, as I and my family were spending the cold weather in town, and I was only come to pass an hour or two upon the Heath. 1 held open the gate, and the Princess of Wales and her Lady, Miss Heynian (I believe,) walked in and sat down, and stayed above an hour, laughing very much at Lady Stuart, who, being a singular character, talked all kind of non- sense. After her Royal Highness had amused her- self as long as she pleased, she inquired where Sir John Douglas and Sir Sidney Smith were, and went away, having shook hands with me, and expressed her pleasure at having found me out and made her- self known: 1 concluded that Sir Sidney Smith had acquainted her Royal Highness that we resided upon the Heath, as he was just arrived in England, and having been in long habits of friendship with Sir John, was often with us, and told us how kind he should think it if we could let him come to and fro without ceremony, and let him have an airy room appropriated to himself, as he was always ill in town, and from being asthmatic, suffered extremely when the weather was foggy in town. Sir John gave him that hospitable reception he was in the habit of doing by all his old friends, (for I understand they have been known to each other more than twenty years,) and he introduced him to me as a person, to whom he wished my friendly attention to be paid J as 1 had never seen Sir Sidney Smith in my life, until this period, when he became, as it were, a part of the family. Whcti I returned to town, 1 told Sir John Douglas the circumstance of the Princess having visited me, and a few days after this, we received a note from Mrs. Lisle (who was in waiting) command- ing us to dine at Montague House. We wont, and there were several persons at the dinner. I remember Lord and Lady Dartmouth, and I think Mr. and Mrs. Arbuthnot, &c. &c. From this time the Prin- cess made me frequent visits, aJwins attended by her Ladies, or Mrs. Sander (her maid). When Sander came, she was sent back, or put in another room : 212 but when any of her Ladies were with her, we alwa^'s sat touether. Her Royal Highness was never at- tended by any livery servants, but she always walked about Blackheath and the neighbourhood only with her female attendants. In a short time, the I'rincess became so extravagantly fond of me, that, however flattering it might be, it certainly was very trouble- some, jjcaving her attendants below, she would push past my servant, and run up stairs into my bed- chamber, kiss me, take me in her arms, and tell me 1 was beautiful, saying she had never loved any woman so much ; that she would regulate my dress, for she delighted in setting off a pretty woman ; and such high-flown compliments that women are ne\^r used to pay to each other. [ used to beg her Royal High- ness not to feed my self-love, as we had all enough of that, without encouraging one another. She would then stop me, and enumerate all my good points [ had, saj'-ing she was determined to teach me to set them off. Slie would exclaim, Oh ! believe me, you are quite beautiful, different from almost any KngHsh woman ; your arms are fme beyond ima- gination, your bust is very good, and your eyes, Oh, I never saw such eyes all other women who have dark eyes look fierce, but yours (my dear Lady Douglas) are nothing but softness and sweetness, and yet quite dark. In this manner she went on perpe- tually, even before strangers. I remember when I was one morning at her hoihse, with her Royal High- ness, Mrs. Harcourt, and her ladies, the Duke of Kent came to take leave before his Royal Highness went to Gibraltar. When we were sitting at table, the Princess introduced me, and said Your Royal Hiohness must look at her eves ; but now she has disguised herself in a large hat. you cannot see how handsome she is. The Duke of Kent was very polite and oblioinGf, for he continued to talk with Mrs. Har- court, and took little notice, for which I felt much obliged ; but she persisted, and said take off your hat. i did not do it, and she took it off; but his Royal Highness, I suppose, conceiving it could not 213 be very pleasant to me, took little notice, and talked ot" something else. Whenever the Princess visited us, "either Sir John, or J, returned home with her and her party quite to the door; and if he were out, I went with her Royal Highness, and took my footman ; for we soon saw thnt her Royal Highness was a very singular and a very indiscreet woman, and we resolved to be always very careful and guarded with her; and when she visited us, if any visitor whosoever c mie to our house, they were put into another room, and they could not see tile Pincess, or be in her society, unless she posi- tively desired it. However, her Royal Highness forgot her high station (and she was also forgetting it) ; we trust, and hope, and feel satisfied, we never, ^'or a moment, lost sight of her being the wife of the Heir Apparent. We passed our time as her Royal Highness chose when together, and the usual amusements were playing Prench Proverbs, in which the Princess always cast the parts, and played ; Musical Magic ; forfeits of all kinds; sometimes dancing; and in thi^- manner, either the Princess and her Ladies with me, or we at Montague House, we passed our time. Twice, after spending the morning with me, she remained without giving me any previous notice, and would dine with us, and thus ended the year 1 SO I . In the month of February, before Miss Garth was to come into waiting in March 180^, tlie I'rincess, in one of her morning visits, after she had sent Sander home, said, ' My dear Lady Douglas, 1 am come to '^- see you this morning to ask a great favour of you, which 1 hope you will grant me." 1 told her, " I. ' was sure she could not make anv unworthv request, '' and that I would only say, I should have great " pleasure in doing any thing to oblige her, but I was " really at a loss to guess how 1 possibly could have 214 ^ it in my power to grant her a favour.'* Her Royal Highness replied, " what I have to ask is for you to come and spend a fortnight with me ; you shall not be separated from Sir John, for he may be with you whenever he pleases, and bring your little girl and maid. I mean you to come to the Round Tower, where there are a complete suite of rooms for a Lady and h'?r servant. When Mrs. Lisle was in waiting, and hurt her foot, she resided there ; Miss Heyman always was there, and Lord and Lady Lavington have slept there. When I have any married people visit- ing me, it is better than their being in the house, and we are only separated by a small garden. 1 dislike Miss ^.arth, and she hates to be vvith me, more thin what her dnty demands, and I don't wish to trouble any ef my ladies out of their tu.rn. I shall require you, as ludj in waiting, to attend me in my walks; and when I drive out ; write my notes and letters for me, and be in the way to speak to any one who may come on business. I seldom appear until about three o'clock, and you may go home before I want you after breakfast every day/' I replied, that being a married woman, 1 could not promise for myself, and, as Sir John was much out of health, I should not like to leave him ; but he was always so kind and good-natured to me, that I dared to venture to say he would allow me if he could; and when he came .home 1 asked him if 1 should go. Sir John agreed to the Princess's desire, and I took the waiting. During my stay I attended her Royal Highness to the play and the opera I think twice, and also to dine at Lord Dartmouth's and Mr. VV^indham's. At Mr. Wind- ham's, in the evening, while one of the ladies was at the harpsichord, the Princess complained of being very warm, and called out for ale, which, by a mistake in the language, she always calls oil. Mrs. Windham was perfectly at a loss to comprehend her wishes, and came to me for an explanation. I told her I believed she meant ale. Mrs. Windham said she had none in the house, was it any particular kind she required ? 1 told her I believed not ; that when the Princess 215 thought proper to visit me, slie always wanted it, ainl I gave her what I had, or could procure for, her upon Blackheath. We could not always suddenly obtain what was wished. Mrs. Windham then proposed to have some sent tor, and did so ; it was brought, and the Princess drink it all. When at Lord Dart- mouth's, his Lordship asked me if I was the only lady in waiting, beins:, I suppos d, surpr'sel at my a')pear- ing in that situation, when, to I is knowl> d-t ^ i liad not known the Princess more than four months. I answered, 1 was ;it Montague House, acting as lady in waiting, until Miss Garth was well, as the Princess told me she was ill. Lord Dartmouth looked surprised and said he had not heard of Miss Garth being ill, and "was surprised. 1 was struck with Lord Dartmouth's seeming doubt of Miss Garth's illness, and after, thought upon it. From the dinner we went at an early hour to the opera, and then returned to Black- heath. During this visit 1 was greatly surprised at the whole stile of the Princess of Wales's conversa- tion, which was constantly very loose, and such as I had not been accustomed to hear; such as, in many instances, I have not been able to repeat, even to Sir John, and such as made me hope I should cease to know her, before my daughter might be old enough to be corrupted by her. I confess 1 went home hoping and believing she was at times a good deal dis- ordered in her senses, or she never would have gone on as she did. When she came to sup with me in the Tower (which she often did) she would arrive in a long red cloak, a silk handkerchief tied over her head under her chin, and a pair of slippers down at the heels. After supper I attended her to the house. I found her a person without education or talents, without any desire of improving herself. Amongst other things which surprised me while there, was a plan she told me she had in hand; that Prince William of Gloucester liked me, and that she had written to him, to tejl him that a fair lady was in her Tower, that 216 she left it to his own heart to find out who it was, but if he was the gallant Prince she thought him, he would fly and see. I was amazed at such a contri- vance, and said, Good, God ! how couhl your Royal Highness do so ? 