EDWARDS'S GENUINE EDITION,
THE BOOK !"
OR, THE
PROCEEDINGS AND CORRESPONDENCE
UPON THE SUBJECT OF THE
INQUIRY .
INTO
THE CONDUCT OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS
tfrftwotf of ffialig
UNDER A COMMISSION APPOINTED BY
THE KING
IN THE YEAR 1806.
FAITHFULLY COPIED FROM AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,
2U $arrattoe of rtje Decent
That have led to the Publication of the Origiual Documents.
WITH
A STATEMENT OF FACTS
RELATIVE TO
THE CHILD,
Now nnder the Protection of Her Royal Highness.
Stonfcon :
PRINTED BY AND FOR RICHARD EDWARDS,
CRANE COURT, FLEET STREET ;
AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM-
1813.
ADVERTISEMENT.
THE publisher of the present Volume cannot
but regret that circumstances, of an imperious
nature, have rendered it absolutely necessary
that the WHOLE OF THE DOCUMENTS upon the
subject of the Inquiry into the Conduct of Her
ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES,
should be submitted to the examination of the
public.
This being the only means by which a fair and
impartial judgment can be formed upon the "De-
licate Investigation," the publisher conceives
that he is merely performing an act of justice in
delivering to the world a genuine and unmutilated
copy of the suppressed book, as it was printed by
him in the year 1807, under the direction of the
late Mr. PERCEVAL.
Of the herd of spurious works on this subject,
which are so industriously obtruded upon public
notice, it is unnecessary to speak. The garbled
2O687Q4
extracts, also, that have been given in the News-
papers are but ill calculated to satisfy the public
concerning this highly important and interesting
Inquiry.
In addition to the documents printed in 1807,
the present work will be found to contain a Mi-
nute of Cabinet of January 25, 1807 ; a Minute of
Council of April 21, in the same year; and a
Letter from the Princess of Wales to the King,
dated the 2nd of October, 1806.
To this edition, exclusively, are added, A Nar-
rative of the Hecent Events, that have led to the
publication of the " Book ;" and A Statement of
Facts, relative to the CHILD now under the pro-
tection of Her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales; disclosing circumstances of great interest,
which are exclusively in the possession of the
publisher.
Crane Court, Fleet Street,
March 19, 1813.
CONTENTS.
Page
A NARRATIVE of Recent Events, ix
REPO RT of tlie Commissioners 3
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated August 12, 1806 10
Note from the Princess of Wales to the Lord Chan-
cellor, dated August 17, 1806 13
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated August 17, 1806 13
Note from the Lord Chancellor to the Princess of
Wales, dated August 20, 1806 19
Note from the Lord Chancellor to the Princess of
Wales, dated August 24, 1 806 20
Note from the Lord Chancellor to the Princess of
Wales, dated August 29, 1806 21
Note from the Princess of Wales to the Lord Chan-
cellor, dated August 31, 1806.... 22
Note from the Lord Chancellor to the Princess of
Wales, dated September 2, 1 806 24
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated October 2, 1806 .'.. 2t
Deposition of Thomas Manby, Esq. dated the 22d
of September, 1806... I 181
Deposition of Thomas Lawrence, Esq. dated the 24th
of September, 1806....... 182
Deposition of Thomas Edmeades, dated September
26, 1806, 184
Memorandums of the Heads of Conversation be-
tween Lord Moira, Mr. Low ten, and Mr. Ed-
meades, on the 14th of May, 1806 187
Deposition of Jonathan Partridge, sworn on the 25th
of September, 1806 1Q1
Deposition of Philip Krackeler and Robert Eagle-
stone, sworn on the 27th of September, 1806 .. 192
Letter from the Princess of Wales to his Majesty,
dated the 8th of Dec. 1806 194
VI CONTENTS.
Page
Minute of Cabinet, January 25, 1807, 198
Note from the Lord Chancellor to the Princess of
Wales, dated January 28, 1807 200
Note from His Majesty to the Princess of Wales.... 201
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated January 9, 1807 203
Note from His Majesty to the Princess of Wales,
dated January 29, 1807 '204
Note from His Majesty to the Princess of Wales,
dated February 10, 1307-.- 204
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated February 12, 1807 205
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated February 16, 1807 206
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated March 5, 1807 243
Letter from the Princess of Wales to His Majesty,
dated October 2, 1806 245
Minute of Council, dated April 21, 1807 246
LIST OF THE DOCUMENTS
STATED IN THE
APPENDIXES.
APPENDIX (A.)
No.
1. Warrant, or Commission, authorising the Inquiry,
dated May 29, 1806 1
2. Deposition of Charlotte Lady Douglas, sworn
June 1, 1806 $>
3. Deposition of Sir John Douglas, sworn on the
6th of June, 1 806 8
4. Deposition of Robert Bidgood, swoi n on the J st
of June, 1806 .... 9
5. Deposition of William Cole, sworn on the 6th of
June, 1806 , n
CONTENTS. vii
No. Page
6. Deposition of Frances Lloyd, sworn on the 7th
of June, 1806 13
7. Deposition of Mary Ann Wilson, sworn June 7th,
1806 15
8. Deposition of Samuel Roberts, sworn on the 7th
of June, 1806 16
9. Deposition of Thomas Stikeman, sworn on the
7th of June, 1806 17
10. Deposition of John Sicard, sworn on the 7th of
June, 1806 20
1 1. Deposition of Charlotte Sander, sworn on the 7th
ofJune, 1806 21
12. Deposition of Sophia Austin, sworn on the 7th
of June, 1806 24
13. Letter from Earl Spencer to Lord Gwydir, dated
JuneSO, 1806 25
14. Letter from Lord Gwydir to Earl Spencer, dated
the 2Ist June, 1806 ..... k 25
15. Letter from Lady Willoughby to Earl Spencer,
dated the 21st of June, 1806 27
16. Extract from the Register of Brownlow Street
Hospital, dated 23d June, 1806 27
17. Deposition of Elizabeth Gosden, sivorn the 23d
of June, 1806 28
18. Deposition of Betty Townley, sworn the 23d of
June, 1806 ,- 29
19- Deposition of Thomas Edmeades, sworn the 25th
of June, 1806 30
20. Deposition of Samuel Gillam Mills, sworn the
25th of June,1806 32
21. Deposition of Harriet Fitzgerald, sworn the 27th
of June, 1806 33
22. Letter from Earl Spencer to Lord Gwydir, dated
the 1st of July, 1806 , 36
23. Letter from Lord Gwydir to Earl Spencer, dated
the 3rd of July, 1806 37
24. Queries and Answers of Lord Gwydir. ........ 37
25. Robert Bidgood's further Deposition, sworn the
3d of July, 1806 39
26. Deposition of Sir Francis Millman, sworn the 3rd
of July, 1806 41
27. Deposition of Mrs. Lisle, sworn on the 3rd of
July, 1806 42
28. Let ter from .-sir Francis Millman, dated the 4th
ofJuly, 1806 46
29. Deposition of Earl Cholmondeley, sworn on the
I6thof July, 1806 47
Vlll CONTENTS.
APPENDIX (B.)
No. Page
1. Statement of Lady Douglas, signed on the 3d of
December, 1805 49
2. Narrative of the Duke of Kent, signed on the
27th of December, 1805 92
3. Examinations of Sarah Lampert and William
Lampert ... ......,_ 97
4. First Examination of William Cole, dated the
llth of January, 1806 98
5. Second Examination of William Cole, dated the
14th of January, 1806 , 100
6. Third Examination of William Cole, dated the
30th of January, 1P06 102
7. Fourth Examination of William Cole, dated the
23d of February, 1806 102
8. Examination of Robert Bidgood, dated the 4th of
April, 1806 103
9. Examination of Sarah Bidgood ..... 106
10. Frances Lloyd, dated the 12th of
May, 1806 107
Statement of Facts relative to the Child now under the
protection of Her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales 119
A NARRATIVE
OP THE
That have ted to the Publication of the Original Dof la-
ments relative to Her Royal Highness
THE PRINCESS OF WALES.
the last three months, ST many hints, advertisements,
and notices appeared in the daily papers, and in various other
ways, that the public mind, was, in some measure, prepared
to expect a full disclosure of the proceedings relative to her
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. The following occur-
rence was the first that strengthened the conviction of every
bserver on this subject.
On the 14th of January last, a sealed letter was transmitted
to Lord Liverpool and Lord Eldon, by Lady Charlotte Camp-
bell, as lady in waiting for the month, expressing her Royal
Highness's pleasure that it should be presented to the Princa
Regent j and there was an open copy for their perusal
On the 15th, the Earl of Liverpool presented his compli-
ments to Lady Charlotte Campbell, and returned the letter
unopened.
On the l6th, 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 com-
pliments to Lady Charlotte, saying, thst the Prince saw no
reason to depart from his determination. >
On the 1/th, it was returned, 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
t
f not communicating the letter to his Royal Highness, and
that she should not be the only subject in the empire, whose
petition was not to be permitted to reach the throne. To
this an answer was given, that the contents of it had beea
made known to the Prince.
On the Igth, 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
26th, she directed a letter to be written, expressing her sur-
prize, that no answer had been given to her application for a
whole week.
To this, an answer was received, addressed to the Princess,
stating, that in consequence of her Royal Highness's demand.
her letter had been read to the Prince Regent on the 23rd,
but that he had not been pleased to express his pleasure
thereon. The following is a copy of this important document :
" Sir,
" It is with great reluctance that I presume to obtrude myself
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 I 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 occupa-
tions of your Royal Highness's time. I should continue, in
silence and retirement, to lead the life which has been pre-
scribed to me, and console myself for the loss of that society
and those domestic comforts to which I have so long been a
.Danger, 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.
" But, Sir, there are considerations of a higher nature than
any regard to my own -happiness, which render this address a
duty both to myself and my daughter. May I venture to say
a duty also to my husband, and the people committed to
fc'u care ? There is a point beyond which a guiltless woman
Wnnot 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, manfully, and directly or by secret insinuation, and
by holding such conduct towards her as countenances all tha
suspicions that malice can suggest. If these ought to be the
feelings of every woman in England who is conscious thaf 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 representa tions which
might then augment the painful difficulties of your exalted
station. At the expiration of the restrictions, I still was in-
clined to delay taking this step, in the hope that I might ow
the redress I sought to your gracious and unsolicited conde-
scension. 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 fresh
grounds of complaint j and I am at length compelled, either
to abandon all regard for the two dearest objects which I pos-
sess 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 atrangement inflicts upon my feel-
ings, although I would fain hope that few persons will be
found of a disposition to think lightly of these. To see my-
self cut off from one of the few domestic enjoyments left me
certainly the only one upon which I set any value, the
society of my child involves me in iuch misery, as I w*ll
b 2
know your tloyal Highness could never inflict upon me if y6ft
were aware of its bitterness. Our intercourse has been gra-
dually diminished. A single interview, weekly, seemed suf-
ficiently hard allowance for a mother's affections. That,
however, was reduced to our meeting once a fortnight j and I
now learn that even this most rigorous interdiction is to be
still more rigidly enforced.
" But while I do not venture to intrude my feelings as t.
mother upon your Royal Highness's notice, 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 ad-
ftjit of one construction a construction fatal to the mother's
tep'Btation. Your Royal Highness will also pardon me for ad-
ding, that there is no less inconsistency than injustice; in this
treatment, sHe who dares advise your Royal Highness to over-
look the evidence of my innocence, and disregard the sentence
of complete acquittal which it produced ; or is wicked and
false" enough still to whisper suspicions in your ear, betrays .
hi* duty to you, sir, to your daughter, and to your people, if
he counsels you to permit a day to pass without a further
investigation of my conduct, f know that no such calum-
niator will venture lo recommend a measure which must
speedily end in his utter confusion. Then let me implore you
to reflect on the situation in which I am placed : without the
shadow of a charge against me---witliout 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 trac'ucers 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 I no other motives for addressing you buj
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, has done more in overcoming my reluctance to in-
trude upon your Royal Highness, than any sufferings of my own
could accomplish j and if for her sake I presume to c.'ll away
your Royal Highness's attention from the other cares of
your exalted 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 realm*
vests your Royal Highness in the regulation of the royal family,
I know, because I am so advised, are ample and unquestion-
able. Mv 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 parental feelings will lead you
to excuse the anxiety of mine for impelling me to represent
the unhappy consequences which the present system must en-
tail upon our beloved child.
" It is impossible, sir, that any one can have attempted to
persuade your Royal Highness, that her character will not be
injured by the perpetual violence offered to her strongest af-
fections 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 infancy and
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 se-
parating 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 judgment peculiarly unfor-
tunate. She who is destined to be the sovereign of this great
country, enjoys none of those advantages of society which are
deemed necessary for imparting a knowledge of mankind to
ersons who have infinitely less occasion to learn that impor-
tant lesson 5 and it may so happen, by a chance which I trust
is very remote, that she should be called upon to exercise th
powers of the Crown, with an experience of the world more
confined than that of the most private individual. To the ex-
traordinary talents with which she is blessed, and which ac-
company a disposition as singularly amiable, frank, and de-
cided, I willingly trust much ; but beyond a certain point the
greatest natural endowments cannot struggle against the dis-
advantages of circumstances and situation. It is my earnest
prayer, for her own sake, as well 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
arrangement occasions ; both by the impossibility of obtaining
the attendance of proper teachers, and the time unavoidably
consumed in the frequent journies 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 circumstance in every
way so distressing both to my parental and religious feelings,
that my daughter has never yet enjoyed the benefit of confir-
mation, 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 in-
treaties upon this serious matter, even if you should listen to
other advisers on things of less near concernment to the wel-
fare 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
motives 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 devotedly 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.
" I am, Sir, with profound respect,'and an attachment
which nothing can alter,
Your Royal Highness's
Most devoted and most affectionate
Consort, Cousin, and Subject,
(Signed) CAROLINE LOUISA."
" Montague House,
Jan. 14, 1813.
Various Cabinet Meetings and Proceedings succeeded this
letter almost immediately.
We must now advert to another circumstance connected
with the Investigation. The Princess Charlotte having been in-
disposed, previously to the Fete given by the Prince Regent, at
Carlton House, on the 5th of February, and this illness after-
wards increasing, her Royal Highness was necessarily oblige
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. 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 Prin-
cess of Wales, at Kensington Palace, on the following Thurs-
day, February the llth. On that morning, the Princess fof
Wales received information that the Princess Charlotte waj
refused coming.
Upon this, the Princess of Wales again addressed Lord
Liverpool 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 reply from Lord Liverpool :
(COPY.)
" Fife-house, Pel. 14, 1813.
te Lord Liverpool has the honour to inform your Royal
Highness, that in consequence of the publication, in the Morn-
ing Chronicle of the 10th inst., of a letter addressed by your
Royal Highness to the Prince Regent, bis Royal Highness
thought fit, by the advice of his confidential servants, to signify
his commands that the intended visit of th& Princess. Charlotte
to your Royal Highness, on the following day, should not
take pi ace.
" Lord Liverpool is not enabled to make any further com-
munication to your Royal Highness on the subject of your
Royal Highness's note."
To this letter, the Princess of Wales commanded Lady Ann*
Hamilton, her lady in waiting, to reply, as follows, to Lord
Liverpool :
" Montague- House, Btackheath, Pel. 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 hi 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 honour in the year 1806.
" Lady A- Hamilton is further commanded to say, that
dignified silence would have been the line of conduct the
Princess would have preserved upon such insinuation (more
than unbecoming Lord Liverpool) , did not the effect arising
from it, operate 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 suppo-
sitions, a mother and daughter should be prevented from meet-
ing a prohibition positively against the law of nature. Lady
( xvii >
Anne Hamilton is commanded further to desire Lord Liver-
pool to lay this paper before the Prince Regent, that his
Royal Highness may be aware into \vhat errors his confidential
servants are leading him, and will involve him, by counselling
and signifying such commands.
Here closed the correspondence.
The Cabinet meetings still continued to be held, and the
Princess of Wales not being informed concerning the nature,
form, and object of their proceedings, her Royal Highness on
the 27th of February, addressed the subjoined letter to the
Earl of Harrowby :
Copy 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 Council respecting her Royal Highness ; and the Princess
has felt persuaded that these reports must be unfounded, be-
cause 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 opportunity of answering, explaining, or even seeing.
" The Princess still trusts that there is no truth in these
rumours ; but she feels it due to herself to lose no time in
protesting against any resolutions affecting her Royal High-
ness, which may be so adopted.
" The noble and right 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
selected by her accusers. The Princess only demands that sh*
may be heard in defence or in explanation of her conduct, if
it is attacked ; and that she should either be treated as inoo-
eent, or proved to be guilty."
( xviii )
A topy of the Report of the honourable the Privy Council,
having been laid before the Prince Regent, was transmit-
ted to her Royal Highness by Viscount Sidmouth, on the
evening of the day on which the above letter was sent;
and Lord Harrowby replied to her Royal Highness, by
letter, to this effect.
'The Report is as follows :
TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE RBGEWT.
The following members of his Majesty's most honourable
Privy Council, viz.
His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury,
The right honourable 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 Castlereagh,
The i ight honourable the Lord Bishop of London,
The right honourable Lord Ellenborough, Lord Chief
Justice of the Court of King's Bench,
The right hon. the Speaker of the House of Commons,
The right honourable the Chancellor ot the Exchequer,
The right honourable the Chancellor of the Duchy,
His honour tfie Master of the Rolls,
The right honourable the Lord Chief Justice of the Court
of Common Pleas*,
* The Chief Justice of the Curt of Common Pleas was prevented by
ndispoiition from attending, during any part of these proceedings.
The right honourable the Jx>rd Chief Baron of the Court
of Exchequer,
The right honourable the Judge of the High Court of
Admiralty,
The right honourable the Dean of the Arches ;
Having been summoned by command f your Royal High-
ness, on the IQth of February, to meet at the office of Vis-
count Sidmouth, Secretary of State for the home department,
a communication was made by his lordship to the lords then
present, in the following terms ;
" MY LORDS,--! 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
having appeared in a public paper, which letter refers to the
proceedings that took place in an Inquiry instituted by com-
mand of his Majesty, in the year 1806, and contains among
other matters, certain animadversions upon the manner in
which the Prince Regent has exercised his undoubted right of
regulating the conduct and education of his daughter the Prin-
cess Charlotte 5 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 Inquiry should be sealed up, and deposited
in the office of his Majesty's principal Secretary of State, in
order that his Majesty's government should possess the means
of resorting to them if necessary, his Royal Highness has been
pleased to direct, 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
Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, for your consider-
ation : 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 intercourse between the Princess of
Wales and her daughter the Princess Charlotte, should con-
tinue to be subject to regulations and restrictions."
" Their lordships adjourned their meetings to Tuesday, the
23d of February j and the intermediate days having been em-
( xx )
ployed in perusing the documents referred to them, by com-
mand of your Royal Highness, they proceeded on that and
the following day to the further consideration of the said docu-
ments, 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 cons' derail on the letter from
her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales to your Royal
Highness, which has appeared in the public papers, and has
been referred to us by your Royal Highness, in which letter
the Princess of Wales, amongst other matters, complains that
the intercourse between her Royal Highness, and her Royal
Highness the Princess Charlotte, has been subjected to cer-
tain restrictions.
" We have also taken into our most serious consideration,
together with the other papers referred to us- by your Royal
Highness, all the documents relative to the Inquiry instituted
in 1806, by command of his Majesty, into the truth of cer-
tain representations, respecting the conduct of her Royal
Highness tike Princess of Wales, which appear to have been
pressed upon the attention of your Royal Highness, in con-
sequence o^f the advice of Lord Thurlow, and upon grounds
of public duty ; by whom they were transmitted to his Ma-
jesty's consideration ; and your Royal Highness having been
graciously pleased to command us to report our opinions to
your Royal Highness, whether, under all the circumstances
of the case, ii be fit and proper, that the intercourse be-
tween the Princess of Wales 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 fit and proper, with a view to the welfare of her
Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte, in which are equally
involved the happiness of your Royal Highness, in your pa-
rental and royal character, and the most important interests of
the State, that the intercourse between her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales, and her Royal Highness the Princess
Charlotte, should continue to be subject to regulation and
restraint.
" We humbly trust that we may be permitted, without being
thought to exceed the limits of the duty imposed on us, rei-
pectfully 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 R >yal 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 Ma-
jesty ; who had been pleased to direct, that such ceremony
should not take place till her 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 observation. We refer to the words " suborned
traducers." As this expression, from the manner it is intro-
duced, may, perhaps, be liable to misconstruction (however
impossible :t may be to suppose that it can have been so in-
tended) 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 declaring, that the documents laid before us,
afford the most ample proof, that there is not the slightest
foundation for such an aspersion.
(Signed)
C. CANTUAR, SIDMOUTH,
ELDON, J. LONDON,
E. EBOR, ELLENBOROUGH,
W. ARMAGH, CHAS. ABBOT,
HARROWBY, P. C. N. VANSITTART,
WESTMORELAND, C. P. S. C. BATHURST,
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, W. GRANT,
BATHURST, A. MACDONALD,
LIVERPOOL, W. SCOTT,
MULGRAVE, J. NICHOL.
MELVILLE,
A true copy, SIDMOUTH."
( xxii )
The next document of importance is a letter addressed te
the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons,
by the Princess of Wales, in which her Royal Highness called
for an investigation of her conduct, before Judges known to
the Constitution, in order that she might either be declared to
be innocent, or proved guilty. A copy of this letter was also
transmitted to the Lord Chancellor.
Immediately, upon the Meeting of the House of Commons,
on March 2nd. the SPEAKER rose and observed, he thought it
his duty to acquaint the House, that in the afternoon of yester-
day, he had received a paper which purported to be a letter
from'her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, the contents
of which it would have, of course, been his duty to communi-
cate to the House ; but as it was delivered merely to one
of the door-keepers, he forbore to take any steps on the re-
ceipt of it until it was properly authenticated. In so acting,
he trusted, that he had not interposed so as to prevent, or
improperly to delay, the approach of such a document to the
consideration of the House of Commons. This morning the
letter in question was authenticated ; he had received a du-
plicate of it, inclosed in another letter from her Royal High-
ness, and both of these letters, with the permission of the
House, he should now read to them.
The House having signified its assent, the SPEAKER pro-
ceeded to read the first letter, which was to the following
effect :-
Montague-House, March 2.
" The Princess of Wales begs to inform Mr. Speaker, that
by her own desire, as well as in consequence of the advice of
her Counsel, she yesterday transmitted to him a letter, the
contents of which she was anxious should be made known to
the House of Commons ; and with that view her Royal
Highness now incloses herewith a duplicate of that letter."
The inclosure was as follows :
" Montague-House, Blackheath, March I, 1813.
" The Princess of Wales informs (Mr. Speaker) the Lord
Chancellor, that she has received from the Lord Viscount
( xxiii )
Sidmouth a copy of a Report made to his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, by a certain number of the Members of his
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.
" The Report is of such a nature, that her Royal Highness
feels persuaded no person can read it vrithout 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 j 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 mo-
ment, in any imputation affecting her honour.
"The Princess of Wales has not been permitted to know upon
what evidence the Members of the Privy Council proceeded,
still less to be heard in her defence. She knew only by com-
mon rumours of the inquiries which they have been carrying
on, until the result of those inquiries was communicated to
Tier, and she has no means now of knowing whether the
Members acted as a body to which she can appeal for redress,
at least for a bearing : 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 justice of Parliament, and to desire that the
fullest investigation may be instituted of her whole conduct
during the period cf her residence in this country.
" The Princess fears no scrutiny, however strict, provided
she may be tried by impartial Judges, known to the consti-
tution, 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 (the Lord
Chancellor) to communicate this letter to the House of Com-
mon*."
( xxiv )
This letter having been read, some conversation took place
between Mr. Whitbread and Lord Castlereagh on the sub-
ject ; but as the promised motion of Mr. Cochrane John-
stone* stood for the 14th of March, here the matter rested
for the present.
This letter was not communicated to the House of Lords,
the Lord Chancellor conceiving that he was restrained by a
sense of duty, from reading it to that House.
On the 4th of March, Mr. Cochrane Johnstone proceeded
to bring on his motion, and the Speaker having called on
him, Mr. Lygon moved the standing order of the House, and,
consequently, the doors were closed, and all strangers ex-
cluded. The sitting being thus rendered secret, Mr. Bennett,
moved an adjournment, upon which the House divided :
Ayes, - - - 139
Noes, - - - 248
Majority, - - 109
The adjournment being thus negatived, Mr. Cochran*
Johnstone said, that he would follow the example of the
honourable member, who had moved to clear the gallery, by
exercising his right also of not bringing forward the motion of
which he had given notice.
The proceedings in the House of Commons on the 6th of
March, appear to have been of the highest importance, since
they amounted to a complete vindication and acquittal of ths
Princess of Wales, not only from all the charges, but from all
the aspersions that have been thrown out against her Royal
Highness.
Upon the meeting of the House on this day,
Mr. Lygon moved that strangers should not be admitted
after the division on the Brecon Canal Bill, and Mr. Bennett
* Notice of this motion ou the subject of her Royal Highness tht
Princess of Wales, was given by the Honourable Cochrane Johnstone, on
the 25th of February last
( XXV )
moved an adjournment, to establish his right of meeting tha
clearing of the gallery on such ground. He did not, however,,
persist in dividing upon the question.
Mr. Cochrane Johnstope then rose in pursuance of his no-
tice and said, that it wag the undoubted right of the honour-
able member (Mr. Lygqn) to act as he had done, in clearing
the House of strangers j if, however, this precaution had been
taken under the impression that any thing he had to s^y should
be unbecoming the respect he owed to that House, or incon-
sistent with what was due to the feelings of every branch of
the Royal Family j such apprehensions were utterly unfounded.
He thought it a duty he owed, in the first instance., to the
Princess of Wales, to declare, that for the motion he was.
about to submit, he had no authority from her j that he had
had no communication with any person or persons whatsoever,
and that the proceedings originated entirely and exclusively
with himself.
The honourable member proceeded to observe, that it wa*
well known that a commission had been granted by the King
in 1806, to four noble lords, Grenville, Spencer, Erskine, and
Eftenborongh, to examine into certain allegations that had been
preferred against the Princess of Wales. He then read the
whole of the report made by the commissioners above stated,
containing the most unqualified opinion, that the charge pro-
duced by Sir John and Lady Douglas against the Princess of
Wales, of having been delivered of a chile} in the year 1803,
was utterly destitute of truth. It added, that the birth and,
real mother of the child, said to have been born of the Prin-
cess, had been proved beyond all possibility of doubt. The
report concludes with some objections made by the commis-
tioners, to the manners, or to levity of manners, upon different
occasions, in the Princess.
The honourable member next proceeded to state, tha^ the.
paper he should now read, was a docuqnent which he was ready,
to prove at the bar of the floute was dictated by Lord Eldon,
Mr. Perceval and Sir Thomas Plomer, though igned by th$
Princess of Wale ; it was a letter -Britten, of purporting to be,
a
( xxvi )
written, by her Royal Highness to the King, on pth October,
1806, as a protest against the report of the Commissioners,, just
detailed 3 the letter being read at length appeared to be a
formal and elaborate criticism upon the nature of the commis-
sion under which her conduct had been reviewed ; it asserted
in the most unqualified terms her own innocence, and called
the charges of her accusers a foul and fake conspiracy
made ex-par te, and affording no appeal. Upon this letter
being read, the honourable member observed, that he fully con-
curred in the sentiments it expressed upon the subject of the
commission, and that he insisted that the charge against the
Princess before that Tribunal, by Sir John and Lady Douglas,
was nothing short of (reason ; that if the commissioners had
power to acquit her Royal Highness of the crime charged, they
had equally the power to convict her : what was the state of
that country in which such a thing were even possible ? Be-
sides he inquired, what became of Sir John and Lady Doug-
las ? If he were rightly informed, they still persisted in the
same story j if all they maintained were so notoriously
false, why were they not prosecuted ? The honourable mem-
ber went on to remark, that he understood no proceedings
of the late Privy Council, except the report, had been
transmitted to the Princess of Wales. This was the case
in 1806, but he submitted that copies of all those examina-
tions should be given to her. The honourable member then
concluded by moving, first, a very long resolution, containing
nearly the whole of the report of the Commissioners in 180(3,
with his own reasoning upon the illegality of such a commis^
sion, and terminating with expressing the expediency of a new
and different trial of, or inquiry into, the same subject ; the
second motion was, fora variety of papers connected with this
subject, from 1806 to the present time*.
A very animated debate ensued, in which Lord Castlereagh,
Mr. Whitbread, and Sir Samuel Rom illy, were the principal
speakers.
* The whole ot these interesting and important documents will be
found in the present work.
( XXV11
Upon the question being put, Mr. Cocbrane Johnstone's
motion WAS NEGATIVED WITHOUT A DIVISION-.
Tbus terminated, for the present, this memorable debate,
which involved consequences of the last importance to the
nation.
From these proceedings in the House of Commons, may be
inferred a perfect acquittal of her Royal Highness. No
actual criminality was, or could be imputed to her Royal
Highness ; no case whatever was made out j no matter ex-
isted against her Royal Highness to become the subject of
Inquiry, and therefore further inquiry was accounted super-
fluous.
Notwithstanding this decision, however, on the 15th of
March, Mr. Whitbread gave notice, in the House of Commons,
of his intention to nuove on the 1/th of this month for an
Address to the Prince Regent, praying his Royal Highness to
order a prosecution to be instituted against Lady Douglas, for
the evidence given by her Ladyship, respecting the Princess
of Wales.
Upon the meeting of the House of Commons on the 13th
instant, after the transaction of some routine business, Mr.
Whitbread said, " I hold in ray Hand a petition that I
received just before my arrival in this House, which I was
requested to lay before it. On perusing it I find that it is
worded in a manner perfectly respectful, and I therefore told
the individual who delivered it into my care, that I felt it my
duty, as a member of parliament, to present it. It is the petition
of Major General Sir John Douglas, on behalf of himself and
Charlotte Lady Douglas, his wife. I remarked that the form
of the signature was not perfectly regular ; but I added, that
I did conceive, that notwithstanding this informality the House
would receive it as the petition of Sir John Douglas, though,
not as the joint petition of himself and his wife. I, therefore,
move for leave to bring up this petition."
The question having been put, Mr. Whitbread brought up
the petition, which was read by the Clerk, nearly in the
following words :
( xxviii )
" To the Honourable the Commons of the United
Kingdom, ftrc.
^' The humbb petition of Major-General Sir John"
Douglas, on behalf of himself and Charlotte Lady
Douglas his wife
" Sheweth That your petitioners are advised that the de-
positions they made on their oaths, before the Lords Commis-
sioners appointed by his Majesty for investigating the conduct
of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, on or about the
first of Jan. 1806, were not made on such judicial proceedings,
or before stich a tribunal as could legally support a prosecution
for perjury against them.
*' Feeling the fullest confidence in Ihose depositions, and iii
the justice of their cause, they are ready and desirous, and
hereby offer to re-swear to the truth of such depositions before
any tribunal competent to administer an oath, that your peti*
tioners may be subjected to the penalty of pbrjury if it be proved
that they are false.
" Your petitioners therefore pray that your Honourable
House will adopt such proceedings as in your wisdom may be
thought proper, to re-swear them to their depositions before
such tribunal as would legally subject them to a prosecution for
such depositions, should they be proved to be false : it being
their anxious desire not to deliver themselves through any
want 6f legal forms.
(Signed) JOHN DOUGLAS."
Mr. Whitbread moved, that the petition be laid upon the
table, and it was ordered accordingly.
Mr. Whitbread again rose, and having taken a view
of the whole affair relative to the conduct of her Royal
Highness the Princess of Wales, he made some remarks upon
the line of proceeding adopted by two daily papers, the Morn-
ing Herald and the Post.
In the course of this long speech, Mr. Whitbread observed,
*' wfien upon a former night, in this Houses the Princess
( XXIX )
Vyas pronounced innocent by the noble lord (Castlereagh), he
Was proud of her triumph. A noble friend of her Royal High-
ness had done him tile honour of asking his advice, and he ou
that occasion sketched out a letter of digaified submission from
ter to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wajes, 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
were again under examination, and that too with the sanction
of the Lord Chancellor. The letter he would read, if the
irlouse would indulge him." The following is a correct copy :
" SIR> I once more approach your Royal Highness, and
can venture to assure you, sir, that if you will deign to read
iny letter, you will not be dissatisfied with its contents.
" The report made by certain Members of his Maiesty's
Privy Council, was communicated to m'e 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 nay
innocence, and a demand 6f investigation. It cannot be un-
known to your Royal Highness that I addressee! a letter to the
Lord Chancellor, and a duplicate of tiiat letter to the Speaker
of the House of Commons, for the ^"urpose of its being com-
municated to the Houses of Parliament.
" The Lord Chancellor twice returned toy 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 rny letter, and it was read from the
chair. To my inexpressible gratification I have been informed,
that, although no proceeding was instituted according to my re*
quest, certain discussions which-took place in that Honourable
House, have resulted in the complete, and unequivocal, and
universal acknowledgment of ray entire innocence, to the sa-
tisfaction of the world.
" Allow me, sir, to say to your Royal Highness, that I a<J r
dress you now, relieved from a load of distress which has pressed
upon me for many years.
( JCXX )
" I was always conscious that I was free from reproach, t
am now known to be so, and worthy to bear the exalted title
bf Princess of Wales.
" On the subject of the confirmation of the Princess Char-
lotte, I bow, a> 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 al-
ways regard as sacred.
" To such restrictions as your Royal Highness shall think
proper to impose upon the intercourse between the Princess
Charlotte and myself, as arising out of the acknowledged exer-
cise of your Parental and Royal Authority, I submit without
observation ; but I throw myself upon the compassion of your
Royal Highness, not to abridge more than may be necessary
my greatest, indeed, my only pleasure.
" Your Royal Highness may be assured, that, if the selec-
tion of society for the Princess Charlotte, when on hei 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 jus-
tified innocence, your Royal Higbness's, &c. &c. &c."
Mr. Whitbread concluded by putting in copies of the
Morning Herald of Saturday and Monday last, the parts of
which alluded to were entered and read, and then moved an
humble address to the Prince Regent, expressive of the deep
concern and indignation which the House felt at publications
of so gross and scandalous a nature, so painful to the feelings
of his Royal Highness, and all the other branches of his illus-
trious family, and praying that his Royal Highness would be
pleased to order measures to be taken for bringing to justice all
the persons concerned in so scandalous a business, and particu-
larly for preventing the continuance or repetition of so high aa
offence.
( xxxi )
After some farther observations from Lord Castlereagb, the
noble lord charged Mr. Whitbread " with indulging in illi-
beral, unfair, and as he (Lord Castlereagh) thought, unparlia-
mentary observations on the conduct of the Prince of Wales
himself."
Mr. Whitbread then moved, that the words of the noble
lord be taken down. This being agreed to, Mr. Whitbread
dictated the words used by Lord Castlereagh, and the nobla
lord declined to make any alteration therein.
Some farther discussion took place, and at length Lord
Castlereagh proceeded with his speech. The debate was then
continued, in which Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. Batburst, Mr. Ste-
phen, Sir Samuel Romilly, Sir Thomas. Plomer, and Air.
Tierney bore the principal share.
Mr. Tierney (at the conclusion of his speech) moved an
amendment, to which Mr. Whitbread consented. This
amendment, upon the original motion, was, " That the
printer and publisher of the Morning Herald, and of the
Morning Post, should be called to the bar of the House to-
morrow, (the I pth inst.), to answer by whose authority they
had published the depositions before the Privy Council, and
from whom they had received them."
After some remarks from Mr. Ryder, Mr. C. Wynne, and
Mr. Canning, Mr. Whitbread consented to withdraw his ori-
ginal motion, and Mr. Tierney's AMENDMENT was then put,
and NEGATIVED, without a division.
Before the reader enters upon the perusal of the " BOOK
ITSELF," some account of the circumstances which gave rise
to its important CONTENTS, may, perhaps, be acceptable. This
indeed, is in some measure, necessary to the right understand-
ing of that mass of extraordinary evidence now exhibited to the
public.
In the beginning of November 1805, his Royal Highness,
the Duke of Sussex made known to the Prince that Sir John
Douglas had communicated to him some circumstances in the
conduct of the Princess of Wales, that it was of the utmost con-
sequence to the honour of his Royal Highness, and to the se-
curity of the Royal Succession, should be made known to him ;
and that Sir John said, he and his Lady were ready to give a
full disclosure, if called "upon. He added, that his Royal
Highness the Duke of Kent had been partly acquainted
with the matter a twelvemonth before.
( xxxii )=
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
interesting to the honour of the family.
The Duke of Kent, in a written declaration, slated, that
about the end of 1804, he had received a note from the Prin-
cess of Wales, stating, that she had got into an unpleasaat al-
tercation with Sir John and Lady Douglas, about an anony-
mous letter and a filthy drawing, which they imputed to her
Royal Highness. She requested the Duke of Kent to inter-
fere, and prevent its going farther. His Royal Highness ap-
plied to Sir Sidney Smith, and through him had an interview
with Sir John Douglas ; 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 prevail-
ing on, Sir John Douglas to abstain from his purpose of com-
mencing a prosecution, or of stirring farther in the business j
as he was satisfied in his mind of the falsehood of the insinua-
tion, and could not be sure that the fabrications were not some
gossrpping story, in which the Princess had no hand. Sir John,
however, spoke with great indignation of the conduct of the
Princess, and promised only that he would for the present ab-
stain from farther investigation, but would not give him a pro-
mise of preserving silence if he should be farther annoyed.-
The Duke of Kent concluded with stating, that npthing was
communicated to him beyond this fracas, and that having suc-
ceeded in stopping it, he did not think it fit to trouble his.
Royal Highness with a gossipping story that might be entirely
founded on the misapprehension of the offended parties.
Sir John and Lady Douglas then made a formal declaration;
of the whole narrative, as contained in their subsequent affidg-
vits, 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 air
ternative it was his duty to submit it to the King, as the Royal
Succession might be affected if the allegations were true. Jn
the mean time, it was resolved to make farther inquiry, and
Mr. Lowten, of the Temple, was directed to take steps ac-
cordingly.
The consequence was that William and Sarah Lampert (ser-
vants to Sir John Douglas), William Cole, Robert and Sarah,
Bidgood, and prances Lloyd made declarations, the whole of
which, together with that of Sir John and Lady Douglas, were
submitted to his Majesty, who thereupon issued a warrant,
dated the 29th May 1 806, directing Lord Erskine, Lord Grenr
ville, Earl Spencer, and Lord Ellenborough, to inquire into th
truth of the allegations, and to report to him thereon.
THE
PROCEEDINGS,
OF THE
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY^
* OUR Majesty having been graciously pleased,
by an instrument under Your Majesty's Royal
Sign Manual, a copy of which is annexed to this
Report, to " authorize, empower, and direct us
" to inquire into the truth of certain written
" declarations, touching the conduct of Her
" Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, an
" abstract of which had been laid before Your
" Majesty, and to examine upon oath such
" persons as we should see fit, touching and con-
" cerning the same, and to report to Your
" Majesty the result of such examinations." We
have, in dutiful obedience to Your Majesty's com-
mands, proceeded to examine the several witnesses,
the copies of whose depositions we have hereunto
annexed; and, in further execution of the said
commands we now most respectfully submit to
Your Majesty the report of these examinations
as it has appeared to us : But we beg leave at
the same time humbly to refer Your Majesty,
for more complete information, to the examinations
themselves, in order to correct any error of judg-
ment, into which we may have unintentionally
fallen, with respect to any part of this business.
On a reference to the above-mentioned declara-
tions, as the necessary foundation of all our pro-
ceedings, we found that they consisted in certain
statements, which had been laid before His Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, respecting the
conduct of Her Royal Highness the Princess.
That these statements, not only, imputed to Her
Royal Highness great impropriety and indecency
of behaviour, but expressly asserted, partly on
the ground of certain alleged declarations from
the Princess's own mouth, and partly on the
personal observation of the informants, the fol-
lowing most important facts ; viz. That Her
Royal Highness had been pregnant in the year
1802, in consequence of an illicit intercourse,
and that she 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 imme-
diate inspection.
These allegations thus made, had, as we found,
been followed by declarations from other persons,
who had not indeed spoken to the important
facts of the pregnancy or delivery of Her Royal
Highness, but had related other particulars, in
themselves extremely suspicious, and still more
so M'hen connected with the assertions already
mentioned.
In the painful situation, in which His Royal
Highness was placed, by these communications,
we learnt that His Royal Highness had adopted
the only course which could, in our judgment,
with propriety be followed. When informations
such as these, had been thus confidently alleged,
and particularly detailed, and had been in some
degree supported by collateral evidence, applying
to other points of the same nature (though going
to a far less extent), one line only 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 withheld 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 by possibility, affecting the
Succession of Your Majesty's crown.
Your Majesty had been pleased, on your part,
to view the subject in the same light. Consider-
ing it as a matter which, on every account, de-
manded the most immediate investigation, Your
Majesty had thought fit to commit into our hands
the duty of ascertaining, in the first instance, what
degree of credit was due to the informations, and
thereby enabling Your Majesty to decide what
further conduct to adopt concerning them.
On this review, therefore, of the matters thus
alleged, and of the course hitherto pursued upon
them, we deemed it proper in the first place, to
examine those persons in whose declarations the
occasion for this Inquiry had originated. Because
if they, on being examined upon oath, had retrac-
ted or varied their assertions, all necessity for
further investigation might possibly have been
precluded.
We accordingly first examined on oath the
principal informants, Sir John Douglas, and Char-
lotte his wife : who both positively swore, the
former to his having observed the fact of the
pregnancy of Her Iloyal Highness, and the latter
to all the important particulars contained in her
former declaration, and above referred to. Their
examinations are annexed to this Report, and are
circumstantial and positive.
The most material of those allegations, into the
truth of which we had been directed to inquire,
being thus far supported by the oath of the parties
from whom they had proceeded, we then felt it
our duty to follow up the Inquiry by the examina-
tion of such other persons as we judged best able
to afford us information, as to the facts in ques-
tion.
We thought it beyond all doubt that, in this
course of inquiry, many particulars must be learnt
which would be necessarily conclusive on the
truth or falsehood of these declarations. So many
persons must have been witnesses to the appear-
ances of an actually existing pregnancy ; so many
circumstances must have been attendant 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 com-
plete proof, either in the affirmative or negative, on
this part of the subject.
This expectation was not disappointed. We
are happy to declare to Your Majesty our perfect
conviction that there is no foundation whatever
for believing that the child now with the Princess
is the child of Her Royal Highness, or that she
was delivered of any child in the year 1802; nor
has any thing appeared to us which would warrant
the belief that she was pregnant in that year, or
at any other period within the compass of our in-
quiries.
The indentity of the child, now with the
Princess, its parentage, the place and the date of
its birth, the time and the circumstances of its.
being first taken under Her Royal Highness'*
protection, are all established by such a concur-
rence both of positive and circumstantial evidence,
as can, in our judgment, leave no question on
this part of the subject. The child was, beyond
all doubt, born in the Brownlow- Street Hospital,
on the 1 1th day of July, 1802, of the body of So-
phia Austin, and was first brought to the Princess's
House in the month of November following. Nei-
ther should we be more warranted in expressing
any doubt respecting the alleged pregnancy of
the Princess, as stated in the original declara-
tions ; 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. The testimonies on these
two points are contained in the annexed deposi-
tions and letters. We have not partially abstracted
them in this Report lest, by any unintentional
omission, we might weaken their effect ; but we
humbly offer to Your Majesty this our clear and
unanimous judgment upon them, formed on full
deliberation, 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 delivery 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 remarked, 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 depositions and proofs an-
nexed to this Report, particularly from the exa-
minations of Robert Bidgood, William Cole,
Frances Lloyd, and Mrs. Lisle, Your Majesty
will perceive that several strong circumstances of
this description have been positively sworn to by
witnesses, who cannot, in our judgment, be sus-
pected of any unfavourable bias, and whose vera-
city, in this respect, we have seen no ground to
question.
On 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, the facts of pregnancy
and delivery are to our minds satisfactorily dis-
proved, so on the other hand we think, that 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 contradic-
tion ; and, if true, are justly entitled to the most
serious consideration.
10
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 per-
suasion, 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,
July 14th, 1806. ELLENBOROUGH.
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
THe. Depositions which accompanied this Report
will be found in Appendix (A.) numbered from
1 to $9.
Blackheath, Aug. 12, 1806'.
SIRE,
WITH the deepest feelings of gratitude to your
Majesty, I take the first opportunity to acknow-
ledge having received, as yesterday only, the Re-
port from the Lords Commissioners, which was
II
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 contents 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 Commis-
sioners would not have given in the Report, be-
fore they had been properly informed of various
circumstances, which must for a feeling, and deli-
cate-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, which
are imputed to her at present by the Lords Com-
missioners, upon the evidence of persons, 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 Bidgood,
and Cole ; to make my conduct be cleared in the
mOit 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 opportunity to contradict or explaia
any thing, or even to point out those persona,
who might have been called, to prove the little
credit which was due to some of the witnesses, from
their connection with Sir John and Lady Douglas ;
and the absolute falsehood of parts of the evidence,
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 gracious protection ; and that
you will not discard me from your friendship, of
which your Majesty has been so condescending 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 attach-
ment,
Sire,
Your Majesty's most dutiful, submissive,
and humble Daughter-in-law and Subject,
(Signed) CAROLINE.
To the King.
IS
Montague-House, Aug. 17th, 1806.
The Princess of Wales desires the Lord Chan-
cellor to present her humble duty to the King,
and to lay before His Majesty the accompanying
letter and papers. The Princess makes this com-
munication by his Lordship's hands, because it
relates to the papers with which she has been
furnished through his Lordship, by His Majesty'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 inquire into certain Charges against my Conduct,
I lost no time, in returning to your Majesty, my
heartfelt thanks, for your Majesty's goodness in
commanding that copy to be communicated to
me.
I wanted no adviser, but my own heart, to
express my gratitude for the kindness, and protec-
tion which I have uniformly received from your
Majesty. I needed no caution or reserve, in
expressing my confident reliance, that that kind-
ness and protection would not be withdrawn from
14
me, on this trying occasion ; and that your Majes-
ty's justice would not suffer your mind to be
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 might
be alleged, in my behalf, in answer to it. But
your Majesty, will not be surprised, nor displeas-
ed, that I, a woman, a stranger to the laws and
usages of your Majesty's kingdom, under charges,
aimed, originally, at my life, and honour, should
hesitate to determine, in what manner I ought to
act, even under the present circumstances, with
respect to such accusations, without the assistance
of advice in which I could confide. And I have
had submitted to me the following observations,
respecting the copies of the papers with which I
have been furnished. And I humbly solicit from
your Majesty's gracious condescension and justice,
a compliance with the requests, which arise out of
them.
In the first place, it has been observed to me,
that these copies of the Report, and of the accom-
panying papers, have come unauthenticated by
the signature of any person, high, or low, whose
veracity, or even accuracy, is pledged for their
correctness, or to whom resort might be had, if it
should be necessary, hereafter, to establish, that
these papers are correct copies of the originals.
I am far from insinuating that the want of such
attestations was intentional. No doubt it was omit-
15
ted through inadvertence"; but its importance is
particularly confirmed by the state, in which the
copy of Mrs. Lisle's examination has been trans-
mitted to me. For in the third page of that exami-
nation there have been two erasures ; on one of
which, some words have been, subsequently in*
troduced apparently in a different hand-writing
from the body of the examination ; and the passage
as it stands, is probably incorrect, because the
phrase is unintelligible. And this occurs in an
important part of her examination.
The humble, but earnest request, which I have
to make to your Majesty, which is suggested by
this observation, is, that your Majesty would be
graciously pleased to direct, that the Report, and
the papers which accompany it, and which, for
that purpose, I venture to transmit to your Majes-
ty with this letter, may be examined, and then
returned to me, authenticated as correct, under
the signature of some person, who, having attested
their accuracy, may be able to prove it.
In the second place, it has been observed to
me, that the Report proceeds, by reference to
certain written declarations, which the Commission-
ers describe as the necessary foundation of all their
proceedings, and which contain, as I presume, the
charge or information against my conduct. Yet
copies of these written declarations have not been
given to me. They are ^described indeed, in the
Report, as consisting in certain statements, respect-
ing my conduct, imputing not only, gross impro-
16*
priety of behaviour, but expressly asserting facts of
the most confirmed, and abandoned criminality, for
which, if true, my life might be forfeited. These
are stated to have been followed by declarations
from other persons, who, though not speaking to
the same facts, had related other particulars, in
themselves extremely suspicious, and still more so,
as connected with the assertions already mentioned.
On this, it is observed to me, that it is most im-
portant that I should know the extent, and the
particulars of the charges or informations against
me, and by what accusers they have been made ;
whether I am answering the charges of one set of
accusers, or more. Whether the authors of the
original declarations, who may be collected from
the Report to be Sir John and Lady Douglas, are
my only accusers ; and the declarations which are
said to have followed, are the declarations of per-
sons adduced as witnesses by Sir John and Lady
Douglas to confirm their accusation; or whether
such declarations are the charges of persons, who
have made themselves also, the authors of distinct
accusations against me.
The requests, which, I humbly hope, your Ma-
jesty will think reasonable, and just to grant, and
which are suggested by these further observations
ore,
First, That your Majesty would be graciously
pleased to direct, that I should be furnished with
copies of these declarations ; and, if they are rightly
described in the Report, as the necessary founda-
17
tion of all the proceedings of the Commissioners,
your Majesty could not, I am persuaded, but have
graciously intended, in directing that I should be
furnished with a copy of the Report, that I should
also see this essential part of the proceeding, the
foundation on which it rests.
Secondly, That I may be informed whether I
have one or more, and how many accusers ; and
who they are ; as the weight and credit of the ac-
cusation cannot but be much affected by the quar-
ter from whence it originates.
Thirdly, That I may be informed of the time
when the declarations were made. For the weight
and credit of the accusation must, also, be much
affected, by the length of time, which my accusers
may have been contented to have been the silent
depositories of those heavy matters of guilt, and
charge, and,
Lastly, That your Majesty's goodness will se-
cure to me a speedy return of these papers, ac-
companied, I trust, with the further information
which I have solicited ; but at all events a speedy
return of them. And your Majesty will see, that
it is not without reason, that I make this last request,
when your Majesty is informed, that, though the
Report appears to have been made upon the 14th
of July, yet it was not sent to me, till the 1 1th of
the present month. A similar delay, I should, of
all things, deplore. For it is with reluctance, that
I yield to those suggestions, which have induce^
18
me to lay, these my humble requests, before your
Majesty, since they must, at all events, in some de-
gree, delay the arrival of that moment, to which,
I look forward, with so earnest, and eager an im-
patience ; when I confidently feel, I shall complete
ly satisfy your Majesty, that the \<hole of these
charges are alike unfounded : and are all parts of
the same conspiracy against me. Your Majesty, so
satisfied, will, I can have no dotibl, be as anxious ag
myself, to secure to me that redress, which, the
laws of your kingdom (administering, under your
Majesty's just dispensation, eijual protection and
justice, to every description of your Majesty's sub-
jects,) are prepared to afford to those, who are so
deeply injured as I have been. That I have in this
case, the strongest claim to yoor Majesty's justice,
I am confident I shall prove ; but I cannot, as I am
advised, so satisfactorily establish that claim, till
your Majesty's goodness shall have directed me* to
be furnished with an authentic statement of the ac-
tual charges against me. and that additional infor-
mation, which it is the object of this letter most
humbly, yet earnestly, to implore.