1 really like Sir John better than any body, and am quite satisfied and happy. I waited nine years for him, and would never marry any other person. The Princess ridiculed this, and said Nonsense, nonsense, my dear friend. In conse- quence of the Princess's note. Prince William actually rode the next morning to the Towner, but by good fortune Sir Sidney Smith had previously called and been admitted, and as we were walking by the house, her Royal Highness saw the Prince coming, went immediately out of sight, and ran and told a servant to say she and I were gone a walking, and we imme- diately walked away to Charlton, having first, unper- ceived, seen Prince William ride back again, (of course not very well pleased, and possibly believing I had a hand in his ridiculous adventure). It seems he was angry ; for soon after his Royal Highness, the Jate Duke of Gloucester, came and desired to see the Princess, and told her, that his son William bad represented to him how very free she permitted Sir Sidney Smith to be, and how constantly he was visiting at Montague House ; that it rested with herself to keep her acquaintance at a proper distance, and as Sir Sidney was a lively, thoughtless man, and had not been accustomed to the society of ladies of her rank, he might forget himself, and she would then have herself to blame that as a father, and an earnest friend, he came to her, very sorry indeed to trouble her, but he conjured and begged her to recollect how very peculiar her situation was, and how doubly requisite it was she should be more cautious than other people. To end this lecture (as she called it) she rang the bell, and desired Mrs.* Cole to fetch me. 1 w^ent into the drawing-room, where the Duke and Her Royal Highness were sitting, and she intro- * Query, Mr. Cole. -tluced me as an old friend of Prince William's. His Royal Highness got up, and looked at me very much, and then said, " The Princess has been talking a great deal about you, and tells nie you have made one of the most delightful children in the ^vorld, and indeed it might well be so, when the mother was so handsome and good-natured-looking." !3y this time I Wcis so used to these fine speeches, either from the Princess, or from her through others, that I was ready to laugh, and 1 only said^ " We did not talk about much beauty, but my little girl was in good health, and Her Royal Highness was very obliging/' As soon as His Royal Highness was gone, the Princess sent again for me, told me every word he had said, and said " He is a good man, and therefore 1 took it as it was meant^ but if Prince William had ventured to talk to me himself, I would certainly have boxed his ears: however, as he is so inquisitive, and watches me, I will cheat him, and throw the dust in his eyes, and make him believe Sir Sidney comes here to see you, and that you and he are the greatest possible friends. 1 delight of all things in cheating those clever people." Her speech and her intentions made me serious, and my mind was forcibly struck with i\\v. great danger there would Ibllow to myself, if slie were this kind of person. 1 begged of her not to think of doing sucli a thing, sayitig, Your Royal Highness knows it is not so, and altjiough I would do much to oblige you, yet, when my own character is at stake, I must stop. Coorl (jlod, Aia'am, His Royal Highness would naturally repeat it, and what should I do? Reputation will riot bear being sported witli. The Princess took me by thii hand, and said, (Certainly, my dear Lady Douglas, I know very well It is not so, and therefore it does not signify. I am sure it is not so, that I am sure of I have nuicli too good an opinion of you, and too good an opujiun of Sir Sidney Smith. It would t)e very bad iii him, after Sir John's hospitality to him. 1 know him nicapable of such a thing, lor I hav^ known him for a long time; but still 1 wonder too in the sauic houS'' G r. 218 it does not happen. By this time I was rather vexed, and said, Your Royal Highness and I think quite differently Sir Sidney Smith comes and goes as he pleases to his room in our house. I really see little of him. lie seems a very good-humoured, pleasant man, and I always think one may be upon very friendly terms with men who are friends of one's husbands, without being their humble servants. The Princess argued upon this for an hour, said. This \ Miss Garth's argument, but she was mistaken, and it was ridiculous. If ever a woman was upon friendly terms with, any man, they were sure to become lovers. I said, I shall continue to think as Miss Garth did, and that it depended very mufh upon the lady. Upon the 29th of March, I left Montague House, and the Princess commanded me to be sent up to her bed-chamber. 1 went and found her in bed, and I took Mrs. Vansittart's'note in my hand, announcing the news of peace. She desired me to sit down close to the bed, and then taking my band, she said, " You see, my dear friend, 1 have *' the most complaisant husband in the world '* I have no one to controul me I see whom " 1 like, 1 go where 1 like, I spend what I * please, and liis Royal Highness pays for all Other " English husbands plague their wives, but he never. *' plagues me at all, which is certainly being very po- *' lite and complaisant, and 1 am better olf than my " sister, who washeartily beat every day. How much ** happier am 1 than the Duchess of York ! She and '-* the Duke hate each other, and yet they will be two *' hypocrites, and' live together that I would never ' do, Now I'll show you a letter wherein the Prince " of Wales gives me full leave to follow my own "plans." She then put the letter into my hands, the particulars of which I have mentioned. When I had finished, I appeared affected, and she said, *' You " seem to think that a fine thing ; now I see nothing '' in it ; but I dare to say that when my beloved had " finished it, he fancied it one of the finest pieces of *' penmanship in the w^orld. I should have been th 219 " man, and he the woman. I am a real Brunswick, " and do not know what the sensation Fear is ; but *' as to him, he lives in eternal warm water, and de- " lights in it, if he can but have his slippers under " any old Dowager's table, and sit there scribbling^ '" notes; that's his whole delight." She then told me every circumstance relative to her marriage, and that she would be separated, and that she had invited the Chancellor very often lately, to try and accomplish it, but they were stupid, and told her it could not be done, it appeared to me that at this time Her Royal Highness's mind was bent upon the accomplishment of this purpose ; and it would be found, I think, from Lord Eldon and the others, that she pressed this sub- ject close itpon them, whenever they were at Mon- tague House ; for she told me more than once she had.* Her Royal Highness, before she put the letter by, said, *' 1 always keep this, for it is ever necessary. " I will go into the House of Lords with it myself. " The Prince of Wales desires me in that letter, to " choose my own plan of life, and amuse myself as I " like ; and also, when I lived in Carlton House, he " often asked me why 1 did not select some particular " gentleman for my friend, and was surprized I did " not." She then added, ^ I am not treated at all as " a Princess of Wales ought to be. As to the friend- " ship of the Duke of Gloucester's family, I under- " stand that Prince William would like to marry " either my daughter or me, if he could. 1 now, there- " fore, am desirous of forming a society of my own ' choosing, and I beg you always to remember, all " your life, that I shall always be happy to see you. *' 1 think \ou very discreet, and the best woman in " the world, and 1 beg you to consider the Tower " always as your own ; there are offices, and you " might almost live there ; and if Sir John is ever " called away, do not go home to your family; it is ' not pleasant after people have children, therefore * The Chancellor may now, perhaps, be able to grant her request. N. B. The passaf^e contained in this Note is, in the authenticated i.')Opy transmitted to the Princess of Wales, placed in the margin* 220 " always come to my Tower. I hope to see yon verv *' soon ao-ain. The Prince has offered me sixty thoii- " sand if Til go and live at Hanover, but 1 never " will ; this is the only country in tha world to live " in/* She then kissed me, and 1 took my leave, While I had been in the Round Tower in Montague House, which only consists of two rooms and a closet on a floor, I had always my maid and child slept within my room, and Sir John was generally with rae ; he and all my friends having free permission to visit. Mrs.* Coh" (the Page) slept over my room, and a watch- man went round the tower all night. Upon my re- turn home, the same apparent friendship cor^tinued, and in one of Her Royal Highness's evening visits she told me she was come to have a long conversa- tion with me, that she had been in a great agitation ; and I must guess what had happened to her. I guessed a great many things, but she said No to them all, and then said 1 gave it up, for 1 had no idea what she could mean, and therefore might guess my whole life without success. " Well then, I must tell you,** said Her Royal Highness, " but 1 am sure " you know all the while. 1 thought you had com- " pletely found me out, and therefore I came to you, '* for you looked droll when I called for ale and fried " onions and potatoes, and when I said I eat tongue " and chickens at my breakfasts ; that I would sure *' as my life you suspected me ; tell me honestly, did " you not ?" I affected not to understand the Prin- cess at all, and did not really comprehend her. She then said, " Well, Til tell; I am with child, and the " child came to life when I was breakfasting with *' Lady Willoughby. The milk flowed up into my " breast so fast, that it came through my muslin gown, *' and I was obliged to pretend that I had spilt some- " thing, and go up stairs to wipe my gown with a " napkin, and got up stairs into Lady Willoughby's f' room, and did very well, but it was an unlucky * Queiy, Mr. Cole, " advciinire," I was, indeed, most sincerely con- oeri]t d lor her, conceiviuj^; it impossible hut she must* be ruined, and I expressed my sorrow in the strongest tt-rms, saying-, what would she do ? She could never carry such an affair through, and I then said. I hoped she was mistaken. She said No, she was sure of it, and these sort of things only required a good courage; that she should manage very well ; but though she told uie she would not emyjloy me in the business, for I was like all the English women, so very nervous, and slic had observed me so frightened a few days past, when a horse galloped near me, that she would not let me have any thing to do for the world. The Frincess added, " You will be surpris.^^d to see how " well I manage it, and I am determined to suckle " the child myself.^' I expressed mv great appreiien- sions, and asked her what she would do if the Prince of VV ales seized her person when she was a wet-nurse? She said she would never suffer any one to touch her person. She laughed at my fears, and added, " You " know nothing about these things; if you had read " Les Auantures dii Chevalier cle Grammont, you " would know better what famous tricks Princesses " and their Ladies played then, and you shall and " must read the story of Catherine Parr and a Lady " Douglas of those times ; have you never heard of " it ?" She then related it, but as I never had heard of it, I looked upon it as her own invention to recon- cile my mind to these kind of things. After this we often met, and the Princess often alluded to her situ- ation and to mine, and one day, as we were sitting together upon the sofa, she put her hand upon her stomach, and said, laughing, " Well, here we sit like ' Mary and l^lizabeth, in the I]il)le." When she was bled, siie used to press me always to be, and us 'd to be quite angry that 1 would not, and whatever she thought good for herself always recommendeci to me. IJer Ptoyal Highness now took every occasum to estr^inge me from Sir John, by laughing at iiim, and wondering how 1 could be content with him ; urged me constantly to keep my own room, and not to con 222 tinue to slot^p with him, and said, if I had anymore children, she would have nothing more to say to me. Her design was evident, and easily seen through, and consequently averted. She naturally wished to keep us apart, lest, in a moment of confidence, I should repeat what she had divulged, and if she estranged me from my husband, she kept me to herself. 1 took especial care, therefore, that my regard for him should not be undermined. I never told him her situation, and, contrary to her wishes. Sir John and I remained upon the same happy terms we always had. It will scarcely be credited, (nevertheless it is strictly true, and those who were present must avow it, or per- jure themselves) what liberty the Princess gave both to her thoughts and her tongue, in respect to every part of the Royal Family. It was disgusting to us, beyond the power of iangilage to describe, and upon such occasions we always believed and hoped she could not be aware of what she was talking about, otherwise common family affection, common sense, and common policy, would have kept her silent. She said before the two Fitz- geralds. Sir Sidney Smith, and ourselves, that when Mr. Addington had his house given him. His Ma- jesty did not know what he was about, and waved her hand round and rourwi her head, laughing, and saying, " Certainly he did not; but the Queen got twenty " thousand, so that was all very well." We were all at a loss, and no one said any thing. This was at my house one morning ; the rest of the morning passed in abusing Mr. Addington (now Lord Sidmouth), and her critiques upon him closed by saying, " It was not " much wonder a peace was not lasting, when it was *' made by the son of a quack doctor." Before Miss Hamond, one evening at my house, she said, " Prince *' William is going to Russia, and there is to be a " grand alliance with a Russian Princess, but it is not " very likely a Russian Princess will marry the *' grandson of a washerwoman." Sir Sidney Smith, who was present, begged her pardon, asserted it was not so, and wished to stop her, but she contradicted 223 him, and entered into ili slie knew of the private his- tory of the Duchess's mothcT, sayin2:, " she was lite- " rally a common washerwoman, and the Duchess " need not to take so much pains and not to^xpose *' her skin to the open air, when her mother had been '' in it all day long/' When she was gone, Sir John was very much disgusted, and said. Her conversation had been so low and ill-judged, and so much below her, that he was perfectly ashamed of her, and she disgraced her station. Sir Sidney Smilh agreed, and confessed he was astonished, for it musl be confessed !th of August the Princess visited me daily; in one of these visits, after she had sent Mrs. Fitzgerald away, she drew her chair close to the bed, and said, " I am delighted to see how well and easily you havr> got through this affair ; I, who am not the lensbncrvous, shall make nothing at all of it. When you hear of iny having taken children in baskets from po-ji' people, take no notice ; that is the way I mean to mannj;(;: i shall take an}'^ that offer, and the one 1 have \vjil ho presented in the same way, which, as I have taken others, will never be thought any thing about." I asked her, how she would ever get it out of the house? but she said, Oh, very easily. Isaid it was a perilous business ; 1 would go abroad if 1 were her: but she laughed at my fears, and said she had no doubt but of managing it all very well. I was very glad she did not ask me to assist her, for I. was determined in my own mind never to do so, and she never did make any request of me, for which 1 was very thankl'ul. I put the question to her, wlio she vvoukl get to deliver her? but she did not answer for a minute, and. then said, I shall get a person over; V\\ njairagc it, but never ask me about it ; Sander was a good creature, and being immediately about her person and sleeping near her room, must be told ; but Miss G haunt must be sent to Germany, and the third maid, a young girl, kept out of the way as well 1,3 they could. I suggested, I was' afraid that her appearance at St. James's could noi fail to be observed, and she would have to encounter all the Royal Family. IJer reply was. That she knew how to manage her dress, and by continually increasing large cushions behind, uo one would observe, and fortu- ^latt'ly the Birth-days were over, until she should have got rid of her appearaiice. In this manner ^31 passed 'dii the time of my conliiiOiiient, at tlie en.-i of which f,he sent INIrs. Fitzgerald to attend ine to ehnrcb., and when I went to pay my duty to Her Royal IJij^hiiess, after I went abroad again, she. told me, whenever 1 was quite stout, she would have the childchristencd, that she meant to stand in person, and I must find anotiierg'odmother; Sir Sidney Smith would be thegodtatlier. I named the Duchess of Athol, as a very amiable woman, of suitalde rank, and said, that as there had been a long friendship betv/ixt Sir John's family and tlie Athol family, 1 knew it would be very agreeable to him. Finding they were gone to Scotland, we wrote to ask her Grace ; and she wrote word she would stand godmother with great plea- sure, and inclosed ten guineas for the nurse. The Princess invited Sir Sidney Smitl), and Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Smith, and Baron Herbert, and Sir John Douglas, to dine with her. Miss C'liolmondcley and the two lltzgeralds were with her Royal Hi,2:hness," and in the evening they all came ; 1 staid at home to receive her. The Clergyman from Fewisham christ- ened the child ; the Princess named it Caroline Sidney. As soon as he was gone (which was shortly after the ceremony was over), tlie Princess sat down upon the carpet a thing she was very fond of doing, in preference to sitting upon the chairs, spying, it wa* the pleasantest lively aliair altogeth(n- she liad ever known. She chose to sit upon the carpet the ud^ole evening, while tee all sjt upon t!ie chairs. Her Royal Hi2:hness was dressed in thiC lace dress wdiich. 1 think, slie wore at Frogmove fete pearl necklace, bracelets, and arm~!;and:^, a pearl bandeau round her head, ami a long i ice veil. When supper v.'as announc- ed, her Royal Highness v. eut a/id took the head o'i the table, and cat an amazing supper of chicken auvl potted lamprey, wliicli she uould have served tc? iier on the same plate, and e;it them together. After the supper she called the attention of the party \o my good looks, and saying 1 was as lively and esjnegle as ever ; said, that I had such sharp eyes, 1 found her out in every thing, add'ijg, Oh! she- found me out one dav in such a thinir wheu I was a- 232 Funcheon, and gave me a look which was so ex nrof?