.
I am,
SHIE,
Your Majesty's most dutiful, submissive,
and humble Daughter m-law,
Montague House. (Signed) C. P.
To the King.
Aug. 20th,
v THE Lord Chancellor has the honour to return,
to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, the
box, as he received it this morning from His Ma-
jesty. It contains the papers he formerly sent
to her Royal Highness, and which he sends as they
are, thinking that it may be in the meantime most
agreeable to her Royal Highness.
The reason of their not having been authenticat-
ed by the Lord Chancellor, was, that he received
them as copies, from Earl Spencer, whp was in
possession of the originals ; and be could not there-
fore, with propriety, do so, not having himself
compared them ; but Her Royal Highness may
depend upon having other copies sent to her, which
have been duly examined and certified to be so.
The box will be delivered to one of her Royal
Highness's Pages in waiting, by the principal offi-
cer, attendant upon the Lord Chancellor, and be
trusts he shall find full credit, with her Royal High-
ness, that in sending a servant formerly with the
papers, the moment he received them (no messen-
ger being in waiting, and the officers who attend
him, being detained by their duties in court,) he
could not be supposed to have intended any pos-
sible disrespect, which he is incapable of shewing
to any iady, but most especially to any member of
His Majesty's Royal Family.
To Her Royal highness the Princess o
Lincoln's Inn Fields, Aug. 24, 1806'.
His Majesty has been pleased to transmit to me
the letter which he has received from your Royal
Highness, dated the 17th instant; and to direct, that
I should communicate the same to the Lords
Commissioners, who had been commanded by His
Majesty to report to His Majesty on the matters
therein referred to ; and I have now received His
Majesty's further commands, in consequence of
that letter, to acquaint your Royal Highness, that
when I transmitted to your Royal Highness, by
the King's commands, and under my signature,
the copies of official papers, which bad been laid
before His Majesty, those papers were judged
thereby duly authenticated, according to the usual
course and forms of office ; and sufficiently so, for
the purposes, for which, His Majesty had been gra-
ciously pleased to direct them to be communicated
to your Royal Highness.
That, nevertheless, there does not appear to be
any reason for His Majesty's declining a compliance
with the request which your Royal Highness has
been advised to make, that those copies should,
after being examined with the originals, be at-
tested by some person to be named for that pur-
pose : aii'j that, if your Royal Highness will do
me the honour to transmit them to me, they shall
be examined and attested accordingly, after cor-
recting any errors, that may have occurred in the
copying.
His Majesty has further authorized me to ac-
quaint your Royal Highness, that he is graciously
pleased, on your Royal Highness's request, to con-
sent, that copies of the written declarations, referred
to in the Report of the Lords Commissioners,
should be transmitted to your Royal Highness, and
that the same will be transmitted accordingly, so
soon as they can be transcribed.
(Signed) ERSKINE C.
The Lord Chancellor has the honour to add to
the above official communication, that his Purse-
bearer respectfully waits her Royal Highness's com-
mands, in case it should be Her Royal Highness's
pleasure to return the papers by him.
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
Lincoln s Inn Field*, Aug. 29th, 1806.
THE Lord Chancellor has the honour to transmit,
to Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, the
papers,* desired by Her Royal Highness, just as
lie received them a few minutes ago from Earl
Spencer, with the note accompanying them.
* jV. B. These papers, being the original decla-
rations^ on which the Inquiry proceeded will be
found in Appendix (A.)
Aug. 31st, 1806.
HER Royal Highness the Princess of Wales
.acquaints the Lord Chancellor, that the gentle-
man, with whom her Royal Highness advises, and
who had possession of the copies of the official
papers communicated to Her Royal Highness,
by the Lord Chancellor, returned from the coun-
try late yesterday evening. Upon the subject of
transmitting these papers to the Lord Chancellor,
tor the purpose of their being examined, and
authenticated, and then returned to Her Royal
Highness, he states, that in consequence of
the Lord Chancellor's assurance, contained in his
note of the 20th inst. that Her Royal Highness
might depend upon having other copies sent to
her, which had been duly examined and certified
to be so ; he has relied upon being able to refer to
those already sent, and therefore it would be incon-
venient to part with them at present : and Her
Royal Highness therefore hopes, that the Lord
Chancellor will procure for her the other authenti-
cated copies, which his Lordship promised in bis
note of the 20th inst.
With respect to the copies already sent, being
as the Lord Chancellor expresses it, in his letter
of the 24th inst. "judged to be duly authenticated
" according to the usual course and forms of office,
" and sufficiently so for the purpose for which
" His Majesty had been graciously pleased to
" direct them to be communicated to Her Royal
" Highness, because thev were transmitted to
* >
" Her, by the King's commands, and under his
" Lordship's signature,"' Her Royal Highness
could never have wished for a more authentic
attestation* if she had conceived, that they were
authenticated under such signature. But she could
not think that the mere signature of his Lordship^
on the outside of the envelope, which contained
them, could afford any authenticity to the thirty
papers, which that envelope contained ; or could,
in any manner, identify any of those papers, as
having been contained in that envelope. And
she had felt herself confirmed in that opinion, by
his Lordship's saying in his note of the 20th inst.
" that the reason of their not having been authen-
" ticated, by the Lord Chancellor, was, that be
" received them as copies from Earl Spencer, who
" was in possession of the originals, -and he could
11 not therefore with propriety do so, not having
" himself compared them.
Her Royal Highness takes this opportunity of
acknowledging the receipt of the declarations refer-
red to in the Commissioners' Report.
To the Lord Chancellor,
i
Lincoln s Inn Fields, Sept. 2nd, 1 806.
THE Lord Chancellor has taken the earliest
opportunity in his power, of complying with the
wishes of Her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales. He made the promise of other copies,
without any communication with the other Com-
missioners, wholly from a desire to shew every
kind of respect and accommodation to Her Royal
Highness, in any thing consistent with his duty,
and, not at all, from any idea, that the papers, as
originally sent, (though there might be errors in
the copying) were not sufficiently authenticated.
An opinion which he is obliged to say he is not
removed from ; nevertheless, the Lord Chancellor
has a pleasure in conforming to Her Royal High-
ness's wishes, and has the honour to enclose the
attested copies of the Depositions, as he has receiv-
ed them from Earl Spencer.
To Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
To the King.
SIRE,
IMPRESSED with the deepest sentiments of gra-
titude, for the countenance and protection which I
have hitherto uniformly received from your majes-
ty, I approach you, with a heart undismayed, upon
this occasion, so au ful and momentous to my cha-
racter, my honour, and my happiness. I should
indeed, (under charges such as have now been
brought against me,) prove myself undeserving of
the continuance of tha* countenance and protection,
and altogether unworthy of the high station, which
I hold in your Majesty's illustrious family, if I
sought for any partiality, for any indulgence, for
any thing more, than what is due to me in justice.
My entire confidence in your Majesty's virtues as-
sures me, that I cannot meet with less.
The situation, which I have been so happy as to
hold in your Majesty's good opinion and esteem ;
iny station in your Majesty's august family ; my
life, rny honour, and, through mine, the honour of
your Majesty's family have been attacked. Sir
John and Lady Douglas have attempted to support
a direct and precise charge, by which they have dared
to impute to me, the enormous guilt of High
Treason, committed in the foul crime of Adultery.
In this charge, the extravagance of their malice has
defeated itself. The Report of the Lords Com-
missioners, acting under your Majesty's warrant,
has most fully cleared me of that charge. Cut there
remain imputations, strangely sanctioned, and coun-
tenanced by that Report, on which I cannot remain
silent, without incurring the most fatal conse-
quences to my honour and character. For it states
to your Majesty, that " The circumstances detailed
against me must be credited, till they are deci-
sively contradicted."
To contradict, with as much decision, as the
contradiction of an accused can convey ; to expose
the injustice and malice of my enemies ; to shew
the utter impossibility of giving credit to their tes-
timony ; and to vindicate my own innocence, will
be the objects, Sire, of this letter. In the course
of my pursuing these objects, I shall have much to
complain of, in the substance of the Proceeding
itself, and much in the manner of conducting it.
That any of these charges should, ever, have been
entertained, upon testimony so little worthy of
belief, which betrayed, in every sentence, the
malice in which it originated ; that, even if they
were entertained at all, your Majesty should have
been advised to pass by the ordinary legal modes
of Inquiry into such high crimes, and to refer them
to a Commission, open to all the objection, which I
shall have to state to such a mode of Inquiry; that
the Commissioners, after having negatived the
principal charge of substantive crime, should have
entertained considerations of matters, that amount-
ed to no legal offence, and which were adduced,
not as substantive charges in themselves, but as
matters in support of the principal accusation ;
That through the pressure and weight of their offi-
cial occupations, they did not, perhaps, could not,
bestow that attention on the case, which, if given to
it, must have enabled them to detect the villany
and falsehood of my accusers, and their foul con-
spiracy against me ; and must have preserved my
character from the weighty imputation which the
27
authority of the Commissioners, has, for a time,
cast upon it; but, above all, that they should,
upon this ex parie examination, without hearing
one word that I could urge, have reported to your
Majesty, an opinion on these matters, so prejudi-
cial to my honour, and from which I can have no
appeal, to the laws of the country, (because the
charges, constituting no legal offence, cannot be
made the ground of a judicial inquiry ;) These
and many other circumstances, connected with the
length of the Proceeding, which have cruelly aggra-
vated, to my feelings, the pain necessarily atten-
dant upon this Inquiry, I shall not be able to
refrain from stating, and urging, as matters of se-
rious lamentation at least, if not of well-grounded
complaint.
In commenting upon any part of the circum-
stances, which have occurred in the course of this
Inquiry, whatever observations I may be compel-
led to make upon any of them, I trust, I never
shall forget what is due to officers in high station
and employment under your Majesty. No apolo-
gy, therefore, can be required for any reserve in my
expressions towards them. But if, in vindicating
my innocence against the injustice and malice of my
enemies, I should appear to your Majesty not to
express myself with all the warmth and indigna-
tion, which innocence, so foully calumniated, must
feel, your Majesty will, I trust, not attribute my
forbearance to any insensibility to the grievous in-
juries I have sustained ; but will graciously be
pleased to ascribe it to the restraint I have impos-
ed upon myself, lest in endeavouring to describe
in just terms, the motives, the conduct, the per-
jury, and all the foul circumstances \vhich charac-
terize, and establish the malice of my accusers, I
might use language, which, though not unjustly ap-
plied to them, might be improper to be used, by
me, to any body, or unfit to be employed by any
body, humbly, respectfully, and dutifully address-
ing your Majesty.
That a fit opportunity has occurred for laying
open my heart to your Majesty, perhaps, I shall,
hereafter, have no reason to lament. For more
than two years, I had been informed, that, upon
the presumption of some misconduct in me, my
behaviour had been made the subject of investiga-
tion, and my neighbours' servants had been exam-
ined concerning it. Anil for some time, I had
received mysterious and indistinct intimations,
that some great miscliief was meditated towards
me. And, in all the circumstances of my very pe-
culiar situation, it will not be thought strange, that
houerver conscious 1 \vas, that I had no just cause
of fear, I should yet feel some uneasiness on this
account. Yy ilh surprise certainly, (because the
first tidings were of a kind to excite surprise,) but
without alarm, I received the intelligence, that, for
home reason, a formal investigation of some parts
of my conduct had been advised, and had actually
taken place. His Royal Highness the Duke of
Jvent, on the 7th of June, announced it to me,
' *
He announced to me, the Princess of Wales, in
the first communication made to me, with respect
to this proceeding, the near approach of two attornies
(one of them, I since find, the solicitor employed
by Sir John Douglas), claiming to enter my dwell-
ing, with a warrant, to take away one half of my
household, for immediate examination upon a
charge against myself. Of the nature of that
charge, I was then uninformed. It now appears, it
was the charge of High Treason, committed in the
infamous crime of adultery. His Royal Highness,
I am sun 1 , will do me the justice to represent to
your Majesty, that I betrayed no fear, that I ma-
nifested no symptoms of conscious guilt, that I
sought no excuses to prepare, or to tutor, rny ser-
vants for the examination which they were to under-
go. The only request which I made to his Royal
Highness was, that he would have the goodness to
remain with me till my servants were gone ; that
he might bear witness, that I had no conversation
with them before they went. In truth, Sire, my'
anxieties, under a knowledge that some serious
mischief was planning against me, and while I was
ignorant of its quality and extent, had been so great,
that I could not but rejoice at an event, which
seemed to promise me an early opportunity of as-
certaining what the malice of my enemies intended
against me.
It has not been, indeed, without impatience the
most painful, that I have passed the interval, which
lias since elapsed. When once it was not only
known to me, but to the world (for it was known
to the world) that Inquiry of the gravest nature
had been instituted into my conduct, I looked to
the conclusion, with all the eagerness that could
belong to an absolute conviction, that my inno-
eence, and my honour, to the disgrace and con-
fusion of my accusers, would be established ; and
that the groundless malice, and injustice of the
whole charge would he manifested to the world,
as widely as the calumny had been circulated. I
knew that the result of an ex parte inquiry, from
its very paturr, could not, unless it fully asserted
my entire innocence, be in any degree just. And
I had taught myself most firmly to believe, that
it was utterly impossible, that any opinion, which
could, in the smallest degree, \\ork a prejudice
to my honour arid character, could ever be ex-
pressed in 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 Proceeding 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 effec-
tually established. What then, Sire, must have
been my astonishment, and my dismay, when I
saw, that notwithstanding the principal accusation
found to be utterly false, yet some of the wit-
31
nesses to those charges which were brought in
support of the principal accusation, witnesses,
whom, any person, interested to have protected my
character, would easily have shewn, out of their
own mouths, to be utterly unworthy of credit, and
confederates in foul conspiracy with my false accu-
sers, are reported to be " free from all suspicion of
unfavourable bias ;" their veracity, " in the judg-
ment of the Commissioners, not to be questioned;"
and their infamous stories, and insinuations against
me, to be " such as deserve the most serious con-
sideration, and as must be credited till decisively
contradicted."
The Inquiry, after I thus had notice of it, con-
tinued for above* two months. I venture not to
complain, as if it had been unnecessarily protract-
ed. The important duties, and official avoca-
tions of the Noble Lords, 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 suspense, has occa-
sioned ; and your Majesty will not be surprised,
if I further represent, that I have found a great
aggravation of my painful sufferings, in the delay
which occurred in communicating the Report to
me. For though it is dated on the 14th July,
* The lime that the Inquiry was pending, after this notice
of it, is here confounded with the time which elapsed before
the Report was communicated to Her Royal Highness. The
Inquiry itself only lasted to the 14th or l6th of July, which i
but between five and six weeks from the 7th of June.
I did not receive it, notwithstanding your Majes-
ty's gracious commands, till the 1 1 th of August.
It was due, unquestionably, to your Majesty, that
the result of an Inquiry, commanded by your
Majesty, upon advice which had been offered,
touching matters of the highest import, should be
first, and immediately, communicated to you. The
respect and honour due to the Prince of Wales, the
interest which he must necessarily have taken in
J
this Inquiry, combined to make it indisputably
fit, that the result should be, forthwith, also stated
to His Royal Highness. I complain not, therefore,
that it was too early communicated to any one :
I complain only, (and I complain most seriously,
for I felt it most severely) of the delay in its com-
munication to me.
Rumour had informed the world, that the Re-
port had been early communicated to your Ma-
jesty, and to his Royal Highness. I did not
receive the benefit, intended for me by your
Majesty's gracious command, till a month after
the Report was signed. But the same rumour
had represented me, to my infinite prejudice, as
in possession of the Report, during that month,
and the malice of those, who wished to stain my
honour, has not failed to suggest all that malice
could infer, from its remaining in that possession,
so long unrioticed. May I be permitted to say,
that, if the Report acquits me, my innocence en-
titled me to receive from those, to whom your
Majesty's commands 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 hare been left to settle, in
any mind, much less 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, and 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 cruelly neglected ; why I was kept upoa the
rack, during all this time, ignorant of the result
of a charge, which affected my honour and my
life; and why, especially in a case, where such
grave matters were to continue to be " credited,
O '
to the prejudice of my honour," till they were
" decidedly contracted," the means of knowing
what it was, that 1 must, at least, endeavour to
contradict, were withholden from me, a single
unnecessary hour, I know not, and I will not
trust myself, in the attempt, to conjecture.
On the llth of August, however, I at length
received from the Lord Chancellor, a packet con-
taining copies of the Warrant or Commission au-
thorizing the Inquiry; of the Report and of the
Examinations on which the Report was founded.
And your Majesty may be graciously pleased to
F
recollect, that on the 13th I returned my grateful
thanks to your Majesty, for having ordered these
papers to be sent to me.
Your Majssty will readily imagine that, upon a
subjectof such importance, I could not venture to
trust only to my own advice; and those with whom
I advised, suggested, that the written Declarati-
ons or Charges upon which the Inquiry had pro-
ceeded, and which the Commissioners refer to in
their Report, and represent to be the essential
foundation of the whole proceeding, did not ac-
company the Examinations and Report; and also
that the papers themselves were not authenticat-
ed. I therefore ventured to address your Ma-
jesty upon these supposed defects in the com-
munication, and humbly requested that the copies
of the papers, which I then returned, might, after
being examined, and authenticated, be again
transmitted to me; and that I might also be
furnished with copies of the written, Declarations
so referred to in the Report. And my humble
thanks are due for your Majesty's gracious com-
pliance with my request. On the 29th of August
I received, in consequence, the attested copies
of those Declarations, and of a Narrative of His
Royal Highness the Duke of Kent; and a few
days after, on the 3d of September, the attested
copies of the Examinations which were taken
before the Commissioners.
The Papers which I have received are as follow:
* The Narrative of His Royal Highness the
Duke of Kent, dated 2?th of December, 1805.
A Copy of the written Declaration of Sir John
.and Lady Douglas, dated December 3, 1805.
A Paper containing the written Declarations,
or Examinations, of the persons hereafter enu-
merated ; The title to these Papers is,
" For the purpose of confirming the Statement
" made by Lady Douglas, of the circumstances
<c mentioned in her Narrative, The following ex-
" animations have been taken, and which have
" been signed by the several persons who have
" been examined"
Two of Sarah Lampert ; one, dated Chelten-
ham, 8th January, 1805, and the other, 29th
March, 1806.
One of William Lampert, baker, 1 14, Chelten-
ham, apparently of the same date with the last of
Sarah Lampert's.
Four of William Cole, dated respectively, 1 1th
January 14th January, SOth January, and 23rd
February, 1806.
One of Robert Bidgood, dated Temple, 4th
April, 1806.
One of Sarah Bidgood, dated Temple, 23rd
April, 1806; and
One of Frances Lloyd, dated Temple, 12th
May, 1806.
* Sec Appendix (B).
The other Papers and Documents which ac
companied the Report, are,*
J806. No.
29 May, 1, The King's Warrant or Commis*
sion.
1 June, 2. Deposition of Lady Douglas.
1 3. of Sir John Douglas,
6 4. of Robert Bidgood.
6 5. of W. Cole.
7 6. of Frances Lloyd.
7 7. of Mary Wilson.
7 8. of Samuel Roberts.
7 9. of Thomas Stikeman.
7 10. ofJ. Sicard.
7 11. of Charlotte Sander.
7 12. of Sophia Austin.
20 13. Letter from Lord Spencer to
Lord Gwydir.
21 14. from Lord Gvvydir to
Lord Spencer.
21 15. from Lady Willoughby to
Lord Spencer.
23 16. Extract from Register of Brown-
low-street Hospital.
23 17. Deposition of Elizabeth Gosden.
23 18. of Betty Townley.
Q5 19. of Thomas Edmeades.
25 20. of Samuel G. Mills.
27 21. of Hariet Fitzgerald.
J July, 22. Letter from Lord Spencer to
Lord Gwydir.
k *c A -j- ,AN
* See Appendix (A)
3 July, 3. Letter from Lord Gwydir to
Lord Spencer.
3 24. Queries to Lady Willoughby and
Answers.
3 25. Furtherdeposition of R.Bidgood.
3 26. Deposition of Sir F. Millman.
3 27. of Mrs. Lisle.
4 28. Letter from Sir Francis Millrnan
to the Lord Chancellor.
}6 $9' Deposition of Lord Cholmon-
deley.
14 30. The Report.
By the Copy which I have received of the
Commission, or Warrant, under which the In-
quiry has been prosecuted, it appears to be an in-
strument under your Majesty's Sign Manual, not
countersigned, not under any seal. It recites, that
an Abstract of certain written Declarations,touch-
ing my conduct (without specifying by whom those
Declarations were made, or the nature of the mat-
ters, touching which they had been made, or even
by whom the Abstract had been prepared,) had
been laid before your Majesty ; into the truth of
which it purports to authorize the four noble
Peers, who are named in it, to inquire and to ex-
amine upon oath, such persons as they think fit;
and to report to your Majesty the result of their
Examination. By referring to the written Decla-
rations, it appears that they contain allegations
against me, amounting to the charge of High Trea-
son, and also other matters, which, if understood
to be, as they seem to have been acted and report-
ed 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, amount-
ing to crimes. How most of the Declarations
referred to were collected, by whom, at whose so-
licitation, under what sanction, and before what
persons, magistrates or others, they were made,
does not appear. By the title, indeed, which all
the written Declarations, except Sir John and
Lady Douglas's bear, viz. " That they had been
taken for the purpose of confirming Lady Doug-
las's Statement," it may be collected, that they
had been made by her, or at least by Sir John
Douglas's procurement. And the concluding pas-
sage of one of them, I mean the fourth declara-
tion of W. Cole, strengthens this opinion, as it re-
presents Sir John Douglas, accompanied by his
Solicitor Mr. Lowten, to have gone down as far
as Cheltenham for the examination of two of
jtfce 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. From the circumstance
last mentioned, it might be inferred, that Sir John
and Lady Douglas, or one of them, is that accuser.
Put Lady Ppiiglas, in her written Declaration, so
far from representing the information which she
then gives, a? moving voluntarily from herself,
expressly states that she gives it under the direct
command of His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, and the papers leave me without informa-
tion, from whom any communication to the
Prince originated, which induced him to give such
commands.
Upon the question, how far the advice is agree-
able to law, under which it was recommended to
your Majesty, to issue this Warrant or Commis-
sion, not countersigned, nor under seal, and with-
6ut any of your Majesty's advisers, therefore,
being on the face of it, responsible for its issuing, I
am not competent to determine. And undoubtedly
considering that the two high legal authorities, the
Lord Chancellor, and the Lord Chief Justice of
the King's Bench, consented to act under it, it is
whh the greatest doubt and diffidence, that I can
bring myself to express any suspicion of its illega-
lity. But if it be, as I am given to understand it
is, open to question,whether, consistently with law,
your Majesty should have been advised to com-
mand, by this warrant or commission, persons (not
to act in any known character, as Secretaries of
State, as Privy Counsellors, as Magistrates other-
wise empowered ; but to act as Commissioners, and
under the sole authority of such warrant, to in-
quire (without any authority to hear and deter-
mine any thing upon the subject of those Inqui-
ries), into the known crime of High Treason,
under the sanction of oaths, to be administered by
them, as such Commissioners, and to report the
result thereof to your Majesty. If, I say, there
40
fian be any question upon the legality of such a
Warrant or Commission, the extreme hardship,
with which, it has operated upon me, the extreme
prejudice, which it has done to my character, and
to which such a proceeding must erer expose the
person who is the object of it, obliges me, till I
am fully convinced of its legality, to forbear from
acknowledging its authority ; and, with all hu-
mility 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
hardships and prejudice which I have suffered
by this proceeding, are most obvious. Fpr,
upon the principal charge against me, the Com-
missioners have most satisfactorily, and 'with-
out the least hesitation," for such is their expres-
sion, reported their opinion of its falsehood.
Sir John and Lady Douglas, therefore, who have
sworn to its truth, have been guilty of the plain-
est falsehood , yet upon the supposition of the
illegality of this Commission, their falsehood must
as I am informed, go unpunished. Upon that
supposition, the want of legal authority in the
Commissioners to inquire and to administer an
oath, will render it impossible to give to this false-
hood the character of perjury. But this is by no
means the circumstance which I feel the most
severely. Beyond the vindicating of my own
character, and the consideration of providing for
my future security, I can assure your Majest).
that the punishment of Sir John and Lady Doug-
41
las 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,
which 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 sanctioned by their Re-
port, that I have the greatest reason to complain.
Had the Report sanctioned the principal charge,
constituting a known legal crime, my innocence
would have emboldened me, at all risques. (and
to more,' no person has ever been exposed from
the malice, and falsehood of accusers) to have
demanded that trial, which could legally deter-
mine upon the truth or falsehood of such charge.
Though I should even then indeed have had some
cause to complain, because 1 should have gone
to that trial, under the prejudice, necessarily
raised against me, by that Report ; yet in a
proceeding before the just, open, and known
tribunals of your Majesty's kingdom, I should
have had a safe appeal from the result of an ex
parte investigation. An investigation which, has
exposed me to all the hardships of a secret In-
quiry, without giving me the benefit of secrecy;
and to all the severe consequences of a public in-
vestigation, in point of injury to my character,
without affording me any of its substantial bene-
fits, in point of security. l5ut the charges, which
the Commissioners do sanction by their Report,
describing them, with a mysterious obscurity atjd
indefinite generality, constitute, as I am told, no
legal crime. They are described as " instances of
" great impropriety and indecency of behaviour"
which must " occasion the most unfavourable in-
terpretations" and they are reported to your Ma-
jesty, and they are stated to be, " circumstances
*' which must be credited till they are decisively
" contradicted."
From this opinion, this judgment of the Com-
missioners, 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. I can therefore have no appeal ;
I can look for no acquittal. Yet this opinion, or
this judgment, from which I can have no appeal,
has been pronounced against me upon mere ejr par-
te investigation.
This hardship, Sire, I am told to ascribe to
the nature of the proceeding under this Warrant or
Commission ; For had the Inquiry been entered
into before your Majesty's Privy Council, or
. before any magistrates, authorised 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 beha-
viour, would have preserved me from the possi-
bility of having matters made the subjects of in-
qiury which had in law no substantive criminal
character, and from the extreme hardship of hav-
ing my reputation injured by calumny altogether
unfounded, but rendered at once more safe to my
enemies, and more injurious to me, by being ut-
tered, in the coarse 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 any authority to interfere,) that
I have been deprived of the benefit of that entire
-and unqualified acquittal and discharge from this
accusation, to which the utter and proved false-
hood of the accusation itself so justly entitled me.
I 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 it is no cold formal objection
which leads me to protest against it.
I am ready to acknowledge, Sire, from the
consequences which might arise to the public,
from such misconduct as hath baen falsely imput-
ed to me, that my honour and virtue are of more
importance to the state than those of other women.
That 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 mis-
chief has been pending over my head for more
than two. years, that private examinations of my
neighbours' servant*, and of my own, have, at
times, during that interval, been taken, lor 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 Majesty
will perceive by the deposition of Jonathan Par-
tridge which I subjoin ;*) and as I know also, and
make appear to your majesty likewise by the
same means, that declarations of persons of un-
questionable credit, respecting my conduct, attest-
ing my innocence, and directly falsifying a most
important circumstance respecting my supposed
pregnancy, mentioned in the declarations, 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 I know not how soon
nor how often, proceedings against me may be
meditated by my enemies, I take leave to express
rny humble trust, that, before any other proceed-
ings may be had against me, (desirable as it may
have been thought, that the Inquiry should have
been of the nature, which has, in this instance,
obtained,) your Majesty would be graciously pleas-
. ed to require to be advised, whether my guilt,
if I were guilty, could not be as effectually dis-
* See the depositions at the end of this letter.
45
covered and punished, and my honour and inno-
cence, if innocent, be more effectually secured and
established by other more known and regular modes
of proceeding.
Having therefore, Sire, upon these grave rea-
sons, ventured to submit, I trust without offence,
these considerations upon tlic nature of the Com-
mission, and the proceedings under it, I will now
proceed to observe upon the Report, and the Ex*
aminations ; and, with your Majesty's permission,
I will go through the whole matter, in that course
which has been observed by the Report itself, and
which an examination of the important matters that
it contains, in the order in which it states them,
will naturally suggest.
The Report, after referring to the Commission
or Warrant under which their Lorships were act-
ing, after stating that they had proceeded to exa-
mine the several witnesses, whose depositions they
annexed to their Report, proceeds to state the ef-
fect of the written declarations, which the Com-
missioners considered as the essential foundation of
the whole proceeding. <f That they were state-
ments which had been laid before his Royal High-
ness the Prince of Wales, respecting the conduct
of her Royal Highness the Princess; that these
statements not only imputed to Her Royal High-
ness, great impropriety and indecency of behavi-
our, but expressly asserted, partly on the ground
of certain alleged declarations from the Princess's
pwn mouth, and partly on the personal observation
40
of the informants, the following most important
facts ; viz. that her Royal Highness had been
pregnant in the year 1802, in consequence of an
illicit intercourse ; and that she 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. These allega-
tions thus matte, had, as the Commissioners found,
been followed by declarations from other persons,
who had not indeed spoken to the important facts
of the pregnancy or delivery of her Royal High-
ness, but had related other particulars, in them-
selves extremely suspicious, and still more so, when
connected with the assertions already mentioned.
The Report then states, that, in the painful situa-
tion in which his Royal Highness was placed by
these declarations, they learnt that he had adopted
the only course which could, in their judgment,
with propriety be followed, when informations such
as these had been thus confidently alleged and
particularly detailed, and had in some degree been
supported by collateral evidence, applying to other
points of the same nature (though going to a far less
extent,) one line could only be pursued."
" Every sentiment of duty to your Majesty,
and of concern for the public xvelfare required that
these particulars should not be withheld from your
Majesty, to whom more particularly belonged the
cognizance of a matter of state, so nearly touching
the honour of your Majesty's Royal Family, and
47
by possibility affecting the succession to your Ma*
jesty's crown."
The Commissioners, therefore, your Majesty
observes, going, they must permit me to say, a lit-
tle out of their way, begin their Report, by express-
ing a clear and decided opinion, that his Royal
Highness was properly advised (for your Majesty
will undoubtedly conclude, that, upon a subject of
this importance, his Royal Highness could not but
have acted by the advice of others,) in referring
this complaint to your Majesty, for the purpose of
its undergoing the investigation which has followed.
And, unquestionably, if the charge referred to, in
this Report, as made by Sir John and Lady Doug-
las, had been presented under circumstances, in
which any reasonable degree of credit could be
given to them, or even it they had not been pre-
sented 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,
%vho would be disposed to dispute the wisdom of
the advice which led to make them the subject of
the gravest and most anxious Inquiry. And your
Majesty, acting upon a mere abstract of the de-
clarations, which 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
concerning my conduct. For though I have not
been furnished with that abstract, yet I must pre-
sume that it described the criminatory contents of
Ihese declarations, much in the same manner, as
they are stated in the Report. And the crimina-
tory 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 improbabi-
lity of the story, the length of time which my ac-
cusers had kept my alleged guilt concealed, the
contradictions observable in the declarations of the
other witnesses, all which I submit to your Majes-
ty, .are to an extent to cast the greatest discredit
upon the truth of these declarations; abstracted, I
say, from these circumstances, the criminatory
parts of them were unquestionably 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 Doug-
las, 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. For to believe that story, they
were to begin with believing that a person guilty of
so foul a crime, so highly penal, so fatal to her ho-
nour, her station, and her life, should gratuitously,
and uselessly, have confessed it. Such a person
under the necessity of concealing her pregnancy,
* See Appendix (B.)
might have been indispensably obliged to confide
her secret with those, to whom she was to look for
assistance in concealing its consequences. But
Lady Douglas, by her o\rn account, was informed,
by me of this fact, for no purpose whatever. She
makes me, as those who read her declajations can-
not fail -to have observed, state to her, that she
should, on no account, be entrusted with any part
of the management by which the birth was to be
concealed.* They were to believe also, that, anxi-
ous as I must have been to have concealed the birth
of any such child, I had determined to bring it up
in my own house ; and what would exceed, as I
should imagine, the extent of all hiuman credulity,
that I had determined to suckle it myself :f that I
had laid my plan, if discovered, to have imposed it
upon his Royal Highness as his child. Nay, they
were to believe, that I had stated, and that Lady-
Douglas had believed the statement to be true, that
I had in fact attempted to suckle it, and only gave
np that part of my plan, because it made me ner-
vous, and was too much for iny health. J And, after
all this, they were then to believe, that having
made Lady Douglas, thus unnecessarily, the confi-
dante, of this most important and dangerous secret ;
having thus put my character, and my life in her
hands, I sought an occasion, wantonly, and with-
out provocation, from the mere fickleness-, and wil-
fulnessof my own mind, to quarrel with her, to in-
sult her openly and violently in my own house, to
See Appendix (B) p. dl. flbid. p. Gl. : Ibid. p. 7$.
H
endeavour to ruin her reputation ; to expose her in
infamous and indecent drawings enclosed in letters
to her husband. The letters indeed are represented
to have been anonymous, but, though anony-
mous, they are stated to have been written with
my own hand, so undisguised in penmanship and
style, that every one who had the least acquaint-
ance 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 I had shortly before
used, on an occasion of writing to her husband.
All this they were to believe upon the declaration
of a person, who, with all that loyalty and attach-
ment which she expresses to your Majesty, and his
Itoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, with all her
obligation to the vxhole Royal Family, (to whom
she expresses herself to be bound by ties of res-
pectful regard and attachment which nothing can
ever break ;) with all her dread of the mischievous
consequences of the country, which might arise,
from the disputed succession to the Crown, on the
pretensions of an illigimate child of mine, never-
theless continued, after this supposed avowal of
my infamy, and my crime, after my supposed ac-
knowledgment of the birth of this child, which was
to occasion all this mischief, to preserve, for near a
twelvemonth, her intimacy and apparent friendship
\\ith me. Nay for two years more, after that inti-
macy had ceased, after that friendship had been
broken off, by my alleged misbehaviour to her,
continued still faithful to my secret, and never dis-
closed it till (as her declaration states it) " The
" Princess* of Wales recommended a fresh torrent
" of outrage against Sir John ; and Sir John disco-
" vercd that she was attempting to undermine his
4i and Lady Douglas's character."
Those, then, who had the opportunity of seeing
the whole of this Narrative, having had their jea-
lousy awakened by these circumstances to the im-
probability of the story, and to the discredit of the
informer, when they came to observe, how mali-
ciously every circumstance that imagination could
su2iiest, as most calculated to make a woman con-
OO '
temptible and odious, was scraped and heaped up
together in this Narrative, must surely have had
their eyes opened to the motives of my accusers,
and their minds cautioned against giving too easy
a credit to their accusation, when they found my
conversation to be represented as most loose, and
infamous ; my mind uninstructed and unwilling to
learn ; my language, with regard to your Majesty
and the whole of your Royal Family, foully disre-
spectful and offensive ; and all my manners and
habits of life most disgusting, I should have flat-
tered myself, that I could not have been, in cha-
racter, so wholly unknown to them, but that they
must have observed a spirit, and a colouring at
least in this representation, which must have
proved much more against the disposition, and
character of the informers, and the quality of
* See Appendix, p. 9.
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 calamitous separa-
tion from His Royal Highness, stated that I had
acknowledged myself to have been the aggressor,
from the beginning, and myself alone ; and when
it further states, 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 for-
feited her place in society ; and further still, when,
alleging that I had once been desirous of procuring
a separation from His Royal Highness, and had
pressed former Chancellors to accomplish this pur-
pose, it flippantly adds, that t " 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 ;
supposing 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 introduced 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 pain-
ful duty, which a sense of loyalty to your Majesty,
* See Appendix, (B) p. 65. t Appendix (B) p. 59, the note.
and obedience to the commands of the Prince of
Wales, at length reluctantly drew from them, why
all this malicious accompaniment r* " His Royal
Highness" indeed they say, "desired that they would
communicate the whole circumstances of their ac-
quaintance 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 representation of his Royal
Highness 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 cir-
cumstantial in their detail, respecting all they
might know relative to the child that I affected to
adopt."
But from the whole of this it is sufficiently appa-
rent, that the particularity of this detail was requir-
ed, by his His Royal Highness, in respect of mat-
ters connected with that question, in which the
dearest interests of Your Majesty and this country
were involved ; and not of circumstances which
could have no bearing on those interests. If it had
t>een therefore true, as I most solemnly protest it
is not, that I had in the confidence of private con-
versation, so far forgot all sense of decency, loyal-
ty, and gratitude, as to have expressed myself with
that disrespect of your Majesty which is imputed
* See Appendix, p. J)0.
to me ; If I had been what I trust those who have
lived with me, or ever have partaken of my society,
would not confirm, of a mind so uninformed and
uncultivated, without education or talents, or with-
out any desire of improving myself, incapable of
employment, of a temper so furious and violent,
as altogether to form a character, which no one
could bear to live with, who had the means of liv-
ing elsewhere ; \Vbat possible progress would all
this make towards proving that I was guilty of
adultery ? These, and such like insinuations, as
false as they 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 mo-
tive of my accusers was, as they represent it, merely
that of good patriots, of attached and loyal subjects,
bound, in execution of a painful duty, imposed
upon them by His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, to disclose, in detail, 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 Highness, sen-
timents which could belong to no generous bosom,
but measuring his nature by their own, they
thought, vainly and wickedly, to ingratiate them-
selves with him, by being the instruments of ac-
complishing my ruin; if aiming at depriving me
of my rank and station, or of driving me from this
country, they determined 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 pre-
tence, for such an imputation upon my character,
as, rendering my life intolerable in this country,
might drive me to seek a refuge in another ; if,
the better to effectuate this purpose, they "had re-
presented all my misfortunes as my faults, and my
faults alone, drawn an odious and disgusting picture
of me, to extinguish every sentiment of pity and
compassion, which, in the generosity, not only of
your Majesty's royal bosom, and of the members
of your Royal Family, but of all the inhabitants
of your kingdom, might arise to commiserate
tae uu tart dilute situation of a stranger, perse-
cuted under a charge originating in their malice;
if, for this, they flung out, that I had justly for-
feited my station in society, and that a separation
from my husband was, what I myself had once
wished, ancl what the Chancellor might now, per-
haps, procure for me ; or, if in short, their object
was to obtain my condemnation by prejudice, in
flamed by falsehood, which never could be ob-
tained by justice informed by truth, then the
\\hole texture of the declaration is consistent, and
it is well contrived 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 to 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
before 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 (according to the judgment of the Commis-
sioners,) would have been to have laid it immedi-
ately before your Majesty, to whom, upon every
principle of duty, the communication was due. But
the declaration was made, on the 3rd of December,
in the last year, and the communication was not
made to your Majesty till the very end of May.
And that interval appears to have been employed,
in collecting those other additional declarations,
which are referred to in the Report, and which your
Majesty has likewise been pleased, by your gra-
cious commands, to have communicated to me.
These additional declarations do not, I submit,
appear to furnish much additional reason for be-
lieving the incredible story. They were taken in-
deed* " for the purpose," (for they are so des-
cried, this is the title which is prefixed to them
in the authentic copies, with which I have been
furnished,) " for the purpose of confirming the
" statement made by Lady Douglas, of the cir-
" cumstanccs mentioned in her narrative," and
they are the examinations of two persons, who ap-
pear to have formerly lived in the family of Sir
John and Lady Douglas, and of several servants of
* See Appendix (B) No. 3.
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 examinations are
given, and some of these evidently refer to
other examinations of his, which are not given at
all.
These, I submit to your Majesty, are rendered,
from this marked circumstance, particularly unde-
serving of credit ; because in the only instance in
which the hearsay statement, related to one ser-
vant, 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)* F. Lloyd does not appear to have said
any such thing, or even to have heard what she is,
by him, related to have said, and she relates the
fact that she really did hear, stripped of all the
particulars with which Cole had coloured it, and
which alone made it in any degree deserving to be
mentioned. Besides this, the parents of the child,
which is ascribed to me 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 appointment of the Commissioners, as it has
been found to be afterwards.
* Appesdix (B.) No. 3.
I
So far, therefore, from concurring with the Com-
missioners in approving the advice, under which
His Royal Highness had acted, I conceive it to
have been at least cruel and inconsiderate, to have
advised the transmission of such a charge to your
Majesty, till they had exhausted all the means
which private inquiry could have afforded, to as-
certain its falsehood or its truth.
And when it appears that it was not thought
necessary, upon the first statement of it, as the
Commissioners seem to have imagined, forthwith to
transmit it to your Majesty ; but it was retained
for near six months, from the beginning of De-
cember 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 advice given to his Royal Highness. He must,
of necessity, have left the detail and the determina-
tion upon this business to others. And it is evi-
dent to me, from what I now know, that his Royal
Highness was not fairly dealt with ; that material
information was obtained, to disprove part of the
case against me, which, not appearing in the decla-
rations that were transmitted to your Majesty, I
conclude was never communicated to his Royal
Highness.
S9
Feeling, Sire, strongly, that I have much to
complain of, that this foul charge should have been
so readily credited to my great prejudice, as to
have occasioned that advice to be given, which re-
commended the transmission of it to your Majesty,
(who, once formally in possession of it, could not
fail to subject it to some inquiry. I have dwelt,
perhaps, at a tedious length, in disputing the pro-
priety of the Commissioner's judgment, in thus
approving the course which was pursued. And,
looking to the event, and all the circumstances
connected with it, perhaps I have reason to re-
joice that the 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 have left
that credit still unimpaired. And, had the false
charge been delayed till death had taken away the
real parents of the child, 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 alleged preg-
nancy, I know not where I could have found the
means of disproving facts and charges, so falsely,
so confidently, and positively sworn to, as those to
which Lady Douglas has attested.
Following, as I proposed, the course taken in
the Report, I next come to that part of it, to which,
unquestionably, I must recur with the greatest sa-
tisfaction ; because it is that part, which so com-
60
pletely absolves me of every possibly suspicion,
upon the two material charges, of pregnancy and
childbirth.
The Commissioners state in their Report,* that
they began by examining " on oath the two prin-
" cipal informants, 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 particulars contained in her
11 former declaration, and above referred to.*j~
" Their examinations are annexed to the Report,
" 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
" supported 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
<f judged best able to afford them information, as
" to the facts in question." " We thought it,"
they say, " beyond all doubt, that in this course
" of Inquiry many particulars must be learnt which
" would be necessarily conclusive on the truth or
<e falsehood of these declarations. So many per-
" sons must have been witnesses to the appear-
" ances of an actual existing pregnancy, so many
" circumstances must have been attendant upon
" a real delivery, and difficulties so numerous and
" insurmountable must have been involved in any
See Rep. p. 6. t See Appendix (A.) p. 49.
" 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 entertain-
" ed a full and confident expectation of arriving at
" complete proof, either in the affirmative, or
" negative on this part of the subject." " This
" expectation," they proceed to state, " was not
" disappointed. We are happy to declare to
" your Majesty, our perfect conviction that there
" is no foundation whatever for believing that the
" child now with the Princess, is the child of Her
" Royal Highness, or that she was delivered of
i: any child in the year 1802 ; nor has any thing
" appeared to us which would warrant the belief
" that she was pregnant in that year, or at any
" other period within the compass of our in-
" quiries." They then proceed to refer to the
circumstantial evidence, by which they state that
it was proved that the child was, beyond all doubt,
born in Brownlow-street Hospital, on llth July,
1 802, of the body of Sophia Austin, and brought
to my house in the month of November following.
" Neither should we," they add, " be more
" warranted in expressing any doubt respecting
" the alleged pregnancy of the Princess, as stated
' in the original declarations ; a fact so fully con-
" tradicted, 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" 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 disproved by the evidence
which the Commissioners collected, I might, per-
haps, in your Majesty's judgment, appear well jus-
tified in passing them by without any observation
of mine. But though the observations which I
shall make, shall be very few, yet I cannot forbear
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 re-
mainder. I, therefore, must beg to remark, that
Sir John Douglas* swears to my having appeared,
some time after our acquaintance had commenced,
to be with child, and that one day I leaned on the
sofa, and put my hand upon my stomach, and said,
Sir John, I shall never be Queen of England,''
and he said, " Not if you don't deserve it," and I
seemed angry at first.
* See Appendix (A.) p. 8.
63
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 insi-
nuating that I made an allusion to my pregnancy r
as if there was a sort of understanding between him
and me upon the subject, and that he made me
angry, by an expression which implied, that what
I alluded to would forfeit my right to be Queen of
England. If this is not the meaning which Sir
John intends to be annexed to this conversation, I
am perfectly at a loss to conceive what he can in-
tend it to convey. Whether at any time, when I
may have felt myself unwell, 1 may have used the
expression, which he here imputes to me, my me-
mory will not enable me, with the least degree of
certainty, to state. The words themselves seem
to me to be perfectly 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 appears 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 credulity to believe, I could
not, however, forbear to notice this passage in Sir
John's examination, because it must serve to de-
monstrate to your Majesty, how words in them-
selves most innocent, are endeavoured to be tor-
tured, by being brought into the context with his
opinion of my pregnancy, to convey a meaning
most contrary to that, which I could by possibility
have intended to convey, but which it was neces-
sary that he should impute to me, to give the better
colour to this false accusation.
As to Sir John Douglas, however, when he
swears to the appearance of my pregnancy, he pos~
sibly might be only mistaken. Not that that mis-
take will excuse or diminish the guilt of so scanda-
lous a falsehood upon oath. But for Lady Douglas,
there cannot be even such an excuse. Independent
of all those extravagant confessions which she false-
ly represents me to have made, she states, upon her
own observation and knowledge, that I was preg-
nant in the year 1802. Now, in the habits of in-
tercourse and intimacy, with which I certainly did
live with her, at that time, she could not be mis-
taken as to that fact. It is impossible, therefore,
that in swearing positively to that fact, which is so
positively disproved, she can fail to appear to your
Majesty to be wilfully and deliberately foresworn.
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 disbelieve her upon my bare denial ; nor, per-
haps, upon the improbability and extravagance of
the supposed conversations themselves. But as to
the facts of pregnancy and dellivery, 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
person living can doubt that the crime of adultery
and treason, as proved by those facts, has been at-
tempted to be fixecl upon me, by the deliberate
and wilful falsehood of this my most forward ac-
euser. And \vhen 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 exist-
ed ; 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 sup-
port it.
This brings me to the remaining part of the Re-
port, 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 information, and in such an ex parte
proceeding, before I had had the possibility of be-
ing heard, not only suffer themselves to form such
an opinion, but to report it to your Majesty, with
all the weight and authority of their great names, I
am perfectly at a loss to conceive. Their great
official and judicial occupations, no doubt, pre-
vented that full 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 consi-
66
deration and attention, which Jhe importance of it
to the peace of your Majesty's mind, to the honour
of your Royal Family, and the reputation of the
Princess of Wales, seem, indispensably, to have
demanded.
In the part of the Report already referred to,
the particulars of the charge, exclusive of those
t\vo important facts, which have been so satis-
factorily disposed of, are, as I have already ob-
served, variously described by the Commissioners ;
as, " matters of great impropriety and indecency
" of behaviour ;" as, " other particulars in them-
" selves extremely suspicious, and still more sa,
" when connected with the assertions already
'^.mentioned ;" and as " points of the same na-
" ture, though coming to a much less extent."
But they do not become the subject of particular
attention in the Report, till after the Commission-
ers had concluded that part of it, in which they
give so decisive an opinion against the truth of the
charge upon the two material facts. They then
proceed to state
" That they cannot close their Report there,"
much as they could wish it ; that besides the alle-
gations of the pregnancy and delivery of the Prin-
cess, those declarations on the whole of which
your Majesty had required their Inquiry and Re-
port, contain other particulars respecting t/ic
conduct of Her Royal Highness, such as musf,
especially considering her exalted rank and sta-
tion, necessarily give occassion to very unfavour-
able interpretations. That from various deposi-
7
tions and proofs annexed to their Report, particu-
larly from the examination of Robert Bidgood,
W. Cole, F. Lloyd, and Mrs Lisle, several strong
tircumstances of this description, have been posi-
tively sworn to, by witnesses, who "'cannot in the,
judgment of the Commissioners, be suspected of
any unfavourable bias*, and whose veracity in THIS
RESPECT, they had seen no ground to question."
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 Majes-
ty's wisdom. But they conceive it to be their duty
to report on this part of the Inquiry, as distinctly
as on the former facts ; that 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 tlte circumstances to which they
now refer, particularly those stated to have pass-
ed between Her Royal Highness and Captain
Alanby, must be credited until they shall re-
ceive some decisive contradiction, and if true,
are justly entitled to the most serious considera-
tion.^
Your Majesty will not fail to observe that the
Commissioners have entered into 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 con-
taining substantive matters of charge, in itself.
That they consider it, indeed, as relating to points
1 of the same nature, but going to a much less
68
* extent," not, therefore, as constituting actual
crime, but as amounting to " improprieties and
" indecencies of behaviour, aggravated by the ex-
".altcd rank which I hold," as " occasioning unfa-
" vourablc interpretations/' and as " entitled to
" the most serious consideration." And when
they also state that it is not for them to decide on
their precise bearing and effect, I think I am jus-
tified in concluding that they could not class
them under any known head of crime; as, in
that case, upon their bearing and effect they woulcj
not have been fully competent to have pro-
nounced.
I have, to a degree, already stated to your
Majesty, the unprecedented hardship to which I
conceive myself to have been exposed, by this ex
parte Inquiry into the decorum of my private con-
duet. 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 con-
siderations no further upon your Majesty, at pre-
sent, than to point out, in passing this part of the
Report, the just foundations which it affords me
for making the complaint.
Your Majesty will also, I am persuaded, not fail
to remark the strange obscurity and reserve, the
mysterious 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 specifi-
cally to meet it. The Commissioners state, indeed,
thai some things are proved against me, which
C,9
must be credited till they shall receive a decisive
contradiction, but what those tilings are they do
not state, They are " particulars and circumstan-
" ces which, especially considering my exalted
" rank, must give occasion to the most unfavour-
* able interpretations. They are several strong
" circumstances of. this description," " they are,
" if true, justly deserving of most serious consi-
" deration," and they " must be credited till de-
" cidedly contradicted." But what are these cir-
cumstances ? What are these deeds without a
name ? Was there ever a charge so framed ?
Was ever any one put to answer any charge, and
decidedly to contradict it, or submit to have it
credited against him, which was conceived in such
terms, without the means of ascertaining what these
things arc, except as conjecture may enable me to
surmise, to what parts of the examinations of the
four witnesses on whom they particularly rely, they
attach the importance and the weight which seem to
them to justify these dark and ambiguous censures
on my conduct? 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 Manby,
indeed are particularized ; but referring to the
depositions which apply 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 against me, unless decidedly con-
70
tradicted? How can I decidedly contradict another
person's opinion ? I may reason against its justice,
but how can I contradict it ? Or how can I deci-
dedly contradict any thing which is not precisely
specified, nor distinctly known to me ?
Your Majesty will also observe that the Report
states that it is not for the Commissioners to decide
upon the bearing 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 cannot, Sire, but collect from
these passages, an intimation that some further pro-
ceedings may be meditated. And perhaps, if I
acted with perfect prudence, seeing how much rea-
son I have to fear, from the fabrications of falsehood
I 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 an-
swer. To this alternative however I am driven.
I must either remain silent, and reserve rny defence,
leaving the imputation 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 at-
tacks. But the fear of possible danger, to arise from
the perverted interpretation of my answer, cannot
induce me to acquiesce under the certain 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
71
the most satisfactory reliance, my answer and m y
observations upon this part of the case.
And here, Sire, I cannot forbear again presum-
ing to state to Your Majesty, that it is not a little
hard, that the Commissioners (who state, in the
beginning of their Report, that certain particulars,
in. themselves, extremely suspicious, were, in the
judgment, which they had formed upon them, be-
fore they entered into the particulars of the Inquiry,
rendered still more suspicious from being connnect-
ed with the assertion of pregnancy and delivery,)
should have made no observation upon the degree,
in which that suspicion must be proportionably
abated, when those assertions of pregnancy and
delivery, have been completely falsified and dis-
proved ; that they should make no remark upon the
fact, that all the witnesses, (with the exception of
Mrs. Lisle,) on whom they specifically rely, were,
every one of them, brought forward by the prin-
cipal informers, for the purpose of supporting the
false statement of Lady Douglas ; that they are the
witnesses therefore of persons, whom, after ths
complete falsification of their charge, I am justified
in describing as conspirators, who have been detec-
ted, in supporting their conspiracy by their own
perjury. And surely where a conspiracy, to fix a
charge upon an individual, has been plainly detect-
ed, the witnesses of those who have been so detect-
ed in that conspiracy, witnesses that are brought
forward to support this false charge, cannot stand
otherwise than considerably affected in their credit,
by their connection with those who are detected in
that conspiracy. But instead of pointing out this
circumstance, as calling, 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 worthy of particular credit, as
witnesses, who, in the judgment of the Commis-
sioners, cannot be suspected of unfavourable bias :
whose veracity, in that respect, they have seen no
ground to question ; and who must be credited till
they receive some decided contradiction.
Xow, Sire, I feel the fullest confidence that I
shall prove to your Majesty's most perfect satis-
faction, that all of these witnesses (of course I
still exclude Mrs. Lisle) are under the influence,
and exhibit the symptoms of the most unfavoura-
ble bias ; that their veracity is, in every respect,
to be doubted ; and that they cannot, by any
candid and attentive mind, be deemed worthy of
the least degree of credit, upon this charge, your
Majesty will easily conceive, how great my sur-
prise and astonishment must have been, at this
part of the Report. I am indeed a little at a loss
to know, whether I understand the passage, which
I have cited from the Report. " The witnesses
" in the judgment of the Commissioners are not
" to be suspected of unfavourable bias, and their
41 veracity in thai respect they have seen no reason
" to question." What is meant by their having
seen no reason to suspect their veracity in that
respect? Do they mean, what the qualification
73
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 question their
veracity, not in respect of an unfavourable bias,
but of a bias in my favour ? I cannot impute to
them r such an insinuation, because I am satisfied
that the Commissioners would never have intended
to insinuate any thing so directly contrary to the
truth.
The witnesses specifically pointed out, as thus
particularly deserving of credit, are *W. Cole,
[|R. Bidgood, fF. Lloyd, and JMrs. Lisle. With
respect to Mrs. Lisle, I trust your Majesty will
permit me to make my observations upon her
examination, as distinctly and separately, as I
possibly can, from the others. Because, as I ever
had, and have now, as much as ever, the most
perfect respect for Mrs. Lisle, I would avoid the
possibility of having it imagined that such obser-
vations, as I shall be under the absolute necessity
of making, upon the other witnesses, could be in-
tended, in any degree, to be applied 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
* Appendix (A.) No. 5.
|| Appendix (A.) No. 4.
t Appendix (A.) No. 6.
I Appendix (A.) No. 27.
74
appointed by him to situations about me ; Cole
and Lloyd immediately upon rny marriage, and
Bidgood very shortly afterwards. I know not
whether from this circumstance they may consider
themselves as not owing that undivided duty and
regard to me, which servants of my own appoint-
ment, might possibly have felt; [but if I knew
nothing more of them than that they had consented
to be voluntarily examined, for the purpose of
supporting the statement of Lady Douglas on a
charge so deeply affecting my honour, without
communicating to me the fact of such examination,
O
your Majesty would not, I am sure, be surprised to
find, that I saw, in that circumstance alone, suffi-
cient to raise some suspicions of an unfavourable
bias. But when I find Cole, particularly, sub-
mitting to this secret and voluntary examination
against me, no less than four times, and when I
found, during the pendency of this. Inquiry before
the Commissioners, that one of them, R. Bidgood,
was so far connected, and in league, with Sir John
and Lady , Douglas, as to have communication
with the latter, 1 thought I saw the proof of such
decided hostility and confederacy against me, that
I felt obliged to order the discontinuance 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 consideration of their evidence.
The imputations which I collect to be considered
as cast upon me by these several witnesses, are too
75
great familiarity and intimacy with several gentle-
men, Sir Sidney Smith, Mr. Lawrence, Captain
Manbv, and I know not whether the same are not
/ *
meant to be extended to Lord Hood, Mr. Chester,
and Captain More.
With your Majesty's permission, therefore, I
will examine the depositions of the witnesses, as
they respect these several gentlemen, in their order,
keeping the evidence, which is applicable to each
case, as distinct from the others as I can.
And I will begin with those which respect Sir
Sidney Smith, as he is the person first mentioned in
the deposition of W. Cole.
W. Cole says,* " that Sir Sidney Smith first
visited at Montague House in 1802 ; that he
observed that the Princess was too familiar with
Sir Sidney Smith. One day, he thinks in Febru-
ary, he (Cole) carried into the Blue Room to the
Princess some sandwiches which she had order-
ed, 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 the
Princess on the sofa; He (Cole) looked at her
Royal Highness, she caught his eye, and saw that
Appendix (A.) No. 5
76
he noticed the manner in which they were sitting
together, they appeared both a little confused."
R. Bidgood says also, in his deposition* on the
6th of June, (for he was examined twice) " that
it was early in 1802 that he first observed Sir Sid-
ney Smith come to Montague House. He used
to stay very late at night ; he had seen him early
in the morning there ; about ten or eleven o'clock.
He was at Sir John Douglas's and was in the ha-
bit, as well as Sir John and Lady Douglas, of din-
ing or having luncheon, or supping there every
day. He saw Sir Sidney Smith one day in 1802
in the Blue Room, about 1 1 o'clock in the morn-
ing, which was full two hours before they expected
ever to see company. He asked the servants why
they did not let him know Sir Sidney Smith was
there; the footmen 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 3rd of July, he
says he lived at Montague House when Sir Sidney
came. Her (the Princess's) manner with him ap-
peared very familiar ; she appeared very attentive
to him, but ne did not suspect any thing further.
Mrs. Lisle 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
ih evening, but not alone with the Princess. I
* Appendix (A.) No, 4.
77
have no reason to suspect he had a key of the
Park gate; I never heard of any body being found
wandering about at Blackheath."
Fanny. Lloyd 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 pas-
sages in Cole's evidence which are so important
as to require very particular and distinct state-
ment) 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
" interpretations, and must be credited till they
" are contradicted ;" they are facts, which I
never can contradict, for they are perfectly true.
And I trust it will imply the confession of no
guilt, to admit that Sir Sidney Smith's conver-
sation, his account of the various and extraordi-
nary events, and heroic achievements in which
he had been concerned, amused and interested
me ; and the circumstance of his living so much
with his friends, Sir John and Lady Douglas, in
my neighbourhood on Blackheath, gave the
opportunity of his increasing his acquaintance
with me.
78
It happened also that about this time I fitted up,
as your Majesty may have observed, one of the
rooms in my house after the fashion of a Turkis
Tent. Sir "Sidney furnished me with a pattern
for it, iu a drawing of the Tent of Murat Bey,
which he had brought over with him from Egypt.
And he taught me how to draw Egyptian
Arabesques, which were necessary for the or-
naments of the ceiling; this may have occasion-
ed, while that room was fitting up, several vi-
sits, and possibly some, though I do not recol-
lect them, as early in the morning as Mr. Bid-
good mentions. I believe also that it has hap-
pened 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 hap-
pened that Mr. Cole, and Mr. Bidgood may
have seen him, when he has not come through
the waiting-room, nor been let in by any of the
footmen. But I solemnly declare to your Majesty,
that I have not the least idea or belief that he ever
had a key of the gate into the Park, or that he
ever entered in or passed out, at that gate, except
in company with myself and my ladies. As for
the circumstance of my permitting him to be in
the room alone with me ; if suffering a man to
be so alone is evidence of iniilt, from whence
the Commisioners can dra-v any unfavourable
79
inference, 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 others ; gentlemen who have vi-
sited me ; tradesmen who have come to receive
my orders ; masters whom I have had to instruct
me, in painting, in music, in English, c. that I
have received them without any one being by. In
short, I trust I am not confessing a crime, for un-
questionably 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 confi-
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 thing
itself; and I have always understood, that it was
perfectly customary and usual for ladies of the
first rank, and the first character, in the country,
to receive the visits of gentlemen in, a morning,
though they might be themselves alone at the
time. But, if, in the opinions and fashions of
this country, there should be more impropriety
ascribed to it, than what it ever entered into my
mind to conceive, I hope your Majesty, and every
candid mind, will make allowance for the differ-
ent notions which my foreign education, and fo-
reign habits may have given me.
But whatever character may belong to this prac-
tice, it is not a practice which commenced after my
leaving Carlton House. While there, and from
my first arrival in this country, I was accustomed,
with the knowledge of His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, and without his ever having
hinted to me the slightest disapprobation, to re-
ceive lessons from various masters, for my amuse-
ment, and improvement; I was attended by them
frequently, from twelve o'clock to five in the af-
ternoon ; Mr. Atwood for music, Mr. Geffadiere
for English, Mr. Toufronelli for paintiag, Mr.
Tutoye for imitating marble, Mr. Elvres for the
harp. I saw them all alone , and indeed, if I were
to see them at all, I could do no otherwise 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. I desired her sometimes to come
down stairs, and read to me, during the time
when I drew or painted, but my Lord Cholmon*
dely informed me this could not be. I then re-
quested 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 t was answered that it was not custo-
mary, that the attendants of the Royal Family
should live with them in town; so that request
could not be complied with. But, independent
of this, I never conceived that it was offensive
to the fashions and manners of the country to re-
ceive gentlemen, who might call upon me in a
morning, whether I had or had not any one with
me ; and it never occurred to me to think that
there was either impropriety or indecorum in it, at
that time, nor in continuing the practice at Monta-
gue House. But this has been confined to morning
81
visits, in no private apartments of my house, but
in my drawing-room, where my ladies have, at all
times, free access, and as they usually take their lun-
cheon with me, except when they are engaged with
visitors, or pursuits of their o\vn, it could but rarely
occur that 1 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 waiting upon me, that would fully ac-
count tor the circumstance.
I trust your Majesty will excuse the length at
which I have dwelt upon this topic. I perceived,
from the examinations, that it had been much in-
quired after, and I felt it necessary to represent it
in its true li^ht. And the candour of your Majes-
ty's mind v\ill, lam confident, suggest that those
Avho are the least conscious of intending guilt, are
the least suspicious of having it imputed to them ;
and therefore that they do not think it necessary 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 will not be imputed to them from actions
quite indifferent.
The depobition, however, of Mr. Cole is not
confined to my being alone with Sir Sidney Smith.
The circumstances in which he observed us toge-
O
ther he particularizes, and states his opinion. He
introduces, indeed, the whole of his evidence by
saying that I was too familiar with Sir Sidney Smith
M
82
but as I trust I am not 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 sand-
wiches, which I trust your Majesty did not fail to
notice, I 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
there was great impropriety in his being alone with
me. And at least the witness's own story proves,
whatever impropriety there might be, in this cir-
cumstance, that I was not conscious of it, nor meant
to take advantage of his clandestine entry, from the
Park, to conceal the fact from my servant's obser-
vation. For if I had had such consciousness, or
such meaning, I never could have ordered sand-
wiches 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 continued
in a situation, which I thought improper, and wished
to conceal. Any of the circumstances of this visit,
to which this part of the deposition refers, my me-
mory does not enable me in the least degree to par-
ticularize 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 ever again, not only with Sir Sidney Smith, but
\vith other gentlemen, sitting upon the same sofa ;
and Thrust your Majesty v\ ill feel it the hardest thing
imaginable,, that I should be called upon to ac-
count 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 supplies 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 pro-
priety 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 intimacies of
private life. Under any circumstances, this would
be a hard condition to be annexed to her situation.
Under the circumstances, in which it lias been my
misfortune 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 impossible, and if possible, could
hardly have been expected from me.
After these observations, Sire, I must now re-
quest 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 compli-
ance with my earnest request, to order to be trans-
mitted to me. From observations upon those de-
clarations themselves, as well as upon comparing
them with the depositions made before the Com-
missioners, your Majesty will see the strongest
reason for discrediting the testimony of W. Cole,
84
as well as others of these witnesses whose credit
stands in the opinion of the Commissioners sc un-
impeachable. They supply important observations,
even with respect to that part of Mr. Cole's evi-
dence which I am now considering, though in no
degree equal in importance to those which I shall
afterwards have occasion to notice.
Your Majesty will please to observe, that there
are no less than four different examinations, or de-
clarations of Mr. Cole. They are dated on the
lltb, 14th, and 30th of January, and on 23rd of
February. In these four different declarations he
twice mentions the circumstance of finding Sir Sid-
ney 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 ma-
terially differs from his deposition before the Com-
missioners. In his declaration on the 1 1th of Janu-
ary* he says, that he found us in so familiar a pos-
ture, as to alarm him very much, which he express-
ed by a start back and a look at the gentleman.
In that dated on 22nd of 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 ; he thought it improper
that a single gentleman should be sitting quite close
to a married lady on the sofa, and from that situa-
* See Appendix (B.^ p. 98.
t See Appendix (B.) p. 102.
85
tion, and former" observations, he thought the thing
improper. In this second account, therefore, your
Majesty perceives he was obliged to bring in his
former observations 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
" starting back," But, unfortunately, he accounts
for it, as it seems to me at least, by the very cir-
cumstance which would have induced him to have
been less surprised, and consequently less startled
by what he saw ; for had his former observations
been such as he insinuates, he would have been pre-
pared the more to expect, and the less to be sur-
prised at, what he pretends to have seen.
But your Majesty will observe, that in his depo-
sition before the Commissioners,* (recollecting,
perhaps, how awkwardly he had accounted for his
starting in his former declaration,) he drops his
starting altogether. Instead of looking at the gen-
tleman 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 ap-
pearing a little confused. Our confusion is a cir-
cumstance, which, during his four declarations,
which he made before the appointment of the four
Commissioners, it never once occurred to him to
recollect. And now he does recollect it, we ap-
peared he says, " a little confused." A little con-
fused ! The Princess cf Wales detected in a situa-
* Appendix (A.) p. 11.
86
tion such as to shock and alarm her servant, 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-
fusion have been extreme? would it have been so
little as to have slipped the memory of the witness
who observed it, during his first four declarations,
and at last to be recalled to his recollection in such
a manner as to be represented in the faint and feeble
way, in which he here describes it?
What weight your Majesty will ascribe to these
differences in the accounts given by this witness, I
cannot pretend to say. But I am ready to confess,
thai, probably, if there was nothing stronger of
the same kind to be observed, in other parts of his
testimony, the inference which would be drawn
from them, would depend very much upon the
opinion previously entertained of the witness. To
me, who know many parts of his testimony 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 representations, are the unsteady, awkward,
shuffles and prevarications of falsehood. To those,
if there arc any such, who from preconceived pre-
judices in his favour, or from any other circum-
stances, think that his veracity is free from all sus-
picion, satisfactory means of reconciling them may
possibly occur. But before 1 have left Mr. Cole's
(\nminations, your Majesty will find that they will
have much more to account for, and much more
to reconcile.
87
Mr. Cole's examination before the Commission-
ers 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
" great coat. 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 this dark state, without any further ex-
planation, or without a trace in the examination, of
any attempt to get it further explained. How he
got this impression on his mind, that this was not
a thief ? Whom he believed it to be? What part
of the house he saw him enter ? If the drawing-
room, or any part which I usually occupy, who
was there at the time? Whether 1 was there?
Whether alone, or with my Ladies ? or with other
company? Whether he told any body of the cir-
cumstance at the time ? or how long after ? Whom
he told ? Whether any inquiries were made in
consequence ? These, and a thousand other ques-
tions, with a view to have penetrated into the mys-
tery of this strange story, and to have tried the
credit of this witness, would, I should have thought,
have occurred to any one ; but certainly must have
occurred to persons so experienced, and so able
in the examination of facts, and the trying of the
credit of witnesses, as the two learned Lords un-
questionably are, whom your Majesty took care
* Appendix (A.) No. 5.
88
to have introduced into this Commission. They
never could have permitted these unexplained and
unsifted hints and insinuations to have had^ the
weight and effect of proof. B-it, unfortunately for
me, the duties, probably, of their respective situa-
tions prevented their attendance on the examina-
tion of this, and on the first examination of another
most important \vitness, Mr. Ptobert Bidgood
and surely your Majesty will permit me here, with-
out offence, to complain, 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 wit-
nesses, in whose examinations there is more mat-
ter for unfavourable interpretation, than in all the
rest put together, should have been examined with-
out the benefit of this accuracy, and this experience.
And I am the better justified in making this obser-
vation, if what has been suggested to me is correct ;
that, if it shall not be allowed that the power of ad-
ministering an oath under this warrant or commis-
sion is questionable, yet it can hardly be doubted,
that it is most questionable 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, Mr. Cole's falsehood must be out of the reach
of punishment.
Returning then from this digression, will your
Majesty permit me to ask, whether I am to undsr-
itand this fact, respecting the man in a great coat,
to be one of those which must necessarily crive oc-
/ O
casion to the most unfavourable interpretations ?
which must be credited till decidedly contradicted r
.
and which if true, deserve the most serious consi-
deration ? The unfavourable interpretations 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 mMnight, for the accomplishment of
my wicked and adulterous purposes. And is it
possible that your Majesty, is it possible that any
candid mind can believe this fact, with the un-
favourable interpretations which it occasions, on
the relation of a servant, who 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 lionesty 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,
permitted this disguised midnight adulterer, to ap-
proach his master's bed, without taking any notice,
without making any alarm, without ottering any
interruption. And .why ? tocause (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 Coia-
N
suffered this fact to remain so unex-
plained, the more extraordinary is this ; Mr. Cole
had in his original declaration of the* J 1th of Ja-
nuary, which was before the Commissioners, stated
" that one night, about twelve o'clock, he saw a
person wrapped up m a great coat, go across the
Park into the gate to the Green House, and he
verily believes it was Sir Sidney Smith/' In his de-
claration then, (when he was not upon oath) he
ventures to stale, " that he verily believes it was
Sir Sidney Smith." When he is upon his oath, in
his deposition before the Commissioners, all that
he ventures to swear is, " that he gave no alarm,
because the impression upon his mind was, that it
was not a thief." And the difference is most iin-
poitant. " The impression upon his mind was,
that it was not a thief! !" 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 watchman.
What incident it is that he alludes to, I cannot pre-
tend to know. But this I know, that if it refers to
any man with whose proceedings I have the least
acquaintance or privity, it must have been my
watch:nan ; who, if he executes my orders, nightly,
and oftea in the nij>ht, goes his rounds, both inside
and outside of my house. And this circumstance,
which I should think would rather afford, to most
winds, an iuleie ice that I was not preparing the
Appendix (B) p. 93.
ivay of planning facilities for secret midni-ht assig*
nations, has, in my conscience, I believe, (if there
is one word of truth in any part of this story, and
the whole of it is not pure invention) afforded the
handle, and suggested the idea, to this honest, trusty
man, this witness, " who cannot be suspected of any
unfavourable bias," " whose veracity in that re-
spect the Commissioners saw no ground to ques-
tion," 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 testimony.
Whether I am right or wrong, however, in this
conjecture, this appears to be evident, that his ex-
amination is so left, that supposing an indictment
for perjury or false swearing, would lie against any
Avitness, examined by the Commissioners, and sup-
posing this examination 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 establish the truth of what he
said, and rescue him from the punishment of per-
jury, 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 as-
cribes his removal from Montague House to Lon-
don, to the discovery be had made, and the notice
he had taken of the improper situation of Sir Sid-
Smith with me upon the sofa. To this I can
oppose little more than my own assertions, a my
motives can only be known to myself. But Mr.
Cole was a very disagreeable servant to me ; he
was a man, who, as I alvvays conceived, had been
educated above his station. He talked French,
and was a musician, playing well on the violin.
By these qualifications he had got admitted occasi-
onally, into better company, and this probably led
to that forward and obtrusive conduct, which I
thought extremely offensive and impertinent in a
servant. 1 had long been extremely displeased with
him ; I had discovered, that when I went out he
would come into my drawing-room, and play on
my harpsichord, or sit there reading nay books ;
and, in short, there was a forwardness which would
have led to my absolutely discharging him a long
time before, if 1 had not made a sort of rule to my-
self, 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 the Duke of Devon-
shire, 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 Highness the
Duke of Kent, who had been good enough to take
the trouble of arranging many particulars in my
establishment, to make the arrangement with re-
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 ex-
cept when specially required. 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 preju-
dice. It seems, however, that he did not like it;
and I must leave this part of the case with this one
observation more That your Majesty, I trust,
will hardly believe, 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 arrangement in my
family, with regard to him, which was either pre-
judicial or disagreeable to him : or that the way to
remove him from the opportunity and the tempta-
tion of betraying my secret, whether through levity
or design, in the quarter where it would be most
fatal to me that it should be known, was by making
an arrangement which, while all his resentment
and anger were fresh and warm about him, would
place him frequently, nay, almost daily, at Carl-
ton House; would place him precisely at that
place, from whence, unquestionably, it must have
been my interest to have kept him as far removed
as possible.
There is little or nothing in the examinations of
the other witnesses which is material for me to ob-
serve upon, as far as respects this part of the case.
It appears from them indeed, what I have had no
difficulty 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. Stikermu says, with respect to his being
alone with me in an evening, can only mean, and
is only reconcileable with all the rest of the evi-
dence on this part of the case, by its being under-
stood to moan alone, in respect of other company,
but not alone, in the absence of my Ladies. The
deposition indeed of my servant, S. Roberts,
is thus far material upon that point, th.it it exhibits
Mr. Cole, not less than three years ago, endea-
vouring 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, whether there were any
" favourites in the family. I remember saying,
" that Captain M^nby and Sir Sidney Smith were
" frequently .at Blackheath, and dined there
" oftener than other persons." He then pro-
" ceeds " I never knew Sir Sidney Smith stay
" later than the Ladies ; I cannot exactly say at
" what time he went, but I never remember his
" staying alone with the Princess."
As to what is contained in the written declara-
* See Appendix (A) No. 8.
lions of Mr. and Mrs. Lampert, tha old servants
of Sir John and Lady Douglas (as from some cir-
cumstances or other respecting, I conceive, either
their credit or their supposed importance) the
Commissioners have not thought proper to exa-
mine them upon their oaths,* I do not imagine
Your Majesty would expect that I should take any
notice of them. And as to what is deposed by my
Lady Douglas, if your Majesty will observe the
gross and horrid indecencies with which she ushers
in, and states my confessions to her, of my asserted
criminal intercourse with Sir Sidney Smith, Your
Majesty, I am coniident, will not be surprised that
I do not descend to any particular observations on
her deposition. One, and one only observation will
I make, which, however, could not have escaped
Your Majesty, if I had omilted it. That Your
Majesty will have an excellent portraiture of the
true female delicacy and purity of my Lady Dou-
glas's mind, and character, when you will observe
that she seems wholly insensible that 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 fami-
liarity and apparent friendship with me, after the
confession which I made of my adultery (for by the
indulgence and liberality, as it is called, of modern
manners, the company of adulteresses has ceased
to reiiect that discredit upon the characters of other
* For the same reason the} are not printed in Appendix (B). j
women who admit of 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 Doughs's evidence of me is
true, was a most low, vulgar, and profligate dis-
grace to her sex. The grossness of whose ideas
and conversation, would add infamy to the lowest,
most vulgar, and most infamous prostitute. It is not,
however, upon this circumstance, that I rest as-
sured no reliance can be placed on Lady Douglas's
testimony ; but after what is proved, with regard
to her evidence respecting my pregnancy and deli-
very in 1802, I am certain that any observations
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 this is, as I understand
the Report, one of the charges which, with its un-
favourable interpretations, must, in the opinion of
the Commissioners, be credited tilt decidedly con-
tradicted.
As to the facts of frequent visiting on terms of
great intimacy, as I have said before, they cannot
be contradicted at all. How inferences and un-
favourable interpretations are to be decidedly con-
tradicted, I wish 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
97
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 I ought to contradict,
to clear my innocence, I would precisely address
myself to that fact, as I am confident, my con-
science 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 Princess of Wales ; when you see her
reduced to the necessity of either risking the dan-
ger, that the most unfavourable interpretations
should be credited ; or else of stating, as I am now
degraded to the necessity of stating, that not only
no adulterous or criminal, but no indecent or im-
proper intercourse whatever, ever subsisted be-
tween 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 statement, at the peril of the
contrary being credited, unless she decidedly con-
tradicts it. Sir Sidney Smith's absence from the
country prevents my calling upon him to attest
the same truth. But I trust \\hen your Majesty
shall find, as you will find, that my declaration to
a similar effect, with respect to the other gentle-
men referred to in this Report, is confirmed bj
their denial, that your Majesty will think that in
a case, where nothing but my own word can be
adduced, my own word alone may be opposed to
whatever little remains of credit o'r weight may,
after all the above observations, be supposed yet to
belong to Mr. Cole, to his inferences, his insinua-
tions, or his facts. Not indeed that I have yet fin-
ished my observations on Mr. Cole's credit; but I
must reserve the remainder, till I consider his evi-
dence with respect 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 Majesty these wit-
nesses, Fanny Lloyd and Mr. Cole, (both of whom
are represented as so unbiassed, and so credible,)
in fla>, decisive, and irreconcileable contradiction to
each other.
The next person, with whom my improper in-
timacy 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 interested, to contradict it. " That
she remembers my sitting to Mr. Lawrence for
my picture at Blackheath ; and in London; that
she lias left me at his house in town with him, but
she thinks Mrs. Fitzgerald was with us; and that
she thinks I sat alone with him at Blackheath/' But
Mr. Cole speaks of Mr. I aurence in a manner that
99
calls for particular observation. He says* " Mr.
Lawrence the painter used to go to Montague
House about the latter end of 1801, when he was
painting the Princess, and he has slept in the house
two or three nights together. I have often seen
him alone with the Princess at 1 1 or 1 2 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 Princess in the Blue Room, after the
ladies had retired. Some time afterwards, when
I supposed 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, your Majesty ob-
serves, that Mr. Cole deals his deadliest blows
against my character by insinuation. And here,
again, his insinuation is left unsifted and unex-
plained. 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, notwithstanding
overheard.
Before, Sire, I come to my own explanation of the
fact of Mr. Lawrence's sleeping at Montague House,
I must again refer to Mr. Cole's original declara-
tions. I must again examine Mr. Cole, against
Mr. Cole; which I cannot help lamenting it does
* Appendix (A.) No. 5.
100
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 up to the in-
famy (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. I am
sorrv to be obliged to drag your Majesty through
so long a detail ; but J am confident your Majesty's
goodness, and love of justice, will excuse it, as it is
essential to the vindication ot 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 llth of January, has ne-
thing of this. I mean not to say that it has nothing
concerning 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 declaration about Mr. Lawrence
at all, it might have been imagined that perhaps
Mr. Lawrence escaped his recollection 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 happened
at that time not to recollect, or if he recollected^
101
ftot to mention so very striking and remarkable a
circumstance, is not, I should imagine, very satis-
factorily 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, painting the Princess's
" picture. That he was frequently alone late in
" the night \vith the Princess, and much suspicion
" was entertained of him." Mr. Cole's nextf de-
claration, at least the next which appears among the
written declarations, was taken on the 14th of Jan-
uary ; it does not mention Mr. Lawrence's name,
*/ '
but it has this passage. " When Mr. Cole found
the drawing-room, which led to the staircase to the
Princess's apartments, locked (which your Majesty
knows is the same which the witnesses 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 of
whispering being overheard, he expressly says, that
he did not know that any body was with me. The
passage is likewise deserving your Majesty's most
serious consideration 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
* See Appendix (B.) p. 160. f Appendix (B.) p. 100.
been transmitted to your Majesty ; for it evidently
refers to something, which he had said before, of hav-
ing found the drawing-room door locked, and no
trace of sach a statement is di3coverable in the
previous axamination of Air. Cole, as I have re-
ceived it, and 1 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 them, I cannot suppose that any of them
could have furnished any thing favourable to me,
except indeed that they might have furnished me
with fresh means- of contradicting him by himself.
But your Majesty will see that there have been
other statements not communicated ; a circumstance
of which both your Majesty and I have reason to
complain. But it may be out of its place further
to notice that fact at present.
To return therefore to Mr. Cole ; in his third*
declaration, dated the 30th of January, there is not
a word about Mr. Lawrence. In his fourth and
last,t which is dated on the 23rd of February, he
says, " the person who was alone with the lady at
44 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 diffe-
" rent nights." Here is likewise another trace pf
Appendix, (B) p. 102. t Appendix (B) p. 103.
103
a former statement which is not given ; for no such
person is mentioned before in any that I have been
furnished with.
Your Majesty then here observes that, after hav-
ing given evidence in two of his declarations, res-
pecting Mr. Lawrence by name, in which he men-
tions 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 within it, and said nothing
about whispering being 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 remark-
able circumstance, which could not have escaped his
recollection, at the first, it it had been true, " of his
" having, on the same night in which he found me
" and Mr. Lawrence alone, after the ladies were
" gone to bed, come again to the room when he
" thought Mr. Lawrence must have been retired,
" and found the door locked and heard the whisper-
" ing ;" and then again he gives another instance
of his honesty, and upon the same principle on which
he took no notice of the man in the great coat, he
finds the door locked, hears the whispering, and
then he silently and contentedly retires.
And this witness, who thus not only varies in his
testimony, but contradicts himself in such impor-
tant particulars, is one of those who cannot be sus-
pected of unfavourable bias, and whose veracity is
104
not to be questioned, and whose evidence must be
credited till decidedly contradicted.
These observations might probably be deemed
sufficient upon Mr. Cole's deposition, as tar as it
respects Mr. Lawrence ; but I cannot be satisfied
without explaining to your Majesty, all the truth,
and the particulars respecting Mr. Lawrence, which
I recollect.
What I recollect then is as follows. He began a
large picture of me, and of my daughter, towards
the latter end of the year 1 800, or the beginning of
1801. Miss Garth and Miss Hayman were in the
house with me at the time. The picture was paint-
ed at Montague House. Mr. Lawrence mentioned
to Miss Hayman his wish to be permitted to re-
main some few nights in the house, that by rising
early be might begin painting on the picture, be-
fore Princess Charlotte (whose residence being at
that time at Shooter's Hill was enabled to come
early,) or myself, came to sit. It was a similar re-
quest to that which had been made by Sir William
Beechy, when he painted my picture. And I was
sensible of no impropriety when I granted the re-
quest 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
105
there was music, in which he joined, and some-
times 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 mayhave happened that it was one or
two o'clock before I dismissed Mr. Lawrence and
my Ladies. They, together with Mr. Lawrence,
went out of the same door, up the same stair-case,
and at the same time. According to my own recol-
lection I should have said, that, in no one in-
stance, they had left Mr. Lawrence behind them,
alone with me. But I su ppose it did happen once
for a short time, since Mr. Lawrence so recollects
it, as your Majesty will perceive from his deposi-
tion, which I annex. He staid in my house two or
three nights together ; but how many nights in the
whole, I do not recollect^ The picture left my
house by April, 1801, and Mr. Lawrence never
slept in my house afterwards. That picture now
belongs to Lady Townshend. He has since com-
pleted another picture of me ; and, about a year
and a half ago, he began another, which remains
at present unfinished. I believe it is near a
twelvemonth since I last sat to him.
Mr. Lawrence lives upon a footing of the great-
est intimacy with the neighbouring families of Mr.
Lock and Mr. Angerstein ; and I have asked him
sometimes to dine with me to meet them. While
I was- sitting to him, at my own house, I have no
doubt I must have often sat to him alone ; as tbe
106
necessity for the precaution of having an atten-
dant, as a witness to protect my honour from sus-
picion certainly never occurred to me. And upon
the same principle, I do not doubt that I may
have sometimes continued in conversation with
him after he had finished painting. But when
sitting in his own house, I have always been at-
tended with one of my Ladies. And indeed no-
thing in the examinations state the contrary. One
part of Mrs. Lisle's examination seeins as if she
had had a question put to her, upon the supposi-
tion that I had been left alone with Mr. Law-
rence at his own house ; to which she answers,
that she indeed had left me there, but that she
thinks she left Mrs. Fitzgerald with me.
Ifaninference of an unfavourable nature could
have been drawn from my having been left there
alone ; was it, Sire, taking all that care which
might be wished, to guard against such an infer-
ence, on the part of the Commissioners, when they
omitted to send for Mrs. Fitzgerald to ascertain
what Mrs. Lisle may have left in doubt. The Com-
missioners, I give them the fullest credit, were sa-
tisfied, that Mrs. Lisle thought correctly upon this
fact, and that Mrs. Fitzgerald, if she had been
sent for again, would so have proved it, and there-
fore tiiat it would have been troubling her to no
purpose. But this it is, of which I conceive myself
to have most reason to complain ; that the exa-
mination in several instances, have not been fol-
lowed up so as to remove unfavourable impressions.
107
I cannot but feel satisfied that the Commission-
ers would have been glad to have been warranted
in negativing all criminality, and all suspicion on
this part of the charge, as completely, and ho-
nourably as they have done on the principal
charges of pregnancy and delivery. They traced
that part of the charge with ability, sagacity, dili-
gence, and perseverance; and the result was com-
plete satisfaction of my innocence ; complete de-
tection of the falsehood of my accusers. Encou-
raged by their success in that part of their Inquiry,
I lament that they did not, (as they thought pro-
per to enter into the other part of it at all,) with
similar industry pursue it. If they had, i am con-
fident they would have pursued it with the same
success ; but though they had convicted Sir John
and Lady Douglas of falsehood, they seem to have
thought it impossible to suspect of the same false-
hood, any other of the witnesses, though produced
by SirJohn and Lady Douglas. The most obvious
means, therefore, of trying their credit, by com-
paring their evidence with what they had said be
fore, seems to me to have been omitted. Many
facts are left upon surmise only and insinuation;
obvious means of getting farther information on
doubtful and suspicious circumstances are not re-
sorted to ; and, as if the important maUer of the
Inquiry (on which a satisfactory conclusion had
been formed) was all that required any very atten-
tive or accurate consideration ; the remainder of
it was pursued in a manner which, as it seems to
me, can only be accounted for by the pressure of
108
what may have been deemed more important du-
ties and of this I should have made but little
complaint, if this Inquiry, where it is imperfect,
had not been followed by a Report, which the
most accurate only could have justified, and
which soch tin accurate Inquiry, I am confident,
never could have produced.
If any credit was given to Mr. Cole's story of
the locked door, and the whispering; and to Mr.
Lawrence having been left with me so frequently
of a night when my ladies had left us, why were
not all my ladies examined ? why were not all my
servants examined as to their knowledge of that
fact ? And if they had been so examined, and had
contradicted the fact so sworn to by Mr. Cole, as
they must have done, had they been examined to
it; that alone would have been sufficient to have
removed his name from the list of unsuspected and
unquestionable witnesses, and relieved me from
much of the suspicion which his evidence, till it
was examined, was calculated to have raised in
your Majesty's mind. And to close this state-
ment, and these observations and in addition to
them, I most solemnly assert to your Majesty,
that Mr. Lawrence, neither at his own house, nor
at mine, nor any where else, ever was for one mo-
ment, by night or by day, in the same room with
me when the door of it was locked ; that he never
was in my company of an evening alone, except
the momentary conversation which Mr. Lawrence
speaks to, may be thought an exception; and that
109
nothing ever passed between him and me which
all the world might not have witnessed. And,
Sire, I have subjoined a deposition to the same
effect from Mr. Lawrence.
To satisfy myself, therefore, and your Majesty,
I have shewn, I trust, by unanswerable observa-
tions and arguments, that there is no colour for
crediting Mr. Cole, or, consequently, any part of
this charge, which rests solely on his evidence. But
to satisfy the requisition of the Commissioners, I
have brought my pride to submit, (though not
without great pain, I can assure your Majesty) to
add the only contradictions which I conceive can
be given, those of Mr. Lawrence and myself.
The next person with whom these examinations
charge my improper familiarity, and with regard
to which the Report represents the evidence as par-
ticularly strong, is Captain Manby. With respect
to him, Mr. Cole's examination is silent But the
evidence, on which 'the Commissioners rely on this
part of the case, is Mr. Bidgood's, Miss Fanny
Lloyd's, and Mrs. Lisle's. It respects my conduct
at three different places ; at Montague House,
Southend, and at Ramsgate. I shall preserve the
facts and my observations more distinct, if I con-
sider the evidence, as applicable to these three
places, separately, and in its order; and I prefer
this mode of treating it, as it will enable me to
consider the evidence of Mrs. Lisle in the first
place, and consequently put it out of the reach of
the harsher observations, which I may be under
the necessity of making, upon the testimony of the
other two. For though Mrs. Lisle, indeed, speaks
to having seen Captain Manby at East Cliff, in
Aug. 1803, to the best of her remembrance it was
only once ; she speaks to his meeting her at Deal,
in the same season ; that he landed there with
some boys whom I took on charity, and who were
under his care ; yet she speaks of nothing there
that can require a single observation from me.
*The material parts of her evidence respect her
seeing him at Blackheath, the Christmas before
she had seen him at East Cliff. Sne says, it was
the Christmas after Mr. Austin's child came, con-
sequently the Christinas 1H02-3. He used to
come to dine there, she says, he always went away
in her presence, and she had no reason to think he
staid after the Ladies retired. He lodged on the
Heath at that time ; his ship was fitting up at
Deptford ; he came to dinner three or four times a
week, or more. She supposes he might be alone
with the Princess, but that she was in the habit of
seeing Gentlemen and Tradesmen without her be-
ing present. She (Mrs. Lisle) has seen him at
luncheon and dinner both. The boys (two boys)
came with him two or three times, but not to din-
ner. Captain Manby always sat next the Princess
at dinner. The constant company were Mrs. and
Miss Fitzgerald, and herself all retired with the
Princess, and sat in the same room. Captain
* Appendix (A.) No. 27.
Ill
Manby generally retired about eleven ; and sat
with us all till then. Captain Manby and the
Princess used, when we were together, to bespeak-
ing together separately, conversing separately, but
not in a room alone. He was a person with whom
the Princess appeared to have greater pleasure in
talking than with her Ladies. Her Royal High-
ness behaved to him ONLY as any woman would
who likes flirting. She (Mrs. Lisle) would not hare
thought any married woman would have behaved
property, who behaved as Her Royal Highness did
to Captain Manby. She can't say whether the
Princess was attached to Captain Manby, only
that itwasa flirting conduct. She never saw any
gallantries, as kissing her hand, or the like."
I have cautiously stated the whole of Mrs. Lisle's
evidence upon this part of the case; and I am sure
Your Majesty in reading it, will not fail to keep
the facts, which Mrs. Lisle speaks to, separate
from the opinion, or judgment, which she forms
upon them. I mean not to speak disrespectfully,
or slightingly of Mrs. Lisle's opinion , or express
myself as in any degree indifferent to it. But what-
ever there was which she observed in my conduct,
that did not become a married \voman, that
" was ONLY like a woman who liked flirting," and
" ONLY a flirting conduct'' I am convinced your
Majesty must be satisfied that it must have been
far distant from affording any evidence of crime,
of vice . or of indecency, as it passed openly in the
company of my Ladies, of whom Mrs. Lisle her-
self \vas one.
The facts she states are, that Captain Manby
came very frequently to my house ; that he dined
there three or four times a week in the latter end
of the year 1802; that he sat next to me at din-
ner; and that my conversation after dinner, in the
evening used to be with Captain Manby, separate
from my Ladies. These are the facts : and is it
upon them that my character, I will not say, is
to be taken away, but is to be affected ?
Captain Manby had, in the autumn of the same
3 T ear, been introduced to me by Lady Townshend,
when I was upon a visit to her at Rainham. I
think he came there only the day before I left it.
He was a naval officer, as I understood, and as 1
still believe, of great merit. What little expence,
in the way of charity, I am able to afford, I .am
best pleased to dedicate to the education of the
children of poor, but honest persons ; and I most
generally bring them up to the service of the Na-
vy. I had at that time two boys at school, whom
I thought of an age fit to be put to sea. I desired
Lady Townshend to prevail upon Captain Manby
to take them. He consented to it, and of course
I was obliged to him.
About this time, or shortly afterwards, he was
appointed to the Africaine, a ship which was fitting
up at Deptford. To be near his ship, as I under-
stood and believe, he took lodgings at Blackheath ;
and as to the mere fact of his being so frequently
at my house, his intimacy and friendship with
Lord and Lady Townshend, uhich of itself was
assurance to me of his respectability and character
my pleasure in shewing my respect to them, by
notice and attention to a friend of theirs, his un-
dertaking the care of my charity boys,- -and his
accidental residence at Blackheath, will, I should
trust, not unreasonably account for it. I have a
similar account likewise to give of paying for the
linen furniture, with which his cabin was furnished.
Wishing to make him some return for his trouble
with the boys, I desired that I might choose the
pattern of his furniture. I not only chose it, but
had it sent to him, and paid the bill ; rinding how-
ever, that it did not corne to more than about
twenty pounds, I thought H a shabby present, and
therefore added some trifling present of plate. So
I have frequently done, and I hope without offence
may be permitted to do again to any Captain, on
whom I impose such trouble. Sir Samuel Hood
has now two of my charity boys with him ; and I
have presented him with a silver Epergne. I
should be ashamed to notice such things, but
your Majesty perceives, that they are made the
subject of Inquiry from Mrs. Fitzgerald, and Mr.
Stikeman, and I was desirous that they should not
appear to be particular in the case of Captain
Manby.
But to return to Mrs. Lisle's examination.
Mrs. Lisle says, that Captain Manby, when he
8
114
dined with me, sat next to me at dinner. Be-
fore any inference is drawn from that fact, I am
sure your Majesty will observe that, in the next
line ol Mrs. Lille's examination, she bays " that the
constant company was Mrs. and Miss Fitzgerald,
and herself, Mrs. Li^-le.' 1 r J he only gentleman, the
only person of the whole party who vvas not of my
own family, was Captain Manby ; and his sitting
next to me, under such circumstances, I should ap-
prehend could not possibly afford any inference of
any kind. In the evening we were never alone. The
whole company sat together; nay even as to his be-
ing with me alone of a morning, Mrs. Lisle seems to
know nothing of the fact, but from a conjecture found-
ed upon her knowledge of m) knoun usual habit, with
respect to seeing gentleman uho might call upon me.
Ai.d the very foundation of her conjecture demon-
strates that this circumstance can be no evidence of
any thing particular with regard to Captain Manby.
As to my conversing with Captain Manby sepa-
rately, I do not understand Mrs. Lisle as mean-
ing to speak to the state of the conversation unin-
terruptedly, during the whole of any of the several
evenings when Captain Manby was with me; if
I did so understand her, I should certainly most
confidently assert that she was not correct.
That in the course of the evening, as the ladies
i\cit working, reading, or otherwise amusing them-
selves, the conversation was sometimes more and
sometimes less general; and that they sometimes
took more, sometimes less part in it; that fre-
115
quently it was between Captain Man by and my-
self' alone ; and lhat, when we were all together,
we two might frequently be the only persons not
otherwise engaged, and therefore be justly said
to be speaking together separately. Besides Cap-
tain Manby has been round the world with Cap-
tain Vancovre. I have looked over prints in
books of voyages with him ; he has explained them
to me ; the ladies may or may not have been
looking over them at the same time ; they may
have been engaged with their own amusements.
Here, again, we may be said to have been con-
versing separately, and consequently that Mrs.
Lisle, in this sense, is perfectly justified in saying
lhat " I used to converse separately with Captain
Manby," I have not the least difficulty in admit-
ting. But have I not again reason to complain
that this expression of Mrs- Lisle's was not more
sifted, but left in a manner calculated to raise an
impression that this separate conversation, was
studiously sought for, was constant, uniform, and
uninterrupted, though it by no means asserts any
such thing? But whether I used a lie ays so to con-
verse with him ; or generally, or only sometimes,
or for what proportion of the evening I used -to
be so engaged, is left unasked and unexplained.
Have I not likewise just reason to complain, that
though Mrs. Lisle states, that Mrs. Fitzgerald and
Miss Fitzgerald were always of the party, they
are not both examined to these circumstances ?
But Miss Fitzgerald is not examined at ail; rani
116
Mrs. Fitzgerald, though examined, and examined
too with respect to Captain Manby, does not ap-
pear to have had a single question put to her with
respect to any thing which passed concerning him at
Montague House. May I not therefore complain
that the examination, leaving the generality of Mrs.
Lisle's expression unexplained by herself; and the
scenes to which it relates unexamined into, by call-
ing the other persons who were present, is leaving
it precisely in that state, which is better calculated
to raise a suspicion, than to ascertain the truth?
But I am persuaded that the unfavourable im-
pression which is most likely to be made by Mrs.
.Lisle's examination, is not by her evidence to the
facts, but by her opinion upon them. " I ap-
peared," she says, " to like the conversation of
Captain Manby better than that of my ladies. I
behaved to him only as a woman who likes flirting ;
my conduct was unbecoming a married woman;
she cannot say whether I was attached to Cap-
tain Manby or not ; " it was only a flirting con-
duct." Now, Sire, I must here again most se-
riously complain that the Commissioners should
have called for, or received, and much more re-
ported, in this manner, the opinion and judgment
of Mrs. Lisle upon my conduct. Your Majesty's
Warrant purpo ts to authorise them to collect
the e\ /'lencc, and not the opinion of others; and
to report it, with their own judgment, surely,
and not Mrs. Lisle's. Mrs. Lisle's judgment was
formed upon those tacts which she stated to the
117
Commissioners, or upon other facts. If upon those
she stated, the Commissioners, and your Majesty,
itre as well able to form the judgment upon them
as she was. If upon other facts, the Commission-
ers should have heard what those other facts were,
and upon them have formed and reported their
judgment.
I am aware, indeed, that if I were to argue that
the facts which Mrs. Lisle states, afford the ex-
planation of what she means by " only flirting
conduct," and by " behaviour unbecoming a
married woman," namely, " that it consisted in
having the same gentleman to dine with me three
O O
or four times a week ; letting him sit next me at
dinner, when there were HO other strangers in com-
pany ; conversing with him separately, and ap-
pearing to prefer his conversation to that of the
ladies, it would be observed probably, that this
was not all ; that there was always a certain indes-
cribable something in manner, \\hich gave the
character to conduct, and must have entered
mainly into such a judgment as Mrs. Lisle has here
pronounced.
To a certain extent I should be obliged to agree
c* o
to this ; but if I am to have any prejudice from
this observation ; if it is to give a weight and
authority to Mrs. Lisle's judgment, let me have
the advantage of it also. If it justifies the conclu-
sion that Mrs. Lisle's censure upon my conduct
is right, it requires also that equal credit should be
given to the qualification, the limit, and the res-
118
triction, which she herself puts upon that cen-
sure.
Mrs. Lisle, sewing all the facts which she re-
lates, and observing much of manner, which per-
haps she could not describe, limits the expression
" flirting conduct" by calling it '* only flirting,"
and says (upon having the question asked to her,
no doubt, whether from the whole she could col-
lect that I was attached to Captain Manby) says
" she could not say \\hether I was attached to
him, my conduct was not of a nature that proved
any attachment to him, it was only a flirting con-
duct." Unjust, therefore, as I think it, that any
such question should have been put to Mrs. Li&le,
or that her judgment should have been taken at
all ; yet what I fear from it, as pressing with
peculiar hardship upon me, is, that though it is
Mrs. Lisle's final and ultimate judgment upon the
whole of my conduct, jet, when delivered to the
Commissioners and your Majesty, it becomes evi-
dence, which connected with all the facts on which
Mrs. Lisle had formed it, may lead to still further
and more unfavourable conclusions, in the minds of
those who are afterwards to judge upon it; that
her judgment will be the foundation of other judg-
ments against me, much severer than her own ; and
that though she evidently limits her opinion, and by
saying "ONLY flirting" impliedly negatives it as
affording any indication of any thing more im-
proper, while she proceeds expressly to negative
it as affording any proof of attachment ; yet it,
119
may be thought, by others, to justify their con-
dering it as a species of conduct, which shewed an
attachment to the man to whom it was addressed ;
which in a married woman was criminal and
wrong.
What Mrs. Lisle exactly means by onlyjlirtmg
conduct what degree of impropriety of conduct
she would describe by it, it is extremely difficult,
with any precision, to ascertain. How many
women are there, most virtuous, most truly
modest, incapable of any thing impure, vicious, or
immoral, in deed or thought, who, from greater
vivacity of spirits, from less natural reserve, from
that want of caution, which the very consciousness
of innocence betrays them into, conduct themselves
in a manner, which a woman of a graver character,
of more reserved disposition, but not with one par-
ticle of superior virtue, thinks too incautious, too
unreserved, too familiar; and which, if lorced upon
her oath to give her opinion upon it, she might feel
herself, as an honest woman, bound to say in that
opi lion, was flirting '
But whatever sense Mrs. Lisle annexes to the
word " flirting" it is evident, as 1 said before,
that she cannot mean any thing criminal, vicious,
or indecent, or any tiling with the least shade of
deeper impropriety than what is necessarily express-
ed in the word " flirting." She never would have
added, as she does in both instances, that it was
ONLY flirting; if she had tnought it of a quality to
be recorded in a iorrnal JUt ort, amongst tircum-
120
stances which must occasion the most unfavourable
interpretations, and which deserved the most serious
consideration of your Majesty. To use it so, lam
sure your Majesty must see, is to press it far beyond
the meaning which she would assign to it herself.
And as I have admitted that there may be
much indescribable in the manner of doing any
thing, so it must be admitted to me that there is
much indescribable, and most material also, in the
manner of saying any thing, and in the accent with
which it is said. The whole context serves much
to explain it; and if it is in answer to a question,
the words of that question, the manner and the
accent in which it is asked, are also most material
to understand the precise meaning, which the ex-
pressions are intended to convey ; and I must la-
ment, therefore, extremely, if my character is to
be affected by the opinion of any witness, that the
questions by which that opinion was drawn from
her, were not given too, as well as her answers,
and if this inquiry had been prosecuted before
your Majesty's Privy Council, the more solemn
and usual course of proceeding there, would, as I
am informed, have furnished, or enabled me to
furnish, your Majesty with the questions as well as
the answers.