- sivo, that 1 was sure she knew. This speech, which she, between herself and me, was algebra to the party. I did not know what to do, but I saw the secret cost her dear to keep, and she was ready to betray it to any one she met, by the strange things she srecautions, and that we would not go to Alontaguc: Jlous(!, until we had the honour of receiving her Royal llighness's commands. The Princess never sent for us, and when 1 left my card before 1 went to pa&s Christmas in Gloucestershire, I was not admit- ted: so that I never saio her after the l^th"^' of October ^ but I heard the report of her having adopted an infant, and Miss Fitzgerald told it me as she rode past my house, but would not come in, for fear she should bring the measles. Upon m}' return to Blackheath in January, 1 called to pay my duty. I found her pack- ing a small black box, and an infant sleeping on a sola, with a piece of scarlet cloth thrown over it. She appeared confused, and hesitated whether she should be rude or kind, but recovering herself, chose to be the latter ; said, she was happy to see me, and then taking me by tht; hand led me to the sofa, and uncovering the child, said. Here is the little boy, 1 had him two days after I saw you last; is not it a nice little child ? the upper part of his face is very fine. She was going to have said more, when Mrs. I'itzgerald opened the door and came in. The Prin- cess consulted what 1 had better have, what would be good for me. I declined any thing, but she in- sisted upon it I should have some soup, and said, my dear Fitzgerald, pray go out and order some nice brown * 30th. I I 254 soup to be brought here for Lady Douglas. I saw from this the Princess wished to have spoken to me more fully, and Mrs. Fitzgerald saw it likewise, for instead of obeying, she rung the bell for the soup, and then sat down to tell me the whole of the fable of the child having been brought by a poor woman from Deptford, whose husband had left her, that Mr. Stike- man, the page^had the honour of bringing it in, that it was a poor little ill-looking thing when first brought, but' now, with such great care, was growing very pretty, and that as her Royal Highness was so good, and had taken the twins (whose father would not let them remain) and taken this, all the poor people would be bringing children. The Princess now took the child up, and^I was entertained the whole morning by seeing it fed, and every service of every kind performed for it by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. Mrs. Fitzgerald aired the napkins, and the Princess put them on; and from this time the drawing-rooms at Montague House, were literally in the stile of a common nursery. The tables were covered with spoons, plates, feeding-boats, and clothes, round the fire ; napkins were hung to air, and the marble hearths were strevoed with napkins which were taken from the child; for, very extraoixiinary to relate, this was a part of the ceremony Her Royal Highness was par- ticularly tetiacious of always performing herself let the company be who they might. At first, the child slept with her she told me, but it made her nervous, and therefore a nurse was hired to assist in taking charge of it, and for him to sleep with. The Princess said one day to me as she was nursing him, he had a little milk lor two or three days, but it did not do, so we bring him up by hand with all kind of nourishing thins^s, and you see how well he thrives ; so that I really always supposed she had attempted to suckle it. Another time she shewed me his hand, which has a pink mark upon it, and said, it was very singular both our children should be marked, and she thought her child's came from her having some wine thrown on her hand, for she did not look much at little 235 Caroline's mark. The Princess now adopted a neAN mode of inviting us to see her. She would invite either Sir John or I, but never both together as for- merly. I concluded from this, that as she found it so difficult to keep even her oicn secret, she could ill imagine I had been able to keep hers, and therefore under the impression that by that time I must have told Sir John, did not like to meet both our eyes ; and if she saw Sir John without me, could better judge by his looks and manner whether I had divulged or not. I conclude she was at length satisfied I had not: for we were one morning both invited again in the former manner, to a breakfast, and as it was a very curiously arranged party, I will put down the names, for, to the person who is to peruse this detail, it will confirm the idea that Her Royal Highness cannot always know correctly what she is about. When we entered, the Princess was sitting upon the sofa, elegantly dressed in a white and silver drapery, which covered her head and fell all over her person, and she had her little boy upon her knee elegantly dressed likewise. The guests were, Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Wales, with Miss Hunt, her governess, Captain Manby, of the navy, Mr. Spencer Smith, the Fitzgeralds, and ourselves. She got up and nursed the child, and carrying it to Sir John, said " Here Sir John, this is the Dept- ' ford boy, I suppose you have heard 1 have taken " a little child." Sir John only said, Yes, he had, and it seemed a fine baby. She seemed pleased and satisfied that I had not told him, and she then sat down to table, putting a chair for Princess Char- lotte on her right hand, taking me by the hand and putting me on the left hand, told Captain Manby to sit at the top, and Mr. Spencer Smitii at the bot- tom, and Sir John and the Fitzgeralds faced us. Princess Charlotte had a plain dinner prepared for her in another room, according to custom, and came in when our desert was placed, when we all sat down again as we were sitting, except Miss Hunt, who was never ordered to sit, but stood a few yards from Prin- 236 cess Charlotte. About five o'clock her Royal High- ness rose from table, the little boy was brought in tip^ain, Princess Charlotte played with it, and the Trincess of Wales wished all of us a good morning, -and we broke up, totally at a loss to conceive what amusement it could be to collect us together; This breakfast was a kind oi finale. We had very little intercourse. Her Royal Highness would walk past our house, for the express purpose of shewing she did not mean to come in, and when we did see her she always abused Sir Sidney Smith. Often said, she wondered I liked to 1-ive at such a dull place as Black- heath, and in short, gave us hints we coUld not mis- understand, that she wanted us away. At this time Sir John received a letter from his division, expressive of the General's wish that he would go to Plymouth, and therefore (without an Admiralty Order) he deter-^ mined to go to emancipate ourselves from the Princess of W ales, and as soon as we could dispose of the furni- ture, 1 followed him, leaving the house empty, which was ours three months after I quitted it. The day Sir John was to set off, the Princess walked to our house, and though his trunks were in the room, and he was occupied, would have him sit down and talk to her, overpoicering him and myself woty with kind- ness, and said, she could eat something. She did so, staid four hours in the house, and at parting, took Sir John by both hands, wished him every good wish, and begged him always to recollect how happy she should be to see him again, and that she would be ver?/ kind to me in his absence ; however, after he was gone, she never came near me, or offered me any kind of civility whatsoever. When I was upon the eve of departure, 1 called upon her and took her god-daughter and my other little girl with me. She was almost un- civil, and paid little or no attention if I epoke. I said the children were with me, but she did not answer, and after speaking four or five hours very unpleasantly, suffering all the unpleasant feeling of being where I had been courted and idolized, 1 begged permission at last to go away. When 1 went out; to my surprise, I 237 found the children had been kept in the passage n6ar the front door, with the door open to Black heath, in a December day, with four opposite doors opened and shut upon them, instead of being taken to the house- keeper's room, as they always had been. My maid had at length begged the footman to go to a fire, as the children cried dreadfully and were very cold. I un- derstand the man was a footman, of the name of Gaskin, I think, and his answer was, if the children are cold, you can put them back into the carriage, and warm them. 1 took them home immediately, and was inclined to return and ask why they had been thus all of a sudden treated with this brutality and imperti- nence, and which was doubly cruel in Sir John's absence; but I deferred going until I meant to take my final leave, which 1 did on the following Sun- day. Doctor Burnaby was standing in the hall with every thing prepared for the Princess to re- ceive the sacrament. I was ushered through not- withstanding, and the footmen seemed to go to and fro as much at their ease, as if no such thing was preparing. She was standing in the drawing room, and received me with Mrs. Lisle and Mrs. Fitzgerald. I said 1 should have been gone before, had it been in my power, and in compliance with her commands, had come to take my leave. She did not ask me to sit down, but said God bless you ; good bye. I then said, I was much concerned 1 had brought my little girls a few days past, and that I should never have done so, but from her Royal Highness's repeated desire, ohe said, she was sorry ; and asked, who used them so. 1 told her, one of her livery servants, and Sir John would not like to hear of it. Her Royal Highness said, stop a moment ; flew past me through the hall wli\cnttosee Mr. Canning), and that 1 might inake my mind easy, as ladies in waiting never repeated my thing; and she was astonished 1 had thrown out K K U2 such a hint. A day or two after a note was sent to Sir John, as if nothing had happened, requesting him to 2:0 to Montague House. I he servant who brought it drove Mrs. Vernon from Black heath home to her own house in town, and I have no doubt it will be found (if inquiry is made) that Mrs. Vernon was put prematurely out of her waiting, lest I should explain with her. Sir John obeyed Her Royal Highnesses summons, and she received him in the most gracious pleasant manner, taking as much pains to please and flatter him ?iow as she had formerly done by me, and began a conversation with him relat- ing to a General Innes, of the Marines, whom the Admiralty thought proper, with many others, to put upon the retired list ; she exprest an ardent desire to get that officer reinstated, and consulted Sir John, as belonging to the same corps, how she could accom- plish such an undertaking. Sir John listened to her attentively, and made her short and very polite answers acquainting her that no such thing was ever done. She then said she must speak to Lord Melville about it, as it was a hard case. The luncheon was then announced, and she ordered Sir John to attend berselfand the ladies. Sir John found Mrs. Vernon was sent off, and a hidy was there whom he did not know, but thought it was Lady Carnarvon. When they were all seated Sir John remained on his legs, and she looked anxiously at him, and said, ' My dear John, sit down and eat.'