Mrs. Lisle, it should also be observed, was at
the time of her examination, under the severe op-
pression of having, but a few days before, heard
of the death of her daughter ; a daughter, who had
been happily married, and who had lived happily
with her husband, in mutual attachment till her
death. The very circumstance of her then situa-
tion would naturally give a graver and severer cast
to her opinions. When the question was proposed
to her, as a general question, (and I presume it
must have been so put to her) whether my con-
duct was such as would become a married woman,
possibly her own daughter's conduct, and what
she would have expected of her, might present
itself to her mind. And I confidently submit to
your Majesty's better judgment, that such a ge-
neral question ought not, in a fair and candid con-
sideration of my case, to have been put to Mrs.
Lisle, or any other woman. For, as to my con-
duct being, or not being, becoming a married wo-
man ; the same conduct, or any thing like it, which
may occur in my case, could not occur in the case
of a married woman, who was not living in my un-
fortunate situation ; or, if it did occur, it must occur
under circumstances which must give it, and most
deservedly, a very different character. A married
woman, living well and happily with her husband,
could not be frequently having one gentleman at
her table, with no other company but ladies of her
family ; she could not be spending her eveningt
frequently in the same society, and separately con-
versing with that gentleman, unless either with
the privity and consent of her husband, or by taking
advantage, with some management, of his igno-
ranee and his absence ; if it was with his privity
and consent, that very circumstance alone would
unquestionably alter the character of such conduct;
if with management she avoided his knowledge,
that very management would betray a bad motive.
The cases therefore are not parallel ; the illustra-
tion is not just; and the question, which called for
such an answer from Mrs. Lisle, ought not, in can-
dor and fairness, to have been put.
I entreat your Majesty, however, not to misun-
derstand me; I should be ashamed indeed to be
suspected of pleading any peculiar or unfortunate
circumstance, in my situation, as an excuse for any
criminal or indecent act. With respect to such
acts, most unquestionably such circumstance can
make no difference ; can afford no excuse. They .
must hear their own character of disgrace and infa-
my, under all circumstances But there are acts,
which are unbecoming a married woman, which
ought to be avoided by her, from an apprehension
lest they should render her husband uneasy, not be-
cause they might give him any reason to distrust her
chastity, her virtue, or her morals, but because they
might wound his feelings, by indicating a prefer-
ence to the society of another man, over his, in a
case where she had the option of both. But surely,
as to such acts, they must necessarily bear a very
different character, and receive a very different
construction, in a case where, unhappily, there can
be no such apprehension, and where there is no
such option. I must, therefore, be excused for
123
dwelling so much upon this part of the case ; and I
am sure, your Majesty will feel me warranted in
saying^ what I say with a confidence, exactly pro-
portioned to the respectability of Mrs. Lisle's cha-
racter, that, whatever she meant, by any of these
expressions, she could not, by possibility, have
meant to describe conduct, which to her mind af-
forded evidence of crime, vice, or indecency. If
she had, her regard to her own character, her own
delicacy, her own honourable and virtuous feelings,
would in less than the two years, which have since
elapsed, have found some excuse for separating her-
self from that intimate connection, which, by her
situation in my household, subsists between us. She
would not have remained exposed to the repetition
of so gross an offence, and insult, to a modest, vir-
tuous, and delicate woman, as that of being made,
night by night, witness to scenes, openly acted in her
presence, offensive to virtue and decorum.
If your Majesty thinks I have dwelt too long,
and tediously, on this part of the case, I entreat
your Majesty to think what I must feel upon it.
I feel it a great hardship, as I have frequently stated,
that under the cover of a grave charge of High
Treason, the proprieties, and decencies, of my pri-
vate conduct and behaviour, have been made the
subject, as I believe so unprecedently, of a formal
investigation upon oath. And that, in consequence
of it, I may, at this moment, be exposed to the dan-
ger of forfeiting your Majesty's good opinion, and
being degraded and disgraced, in reputation through
the country, because what Mrs. Lisle has said of my
conduct, that it was " only that of a woman who
liked flirting," has become recorded in the Report
on this formal Inquiry, made into matters of grave
crimes, and of essential importance to the state.
Let me conjure your Majesty, over and over
again, before you suffer this circumstance to pre-
judice me in your opinion, not only to weigh all
the circumstances I have stated, but to look round
the first ranks of kr.iaie virtue, in this country, and
see. how many women there are of most unimpeach-
ed reputation, of most unsullied and unsuspected
honour, character and virtue, whose conduct,
though living happily with their husbands, if sub-
mitted to the judgment of persons of a severer
cast of mind, especially if saddened, at the moment*
by calamity, might be stiled to be " flirting." I
would not, however, be understood as intending to
represent Mrs. Lisle's judgment, as being likely to
be marked with any improper austerity, and there-
fore I am certain she must either have had no idea
.that the expressions she has used, in the manner
which she used them, were capable of being under-
stood, in o serious a light as to be referred to,
amongst circumstances deserving the most serious
.consideration, and which must occasion most unfa-
vourable interpretations; or she must by the impo-
sing novelty of her situation, in private examination
before four such grave characters, have been surpri-
sed into the use of expressions, which, with a better
Opportunity of weighing them, she would either not
125
have used at all, or have accompanied with still
more of qualification than that, which she has, how-
ever, in some degree, as it is, annexed to them.
But my great complaint is tiie having, not, par-
ticularly, Mrs. Lisle's opinion, but any person's
opinion, set up, as it were, in judgment against the
propriety of my private conduct. How would it
be endured, that the judgment of one man should
be asked, and recorded in a solemn Report, against
the conduct of another, either with respect to his
behaviour to his children, or to his wife, or to any
other relative? How would it be endured, in ge-
neral, and I trust, that my case ought not, in this
respect, to form an exception, that one woman
should in a similar manner be placed in judgment,
upon the conduct of another ? And that judgment
be reported, where her character was of most im-
portance to her, as amongst things which must be
credited till decidedly contradicted ? Let every
one put these questions home to 'their own breasts,
and before they impute blame to me, for protest-
ing against the fairness and justice of this proce-
dure, ask how they would feel upon it, if it were
their own case ?
But, perhaps, they cannot bring their imagina-
tions to conceive that it could ever become their own
case. A few months ago 1 could not have believed
that it would have been mine.
But the just ground of my complaint may, per-
haps, be more easily appreciated and felt, by sup-
posing a more familiar, but an analogous case. The
126
High Treason, with which I was charged, was sup-
posed to be committed in the foul crime of adultery.
What would be the impression of your Majesty,
what would be the impression upon the mind of
any one, acquainted with the excellent laws of your
Majesty's kingdom, and the admirable adminis-
tration of them, if upon a Commission of this
kind, secretly to inquire into the conduct of any
man, upon a charge of High Treason against the
state, the Commissioners should not only proceed
to inquire, whether in the judgment of the witness,
the conduct of the accused was such as became a
loyal subject; but, when the result of their Inquiry
obliged them to report directly against the charge of
Treason, they, nevertheless, should record an im-
putation, or libel, against his character for loyalty,
and reporting, as part of the evidence, the opinion
of the witness, that the conduct of the accused was
such as did not become a loyal subject, should fur-
ther report, that the evidence of that witness, with-
out specifying any part of it, must be credited till
decidedly contradicted, and deserved the most se-
rious consideration ? How could he appeal from
that Report ? How could he decidedly contradict
the opinion of the witness ? Sire, there is no dif-
ference between this supposed case and mine, but
this. That in the case of the man, a character for
loyalty, however injured, could not be destroyed by
such an insinuation. His future life might give
him abundant opportunities of falsifying the justice
of it. But a female character once so blasted, what
hope or chance has it of recovery ?
Your Majesty will not fail to perceive, that I have
pressed this part of the case, with an earnestness
which shews that I have felt it. I have no wish to
disguise from your Majesty, that 1 have felt it, and
felt it strongly. It is the only part of the case,
which I conceive to be in the least degree against
me, that rests upon a witness who is at all worthy
of your Majesty's credit. How unfair it is, thai
any thing she has said should be pressed against
me, I trust I have sufficiently shewn. In canvas-
sing, however, Mrs. Lisle's evidence, I hope I
have never forgot what was due to Mrs. Lisle. I
have been as anxious not to do her injustice, as to
do justice to myself. I retain the same respect and
regard for Mrs. Lisle now, as I ever had* If the
unfavourable impressions, which the Commission-
ers seem to suppose, fairly arise out of the expres-
sions she has used, I am confident they will be
understood, in a sense, which was never intended
by her. And I should scorn to purchase any ad-
vantage to myself, at the expence of the slightest
imputation, unjustly cast upon Mrs. Lisle, or any
one else.
Leaving, therefore, with these observations, Mrs.
Lisle's evidence, I must proceed to the evidence of
Mr. Bidgood. The parts of it which apply to this
part of the case, I mean my conduct to Captain
Manby at Montague House, I shall detail. They
are as follows.* " I first observed Captain Manby
* Appendix (A.) p. 9.
128
cariie to Montague House either the end of J 803,
or the beginning of 1804. I was waiting one day in
the anti-room ; Captain Manby had his hat in his
hand, and appeared to be going away ; he was a
long time with the Princess, and, as I stood 'ou the
steps waiting, I looked into the room in which they
were, and in the reflection on the looking-glass I
saw them salute each other. I mean that they
kissed each other's lips. Captain Manby then went
away. I then observed the Princess have her
handkerchief in her hands, and wipe her eyes, as if
she was crying, and went into the drawing-room."
In his second deposition,* on the 3d July, talking of
his suspicions of what passed at Southend, he says,
they arose from seeing them kiss each other, as I
mentioned before, like people fond of each other;
a very close kiss."
In these extracts from his depositions, there can
undoubtedly be no complaint of any thing being
left to inference. Here is a fact, which must un-
questionably occasion almost as unfavourable inter-
pretations, as any fact of the greatest impropriety
and indecorum, short of the proof of actual
crime. And this fact is positively and affirma-
tively sworn to. And if this witness is truly repre-
sented, as one who must be credited till he is deci-
dedly contradicted; and the decided contradiction of
the parties accused, should be considered as unavail-
ing, it constitutes a charge which cannot possibly be
answered. For the scene is so laid, that there is no
eye to witness it, but his own ; and therefore there
* See Appendix (A.) p. 40.
129
can be no one who can possibly contradict him,
however false his story may be, but the persons
whom he accused. As for me, Sire, there is no
mode, the most solemn that can be devised, in
which I shall not be anxious and happy to contra-
dict it. And I do here most solemnly, in the face
of Heaven, most directly and positively affirm,
that it is as foul, malicious, and wicked a falsehood,
as ever was invented by the malice of man. Cap-
tain Manby, to whom 1 have been under the ne-
cessity of applying, for that purpose, in the depo-
sition which I annex, most expressly and positively
denies it also. Beyond these our two denials, there
is nothing which can by possibility be directly op-
posed to Mr. Bidgood's evidence. All that re-
mains to be done is to examine Mr. Bidgood's cre-
dit, and to see how far he deserves the character
which the Commissioners give to him. How un-
foundedly they gave such a character to Mr. Cole,
your Majesty, I am satisfied, must be fully con-
vinced.
I suppose there must be some mistake, I will
not call it by any harsher name, for I think it can
be no more than a mistake, in Mr. Bidgood's say-
ing, that the first time he knew Captain Manby
come to Montague House, was at the end of 1803,
or beginning of 1804; for he first came at the end
of the former year;* and the fact is, that Mr. Bid-
good must have seen him then. But, however.
* Before 1803.
f
130
the date is comparatively immaterial, the fact it is,
that is important.
And here, Sire, surely I have the same com-
plaint which I have so often urged. I would ask
your Majesty, whether I, not as a Princess of
Wales, but as a party accused, had not a right to
be thought, and to be presumed, innocent, till I
was proved to be guilty ? Let me ask, if there ever
could exist a case, in which the credit of the wit-
ness ought to have been more severely sifted and
tried ? The fact rested solely upon his single asser-
tion. However false, it could not possibly receive
contradiction, but from the parties. The story itself
surely is not very probable. My character cannot
be considered as under inquiry ; it is already gone,
and decided upon, by those, if there are any such,
who think such a story probable. That in a room,
with the door open, and a servant known to be
waiting just by, we should have acted such a scene
of gross indecency. The indiscretion at least might
have rendered it improbable, even to those, whose
prejudices against me, might be prepared to con-
ceive nothing improbable in the indecency of it.
Yet this seems to have been received as a fact that
there was no reason to question. The witness is
assumed, without hesitation, to be the witness of
truth, of unquestionable veracity. Not the faintest
trace is there to be found of a single question put
to him, to try and sift the credit which was due to
him, or to his story.
Is he asked, as I suggested before should hare
131
been done with regard to Mr. Cole To whom he
told this fact before ? When he told it ? What was
done in consequence of this information ? If he
never told it, till for the purpose of supporting
Lady Douglas' statement, how could he in his si-
tuation, as an old servant of the Prince, with whom
as he swears, he had lived twenty-three years, cre-
ditably to himself, account for having concealed it
so long ? And how came Lady Douglas and Sir
John to find out that he knew it, if he never had
communicated it before ? If he had communicated
it, it would then have been useful to have heard
how far his present story was consistent with his
former; and if it should have happened that this
and other matters, which he may have stated,
were, at that time, made the subject of any Inquiry ;
then how far that Inquiry had tended to confirm or
shake his credit. His first examination was, it is
true, taken by Lord Grenville and Lord Spencer
alone, without the aid of the experience of the Lord
Chancellor, and Lord Chief Justice ; this undoubt-
edly may account for the omission ; but the noble
Lords will forgive me if I say, it does not excuse it,
especially as Mr. Bidgood was examined again on
the 3d of July, by all the Commissioners, and this
fact is again. referred to then, as the foundation of
the suspicion which he afterwards entertained of
Captain Manby at Southend. Nay, that last de-
position affords on my part, another ground of si-
milar complaint of the strongest kind. It opens
thus : " The Priacess tfsed to go out in her phaeton
132
" with coachman and helper, towards Long Reach,
" eight or ten times, carrying luncheon and wine
" with her, when Captain Manby's ship was at
" Long Reach, always Mrs. Fitzgerald with her.
" She would go out at one, and return about five
" or six, sometimes sooner or later."
The date when Captain Manby's ship was lying
at Long Reach, is not given ; and therefore whe-
ther this was before or after the scene of the sup-
posed salute does not appear. But for what was
this statement of Mr. Bidgood's made ? Why was
it introduced? Why were these drives towards
Long Reach with luncheon, connected with Cap-
tain Manby's ship lying there at the time, examined
to by the Commissioners ? The first point, the
matter foremost in their minds, when they call
back this witness for his re-examination, appears to
have been these drives towards Long Reach.
Can it have been for any purpose but to have the
benefit of the insinuation, to leave it open to be in-
ferred, that those drives were for the purpose of
meeting Captain Manby ? If this fact was material,
why in the name of justice was it so left ? Mrs.
Fitzgerald was mentioned by name, as accompany-
ing me in them all ; Why was- not she called ? She
perhaps was my confidante ; no truth could have
been hoped lor from her ; still there were my
coachman and helper, who likewise accompanied,
me; Why were they not called ? they are not
surely confidants too. But it is, for what reason I
cannot pretend to say, thought sufficient to leave
1S3
this fact, or i^ather this insinuation, upon the evi-
dence of Mr. Bidgood, who only saw, or could see,
the way I went when I set out upon my drive, in-
stead of having the fact from the persons who could
speak to the whole of it ; to the places I went to ;
to the persons whom I met with.
Your Alajesty will think me justified in dwelling
upon this, the more from this circumstance, because
I know, and will shew to your Majesty, on the tes-
timony of Jonathan Partridge, which I annex, that
these drives, or at least one of them, have been
already the object of previous, and, I believe,
nearly cotemporary investigation. The truth is,,
that it did happen upon two of these drives that I
met with Captain Manby ; IN ONE of them that he
joined me, and went with me to Lord Eardley's, at
Belvidere, and that he partook of something which
we had to eat ; that some oi Lord Eardley's ser-
vants were examined as to my conduct upon this
occasion ; and I am confidently informed that the
servants gave a most satisfactory account of all that
passed ; nay, that they felt, and have expressed
some honest indignation at the foul suspicion which
the examination implied. On the other occasion,
having the boys to go on board the Africaine, 1
went with one of my Ladies to see them on board,,
and Captain Manby joined us in our walk round
Mr. Calcraft's grounds at Ingress Park, opposite to
Long Reach ; where we walked, while my horses
were baiting. We went into no house, and on that
occasion had nothing to eat.
134
Perfectly unable to account why these facts were
not more fully inquired into, if thought proper to
be inquired into at all, I return again to Mr. Bid-
good's evidence. As far as it respects my conduct
at Montague House, it is confined to the circum-
stances which I have already mentioned. And,
upon those circumstances, I have no further obser-
vation, which may tend to illustrate Mr. Bidgood's
credit, to offer. But I trust if, from other parts of
his evidence, your Majesty sees traces ot the strong-
est prejudices against me, and the most scandalous
inferences drawn from circumstances, which can in
no degree support them, your Majesty will then be
able justly to appreciate the credit due to every
part of Mr. Bidgood's Evidence.
Under the other head into which I have divided
this part of the case, I mean my conduct at South-
end, as relative to Captain Man by, and Mr. Bidgood
is more substantial and particular.* His statement
on this head begins by shewing that I was at South-
end about six weeks before the Africaine, Captain
Manby's ship, . arrived. 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 of ship, as the nature of then* situa-
tion will admit of, and as Mr. Sicard is the person
who manages all matters concerning them, and en-
ters into their interests with the most friendly anx-
* See Appendix (A.) p. 10.
135
iety, he certainly was apprised of the probability
of the ship's arrival off Southend, before she came.
And here I may as well, perhaps, by the way, re-
mark, that as this correspondence with the boys is
always under cover to the Captain; this circum-
stance may account to your Majesty for the fact,
which is stated by some of the witnesses, of several
letters being put into the post by Sicard, some of
which he may have received from me, which were
directed to Captain Man by.
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 represent-
ed the fact as it really was, though perhaps the cir-
cumstance is not very material : that the Captain
brought the two boys on shore with him to see me,
and this, as well as many other circumstances con-
nected with these boys, the existence of whom, as
accounting in any degree for the intercourse be-
tween me and Captain Manby, could never have
been collected 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 ap-
pears to have been asked is, as to his remembering
Captain Manby visiting at Montague House, and
to my paying the expense of the linen furniture for
136
his cabin. But Mr. Sicard was, i suppose, repre-
sented by tny 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 lie, and every other
honest servant in my family, who could be suppos-
ed to know any thing upon the subject, were sure
to be represented by those, whose conspiracy and
falsehood, their honesty and truth were the best
means of detecting. The conspirators, however,
had the tirst word, and unfortunately their veracity
was not questioned, nor their unfavourable bias sus-
pected.
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 retired after dinner. And he
says, " I have several times seen the Princess, after
" having gone to No. 7 with Captain Man by 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 fre-
" quently 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
137
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 Africaine sailed from Southend, he says,
f< 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 morning, and to dine, and drink tea. I
" have seen him next morning by ten o'clock.
" I suspected he slept at No. 3, the Princess's.
" She always put out the candles herself in
ft drawing-room at No, 9, and bid me not wait
" to put them up. She gave me the orders as
" soon as she went to Southend. I used to see
lf water-jugs, basons, and towels, set out opposite
<c the Princess's door in the passage. Never saw
f{ them so left in the passage at any other time,
" and I suspected he was there at that time ;
" there was a general suspicion through the
" house. Mrs. and Miss Fitzgerald there, and
" Miss Hammond (now Mrs. Hood) there. My
" suspicions arose from seeing them in the glass,"
&c. as mentioned before. " Her behaviour like
" that of a woman attached to a man ; used to
" be by themselves at lucheon, at Southend,
<c when the ladies were not sent for; a number
" of times. There was a poney which Captain
c< 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
138
has been alluded to before, respecting Sicard's
putting letters for him in the post, which he had
received from me, contains the whole of his de-
position 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 recollection of ever having
gone with Captain Manby, though but for a mo-
ment, 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 cir-
cumstance might not have happened, is more than
I will undertake to be. But in the only sense in
which he uses the expression, as retiring alone,
coupled with the immediate 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 wit-
nesses 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, li he dined there, but
" never said late. She was at Southend all the
" time I was there, and cannot recollect to have
" seen Captain Manby there, or known him to
" be there, later than nine, or half-past nine."
Miss Fitzgerald and Miss Hammond, (now Mrs.
Hood) are not called to this fact; although a fact
so extremely important, as it must appear to
your Majesty ; nor indeed are they examined
at all.
139
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 Afri-
caine arrived j 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, planned and
thought of six weeks before it could be executed;
and which when it was executed, your Majesty
will recollect, according to Mr. Bidgood's evi-
dence, there was so little contrivance to conceal,
that the basons 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 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 per-
quisites of my maid. I thought 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; and I made the ar-
rangement accordingly, and ordered Mr. Bid-
good to leave them. This, Sire, is the true
account of the fact respecting the candles ; an
arrangement which, very possibly Mr. Bidgood
did not like.
But the putting out the candles myself, was
140
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. Bidgood never saw at other times.
At what other times does he mean ? At other
times than those at which he suspected, from
seeing them there, that Captain Manby slept in
my house r If every time he saw the bason and
towels, &c. in the passage, he suspected Cap-
tain 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 impor-
tant fact, important to the extent of convicting
me, if it were true, of High Treason, if it were
not for the indignation which such scandalous,
licentious wickedness and malice excite, it would
hardly be possible to treat it with any gravity.
Whether there were or were hot basons and
towels sometimes left in a passage 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
utmost 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 circumstance, of the crime of adul.
tery in me. But I cannot thus leave this fact, for
I trust I shall here again have the same advantage
from the excess and ex travagance of this man's
141
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, clan-
destine, intercourse with an adulterer ? No.
Captain Manby, it seems, according to his insinua-
tion, slept with me in my own house, under cir-
cumstances 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 was supplied, except
when prepared for him ; and they were not only
purposely 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 Captain Manby and myself with High
Treason ! Not only, therefore, must I have been
thus careless of reputation, and eager for infamy ;
but I must have been as careless of my life, as of
my honour. Lost to all sense of shame, surely I
must have still retained some regard for life.
Captain Manby too, with a folly and madness
equal to his suppossd iniquity, must then have
put his life in the hands of my servants, and de-
pended for his safety upon their fidelity to me,
and their perfidy to the Prince their master. I
the excess of vice and crime in all this is believed,
142
could its indiscretion, its madness, find credulity to
adopt it almost upon any evidence? But what
must be the state of that man's mind, as to preju-
dice, who could come to the conclusion of believ-
ing 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 suspicion being
raised by what he says he saw in the looking-glass,
if it was as true as it is false, that could not occa-
sion, 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 I ask, did the Commissioners be-
lieve this man's suspicions? If they did, what do
they mean by saying that these facts of great inde-
cency, &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 guiliy of High Treason. They, therefore, could
not believe it. But if they did not believe it, and,
as it seems to me, Sire*, no men of common judg-
ment could, on such a statement how could they
briqg themselves 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 reaped to Captain Manby,
which must be credited till decidedly contradicted)
omit to specify the facts which he spoke to that
143
they thus thought worthy of belief, but leave the
whole, including this incredible part of it, recom-
mended to belief by their general and unqualified
sanction and approbation.
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, w as 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 anyimproper familiarity between us. M.Wilson,
w ho 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
with her in making it, and swears from what she ob-
served, she never had any reason to believe that two
persons had slept in it. .Referring thus by narm?
to her fellow-servant, who made the bed with her,
but that servant, why I know not, is not examined.
As your Majesty then finds the inference drawn
by Bidgood to amount to a fact so openly and undi.s-
guisedly 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 ano-
ther, 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
144
have contradicted her if she spoke false. And,
Sire, when added to all this, your Majesty is gra-
ciously pleased to recollect that Mr. Bidgood was
one of those who, though in my service, submit-
ted themselves voluntarily to be examined previous
to the appointment of the Commissioners, in con-
firmation 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 communication with
Lady Douglas, my most ostensible accuser, do I
raise my expectations too high, Avhen I confidently
trust that his malice, and his falsehood, as well as
his connection in this conspiracy against my honour,
my station in this kingdom, and my life, will ap-
pear to your Majesty too plainly for him to receive
any credit, either in this or in any other part of his
testimony ?
The other circumstances, to which he speaks, are
comparatively too trifling, for me to trouble your
Majesty with any more observations upon his evi-
dence.
The remaining part of the case, which respects
Captain Manby, relates to my conduct at East
Cliff.
How little Mrs. Life's examination affords for
observations upon this part of the case, except
as shewing how very seldom Captain Manby cal-
145
led upon me while I was there, I have already
observed. Mr. Cole says nothing upon this part
of the case ; nor Mr. Bidgood. The only witness
amongst the four whose testimonies are distinguish-
ed 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.*
<f I was at Ramsgate with the Princess in 1803.
11 One morning when we were in the house at
O
" 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 service^ I had never been
" called up before to make the Princess's breakfast.
" I slept in the house-keeper's room, on theground-
" floor. I opened the shutters of the window for
ft light. I knew at that time that Captain Man by 's
" ship was in the Downs. When I opened the
" shutters, I saw the Princess walking down the
" Gravel- Walk towards the sea. No orders had
ct been given me over- night to prepare breakfast
" early. The gentleman the Princess was with
" was a tall man. I was surprised to see the
" Princess walking with a gentleman at that time
" in the morning. I am sure it was the Princess."
What this evidence of Fanny Lloyd applies to,
I do not feel certain that I recollect. The circum-
stances which she mentions might, I think, have
occurred twice while I was there ; and which time
* Appendix (A) p. 13.
U
146
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 at Deal. But, wind and
tide not serving, we sailed much later than we in-
tended ; and instead of landing at Deal, the Admiral
came on board our vessel, and we returned 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, I might have walked
down towards the sea, and been seen by Fanny
Lloyd. On the other occasion. Captain Manby
was to have been of the party, and it was to have*
been on board his ship. I desired him to be early
at my house in the morning, and if the day suited
me, we would go. He came ; I 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
intended 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 important witnesses referred to, as
147
proving something which must, particularly as with
regard to Captain Manby, be credited till contra-
dicted, and as deserving the most serious consider-
ation. From the examination .of Mrs. Fitzgerald
I recollect, 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 cir-
cumstances, which afforded reason for unfavoura-
ble interpretations ? If this were so, -can it be
believed that I would, under such circumstances,
have taken a step, such as calling for breakfast,
at an unusual hour, which must have made the
fact more notorious and remarkable, and brought
the attention of the servants, who must have
waited at the breakfast, more particularly and
pointedly to it 2
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 recollect it has been stated that there
was no reason to question, yet she stands in a
predicament in which, in genera], 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 of her exami-
nation, she states*, that Mr. Mills attended her for
a cold ; he asked her if the Prince came to Black-
* Appendix (A.) p. 13.
148
heath 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) wa?
brought to the Princess. To this fact she posi-
tively swears, and in this she is as positively con-
tradicted by Mr. Mills ;* for he swears, in his depo-
sition before the Commissioners, that he never did
say to her, or any one, that the Princess was with
child, or looked as if she was with child ; that he
never thought so, nor surmised any thing of the
kind. Mr. Mills has a partner, Mr. Edmeads.
The Commissioners therefore, conceiving that Fan-
ny Lloyd might have mistaken one of the partners
for the other, examine Mr, Edmeads also. Mr.
Edmeads, 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 medi-
cal person, who attended me, of so extremely
important a nature ; and is so expressly and de-
cidedly contradicted in the important fact which
she speaks to, is a witness whose credit there
appears no reason to question ? This important
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 JLlqyd, appears to Your Majesty,
for the first time, from the examination before the
* Appendix (A.) p. 3%. .t Appendix (A.) p. 30.
149
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,
nevertheless, was not communicated to Your Ma-
jesty. The fact that Fanny Lloyd declared, that
Mr. Mills told her the Princess was with child, is
stated in the declarations 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 so said, though known
at the same time, is not stated.
ThatI maynotappearto have represented so strange
a fact, withoutsufficient authority, I subjoin the De-
claration of Mr. Mills, and the Deposition of Mr,
Edmeads, which prove it. Fanny Lloyd's original
Declaration, which wasdelivered to His Royal High-
ness, is dated on the 12th of February. It appears to
have been taken at the Temple ; I conclude there-
fore at the chambers of Mr. Lowten, Sir John
Douglas's solicitor, who*, according to Mr. Cole,
accompanied him to Cheltenham to procure some
of these Declarations. On the 13th of February,
the ne.xt day after Fanny Lloyd's Declaration, the
Earl of Mojra sends for Mr. Mills upon pressing
business. Mr. Mills attends him on the 14th ; he
is asked by his Lordship upon the subject of this
conversation; he is told he may rely upon his
Lordship's honour, tliat 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
* Appendix (Bj No. 103.
150
his (the Earl of Moira's) duty to Iiis Prince, as his
counsellor, to enquire into the subject, which he
had known for some time*. Fanny Lloyd's state-
ment 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 appointment, was called into the
room, and he furnished 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. who, not being at
home, cannot attend him fora few days. He does,
however, upon his return, attend him on the 2Oth
of May : on his attendance, instead of Mr. Lowten,
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,
unaccompanied by these contradictions, and for-
warded 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 Declarations, which were laid before
Your Majesty, is clear ; and that he took this De-
claration of Fanny Lloyd's, seems not to be ques-
tionable. 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 follow from what is
above stated; that it was known, on the 14th of
151
May, that Mr. Mills contradicted this assertion ;.
and, on the 20th, that Mr. Edmeades did, is per-
fectly clear ; and yet, notwithstanding all this, the
fact, that Mr. Edmeades and Mr. Mills contra-
dicted 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 De-
clarations which had been delivered to His Royal
Highness, through the Chancellor, to Your Ma-
jesty ; 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 Inquiry, 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 whe-
ther it was Lord Moira, or Mr. Lowten, who
should have communicated this circumstance to His
Royal Highness; butthat, in allfairness,it ought un-
questionablytohavebeencommunicatedbysomeone.
I dare not trust myself with any inferences
from this proceeding ; I content myself with re-
marking, that it must now be felt, that I was justi-
fied in saying, that neither His Royal Highness,
nor Your Majesty, any more than myself, had
been fairly dealt with, in not being fully informed
upon this important fact ; and Your Majesty will
forgive a weak, unprotected woman, like myself.
152
who, under such circumstances, should apprehend
that, however Sir John and Lady Douglas may ap-
pear my ostensible accusers, I have other enemies,
whose ill-will I may have occasion to fear, without
feeling myself assured, that it will be strictly regu-
lated, in its proceeding against me, by the prin-
ciples of fairness and of justice.
I have now, Sire, gone through all the evidence
which respects Captain Manby ; whether at Mon-
tague House^ Southend, or East Cliff, and I do
trust, that your Majesty will see, upon the whole
of it, how mistaken a view the Commissioners
have taken of it. The pressure of other duties en-
grossing their time and their attention, has made
them leave the important duties of this investiga-
tion, in many particulars, imperfectly discharged
a more thorough attention to it must have given
them a better and truer insight into the characters
of those witnesses, upon whose credit, as I am
convinced, Your Majesty will now see, they have
without sufficient reason relied. There remains
nothing for me, on this part of the charge to per-
form ; 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 Captain Manby slept in my house,
either at Southend, or East Cliff, on my own part
mofct solemnly to declare, that they are both utterly
false ; that Bidgood's assertion as to the salute is a
malicious slanderous invention, without the slightest
shadow of truth to support it ; that his suspicions
153
and insinuations, as to Captain Manby's having
slept in my house, are also the false suggestions of
his own malicious mind ; and that Captain 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 de-
licacy, applied to Captain Manby to attest to the
same truths, and I subjoin to this letter his Depo-
sition to that effect.
I stated to Your Majesty, that I should be obliged
to return to other parts of Fanny Lloyd's testimony.
At the end of it, she says, *"Inever told Cole that M.
Wilson, when she supposed the Princess to be in the
library, had gone into the Princess's bed-room, and
had found a man there at breakfast with the Prin-
cess ; or that there was a great to do about it, and that
M. Wilson was sworn to secrecy, and threatened to
be turned away, if she divulged what she had seen."
This part of her examination your Majesty will
perceive, must have been called from her, by some
precise question, addressed to her, with respect to
a supposed communication from her to Mr. Cole.
In Mr. Cole's examination, there is not one word
upon the subject of it. In his original declaration,
* Appendix (A.) p. 14.
X
154
however there is ; and there* your Majesty will per-
ceive, that he affirms the fact of her having repor-
ted to him Mary Wilson's declaration, in the very-
same words in which Fanny Lloyd denies it, and it
is therefore evident that the Commissioners, in
putting this question to Fanny Lloyd, must have
put it to her from Cole's declaration. She posi-
tively denies the fact ; there is then a flat and pre-
cisecontradiction, between the examination of Fan-
ny Lloyd and the original statement of Mr. Cole.
It is therefore impossible that they both can have
spoken true. The Commissioners, for some rea-
son, don't examine Cole to this point at all ; don't
endeavour to trace out this story ; if they had, they
must have dicovered which of these witnesses
spoke the truth; but they leave this contradiction,
not only unexplained, but uninquired after, and in
that state, report both these witnesses, Cole and
Fanny Lloyd, who thus speak to the two sides of
a contradiction, and who therefore cannot by pos-
sibility both speak truth, as witnesses who cannot
be suspected of partiality, whose credit they see
no reason to question, and whose story must be
believed till contradicted.
But whatis,ifpossible,still more extraordinary ,this
supposed communication from F. Lloyd to Cole, as
your Majesty observes, relates to something which
M.Wilson is supposed to have seen and to have said;
yet though M.Wilson appears herself to have been
examined by the Commissioners on the same day
with Fanny Lloyd, in the copy of her examination,
Appendix (B) p, 99.
as delivered to me, there is no trace of any question
relating to this declaration having been put to htr.
And I have not less reason, to lament, than to be
surprised, that it did not occur fo the Commissio-
ners to see the necessity of following this Inquiry
still further. For, if properly pursued, it would
have demonstrated two thing?, both very important
to be kept in mind in the whole of this consideration.
First, how hearsay representations of this kind, ari-
sing out ot little or nothing, become magnified and
exaggerated by the circulation of prejudiced, or
malicious reporters; and, Secondly, it would have
shewn the industry of Mr. and Mrs. Bidgood, as
well as Mr. Cole, in collecting information in sup-
port of Lady Douglas's statement, and in impro-
ving what they collected by their false colourings,
and malicious additions to it. They would have
found a story in Mrs. Bidgood's* declaration, as
well as in her husband's-^ (who relates it as having
heard it from his wife,) which is evidently the same
as that which W. Cole's declaration contains. For
the Bidgoods' declarations state, that Fanny
Lloyd told Mrs. Bidgood that Mary Wilson had
gone into the Princess's bed room, and had
found her Royal Highness and Sir Sidney in the
most criminal situation ; that she had left the room,
and was so shocked, that she fainted away at the
door. Here then are Mrs. Bidgood, and Mr.
Cole, both declaring what they had heard Fanny
Lloyd say, and Fanny Lloyd denying it. How ex-
traordinary is it that they were not all confronted !
* Appendix (B.) p. 106. f Appendix (B.) p, 100.
156
and your Majesty will see presently how much it
is to be lamented that they were not. For, from
Fanny Lloyd's original declaration, it appears that
the truth would have come out. As she there
states that,* "To the best of her knowledge Mary
Wilson said, that she had seen the Princess and Sir
Sidney in the Blue Room, but never heard Mary
Wilson say she was so alarmed as to be in a fit,' 5
If then, on confronting Fanny Lloyd with Mrs,
Bidgood and Mr. Cole, the Commissioners had
found Fanny Lloyd's story to be what she related
before, ancj had then put the question to Mary
^Vilson, and had heard from her what it really was
which she had seen and related to ^anny Lloyd,
they could pot; have been at a loss to have disco-
vered which of these witnesses told the truth.
They would have found, I am perfectly confident,
that all that Mary Wilson ever could have told
Fanny Lloyd, was that she had seen Sir Sidney
and myself in the Blue Room, ancj they would then
have had to refer ^o the malicious, and confederated
inventions of the B^dgpods and Mr. Cole, for the
conversion of the Blue Room, into the bed- room ;
for the vile slander of what M. Wilson was sup-
posed to have seen, and for the violent effect which
this scene had upon her. J say their confederated
inventions, as it is impossible to suppose that they
could have been concerned in inventing the same
additions to Fanny Lloyd's story, unless they had
communicated together upon it. And when they
had once found Mrs. JJidgood and Mr. Cok, tfcus
Appendix (B.) P . 107.
157
conspiring together, they would have had no diffi-
culty in connecting them both in the same conspi-
racy with Sir John Douglas, by shewing how
connected Cole was with Sir John Douglas, and
how acquainted with his proceedings, in collecting
the evidence which was to support Lady Douglas's
declaration.
For, by referring to Mr. Cole's declaration, made
on the 23rd of February,* they would have seen
that Mr. Cole, in explaining some observation
about Sir Sidney's supposed possession of a key to
the garden door, says that it was what " Mr. Lam-
tc pert, the servant of Sir John Douglas, mentioned
" at Cheltenham to Sir John Douglas and Mr.
<{ Lowten." How should Mr. Cole know that Sir
John Douglas and Mr. Lowten had been down to
Cheltenham, to collect evidence from this old ser-
vant of Sir John Douglas's ? How should he
have known what that evidence was, unless he
had either accompanied them himself, or at least
had had such a communication either with Sir John
Douglas, or Mr. Lowten, as it never could have
occurred to any of them to have made to Mr. Cole,
unless, instead of being a mere witness, he, were a
party to this accusation ? But whether they had
convinced themselves, that Fanny Lloyd spoke
true, and Cole and Mrs. Bidgood falsely ; or whe-
ther they had convinced themselves of the reverse,
it could not have been possible, that they both
could have spoken the truth ; and, consequently,
the Commissioners could never have reported the
* Appendix (B.) p. 103.
158
veracity of both to be free from suspicion, and de-
serving of credit.
There only remains that I should make a few
observations, on what appears in the examinations
relative to Mr. Hood (now Lord Hood,) Mr.
Chester, and Captain Moore. And I really should
not have thought a single observation necessary
upon either of them, except that what refers to
them is stated in the examinations of Mrs. Lisle."
With respect to Lord Hood it is as follows :
*"I was at Catherington with the Princess,
" remember Mr. (now Lord Hood) there, and the
" Princess going out airing with him, alone, in
te Mr. Hood's little whiskey ;-- and his servant was
" with them ; Mr. Hood drove, and staid out two
" or three times ; more than once, three or four
" times. Mr. Hood dined with us several times;
" once or twice he slept in a house in the garden ;
**' she appeared to pay no attention to him, but
" that of common civility to an intimate acquain-
" tance," Now Sire, it is undoubtedly true that
I drove out several times with Lord Hood in his
one horse chaise, and some few times, twice I be-
lieve at most, without any of my servants attend-
ing us ; and considering the time of life, and the
respectable character of my Lord Hood, I never
should have conceived that I incurred the least
danger to my reputation in so doing. If indeed it
was the duty of the Commissioners to inquire into
instances of my conduct, in which they may con-
ceive it to have been less reserved and dignified,
* Appendix (A.) No. 27,
159 '.-.*.'
than what would properly become the exalted sta-
tion which J hold in your Majesty's Royal Family,
it is possible that, in the opinions of some, these
drives with my Lord Hood were not consistent
with that station ; and that they were particularly
improper in those instances in which we were not
attended by more servants, or any servants of my
own. Upon this I have only to observe, that these
instances occurred after I had received the news
of the lamented death of your Majesty's brother,
the Duke of Gloucester. I was'at that time down
by the sea side for my health. I did not like to
forego the advantage of air and exercise for the
short remainder of the time which I had to stay
there ; and I purposely chose to go out, not in my
own carriage, and unattended, that I might not be
seen and known, to be driving about (myself and
my attendants out of mourning) while his Royal
Highness was known to have been so recently dead.
This statement, however, is all that I have to make
upon my part of the case, and whatever indecorum
or impropriety of behaviour the Commissioners
have fixed upon me by this circumstance, it must
remain ; for I cannot deny the truth of the fact, and
have only the above explanation to offer of it. As
to what Mrs. Lisle's examination contains with
respect to Mr. Chester and Captain Moore, it is
so connected, that I must trouble your Majesty
with the statement of it altogether.
*" I was with her Royal Highness at Lady
Sheffield's at Christmas in Sussex ; I inquired what
* Appendix (A.) p. 44.
company was there when I came, she said, only
Mr. John Chester, who was there by her Royal
Highness's orders ; that she could get no other
company to meet her, on account of the roads, and
the season of the year. He dined and slept there
that night ; the next day other company came, Mr.
Chester remained. I heard Her Royal Highness
say she had been ill in the night, and came out for
a light, and lighted her candle in her servant's
room. I returned from Sheffield -place to Black-
heath with the Princess ; Captain Moore dined
there ; I left him and the Princess twice alone, for
a short time ; he might be alone half an hour with
her in the room below, in which we had been
sitting. I went to look for a book to complete a
set her Royal Highness was lending Captain
Moore. She made him a present of an inkstand,
to the best of my recollection. He was there one
morning in January last, on the Princess Char-
lotte's birth-day ; he went away before the rest of
the company. I might be about twenty minutes
the second time I was away, the night Captain
Moore was there. At Lady Sheffield's, her Royal
Highness paid more attention to Mr. Chester than
to the rest of the company. I know of her Royal
Highness walking out alone, twice, with Mr.
Chester in the morning alone ; once, a short time
it rained, the other not an hour, not long. Mr.
Chester is a pretty young man ; her attentions to
him were not uncommon ; not the same as to Cap-
tain Manby."
161
And first. Sire, as to what relates to Mr. Ches-
ter. If there is any imputation to be cast upon
my character by what passed at Sheffield- Place
with Mr. Chester, (and by the Commissioners
returning to examine Mrs. Lisle upon my atten-
tion to Mr. Chester, my walking out with him,
and above all " as to his being a pretty young man,"
I conceive it to be so intended) I am sure your Ma-
jesty will see that it is the hardest thing imaginable
upon me, that, upon an occurrence which passed in,
Lady Sheffield's house, on a visit to her, Lady Shef-
field herself was never examined ; for if she had been,
I am convinced that these Noble Lords, the Com-
missioners, never could have put me to the painful
degradation of stating any thing upon this subject.
The statement begins by Mrs. Lisle's inquiring,
what company was there ? and Lady Sheffield say-
ing " only Mr. John Chester, who was there by her
Royal Highness's orders ; that she could get no other
company on account of the roads." Is not this, Sire,
left open to the inference that Mr. John Chester was
the only person who had been invited by my orders ?
If Lady Sheffield had been examined, she would
have been able to have produced the very letter
in which, in answer to her Ladyship's request, that
I would let her know what company it would be
agreeable for me to meet, I said, "every thing of the
name of North,all the Legges,and Chesters, William
and John, &c. &c., and Mr. Elliott." Instead
of singling out, therefore, Mr. John Chester, I
162
included him in the enumeration which I made of
the near relations of Lady Sheffield ; and your Ma-
jesty from this alone cannot fail to see how false a,
colour, even a true fact can assume, if it be not
sufficiently inquired into and explained.
As to the circumstance of my having been taken
Sll in the night, being obliged to get up, and light
my candle ; why this fact should be recorded, I am
wholly at a loss to conceive. All the circum-
stances however respecting it, connected very
much as they are with the particular disposition of
Lady Sheffield's house, would have been fully ex-
plained, if thought material to have been inquired
after, by Lady Sheffield herself; and I should have
been relieved from the painful degradation of al-
luding at all to a circumstance, which I could not
further detail, without a degree of indelicacy; and
as I cannot possibly suppose such a detail can
be necessary for my defence, it would, especially
in addressing your Majesty, be wholly inexcusable.
With respect to the attention which I paid to Mr.
Chester, and my walking out twice alone with him
for a short timCj I know not how to notice it. At
this distance of time I am not certain that I can,
with perfect accuracy, account for the circumstance.
It appears to have been a rainy morning ; it was on
the 2/th or 28th of December ; and whether,
wishing to take a walk, I did not desire Lady
Sheffield, or Mrs. Lisle, or any Lady, to accom-
pany me in doing what, in such a morning, I
163
t
might think might be disagreeable to them, I
really cannot precisely state to your Majesty.
But here again, perhaps, in the judgment of
some persons, may be an instance of familiarity
which was not consistent with the dignity of the
Princess of Wales ; but surely prejudice against me
and my character must exceed all natural bounds
in those minds in which any inference of crime, or
moral depravity, can be drawn from such a fact.
As to Captain Moore, it seems he was left alone
with me, and twice in one afternoon by Mrs.
Lisle ; he was alone with me half an hour. The
first time Mrs. Lisle left us, her examination says,
it was to look for a book which 1 wished to lend to
Captain Moore. How long she was absent on that
occasion she is not asked, but it could have been
but ten minutes, as she appears to have been absent
twenty "minutes the second time. The Commis-
sioners, though they particularly return to the In-
quiry with respect to the length of time of her se-
cond absence, did not require her to tell them the
occasion of it ; if they had, she would have told
them, that it was in search of the same book ; that
having on the first occasion looked for it in the
drawing-room, she went afterwards to see for it in
Mrs. Fitzgerald's room. But I made him a present
of an inkstand. I hope your Majesty will not
think I am trifling with your patience when I take
notice of such trifles. But it is of such trifles as
these, that the evidence consists, when it is the evi-
dence of respectable witnesses speaking to facts,.
164
and consequently speaking only the truth. Cap-
tain Moore had conferred on mo what I felt as a
considerable obligation. My mother is very par-
tial to the late Doctor Moore's writings. Captain
Moore, as your Majesty knows, is his son, and he
promised to lend me, for the purpose of sending it
to my mother, a manuscript of an unpublished
work of the Doctor's. In return for this civility 1
v
begged his acceptance of a trifling present.
There is one circumstance, alluded to in thest
examinations, which I know not how to notice,
and yet feel it impossible to omit I mean what
respects certain anonymous papers, or letters,
marked A. B. and C. to which Lord Cholmonde-
ley appears to have been examined, upon the sup-
position of their being my hand-writing. A let-
ter, marked A. appears, by the examination of
Lady Douglas, to have been produced by her ;
and the two papers, marked B. and a cover, marked
C. appear to have been produced by Sir John.
These papers I have never seen; but I collect them
to be the same as are alluded to in Lady Douglas's
original Declaration, and, from her representation
of them, they are most infamous productions.
From the stile and language of the letter, she says,
Sir John Douglas, Sir Sidney Smith, and herself,
would have no manner of hesitation in swearing
point blank (for that is her phrase) to their being
in my hand-writing ; and it seems, from the state-
ment of His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent,
that Sir Sidney Smith had been imposed upon to
16'5
believe, that these letters and papers were really
written and sent to Sir John and Lady Douglas by
me. 1 cannot help, however, remarking to Your
Majesty, that, though Sir John and Lady Douglas
produce these papers, and mark them, yet neither
the one nor the other swears to their belief of my
hand-writing; it does not, indeed, appear, that
they were asked the question ; and when it once oc-
curred to the Commissioners to be material to in-
quire whose hand- writing these papers were,I should
have been much surprised at their not applying to Sir
John and Lady Douglas to swear it, as in their ori-
ginal Declaration they offer to do, if it had not been
that, by that time, I suppose, the Commissioners
had satisfied themselves of the true valueof Sir John
and Lady Douglas's oat hs,and therefore did not think
it worth while to ask them any further questions.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, as
appears by his narrative,* was convinced, by Sir
Sidney Smith, that these letters came from
me. His Royal Highness had been applied to by
me, in consequence of my having received a for-
mal note from Sir John, Lady Douglas, and
Sir Sidney Smith, requesting an audience im-
mediately ; this was soon after my having desired
to see no more of Lady Douglas. I conceived,
therefore, the audience was required for the pur-
pose of remonstrance, and explanation upon this
circumstance, and as I was determined not to alter
my resolution, nor admit of any discussion upon it,
I requested His Royal Highness, who happened
Appendix, (B) No. 2.
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 be-
lief of Lady Douglas's story, that I was the author
of these anonymous letters, he did that which na-
turally became him, under such belief; he endea-
voured, for the peace of Your Majesty, 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 unmolested.
" 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
communicated the result to me, I could not be
otherwise than satisfied ; for as all that I wanted
was, not to be obliged to see Sir John and Lady
Douglas, and not to be troubled by them any more,
the result of His Royal Highness' s 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 I 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 solemnly, 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 every one else who may have
taken up any false impression concerning them to
my prejudice, from the assertion of Sir John and
Lady Douglas, will, upon my assertion, and the
evidence of Lord Cholmondeley, remove from
their minds this calumnious falsehood, which, with
many others, the malice of Sir John and Lady
Douglas has endeavoured to fasten upon me.
To all these papers Lady Douglas states, in her
Declaration, that, not only herself and Sir John
Douglas, but Sir Sidney Smith, would have no he-
sitation in swearing to be in my hand-writing.
What says Lord Cholmondeley ?* " that he is
perfectly acquainted with my manner of writing.
Letter A. is not of my hand- writing ; that the two
papers marked B. appear to be wrote 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 four papers (all of which are stated
by Lady Douglas to be so clearly and plainly mine,
that there can be no hesitation upon the subject),
two bear 110 resemblance to it, and although the
other two, written in a disguised hand, have some
Jetters remarkably resembling mine, yet, I trust,
* Appendix (A) p. 47.
I shall not, upon such evidence, be subjected to so
base an imputation ; and really, Sire, I know not
how to account for the Commissioners examining
and reporting upon this subject in this manner. For
I understand from Mrs. Fitzgerald," that these
drawings were produced by the Commissioners
to her; and that she was examined as to her
knowledge of them, and as to the hand-writing
upon them ; that she was satisfied, and swore that
they were not my hand-writing, and'that she knew
nothing of them, and did not believe they could
possibly come from any lady in my house. She
was shown the seal also, which Lady Douglas, in
her Declaration, says, was the " identical one with
i which I had summoned Sir John Douglas to
" luncheon." To this seal, though it so much
resembled one that belonged to herself, as to make
her hesitate till she had particularly observed it ;
she was at last as positive as to the hand-writing ;
and having expressed herself with some feeling and
indignation at the supposition, that either I, her-
self, or any of my ladies, could be guilty of so foul
a transaction, the Commissioners tell her, they
were satisfied, and believed her ; and there is not
one word of all this related in her examination.
Now, if their Lordships were satisfied from this, or
any other circumstance, that these letters were not
my writing, and did not come from me, I can ac-
count for their not preserving any trace of Mrs.