* lie bowed, with distant respect, and said, he could not cat ; that he was desirous of returnino- to town ; and if Her Royal Highness had no further business with him, he would beg leave to go. The Princess looked quite disconcerted, and said, what, not eat any thing? not sit down? pray take a glass of wine then. He bowed again as before, and repeated that he could neither cat nor drink. Well then, she ?aid, *' Come again soon, my dear John ; always glad to see you." Sir John made no reply, bowed and left the room. I now received, by the tvyopenny post, a long anony^ pious letter, written, by this restless mischievous person 243 th Princess of Wales, in which, in language'which any one who had ever heard her speak, would have known to be hers, she called me all kind of names, impucjent, silhj^ wretched^ un^rateful^ and illiteral (meaning illiterate), she telk me to. take that^ and it will mend ray HI temper^ &c. &c. &c. and says, she is a person high in this government, and has often an opportunity of* freciy with His Majesty, and she thinks my con- duct authorizes her to tell him off, and that she is my only true and integer friend. Such is the spirit of this foreigner, which would have dis2:raced a house- maid to have written, and it incloses a fabricated anonymous letter, wliich she pretends to have received, and upon which she built her doubts and disapprobation of me, as it advises her not to trust me, for 1 am indiscreet, and tell every body that the child she took from Deptford, was her own. The whole construction of both these epistles, from beginning to end, are evidently that of a foreigner, and a very ignorant one, and the vulgarity of it is altogether quite shocking. In one part she exclaims that she did not think that I should have had the em- pudence to come on her door again, and tells me 'tis for my beino- indisereet and not having allowed her to call me a liar, that she treats me thus, and that I would do well to remeipber the story of Henrt/ the Eighth's Queen, and Lady Douglas. I was instantly satisfied it was from her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and that Mrs. Fitzgerald had shewn her my letter, and this was her answer to at. I immediately carried it to Sir John Douglas, who said he was sure it came from the Princess, and he shewed it to Sir Sidney Smith, who said, every word and expression in it were those which the Princess of Wales con- stantly used. Sir John desired me now to give hiui a full explanation of what her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales had confided to me, and whether I had ever mentioned it. 1 gave him my solemn word of honour it had never passed my lips, and 1 was only * So in the authenticated copy ; some words seem omitted. 2U now ooing to utter it at his positive desire. Tliat In r Koyal llisjhness the Princess of Wales told me slir WHS with cliild, and that it came to life at Lady Wil- loughby*s, that if she was discovered she would give the Prince of Wales the credit, for she slept at Carl- ton House twice tire year she was pregnant ; that she often spoke of her situntion, compared herself and me to Mary and Klizaheth, and told me \fhen she shewed me the child, that it was the little boy she had two da} s after I last saw her, that was the 30t\i of October; therefore her son was born on the 1st of November, and I take a retrospect view of things after J knew the day of his birth, and found her J i oval Highness mii^t have gone down stairs and dined with all the Chancellors about the fourth day after she was delivered, with the intention, if discovered, of having them all to say they dined with her in perfect health so early in November, that it could not be. Sir John recollected all her whims, and went over her whole conduct, and he firmly believes her to be the another of the reputed Deptford chiUL I then ac- quainted him of the pains she had taken to estrange )uy mind and affections from him, and he saw her pursuit of now changing sides, and endeavouring to estrange him from me, lost, if we lived in a happy state of confidence, I might make kBovvn her situation ta him ; and we agioed that as we had.no means of communicating at present with his Majesty, or the Heir Apparent, we must wait patiently until called upon to bring forward her conduct, as there seemed little doubt we should one dav be. Findins? that Sir John Dou-jIhs did not choose to visit where his wife was discarded and hurt in the estimation of her ac- quaintance, her fury became so unbounded, that she sought what she could do most atrocious, wicked, and inhiuuan, she reached her* it would seem, that the result was, she made two drawings with a pen and ink, and sent them to' us by the two- penny post, representing me as having disgraced my* * A blaak in the authenticated copy. 245 self with his old friend vSir Sidney Sniitli. They are of the most indecent nature, dra\'t n with her own hand, and words upon them in her own hand-writingi Sir .lohn. Sir Sidney, and myself, can all swear point blaiik without a moment's hesitation ; and if her Koyai Highness is a subject and amenable to the laws of this country (and J conceive her to be so) she ought to he tried and judged by those laws for doing thus, to throw firebrands into the bosom of a quiet famiiy. My husband with that cool good sense which has ever marked his character, and with a belief in my innocence, which nothing but f,K"ts can stagger (tor it is founded upon m}^ having been fiithful to him nine years before we Avere married, and seven years since), as well as his long acquaintance with Sir Sidney Smith's character and disposition, and having seen the J'rincess of AVales's loose and vicious character, put the letters in his pocket, and v/ent instantly to Sir Sidney Smith. Sir Sidney was as much astonished as we had been. Sir John theit told him, he put the question to him, and expected an answer sucli as an officer and gentleman ought io give to his friend : Sir Sidney Smith gavcSh' John iiis iiand, as his old friend and companion, and assuR'd him in the most solemn manner, as an oilicer an{t gentleman, that the whole was the most audaciou'^ and wicked calumny ; and he would swear to its being the hand-writing of the Princess of Wales ; and that he believed Lady Douglas to be the same virtuous domestic woman he thought her when Sir John first made him known to her. Sir Sidney added, " I never s:iid a word to your wife, but what you might have heard ; and harl 1 been so base as to attempt any thing of the kind under your roof, I should deserve for you to shoot lYic like a mad dog. 1 am ready to go witli Lady Douglus and yours'jlf, and let us ask her what she means by it; confront her." Accordingly Sir Jolui wrote a noi.r to the lady in waiting, which was to this effect: " Sir John and Lady Douglas, and Sir Sidney Smith, present tlu.-ir (N)mpliments to the lady \}\ waiting, and recp.iest '-ht- xv ill have the goodness to 246 say to her Royal Highness the Princess of" Walcs^ that they are desirous of having an audience of her Uoyal Highness immediately." We received no an- swer to this note; hut, in a few days, an answer was sent to Sir Sidney Smith, stating, that her Koyat Highness the Princess of Wales was much indisposed, and could not sec any one at present. This was di- rected to Sir Sidney Smith at our house, although he did not live there. This was an acknowIed2:ment of her guilt: she could not face us; it was satisfactory to us all, for it said 1 am the author, let me off; but to make one's satisfaction upon this the more '|:)erfect, and to warn her of the danger she runs of dis- . covcry, when she did such flagrant things, I wrote the under- written note, and put into the Post-office, directed to herself. "Madam, " I received your former anonymous letter safe; " also your two last, with drawings. " I am. Madam, " Your obedient servant, (Signed) ^' CHAPtLOTTE DOUGLAS." It appears evident that her Royal Highness received this safe, and felt how she had committed herself; for, instead of returning it in the old style, she sent for his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, and re- quested him to send for Sir Sidne}', and by the post Sir Sidney received an anonymous letter, saying, the writer of that wished for no civii dissensions, and that there seldom was a difference where, if the parties wished it, they could not arrange matters. Sir Sidney brouirht this curious letter to shew Sir John, and we wiM'C ,dl satisfied it w^as from her Royal Highness, wiio, thinking Sir Sidney and Sir John might, by this time, be cutting each other's throats, sent very gra- i'iously to stop them: in short, she called them civil dissi nsions. llis Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, tc.iig employed to negotiate, sent for Sir Sidney 247 Smith, and acquainted him, that he was desired by her lloyal Highness to say, that she would see Sir Sichiey Smith in the course of a few days, provided, when he came to her, he avoided all disagreeable dis- cussiojis whatsoever. His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent then sought from Sir Sidney an explanation of the matter; Sir Sidney Smith tiien gave the Duke of Kent a full detail of circynistances, and ended by saying, " We all could, and would, swear the draw- ings and words contained in those covers were written by the Princess of AVales ; for, as if she were fully to convict herself, she bad sealed one of the covers with the identical seal she had used upon the cover, when she summoned Sir John to luncheon at Mon- tague House." His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, finding w hat a scrape she had entangled herself in, exclaimed " Abominable! foolish to be sure: but Sir Sidney Smith, as this matter, if it makes a noise, may distress his Majesty and be injurious to his health, 1 wish Sir John and Lady Douglas would (at least for the present) try to forget it : and if my mak- ing them a visit would be agreeable, and soothe their minds, I will go with all my heart, though I am not yet acquainted with them, and 1 will speak fully to the Princess of Wales, and point out to her the dan- ger of doing such things; but, at all events, it would be very injurious to His Majesty's health, if it came- to his ears just novv." Sir Sidney Smith came from Jlis Royal Highness the