Fitzgerald's evidence on this point, and leaving it
out of their Inquiry altogether ; but, if they
thought proper to preserve any evidence upon it,
to make it the subject of any examination ; surely
they should not have left it on Lord Cholmonde-
ley's alone ; but I ought to have had the benefit of
Mrs. Fitzgerald's evidence also. But, as I said be-
fore, they take no notice of her evidence ; nay, they
finish they Report, they execute it according to the
date it bears, upon the 14th of July, and it is not
until two days afterwards, namely, on the l6th,
that they examine Lord Cholmondeley to the
hand-writing with what view and for what pur-
pose, I cannot even surmise : but with whatever
view, and for whatever purpose, if these letters are
at all to be alluded to in their Report, or the exa-
minations accompanying it, surely I ought to have
had the benefit of the other evidence, which dis-
proved my connection with them.
I have now, Sire, gone through all the matters
contained in the examination, on which I think it,
in any degree, necessary, to trouble your Majesty,
with any observations. For as to the examination,
of Mrs. Townley the washerwoman, if it applies at
all, it must have been intended to have afforded
evidence of my pregnancy and miscarriage. And
whether the circumstance she speaks to was occa-
sioned by my having been bled with leeches, or
\vhether an actual miscarriage did take place in my
family, and by some means linen belonging to me
was procured and used upon the occasion ; or to
whatever other circumstance it is to be ascribed,
170
after the manner in which the Commissioners have
expressed their opinion, on the part of the case re-
specting my supposed pregnancy, and after the
evidence on which they formed their opinion, I do
not conceive myself called upon to say any thing
upon it; or that any thing I could say could be
more satisfactory than repeating the opinion of the
Commissioners, as stated in their Report, viz.
" That nothing had appeared to them which would
warrant the belief that I was pregnant in that year,
(1802,) or at any other period within the compass
of their Inquiries that they would not be warrant-
ed in expressing any doubt respecting the alleged
pregnancy of the Princess, as stated in the original
declarations, a fact so fully contradicted, and by so
many witnesses, to whom, if true, it must in vari-
ous ways 'have been known, that we cannot think
it entitled to the smallest credit."
There are indeed, some other matters mentioned
in the original declarations, which I might have
found it necessary to observe upon ; but as the
Commissioners do not appear to have entered into
any examination with respect to them, I content
myself with thinking that they had found the means
of satisfying themselves of the utter falsehood of
those particulars, and therefore that they can re-
quire no contradiction or observation from me.
On die declarations, therefore, and the evidence,
I have nothing further to remark. And, consci-
ous of the length -at which I have trespassed oij
your Majesty's patience, I will forbear to waste
1/1
your time by any endeavour to recapitulate what I
have said. Some few observations, however, be-
fore I conclude, I must hope to be permitted to
subjoin.
In many of the observations which I have made,
your Majesty will observe that I have noticed what
have appeared to me to be great omissions on the
part of the Commissioners, in the manner of taking
their examinations ; in forbearing to put any ques-
tions to the witnesses, in the nature of a cross-ex-
amination of them ; to confront them with each
other; and to call other witnesses, whose testimony
must either have confirmed or falsified, in impor-
tant particulars, the examinations as they have
taken them. It may perhaps occur, in consequence
of such observations, that 1 am desirous that this
Inquiry should be opened again ; that the Commis-
sioners should recommence their labours, and that
they should proceed to supply the defects in their
previous examinations, by a fuller execution of
their duty. I therefore think it necessary, most
distinctly and emphatically to state, that 1 have nQ
such meaning ; and whatever may be the risk that
I may incur of being charged with betraying a con-
sciousness of guilt, by thus flying from an exten-
sion or repetition of this Inquiry, 1 must distinctly
state, that so far from requesting the revival of it,
I humbly request your Majesty would be gracious-
Ip pleased to understand me as remonstrating, and
protesting against it, in the strongest and most so-
lemn manner in my power.
173
I am yet to learn the legalityof such a Commission
to inquire, even in the case of High Treason, or
any other crime known to the laws of the country.
If it is lawful in the case of High Treason, supposed
to be cammitted by me, surely it must be lawful
also in the case of High Treason supposed to be
committed by other subjects of your Majesty.
That there is much objection to it, in reason and
principle, my understanding assures me. That such
Inquiries, carried on upon exparte examination, ami
a Report of the result by persons of high authority,
may, nay must, have a tendency to prejudice the
character of the parties who are exposed to them,
and thereby influence the further proceedings in
their case ; that are calculated to keep back from
notice, and in security, the person of a false accuser,
and to leave the accused in the predicament of nei-
ther being able to look forward for protection to an
acquittal of himself, nor for redress to the convic-
tion of his accuser. That these and many other
objections occur to such a mode of proceeding, in
the case of a crime known to the laws of this coun-
try, appears to be quite obvious. But if Com-
missioners acting under such a power, or your Ma-
jesty's Privy-Council, or any regular Magistrates,
when they have satisfied themselves of the falsehood
of the principal charge, and the absence of all le-
gal and substantive offence, are to be considered as
empowered to proceed in the examination of the
particulars of private life ; to report upon the pro-
prieties of domestic conduct ; and the decorums of
1/3
private behaviour,, and to pronounce their opinion
against the party, upon the evidence of dissatisfied
servants, whose veracity they are to hold up as un-
impeachable, and to do this without permitting the
persons whose conduct is inquired into, to suggest
one word in explanation or contradiction of the
matter with which they are charged ; it would, I
submit to your Majesty, prove such an attack up-
on the security and confidence of domestic lite,
such a means of recording, under the sanction of
great names and high authority, the most malicious,
and foulest imputations, that no character could
possibly be secure ; und would do more to break in
upon and undermine the happiness and comfort of
life, than any proceeding which could be imagined.
The public in general perhaps may feel not
much interest in the establishment of such a. pre-
cedent in my case. They may think it to be a
course of proceeding scarcely applicable to any pri-
vate subject; yet, if once such a court of honour,
of decency, and of manners, was established, many
subjects might occur to which it might be thought
advisable to extend its jurisdiction, beyond the in-
stance of a Princess of Wales. But should it be
intended to be confined to me, your Majesty, I
trust, will not be surprised to find that it does not
reconcile me the better to it, should I learn myself
to be the single instance in your kingdom, who is
exposed to the scrutiny of so severe and formida-
ble a tribunal. So far therefore from giving that
sanction or consent to any fresh Inquiry, upon
174
similar principles, which I should seem to do, by
requiring the renewal of these examinations, I must
protest against it ; protest against the nature of the
proceeding, because its result cannot be fair. I
must protest, as long at least as it remains doubtful,
agains the legality of what has already passed, as well
as against the legality of its repetition. Ifthecourse
be legal, I must submit to the laws, however severe
they may be. But I trust new law is not to be
found out, and applied to my case. If I am guilty
of crime, I know I am amenable, I am most con-
tented to continue so, to the impartial laws of your
Majesty's kingdom ; and I fear no charge brought
against me, in open day, under the public eye, be-
fore the known tribunals of the country, adminis-
tering justice under those impartial and enlightened
laws. But secret tribunals, created for the first
time for me, to form and pronounce opinions upon
my conduct, without hearing me; to record, in the
evidence of the witnesses which they report, i ro-
tations against my character upon ex parte exami-
nations, till I am better reconciled to the justice
of their proceedings, I cannot fail to fear. And till
I am better informed as to their legality, I cannot
fail in duty to my dearest interests, most solemnly
to remonstrate and to protest against them.
If such tribunals as these are called into action
against me, by the false charges of friends turned ene-
mies, of servants turned traitors, and acting as spies ;
by the foul conspiracy of such social and domes-
tic treason, I can look to no security to my honour
in the most spotless and most cautious innocence.
175
By the contradiction anddenial which in this case
1 have been enabled to procure, of the most im-
portant facts which have been sworn against me by
Mr. Cole and Mr. Bidgood ; by the observations,
snd the reasonings, which I have addressed to your
Majesty, I am confident, that to those whose sense
of justice will lead them to wade through this long
detail, I shall have removed the impressions which
have been raised against me. But how am I to in-
sure a patient attention to all this statement ? How
many will hear that the Lord High Chancellor, the
Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, the First
Lord of the Treasury, and one of your Majesty's
Principal Secretaries of State, have reported against
me, upon evidence which they have declared to be
unbiassed and unquestionable ; who will never have
the opportunity, or if they had the opportunity,
might not have the inclination, to correct the error
of that Report, by the exa mi nation of rny statement.
I feel, therefore, that by this proceeding, my
character has received essential injury. For a
Princess of Wales to have been placed in a situa-
tion, in which it was essential to her honour to
request one gentleman to swear, that he was not
locked up at midnight in a room with her alone ;
and another, that he did not give her a lascivious
o
salute, and never slept in her house, is to have been
actually degraded and disgraced. I have been,
Sire, placed in this situation, I have been crueliy,
your Majesty will permit me to say so, cruelly de-
graded into the necessity of making such requests.
A necessity which I never could have been exposed
to, even under this Inquiry, if more attention had
been given to the examination of these malicious
charges, and of the evidence on which they rest.
Much solicitude is felt, and justly so, as connected
with this Inquiry, for the honour of your Majesty's
illustrious Family. But surely a true regard to
that honour should have restrained those who really
felt for it, from casting such severe reflections on
the character and virtue of the Princess of Wales.
If, indeed, after the most diligent and anxious
Inquiry, penetrating into every circumstance con-
nected with the charge, searching every source
from which information could be derived, and scru-
tinizing with all that acuteness, into the credit and
character of the witnesses, with great experience,
talent, and intelligence could bring to such a sub-
ject ; and, above all, if after giving me some op-
portunity of being heard, the force of truth had, at
length, compelled any persons to form, as reluc-
tantly, and as unwillingly as they would, against
their own daughters, the opinion that lias been
pronounced ; no regard, unquestionably, to my ho-
nour and character, nor to that of your Majesty's
Family, as, in some degree, involved in mine,
could have justified the suppression of that opi-
nion, if legally called for, in the course of official-
and public duty. Whether such caution and re-
luctance are really manifest in these proceedings,
I must leave to less partial judgments than my
own to determine.
1J7
In the full examination of these proceedings,
which justice to my own character has required of
me, I have been compelled to make many obser-
vations, which, I fear, may prove offensive to per-
sons in high power Your Majesty will easily be-
lieve, when I solemnly assure you, that I have been
deeply sorry to yield to the necessity of so doing.
This proceeding manifests that I have enemies
enough ; I could not wish unnecessarily to increase
their number, or their weight. I trust, however,
I have done it. I know it has been my purpose to
do it, in a manner as little offensive as the justice
due to myself would allow of; but 1 have felt that
I have been deeply injured ; that I have had much
to complain of; and that my silence now would not
be taken for forbearance, but would be ascribed to
me as a confession of guilt. The Report itself an-
nounced to me, that these things, which had been,
spoken to by the witnesses, " great improprieties
and indecencies of conduct," " necessarily occa-
sioning most unfavourable interpretations, and de-
serving the most serious consideration," " must be
credited till decidedly contradicted." The most sa-
tisfactory disproof of these circumstances (as the con-
tradiction of the accused is always received withcau-
tion and distrust) rested in the proof of the foul ma-
lice and falsehood of my accusers and their witnesses.
The Report announced to your Majesty that those
witnesses, whom I felt to be foul confederates in a
base conspiracy against me, were not to be suspected
A a
176
of unfavourable bias, and their veracity, in the judg-
ment of the Commissioners, not to be questioned.
Under these circumstances, Sire, what could
I do ? Could I forbear, injustice to myself, to an-
nounce to your Majesty the existence of a conspi-
racy against my honour, and my station in this
country at least, if not against my life r Could I
forbear to point out to your Majesty, how long
this intended mischief had been meditated against
me ? Could I forbear to point out my doubt?, at
least, of the legality of the Commission, under
which the proceeding had been had ? or to point out
theerrors and inaccuracies, into which thegreat and
able men, who were named in this Commission,
under the hurry and pressure of their great official
occupations, had fallen, in the execution of this
duty ? Could I forbear to state, and to urge, the
great injustice and injury that had been done to my
character and my honour, by opinions pronounced
against me without hearing me ? And if, in the exe-
cution of this great task, so essential to my honour,
I have let drop any expressions which a colder, and
more cautious prudence, would have checked, I ap-
peal toyourMajesty's warm heart,and generous feel-
ings, to suggest my excuse, and to afford my pardon.
What I have said, I have said under the
pressure of much misfortune, under the provo-
cation of great and accumulated injustice. Oh!
Sire, to be unfortunate, and scarce to feel at li-
berty to lament ; to be cruelly used, and to
feel it almost an offence and a duty to be silent,
is a hard !ot ; but use had, in some degree inured
me to it : But to find my misfortunes and my in-
juries imputed to me as faults ; to be called to ac-
count upon a charge, made against me by Lady
Douglas, who was thought at first worthy of credit,
although she had pledged her veracity to the fact,
of my having admitted that I was myself the ag-
gressor in every thing, of which I had to complain*
has subdued all power of patient bearing; and
when I was called upon by the Commissioners,
either to admit, by my silence, the guilt which
they imputed to me, or to enter into my defence,
in contradiction to it no longer at liberty to re-
main silent, I, perhaps, have not known how, with
exact propriety, to limit my expressions.
In happier days of my life, before my spirit had
been yet at all lowered by my misfortunes, I
should have been disposed to have met such a
charge with the contempt which, I trust, by this
time, Your Majesty thinks due to it; I should
have been disposed to have defied my enemies to
the utmost, and to have scorned to answer to any
thing but a legal charge, before a competent tribu-
nal ; but, in my present misfortunes, such force of
mind is gone. I ought, perhaps, so far to be thank-
ful to them for their wholesome lessons of humi-
lity. I have, therefore, entered into this long de-
tail, to endeavour to remove, at the first possible
opportunity, any unfavourable impressions ; to
rescue myself from the dangers which the conti-
nuance of these suspicions might occasion, and *
180
preserve to me your Majesty's good opinion, in
whose kindness, hitherto, I have found infinite
consolation, and to whose justice, under all cir-
cumstances, I can confidently appeal.
Under t.ie impression of these sentim-ents I
throw myself at your Majesty's feet. I know, that
whatever sentiments of resentment; whatever wish
for redress, by the punishment of my false ac-
cusers, I ought to feel, Your Majesty, as the Fa-
ther of a Stranger, smarting under false accusa-
tion, as the Head of your illustrious House, dis-
honoured in me, and as the great Guardian of the
Laws of your Kingdom, thus foully attempted to
have been applied to the purposes of injustice, will
not fail to feel for me. At all events, I trust your
Majesty will restore me to the blessing of your
Gracious Presence, and confirm to me, by your
own Gracious Words, your satisfactory conviction
of my innocence.
I am,
SIRE,
With every sentiment of Gratitude and Loyalty,
Your Majesty's most affectionate
and dutiful Daughter-in-Law,
Subject and Servant,
C. P.
Montague-House, 2d October, 180(>.
181
The Deposition of Thomas Jllanby, Esquire, a
Captain in the Royal Navy.
Having had read to me the following passage, from
the Copy of a Deposition of Robert Uidgood, sworn the
6th of Jane last, before Lords Spencer and Grenville,
viz.
" I was waiting 1 one day in the anti-room ; Captain
*' Manby had 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, waiting, I
" looked into the room in which they were, and, in
" the reflection on the looking-glass, I saw them sa-
" lute each other I mean, that they kissed each
" other's lips. Captain Manby then went away.
<c I then observed the Princess have her liandker-
" chief in her hands, and wipe her-cyes, as if she
" was crying, and went into the drawing-room."
I do solemnly, and upon my oath, declare, that the said
passage is a vile and wicked invention ; that it is wholly
and absolutely false ; that is impossible he ever could have
seen, in the reflection of any glass, any such thing ; as I
never, upon any occasion, or in any situation, ever had
the presumption to salute Her Royal Highness in any such
manner, or to take any such liberty, or offer any such in-
sult to her person. And having had read to me another
passage, from the same Copy of the same Deposition, in
which the said Robert Bidgood says
II I suspected that Captain Manby slept frequently in
" the house ; it was a subject of conversation in the
'* house. Hints were given .by the servants; and I
" believe that others suspected it as well as myself."
I solemnly swear, that such suspicion is wholly un-
founded, and that I never did, at Montague House,
Southend, Rarasgate East Cliff, or any where else, ever
182
slerp in any house occupied by, or belonging io Her Royal
Highness the Princess of Wales ; and that there never did
any thing pass between her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales and myself, that I should be in any degree un-
willing that all the world should have seen.
(Signed) THO. MANBY.
Sworn at the Public Office,
Hatton Garden, London,
the 22d day of September,
JS06, before me,
(Signed) THOMAS LEACH.
The Deposition of Thomas Lawrence, of Greek
Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex,
Portrait Painter-
Having had read to me the following Extract from a
Copy of a Deposition of William Cole, purporting to have
been sworn before Lords Spencer and Grenville, the 10th.
day of June, 1806, viz.
u Mr. Lawrence, the painter, used to go to Montague
" House about the latter end of 1801, when he was
" painting the Princess, and he has slept in the house
11 two or three nights together. I have often seen
" him alone with, the Princess at eleven or twelve
< o'clock at night ; he lias been there as late as one
" or two o'clock in the mornfng. One night I saw
*' him with the Princess' in the blue room after the
" ladies had actired ; sometime afterwards, when I
a supposed he was gone to his bed-room, I went to
tl see that all was safe, and found the blue room door
" locked, and heard a whispering in it, and then
" went away.**
183
I do solemnly, and upon ray oath, depose, that having
received the commands of Her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess of Wales to paint Her Royal Highness's Portrait,
and that of the Princess Charlotte ; I attended for that
purpose at Montague House, Blnckheath, several times
about the beginning of the year IfeOl, and having been
informed that Sir William Bcecliey, upon a similar occa-
sion, had slept in the house, for the greater convenience
of executing his painting ; and it having been intimated
to me, that I might probably be allowed the same advan-
tage, I signified my wish to avail myself of it : and ac-
cordingly I did sleep at Montague House several nights;
that frequently, when employed upon this painting, and
occasionally, between the close of a day's sitting and the
time of Her Royal Highness dressing for dinner, I have
been alone in Her Royal Highness's presence ; I have
likewise been giaciously admitted lo Her Royal High-
ness's presence in the evenings, and remained there (ill
twelve, one, and two o'clock ; but, I do solemnly swear,
I was never alone in the presence of Her Royal Highness
in an evening, to the best of my recollection and belief,
except in one single instance, and that for a short time,
when I remained wijh her Royal Highness in the blue-
room, or drawing-room, as I remember, to answer some
question which had been put to me, at the moment I was
about to retire together with the ladies in waiting, who had
been previously present as well as myself; and, though I
cannot recollect the particulars of Jie conversation which
then took place, I do solemnly swear, that nothing passed
between Her Royal Highness and myself, which I could
have had the least objection for all the world to have seen
and heard. And I do further, upon my oath, solemnly
declare, that I never was alone an the presence of-ILr
Royal Highness in any other place, or in any other way,
than as above described ; and that neither, upon the oc-
casion last mentioned, nor upon any other, was I ever in
the presence of Her Royal Highness, in any room what-
184
ever, with the door locked, bolted, or fastened, otherwise
than ittthc common and usual manner, which leaves it in
the power of any person on the outside of the door to open
it.
(Signed) THOMAS LAWRENCE.
Sworn at the Public Office,
Hatton Garden, this 24(h
day of S.'-ptfmber, 1806',
before me,
(Signed) THOMAS LEACH.
The Deposit 'ion of Tliomas Edmeades, of Green-
wich, in the County of Kent, Surgeon.
On Tuesday, May 20, 1806, 1 waited upon Earl Moira,
by his appointment, who, having introduced me to Mr.
Conant, a Magistrate for Westminster, proceeded to
mention a charge preferred against me, by one of the fe-
male servants or Her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales, of my having said, that Her Royal Highness had
been pregnant. His Lordship then asked me, if I had
not bled Her Royal Highness; and whether, at that time,
1 did not mention to a servant, that I thought Her Royal
Highness in the family way; and whether I did not also
ask, at the same time, if the Prince had been down to
Montague House. I answered, that it had never entered
my mind that Her Royal Highness was in such a situation,
and that, therefore, certainly, I never made (lie remark
to any one ; nor had I asked whether His Royal lligh-
iie^s had visited the house: I said, that, at that time, a
report, of the nature alluded to, was prevalent ; but that I
treated it as (he infamous lie of the day. His Lordship
185
adverted to the circumstances of Her Royal Highness's
Laving taken a child into her bouse ; and observed, how
dreadful mistakes about succession to the throne were,
and what confusion might be caused by any claim of this
child : I observed, that I was aware of it ; but repeated
the assertion, that I had never thought of such a thing as
"Was suggested, and therefore considered if impossible, in
a manner, that I could have given it utterance. J ob-
served, that I believed, in the first instance, Mr. Stike-
man, the page, had mentioned this child lo Her Koyal
Highness, and that it came from Deptford, where 1 went,
when Her Royal 'Highness first took it, to see if any ill-
ness prevailed in the family. Mr Conaut observed, that
he believed it was not an unusual thing for a medical man,
\vhea he imagined that a Lady was pregnant, to mention
his suspicion to some confidential domestic in the family :
1 admitted the bare possibility, if such had been my
opinion; but remarked, that the f/must have been re
moved, before 1 could have committed myself in so absurd
a manner.
Lord Moira, in a very significant manner, with his
liands behind him, his head over one shoulder, his eyes
directed towards me, with a sort of smile, observed, " that
he could not help thinking that there must be something
in the servant's deposition;" as if he did not give perfect
credit to what I had said. He observed, that the matter
was then confined to the knowledge of a few : and that he
had hoped, if there had been any foundation for the affi-
davit, I might have acknowledged it, that the affair
might have been hushed. With respect to the minor
question, I observed, that it was not probable that I
should condescend to ask any such question, as that im-
puted to me, of a menial servant ; and that I was not in
the habits of conferring confidentially with servants. Mr.
Conant cautioned me to be on my guard ; as, that if it
appeared, on further investigation, I had made such in-
quiry, it might be very unpleasant to me, should it come
Bb
186
under the consideration of the Privy Council. I said, that
I considered the report as a malicious one ; and was ready
to make oath, before any Magistrates that I had not, at
any time, asserted, or even thought, that her Royal
Highness had ever been in a state of pregnancy since I
had had the honour of attending the household. Mr.
Conant asked me, whether, whilst I was bleeding her
Royal HigUness, or after I had performed the operation, I
did not make some comment on the situation of her
Royal Highness, from the state of the blood ; and whether
I recommended the operation : I answered in the nega-
tive to both questions. I said, that her Royal Highness
had sent for me to bleed her, and that 1 did not then re-
collect on what account. I said, that I had bled her
Royal Highness twice ; but did not remember the dates.
I asked Lord Moira, whether he intended to proceed in
the business, or whether I might consider it as at rest,
that I might have an opportunity, if I thought necessary,
of consulting my friends relative to the mode of conduct
I ought to adopt: he said, that if the subject was moved
any further, I should be apprized of it; and that, at pre-
sent, it was in the hands of a few. I left them, and, in
about an hour, on further consideration, wrote the note,
of which the following is a copy, to which I never re-
ceived any reply :
" Mr. Edmeades presents his respectful compliments to
*' Lord Moira, and, on mature deliberation, after leaving
:t his Lordship, upon the conversation which passed at
" Lord Moira's this morning, he feels it necessary to ad-
i: vise with some friend, on the propriety of making the
" particulars of that conversation known to her Royal
" Highness the Princess of Wales ; as Mr. Edmeades
" would be very sorry that her Royal Highness should
:i consider him capable of such infamous conduct as that
II imputed to him 09 the deposition of n. servant, by Lord
; Moira, this morning.
" London, May 20, 1806."
187
1 have been enabled to state the substance of ray inter-
view with Lord Moira and Mr. Conant with the more
particularity, as I made memorandums of it, within a day
or two afterwards. And I do further depose, that the
Papers hereunto annexed, marked A. and B. are in the
hand-writing of Samuel Gillam Mills, of Greenwich afore-
said, my Partner ; and that he is at present, as I verily
believe, upon his road from Wales, through Gloucester,
to Bath.
(Signed) THOS. EDMEADES.
Sworn at the Public Office,
Hatton Garden, this 26th
day of September, 1806,
(Signed) THOMAS LEACH.
(A.)
Memorandums of the Heads of Conversation between
Lord Moira, Mr. Lowten, and myself.
May 14, 1806.
May 13, 1806, 1 received a letter from Lord Moira, of
which the following is an exact copy :
St. James-Place, May 13, 1806.
SIR,
A particular circumstance makes me desire to have the
pleasure of seeing you, and, indeed, renders it indispen-
sable that you should take the trouble of calling on me.
As the trial in Westminster Hall occupies tbe latter hours
of the day, I must beg you to be with me as early as nine
188
o'clock, to-morrow morn ins:; in the mean tirtte, it will
be Ix-ttt-r that you should not apprize any one of ray bav
inw requested you to converse with me.
I have the honour, Sir, to be
Your obedient servant.
(Signed) MOJRA.
To Mr. Mills.
This is the Paper A. referred
to by the Affidavit of Tho-
mas Edraeades, sworn be-
fore roe this 26th Septem-
ber, 1806,
THOMAS LEACH.
(B.)
In consequence of the above letter I waited on his
Lordship, exactly at nine o'clock. In less than five mi-
nutes I was admitted into his room, and by him received
very politely. He began the conversation by stating, he
wished to converse with me on a very delicate subject ;
that I might rely on his honour, that what passed was to
be in perfect confidence ; It was his duty to his Prince., as
his Counsellor, to inquire into the subject, which he had
known for sometime ; and the inquiry was due also to my
character. He then stated, that a deposition had been
made by a domestic of her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales, deposing, as a declaration made by me, that
her Royal Highness was pregnant, and that I made in-
quiries when interviews might have taken place with the
Prince. I answered, that I never had declared the Prin-
cess to be with child, nor ever made the inquiries stated;
that the declaration was an infamous falsehood. This
189
being expressed with some warmth, his Lordship observed,
that I might have made the inquiries very innocently,
conceiving, that her Royal Highness could not be in.
that situation but by the Prince. I repeated my assertion
of the falsehood of the declaration, adding, that though
the conversation was intended to be confidential, I felt
my character strongly attacked by the declaration, there-
fore it was necessary that the declaration should be inves-
tigated ; I had no doubt but the character 1 had so many
years maintained, would make my assertion believed be-
fore the deposition of a domestic. I then requested to
know, what date the declaration bore? His Lordship
said, he did not remember; but he had desired the Soli-
citor to meet me, who would shew it me. I then ob-
served, that I should in confidence communicate to his
Lordship, why I was desirous to know the date ; I then
stated to his Lordship, that soon after her Royal High-
ness came to JBlackheath, I attended her in an illness,
with Sir Francis Millman, in which I bled her twice.
Soon after her recovery, she thought proper to form a re-
gular medical appointment, and appointed myself and
Mr. Edmcades to be Surgeons and Apothecaries to her
Royal Highness; on receiving a warrant for such ap-
pointment, I declined accepting the honour of being ap-
pointed Apothecary, being inconsistent with my character,
being educated as Surgeon, and having had an honorary
degree of Physic conferred on me; her Royal Highness
condescended to appoint me her Surgeon only. His
Lordship rang to know if Mr. Lowten was come ; he was
in the next room. His Lordship left me for a few mi-
nutes, returned, and introduced me to Mr. Lowten with
much politeness as Dr. Mills ; repeating the assurance
of what passed being confidential. I asked Mr. Lowten
the date of the declaration, that had been asserted to be
made by me? He said, in the year 1802. 1 then, with
permission of his Lordship, gave the history of my ap-
pointmcnt, adding, since then I had never seen the Prin-
cess as a patient. Once she sent for me to bleed her ; J
*as from home; Mr. Edmeades went; nor had I visited
any one in the house, except one Mary, and that was in a
very bad case of surgery ; I was not sure whether it was
before or after my appointment. Mr. Lowten asked me
the dale of it ; I told him I did not recollect. He ob-
served, from the warmth of my expressing my contradic-
tion to the deposition, that J saw it in a wrong light; that
1 might suppose, and very innocently, her Royal High*
ness to be pregnant, and then the inquiries were as inno-
cently made. I answered, that the idea of pregnancy
never entered my head ; that I never attended her Royal
Highness ia any sexual complaint ; whether she ever had
any I never knew. Mr. Lowten said, I might think so,
from her increase of size ; I answered no, 1 never did
think her pregnant, therefore could never say it, and that
the deposition was an infamous falsehood. His Lord-
ship then observed, that he perceived there must be a
mistake, and that Mr. Edmeades was the person meant,
whom he wished to see ; I said, he was then at Oxford,
and did not return before Saturday ; his Lordship asked,
if he came through London ; I said, I could not tell.
Finding nothing now arising from conversation, I asked
to retire ; his Lordship attended me out of the room with
great politeness,
When I came home, I sent his Lordship a letter, with
the date of my warrant, April 10, 1801 ; he answered my
letter, with thanks for my immediate attention, and wished
to see Mr. Edmeades on Sunday morning. This letter
came on the Saturday ; early on the Sunday I sent Ti-
mothy, to let his Lordship know Mr. Edrneades would
not return till Monday ; on Tuesday I promised he should
attend, which he did.
The preceding Memorandum is an exact copj' of what
1 made the day after I had seen Lord Moira.
(Signed) SAM. GILLAM MILLS.
Croome If ill, Greenwich,
Aug. 20, 1806.
This is the Paper marked B.
referred to by the Affida-
vit of Thomas Edmeades,
sworn before me this 26th
September, 1806,
(Signed) THOMAS LEACH.
The Deposition of Jonathan Partridge, Porter to
Lord Eardky, at Befoldere.
I remember bring informed by Mr. Kenny, Lord
Eardley's late Steward, now dead, that I was wanted by
Lord Moira, in town ; accordingly I went with Mr.
Kenny to Lord Moira's, in Saint James's-place, on the
King's Birth-day of 1804. His Lordship asked me, if I
remembered the Princess coming to Belvidere sometime
hefore? I said, yes, and told him that there were two or
three ladies, 1 think three, with her Royal Highness, and
a gentleman with them, who came on horseback ; that
they looked at the pictures in the house, had their lun-
cheon there, and that her Royal Highness's servants
waited upon them, as I was in dishabille. His Lordship
asked me whether they went up stairs ? and I told him.
that they did not. He asked me, how long they staid ?
and I said, as far as I recollected, they did not stay above
an hour, or an hour and a quarter ; that they waited some
little time for the carriage, which had gone to Ike public-
Jiouse, and, till it came, they walked up and down alto-
gether in the portico before the house. His Lordship, in
the course of what he said to me, said it was a subject of
192
importance, and might be of consequence. His Lordship,
finding that I had nothing more to say, told me 1 might
go-
Sometime afterwards, his Lordship sent for me again,
and asked me, if I was sure of what I said, being all that I
could say respecting the Princess? I said, it was; and
that f was ready to take my oath of it, if his Lordship
thought proper. He said, it was very satisfactory ; said,
I might go, and he should not want me any more.
(Signed) JONATHAN PARTRIDGE,
Sworn at the County Court of
Middlesex, in Fullwood's
Rents, the 25th day of Sep-
tember, 1806, before me,
(Signed) THOMAS LEACH.
The Deposition of Philip Krackeler } one of the Foot-
men of Her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales, and Robert Eaglestone, Park Keeper to
Her Royal Highness the Princess of (Vales.
These Deponents say, that on, or about the 2Sth day
of June last, as they were walking together across Green-
wich Park, they saw Robert Bidgood, one of the Pages
of her Royal Highness, walking, in a direction, as if he
were going from the town of Greenwich, towards the
house of Sir John Douglas, and which is a different road
from that which leads to Montague House, and they at the
same time perceived Lady Douglas walking in a direction
to meet him. And this Deponent, Philip Krackeler, than
desired the other Deponent to take 1 notice, whether Ladjr
Douglas and Mr. Bidgood would speak to each other ;
193
and both of these Deponents observed, that when Lady
Douglas and Mr. Bidgood met, they stopped, and con-
versed together for the space of about two or three mi-
nuees, whilst in view of these Deponents ; but how much
longer their conversation lasted these Deponents cannot
- ty, as they, these Deponents, proceeded on their road,
which took them out of sight of Lady Douglas and Mr.
IB id good.
(Signed) PHILIP KRACKELER.
ROBT. EAGLESTONE.
Sworn at the Public Office,
Ilatton Garden, this 27th
day of September, 1806,
before me,
(Signed) THOMAS LEACH.
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 character, my happiness in your Majesty's
hands, will not think me guilty of any disrespect-
ful or unduteous impatience, when I thus again
address myself 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
c c
194
Report, presented to your Majesty by the Com-
missioners, who had been appointed to examine
into my 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 communicate to my Solicitor, that your Ma-
jesty had read my letter, and that it had been
transmitted to his Lordship 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 Majesty.
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
expectation, and suspence, have now elapsed ; and
they have brought me nothing but disappointment.
J 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 1 now take, I act
upon a mistaken conjecture with respect to the fact.
But from the Lord Chancellor's communication to
my Solicitor, and from the time which has elapsed,
I am led to conclude, that your Majesty had direct-
ed the copy of my letter to be laid before the Com-
195
mis^ioners, requiring their advice upon tie subject ;
and, possibly, their official occupations, and their
other duties to the state, may not have, as yet, al-
lowed them the opportunity of attending to it.
But your Majesty 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 tortured by the suspence, while
my character is !iiiking in the opinion of the public.
It is knovv,n that a Report, though acquitting
me of crime, yet imputing matters highly dis-
reputable to my honour, has been made to your
Majesty ; that that Report has been communicated
to me ; that 1 have endeavoured to answer it ; and
that I still remain, at the end of nine weeks from
the delivery of my answer, acquainted with the
judgment which is formed upon it. May 1 be
permitted to observe from the extreme prejudice
which this delay, however to be accounted for by
the numerous important occupations of the Com-
missioners, 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 least equivocal, and my virtue is suspected.
From this state I humbly entreat your Majesty to
perceive, that I can have no hope of being restored,
until either your Majesty's favourable opinion shall
be graciously notified to the world, by receiving me
196
again into the Royal Presence, or until the full dis-
closure of the facts shall expose the malice of my
accusers, and do away every possible ground for un-
favourable inference and conjecture.
The various calamities with which it has pleased
God of late to atfiict me, I have endeavoured to
bear, and I trust I have borne with humble resigna-
tion to the Divine will. But the effect of this in-
famous charge, and the delay which has suspended
its final termination, by depriving me of the con-
solation which I should have received from your
Majesty's presence and kindness, have given a
heavy addition to them all ; and surely my bitterest
enemies could hardly wish that they should be in-
creased. But on this topic, as possibly not much
affecting the justice, though it does the hardship, of
my case, I forbear to dwell.
Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to re-
collect, that an occasion of assembling the Royal
Family and your subjects, in dutiful and happy com-
memoration of her Majesty's Birth-day, is now
near at hand. If the increased occupations which
the approach of Parliament may occasion, or any
other cause, should prevent the Commissioners from
enabling your Majesty to communicate your pleasure
to me before that time ; the world will infallibly
conclude, (in their present state of ignornnce), that
my answer must have proved unsatisfactory, and
that the infamous charges have been thought to be
but too true.
These considerations, Sire, will I trust, in your
Majesty's gracious opinion, rescue this address
197
from all imputation of impatience. For, your Ma-
jesty's sense of honourable feeling will naturally
suggest, how utterly impossible it is that I, consci-
ous of my own innocence, ami believing that the
malice of my enemies has been completely detected,
can, without abandoning all regard to my interests,
my happiness, and my honour, possibly be con-
tented to perceive the approach of such utter ruin
to my character, and yet wait, with patience, and in
silence, till it overwhelms me. I therefore take
this liberty of throwing myself again at your Ma-
jesty's feet, and entreating and imploring of your
Majesty's goodness and justice, in pity for my mi-
series, which this delay so severely aggravates, and
in justice to my innocence and character, to urge
the Commissioners to an early communication of
their advice.
To save your Majesty and the Commissioners all
unnecessary trouble, as well as to obviate all proba-
bility of further delay, I have directed a duplicate of
this letter to be prepared, and have sent one copy of
it through the Lord Chancellor, and another through
Colonel Taylor, to your Majesty.
I am,
Sire,
With every sentiment of gratitude and loyalty,
Your Majesty's most affectionate,
and dutiful Daughter-in-law,
Servant and Subject.
C. P.
Montague House, Dec. 8, 1 806.
198
MINUTE OF THE CABINET, JAN. 25, 18or.
Downing Street, Jan. 25, 180?.
PRESENT,
The LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord Viscount KOWICK,
LORD PRESIDENT, Lord GRENVILLE,
LORD PRIVY SEAL, Lord ELLENBOROUOH,
Earl SPENCER, Mr. Secretary WINDHAM,
Earl of MOIRA, Mr. GRENVILLE.
Lord HENRY PETTY,
Your Majesty's Confidential Servants have given
the most diligent and attentive consideration to the
matters 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 subject or such extreme impor-
tance, and which they have found to be of the
greatest difficulty and embarrassment.
They are fully convinced 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 submitted to your Majesty, by the Law
Advisers of the Princess of Wales. And they beg
leave, with all humility, to represent to your Ma-
jesty that the Laws and Constitution of their coun-
try have not placed them in a situation in which
199
they can conclusively pronounce on any question
of guilt or innocence affecting 1 any of your Majesty's
subjects, much less one of your Majesty's Royal Fa-
mily. They have, indeed, no power or authority
whatever to enter on such a course of inquiry as
courld 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
theiradvice to your Majesty was this : Whether the
circumstances which had, by your Majesty's com-
mands, been brought before them, were of a nature
to induce your Majesty to order any farther steps to
be taken upon them by your Majesty's Govern-
ment ? 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 an-
swer to he given by your Majesty to the request con-
tained 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 your Majesty, the draft of a [Mes-
sage, which if approved by your Majesty, they would
humbly suggest your Majesty might send to her
Royal Highness through the Lord Chancellor.
Having before humbly solicited to-your Majesty
their opinion, that the facts of case did not warrant
their advising that any further steps should be taken
200
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 their judgment, render it indispensable
that your Majosty should, by a serious admonition,
convey to her Royal Highness your Majesty's ex-
pectation 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 Ma-
jesty has been pleased to make to them.
THE Lord Chancellor has the honour to present
his most humble duty to the Princess of Wales,
and to transmit to her Royal Highness the accom-
panying Message from the King ; which Her Royal
Highness will observe, he has his Majesty's com-
mands to communicate to her Royal Highness.
The Lord Chancellor would have done himself
the honour to have waited personally upon Her
Royal Highness, and have delivered it himself;
but he considered the sending it sealed, as more
respectful and acceptable to her Royal Highness.
The Lord Chancellor received the original paper
from the King yesterday, and made the copy now
sent in his own hand.
January Twenty-eighth, 180*.
To Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
201
THE King having referred to his confiden-
tial Servants the proceeding and papers relative to
the written declarations, which had been before
His Majesty, respecting the conduct of the Prin-
cess of Wales, has been apprised by them, that,
after the fullest consideration of the examinations
taken on the subject, and of the observations and
affidavits brought forward by the Princess of
Wales's legal sdvisers, they agree in the opinions,
submitted to His Majesty in the original Report
of the four Lords, by whom His Majesty directed
that the matter should in the first instance be in-
quired into ; and that, in the present stage of the
business, upon a mature and deliberate view of this
most important subject in all its parts, and bear-
ings, it is their opinion, that the facts of this case
do not warrant their advising that any further step
should be taken in the business by his Majesty's
Government, or any other proceedings instituted
upon it, except such only as His Majesty's Law
Servants may, on reference to them, think fit to
rncommend, for the prosecution of Lady Douglas,
on those parts of her depositions which may appear
to them to be justly liable thereto.
In this situation, His Majesty is advised, that it
is no longer necessary for him to decline receiving
the Princess into His Royal Presence.
The King sees, with great satisfaction, the agree-
ment of his confidential servants, in the decided
opinion expressed by the four Lords, upon the
falsehood of the accusations of pregnancy and dt-r
D d
livery, brought forward against the Princess by
Lady Douglas.
On the other matters produced in the course of
the Inquiry, the King is advised that none of
the facts or allegations stated in preliminary ex-
aminations, carried on in the absence of the par-
ties interested, can be considered as legally, or
conclusively, established. But in those examina-
tions, and even in the answer drawn in the name of
the Princess by her legal advisers, there have ap-
peared circumstances of conduct on the part of the
Princess, which his Majesty never could regard but
with serious concern. The elevated rank which the
Princess holds in this country, and the relation in
which she stands to his Majest)' and the Royal Fa-
mily, must always deeply involve both the interests
of the state, and the personal feelings of His Ma-
jesty, in the propriety aud correctness of her con-
duct. And his Majesty cannot therefore forbear to
express in the conclusion of the business, his desire
and expectation, that such a conduct may in future
be observed by the Princess, as may fully justify
those marks of paternal regard and affection, which
the King always wishes to shew to every part of His
Royal Family.
His Majesty has directed that this message should
be transmitted to the Princess of Wales, by his
Lord Chancellor, and that copies of the proceedings,
which had taken place on the subject, should also
be communicated to his dearly beloved Son the
Prince of Wales,
203
Montague House, Jan. SQfh, ISO?.
SfRE,
I HASTEN to acknowledge the receipt pf the pa-
per, which, by your Majesty's direction, was yes-
terday transmitted to me, by the Lord Chancellor,
and to express the unfeigned happiness, which I
have derived from one part of it. I mean that,
which informs me that your Majesty's confidential
servants have, at length, thought proper to com-
municate to your Majesty, their advice, " that it is
". no longer necessary for your Majesty to decline
" receiving me into your Royal presence." And
I, therefore, humbly hope, that your Majesty will
be graciously pleased to receive, with favour, the
communication of my intention to avail myself, with
your Majesty's permission, of that advice, for the
purpose of waiting upon your Majesty on Monday
next, if that day should not be incpnvenient ; when I
hope again to have the happiness pf throwing myself,
in filial duty and affection, at your Majesty's feet.
Your Majesty will easily conceive, that I re-
luctantly name so distant a day as Monday, but I do
not feel myself sufficiently recovered from the
measles, to venture upon so long a drive at an ear-
lier day. Feeling, however, very anxious, to re-
ceive again as soon as possible, that blessing, of
which I have been so long deprived, if that day
should happen to be, in any degree, inconvenient
I humbly entreat, and implore, your Majesty's most
204
gracious and paternal goodness, to name some other
day, as early as possible, for that purpose.
I am, &c.
(Signed) C. P.
To the King.
Windsor Castle, January 2$th, 1807.
THE King has this moment received the Princess
of Wales' s letter, in which she intimates her inten-
tion of coming to Windsor on Monday next ; and
his Majesty, wishing not to put the Princess to the
inconvenience of coming to this place, so immediate-
ly after her illness, hastens to acquaint her, that he
shall prefer to receive her in London, upon a day
subsequent to the ensuing week, which will also
better suit His Majesty, and of which he will not
fail to apprize the Princess.
(Signed) GEORGE R.
To the Princess of Wales.
Windsor Castle, February 10,
As the Princess of Wales may have been led to
expect, from the King's letter to her, that he would
fix an early day for seeing her, His Majesty thinks
it right to acquaint her, that the Prince of Wales,
upon receiving the several documents, which the
King directed his Cabinet to transmit to him, made
a formal commnnication to him, of his intention to
put them into the hands of his lawyers ; accompa-
205
nied by a request, that His Majesty would suspend
any further steps in the business, until the Prince
of Wales should be enabled to submit to him, the
statement which he proposed to make. The King
therefore considers it incumbent upon him to defer
naming a day to the Princess of Wales, until the
further result of the Prince's intention shall have
been made known to him.
(Signed) GEORGE R.
To the Princess of Wales.
Montague House, February llth, 1807".
SIRE,
I RECEIVED yesterday, and with inexpressible
pain, your Majesty's last communication. The
duty of stating, in a representation to your Majesty,
the various grounds, upon which, I feel the hard-
ship of my case, and upon which I confidently
think that, upon a review of it, your Majesty will
be disposed to recal your last determination, is a
duty 1 owe to myself: and I cannot forbear, at the
moment when I acknowledge your Majesty's letter?
to announce to your Majesty, that I propose to
execute that duty without delay.
After having suffered the punishment of banish-
ment from your Majesty's presence, for seven
months, pending an Inquiry, which your Majesty
had directed, into my conduct, affecting both my
life and my honour; after that Inquiry had, at
length, terminated in the advice of your Majesty's
206
confidential and sworn servants, that there was no
longer any reason for your Majesty's declining to
receive me ; if after your Majesty's gracious com-
municatipn, which led me to rest assured that your
Majesty would appoint an early day to receive me ;
if after all this, by a renewed application on the
part of The Prince of Wales, upon whose commu-
nication the first Inquiry had been directed, I now
find that that punishment, which has been inflicted,
pending a seven months Inquiry before the determi-
nation, should, contrary to the opinion of your Ma-
jesty's servants, be cpntinued after that determina-
tion, to await the result of some new proceeding, to
be suggested by the lawyers of the Prince of Wales ;
it is impossible that I can fail to assert to your Ma-
jesty, with the effect due to truth, that I am, in the
consciousness of my innocence, and with a strong
sense of my unmeritted sufferings,
Your Majesty's most dutiful, and most
affectionate, but much injured Subject
and Daughter-in-law,
(Signed) C. p.
To the King.
SIRE,
BY my short letter to Your Majesty of the 1 2th
instant, in answer to Your Majesty's communica-
tion of the 10th, 1 notified my intention of repre-
senting to Your Majesty the various grounds, on
which I felt the hardship of my case ; and, a re-
view of which, I confidently hoped, would dispose
20?
Your Majesty to recal your determination to ad-
journ, to an indefinite period, my receptson into
Your Royal Presence ; a determination, which, in,
addition to all the other pain which it brought
along with it, affected me with the disappointment
of hopes, which I had fondly cherished, with the
most perfect confidence, because they rested on
Your Majesty's gracious assurance.
Independently, however, of that communication
from your Majesty, I should have felt myself
bound to have troubled Your Majesty with much
of the contents of the present letter.
Upon the receipt of the paper which, by Your
Majesty's commands, was transmitted to me by
the Lord Chancellor, on the 28th of last month,
and which communicated to me the joyful intelli-
gence, that Your Majesty was "advised, that it
" was no longer necessary for you to decline re-
" ceiving me into Your Royal Presence," I con-
ceived myself necesrarily 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 observations,
which it was impossible for me to refrain from
making, at some period, upon the other important
particulars which that paper contained. Accord-
ingly, I answered it immediately ; and, as Your
Majesty's gracious and instant reply of last Thurs-
day fortnight, announced to me your pleasure, that
I should be received by Your Majesty, on a day
subsequent to the then ensuing week, I was led
most confidently to assure myself, that the last
208
week would not have passed, without my having
received that satisfaction. I therefore determined
to wait in patience, without further intrusion upon
Yonr Majesty, till I might have the opportunity of
guarding myself from the possibility of being mis-
understood, by personally explaining to Your Ma-
jesty, that, whatever observations I had to make
upon the paper so communicated to me, on the
28th ultimo, and whatever complaints respecting
the delay, and the many cruel circumstances which
had attended the whole of the proceedings against
me, and the unsatisfactory state, in which they
were at length left by that last communication, they
were observations and complaints which affected
those only, under whose advice Your Majesty had
acted, and were not, in any degree, intended to inti-
mate even the most distant insinuation against Your
Majesty's justice or kindness.
That paper established the opinion, which I
certainly, had ever confidently entertained, but the
justness of which I had not before any document to
establish, tliat Your Majesty had, from the first,
deemed this proceeding a high and important
matter of state, in the consideration of which Your
Majesty had not felt yourself at liberty to trust to
your own generous feelings, 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 Answer, (for 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-
209 . . :
scension, feeling, and justice; and I found, from
that Paper, that it was to your confidential servants
I was to ascribe the length of banishment from your
presence, which they, at last, advised Your Ma-
jesty, it was no longer necessary should be conti-
nued. I perceive, therefore, what I always be-
lieved, 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, consi-
dering the whole of this proceeding to have been
instituted and conducted, under the grave responsi-
bility of Your Majesty's servants, had not thought
proper to take any step, or express any opinion,
upon any part of it, but such as was recommended
by their advice. Influenced by these sentiments,
and anxious to have the opportunity of conveying
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 Majesty's letter of the lOth instant, Your
Majesty may conceive, though I am utterly unable
to express.
That Letter announces to me, that his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, upon receiving the
several documents which your Majesty directed your
Cabinet to transmit to him, made a personal com-
munication to your Majesty of his intention to put
them into the hands of his Lawyers, accompanied
by a request, that your Majesty would suspend any
further steps in the business, until the Prince of
Wales should be enabled to submit to your Majesty
E e
210
the statement which he proposed to make ; and H
also announces to me that your Majesty therefore
considered it incumbent on you, to defer naming a
day to me, until the further result of the Prince of
Wales's intention should have been made known to
your Majesty.
This determination of your Majesty ^ on this re-
quest, made by his Royal Highness, I humbly trust
your Majesty will permit, me to entreat 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 1 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 recall 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 complain of it. Your Majesty will better
perceive the just grounds of my complaint, when I
retrace the course of these proceedings from their
commencement.
The four noble Lords, appointed by your Majesty
to inquire into the charges brought against me, in
their Report of the 14th of July last, after having sta-
ted that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
211
had had laid before him, the charge which was made
against me by Lady Douglas, and the declaration in
support of it, proceed in the following manner.
* " In the painful situation in which his Royal
" Highness was placed by these communications,
" we learnt that His Royal Highness had adopted
" the only course \vhich could, in our judgment,
" with propriety be followed. When informations
" such as these had been thus confidently alleged ,
" and particularly detailed, and had been in some
" degree supported by collateral evidence, applying
" to other facts of the same nature, (thqugh going
'.' to a far less .extent.) one line only could be pur-
" sued.
." Every sentiment of duty to j r our Majesty, and
" of concern feu- the public welfare, required that
" these particulars should not be withheld 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, by possibility, affecting the
" succession of your I^lajes.ty's Crown.
11 Your Majesty had been pleased, on your part,
" to view the subject in the same light. Consider-
" ing it as a matter which, .on every account, de-
" manded the most immediate investigation, your
" Majesty had thought fit to commit into our hands
" the duty of ascertaining, in the first instance,
" what degree of credit was due to the information,
" and thereby enabling your Majesty to decide
r"' what further conduct to adopt respecting them. V
* Report, p. 6. ante.