Duke of Kent to us, and delivered His Royal Highness's message. Sir John (^clined ail negotiation: but told Sir Sidney Smith, that he was empowered to say to the Duke of Kent I'ioni liiiu, thrit of w hatsoevcr extent he might * his injuries, and however anxious he might be to seek justice, y(^t when he received such an intima' tion from one of tle Royal Family, he would certainly [)ause before he took any of those HiL'a:,ures he meant to take; and if that was the cas(^ and His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent was desirous ol'his beipi^ * s ill thf anthcjiticatcd copy. 2-18 quirt, lest His Majesty's health or peace might be disturbed by it, his duty, and his attachment to his . Sovereign were so sincere, that he would bury (for the present) his private calamity, for the sake of His jMajesty's repose and the public good ; but he begged to be clearly understood, that he did not mean to bind himself hereafter, but reserve to himself a full right of exposing the ]*rincess of VVale.s, when he judged it mi.aht be done w^ith greats* effect, raid when it was not likely to disturb the repose of this country. . Sir Sidney Smith told us that he had delivered Sir John's message, verbatim, to the Duke of Kent ; and, a short time afterwards, his Royal Highness com- manded Sir John and Sir Sidney to dine with him at Kensington Palace ; but the Duke of Kent did not speak to Sir John upon the subject, and the matter rested there, and would have slept for some time, had not the Princess of Whales recommenced a fresh tor- rent of outrage against Sir John ; and had he not discovered, that she was attempting to undermine his and Lady Douglas's character. Sir John, therefore, was compelled to communicate his situation to his iloyal Highness the Duke of Sussex, in order that he might acquaint the Royal Pamilyof the manner the Princess of Whales was proceeding in, and to claim his Majesty's and the Heir Apparent's protection. His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, with that good- ness and consideration Sir Jolm expected from him, has informed his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who sentSir John word, that " He desired to have afuU detail of all that passed during tlreir acquaintance with her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and how they became known to her, it appearing to the Heir Ap- parent, from the n^jresentation of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, that his Majesty's dearest in- terests, and those of this country, were very deeply involved in the question ; his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has commanded them to be very cir- cumstanti;d in their detail respecting all they may know relative to the child the Princess of Walts DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 240 afleeted to adopt. Sir John and Lady Doug-las repeat, that being- so called upon, they feel it their duty to de- tail what they know, for the information of his Majesty and the Prince of Wales, and they have so done, as upon oath, after having very seriously considered the matter, and are ready to authenticate whatever they have said, if it should be required, for his Majesty's further infor- mation. I have drawn up this detail in the best manner I could ; and fear, from my never having- before at- tempted a thing of the kind, it will be full of errors, and being much fatigued from writing of it, from the original, it eight and forty hours, of the facts contained therein, I believe they are correct ; I am ready to assert, in the most solemn manner, that I know them all to be true. (Signed) CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS. JOHN DOUGLAS. In the presence of AUGUSTUS FREDERICK. Greenwich Parky Dec. 3, 180>. Copies of all the Papers alhidcd to in this Detail a^'e in the hands of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. (Signed) JOHN DOUGLAS. In the presence of AUGUSTUS FREDERICK. A true Copy, 1j. Bloomfield. A true Copy, J. Becket. Whitehall, 29th An(/mt, 1806. 1. I- 260 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. NAIIKATIVE OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF KENT. " To introduce the following* relation, it is necessary for me to premise, that on entering the Prince of Wales's l)eci-j'oon}, where our interview took place, my brother, after dismissing- his attendants, said to me, that circum- stances had come to his knovvledg'e with respect to a transaction with the Princess of Wales, in which he found that / had been a party concerned ; that if he had not placed the most entire reliance on my attachment to him, and he was pleased to adxl, on the well known up- rightness of my character and principles, he should cer- tainly have felt himself in no small degree offended at having learnt the facts alluded to from olherSf and not in the first instance from me, which he conceived himself every way entitled to expect, but more especially from that footing of confidence on which he had ever treated me through life ; but that being fully satisfied my explana- tion of the matter wonld prove that he was not wrong in the opinion he had formed of the honourable motives that had actuated me in observing a silence with regard to Idm upon the subject, he then was anxiously waiting forme to proceed w ith a narrative, his wish to hear which he was sure he had only to express to ensure my immediate acquiescence with it. TliC Prince then gave me his hand, assuring me he did not feel the smallest degree of displeasure towai'ds me, and proceeded to introduce the subject upon which he required information. When, feeling it a duty I owed to him, to withhold from his knowledge no part of the circumstances conticcicd with it, that I could bring back to my recollection, I related the facts to him, as nearly as I can rcmembe)*, in the following words : " Ai;out a twelvemonth since, or therea'jouts, (for I cannot speak positively to the exact date) I received a note from the Prince;ss of Wales, by which she requested me to come over to Blackheath, in order to assist her in ar- ranging a disagreeable matter, between her. Sir Sydney Smith, and Sir John and Lady Douglas, the particulars of whicli she would relate to me, when I should call. 1, in consequence, waited upon her, agreeable to her desire, a day or two after, when she commenced the conversa- DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 2ol tion, by teHing" me, that she sup}30sed I knew she hat! at one time lived with Ladv Douglas on a footinsr of in- liniacy, but that she had had reason afterwards to repent having- made her acquaintance, and was tlierefore rejoiced when she left Bhickheath for Plymouth, as she conceived that circumstances wonld break off all farther communi- cation between her and that lady. That, however, con- trary to her expectation, upon the return of Sir John and her from Plymouth to London, Lady Doug-las had called and left her name twice or three times, notwithstanding she must have seen that admission was refused her ; that having been confirmed in the opinion she liad before liad occasion to form of her Ladyship by an anonymous letter she had received, in which she was very strongly cau- tioned against renewing her acquaintance with her, both as being unworthy of her confidence, from the liberties she had allowed herself to take with the Princess's name, and the lightness of her character, she had felt herself obliged, as Lady Douglas would not take the hint, that her visits were not wished for, to order Miss Vernon to write her a note, specifically telling her that they would in futiu'e be dispensed with; that the consequence of this iiad been an application, through one of her ladies, in the joint names of Sir Sydney Smith, Sir John and Lady Douglas, for an audience, to require an explanation of this, which they considered an affront ; and that, being- determined not to grant it, or to suffer any unpleasant discussion upon the subject, she intreated me to take whatever steps I might judge best to put an end to the nuittei', and rid her of all further trouble about it. I stated in reply, that I had no knowledge of either Sir John or Lady Douglas, and therefore could not, in the first instance, address myself to them, but tliat I had some acquaintance with Sir Sydney Smith, and if the Princess was not averse to that channel, 1 would try what I could in that way effect. This being- assented to by the Princess, I took my leave, and innnedialely, on my return home, wrote a note to Sir Sydney, re- questing him to call on me as soon as he convemently could, as I had some business to speak to him U])on. Sir Sydney, in consequence, called on me (I think) the next day, when I related to him the conversation, as 2o-2 DELICATE INVESTICtATrON. fibove stated, that I had Imd witli the Princess. After hearing all I had to say, he observed, tliat the Princess, in stating' to nie that her prohibition to Lady Douglas to repeat her visits at Blackheath, had led to the application for an audience of her Royal Highness, had kept from me the real cause why he, as well as Sir John and Lady Douglas, had made it, as it originated in a most scan- dalous anonymous letter, of a nature calculated to set on Sir John and him to cut each other's throats, which, from the hand-writing and style, they were both fully convinced, was the production of the Princess herself. 1 naturally expressed my sentiments upon such conduct, on the part of the Princess, in terms of the strongest ani- madversion ; but, nevertheless, anxious to avoid the shameful eclat which the publication of such a fact to the world must produce ; the effect which its coming to the King's knowledge would probably have on his health, from the delicate state of his nerves, and all the additional misunderstandings between his Majesty and the Prince, %vhich I foresaw would inevitably follo^w, were this fact, which would give the Prince so powerful ahandle to express lii^s feelings upon the countenance shewn by the King to the Princess,at atime when I knew him to be severely wounded, hy his Majesty's virsits to Blackheath on the one hand, and the reports he had received of the Princess's conduct on the other, to be biought to light ; I felt it my bounden duty, us an honest man, to urge all these arguments with Sir Sydney Smith in the most forcible manner I was master of, adding also as a further object, worthy of the most serious consideration, the danger of any appearance of ill blood in the .'"amily at such an eventful crisis, and to press upon his mind the necessity of his using his best endeavours with Sir John Douglas, iiotvi^ithstanding all the provo- cation that had been given them, to induce him to let the matter drop, and pursue it no further. Sir Sydney observed to me, that Sir John Douglas was a man whom, when once he had taken a line from a principle of honour, it was vei'y difficult to persuade him to depart from it; however, as he thought that if any man could prevail \ipon him, he might flatter himself with being the most likely to persuade him, from the weight he had with him; he would immediately try how far he could gain upon DELICATE INVESTIGATION, 253 liim, bv makiiio' use of those arofumeiits I had brouo'ht forward to induce him to drop the matter altog-ether. About four or five days after this, Sir Sydney called upon me again, and informed me, that upon making use with Sir John, of those reasons which I had authorised his statinfr to be those by which I was actuated in making the request that he would not press tlic business farther, lie had not been able to resist their force, but that the whole extent of pi-omise he liad been able to obtain of him, amounted to no more than that he wouldf under ex- isting circumstances, remain quiets if left unmolested, for that he would uot pledg-e himself not to bring- the subject forward hereafter, when the same motive might no longer operate to keep him silent. This result I communicated, to the best of my recollection, the following day, to the Princess, who seemed satisfied with it, and from that day to the present one, (November 10, 1805,) I never have heard the subject named again in any shape, until called upon by the Prince, to make known to him the circumstances of this transaction, as far as I could bring them to my recollection." And now having fulfilled what the Prince wished me to do to the best of my abilities, in case hereafter any one by whom a narrative of all the circumstances as re- lated by Sir John and Lady Douglas, of whom I was informed by my brother, subsequent to our conversation, should inuigine that I knevi' more of them than I have stated, I hereby spontaneously declare, that what I have written is the whole extent of what I was apprised of; and had the Princess thought proper to inform me of what, in the narrative of the information given by Sir John and Lady Douglas, is alluded to, I should have felt myself oldiged to decline all interference in the bu- siness, and to have at the same time stated to her, that it would be impossible for me to keep a matter of such importance from the knowledge of the Prince. (Signed) EDWARD. December 27, 1805. A true Copv, A true Co|)y, B. BLOOMFIELD. J. BECKET. Whitehall, 29th Aucjust, 1800. 254 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. For the Purpose of confirmiHg the Statement, made hy J^ady Douglas, of the Circumstances mentioned in her Nar- rative, the following Examinations have been taken, and which have been signed by the several Persons who have been examined. SARAH LAMPERT. N. B. Tfiis int/iess zoas not examined hy the Commissioners ; at least^ no Copy of any Examination of her^s was transmitted with the other Papers ; and no observation is made in the He- port of the Commissioners, or in the answer of her Royal Highness upon her Examinations. It has, therefore, been thought that there was no necessity for publishing them. J here are two of them ; one dated at Cheltenham, Stji Junuary, 1806 ; the other with no date of place, but dated 29th March. 1806. MR. WILLIAM LAMPERT. N. B. The same observations apply to Mr. William Lampert^s Examination, as to those of his Wife, with this additional cir- cumstancey that the whole of his Examijiation is mere hearsay. IJth January, 1806. WILLIAM COLE. Has been with the Prince for 21 years in this month ; he went with the Princess on her marriage, and remained till April, 1802. In 1801, he says, he had reason to be dissatisffied with the Princess's conduct. During the latter part of that year he has seen Mr. Canning several times alone with the Princess, in a room adjoining to the drawing-room, for an hour or two, of which the company took notice. In January, 1802, Sir Sydney frequently came to dine with the Princess, and their intimacy became familiar : he has fre- quently dined and supped at the house, and when the Ladies have retired, about eleven o'clock, he has known Sir Sydney remiWn alone with the Princess an hour or two afterwards ; his suspicions increased very much ; and one night, about twelve o'clock, he saw a person wrapped up in a great coat, go across the park, into the gate to the green-house, and he verily believes it was Sir Sydney. In the month of March, 1802, the Princess ordered some sandwiches, which Cole took into the drawing-room, where he found Sir Sydney talking to the' Princess ; he sat down the sandwiches, and retired. In a short time he went again into the roon), where he found the Gentleman and Lady sitting close together, in so familiar a posture as to alarm him very much, which he expressed by a start back, and a look at the DELICATE INVESTIGATION, 255 Gentleman. He dates his dismissal from this circumstance ; for, about a fortnight afterwards, he was sent for by the Duke of Kent, who told him he had seen the Princess at court the day before : that she had expressed the greatest regard for him, and that she intended to do something for him, by employing him, as a confidential person, to do her little matters in town ; and his attendance at Montague House would not be i-equired. He received this intimation with much concern; but said, her Royal Highness's pleasure must govern him. He says, that the cordiality beween the Princes;, and Lady D. was very soon brought about ; and, he supposes, on Sir Sid- ney's account: that the Princess frequently went across the Heath to Lady D. where she staid till late in the evening, and that, sometimes, Lady D. and Sir Sidney have come with the Princess to Montague House late in the evening, when they have supped. Sometime after he had left Montague House, he went down, when he spoke to Fanny Lloyd, and asked her how things went on amongst them ; she said, she wished she had remained amongst them ; there was strange goings on ; that Sir Sidney was frequently there ; and that one day, when Mary Wilson supposed the Princess to be gone into the library, she went into the bed-room, where she found a man at breakfast with the Princess ; that there was a -reat to do about it ; and that Marv Wilson was sworn to secrecy, and threatened to be turned away if she divulged what she had seen. He does not know innch. of Vv'liat passed at Margate in 180;J. In 1801, tl.e Princess was at Southend, where I'^aiiny liloyd also was ; when Cole s-nv her after her return, he asked liovv the}' had gone on ; she said, ' Delightful doings, always on ship-board, or the Captain at our house." She told him, that one evening, when all v/ere supposed to be in bed, Mrs. h'Mc iDOt a man in the passage ; but no alarm Avas made this was Captain Manby : he was constantly in the house. Mr. Cole says, that Mrs. Sander knows every thing ; that she has appeared in great distress on many occasions. ancL has said to him, the Priiicoss is. an altered woman ; he believ^ Sander to be a very respecta!)le woman. He says, that he believes Roberts to be an honest man; that Roberts has s;jitl to him. As Roberts himself zpnx cxfuit'nied bij the Comrtms'ioners^ and his dcposiiioti is ^ivcn in Appendix A. JS'o. 8, zchat Co/e scujs he heard him saij is omitted here. That Arthur, the gardener, is a decent man, but does not knmv if he is privy to any thing. That Ridgood i-^ a deaf quiet man, but thiidvs he has not been coiyfidentlally trusted. That Mrs. Gosden was nurse to the cliild, and was always up-stairs with it; she is a respectable woman; but after some 256 DELICATE IN.VESTIGATION. time, took upon herself much consequence, and refused to dine in the servant's hall. In ISOl, Lawrence, the painter, was at Montague House, for four or five days at a time, painting- the Princess's picture; that he was frequently alone, late in the night, with the Prin- cess, and much suspicion was entertained of him. WM. COLE. 14^// January^ 1806. WILLIAM COLE. Says, that the Princess was at Mr. Hood's, at Satherington, near Portsmouth, for near a month in the last summer, where she took her footman and servants. That the liouse in wljich Mr. Hood lived was given up to the Princess, and he and his family, went to reside in a small house adjoining. That the Princess and Mr. Hood very frequently went out in the forenoon, and remained out for four or five hours at a time. That they rode in a gig, attended by a boy, (a country lad) servant to Mr. Hood, and took with them cold meat ; that they used to get out of the gig, and walk into the wood, leaving the boy to attend the horse and gig till their return. This happen- ed very frequently : that the Duke of Kent called one day, and seeing the Princess's attendants at the window, came into the house, and after waiting some time, went away without seeing the Princess, who was out with Mr. Hood. This information Mr. Cole had from Fanny Lloyd. When Mr. Cole found the drawing-room, which led to the staircase to the Princess's apartments, locked, he does not know whether any person was with her, but it appeared odd to him, as he had formed some suspicions. Mr. Cole says, that he saw the Princess at Blackheath about four times in the year 1802, after he left her in April, and five or six times times in London ; that he had heard a story of the Princess's being with child, but cannot say that he formed an opinion that she was so ; that she grew lusty, and appeared large behind : and that at the latter end of the year he made the observation, that the Princess was grown thinner. That he cannot form an opinion