212
His Royal Highness then, pursuing, as the four
Lords say, the only course, which could in their
judgment, with propriety, be pursued, submitted
the matter to your Majesty. Your Majesty direct-
ed the Inquiry by the four noble Lords. The
four Lords in their Report upon the case, justly
acquitted me ot all crime, and expressed (I will not
wait now to say how unjustly) the credit which
they gave, and the consequence they ascribed to
other matters, which they did not, however, cha-
racterize as amounting to any crime. To this Re-
port I made my answer. That answer, together
with the whole proceedings, was referred by your
Majesty, to the same four noble Lords, and others
of your Majesty's confidential servants. They ad-
vised 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. I thought it sufficiently
hard, that 1 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 Ma-
jesty'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 opi-
nion of the Prince of Wales. For now, when
213
after this long Inquiry, into matters which required
immediate investigation, I have been acquitted of
every thing which could call for rny banishment
from your Royal Presence; after your Majesty's
confidential servants have thus expressly advised
your Majesty that they see no reason why you
should any longer decline to receive me into your
presence ; after your Majesty had graciously noti-
fied to me, your determination to receive me at an
early day, His Royal Highness interposes the de-
mand of a new delay ; desires your Majesty not to
take any step ; desires you not to act upon the ad-
vice 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 would receive me at an early day ; because
he has laid the documents before his Lawyers, and
intends to prepare a further statement. And the
judgment of your Majesty's confidential servants,
is, as it were, appealed from by the Prince of
Wales, (whom, from this time, at least, I must be
permitted to consider as assuming the character of
rny accuser) ; the justice due to rne is to be sus-
pended, while the judgment of your Majesty's
sworn servants is to be submitted to the revision
of my accuser's Counsel ; and I, though acquitted,
in the opinion of your Majesty's confidential ser-
vants, of all that should induce your Majesty to de-
cline seeing me, am to have that punishment,
which had been inflicted upon me, during the In-
quiry, continued after that acquittal, till a fresh
214
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-
vants, have been so lenient, and considerate towards
me and my feelings, as to induce a suspicion that
I have been too favourably dealt with by them ?
and that the advice which has been given to your
Majesty, that your Majesty need no longer decline
to receive me, was hastily and partially delivered ?
I am confident, that your Majesty must see the
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
whole character of the observations with which they
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
tf Presence." If this is their opinion and their ad-
vice 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 sixteen weeks, which at
least furnished them with all the materials on which
this advice at length was given, but further, your
Majesty's confidential servants are forward to state,
215
that after having read my observations, and the
affidavits which they annexed to them, they agree
in the opinions (not in any single opinion upon any
particular branch of the case, but in the opinions
generally} 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 never-
theless given to your Majesty their advice, " that
" it is no longer necessary for you to decline re-
" ceiving me ;" what could have prevented their
offering that advice, even from the 14th of Juiy,
the date of the original Report itself? Or what
could have warranted the withholding of it, even
for single moment ? Instead, therefore, of any
trace being observable, of hasty, precipitate, and
partial determination in my favour, it is impossible
to interpret their conduct and their reasons toge-
ther in any other sense, than as amounting to an
admission of your 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
the 14th of July, to the 28th of January, including
a space of above six months ; and the effect of the
interposition of the Prince, is to prolong my suffer-
ings, and my disgrace, under the same banishment,
to a period perfectly indefinite.
The principle which will admit the effect of
such interposition now, may be acted upon again ;
and the Prince may require a further prolongation,
216
upon fresh statements, and fresh charges, kept
back possibly for the purpose of being, from time
to time, conveniently interposed, to prevent, for
ever, the arrival of that hour, which, displaying
to the world the acknowledgment of my unmerited
sufferings and disgrace, 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 unseasonable, unjust, and cruel interposi-
tion of His Royal Highness, as I must ever deem
it, has prevailed upon your Majesty to recall, 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 as-
sured, that my just entreaty, founded upon the
reasons which I urge, and directed to counteract
only the effect of that unjust interposition, will in-
duce your Majesty to return to your original deter-
mination ?
Restored however, as I should feel myself, to a
state of comparative security, as well as credit, by
being, at length, permitted, upon your Majesty's
gracious reconsideration of your last determination,
to have access to your Majesty ; yet, under all the
circumstances under which I should now receive that
mark and confirmation of your 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 reception of me. This re-
vocation of your Majesty's gracious purpose has
flung an additional cloud about the whole proceed-
ing, and the inferences drawn in the public mind,
from this circumstance, so mysterious, and so per-
fectly inexplicable, upon any grounds which are
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
world, then, seems to me, under the present cir-
cumstances, (whatever reluctance I feel against such
a measure, and however I regret the hard necessity
which drives me to it) to be almost the only re-
maining resource, for the vindication of my honour
and character. The falsehood of the accusa-
tion is, by no means, all that will, by such publica-
tion, appear to the credit and clearance of my cha-
racter; but the course in which the whole proceed-
ings have been carried on, or rather delayed, by
those, to whom your Majesty referred the consi-
deration of them, will shew, that, whatever mea-
sure 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
rny feelings, or of my case.
It will be seen how my feelings had been ha-
rassed, and my character and honour exposed, by
the delay? which have taken place in these proceed-
ings : it will be seen, that the existence of the
charge against me had avowedly been known to the
Ff .
218
public, from the 7th of June in the last year. I
say known to the public, because it was on that
day that the Commisioners, acting, as I am to
suppose, (for so they state in their Report) under
the anxious wish, that their trust should he executed
with as little publicity as possible, authorized that
unnecessary insult and outrage upon me, as I must
always consider it, which, however intended, gave
the utmost publicity and exposure to the existence
of these charges I mean the sending two attor-
hies, armed with their Lordships' warrant, to my
house, to bring before them, at once, about one
half of my household for examination. The idea
of privacy, after an act, so much calculated, from
the extraordinary nature of it, to excite the greatest
attention and surprise, your Majesty must feel to
have been impossible and absurd ; lor an attempt
at secrecy, mystery, and concealment, on my part,
'could, under such circumstances, only have been
construed into the fearfulness of jniilt.
O
It will appear also, that from that time, I heard
nothing authentically upon the subject till the llth
of August, when I was furnished, by your Majesty's
commands, with the Report. The several papers
necessary to my understanding the whole of these
charges, in the authentic state in which your Ma-
jesty thought it proper, graciously to direct, that I
should have them, were not delivered to me till
the beginning of September. My answer to these
various charges, though the whole subject of them
was new to those whose advice I had recourse to,
219
long as that answer was necessarily obliged to be,
was delivered to the Lord Chancellor, to be for-
warded to Your Majesty, by the sixth of October;
and, from the 6th of October to the 28th of Ja-
nuary, I was kept in total ignorance of the effect of
that answer. Not only will all this delay be appa-
rent, but it will be generally shewn to the world
how Your Majesty's servants had, in this important
business, treated vour daughter-in-law, the Princess
of Wales; and what measure of j ustice she, a fe-
male, 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 repug-
nance. Every 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 by the
answer to those charges ; the respect still due from
me, to persons employed in authority under yoqr
Majesty, however little respect I may have re-
ceived from them ; my duty to His Royal High-
ness the Prince of Wales ; -my regard for all the
members of your august Family ; -my esteem, my
duty, my gratitude to your Majesty, my affection-
ate gratitude for all the paternal kindness, which I
have ever experienced from you ;-r-my anxiety, not
only to avoid the risk of giving any offence or dis-
pleasure to your Majesty, but also to fly from every
occasion of creating the slightest sentiment of un-
220
easiness in the mind of your Majesty, whose happi-
ness it would be the pride and pleasure of my life
to consult and to promote ; and these various senti-
ments have compelled me to submit, as long as hu-
man forbearance could endure, to all the unfavour-
able inferences which were, -through this delay, daily
increasing in the public mind. What the strength
and efficacy of these motives have been, Your Ma-
jesty will do me the justice to feel, when you are
pleased, graciously, to consider how long I have
been contented to suffer those suspicions to exist
against my innocence, which the bringing before
the public of my accusation and my defence to it,
would so indisputably and immediately have
dispelled.
The measure, however, of making these pro-
ceedings public, whatever mode I can adopt (con-
sidering especially the absolute impossibility of suf-
fering any partial production of them, and the ne-
cessity that, if for any purpose any part of them
should be produced, the whole must be brought
before the public) remains surrounded with all the
objections which I have enumerated ; 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 indispensible duty to my future
safety, to my present character and honour, and to
the feelings, the character^ and the interests of my
child. I had flattered myself, when once this long
proceeding should have terminated, in my recep-
tion into Your Majesty's presence^ that that circum-
221
i
stance alone would have so strongly implied my in-
nocence of all that had been brought againt me, as
to have been perfectly sufficient for my honour and
my security ; but accompanied, as it now must be,
with the knowledge of the fact, that Your Majesty
has been brought to hesitate upon its propriety, and
accompanied also with the very un justifiable obser-
vations, as they appear to me, on which I shall pre-
sently 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 immediate reception
into your Majesty's presence ; nor, indeed, with
that reception, unless it be attended by other cir-
cumstances, which may mark my satisfactory ac-
quittal 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 before 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 bringing forward any other which
the wickedness of individuals 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, J should
5e able to disprove them all ; and, whoever may
222
be my accusers, to triumph over their wickedness
and malice. But should these accusations be re-
newed ; or any other be brought forward, in any
future time, death may, I know not how soon, re-
move from my innocence its best security, and de-
prive me of the means of my justification, and rny
defence.
There are 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 humbly submit to your Majesty my
most earnest entreaties that the proceedings, inclu-
ding not only my first answer, and my letter of the
8th of December, but this letter also, my be direc-
ted by your Majesty to be so preserved and depo-
sited, as that they may, all of them, securely remain
permanent authentic documents and memorials, of
this accusation and of the manner in which I met
it ; of my defence, as well as of the charge. That
they may remain capable at any time, of being re-
sorted to, if the malice which produced the charge
originally, shall ever venture to renew it.
Beyond this, I am sure your Majesty will think
it but proper and just, that I should be restored, in
every respect, to the same situation, from whence
the proceedings, under these false charges, have
removed me. That, besides being graciously re-
reived, again, into the bosom of your Majesty's
Royal Family, restored to my former respect and
station amongst them, your Majesty will be graci-
ously pleased, either to exert your influence, with
223
His Royal Highness 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 undergoing 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 to London is indispen-
sably 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 graci-
ously 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 reception and acknowledgment,
as one of your Majesty's family, and from which
my attendance at the Drawing-room may be easy
and convenient.
r
If these measures are taken, I should hope that
they would prove satisfactory to the public mind,
and that I may feel myself fully restored in public
estimation, to my former character. And should
they prove so satisfactory, I shall indeed be delight-
ed to think, that no further step may, even now,
appear to he necessary to my peace 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 you would receive me, should pass without
my being received into your presence, and without
having the assurance that these other requests of
224
mine shall be implied with ; I shall be under the
painful necessity of considering them as refused.
In which case, I shall feel myself compelled, how-
ever reluctantly, to give the whole of these pro-
ceedings to the world. Unless your Majesty can
suggest other adequate means of securing my
honour and my life, from the effect of the continu-
ance or renewal of these proceedings, for the future,
as well as the present. For I entreat your Majesty
to believe, that it is only in the absence of all other
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 effect it may have
upon myself; as on account of the pain which it
may give to Your Majesty, 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. But I am placed in a situation in which I have
the choice only of two most unpleasant alternatives.
And I am perfectly confident that the imputations
and the loss of character which must, under these
circumstances, follow from my silence, are most
injurious and unavoidable; that my silence, under
such circumstances, must lead inevitably to my
utter infamy 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 unanswerably exposed and establish-
223
cd) which can, jn the slightest degree, effect my
character, for honour, virtue, and delicacy.
There may be circumstances disclosed, manifest-
ing a degree of condescension and familiarity in my
behaviour and conduct, which in the opinions of
many, may be considered as not sufficiently guarded,
dignified, and reserved. Circumstances however
which my foreign education, and foreign habits,
misled me to think, in the humble and retired
situation in which it was my fate to live, and
where I had no relation, no equal, no 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 brought 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 de-
prive 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 in justice be form-
ed, with reference to the situation in which I was
placed ; if I am judged of as Princess of Wales,
with reference to the high rank of that station, I
Gg
must be judged as Princess of Wales, banished
from the Prince, unprotected by the support and
the countenance, which belong to that station ;
and if f am judged of in my private character, as a
married woman, i must be judged of as a wife
banished from her husband, and living in a widowed
seclusion from him, and retirement from the world,
This last consideration leads me to recor to an ex-
pression in Mr. Lisle's examination, which de-
scribes my conduct, in the frequency and the man-
ner of my receiving the visits of Captain Manby,
though always in the presence of my ladies, as un-
becoming a married woman. Upon the extreme
injustice of setting up the opinion of one woman,
as it were, in judgment upon the conduct of ano-
ther ; as well as of estimating the conduct of a per-
son in my unfortunate situation, by reference to
that, which might in general be expected from a
married woman, living happily with her husband,
I have before generally remarked : But beyond
these general remarks in forming any estimate of
my conduct, your Majesty will never forget the very
peculiar circumstances and misfortunes of my situ-
ation. Your Majesty will remember that I had
not been much above a year in this country, when I
received the following letter from, His Royal High-
cess the Prince of Wales.
" Windsor Castle,
April 30,
" As Lord Cholmondely informs me that yon
" wish I would define, in writing,* the terms
" upon which we are to live, I shall endea-
" vour to explain myself upon that head, with
" as much clearness, and with as much propriety,
*' as the nature of the subject will admit. Our ia-
" cli nations are not in our power, nor should either
" of us he 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, therefore, be
te restricted to that, and I will distinctly subscribe
(t to the condition-^* which you required, through
" Lady Cholmondeley, that even in the event of
" any accident happening to my daughter, which
" I trust Providence in its mercy will avert, I
" shall not infringe the terms of the restriction by
The substance of this letter bad been previously conveyed in a mes-
sage through Lord Cholmondeley to her Royal Highness. But it was
thought by her Kyal Highness, to be infinitely too important to rest
merely upon a verbal communication, and therefore she desired that his
Roya} Highness's pleasure upon it should be communicated to her in
writing.
f Upon the receipt of the message alluded to, in the foregoing note,
Her Royal Highness, though she had nothing to do but to submit to the
arrangement which his Royal Highness might determine upon, desired
it might be understood, that she should insist that any such arrange*
rm'iit if once made, should be considered as final. And that his Royal
Highness should not retain the right, from J^ac to time, at his pleasure,
or under any circumstances, to alter it.
228
proposing at any period, a connection of a more
particular nature. I shall now finally close this
disagreeable correspondence, trusting that, as
we have completely explained ourselves to each
other, the rest of our lives will be passed in un-
interrupted tranquillity.
fe I am, Madam,
" With great truth,
Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) " GEORGE P."
And that to this letter I sent the following answer :
<c L'aveu de votre conversation avec Lord
(f Cholmondely, ne m'e'tonne, ni ne m'oflfense.
" C'&oit me confirmer, ce que vous m'avez ta-
" citement insinue depuis une ann^e. Mais il y
" auroit apres cela, un manque de delicatesse ou,
" pour mieux dire, une bassesse indigne de me
" plaindre des conditions, que vous vous imposez a
" vous-meme.
" Je ne vous aurois point fait de reponse, si
" votre lettre n'etoit concue de maniere a faire
" douter, si cet arrangement vient de vous, ou de
" moi ; et vous savez que vous en avez seul
" 1'honneur. La lettre que vous m'announcez
" comme la derniere, m'oblige de communiquer
" au Roi, comme a mon Souverain, et a mon
" Pere, votre aveu et ma reponse. Vous trouve-
229
* c rez ci-incluse la copie de celle que j'ecris au
" Roi. Je vous en previens pour ne pas m'atti-
" rer de votre part la moindre reprocbe de dupli-
ff cite*. Comme je n'ai dans ce moment, d'autre
" protecteur que Sa Majeste, je m'en rapporte
*' uniquement a lui. Et si ma conduite nitrite
<c son approbation, je serai, du moins en partie,
" consolee.
" Du reste, je conserve toute la reconnoissance
" possible de ce que je me trouve par votre
" moyen, comme Princesse de Galles, dans une
" situation a pouvoir me livrer sans contrainte,
" une vertu chere a mon.coeur, je veux dire la
'' bienfaisance. Ce sera pour moi un devoir d'agir
" de plus par un autre motif, savoir celui de don-
'' ner 1'exemple de la patience, et de la resignation
11 dans toutes sortes d'epreuves. Rendez-moi la
11 justice de me croire, queje ne cesserai jamais de
" faire des vosux pour votre bonheur, et d'etre
" votre bien devouee."*
(Signed) CAROLINE."
" Ce6deMai, 1796."
* TRANSLATION.
Titc avowal of your conversation with Lord Cholmondely, neither sur-
prises, nor offends me. It merely confirmed what you have tacitly insinu-
ated for this twelve-month. But after this, it would be a want of delicacy,
or rather an unworthy meanness in me, were I to complain of those con-
ditions which you impose upon yourself.
I should have returned no answer to your letter, if it had not been con-
ceired in terras to make it doubtful, whether this arrangemeul proceeds
230
The date of his Royal Highness's letter is the
3Oth of April, 17y6\ The date of our marriage,
your Majesty will recollect, is the 8th day of April,
in the year 1795, and that of the birth of our only
child the 7th of January, 1/9&*.
On the letter of his Royal Highness I offer no
comment. I only entreat your Majesty not to im-
derstand me to introduce it, as affording any sup-
posed justification 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 been insinuated against tne, would
be equally criminal and detestable ; the indelicacy
imputed to me would be equally odious and abomi-
nable, whatever renunciation of conjugal authority
and affection, the above letter of his Royal High-
ness might in any construction of it be supposed
from you or from me, and you are aware that the credit of it belongs tu
you alone.
The letter which you announce to me as the last, obliges me to commu-
nicate to the King, as to my Sovereign and my Father, both yonr avowal
and my answer. You will find enclosed the copy of my letter to the King.
I apprize you uf it; that I may not incur the slightest reproach of dupli-
city from you. As I have at this moment no protector but his Majesty, I
tefer myself solely to him upon this subject, and if my conduct meets hi;
approbation, 1 shall be in some degree at least consoled. I retain every
fwntiment of gratitude for the situation in which I find myself, as Princess
of Wale., enabled by your means, to indulge in- the free exercise of a vir-
tue dear to my heart, I mean charity.
Jt\ill be my duty likewise to act upon another motive, that of gmn<f
an example of patience and resignation under every trial.
Do me the justice to believe that I shall never cease to pray for your
happiness, aud to be
Your much devoted
CAROLINE.
6th of May, 1796*.
231
to have conveyed. Such crimes, and faults, derive
not their guilt from the consideration of the conju-
gal virtues of the individual, who may be the most
injured by them, however much such virtues may-
aggravate their enormity. No such letter, there-
fore, in any construction of it, no renunciation of
conjugal affection or duties, could ever paUkte
them. But whether conduct free from all crime,
free from all indelicacy, (which I maintain to be
the character of the conduct to which Mrs. Lisle's
observations apply,) yet possibly not so measured,
as a cautious wife, careful to avoid the slightest ap-
pearance, 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 cota-
duct which does or does not become a married wo-
man materially depends upon what is, it is not
known by her to be agreeable to her husband. His
pleasure and happiness 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 capable of per-
ceiving from time to time, what is agreeable or of-
fensive to her husband, when her conduct can no
longer contribute to his happiness, no longer hope
232
to be rewarded by his approbation, surely to ex-
amine that conduct by the standard of what 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 dis-
tant surmise, that crime, that vice, that indelicacy
of any description, gave occasion to his determina-
tion ; and all the tales of infamy and discredit,
which the inventive malice of my enemies has
brought forward on these charges, have their date,
years, and years, after the period to which 1 am
now alluding. What then, let me repeat the ques-
tion, is my case ? After the receipt of the above
letter, and in about two years from my arrival 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 Fa-
mily. I had no means of having recourse, either
for society or advice, to those, from whom my in-
experience could have best received the advantages
of the one, and with whom I could, most be-
comingly, have enjoyed the comforts of the other ;
and if in this retired, unassisted, unprotected state,
without the check of a husband's authority, with-
out the benefit of his advice, without the comfort
and support of the society of his family, a stranger
to the habits and fashions of this country, I should,
233
in any instance, under the influence of foreign ha-
bits, and foreign education, have observed a con-
duct, in any degree deviating from the reserve and
severity of British manners, and partaking of a con-
descension and familiarity which that reserve and
severity would, perhaps, deem beneath the dignity
of my exalted rank, I feel confident, (since such
deviation will be seen to have been ever consistent
with perfect innocence), that not only your 'Ma-
jesty's candour and indulgence, but the candour and
indulgence, which, notwithstanding the reserve and
O * * O
severity of British manners, always belong to the
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
transmitted to me by the Lord Chancellor, on the
28th ult. And I cannot, in passing, ornit 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 co-
pied 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 belonging to it ; and as it is, I
am wholly unable to discover what is the true cha-
racter which does belong to it. It contains, indeed,
the advice which your Majesty's servants have of-
fered to your Majesty, and the Message which, ac-
cording to that advice, your Majesty directed to be
delivered to me.
Hh,
234
Considering it, therefore, wholly as their act, your
Majesty will excuse and pardon me, if, deeply in-
jured as I feel myself to have been by them, lex-
press myself with freedom upon their conduct. I
may speak, perhaps, 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 consideration of my ob-
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 Bidgood, and Mrs. Lisle, are wit-
" nesses who cannot," in the judgment of the four
Lords, " be suspected of any unfavourable bias ;"
nd ".whose veracity, in this respect, they had seen
" no ground to question ;" and " that the circum-
if stances to which they speak, particularly as re-
" lating to Captain Manby, must be credited until
* " they are decisively contradicted. ' Am I then
to understand your Majesty's confidential servants
to mean, that they agree with the four Noble
Lords in these opinions : Am I to understand, that
after having read, with the fullest consideration,
the observations which I have offered to your Ma-
jesty ; after having seen William Cole there proved
to have submitted himself, five times at least, to
private, unauthorized, voluntary, examination by
Sir John Douglas's Solicitor, for the express pur-
235
pose of confirming the statement of Lady Douglas,
(of that Lady Douglas, whose statement and depo-
sition they are convinced to be so malicious and
false, that they propose to institute such prosecu-
tion against her, as your Majesty's Law Officers
may advise, upon a reference, now at length, after
six months from the detection of that malice and
falsehood, intended to be made) after having
seen this William Cole, submitting to such repeated
voluntary examinations for such a purpose, and
although he was alt that time a servant on my esta-
blishment, and eating my bread, yet never once
communicating to me, that such examinations were
going on am I to understand, that your Majesty's
confidential servants agree with the four Lords in.
thinking, that he cannot, under such circumstances,
be suspected of unfavourable bias ? That after
having had pointed out to them the direct, flat
contradiction between the same William Cole and
Fanny Lloyd, they nevertheless agree to think
them both (though in direct contradiction to each
other, yet both) witnesses, whose veracity they see
no ground 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 question her veracity ? After having
read the observations 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 circumstance
of observing a bason and some towels where he
thought they ought not be placed ; after having
seen that this fact, and this insinuation, were dis-
proved before the four Noble Lords themselves,
by two maid-servants, who, 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 asserted, or as insi-
nuated, if it had happened; after having observed
too, in confirmation of their testimony, that one of
them mentioned the name of another female servant
(who was not examined), who had, from her situa-
tion, equal means of knowledge with themselves
I ask whether, after all this decisive weight of con-
tradiction 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 unfavourable bias, and that there is no ground
to question his veracity? Jf, Sire, I were to go
through all the remarks of this description, which
occur to me to make,, 1 should be obliged to re-
peat nearly all my former observations, and to
make this letter as long as my original answer ; but
to that answer I confidently appeal, and I will ven-
ture to challenge your Majesty's confidential ser-
vants to find a single impartial, and honourable
man, unconnected in feeling and interest with the
parties, and unconnected in Council, with those
23;
xvho have already pledged themselves to an opinion
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 Re-
port, 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 par-
ticulars to my prejudice, remarked upon in the
Report as those " which justly deserve the most
" serious consideration, and which must be credited
f. e till decisively contradicted," instead of fairly
avowing, either that there was originally no pre-
tence for such a remark, or that, if there had been
originally, yet that my answer had given that de-
cisive contradiction which was sufficient to discredit
ihem ; 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 preliminary examinations, carried on in
" the absence of the parties interested, could be con-
'" sidered as legally or conclusively established ?"
238
They agree in the opinion that the facts or alle-
gations, though stated in preliminary examination,
carried on in the absence of the parties interested,
must be credited till decisively contradicted, and
deserve the most serious consideration. 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 subjects ; 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 regarded by your Majesty without serious
" concern ;" and that, as to all the other facts and
allegations, except those relative to my pregnancy
and delivery, they are not to be considered as
te legally and conclusively established," because
spoken to in preliminary examinations, not carried
on in the presence of the parties concerned. They
do not, indeed, expressly assert, that my contra-
diction 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.
239
utterly untenable, against the observations I have
made upon the credit and character of those wit-
nesses, I shall ever most confidently maintain ; but
that those observations leave their credit wholly un-
affected, and did not deserve the least notice from
your Majesty's servants, it is impossible that any
honourable man can assert, or any fair, and unpre-
judiced, irlind 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 represented that, both in the examinations, and
even in my answer there have appeared many cir-
cumstances of conduct which could not be regarded
but with serious concern, and which have suggested
the expression of a desire and expectation, that such
a conduct may in future, be observed by me, as may
fully justify these marks of paternal regard and affec-
tion, 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 reproof. I complain not so much for what
it does, as for what it does not contain ; J mean
the absence of all particular mention of what
it is, that is the object of their blame. The
circumstances of conduct, which appear in these
examinations, and in my answer to which they
allude as those which may be supposed to jus-
tify the advice, which has led to this reproof,
your Majesty's servants have not particularly
240
mentioned them, I cannot be certain that I know,
But I will venture confidently to repeat the asser-
tion, which I have already made, that there are no
circumstances of conduct, spoken to by any wit-
ness, (whose infamy and discredit are not unan-
swerably exposed, and established,) nor any where
apparent in my answer which have the remotest
approach either to crime, or to indelicacy.
For my future conduct, Sire,, impressed with
every sense of gratitude for all former kindness, I
shall be bound, unquestionably, by sentiment as
well as duty, to study your Majesty's pleasure.
Any advice which your Majesty may wish to give
to me in respect of any particulars of 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 Majes-
ty's advice, as I am now in finding myself secured
from danger, under the protection of your justice.
Your Majesty will permitmetoadd onewordmore.
Your Majesty has seen what detriment rny 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 lias seen
how many enemies I have, and how little their ma-
lice has been restrained by any regard to truth ia
the pursuit of my ruin. Few, as it may be hoped,
may be the instances of such determined, and; un-
241
provoked, malignity, yet, I cannot flatter myself,
that the world does not produce other p-rspns, who
may be swayed by similar motives to similar wick-
edness. Whether the sfatement, to be prepared by
by the Prince of Wales, is to be confined to the old
charges, or is intended to bring forward new cir-
cumstances, I cannot tell ; but if any fresh attempts
of the same nature shall be made by my accusers,
instructed as they will have been, by their miscar-
riage in this instance, I can hardly hope that they
will not renew their charge, with an improved ar-
tifice, more skilfully directed, and with a malice,
inflamed rather than abated, by their previous disap-
pointment. I therefore can only appeal to your Ma-
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 experi-
ence of these proceedings, will not suffer your
Royal mind to be prejudiced by exports, secret
examinations, nor my character to be whispered
away by insinuations, or suggestions, which 1 have
no opportunity of meeting. If any charge, which
the law will recognize, should be brought against
me in an open and a legal manner, I should have
no right to complain, nor any apprehension to meet
it. But till I 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. J must
claim the benefit of the presumption of innocence
till I am proved to be guilty, for, without that pre-
i i
242
sumption, against the effects of secret insinuation
and ex parte examinations, the purest innocence can
make no defence, 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 inven-
tion for the support of the charge, is the strongest
demonstration that the truth, undisguised, and cor-
rectly represented, could furnish them with no
handle against me. And when I consider the na-
ture and malignity of that conspiracy, which, I
feel confident I have completely detected and ex-
posed, 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 sufficent guard to my inno-
cence, and the effectual means of my justification
and defence.
I trust therefore, Sire, that I may now close this
long letter, in confidence that many clays 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 injustice, and of those unmerited suffer-
ings, which these Proceedings, in the manner iji
243
xvhich they have been conducted, have brought
upon me.
I remain, Sire,
With every sentiment of gratitude,
Your Majesty's most dutiful,
most submissive Danghter-in-law,
Subject and Servant,
(Signed) C. P.
Montague- House, February 16, ISO/.
As these observations apply not only to the offi-
cial communication through the Lord Chancellor,
of the 28th ult. ; but also to the private letter of
your Majesty, of the 12th instant, I have thought
it most respectful to your Majesty and your Ma-
jesty's servants, to send this letter in duplicate, one
part through Colonel Taylor, and the other through
the Lord Chancellor, to your Majesty.
To the King. (Signed) C. P.
SIRE,
When I last troubled your Majesty upon my un-
fortunate business, I had raised my mind to hope,
that I should have the happiness of hearing from
your Majesty, and receiving your gracious com-
mands, to pay my duty in your Royal Presence,
before the expiration of the last week. And when
that hope was disappointed, (eagerly clinging to
any idea, which offered me a prospect 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
244
circumstance of your Majesty's staying at Windsor
through the whole of the week. J, therefore,
determined to v. ait a few days longer, before I took
a step, which, when once taken, could not be re-
called. Having, however, now assured myself,
that your Majesty was in town yesterday as I
have received no command to wait upon your Ma-
jesty, 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, will not be surprised
to find, that the publication of the Proceedings al-
luded to, will not be withheld beyond Monday next.
As to any consequences which may arise from
such publication, unpleasant or hurtful to my own
feelings and interests, I may, perhaps, be properly
responsible ; and, in any event, have no one to
complain of but myself, and those with whose ad-
?ice I have acted ; and whatever those conse-
quences may be, I am fully and unalterably con-
vinced, that they must be incalculably less than
those, which I should be exposed to from my
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 J
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 in-
famy, and rny station and life to no uncertain dan-
ger, and, possibly, to no very distant destruction.
245
With every prayer, for the lengthened continu-
ance of your Majesty's health and happiness ; for
every poesible 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, 1 remain,
Your Majesty's
Most dutiful, loyal, and affectionate,
but most unhappy, and most injured
Daughter-in-law, Subject, and Servant,
Montague House, Mar. 5, 1807. C. 1\
To the King.
SIRE,*
IN discharge of the duty I owe to myself, and the
great duty I owe to your Majesty and your Illustri-
ous Family, I have herewith transmitted a state-
ment which I confidently trust will appear to prove
me not unworthy of the protection and favour with
which your Majesty 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, produced 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 anx-
iety about rny honour and your Majesty's favourable
opinion, leads me humbly to solicit, as an act of
justice, that scrupulous attention on your Majesty's
* This letter accompanied the Princess's Answer to the Commissioners*
S*port, and should have been inserted after page 180.
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 suffered.
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 Majes-
ty's presence, and as I am in truth without guilt,
suffering what to me is heavy punishment, whilst
I am denied access to your Majesty, your Majesty
will be graciously pleased to form an early deter-
mination 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 at-
tached, affectionate, and afflicted daughter-in-law
ancj subject,
(Signed) CAROLINE,
Blackheath, Oct. 2, 1806.
To the King.
MINUTE OF COUNCIL, APRIL 22, 1807.
PRESENT,
Lord Chancellor (ELDON) The Earl of BATHURST
Lord President ^CAM DEN) Viscount CASTLEREAGH
Lord Privy Seal (WEST- Lord MULGRAVB
NORLAND) Mr. Secretary CANNING
The Duke of PORTLAND Lord HAWKESBURY.
The Earl of CHATHAM
Your Majesty's confidential servants have, in obe-
dience to your Majesty's commands, most attentive.
.247
\y considered the original Charge? and Report, the
Minutes of Evidence, and all the other papers sub-
mitted to the consideration of your Majesty, on the
subject of those charges against her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales.
In the stage in which this business is brought
under their consideration, they do not feel them-
selves called upon to give any opinion as to thfe pro-
ceeding itself, or to the mode of investigation in
which it has been thouglit proper to conduct it.
But adverting to the advice which is stated by his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to have di-
his conduct, your Majesty's confidential servants are
anxious to impress upon your Majesty their convic-
tion that his Royal Highness could not, under such
advice, consistently with his public duty, have done
otherwise than lay before your Majesty the State-
ment and Examinations which were submitted to
him upon this subject.
After the most deliberate consideration, however,
of the evidence which has been brought before the
Commissioners, and of the previous exaari nation, as
well as of the answer and observations which have
been submitted to your Majesty upon them, they
feel it necessary to declare their decided concurrence
in the clear and unanimous opinion of the Commis-
sioners, confirmed by that of all your Majesty's late
confidential servants, that the two main charges al-
leged against her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales, of pregnancy and delivery, are completely
disproved ; and they further submit to your Majes-
ty, their unanimous opinion, that all other particu-
lars of conduct brought in accusation against her
218
Royal Highness, to which the character of crimi-
nality can be ascribed, are satisfactorily contradicted,
or rest upon evidence of such a nature, and which
was given under such circumstances, a? render it, in
the judgment of your Majesty's confidential servants,
undeserving of credit.
Your Majesty's confidential servants, therefore,
concurring in that part of the opinion of your
late servants, as stated in their Minute of the 25th
of January, that there is no longer any necessity
for your Majesty being advised to decline receiving
the Princess into your Royal presence, humbly
submit to your Majesty, that it is essentially neces-
sary, in justice to her Royal Highness, and for the
honour and interests (f your AJaje&ty's Illustrious
Family, that her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales, Jiould he admitted, zcillt as little delay as
possible, into your Majesty's Royal Presence, and
that she should be received in a manner due to her
.rank and station, in your Majesty's Court and Fa-
mily.
Your Majesty's confidential servants also beg
leave to submit to your Majesty, that considering
that it may be necessary that your Majesty's Go-
vernment should possess the means of referring to
the stateof this transaction, itis of the utmost impor-
tance that these documents, demonstrating theground
on which) our Majesty has proceeded, should be pre-
served in safe custody ; and that for that purpose
the originals, or authentic copies of all these Papers,
should be sealed up and deposited in the Office of
your Majesty's Principal Secretary of State.
APPENDIX (A).
(No. 1.)
.
OEORGE R.
WHEREAS Our right trusty and well-beloved Coun-
cillor Thomas Lord Erskine, our Chancellor, has thi.-
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 authorize, em-
power, and direct, the said Thomas Lord Erskine, our
Chancellor; our right trusty and right well-beloved Cou-
sin and Councillor George John Earl Spencer, one of
our principal Secretaries of State ; our right trusty and
well-beloved Councillor William Wyndham Lord Gren-
vilfe, First Commissioner of our Treasury; and our
right trasty and well-beloved Councillor Edward Lord
Eltenborough, our Chief Justice to hold pleas before
ourself, to inquire into the truth of the same, and to ex-
amine upon oath snch persons as they shall see fit touch.-
ingand concerning the same, and to report to us the re-
sult of such examinations.
Given at our Castle of Windsor, on (he twenty-
ninth day of IVfay, in the forty-sixth year of
our reign.
A true Copy,
J.Becktt. G. R.
(No. 2.)
The Deposition of Charlotte Lady Douglas.
I THINK I first became acquainted with the Princes^
of Wales in 1801. Sir John Douglas had a house at
Blackheath. One day in November, 1801, the snow was
lying on the ground, the Princess and a lady, who I be-
lieve was Miss Heyman, came on foot and walked several
times before the door. Lady Stewart was with me,[and
said she thought 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 stayed some time.
About a fortnight after, Sir John 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, 1802, the Princess first talked with me
about her own conduct. Sir Sidney Smith, who had
been Sir John's friend for more than twenty years, came
to England about November, 1801, and came to live in
our house. I understood that the Princess knew Sir Sid-
dey Smith before she was Princess of Wales. The Prin-
cess saw Sir Sidney Smith as frequently as ourselves. We
were usually kept at Montague House later than the rest
of the party ; often till three or four o'clock in the morn-
ing. I never observed any impropriety of conduct be-
tween Sir Sidney Smith and the Princess. I made the
Princess a visit at Montague House in March 1802, for
about a fortnight. She desired me come there because
Mis Garth was ill. In May or June following the Prin-
cess 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 that 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 Willoughby'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 adjusted her-
self, 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 was discovered, she
would give the Prince of Wales the credit of being the
father, for she had slept two nights at Carlton House
within the year. I said that I should go abroad to my
Mother. The Princess said that she should manage it
very well ; and if things came to the worst, she would
give the Prince the credit of it. While 1 was at Monta-
gue House in March, I was with the child, and one day I
said that I was very sick, and the Princess desired Mrs.
Sander 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 I
looked at her. The Princess said, Yes I do ; what do
you look at me for, with your wicked eyes ? you are al-
ways finding me out. Mrs. Sander looked very much
distressed ; she gave us a saline draught each. This was the
first time that 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 sus-
pected that Sir Sidney was the father, but only because
the Princess was very partial to him. I never knew that
he was with her alone. We had constant intercourse
with the Princess, from the time when I was at Montague
House till the end of October. After that she had first
communicated to me that she was with child, she fre-
quently spoke upon the subject. She was bled twice dur-
uag the tiflK. She recommended lo me to be bled loo,
and .said that it made you have a better time. Mr. Ed-
meatles bled her. She said one of the days that Mr. Ed-
ineades bled hex, that she had a violent heat in her blood,
*nd that Mr. Edmeades should bleed her. I told the Prin-
W& I was very anxious how she would manage to be
IjrqughUo bed without Us being kiKiwn ; that I hoped
shp had a safe person She said yes, she should have a
person froi abroad ; that she had a great horror of hav-
ing pny roan about her on such an occasion. She said, ** 'I
am confident in my own plans, and I wish yon would not
sppak with me on that subject again." She said, " I shall
tfijl, every thing to iSuuder." i think this \vason the day or>
which slue told me of what had happened at Lady Wil-
Ipughby's. That Sander was a very good woman, and
might be trutted, and that she must be with her at thela-
bpur ; that Uie would send Miss Gouch to Brunswick ;
mid Miss Millh'eld was too young to be trusted, and
mu$t be sent out of the way. I was brought to bed on
the Q3rd of July, 1802 ; the Princess insisted on being
present; I determined that she should not, but I meant
to avoid it without offending her. On the day on which
1 was brought to bed, she came to my house, and insist-
ed on coming in ; Dr. Mackie, who attended me, locked
tlit- door, and said she should not come in ; but there
v>as another door on the opposite side of the room, which
was not locked, and she came in atthat door, and was pre-
se,t during the time of the labour, and took the child as
$<>p.p as it was born, aitd said that she was very glad that
ok bid >eu> iLe whole of it. The Princess's pregnancy
to me to be very visible ; she wore a cushion
and sue made Mis. Sander make one forme,
lying-in the Princess came one day with Mrs.
Fitzgerald; she sent Mrs. Eilzgerald away, and took a
cljair aiul sat by my bedside. She said, "You will hear of
my taking children in baskets, but you wont take any no-
rice of it; I shall have them brought by a poor woman
in a basket; I shall Ho it as a cover to have my own
brought to we in that way," or, (< that is the way in which
I must have my own brought \\henlhaveit." Very soon
after this, two children, who were twins, were brought
by a poor woman in a basket. The Princess took them
and Ijad them carried up into her room, and the Princess
washed them herself. The Princess told me this herself.
The -father, a few days afterwards, came and insisted up-
on having the children, and they were given to him. The
Princess afterwards said to me, You see I took the chil-
dren, and it answered very well ; the father had got
them back, and she couhi not blame him ; that she should
take other children, and should have quite a nursery. I
saw the Princess on a Sunday, either the 30th or 3 1 st of
October, 1802, walking before her door. She was dress-
ed so as to conceal her pregnancy ; she had a Ipng cloak,
and a very great muff. She had just returned from
Greenwich Church ; she looked very ill, and I thought
must be very near her time. About a week, or nine or
ten days after this, 1 received a note from the Princess,
to desire that I would not come to Montague House, for
they weie apprehensive that the children she had taken
had had the measles in their clothes, and that he was
afraid my child might take it. When the Princess came
to see me during my lying in. she told me that when she
should be brought to bed, she wished I would not come
to her for some time, for she might be confused in seeing
me. A bout the end of December, I went to Gloucester-
shire, and stayed there about a month. When I return-
ed, which was in January, 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, cover-
ed with a piece of red cloth. -The Princess got up and
6
took me b v 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," 1 was
brought to bed." The words were such as clearly import-
ed 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 frequent-
ly 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. Princess Charlotte used to see the
child, and play with him. The child used to call the
Princess of Wales Mama. I saw the child looking at the
window of the Princess's house about a month ago, be-
fore the Princess went into Devonshire, and I am sure
that it was the same child. Not long after I had first seen
the child, the Princess said that she had the child at first
to sleep with her for a few nights, but it made her ner-
vous, and now they had got a regular nurse for her. 3he
said, " We gave it a little milk at first, but it was too much
for 4 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 she 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 Sir John Douglas,
" This is the Deptford Boy." Independently of the Prin-
cess's confessions to me, I can swear that she was preg-
nant in 1802. In October, 1804, when we returned from
Devonshire, 1 left my card at Montague House, and on
the 4th of October I received a letter from Mrs.Vernon,
desiring me not to come any more to Montague House.
1 had never at this time mentioned the Princess's being
with child, or being delivered 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 anony-
mous letter, which I produce, and have marked with the
letter A,* and signed with my name bom on the letter and
the envelope. The Princess of Wales has told me that
she got a bedfellow whenever she could ; that nothing
was more wholesome. She said that nothing was more
convenient than her room; " it stands at the head of the
staircase which leads into the Park, and I have bolts in
the inside, and have a bedfellow whenever I like. I
wonder you can be satisfied only with Sir John." She has
said this more than once. She has told me that Sir Sid-
ney Smith had lain with her ; that she believed all men
liked a bedfellow, but Sir Sidney better than any body
else ; that the Prince was the most complaisant man in
the world ; that she did what she liked, went where she
liked, and had what bedfellows she liked, and the Prince
paid for all.
CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS.
June 1, 1806.
Sworn before us,"; June r l, 1806,'at Lord(Gren-
ville's in Downing-street, Westminster.
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
No copy of this letter has beeu sent to Her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales.
(No. 3.)
The Deposition of Sir Jolm Dvnglas, Kril.
I HAD a house at Blacfcheath m 1801. Sir Sidney
used to come to my house. I had a bed for him. The
Princess of Wales formed an acquaintance with Lady
Douglas, arid came frequently to our house. I thought
she came more for Sir Sidney Smith than for us. After
she had been some time acquainted with us, she appeared
to me to be with child. One day she leaned on the so-
tay 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 teemed angry at
fcr&. Iti 1804, on the 27th of October, I received
tfar fetters by the two-penny post, one addressed to me,
which 1 1 how produce, and haVe marked with the fetter
<(B)* both on the envelope and the ineloSure, ami the"
other letter addressed to Lady Douglas, and which I
now prddute, and have marked with the letter (C)*
fetrtfrdn the envelope and the iuclosure.
(Signed) JOHN DOUGLAS.
June 1st.
Sworn fjefore us at Lord Grenville's house in Down-
ing street, Westminster, June the first, 1806.
ERSfclNE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
No copy of these letters, or either of them, has been lent te
Her Royil HighneW the Princess of Wales.
s
(No. 4.)
The Deposition of Robert Bidgood.
I HAYE lived with the Prince twenty-three years in
next September. I went to the Princess in March,
1798, and have lived with her Royal Highness ever
since. About the year 1802, early in that year, I
iirst observed Sir Sidney 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 ele-
ten o'clock. He was at Sir John Douglas's, and was
in the habit, as well as Sir John and Lady Douglas, of
dining or having luncheon, or supping there almost
every day. I saw Sir Sidney Smith one day in 1302,
in thje blue room, about eleven o'clock in the morning,
which is full two hours before we expected ever to
see company. I asked the servants why they did not
Jet me know that he was there. The footmen inform-
ed me 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.
I never observed any appearance of the Princess,
which could lead me to suppose she was with- child.
I first observed Captain Man by come to Montague
House, either the end of 1803, or beginning of 1804.
I was waiting one day in the anti-room, Captain Man-
by had 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 waiting, 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 other's lips. Captain Manby then went
away. I then observed the Princess have her hand-
10
kerchief in her hands, and wipe her eyes as if she WM
crying, and went into the draw'rng-room. The Prin-
cess went to Southend in May, 1804. I went with
her. We were there I believe about six weeks before
the Africainecame in. Sicard was very often watching
with a glass to see when the ship would arrive. One
day he said he saw the Africaine, and soon after the
Captain put off in a boat from the ship. Sicard went
down the shrubbery to meet him. When the Captain
came on shore, Sicard conducted him to the Princess's
House, and he dined there with the Princess 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 afterwards took the drawing-room
of No. 7, which communicated by the balcony with
No. 8. The three houses being adjoining, the Princess
used to dine in No. 8, and after dinner to remove with
the company into No. 7, and I have several times seen
the Princess, after having gone into No. 7, with Cap-
tain 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 given by the servants, and I be*
lieve that others suspected it as well as myself. Thi
Princess took a child, which I understand 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 as I saw there
early in 1803. It has a mark in 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 sometimes to Mon-
tague House. It it very like the child who lives with
the Princess. Mrs. Gosden was employed as a nurse
to the child, and she used to bring the child to the
Princess as soon as the Princess woke, and the child
used to stay with her Royal Highness the whole morn-
ing. The Princess appeared to be extremely fond of
the child, and still appears so.
R. BIDGOOIX
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-
street, the sixth day of June, 180(5.
A true Copy, SPENCER,
J. Becket. GRENVJLLE.
(No. 5.)
v
' The Deposition of William Cole.
\ HATE lived with the Princess of Wales ever since
her marriage, Sir Sidney Smith first visited at Monta-
gue House about 1802. I have observed the Princess
too familiar with Sir Sidney Smith. One day, I think
about February in that year, the Princess ordered some
sandwiches, I carried them in the Blue Room to her.
Sir Sidney Smith was there. I was surprised 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 Sidney 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
sitting 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 honse from the Park, wrapt up in a great coat, f
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 Sidney Smith silting together on the
sofa, the Duke of Kent sent for uae, and told me
that the Princess woold be very glad if I would do the
duty in town, because she had business to do in town,
which 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 Sicard. After this I never attended at Mon-
tague House, but occasionally when the Princess sent
for me. About July, 1802, I observed that the Prin-
cess had grown very large j and in the latter end of the
same year she appeared to be grown thin, and I observ-
ed it to Miss Sander, who said that the Princess was
much thinner than she had been. I had not any idea of
the Princess being with child. Mr. Lawrence, the
painter, used to go to Montague House about the lat-
ter end of 1801, when he was painting the Princess,
and he has slept in the house two or three nights to-
gether, i haveoften seen him alone with the Princess at
eleven and twelve 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 Princess in the Blue Room,
after the ladies bad 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
awav.
V^M. COLE.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-
swect, the sixth; day of June, 1806, before us,
A true Copy, SPENCER,
J. Bucket. GRENVILLE.
IS
(No. 6.)
The Deposition of Frances Lloyd.
I HAVE lived twelve years with the Princess of
Wales next October. I am in the Coffee-room. My
ituation in the Coffee-room does not give me oppor-
tunities of seeing the Princess. I don't see her some-
times for months. Mr. Mills attended me for a cold.
He asked me if the Prince came to Blackheath, back-
wards and forwards, or something to that effect, for
the Princess was with child, or looked if she was with
child. This must have been three or four years ago.
It may have been five years ago. I think it must have
been some time before the child was brought to the
Princess. I remember 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
make it, to wean the child, and I gave it to the mo-
ther, and she took the child away. Afterwards the
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. The second time the
mother brought the child, she brought it into my room.
I asked her, 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
vras brought. I did not particularly observe it myself.
FRANCES LLOYD.
I was at Ramsgate with the Princess in 1803. One
morning when we were in the house at East Cliff,
some body, I don't recollect who, knocked at my door,
and desired me to get up to prepare breakfast for the
Princess. This was about six b'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
14
for the Princess. 1 slept in the housekeeper'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 I opened the
shatters, I saw the Princess walking down the garden
with a gentleman. She was 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 walking with, was a tall man. I was
surprised to see the Princess walking with a gentle-
man, at that time in the morning. I am sure it wa
the Princess. While we were at Blackheatli, a wo-
man at Charlton, of the name of Townley, told me that
ahe had some linen to wash from the Princess's house.
That the linqn was marked with the appearance of
###*#**# * f The woman has since left
Charlton, but she has friends there. I think it must
have been before the child was brought to the Prin-
cess, that the woman told us this. I know all the wo-
men 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 1 must have known it. I never told Cole that
Mary Wilson, when she supposed the Princess to be
in the library, had gone into the Princess's bedroom,
and had found a man thereat breakfast with the Prin-
cess; or that there was a great to-do about it, and that
Mary Wilson was sworn to secresy, and threatened
to be turned away if she divulged what she had seen.
FRANCES LLOYD.
Sworn at Lord. Grenville's House in Downing-stree(
the seventh day of June, li.06, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true-Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
IS
(No. 7.)
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 housemaid,
\ 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 it was
to come. The mother brought the child. It appear-
ed to be about four months old when it \va^ brought.
I remember twins being brought to the Princess, be-
fore this child was brought. I never noticed the Pria-
cess'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 while 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 my
knowing it. I was at Southend with the Princes.-
Captain Manby used to visit the Princess there-. I
make the Princess's bed, and have been in the habit
f making it ever since I lived with Her Royal High-
ness. Another maid, whose name is Ann Bye, assist-
ed with me in making the bed. From what I observ-
ed, I never had any reason to believe that two persons
had slept in the bed. I never saw any particular ap-
pearance in it. The linen was washed by Stikeman'g
wife.
MARY WILSON.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-strstt,
the seventh of June, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENV1LLE,
/. Bcckd. ELLENBOROUG H .
16
(No. 8.)
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
never observed any particular appearance of the Prin-
cess in that year nothing that led me to believe that
she was with child. Sir Sidney Smith used to visit
the Princess at Blackheath. I never saw him alone
with the Princess. He never stayed after eleven
o'clock. I recollect Mr. Cole once asking me, I
I think three years ago, whether there were any fa-
vourites in the family. I remember saying, that
Captain Manby and Sir Sidney Smith were frequent-
ly at Blackheath, and dined there oftener than other
persons. I never knew Sir Sidney Smith stay later
than the ladies. I cannot say exactly at what hour he
went, but I never remember him staying alone witU
the Princess.
SAMUEL ROBERTS.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-street,
the seventh day of June, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
/, Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
17
(No. 0.)
The Deposition of Thomas Stikeman.
I HAVE been Page to the Princess of Wales ever
since sSie 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 infant, 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. Sander. I then returned the child to the wo-
man, and made inquiries after the father, and after-
wards 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 de-
sired the woman to take it again and bring it back in
a few days, and Mrs. Sander was desired to provide
linen for it. Within a few days the child was brought
again by the mother, and was left, and has been with
the Princess ever since. I don't recollect the child had
any mark ; but upon reflection I do recollect the mo-
ther 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
washed the linen of the Prince. Austin is employed
to turn a mangle for me. The child was born in Brown-
low-street, and it was baptized there; but I only know
this from the mother. The mother has since lain-iri
a second time in Brownlow-street. I never saw the
* n,
18
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 bet-
ter to take the child of persons of good character, than
the child of a pauper. Nothing led me from the ap-
pearance 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 she was with child of the
Princess Charlotte, I should not have known k when
she was far advanced in her time, if I had not been
told it. Sir Sidney Smith at one time visited very fre-
quently at Montague House, two or three times a week.
At the time the Princess was altering her rooms in the
Turkish style, Sir Sidney Smith's visits were very fre-
quent. The Princess consulted him upon them. Mr.
Morell was the upholsterer. Sir Sidney Smith came
frequently alone. He stayed 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, or stayed so late.
I have seen the Princess when they were alone sitting
with Sir -Sidney 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, and 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 questioned or questionable. I was with
the Princess at Ramsgate. When she was at East
19
Cliff, Captain Manby was very frequently there; went
away as late at night as eleven o'clock. I don't re-
member Fanny Lloyd being called up any morning to
make breakfast for the Princess. I did not like Capt.
Manby coming so often, and staying so late, and I
was uneasy at it. I remember a piece of plate, a silver
lamp, being sent to Captain Manby. I saw it in
Sicard's possession. He told me it was for Captain
Manby, and he had a letter to send with it. I have
never seen Captain Manby at the Princess's at Rams-
Grate before nine o'clock in the morning, but I have
heard he has been there earlier. I had never any sus-
picions of there being any thing improper, either from
the frequent visits of Captain Manby, or from his con-
duct. I was at Catherington with the Princess. She
used to go out generally in her own chaise. I think
I have once or twice seen her go with Mr. Hood in his
one-horse chaise. They have been out for two hours,
or two hours and a half, together. I believe only a
day or two elapsed between the time the child being
first brought, and being then brought back again, and
left with the Princess. I am sure the child was not
weaned after it had been first brought. I don't re-
collect any gentleman ever sleeping in the house. I
don't remember Lawrence the painter ever sleeping
there. The Princess seems very fond of the child. It
is always called William Austin.
THOMAS STIKEMAN.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's house in Downingrstreet,
the seventh day of June, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
SO
(No. 10.)
The Deposition of John Sicard.
1 HAVE lived seven years with the Princess of Wales,
am house-steward, and have been in that situation from
the end of six months after 1 first lived with Her Royal
Highness. I remember the child who is HOW with the
Princess of Wales being brough there. It was about five
months old when it was brough). 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 here
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.
t think it was hardly possible that she should have been
with child without my perceiving it. Sir Sidney Smith
used to visit very frequently at Montague House in 1802,
with Sir John and Lady Douglas. He vtas very often, I
believe, aloue with the Princess, and so was Mr. Canning,
and other gentlemen. I cannot say that I ever suspected
Sir Sidney Smith of any improper conduct with the Prin-
cess. I never had any suspicion of the Princess acting
improperly with Sir Sidney Smith or any other gentleman
I remember Captain Matiby visiting at Montague House.
The Princess of Wales did not pay for the expence of
fitting up his cabin, but the linen furnituie was ordered
by me, by direction of the Princess, of >.Vu berry and
Jones. It was put by Ncwberry and Jones in the Prin-
cess's bill, and was paid for with the rest of the bill by
Miss Heynian.
JOHN SICARD.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's house in Downing-street,
the seventh day of June, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLEN BOROUGH.
(No. 11.)
The Deposition of Charlotte Sander.
i HAVE lived with the Princess of Wales eleven years.
I am a native of Brunswick, and came with the Princess
from Brunswick. The Princess has 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 his
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. She 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 autumn 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 knowledge any other child
in the house. It v\as hardly possible there could have
been a child there without my knowing it. I have no re-
collection that the Princess had grown bigger in the year
1802 than usual. I am sure the Princess was not preg-
nant. Being her dresser, I must have seen if she was.
I solemnly and positively swear I have no reason to know
or believe that the Princess of Wales has been at any
time pregnant during the lime 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
don't 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 be asked any question
to-day respecting the Princess being pregnant. Nobody
came over to the Princess from Germany in the autumn
of 1802 to my knowledge. Her Royal Highness was
generally blooded twice in a year, but not lately. 1 ne-
ver had any reason to suppose that the Princess received
the visits of any gentlemen at improper hours. Sir Sid-
ney Smith visited her frequently, and almost daily. He
was there very late, sometimes till two o'clock in the
morning. I never saw Sir Sidney Smith in a room alone
with the Princess late at night. 1 never saw any thing
which led me to suppose that Sir Sidney Smith was on a
very familiar footing with the Princess of Wales. I at-
tended the Princess of Wales to Southend. She had
two houses, No 9. and No. 8. I knew Captain Manby.
He commanded the Africaine. He visited the Princess.
While his ship was there, he was frequently with the
Princess. I don't know or believe, and I have no reason
to believe, that Captain Manby staid 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
night at the Princess's house. I was in Devonshire with
the Princess lately. There was no one officer that she
taw when she was in Devonshire more than the rest. I
never heard from the Princess that she apprehended her
conduct was questioned. When I was brought here I
thought I might be questioned respecting the Princess's
conduct, and I was sorry to come. I don't know why I
S3
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. When I was at
Southend I dined in the Steward's room. I can't say
whether I ever heard any body in the steward's room say
any thing about the Captain, meaning Captain Manby.
It is so long ago I may have forgot it. I have seen Cap-
tain Manby alone with the Princess at No. 9> in the draw-
ing-room at Southend. I have seen it only once or twice.
It was at two or three o'clock in the afternoon, and ne-
ver later. I slept in a room next to the Princess in the
house No. 9, at Southend. 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. I was at Catherington with the Princess. She
was at Mr. Hood's house. I never saw any familiarity
between her and Mr. Hood. I have seen her drive
out in Mr. Hood's carriage with him alone. It was a gig.
They used to be absent for several hours. A servant of
the Princess attended them. 1 have delivered packets by
the order of the Princess, which she gave me sealed up,
to Sicard, to be by him forwarded to Captain Manby.
The birth-day of the child who lives with the Princess is
the llth 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 that it was from red wine.
I believe the child came to the Princess in November.
C. SANDER.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's house in Downing-street,
the seventh day of June, 1806.
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
true Copy, GRENVILLE,
/. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
(No. 12.)
Deposition of Sophia Austin.
I 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 the 1 1th of July next, 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 the Dock-yard at Depr-
ford. When peace was proclaimed, a number of the
workmen were discharged, and my husband was one
who was discharged. I went to the Princess with a
petition on a Saturday, to try to get my husband re-
stored. I lived at that time at Deptford New-Row,
No. 7, with a person of the name of Bearblock. He
was a milkman. The day I went to the Princess 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 to Mr. Bennet's when 1 went to re-
ceive my husband's wages every week from the time I
left the Hospital till I carried the child to the Princess.
I knew Mr. Stikeman only by having seen him once-
before, when I went to apply for a letter to Brownlow-
street Hospital. When I went to Montague House,
I desired Mr. Stikeman to present my petition. He
said they were denied to do such things, but seeing
me with a baby he could do no less. He then took the
child from me, and was a long time gone. He 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 could have got it taken care of for
me, but desired that I would come up again. I went
25
up again on the Mouday following, and I saw Mr.
Stikeman. Mr. Stikeman afterwards came several
times to us, and appointed tue 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 Novem-
ber, and I took the child on that day to the Princess's
house. The Princess was out. 1 waited till she re-
turned. 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 ; ibr I was suckling the
child at this time, and when I had weaned the child, I
was to bring it and leave is 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. 1 saw the child last Whit-
Monday, and I swear that it is my child.
SOPHIA AUSTIN.
Sworn at Lord Grenviile's house in Downing-street,
the seventh day of June, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
(No. 13.)
Earl Spencer to Lord Gwydir.
20th June, 1806.
MY LORB,
IN consequence of certain inquiries directed by his
Majesty, Lady Douglas, wife of Sir John Douglas "of the
Marines, has deposed upou oath that she was told by her
m
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, that at a break-
fast at Lady Willoughby's house in May or June, 1802,
&c.
[Extract from Lady Douglass Deposition."]
It being material to ascertain, as far as possible, the
truth of this fact, I am to request that your Lordship will
have the goodness to desire Lady Willoughby to put down
in writing every circamstance in any manner relative
thereto (if any such there be) of which her Ladyship has
any recollection ; and also to apprize me, for his Ma-
jesty's information, ^fhether at any time, during the
course of the abovementioned year, Lady Willoughby ob*
served any such alteration in the Princess's shape, or any
other circumstances, as might induce her Ladyship to
believe that her Royal Highness was then pregnant.
I am, &c.
A true Copy,
J. Becket. SPENCER.
(No. 14.)
Sidmouth, 2 1st June, 1806.
MY DEAR LORD,
IN obedience to your commands, I lost no time in com-
municating to Lady Willoughby the important subject of
your private letter, dated the 20th instant, and I have the
honour of enclosing a letter to your Lordship from Lady
Willoughby.
, I have the honour, &c.
A true Copy,
J. Becket, GWYDIR,
(No. 15.)
MY LORD,
IN obedience to the command contained in your Lord-
ship's letter communicated to me by Lord Gwydir, I
have the honour to inform you, that I have no recollec-
tion whatever of the fact stated to have taken place, du-
ring a breakfast at Whitehall in May or June 1802 ; nor
do I bear in mind any particular circumstances relative
to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, at the pe-
riod to which you allude.
I have the honour, &c.
WILLOUGHBY.
June 21, 1806.
EARL SPENCER.
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
. (No. 16.)
Extract from the Register of the Births and
Baptisms of Children born in the Brownlow-
street Lying*in Hospital.
Born 1802, Baptized,
May,
8, Thomas, of Richard and Elizabeth Austin, 20
July,
11, William, of Samuel and Sophia Austin, 15.
The above are the only two entries under the name of
Austin, about the period in question, and were extracted
by me. No description of the children is preserved.
CHARLES WATKIN WILLIAMS WYNN.
June 23, 1806.
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
(No. 17.)
The Deposition of Elizabeth Gosden.
I AM the wife of Frnncis Gosden, who is a servant of
the Princess of Wales, and has lived with her Royal
Highness eleven years. In November, 1802, I was sent
for lo the Princess's house to look after a little child ; I
understood that he had been then nine days in the hon-c.
I was nurse to the child. One of the ladies, 1 think Miss-
Sander, delivered the child tome, and told rne her Royal
Highness wished me to take care of him. The child never
slept with the Princess. I sometimes used to take him to
the Princess before she was up, and leave him with her
on her bed. The child had a mark on the hand, it ap-
peared to be a stain of wine, but is now worn out. I was
about a year and three quarters with the child. The
mother used to come often to see him. I never saw the
Princess dress the child, or take off its things herself; but
she has seen me do it. The child is not so much with
the Princess now as he wa>.
ELIZ GOSDEN.
S"worn at Lord Grenville's house in Downing-street,
the 23d day of Juno, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Bfcket. ELLENBOROUGH.
(No. 18.)
Deposition of Betty Townley.
I LIVED at Chnrlton sixteen years, and till within the
last two years. I was a laundress, and used to wash
linen for the Princess of Wales 's family. Alter the Prin-
ess left Charlton and went to Blackheath, I used to go
over to Biackheath to fetch the linen to wash. I have
had linen from the Princess's house the same as other
ladies : 1 mean that there were such appearances on it as
might arise from natural causes to which women are sub-
ject. I never washed the Princess's own bed-linen, but
once or twice occasionally. I recollect one bundle of
linen once coming, which I thought rather more marked
than usual. They told me that the Princess had been
bleed with ieeche-, and it dirtied the linen more : the ser-
vants told me so, but I don't remember who the servants
were that told rne so. I recollect once, I came to town
and left the linen with tny daughter to wash ; I looked
at the clothes slowly before I went, and counted them,
and my daughter, and a woman she employed with her,
washed them while I was in town. I thought when 1
looked them over, that there might be something more
than usual. My opinion was, that it was from * * * *
* * The linen had the appearance of ******, I
believed it at the time. They were fine damask napkins,
and some of them marked with a little red crown in the
corner, and some without marks. I might mention it to
Fanny Lloyd. I don't recollect when this was, but it
must be more than two years and a half ago; for I did
not wash for the Princess's family but very little for the
last six months. Mary Wilson used to give me the
linen, and I believe it was she who told me that the
Princess was bled with leeches ; but the appearance of
the linen which I have spoken of before, was different
so
from that which it was said was stained by bleeding with
leeches. I remember the child coming. I used to wash
the linen for the child, and Mrs Gosden who nursed the
child, used to pay me for ii. I kept a book, in which I
entered the linen I washed. I am not sure whether I have
it still : but if I have, it is in a chest at my daughters, at
Cbarlton, and I will produce it if I can find it.
B. TOWNLEY.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-street,
the 23d day of June, 1806, before us,
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBOROUGH.
Deposition of Thomas Edmeades, of Greenwich*
Surgeon and Apothecary.
I AM a surgeon and apothecary at Greenwich, and wa
appointed the surgeon and apothecary of the Princess of
Wales, in 1081. From that time I have attended her
Royal Highness and her household. I knew Fanny Lloyd
who attended in the coffee-room, at the Princess's. I
frequently attended her for colds. I do not recollect that I
ever said any thing to her respecting the Princess of Wales.
It never once entered my thoughts while I attended the
Princess, that she was pregnant. I never said that she
was so to Fanny Lloyd. I have bled the Piincess twice;
31
the second bleeding was in 1802, and it was in the June
quarter, as appears by the book I kept. I don't know
what she was bled for it was at her own desire it was
Hot by any medical advice. I was unwilling to do it, but
she wished it. If I recollect, she complained of a pain in
her chest, but I doa't remember that she had any illness.
X did not use to bleed her twice a year. I certainly saw
her Royal Highness in Nov. 1802L I saw her on the 16th
of November, but I had not any idea of her being then
with child. I did not attend her on the 16th November,
but I ?aw her then ; I was visiting a child (a male child,)
flora Deptfoid. I have no recollection of having seen the
Princess in October, 1802\ The child must have been
from three to five months old when I first saw it. I have
no recollection of the Princess having been ill about the
end of October, 1802. I have visited the child very often
since, and I have always understood it to be the same
child. The Princess used sometimes to send for leeches,
and had them from me. I don't think that I attended
the Princess, or saw her often, in the summer and autumn
of 1802. I had not the sole care of the Princess's health
during- the time I have spoken of. Sir Francis Millman
attended her occasionally.
THOMAS EDMEADES.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-street,
the 25th day of June, 1506, before us,
ERSKtNE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becfot. ELLENBOROUGH.
(No. 20.)
Deposition of Samuel Gillian Mills, of Greenwich,
Surgeon.
I AM a surgeon at Greenwich ; have been in partnership
with Mr. Edrneades since 1800. Before he was my part-
ner I attended the Princess of Wales's Family from the
time of her coming to Blackheath from Charlton. I was
appointed by the Princess her surgeon, in April, 1801, by
a written appointment, and from that time I never at-
tended her Royal Highness, or any of the servants, in my
medical capacity, except that 1 once attended Miss Gouch,
and once Miss Millfield. There was a child brought to the
Princess while I attended her. I was called upon to exa-
mine the child. It was a girl. It must have been in 1801,
or thereabouts. The child afterwards had the measles, and
I attended her. When first 1 saw the child, I think it must
have been about ten months old. It must have been prior
to April, 1801. I understood that the child was taken
through charity. 1 remember that there was a female ser-
vant who attended in the coffee-room. I never said to that
womam, or to any other person, that the Princess was with
child, or looked as if she was with child, and I never
thought so, or surmised any thing of the kind. \ I as
once sent for by her Royal Highness to bleed her. I was
not at home, and Mr. Edmeades bled her. I had bled her
two or three times before ; it was by direction of Sir Fran-
cis Millman. It was for an inflammation she had on the
lungs. As much as I knew it was not usual for the Prin-
cess to be bled twice a year. I don't know that any other
medical person attended her at the time that I did, nor do
I believe that there did. I don't know that Sir Francis
Millman had advised that she should be blooded at the
time that I was sent for and was not at home, nor what
was the cause of her bei n then blooded. I do recollect
33
something of having attended the servant who was in the
coffee-rooni, for a cold, but I am sure I never said to her
that the Princess was with child, or looked as if she was so.
I have known that the Princess has frequently sent to Mr.
Edmeades for leeches. When I saw the female child, Mrs.
Sander was in the room, and some other servants, but I
don't recollect who. I was sent for to see whether there
was any disease about the child to see whether it was a
healthy child, as Her Royal Highness meant to take it
under her patronage. The child could just walk alone.
I saw the child frequently afterwards. It was at one time
with Bidgood, and another time with Gosden and his
wife. I don't recollect that the Princess was by at any
time when 1 saw the child. I never saw the child in Mon-
tague House when I attended it as a patient, but when I
was first sent for to see if the child had any disease, it was
in Montague House.
SAMUEL GILLAM MILLS.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House in Downing-street,
the 25th day of June, 1806, before us,
ERSK1NE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. F LLFA BOROUGH.
(No. 21.)
Deposition of Harriet Fitzgerald
I CAME first to live with the Princess of Wales in 1801,
merely as a friend and companion, and have continued to
live with her Royal Highness to this time. I know Lady
34
Douglas. I remember her lying in. It happened by ac-
cident that Her Royal Highness was in the honse at the
time of Lady Douglas's delivery. I think it was in July,
1802. I was there myself. The Princess was not in the
room at the time Lady Douglas was delivered. There was
certainly no appearance of the Princess being pregnant at
that time. I saw the Princess at that time every day, and
at all hours. I believe it to be quite impossible that the
Princess should have been with child without my observing
it. I never was at a breakfast with the Princess at Lady
Willoughby's. The Princess took a little girl into the
house about nine years ago. I was not in the house at the
trme. I was in the house when the boy, who is now there,
was brought there. She had said before openly that she
should like to have a child, and she had asked the servant
who brought the child, if he knew of any persons who
would part with a child. I was at Southend with the Prin-
cess. I remember Captain Manby being there sometimes.
He was not there very often. He used to come at different
hours, as the tide served. He dined there, but never
stayed late. I was at Southend all the time the Princess
was there. I cannot recollect that I have seen Captain
Manby there, or known him to be there, later than nine,
or half after nine. I never knew of any correspondence by
letter with him when he was abroad. I don't recollect to
have seen him ever early in the morning at the Princess's-
I was at Ramsgate with the Princess. Captain Manby
may have dined there once. He never slept there to my
knowledge, nor do I believe he did. The Princess rises at
different hours, seldom before ten or eleven. I never knew
her up at six o'clock in the morning. If she had been up
o early I should not have known it, not being up so early
myself. I remember the Princess giving Captain Manby
an inkstand. He had the care of two boys whom she
protected. I can't say that Captain Manby did not sleep
at Southend. He may have slept in the village, but I be-
35
lieve he never slept in the Princess's house. I was at Ca-
therington with the Princess. I remember Her Royal
Highness going out in an open carriage with the present
Lord Hood. I believe Lord Hood's servant attended
them. There was only one servant, and no other carriage
with them. I was at Dawlish this summer with the Prin-
cess, and afterwards at Mount Edgcumbe. The Princess
saw a great deal of company there. Sir Richard Strachan
used to come there. I don't know what was the cause of
his discontinuing his visits there. 1 remember Sir Sidney
Smith being frequently at Montague House. He was
sometimes there as late as twelve and one o'clock in the
morning, but never alone that I know of. The Princess
was not in the room when Lady Douglas was brought to
bed. I know she was not, because I was in the room my-
self when Lady Douglas was delivered. Dr. Mackie of
Lewisham, was the accoucheur. I don't recollect Sir
Sidney Smith ever being alone with the Princess in. the
evening. It may have happened, but I don't know that
it did. I used to sit with the Princess always in the even-
ing, but not in the morning. I was with the Princess in
the Isle of Wight. Mr. Hood and Lord Amelius Beau*
clerc were there with her. She went there from Ports-
mouth.
HARRIET FITZGERALD.
Sworn before us at Lord Grenville's house in Down-
ing-street, the 2?th day of June, 1806, before u,
ERSK1NE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. ELLENBO ROUGH.
36
(No. 22.)
Whitehall, July 1, 1806.
MY LORD,
THE extreme importance of the business on which I
have before troubled your Lordship and Lady Wil^
lougbby, makes it the indispensable duty of the persons
to whom His Majesty has entrusted the Inquiry, fur-
ther to request that her Ladyship will have the goodness
to return in writing, distinct and separate answers to the
enclosed Queries. They beg leave to add, that in the
discharge of the trust committed to them, they have been
obliged to examine upon oath the several persons to whose
testimony they have thought it right to have recourse on
this occasion. They have been unwilling to give Lady
Willoughby the trouble of so long a journey for that pur-
pose, well knowing the full reliance which may be placed
on every thing which shall be stated by her Ladyship in
this form. But on her return to town it may probably be
judged necessary, for the sake of uniformity in this most
important proceeding, that she should be so good as to
confirm on oath, the truth of the written answers re-
quested from her Ladyship.
(No Signature in t/ie original*)
37
(No. 23.)
Sidmouth, July 3, 1806.
MY LORD,
I IMMEDIATELY communicated to Lady Willoughby
the Queries transmitted to me in the envelope of a letter
dated July the first, which J had the honour to receive
this day from your Lordship. I return the Queries with
Lady Willoughby's Answers in her own hand-writing.
We are both truly sensible of your Lordship's kind at-
tention in not requiring Lady Willoughby's personal
attendance. She will most readily obey the Order of the
Council, should her presence become necessary.
I have the honour, &c.
GWYDIR.
To Earl Spencer, fyc. fyc. fyc.
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
(No. 24.)
Queries. Answers.
1. Does Lady Willough- l. In the course of the
by remember seeing the last ten years the Princess
Princess of Wales at break- of Wales has frequently
fasi or dinner at her house, done me the honour to
either at Whitehall or Bee- breakfast and dine at White-
38
kenham, on or about the
months of May or June,
1802 ?
2. Has her Ladyship any
recollection of the circum-
stance of Her Royal High-
ness having retired from the
company at such breakfast
or dinner, on account, or
under the pretence, of hav-
ing spilt any thing over her
handkerchief? And if so,
did Lady Willoughby attend
Her Royal Highness on that
occasion ? and what then
passed between them rela-
tive to that circumstance :
3. Had Lady Willoughby
frequent opportunities in
the course of that year, to
see Her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales, and
at what periods? And did
she at any time during the
year, observe any appear-
ance, which led her to sus-
pect that the Princess of
Wales was pregnant ?
hall, and Langley, in Kent.
Her Royal Highness may
have been at my house in
the months of May or June,
1802, but of the periods at
which I had the honour of
receiving her, I have no
precise recollection.
3. I do not remember
Her Royal Highness hav-
ing at any time retired
from the company, either at
Whitehall, or at Langley,
under the pretence of hav-
ing spilt any thing over her
handkerchief.
3. To the best of my re-
membrance I had few op-
portunities of seeing the
Princess of Wales in the
year 1802, and I do not re-
collect having observed any
particular circumstances re-
lative to Her Royal High-
ness's appearance.
4. Is Lady Willoughby
acquainted with any other cir-
cumstances leading to the
same conclusion, or tending
to establish the fact of a
criminal intercourse, or im-
proper familiarity between
Her Royal Highness and
any other person whatever?
and if so, what are they ?
4. During the ten years
I have had the honour of
knowing the Princess of
Wales, I do not bear in
mind a single instance of
Her Royal Highness's con-
duct in society towards any
individual, tending to estab-
lish the fact of a criminal
intercourse, or improper fa-
miliarity.
WILLOUGHBY.
(No. 25.)
Robert Bidgood -further deposition.
TH E Princess used to go out in her phaeton with coach-
man and helper, towards Long Reach, eight or ten
times, carrying luncheon and wine with her, when Cap-
tain Manby's ship was at Long Reach always Mrs. Fitz-
gerald with her She would go out at one, and return
about five or six sometimes sooner or later. The day
the Africaine sailed from Southend the Princess ordered
us to pack up for Blackheath next morning. Captain
Manby 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 used to come in a morning, and dine and
drink tea. I 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 or-
40
ders 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 suspected he was
there at those times. There was a general suspicion
throughout the house. Mrs. and Miss Fitzgerald there,
and Miss Hamond (now Lady Hood) there. My sus-
picions arose from seeing them in the glasses kiss each
other, as I 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 Southend when ladies not sent for a num-
ber of times. There was a pouey which Captain Manb)
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 matter of discourse amongst them. I lived
there when Sir Sidney Smith came, her manner with him
Appeared very familiar. She appeared very attentive to
him but I did not suspect any thing farther. AH the up*
per servants had keys of the doors to the Park to let hr
Royal Highness in and out. I used to see Sicard receive
letters from Mrs. Sander to put iu the post instead of the
bag. This was after Captain Manby was gone to tea,
1 suspected this to be for Captain Manby, and others in
the house suspected the same.
(Signed) R. BIDGOOD.
$worn before us in Downing-street, this third day of
July.
(Signed) ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
A true Copy, GRENVILLE,
J. Becket. EU.EN BOROUGH
41
(No. 26.)
;
Sir Francis Millmarfs Deposition.
I ATTENDED th* Princess of Wales in the Spring
latter end of the year 1802; i, e. in March, and towards
the autumn. Mr. Mills of Greenwich attended then as
her Royal Highness's apothecary, and Mr. Mills and his
partner Mr. Edmeades have attended since. I do not
know that any other medical person attended at that time,
either as apothecary or physician. In March 1802, I
attended her for a sore throat and fever. In 1803, in
April, I attended Her Royal Highness again, with Sir
Walter Farquhar. I don't know whether she was blooded
in 1802. She was with difficulty persuaded to be blooded
in 1803, for a pain in her chest, saying she had not been
blooded before ; that they could not find a vein in her
arm. I saw no mark on her arm of her hating been
blooded before. I observed her Royal Highness's person
at the end of that year 1802. Never observed then, or at
any other time, any thing which induced me to think her
Royal Highness was in a pregnant situation. I think it
is impossible she should, in that year, have been delivered
of a child without my observing it. She during that year,
rtnd at all times, was in the habit of receiving the visits of
the Duke of Gloucester .
I never attended Her Royal Highness but on extraordi-
nary illnesses. Her Royal Highness has, for the last year
and half, had her prescriptions made up at Walker and
's, St. Jaraes's-itreet.
*
48
If she had been a pregnant woman in June 1S02, I
could not have helped observing it.
FR. MILLMAN.
Sworn before us in Downing-street, July third, 1 806,
by the said Sir Francis Millman.
ERSK1NE,
A true Copy, SPENCER,
J. Becket. GRENVILLE,
ELLENBOROUGtt.
(No. 27.)
The Deposition of Mrs. Lisle.
I (HESTE* LISLE) am in the Princess of Wales's fa-
mily ; have been so ever since Her Royal Highness's mar-
riage. I was not at Southend with the Princess was at
Blackheath with her in 1802, but am not perfectly eure
as to date. I am generally a month at a time (three month*
in the year) with Her Royal Highness ; in April, August,
and December; was so in August, 1802. I did not ob-
serve any alteration in Her Royal Highness's shape which
gave me any idea that she was pregnant. 1 had no reason
to know or believe that she was pregnant. During my at-
tendance, hardly a day passes without my seeing her.
She could not have been far advanced in pregnancy with-
out my knowing it. I was at East Cliff with her Royal
Highness in August, 1803. I saw Captain Manby only
once at East Cliff, in August, 1803, to the best of my
45
recollection. He might have been oftener : and onee
again at Deal Castle. Captain Manby landed there with
some boys the Princess takes on charity. I saw Captain
Manby at East Cliff one morning, not particularly early.
I don't know of any presents which the Princess made Cap-
tain Manby have seen Captain Manby at Blackheath
one Christmas. He used to come to dine the Christmas
before we were at Rauisgate it was the Christmas after
Mrs. Austin's child came. He always went away in my
presence ; I had no reason to think he staid after we, the
ladies, retired. He lodged on the Heath at that time I
believe rus ship was fitting up at Deptford. He was
there frequently, I think not every day lie generally
came to dinner three or four times a week, or more ]'$.
suppose he might be alone with her, but the Princess is
in the habit of seeing gentlemen and tradesmen without
my being present. I have seen him at luncheon and din-
ner both. The boys came with him, not to dinner, and
not .generally; not above two or three times two boys;
1 think Sir Sidney Smith came also frequently the
Christmas before that, to the best of my recollection. At
dinner, when Captain Mauby dined, he always sat next
her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales. The con-
stant company were, Mrs. and Miss Fitzgerald and my-
self; we all retired with the Princess,, and sat in the same
room. He generally retired about deve.n o'clock; he sat
with us till then. This occurred three or four times a
week, or more. Her Royal Highness, the Lady in wait-
ing, and her Page> have each a key of the door from the
Greenhouse to the Park. Captain Manby and the Prin-
cess used, when we were together, to be speaking together
separately con versing separately, but not in. a room alone
together, to my knowledge. He was a person with whom
she appeared to have greater pleasure in talking than to
her Ladies. She behaved to him only as any woman
would who likes flirting. I should not have thought any
44
married woman would hnve behaved properly who should
have behaved as her Royal Highness did to Captain Man-
by. I can't say whether she was attached to Captain
Manby, only that it was a flirting conduct. Never saw
any gallantries, as kissing her hand, or the like.
I was with her^Royal Highness at Lady Sheffitlds's last
Christmas, in Sussex. I inquired what company was there
when I came. She said only Mr John Chester, who was
there by Her Royal higeness's orders; that she could get
no other company to meet her, on account of the roads
and season of the year. He dined and slept there thai
night. The next day other company came ; Mr Chester
remained. I heard her Royal Highness say she had been
ill in the night, and came and lighted her candle in her
servant's room. I returned from Sheffield Place to Black-
heath with the Princess Captain Moore dined there I
left him and ihe Princess twice alone, tor a short time
he might be alone half an hour with her in the room be
low, in which we had been sitting I went to look for a
book, to complete a set her Royal Highness was lending
Captain Moore. She made him a present of an inkstand,
to the best of my recollection. He was there one morn-
ing in January last, on the Princess Charlotte's birth-day;
he went away before the rest of the company : I might be
absent about twenty minutes the second time I was away
the night Captain Moore was there. At Lady Sheffield's,
her Royal Highness paid more attention to Mr. Chester
than to the rest of the company. I knew of her Royal
Highness walking out alone twice wirh Mr. Chester in
the morning alone once a short time ; it rained ; the
other, not an hour; not long. Mr. Chester is a pretty
young man. Her attentions to him were not uncommon ;
not the same as to Captain Manby. I am not certain
whether the Princess answered any letters of Lady Doug-
45
Us. I was at Gathering ton with the Princess. Remember
Mr. now Lord Hood, there, and the Princess going out
airing with him alone in Mr. Hood's little whiskey, and
his servant was with them. Mr. Hood drove, and staid
out two or three hours more than once. Three or four
times. Mr. Hood dined with us several times. Once
or twice he slept in an house in the garden. She ap-
peared to pay no attention to him but that of common
civility to an intimate acquaintance. Remember the
Princess sitting to Mr. Lawrence for her picture at Black-
heath, and in London. I have left her at his house
in town with him, but I think Mrs. Fitzgerand was with
4ier ; and she sat alone with him, I think, at Blackheatft.
I was never iu her Royal Highness's confidence, but
jdiefeasi always been kind and good-natured to me. She
never mentioned Captain Manby particularly to me. I
remember her being blooded the day Lady Sheffield's
child was christened. Not several times, that I recollect-
nor any other time; nor believe she was in the habit "of
being blooded twice a year. The Princess at one time
appeared to like Lady Douglas. Sir John came fre-
gueutly. Sir Sidney Smith visited abont the same" time
with the Douglases. I have seen Sir Sidney there frmr
.late iu the evening, but not alone with the Princess. 1
have no reason to suspect he had a key of the Park ate.
f never heard of any body being found wandering abotit'-at
BJackheath. I have heard of somebody being found wan-
dering about latefltnight at Mount Edgcumbe, when the
Princess [was) there. I heard that two women and a man
were seen crossing the hall. Tlie Princess saw a fjreat deal
of.company at Mount Edgcumbe. Sir Richard Strachan
was reported to have spoken freely of the Princess, f
did not hear that he had offered a rudeness to tier per-
%pa. She told me she had heard he had spoken disrespect-
46
fully of her, and therefore I believe wrote to him by Sir
Samuel Hood.
(Signed) HESTER LISLE.
Sworn before ns, in Downing-street, this third day
of July, 1806.
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
GRENVILLE,
ELLENBOROUGH.
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
(No. 28.)
Lower Brook-street, July 5, 1806.
MY LOKD,
Before your arrival in Downing-street last night, 1 be-
spoke the indulgence of the Lords of his Majesty's Coun-
cil for inaccuracy as to dates, respecting any attendance
at Black heath, before 1803. Having only notice in the
forenoon of an examination, I could not prepare myself
for it to any period previous to that year, and I now hasten
as fast as the examination of my papers will permit, to
correct an error into which 1 fell, in stating to their Lord-
ships, that I attended her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales in the Spring of 1802, and tliat I then met his
Royal Highness the late Duke of Gloucester at Black-
heath. It was in the Spring of 1801, and not in 1802,
that, after attending her] Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales for ten or twelve dnys, I had the honour of seeing
the Duke of Gloucester at her bouse.
I have the honour, &c.
A true Copy,
JBecket. FR. MJLMAN,
47
(No. 29.)
Earl Cholmondeley, sworn July \6th, 1806'.
I HAVE seen the Princess of Wales write frequently,
and I think I am perfectly acquainted with her manner
of writing.
A letter produced to his Lordship marked (A.)
This letter is not of the Princess's hand-writing.
A paper produced to his Lordship, marked (B) with a
kind of drawing and the names of Sir Sidney Smith and
Lady Douglas.
This paper appears to me to be written in a disguised
hand. Some of the letters remarkably resemble the Prin-
cess's writing , but because of the disguise, I cannot say
whether it be or be not her Royal Highness's writing.
On the cover being shewa to his Lordship also marked
(B), he gave the same answer.
His Lordship was also shewn the cover marked (C), to
which his Lordship answered, I do not see the same re-
semblance to the Princess's writing in this paper.
CBOLMONDELEY.
Sworn before us, July 16th, 1806.
ERSKINE,
SPENCER,
GRENVILLR.
SPENCER,
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
APPENDIX!
Statement of Lady Douglas
Ois Royal Highness the Prince of Wales havingjudged
proper to order me to detail to him, as Heir Apparent,
the whole circumstance of my acquaintance with Her
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, from the day I
first spoke with her to the present time, I felt it my duty,
as a subject, to comply, without hesitation, with his Royal
Highness's commands; and I did so, because I conceived,
even putting aside the rights of an Heir Apparent, his
Royal Highness 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 the tranquillity
of the country; and it appeared to me that, in so doing,
his Royal 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 bringing 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 preg-
" nant in Carlton House."
50
As an Englishwoman, educated in the highest respect-
ful attachment to the Royal Family; as the daughter of an
English Officer, who has all his life received the most gra-
cious marks of approbation and protection from his Ma-
jesty, and from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales :
and as the wife of an Officer whom our beloved King has
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 senti-
ments 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 Ap-
parent, I beg leave 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 mili-
tary duties occasionally called him. I had a daughter
torn upon the 17th of February, and we took up our re-
sidence there in April, living very happily and quietly ;
but in the month of November, when the ground was co-
vered with snow, as I was sitting in my parlour, which
commanded a view of the Heath, I saw, to my surprise,
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 stopping,
as if desirous of opening the gate in the iron railing
to come in. At first I had no conception her Royal High-
ness 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 under-
stood was customaiy); to my astonishment she returned
my courtesy by a familiar nod, and stopped. Old Lady
51
Stuart, a West Indian Lady, who lived in my immediate
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 I went out, and she came immediately to me
and said, " I believe j'ou are Lady Douglas, and you
have a very beautiful child ; [ should like to see it." I
answered that I was Lady Douglas. Her Royal High-
ness then si.id, " 1 should like of all things to see your
little child." I answered, that I was very sorry I could
not have the honour 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. I held open the gaie, and the Princess of Wales
and her Lady, Miss Heyman (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 nonsense. After her Royal Highness had
amused herself 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 herself known.
I concluded that Sir Sidney Smith had acquainted her
Royal Highness that we resided upon the Heath, as he
wasjust arrived in England, and having been in long ha-
bits 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; as I had never seen Sir Sidney
Smith in my life, until this period, when he became, as it
were a part of the family. When I returned to town, I
told Sir John Douglas the circumstance of the Piincess
having visited me, and a few days after this, we received
R note from Mrs. Lisle (who was in waiting) commanding
us to dine at Montague House. We went, and mere were
several persons at the dinner. |l remember Lord and Lady
Dartmouth, and I think Mr. and Mrs. Arbuthnot,8tc. &c.
From this time the Princess made me frequent visits, al-
ways attended by her Ladies, or Mrs. Sander (her maid).
When Sander came, she was sent back, or put in another
room ; but when any of her Ladies were with her, we al-
ways sat together. 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 Princess became so ex-
travagantly fond of me, that, however flattering it might
be, it certainly was very troublesome. Leaving her at-
tendants helow, she would push past my servant, and run
up stairs irrto my bed-chamber, kiss me, take me in her
arms, and tell me I 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 never
used to pay to each other. J 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 I had, saying she
was determined to teach me to set them off. She would
exclaim, Oh! believe me, you are quite beautiful, different
from almost any English woman ; your arms are fine be-
yond imagination, 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 {de.it Lady Douglas)
are nothing but softness and sweetnees, and yet quite
dark. In this manner she went on perpetually, even be-
5S
fore strangers. I remember when I \vas one morning at
her house, with her Royal Highness, Mrs. Harcourt and
her Ladies, the Duke of Kent came to take leave before
his Royal Highness went to Gibraltar. When we were
sitting al table the Princess introduced me, and said
Your Royal Highness must look at her eyes ; 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
obliging, for he continued to talk with Mrs. Harcourt,
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 be very pleasant to me, took little
notice, and talked of something else.
Whenever the Princess visited us, either Sir John, or I,
returned home with her and her party quite to her door;
and if he were out, I went with her Royal Highness, and
took my footman ; for we soon saw that her Royal High-
ness 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
came to our house, they were put into another room, and
they could not see the Princess, or be in her society, unless
she positively desired it. However, her Royal Highnes*
forgot her high station (and she was always forgetting it) j
we trust, and hope, and feel satisfied, we never for a mo-
ment 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 Freuch
Proverbs, in which the Princess always cast the parts, and
played; Musical Magic, forfeits of all kinds; sometimes
dancing; and in this manner, cither the Princess and her
Ladies with me, or we at Montague House, we passed
our lime. Twice, after spending the morning with tne,
she remained without giving me any previpps net ice, and
would dine with us, and thus ended the year 1801.
54
In the month of February, before Miss Garth was to
come into waiting in March 1802, the Princess, in one of
her morning visits, after she had sent Sander home, said,
" My dear Lady Douglas, I am come to see you this
" morning to ask a great favour of you, which I hope you
" wll grant me." I told her, " I wa sure she could not
" make any unworthy request, and that I could only say,
" I should have great pleasure in doing any thing to oblige
" her, but I was really at a loss to guess how I possibly
" could have it in my power to grant her a favour." Her
Royal Highness replied, " what 1 have to ask is for you to
come and spend a fortnight with me ; you shall not be se-
parated 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 com-
plete suite of rooms for a lady and her servant. When
Mrs. Lisle was in waiting, and hurt her foot, she resided
there: Miss Heymau always was there, and Lord and
Lady Lavington have slept there. When I have any
married people visiting me, it is better than their being in
the house, and we are only separated by a small garden.
I dislike Miss Garth, and she hates to be with me, more
than what her duty demands, and I don't wish to trouble
any of my ladies out of their turn. I shall require you,
as lady 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, I 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 venture to say he
would allow me if he could ; and when he came home I
asked him if I should go. Sir John agreed to the Prin-
cess's desire, and I took the waiting. During my stay I
55
attended Her Royal Highness to the play and the opera, I
think twice, and also to dine at Lord Dartmouth's and Mr.
Windham's. At Mr. Windham's, in the evening, while
one of the ladies was at the harpsichord, the Princess com-
plained 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 ?
I told her I believed not ; that when the Princess thought
proper to visit me, she always wanted it, and 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 for, and
did so ; it was brought, and the Princess drank it all.
When at Lord Daitmouth's, his Lordship asked me if 1
was the only lady in waiting, being, I suppose, surprised
at my appearing in that situation, when, to his know-
ledge, I had not known the Princess more than four
months. I answered, I was at Montague House, acting
as lady in waiting, until Mis Garth was well, as the Prin-
cess told me she was ill. Lord Dartmouth looked sur-
prised, and said he had not heard of Miss Garth being ill,
and was surprised. I 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 Blackheath. During this
visit, I was greatly surprised at the whole style of the Prin-
cess of Wales's conversation, which was constantly very
loose, and such as I had not been accustomed to hear j
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. I went home,
hoping and believing she was at times a good deal disor-
56
dered 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, and without any de-
sire 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 tell him a fair lady was in
her Tower, that 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 con-
trivance, and said, Good God ! how could' 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 never would marry any other person.
The Princes* ridiculed this, and said, Nonsense, non-
sense, my dear friend. In consequence of the Princess's
note, Prince William actually rode the next morning to
the Tower, but by good fortune Sir Sidney Smith had pre-
viously called and been admitted, and as we were walking
by the house, Her Royal Highness saw the Prince com-
ing 1 , went immediately out of sight, and ran and told a
teVvant to say she and I were gone walking, and we im-
mediately walked away to Charlton, having first, unper-
ceited; seen Prince William ride back again, (of course
ndt'veYy'vrell pleased, and possibly believing I had a hand
in his ridiculous adventure.) It seems he was angry ; for
sOWaftef His Royal Highness, the late Duke of Glouces-
teVJ ctrthe' 1 and desired to see the Princess, and told her,
that his son William had represented to him how very
free she permitted Sir Sidney Smith to be, and how con-
tintlj he was visiting at Montague House ; that it rested
keep her acquaintance at a proper distance,
o?
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
Mr. Cole to fetch me. I went into the drawing-room,
where the Duke and Her Royal Highness were sitting,
and she introduced me as an old friend of Prince Wil-
liam's. His Royal Highness got up, and lookedfat me
very much, and ihen said, "The Princess has been talk-
ing a great deal about you, and tells me you have made
one of the most delightful children in the world, and in-
deed it might well be so, when the mother was so hand-
some and good-natured-looking." By this time I was so
used to these fine speeches, either from the Princess, or
from her through others, that I was ready to laugh, and
I only said, " We did not talk about much beauty, but
my little girl was in good health, and Her Royal High-
ness 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 I 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. I delight of all things in cheating those clever
people." Her speech and intentions made me serious,
and my mind was forcibly struck with the great danger
there would follow to myself, if she were this kind of per-
*i
4k
It
son. I begged her not to think of doing such a thing,
saying, Your Royal Highness knows it is not so, and
although I would do much to oblige you, yet when my
own character is at stake, I must stop. Good God,
Ma'am, His Royal Highness would naturally repeat it,
and what should I do ? Reputation will not bear being
sported with. The Princess took me by the 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 \ am sure of. I have much too good an
opinion of you, and too good an opinion of Sir Sidney
Smith. It would be very bad in him, after Sir John's
hospitality to him. I know him incapable of such a
thing, for I have known him a long time ; but still I won-
der too in the same house it does not happen. By thii
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 sec
little of him. He 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, with-
out being their humble servants. The Princess argued
upon this for an hour, said, this is Miss Garth's argu-
ment, 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
much upon the lady. Upon the 2Qth of March, I left
Montague House, and the Princess commanded me to
be sent up to her bed-chamber. I went and found her in
bed, and I took Mrs. Vansittart's note in my hand, an-
nouncing the news of Peace. She desired me to sit down
close to the bed, and then, taking my hand, she said,
" You see, my dear friend, I have the most complaisant
" husband in the world I have no one to convroul me
I ice whom 1 like, 1 go where I like, I spend what I
59
" please, and His Royal Highness pays for all Other
" English husbands plague their wives, but he never
" plagues me at all, which is certainly being very polite
" and complaisant, and I am better off than my sister,
" who was heartily beat every day. How much happier
" am I than the Duchess of York. Sne and the Duke
" hate each other, and yet they will be two hypocrites,
" and live together that I would never do. Now I'll
" shew you a letter wherein the Prince of Wales gives
" me full leave to follow my own plans." She then put
ibe 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 be-
" loved had finished it, he fancied it one of the finest
" pieces of penmanship in the world. I should have
" been the man, and he the woman. I am a real
ft Bruuiswick, and do not know what the sensation Fear
" is ; but as to him, he lives in eternal warm water, and
" delights 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 cir-
cumstance 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 El-Jon and the
others, that she pressed this subject close upon them,
whenever they were at Montague House; for she told
me more than once she had.* Her Royal Highness,
before she put the letter by, said, " I always k?ep this,
" for it is ever necessary, I will go into the House of
The Chancellor may now, perhaps, be able to grant her request
N. B. The passage contained in thi* Note w, in the authenticated Co*,
transmitted to the Princess qf Wales, placed in the Margi*.
60
" Lords with it myself. The Prince of Wales desires nit'.
" in that letter, to choose my own plan of life, and
"amuse myself as 1 like, and also when I lived in Carl-
" ton House, he often asked me why I did not select
" some particular gentleman lor my friend, arid was sur-
" prised I did not." She then added, " I *m not treated
" at all as a Princess of Wales ought to be. As to the
" friendship of the Duke of Gloucester's Family, 1
" understand that Prince William would like to many
" either my daughter, or me, if he could. I now
" therefore 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.
" I think you very discreet, and the best woman in tht:
" world, and I 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 culled away, do not
" go home to your family ; it is not pleasant after people
" have childien, therefore always come to my Tower.
" I hope to see you there very soon again. The Prince
" has offered me sixty thousand if I'll go and live at
" Hanover, but I never will; this is the only country in
" the world to live in." She then kissed me, and I 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 me. He and ail
my friends having free permission to visit. Mr. Cole
(the Page) -slept over my room, and u watchman went
round the Tower all night Upon my return home, the
same apparent friendship continued, and in one of Her
Royal Bjghneet's evening visits she told me, she was come
to have a long conversation 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 I gave it up, for I had no idea
61
what she could mean, and therefore might guess nry
whole life without success. " Well then, I must tell you/'
-aid Her Royal Highness, " but I am sure you know all
" the while. I thought you had completely 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 break-
" fasts; that I would sure as my life you suspected me;
" tell me honestly did you not?" I siffected not to un-
derstand the Princess at all, and did not really compre-
hend her. She then said, " Well, I'll tell ; I am with
" child, and the child came to life when I was breakfasl-
" ing with Lady Wilioughby. The milk flowed up into
" my breast so fast, that it came through my muslin
" gown, and 1 was obliged to pretend that I had spilt
" something, and go up-stairi to wipe my gown with
" a napkin, and got up-stairs into Lady Willoughby's
*' room, and did very well, but it was an unlucky adven-
" ture." I was indeed most sincerely concerned for her,
conceiving it impossible but she must be ruined, and 1
expressed my sorrow in the strongest terms, 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 me she would not employ me
in the business, for I was like all the English women, so
nery nervous, and she 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 Princess added, " You will be surprised to see how
" well I manage it, and I am determined to suckle the
" child myself." I expressed my great apprehensions,
and asked her what she would do if the Prince of Wales
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 Avantures
" du Chevalier de Grammont, you would know better
" what famous tricks Princesses and their Ladies played
" then, and you shall and must read the story of Cathe-
" rine Parr and a Lady Douglas of those times ; have
" you never heard of it?" She then related it, but as I ne-
ver had heard of it, I looked upon it as her own invention
to reconcile my mind to these kind of things. After this we
often met, and the Princess often alluded to her situation
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 Elizabeth,
* in the Bible." When she was bled, she used to press
me always to be, and uvet! to be quite angry that I would
not, and whatever she thought good for herself, always
recommended to me. Her Royal Highness now took
every occasion to estrange me from Sir John, by laughing
at him, and wondering how I could be content with him \
urged me constantly to keep my own room, and not to
continue to sleep with him, and said, If 1 had any more
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 ug
apart, Jest 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 under-
mined. 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 language to describe, and upon such occasion*
we always believed and hoped she could not be aware of
63
what she was talking about, otherwise common famiij
affection, common sense, and common policy, would
have kept her silent. She said before the two Fitzgeralds,
Sir Sidney Smith, and ourselves, that when Mr. Adding-
ton had his house given him, His Majesty did not know
what he was about, and waved her hand round and round
her head, laughing, and saying, tf Certainly he did not;
u 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
f 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 last-
" ing, 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 pre-
sent, begged her pardon, asserted it was not so, and
wished to stop her, but she contradicted him, and en-
tered into all she knew of the private history of the Du-
chess's mother, saying, " she was literally a common
" washerwoman, and the Duchess need not to take so
" much pains and not expose 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 Smith
agreed, and confessed he was astonished, for it must be
confessed she was not deserving of her station. After the
Duke of Kent had been so kind as to come and take leave
of her, before he last left England, upon the day I men-
tioned, she delivered her critique upon His Royal High-
ness, saying, " He had the manners of a Prince, but was
04
" a disagreeable man, and not to be trusted, and that His?
" Majesty had told him, ' Now, Sir, when you go t
" Gibraltar, do not make such a trade of it as you did
" when you went to Halifax' The Princess repeated,
" Upon my honour it is true ; the King said, ' Do not
" make such a trade of it.' She went on to say, " the
" Prince al first ordered them all to keep away, but they
" came now sometimes, however they were no loss, for
" there is not a man among them all whom any one can
" make their friend." As I was with the Princess one
morning in her garden house, His Royal Highness the
Duke of Cumberland waited upon her. As soon as he
was gone she said, " He was a foolish boy, and had been
" asking her a thousand foolish questions." She then
told me every word of his secrets, which he had been tell-
ing her, in particular, a long story of Miss Keppel, and
that he said, the old woman left them together, and
wanted to take him in, and therefore he had cut the con-
nection. She said, she liked his countenance best, but
she could trace a little family likeness to herself; but for
all the rest the}' were very ill made, and had plumb-pud-
ding faces, which she could not bear. His Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge was next ridiculed. She said
" he looked exactly like a serjeant, and so vulgar with
" his ears full of powder." This was her Royal High-
ness's usual and favorite mode of amusing herself and her
company. The conversation was always about men,
praising the English men, reviling all English women, as
being the ugliest creatures in the world, and the worst,
and always engaged in some project or another, as the
impulse of the moment might prompt, without regard to
consequences or appearances. Whether she amused
other people in the same way, I know not, but she chose
to relate to me every private circumstance she knew rela-
tive to every part of the Royal Family, and also every
thing relative to her own, with such strange anecdotes.