about the child ; that he had seen an old man and woman (about 50 years of age) at Monta- gue House on a Sunday, and has inquired who they were, when he was answered by the servants in the hall, " That is dittle Billy's mother," (meaning the child the Princess had taken, and which was found by Stikeman.) WM. COLE. DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 257 Temple^ dO'lh Januaru^ 1806. WILLIAM COLE Says, that on the I7th of January instant, he walked from Blackheath to London with Mr. Stikeraan, and, in the conver- sation on tlie road, Cole mentioned the circumstance of the little child, saying, that he was sjrown a fine interesting boy ; to which Stikeman replied, What, do you mean Billy Austin ? Cole said Yes. Pray do the old man and woman come to see the child as usual ? Stikeman said, " Old man and woman ! they are not old ; we have not seen them much lately ; they live at Deptford:" but he appeared to avoid any conversation on the subject. Cole says, that the account of the correspondence be- tween the Princess and Captain Manby was communicated to him by Fanny Lloyd, but she never mentioned any such cor- respondence having taken place through Sicard, since Captain Manby went abroad. Cole says, that he has not been in the company, or presence of the Prince alone, or had any conversation with him on this, or any other subject, since the Princess went to live at Charl- ton, which is near nine years ago. WM. COLE %M February, 1806. WILLIAM COLE Says, that a Gentleman and Lady were sitting close together on the sofa; but there was nothing particular in their dress, position of legs or arms, that was extraordinary ; he thought it improper that a single Gentleman should be sitting quite close to a married Lady on the sofa ; and from that situation, and former observations, he thought the thing improper. The person who was alone ^vith the Lady at late hours of the night (twelve and one o'clock,) and whom he left sitting up after he went to bed, was Mr. Lawrence the painter, which happened two different nights at least. As to the observation made about Sir Sidney having a key of every door about the gardens, it was a gardener, who was com- plaining of the door of the green-house being left open, and the plants damaged, and who made the same to Mr. Larapert, the servant of Sir John Douglas, and which he mentioned at Cheltenham to Sir John and Mr. Lowten. Lampert said he should know the gardener again. Temple, ^th April, 1806. ROBERT BIDGOOD. Have lived with the Prince 23 years on the 18th of Septem- ber next, and have been with the Princess since 21st March, 1798. In 1802, we were at Blackheath, and did not go to any ther place; in 1801, Sir Sidney Smith left his card at Monta- I?58 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. ' gue House, and he was afterwards invited to dinner; and, in the Spring of 1802, Lady Douglas came to reside at the Tower, where she stayed about three weeks. During this time Sir Sidney was frequently at the House, both morning and evening, and remained till three or four o'clock in the morning. He has seen Sir Sidney in the blue parlour early (by ten o'clock) in the morning : and, on inquiring from the footman how he came there without his knowledge, they said, they had not let him in, and knew nothing of his being there. He does not know of Sir Sidney being alone till three or four o'clock in the morning, as there were other Ladies in the house. During the year 1802, the Princess used to ride out in her phaeton, attend- ed by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and took out cold meat, and went to- wards Dartford, where she spent the day, and returned about six or seven in the evening, Williams, the coachman, always attended the Princess. Lady Douglas, during the year 1802, was constantly at Mon- tague House, and was admitted at all times. The Princess was used frequently to go to Lady Douglas's house, where Sir Sid- ney resided; at the end of that year there was a misunder- standing between Lady Douglas and the Princess; and one day he saw Lady Douglas leave the house in tears, and after- wards she has not visited the Princess. Mr. Bidgood's wife has lately told him, that Fanny Lloyd told her, that Mary Wilson had told Lloyd, that one day, when she went into the Princess's room, she found the Princess and Sir Sidney in the fact ; that she (Wilson) immediately left the room, and fainted at the door. In the winter of 1802, and the spring of 1803, Captain Manby became a visitor at Montague House ; his frigate was fitting out at Deptford, and Bidgood has reason to believe, that the Princess fitted up his cabin, for he has seen the cotton furniture brought to the Princess to choose the pattern, which was sent to Blake, her upholsterer, in London-street, Green- wich. When Captain Manby was about to sail, he was walk- ing in the anti-room, to let Captain Manby out : and, as he stayed some time, Bidgood looked into the room, and from a mirror on the opposite side of the room to where Captain Manby and the Princess stood, he saw Captain Manby kissing the Princess's lips; and soon afteinvards he went away. He saw the Princess, with her hankerchief to her fece, and go into the drawing-room, apparently in tears. In 1803, was not with the Princess at Margate. In 1804, was with the Princess at Southend. We went there the 2d of May ; Sicard was constantly on the look-oKt for the Africaine, Captain Manby's ship ; and about a month after- wards, Sicard descried the ship, before she came to the Nore. The instant the ship cast anchor, the Captain came on shore in DELICATE INVESTIGATION. S69 his boat to the Princess. The Princess had two houses, Nos. 8 and 9. She lived at No. 9 ; and on Sicard seeing Captain Manby come on shore, he ran down the shrubbery to meet, and shewed him into the house, No. 9 ; Captain Manby was constantly at No. 9 ; and used to go in the evening on board his ship, for some weeks ; but afterwards he did not return on board the ship in the evening, and Bidgood had seen him in the morning, by ten o'clock, in the house, No. 9 ; and, from the circumstance of towels, water, and glasses, being placed in the passage, he had reason to believe that Manby had slept there all night. In 1805, Bidgood was not with the Princess in Hampshire. After the Princess returned from Hampshire, Captain Hood used to visit the Princess at Blackheath alone, without his wife. Captain Hood used to come about twelve o'clock, and was shewn into the blue room, where luncheon was ordered; and the Princess and the Captain were alone together, without a lady or other attendant. He used to stay dinner, and some- times in boots: about an hour afterwards coffee was ordered; after which the Princess retired, and Captain Hood had also left the room, and had not been let out of the house by any of the servants. Bidgood has not seen Captain Hood since about Christmas last. Bidgood has strong suspicions that Mrs. Sander used to de- liver letters to Sicard, Avhich he conceived to be from the Princess to Captain Manby, as Sicard used to put the letters into his pocket, and not into the common bag for letters. Mrs. Sander must be fully informed of all the circumstances above alluded to. Mary Wilson and Miss Mielfield must also know all the circumstances. Bidgood has seen the mother (as she is called) of the little boy frequently at Montague House ; the child was about three weeks old when he first saw it. The mother was at Montague House on Monday last. The husband worked at Deptford Yard ; but was discharged, and Stikeman has since employed him at his house in town. The mother appears to be better dressed than usual. (Signed) R. BIDGOOD. SARAH BIDGOOD. About six months ago, in a conversation with Fanny I^loyd, respecting the general conduct of the Princess, she said, that whilst Sir Sidney visited the Princess, that Mary Wilson had fone into the bed-room to make up the fire, and found the rincess and Sir Sidney in such an indecent situation, that she immediately left the room, and was so shocked that she faint- ed away at the door. 960. DEI^lCATE INVESTIGATION. ( This witness was not excnnined htfore the Commissioners , at least, no Copy of such 'Examination , if there zcas an?/, was transmitted with the other Papers. The fust paragraph in her examination is, however, stated above, as it is observed upon in the Princess's Answer ; but the remainder, not being adverted to, either by the Commissioners'' Report, or by the Answer, and heing all hearsay, is omitted.) Temple, IWi Mat/, JSOfi. vi .... .. FRANCES LLOYD, FROM RIPLEY IN SURREY. To the best of my knowledge, Mary Wilson said tliat she had seen the Princess and Sir Sidney in the blue room; but she is so close a woman that she never opens her month on any occasion ; never heard Mary Wilson say she was so alarm- ed as to be in a fit. Heard the gardener at Ramsgate say one day, at dinner, that he had seen Mr. Sicard and Captain Manby go across the lawn towards a subterraneous passage leading to the sea. When her Royal Highness was going to the launch, Sir An- drew Hammond and his son came by the day before, and dined with her, and in the next morning, about four o'clock, after the doors of the house were open, she saw Captain Manby sitting in the drawing-room of the adjoining house to her Royal Highness, which room belonged to her. One morning, about six o'clock, she was called to get break- fast for her Royal Highness, when she saw Captain Manby, and her walking in the garden, at Ramsgate. Heard from Mrs. Lisle's maid, that the Princess, when at Lady Sheffield's, went out of her bed-room, and'could not find her way back ; but nothing more. About four years ago, as I think, Mr. Mills attended me for a cold, and, in conversation he asked me if the Prince visited at our house? I said, not to my knowledge. He said the Princess certainly was with child. FRANCES LLOYD, A true copy, (Signed) J. Becket. Whitehall, 29th August, 1806. FINIS. J. G. Barnard, Printer, 67, Skinner street, London. University of Caiifomia SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. (/^ 3 1158 01223 7318 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A A 000 099 996