65
Hind circumstantial accounts of things that never are talked
of, that [ again repeat, I hope I shall never hear again ;
and I remember once in my lying-in-room, she gave such
an account of Lady Anne Wyndham's marriage,, and all
her hushand said on the occasion, that Mrs. Fitzgerald
sent her daughter out of the room^ while Her Royal High-
ness finished her story, Such was the person we found
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and as we
continued to see her character and .faults, Sir John and
my?elf more and more, daily and hourly, regretted that
the world could not see her as we did, and that His
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales should have lost any
popularity, when, from her own account (the only ac-
count we everhaf.) she was the aggressor from thebegin-r
qing, herself alone, and I, as an humble individual, de-
clare, that from the most heartfelt and unfeigned con, vie-?
tion, that 1 believe, if any other married woman had acted
as Her Royal Highness had done, I never yet have known
9. man who could have endured it ; and her temper is so
tyrannical, capricious, and furious, that no man on earth
will ever bear it ; and, in private life, any woman who
had thus played and sported with her husband's comfort
and her husband's popularity, would have been turned
out of her house, or left by herself in it, and would de-
servedly have forfeited her place in society. I therefore
again beg leave to repeat, from the conviction of my own
unbiassed understanding, and the conviction of my own
eyes, no human being could live with her, excepting her
servants for their wages; and any poor unfortunate woman,
like the Fitzgeralds, for their dinner ; and I trust and hope
her real character will sometime or another be displayed,
that Hie people of this country may not be imposed upon.
The Princess was now sometimes kind and at others
churlish, especially if I would not fall into her plans of
ridiculing Sir John. About this time, one day at table
* K
6<5
with her, she began abusing Lady Rumbold (whom she
had invited to see her a few days before, to give her letters
of recommendation if she went to Brunswick), and as the
abuse was in the usual violent vulgar style, and I had never
seen Lady Rumbold but that one morning when she was
Her Royal Highness's guest, and cared nothing/about
her, I did not join in reviling her and Miss Rumbold.
Sir Sidney Smith was present, and as there appeared a
great friendship between the Ruinbolds and him, I
thought it not civil to him to say any thing, and one al-
ways conceives, in being quite silent, one must be safe
from offending any party. 1 was, -however, mistaken ;
for, observing me silent, she looked at me in a dreadful
passion, and said, " Why don't you speak, Lady Douglas,
I know you think her ugly as well as usa vulgar common,
milliner ; Lord Heavens ! that she was; and her daughter
looks just like a girl that walk up the street." I suppose
she expected, by this thundering appeal, to force me to
join in the abuse ; but it had a contrary effect upon me.
I chose to judge entirely for myself, and I was determined
I would not; therefore, when she had ra\ed until she
could go on no longer, I said I did not think her ugly ;
it was a harsh term. I thought her manner very bad, and
that she was very ill dressed : but, when young, I thought
she must have been a pretty woman. This was past her
power of enduring, which I really, did not know, or I
would have remained silent. She fixed her eyes furiously
upon me, and bawled out, " Then you a liar, you're a
liar, ami the little child you're going to have will be a liar."
I pushed my plate from me, eat no more, and remained
silent, and my first impulse was to push back my chair
and quit the house, but the idea that I should break up
the party from table, and make a confusion, and also my
not being able to walk home, and my carriage not being
ordered until night, left me in my chair. The conversa-
tion was changed ; at last, Sir Sidney said again, " Well,
67
these Ladies have had a severe trimming, they had better
not have come to fclackheath, and there sits poor Lady
Douglas, looking as if she were going to he executed.'
As I was very faradvanced in my pregnancy, it agitated me
greatly, and I remained aloof and very shy all the even-
ing. When I afterwards wrote to Sir Sidney Smith for
Sir John, upon some common occurrence, I said, I do
not like the Princess of Wales's mode of treating her
guests ; her calling me a liar was an unpardonable thing,
and if she ever speaks upon the subject to you, pray tell
her I did not like it, and that, if 1 had been a man, I would
have rather died than endured it; that it is a thing which
never, by any chance, occurs to a Lady ; on a repetition
of it I will give up her acquaintance. It seems Sir Sidney
Smith spoke to the Princess upon the subject ; for two
days before was confined, she made me a morning visit
with the two Fitzgeralds, and, after having sat a short
time; siid, " I find you were very much affronted the
other day at my house, when I called you a liar ; I de-
clare I did not mean it as an affront ; Lord Heavens ! in
any other language it is considered a joke ; is it not Mrs.
Fitzgerald :" meaning that in Germany it is a very good
joke to call people liars (for Mrs. Fitzgerald does pot
know any language but German and English) ; Mrs.
Fitzgerald absolutely said, Yes. They made me very ner-
TOUS, and I burst into tears, and told the Princess I only
wished her to understand such a thing was never $lone,
and was far from desiring her to apologize to me ; that I
had now forgiven and forgotten it, though I confess, at
the time, I was very much hurt, and very much wounded ;
that as I never heard of its being thought a joke in any
country, I was not the least prepared to receive it in that
light ; for lhat, in this country, ladies never used the ex-
pression, and men only to shew their greatest contempt ;
that I never bore malice twelve hours in my life, and
there was an end of the matter. The Fitzgeralds sat by,
68
Sometimes as audience, approving by looks ; sometimes as
orators, begging me not to cry, (after they had all mad
ine), and praising Her Royal Highness as the most mag-
nanimous, amiable, good, beautiful, and gracious Prin-
cess in the world. In short, th^y tormented me till they
made me quite hysterical, and the Princess began then to
be frightened, and they all got up to look about the room
for hartshorn, or something of that kind to give me
the Princess crying, " Give her something, give her some-
thing ; she is very much shook, and her nerve* agitated ;
she will be taken ill." They gave me some wati;r, 1 be-
lieve, and I did all I could to recover my spirits; but I felt
in pain, and Sir John came in soon after, and as I knew it
would hurry him if he saw me ill, I appeared as cheerful
as could, and they all went away, the Princess taking
no notice to him. Her Royal Highness had always said,
she would be at my lying-in from the beginning to the
end, and commanded me constantly to Jet her know, say-
ing, " I have no fear about me, and I would as soon come
over the Heath in the middle of the night as in the day ;
I shall have a bottle of port-wine on a table to keep up
your spirits, a tambourine, and I'll make sing." 1 was
unwell all the night after Her Royal Highness had been
\vithme, and remained so all the next day; and next morn-
ing, by six o'clock, xvas so ill, that Doctor Mackie, of
Lewishatn, who was to attend me, was sent for. In the
forenoon I begged Sir John to write a note to Montague
House, where it so happened I was to have dined with the
jparty. He wrote that I had a head-ache, and begged
leave to remain at home, and the Princess believed it, and
went to town ; but upon her return, at five o'clock in the
afternoon, she called before she went home to dress, to ask
after me, and finding how it was, wanted to run up into the
room, but Doctor Mackie said positively she should not
come, and locked the door nearest him to keep her otn.
MissCholmondeley and Miss Fitzgerald were drove home,
69
and Her Royal Highness and Mrs. Fitzgerald stopped;
Upon my giving a load shriek she flew in at the other
door, and came to me, doing every thing she possibly
could to assist ine, and held my eyes and head. The mo-
ment she heard the child's voice she left me, flew round to
Doctor Mackie, pushed the nurse aw ay, and received the
child from Doctor Mackie, kissed it, and said no one
should touch it until she had shewn it to me. Doctor
Mackie was so confused and astonished, that, although
an old practitioner he left the room, without giving me
any thing to recruit my strength and avert fainting, as is
tlu custom, and the nurse gave me what she thought best ;
by which omission,, however, I was not subject to faint
away, but it was certainly a new mode of proceeding
where life is at stake, and shewed more curiosity than ten-
derness for me. Before my little girl was brought to me,
I observed her Royal Highness stood holding it, that
Mrs. Fitzgerald, the Nurse, and herself, were all intent,,
and speaking together, as if there was something peculiar
iaits appearance $ the circumstance alarmed me, fearing
it was born with some defect, and I asked eagerly to see
i^ and if all v\as right. The Princess upon this brought it
to me, and said it was a remarkable large fine child, and
they were only looking at a mark it had upon its left
breast, certainly a very large one, and a little on its eyes,
but it would go off. i recollected that, although I never,
when in a pregnant state, was subject to whims, longing,
as thinking it very troublesome and foolish, yet I felt
obliged, in this instance, to believe the old-received opi-
nion to be correct ; for it happened, that during my visit
at Montague House io March, I was one Sunday morn-
ing very much incommoded by pains in my chest and sto-
mach, and Her Royal Highness made Mrs. Sander give
me some warm peppermint-water ; there was raspberry-
ice in the desert the same day, and I had jusi began to eat
ifline, when the Princess looked at me, and said, My dear
70
Lady Douglas, you have forgotten the pain you were in
this morning < and, turning to her page, ordered him to
take away my plate.
(Signed; CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS.
JOHN DOUGLAS.
In the presence of me,
(Signed)
AUGUSTUS FREDERICK,
Dec. 3, 1805.
A true Copy,
(Signed) jB. Bloomfield.
Mr. Cole, the page, removed, and I can never
describe my disappointment ; L vva^ almost inclined to re-
monstrate, although there was a large party of strangers,
and I did express a desire to retain it, but the Princess
would not allow of it : and as she had appointed herself to
the sole management of me, I was obliged to be quiet j
My uneasiness, however became extreme, and forgetting
every thing but the ice in question, 1 asked a Mr. Hamer,
who sal next to me, to be so good as to ask for some ice,
and, by dint of asking him to do so, I at length induced
him, and at last he asked Lady Townshend for some more
ice, I immediately took my spoon, and stooping a little,
so that the flowers upon the plateau concealed me in part
from the Princess, eat all Mr. Hamer's ice, while he
looked on laughing, and put his plate a little nearer to
me, that it might not look so odd. The following day I
eat eight glasses of raspberry-ice at once, and was very well
after it ; and from that time sought it every where, and
eat of it voraciously; and I cannot help attributing the
marks of my little girl to the circumstance. Her Royal
Highness then kissed me, begged me to send for her
whenever I liked, and she would come ; desired I might
have plenty of flannel about me, of which she had gent
71
me some by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and then went home to
dinner. I know not what she said or did among her party
at home, but Miss Cholmondeley often said she should
never forget the Princess on that day. All the month 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, " 1 am delighted to
see how well and easily you have got through this affair ;
I, who am not the least nervous, shall make nothing at all
of it. When you hear of my having taken children in
baskets from poor people, take no notice: that is the way
I mean to manage : I shall take any that offer, and the
one I have will be 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. I said it was a perilous bu-
siness ; I would go abroad, if I 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 I was very thankful. I put the question to her,
Who she would get to deliver her? but she did dot answer
for a minute, and then said, I shall get a person over ; I'll
manage 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 Ghaunt
must be sent to Germany, and the third maid, a voung
girl, kept out of the way as well as they could. I sug-
gested, I was afraid her appearance at St. James's could
not fail to be observed, and she would have to encounter
all the Roy il lam.Iy. Her reply was, That she knew
how to manage her dress, and by continually increasing
large cushions behind, no one would observe, nnd fortu-
ap.tely the Birth-days were over, until she should have got
rid of her appearance. In this manner passed all the time
72
of my confinement, at the end of which she sent Mrs.
Fi'.zo;era!d to attend me to Church, and when I went to
pay my duty to Her Royal Highness, after I went abroad
again, she told me, whenever I was quite stout, she would
have the child christened, that she meant to stand in per-
son, and I must find ano : her godmother; Sir Sfdney
Smith would be the godfather. I named the Duchess of
Atholl, as a very amiable woman, of suitable rank, and
said, that as there had been a long friendship betwixt Sir
John's family and the Atholl family, I knew it would be
very agreeable to him. Finding they were gone to Scot-
land, we wrote to ask her Grace ; and she wrote word she
would stand godmother with great pleasure, and enclosed
ten guineas for the nurse. The Princess invited Sir Sidney
Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Smith, and Baron Her-
bert, and Sir John Douglas, to dine with her. Miss
Cholmondeley and the two Fitzgeralds were with Her
Royal Highness, and in the evening they all came ; I
staid at home to receive her. The Clergyman from
Lewisham christened the child; the Princess named it
Caroline Sidney. As soon as he was gone (which was
shortly after the ceremony was over), the Princess sat
down upon the carpet a thing she was very fond of
doing, in preference to sitting upon the chairs, saying, it
was the pleasantest lively affair altogether she had ever
known. She chose to sit upon the carpet the whole even-
ing, while we all sat upon the chairs. Her Royal High-
ness was dressed in the lace dress which, I think, she
trore at Frogmore fete pearl necklace, bracelets, and
armbands, a pearl bandeau round her head, and a long
lace veil. When supper was announced, her Royal High-
ness went in and took the head of the table, and eat an
amazing supper of chicken and potted lamprey, which
she would have served to her on the same plate, and eat
them together. After supper she called the attention of
the party to my good looks, and saying, I was as lively
73
and espiegle as ever ; said, that I had such sharp eyes, I
found her out in every thing, adding, Oh ! she found me
out one day in such a thing when 1 was at luncheon, and
gave me a look which was so expressive, that I was sure
be 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 said and did : I laughed and said, if my eyes have
been too observing I am sorry, I never intended them to
be ; I cannot be quite so polite as to say, " if my sight
offends I will put it out," because I think with Sheridan,
that the prejudice is strongly in favour of two ; but depend
upon it, at all future luncheons I will do nothing but eat.
She was in great spirits, staid until two o'clock in the
morning, and then, attended by Miss Cholmondeley and
the Fitzgeralds, went home. Her Royal Highness's civi-
lities continued; she desired me constantly to bring my
children to Montague House, and also the infant; and
when i wou Id have retired to suckle it, she would not suffer
me, but commanded me to do it in the drawing-room
where she was ; and she came with her ladies visiting me
both mornings and evenings, and nursing little Caroline
for hours together. I saw now the Princess had told Mrs.
Sander, who, 1 believe, was a very quiet good kind of wo-
man, and her countenance was full of concern and anxiety.
She appeared desirous of speaking to me, and was un-
usually obsequious ; but the Princess always watched us
both close ; if Sander came into a room, and I went to-
wards her, the Princess came close, or sent one or another
away, so that I could never speak to her. The Princess
had now quarrelled with Sir Sidney Smith, to whom she
had been so partial, and to every part of whose family she
had been so kind, telling us constantly that she liked
therp all, because old Mr. Smith had saved the Duke of
74
Brunswick's life. As Sir John was Sir Sidney's friend,
she therefore was shy of us all, and we saw little of her.,
but on the SOth of October I went to call upon her before
I left Blackheath, and met her Royal Highness just re-
turned from church, walking before her own house with
Mrs. Fitzgerald and her daughter, dressed in a long Spa-
nish velvet cloak and an enormous muff, but which toge-
ther could not conceal the state she was in, for I saw di-
rectly she was very near her time, and think I must have
seen it if I had not known her situation. She appeared
morose, and talked a little, but did not ask to go in, ead
after taking a few turns returned home. In about a fort-
night we received a note, the Princess requesting neither
Sir John or I to go to Montague House, as he* servants
were afraid some of the children she had taken had the
measles, and if any infection remained about tbe house,
we might carry it to our child. We wrote a note expres-
sive of our thanks for her obliging precautions, and that
we would not go to Montague House, until we had the
honor of receiving Her Royal Highness's commands. Th
Princes never sent for us, and when I left uiy card before
I went to pass Christmas in Gloucestershire. I was not
admitted, so that / never sate her after the SOth of Octo-
ber ; but I heard the report of her having adopted an in-
fant, and Miss Fitzgerald toJd it me as she rode past my
house, but would not come in, forftar s/ie should bring
the measles. Upon my return to Blackheath in January,
I called to pay my duty. I found her packing a small
black box, and an infant sleeping on the sofa, with a
piece of scarlet cloth thrown over it. She appeared con-
fused, 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 the hand led
me to the sofa, and uncovering the child, said, Here i
the little boy, I had him two days after I saw you last ; is
not it a nice little child ? the upper part of his face is very
75
fine. She was going to have said more, when Mrs. Fit2
gerald opened the door and came in. The Princess con-
suited what I had better have, what would be good for
me. I declined any thing, but she insisted npon it I
should have some soup, and said, my dear Fitzgerald, pray
go out and order some nice brown soup to be brought
here for Lady Douglas. I saw from this the Princess
wished to have spoken to me more fully, and Mrs. Fitz-
gerald saw it likewise, for instead of obeying, she rung
the bell for the soup, and then sat down to tell me the
whole fable of the child having been brought by a poor
woman from Deptford, whose husband had left her, that
Mr. Stikeman the Page, had the honour of bringing it in,
that it was a poor little ill-looking thing when first brought,
bat now, with such great care, was growing very pretty,
and that as Her Royal Highness was so good, and had
tafeen the twins (whose father would not let them remain)
and had 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 lite-
rally 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 strewed with napkins which zeere taken from
the child', for, very extraordinary to relate, this wa a
part of the ceremony Her Royal Highness was particu-
larly tenacious of always performing herself, let the com-
pany 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 for two or three
76
days, but it did not do, se we bring him up by hand with
all kind of nourishing things, and you see how well h
thrives ; so that I really always supposed she had attempt-
ed to suckle it. Another time she shewed me his hand,
which has a pink mark upon it, and said, it was very sin-
gular 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
Caroline's mark. The Princess now adopted a new mode
of inviting us to see her. She would invite either Sir
John or I, but never both together as formerly. I conclu-
ded from this, that as she found it so difficult to keep
even her own secret, she could ill imagine I had been abl
to keep hers, and therefore under the impression that by
that time 1 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 di-
vulged or not. I conclude she was at length satisfied that
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 \\ill confirm
(he idea that Her Royal Highness cannot always know
correctly what she is about. When we entered, the Prin-
cess was silting 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, lur Govcrnes.-, 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 Deptford boy, 1 suppose
" you liave heard I 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, arid
77
the* sat down to table, putting a chair for Princess
Charlotte on her right hand, taking me by the hand and
putting uae on her left hand, told Captain Manby to sit at
tbe top, and- Mr. Spencer Smith at the bottom, and Sir
John and the Fitzgeralds faced us. Princess Charlotte
had a plain dinner prepared for her in another room, ac-
cording 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 Princess Charlotte. About five
o'clock Her Royal Highness rose from table, the little
boy was brought in again, Princess Charlotte played with
it, and the Princess 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 of 'finale. We had very little inter-
course. Her Royal Highness would walk past our house,
for the express purpose of shewing she did not mean to
couae in, and when we did see her, she always abused Sir
Sidney Smith. Often said, she wondered I liked t6 live
at such a dull place as Blackheath, and in short gave us
hints we could not misunderstand, that she wanted us
away. At this time Sir John received a letter from his
division, expressive of the General's wish that lie would
go to Plymouth, and therefore (without an Admiralty
Order) he determined to go to emancipate ourselves from
tHe Princess of Wales, and as soon as we could dispose of
: 1 2 V* .._
the furniture, I 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 oc-
, . .
cupied, would have him sit down and talk to her, over-
powering him and myself now with kindness, 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 alway* to
73
recollect how happy she should be to see him again, and
that she would be very 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, called upon her and took her god-
daughter and my other little girl with me. She was al-
most uncivil, and paid little or no attention if I spoke. I
said the children were with me, hut she did not answer,
and after spending four or five hours very unpleasantly,
Buffering all the unpleasant feeling of being where I had
been courted and idolized, I begged permission at last to
go away. When I went out, to my surprize, I found the
children had been kept in the passage near the front door,
with the door open to Blackheath, in a December day,
with four opposite doors opened and shut upon them, in-
stead of being taken to the housekeeper'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
tmd were very cold. 1 understand the man was a foot-
Man, of the name ofGaskin, I think, and his answer was,
if the children are cold, you can put them back into the
carriage and warm them. I took them home immedi-
ately, and was inclined to return and ask why they had
been thus all of a sudden treated with this brutality and
impertinence, and which was doubly cruel in Sir John's
absence : but I deferred going until I meant to take my
final leave, which I did on the following Sunday. Doctor
Burnaby was standing in the hall with every thing pre-
pared for the Princess to receive the sacrament. I was
ushered through notwithstanding, 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 draw-
ing-room, and received me with Mrs. Lisle and Mrs
Fitzgerald. 1 said I should have been gone before, had
it been in my power, and in compliance with her com-
mands, 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 I 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. She said,
she was sorry ; and asked, who used them so. I told her,
one of her livery servants, and Sir John would not like to
hear of it. Her Royal Highnes said, stop a moment ;
flew past me through the hall where Doctor Burnaby
stood waiting for her, up to her own room, and returned
with a white-paper box, pushing it into my hand
God bless you, my dear Lady Douglas. I said, I wished
to decline taking any thing, that my object in coming
there was to offer her my duty, and tell her how ill my
children has been used. I could not conceive how any
footmaa could use the freedom of treating Sir John's
children so, unless he had been desired. She oniy
answered, " Oh ! no, indeed ; good bye." I attempted
to put the box into her hands, saying, I had rather not
have it ; but she drooped her hands and turned away. I
therefore wished Mrs. Lisle and Miss Fitzgerald good
morning, and went away. Doctor Burnaby spoke to me
as I passed him, and, looking back, I saw her Royal
Highness's head ; she was lookiug out after me, to see if
she had fairly got rid of me, and laughing immoderately
at Dr. Burnaby in his gown, I quitted her house, re-
solved never to re-enter it but for forms sake, and wrote
her word, that as T had long been treated rudely, and my
children, whom she courted to her house, were now in-
sulted there, I felt a dislike to accepting a present thrown
at me, as it were, under such unpleasant circumstances ;
that I had not untied the box, and requested she wold,-
permit me to return it ; and that as I wa&an English Gen-
tlewoman, and defied her to say she had ever seea a single
impropriety in my conduct, I would never suffer myself
lo be ill used without a clear explanation. The Princess
wote back a most haughty imperious reply, desiring mete
so
keep the box, stiled herself Princess of Wales in almost
every line, and insulted me to such a degree, that I re-
turned an answer insisting upon her explaining herself.
This she returned me unopened, saying, she would not
open my second letter, and had therefore sent it to me to
put in the fire, and that she was ready to put the matter
in oblivion, as she desired me to do, wished me and my
dear little children well, and should at all times be glad to
see her former neighbour. I did as she desired, and went
away at Christmas without ever seeing or hearing more of
her Royal Highness, and found in the paper box a gold
necklace, with a medallion suspended from it of a mock.
Thus ended my intercourse, for the present, with the
Princess of Wales, and the year 1803.
When we resided in Devonshire, seeing by the papers
that her Royal Highness was ill, we sent a note of en-
quiry to the lady in waiting, which was answered very po-
litely, and even in a friendly manner by her Royal High-
ness's orders. Upon the arrival of the Duke of Sussex
from abroad, Sir John returned to town to attend him, and
when we drove to Blackheath to see our friends, I left my
card for her Royal Highness, who was visiting Mr. Can-
ning ; the moment she returned home she commanded
Mrs. Vernon to send me word never to repeat my visits
to Blackheath. I gave Sir John the note, and must con-
fess, accustomed as I had been to her haughty verbearing
caprice, yet this exceeded my belief of what she was ca-
pable of, being so inconsistent with her two last letters ;
but the fact was, she thought we were gone above 00
miles from her, and should be there for many years, and
she never calculated upon the return of his Royal High->
ness the Duke of Sussex, having very often told me hi*
Royal Highness would never live in England, in his Ma-
jesty's life-time ; that she was certain of that, and had
reasons for knowing it; and Sir John would never have
him here. I suppose she had taken this into her head, be-
81
cause she wished it ; and, therefore, the return of his Royal
Highness was a mortal death-blow to all her hopes on
tin's sore; and when she found that his ""Royal Highness
was not only returned, but that Sir John was in at-
tendance, and that his Royal Highness was in Carlton
House, where Sir John might see, and have the honour
of being made known to the Prince of Wales, \\erfear and
rage got the better of every prudent consideration, and she
commanded Mrs. Vernon to dismiss me as I have men-
tioned. Had the Princess of Wales written to me herself,
and told me, in a civil manner, that she would thank me
to keep away, f should have acquainted her, that I wished
and desired to do so, and had only called for the sake of
appearances, and there the matter would have ended ; un-
less I- had ever been* called upon (as I am now) by His Ma-
jesty, or the Heir Apparent. In that case, as in this, I
should have made it my sacred duty to have answered, as
upon my oath ; but the. circumstance of being driven out
of her house by the hands of the lady in waiting, as if 1
had deserved it, and as if 1 were a culprit, was wounding
one with a poisoned arrow, which left the wound to fester
after it had torn and stabbed me; it was a refinement in
insult, for the Princess had always been in the habit of
writing to me herself, and had commanded me never to
hold intercourse with her through her ladies, but always
directly to herself; and ro particular were her directions
and permission upon this head, that she told me never to
put 'my letters under cover, but always direct them to her-
seff. I feit so miserable, that Mrs. Vernon, to whi m I
was -kndwn, and for whom Sir John and mystlf had an
esteem, should think ill of me, and I therefore wrote to
the Princess, saying, " From the moment she judged
proper to come into my family, I had always conducted
myself towards her Royal Highness with the respect her
high station demanded ; and that when she forced her
*M
secrets upon me, I had (whatsoever my sentiments were)
kept them most honourably for her, never yet having even
told Sir John, although I gave him my full confidence in
all other things ; nor had I even, under my present aggra-
vation, imparted it, or meant ; that after such generou
conduct on my part, I was at a loss to conceive what she
proposed to herself by persecuting me ; that I was afflicted
at being so placed in the opinion of a good woman, like
Mrs. Vernon, and who was free to say what she pleased
upon the subject every whera; that it was half as bad to be
thought ill of as to deserve it ; and that I would wait upon
Mrs. Vernon, and detail to her a circumstantial account of
every thing which had occurred since I had known her
Royal Highness ; and I would acquaint my husband and
family with the same, and leave them, and the circle of
my friends, to judge betwixt her Royal Highness and
myself; that I would not lie under an imputation of hav-
ing done wrong; and I took my leave of her Royal
Highness for ever, only first regretting 1 had ever known
her, and thankful to be emancipated from Montague
House, and that she owed it to me to have, at least, dis-
missed me in a civil manner, by her own hands" This
letter her Royal Highness returned unopened ; but, from
its appearance, I had strong reason to believe she had
read it. I was resolved, however, if she had not, she
should be taught better, as she might not treat any other
person so ill as she had me, and my mind was bent upon
speaking to Mrs. Vernon; I was nearly certain, if I wrote
to Mrs. Vernon, the Princess would make her send ray
letter back, and therefore I wrote Mrs. Fitzgerald nearly
a copy of what I sent her Royal Highness, and called
upon her, as she had been always present, to say, if she
ever saw any thing in my behaviour to justify any rude-
ness towards me : that I was precisely what the Princess
found me, \vhen the Princess walked up to her knees in
snow to seek my acquaintance, and precisely the same in-
dividual whom she had thought worthy of the strongest
proofs of her friendship, and whose lying-in she had at-
tended in so particular a manner, and had thought worthy
of shedding tears over ; that her Royal Highness had
thought proper to confide in me a secret, of very serious
importance to herself; and I would not, after acting in
the most honourable manner to her, be dismissed by a
lady in waiting ; and I meant to be at Montague House,
and have a satisfactory conversation with "Mrs. Vernon;
and therefore she would be so good as acquaint her Royal
Highness with the contents of my letter, or lay it before
her Royal Highness. Mrs. Fitzgerald sent back a con-
fused note, saying, she could not shew the Princess my
letter, unless she was called upon ; and when she opened
it her disappointment was great, for she expected to have
found respectful inquiries after her Royal Highness's
finger (which was hurt when she went to see Mr. Canning),
and that I might make my mind easy, as ladies in waiting
never repeated any thing; and she was astonished I had
thrown out such a hint. A day or two after, a note was
sent to Sir John, as if nothing had happened, requesting
him to go to Montague House. The servant who brought
it drove Mrs. Vernon from Blaekheath 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 Highness's summons, and she
received him in the most gracious pleasant manner, tak-
ing as much pains to please and flatter him now as she had
formerly done by me, and began a conversation with him
relative 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 accomplish such an under-
taking. Sir John listened to her attentively, and made
84
her short and very polite answers, acquainting her no
such thin" was ever done. She then said she must speak
to Lord Melville about it, as it was a hard case. The lun-
cheon was then announced, and she ordered Sir John to
attend herself and the ladies. Sir John found Mrs. Ver-
non was sent off, and a lady was there whom he did not
know, but thought was Lady Carnarvon. When they
were all seated Sir John remained on his legs, and she
looked anxiously at him, and said, " My dear Sir John,
sit down and eat." He bowed, with distant respect, and
said, he could not eat ; that he was desirous of returning 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 eat
nor drink. Well then, she said, " Come again soon, my
dear Sir John ; always glad to see you." Sir John made
no reply, bowed, and left the room. I now received, by
the twopenny post, a long anonymous letter, written by this
restless mischievous person, the 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, impudent, silly, wretched, ungrateful, and
illiteral (meaning illiterate), she tells me to take that, and
it will mend my ill temper, &c. &c. &c. and says, she is a
person high in this government, and has often an oppor-
tunity of * freely with His Majesty, and she thinks my
conduct authorizes her to tell him off, and that she is my
only, true and integer friend. Such is the spirit of this fo-
reigner, which would have disgraced a house-maid to have
written, and it encloses a fabricated anonymous letter, which
she pretends to have received, and upon which she built
her doubts and disapprobation of me as it advises her not
ttrtrust me, for that I am indiscreet, and tell every body
that the child she took from Deptford, was her own.
So in the authenticated copy; some word seems omitted'
The whole construction of both these epistles, from be-
ginning 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 I should have had the impudence to coine on- her
door again, and tells me 'tis for my being indiscreet, and
not having allowed her to call me a liar, that she treats me
thus, and that I would do well to remember the story of
Iknry the Eighth's Queen, and Lady Douglas. I was in-
stantly satisfied it was from her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess of Wales, and that Mrs. Fitzgerald had shewn her
my letter, and this was her answer to it. 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 constantly used. Sir
John desired me now to give him a full explanation of
what her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales had con-
fided to me, and whether I had ever mentioned it. I
gave him my solemn word of honour it had never passed
my lips, and I was only now going to utter it at his posi-
tive desire. That her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales told me she was with child, and that it came to
life at Lady Willoughby's, that if she was discovered,' she
would give the Prince of Wales the credit, for she slept
at Carlton House twice the year she was pregnant; that
she often spoke of her situation, compared herself and
me to Mary and Elizabeth, and told me when she shewed
me the child, that it was the little boy she had two davs
after I last saw her, that was the 30th of October; there-
fore her son was born upon the 1 st of November, and I
take a retrospect view of things after I knew the day of
his birth, and found her Royal Highness must 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
86
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
mother of the reputed Deptford child. I then acquainted
him of the pains she had taken to estrange my mind and
affections from him, and he saw her pursuit of now chang-
ing sides, and endeavouring to estrange him from me,
lest if we lived in a happy state of confidence, 1 might
make known her situation to him ; and we agreed, 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 day be. Finding that
Sir John Douglas did not choose to visit where his wife
was discarded and hurt in the estimation of her acquain-
tance, her fury became so unbounded, that she sought
what she could do most atrocious, wicked, and inhuman,
she reached her it would seem, and the result
was, she made two drawings with a pen and ink, and
sent them to us by the twopenny post, representing me
as having disgraced myself with his old friend Sir Sidney
Smith. They are of the most indecent nature, drawn
with her own hand, and words upon them in her own
hand-writing. Sir John, Sir Sidney, and myself, can all
swear point blank without a moment's hesitation ; and if
her Royal Highness is a subject, and amenable to the laws
of this country (and I conceive her to be so) she ought to
be tried and judged by those laws for doing thus, to throw
firebrands into the bosom of a quiet family. My hus-
band, with thdt cool good sense which has ever marked
his character, and with a belief in my innocence, which
nothing but facts can stagger (for it is founded upon my
having been faithful to him nine years before we were
married, and seven years since,) as well as his long ac-
quaintance with Sir Sidney Smith's character and disposi-
tion, and having seen the Princess of Wales's loose aud
87
vicious character, put the letters in his pocket, and went
instantly to Sir Sidney Smith. Sir Sidney was as much
astonished as we had been. Sir John then told him, he
pat the question to him, and expected an answer such as
an officer and gentleman ought to give to his friend : Sir
Sidney Smith gave Sir John his hand, as his old friend
and companion, and assured him in the most solemn
manner, as an officer and gentleman, that the whole was
the most audacious 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, " 1
never said a word to your wife, but what you might have
heard ; and had I been so base as to attempt any thing of
the kind under your roof, I should deserve for you to shoot
me like a mad dog. I am ready to go with Lady Douglas
and yourself, and let us ask her what she means by it
confront her." Accordingly, Sir John wrote a note to the
lady in waiting, which was to this effect : " Sir John
and Lady Douglas, and Sir Sidney Smith, present
their compliments to the lady in waiting, and request she
will have the goodness to say to her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales, that they are desirous of having an au-
dience of Her Royal Highness immediately." We re-
ceived no answer to this note ; but, in a few days, an
answer was sent to Sir Sidney Smith, stating, that her
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales was much indis-
posed, and could not see any one at present. This was di-
rected to Sir Sidney Smith > at our house, although he
did not live there. This was an acknowledgment of her
guilt : she could not face us; it was satisfactory to us all,
for it said I am the Author, let me off; but to make
one's satisfaction upon this the more perfect, and to warn
her of the danger she runs of discovery, when she did such
88
flagrant things, I wrote the under-written note, aiul put it
into the Post Office, directed to herself'.
" MADAM,
" I received your former anonymous letter safe ; al*o
" your two last, with drawings.
" I am, Madam,
" Your obedient servant,
(Signed) " CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS."
It appears evident that her Royal Highness received
this safe, and felt how she had committed herself* for, in-
stead of returning it in the old style, she sent for his Royal
Highness the Duke of Kent, and requested him to send
f'pr Sir Sidney, and by the post Sir Sidney received an ano-
nymous letter, saying, the writer of that wished for no civil
dissentions, and that there seldom vras a difference, where,
if the parties wished it, they could not arrange mailers.
Sir Sidney Smith brought this curious letter to shew Sir
John, and we. were all satisfied it was from Her Royal
Highness, who, thinking Sir Sidney and Sir John might,
by this time, be cutting each other's throats, sent very gra-
ciously to stop them ; in short, she calied them civil dis-
sentions.* His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, being
employed to negotiate, sent fur Sidney Smith, and ac-
quainted him, that he was desired by her Royal High-
ness to say, that she would see Sir Sidney Smith in die
course of a few days, provided, when ho came to her, he
avoided all disagreeable discussions whatsoever. His
Royal Highness the Duke of Kent then sought from Sir
Sidney an explanation of the matter; Sir Sidney Smith
then gave the Duke of Kent a full detail of circumstances,
and ended by saying, " We ail could, and would, swear
the drawings and words contained in those covers, were
written by the Princess of Wales; for, as if she were fully
89
to convict herself, she had sealed one of the covers with
the identical seal she had used upon the cover, \vhen she
summoned Sir John to luncheon at Montague House.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, finding what a
scrape she had entangled herself in, exclaimed " Abomi-
nable ! foolish ! to be sure ; but Sir Sidney Smith, as this
matter, if it makes a r.oise, may distress His Majesty, and
be injurious to his health, I wish Sir John and Lady
Douglas would (at least for the present) try to forget it ;
and if my making 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 I will speak fully
to the Princess of Wales, and point out to her the danger
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
now." Sir Sidney Smith came from His Royal Highness
the Duke of Kent to us, and delivered His Royal High-
ness's message. Sir John declined all negociation ; but
told Sir Sidney Smith, that he was empowered to say to
the Duke of Kent from him, that of whatsoever extent he
might* his injuries, and however anxious he
might be to seek justice, yet when he received such an
intimation from one of the Royal Family, he would cer-
tainly pause before he took any of those measures he meant
to take ; and if that was the case, and His Royal High-
ness the Duke of Kent was desirous of his being quiet, lest
His Majesty's health or peace might be disturbed by it,
his duty, and his attachment to his Sovereign were so sin-
cere, that he would bury (for the present) his private ca-
lamity, for the sake of His Majesty's repose and the pub-
lic good ; but he begged to be clearly understood, that he
did not mean to bind himself hereafter, but reserve to him-
self a full right of exposing the Princess of Wales, when
he judged it might be done with greatest effect, and when
it was not likely to disturb the repose of this country.
* So in the authenticated copy.
90
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 commanded Sir
John and Sir Sidney to dine with him at Kensington Pa-
lace ; but the Duke of Kent did not speak to Sir John
upon the subject, and the matter rested there, and would
have slept for a time, had not the Princess of Wales re-
commenced a fresh torrent 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 Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, in order that
he might acquaint the Royal Family of the manner the
Princess of Wales was proceeding in, and to claim His
Majesty's and the Heir Apparent's protection. His Royal
Highness the Duke of Sussex, with that goodness and con-
sideration Sir [John expected from him, has informed his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who sent Sir John
word that " He desired to have a full detail of all that
passed during their acquaintance with her Royal High-
ness the Princess of Wales, and how they became known
to her, it appearing to the Heir Apparent, from the re-
presentation of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex,
that his Majesty's dearest interests, and those of this
country, were very deeply involved in the question ; His
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has commanded
them to be vey circumstantial in their detail respecting
all they may know relative to the child the Princess of
Wales affected to adopt. Sir John and Lady Douglas re-
peat, that, being so called upon, they feel it their duty tt>
detail what they know, for the information of His Ma-
jesty 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
information. I have drawn up this detail in the best man-
91
ner I could ; and fear, from my never having before it-
tempted a thing of the kind, it will be full of errors, and
being much fatigued from writing of it, from the original,
in 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 Park, Dec. 3, 18O5.
Copies of all the Papers alluded to in this detail are in
the hands of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
(Signed) JOHN DOUGLAS.
In the presence of
AUGUSTUS FREDERICK.
eiH
A true Copy,
B. Bloomfield.
A true Copy,
J. Becket.
Whitehall, 2Qth August, J806.
(No. 2.)
Narrative of the Duke of Kent.
TO introduce the following relation, it is necessary for
me to premise that, on entering the Prince of Wales 's bed.-
room, where our interview took plaoe 4 my Brother, after
dismissing his attendants, said to me, that some circum-
stances had come to his knowledge, with respect to a
transaction with the Princess of Wales, in which ho found
that /had been a party concerned; that if he had not
placed the most entire reliance on my attachment to him,
and, be was pleased to add, on the well-known upright-
ness of my character and principles, he should certainly
have felt himself in no small degree offended, at having
learnt tta facts alluded to from others, and not, in the
first instance, from me, which he conceived himself every
way entitled to expect but more especially from that foot-
ing of confidence oa which be had ever treated me through
life; but, that being fully satisfied my explanation of the
matter would prove, that he was not wrong in the opinion
he had formed of the honourable motives that had ac-
tuated me in observing a silence with regard to him upon
tbe subject; he then was anxiously waiting for me to pro-
ceed with a narrative, his wish to hear which, he was sure
he had only to express, to ensure my immediate acqui-
escence with it. The Prince then gave me his hand,
assuring me he did not feel the smallest degree of displea-
sure towards me, and proceeded to introduce the sub-
ject upon which he required information; when, feeling it
a duty I owed him, to withhold from his knowledge no
part of the circumstances connected with it that I could
bring back to my recollection, I related the facts to him,
as nearly as I can remember in the following words :
" About a twelvemonth since, or thereabouts, (for 'I
" cannot speak positively to the exact date,) I received a
" note from the Princess of Wales, by which she requested
" in to come over to Black heath, in order to assist her
" in arranging a disagreeable matter between her, SifSid-
" ney Smith, Sir John and Lady Douglas, the particulars
<f of which she would relate to me when I should call. I,
" in consequence waited upon her, agreeable to her de-
" sire, a day or two after, when she commenced the con-
" versation by telling ine, that she supposed I knew she
" had, at one time lived with Lady Douglas on a footing
" of intimacy, but that she had had reason afterwards to
" repent having made her acquaintance, and was there-
" fore rejoiced when she left Blackheath for Plymouth, as
" she conceived that circumstance would break off all
" further communication between her and that Lady ;
" that, however, contrary to her expectation, upon the
" return of Sir John and her from Plymouth to London,
" Lady Douglas 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 had before had occasion to form of
" b*r Ladyship, by an anonymous letter she had receiv-
" ed, in which she was very strongly cautioned against
" renewing her acquaintance with her, both as being un-
" worthy 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 ob-
" liged, 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 future be dispensed with; that the conse-
" quence of this had been an application through one of
" her ladies, in the joint names of Sir Sidney Smith, Sir
" John and Lady Douglas, for an audience, to require
" an explanation of this, which they considered as an af-
" front; nnd lhat being determined not to grant it, or to
" suffer any uiipieasant discussion upon the subject, she
** entreated me to take whatever steps I might judge best
r to put an end to the matter, and rid her of all further
" trouble about it. I stated, in reply, that 1 had no
" knowledge of either Sir John or Lady Douglas, and
" therefore could not, in thejlrst instance, address myself
" to them; but that I had some acquaintance with Sir Sid-
" ney Smith, and if the Princess was not averse to that
" channel, I would try what I could in that way effect.
" This being assented to by the Princess, I took my
" leave, and immediately on my return home, wrote a
" note to Sir Sidney, requesting him to call upon me at
" soon as he conveniently could, as I had some business
'* to speak to him upon. Sir Sidney, in consequence,
" called on me (I think) the next day, when I related to
" him the conversation, as above stated, that I had had
" with the Princess. After hearing all I had to say, he
" observed, that the Princess, in stating to me, 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 scandalous and-
" nymous letter, of a nature calculated to set on Sir John
" and him to cut each other's throats, which from the
" hand-writing and stile, they \vereboth fully convinced
" was the production of the Princess herself. I naturally
" expressed my sentiments upon such conduct, on the
" part of the Princess, in terms of the strongest aniinad-
" version; but, nevertheless, anxious to avoid the shame-
" ful eclat which the publication of such a fact to the
" world must produce; the effect, which it 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, which, I foresaw would inevitably follow,
( ' were this fact, which would give the Prince so powerful
" a handle to express his feelings upon the countenance
05
" shewn by the King to the Princess, at a time when 1
" knew him to be severely wounded by His Majesty's vi-
" sits to Blackheath, on the one hand, and the reports he
" had received of the Princess's conduct on the other, to
" be brought to light, I felt it my bounden duty, as an
" honest man, to urge all these arguments with Sir Sidney
" Smith in the most forcible manner I was master of;
" adding also, as a further object, worthy of the most se-
'' rious consideration, the danger of any appearance of
" ill-blood in the Family at such an eventful crisis, and
" to press upon his mind the necessity of his using his
" best endeavours with Sir John Douglas, notwithstand-
" ing all the provocation that had been given them, to
" induce him to let the matter drop, and pursue it no
" further. Sir Sidney 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 very difficult
" to persuade to depart from it ; however, as he thought,
" that if any man could prevail upon him, he might flatter
" himself with being the most likely to persuade him,
" from the weight he had with him ; he would imme-
" diately try how far he could gain upon him, by making
" use of those arguments I had brought forward to induce
' him to drop the matter altogether. About four or five
" days after this, Sir Sidney called upon me again, and in-
" formed me, that upon making use with Sir John of
<* those reasons, which I had authorized his stating to be
" those, by which I was actuated in making the request?
" that he would not press the business further, he had not
(( been able to resist their force; but that the whole ex-
" tent of promise he had been able to obtain of him,
tf amounted to no more, than that he would, under exist-
" ing circumstances remain quiet, if left unmolested ; for
<r that he would not pledge himself not to bring the sub-
" ject forward hereafter, when the same motive might no
" longer operate to keep him silent. This result I com-
96
" inuuicateii, to the best of iny recollection, the follow -
" ing day to the Princess, who seemed satisfied with it ;
" and from that day to the present one (Nov. 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 in-,
formed by my Brother, subsequent to our conversation,
should imagine, that I knew more of them than I have
herein stated, I hereby spontaneously declare, that what I
have written, is the whole extent of what I was apprized
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 attended to, I should have felt
myself obliged to decline all interference in the business;
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 Copy,
B. Bloomfield.
A true Copy,
J. Becktt.
Whitehall, 29th August, 1806.
(No. 3.)
For the Purpose of confirming the Statement,
made by Lady Douglas, of the Circum-
stances mentioned in her Narrative, the
following Examinations have been taken,
and which have been signed by the several
Persons who have been examined.
SARAH LAMPERT.
N.
N. B. This witness teas not examined by the Commis-
sioners ; at least, no Copy of any Examination of her's was
transmitted with the other Papers ; and no observation is
made in the Report of the Commissioners, or in the answer
'of Her Royal Highness upon her Examinations. It has,
therefore, been thought that there was no necutfty for pub-
lishing them.
There are two uf them ; one dated at Cheltenham, Qth
January, 1806 ; the other with no date of place, but dated
29th March, 1806.
MR. WM. LAMPERT.
N. B. The same observations apply to Mr. Wlliam
Lampert's Examination, as to those of his Wife, with this
additional circumstance, that the whole of his Examination
is mere hearsay.
*0
8
llth 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 dissatisfied 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 Sidney frequently came to dine
with the Princess, and their intimacy became familiar ;
he has frequently dined and supped at the House, and
when the Ladies have retired, about eleven o'clock, he has
known Sir Sidney remain 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 be verily believes it was Sir
Sidney.
In the month of March, 1802, the Princess ordered
some sandwiches, which Cole took into the drawing-
room, where he found Sir Sidney talking to the Princess ;
he sat down the sandwiches, and retired. In a short time
he went again into the room, when he found the Gentle-
man 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 gentleman. He dates
his dismissal from this circumstance ; for, about a fort-
night 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 required. He received this intimation with
much concern ; but said, Her Royal Highness's pleasure
must govern him.
He says, that the cordiality between the Princess and
Lady D. was very soon brought about; and, he suppose*
on Sir Sidney's account; that the Princess frequently went
across the Heath to Lady D. where she has stayed till late
in the evening, and that, sometimes, Lady D. and Sir Sid-
ney have come with the Princess to Montague House, late
in the evening, when they have supped.
Sometime aftr 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
he 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 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.
He does not know much of what passed at Margate in
1803.
In J804, the Princess was at Southend, where Fanny
Lloyd also was ; when Cole saw her after her return, he
asked how they 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 were supposed
to be in bed, Mrs. Lisle met a man in the passage; but
no alarm was 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, and has said to him, the
JOO
Princess is an altered woman ; he believes Sander to be a
very respectable woman.
He says, that he believes Roberts to be an honest man;
that Roberts has said to him (As Roberts himself wat
examined by the Commissioners, and his deposition is given
in Appendix A. No. 8, what Cole says he heard him say,
is omitted here.)
That .Arthur, the gardener, is a decent man, but does
not know if he is privy to any thing.
That Bidgood is a deaf quiet man, but thinks he has not
been confidentially trusted.
That Mrs. Gosden was nurse to the child, and was al-
ways up-stairs with it ; she is a respectable woman ; but,
after some time, took upon herself much consequence,
and refused to dine in the servants' hall.
In 1BO1, Lawrence, the painter, was at Montague House,
for four or five days at a time, painting the Princess's pic-
ture; that he was frequently alone, late in the night, with
the Princess, and much suspicion was entertained of him.
WM. COLE.
January, 1806.
WILLIAM COLE
Says, that the Princess was at Mr. Hood's, at Gather-
ington, near Portsmouth, for near a month in the last
summer, where she took her footman and servants.
That the house in which 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
101
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 happened 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 \\ith 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 doe
not know whether any person was with her, but it appear-
ed odd to him, as he had formed some suspicions.
Mr. Cole says, that he saw the Princess at Blackheath,
about four ti'iies in the year 1802, after he left her in
April, and five or six 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 Prin-
cess was grown thinner.
That he cannot form an opinion about the child ; that
he has seen an old man and woman (about 50 years of age)
at Montague House on a Sunday, and has inquired who
they were, when he was answered by the servants in the
hall, " That is litle Billy's mother," (meaning the child
the Princess had taken, and which was found bj
Stikeman.)
WM. COLE.
Temple, 30th January, 1806.
WILLIAM COLE
Says, that on the l?th of January instant, he walked
fi:otn Blackheath to London with Mr. Stikeman, and, in
the conversation on the road, Cole mentioned the circum-
stance of the little child, saying, that he was grown 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.
Ccle says, that the account of the correspondence between
the Princess and Captain Manby was communicated to
him by Fanny Lloyd, but she never mentioned any such
correspondence 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 Charlton, which is near nine years ago.
WM. COLE.
-..< *
I 2'3rd February, J806.
. :
WILLIAM COLE
.
Says, that the 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 extraordi-
nary ; he thought it improper that a single Gentleman
should be sitting quite close to a married Lady, on the
105
sofa; and from that situation, and former observations, he
thought the thing improper.
The person who was 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, 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 complaining of the door of the green-house being
left open, and the plants damaged, and who made the
same to Mr. Lampert, 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, 4th April 1806.
ROBERT BIDGOOD.
Have lived with the Prince 23 years on the 18th of Sep-
tember next, and have been with the Princess since 21st
March, 1798. In 1802 we were at Blackheath, and did
not go to any other place; in J801 Sir Sidney Smith left
his card at Montague House, and he was afterw .rds in-
Tiled 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 footmen 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
104
in the morning, as there were other Ladies in the house.
During the year 1802 the Princess used to ride out in her
phaeton, attended by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and took out cold
meat, and went towards Darttorcl, where she spent the
day, and returner) about six or seven in the evening.
Williams, the coachman, always attended the Princess.
Lady Douglas, during the year 1802, was constantly at
Montague House, and was admitted at all times. The
Princess was used frequently to go to Lady Douglas's
house, where Sir Sidney resided ; at the end of that year,
there was a misunderstanding between Lady Douglas and
the Princess ; and one day he saw Lady Douglas leave
the house in tears, and afterwards 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 be-
lieve, that the Princess fitted up his cabin, for he has seen
the cotton furniture brought to the Princess to chuse the
pattern, which was sent to Blake, her upholsterer, in Lon-
don-street, Greenwich. When Captain Manby was about
to sail, he was walking 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 afterwards he went away. He saw the Princess, with
her handkerchief to her face, 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
105
went there the 3d of May ; Sicard was constantly on the
look-out for the Africaine, Captain Man by 's ship ; and,
about a month afterwards, Sicard descried the ship ; be*
fore she came to the Nore. The instant the ship cast
anchor, the Captain came on shore in 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 has 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 Hamp-
shire.
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 sometimes 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 ser-
vants. Bidgood has not seen Captain Hood since about
Chrismas last.
Bidgood has strong suspicions that Mrs. Sander used to
deliver letters to Sicard, which he conceived to be from
the Princess to Captain Manby, as Sicard used to put the
letters into his pocket, and not in the comm/m bag for
letters.
*P
106
Mrs. Sander must be fully informed of all the circum-
stances above alluded to. Mary Wilson and Miss Miel-
field most 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 in Deptford Yard : but was discharged, and Stike-
man has since employed him at his house in town. The
mother appears to be better dressed than usual.
(Signed) H. BIDGOOD.
SARAH BIDGOOD.
About six months ago, in a conversation with Fannjf
Lloyd, respecting the general conduct of the Princess,
she said, that whilst Sir Sidney visited the Princess, that
Mary Wilson had gone into the bed-room to make up the
fire, and found the Princess and Sir Sidney in such an in-
decent situation, that she immediately left the room, and
was so shocked that she fainted away at the door.
(This witness was not examined before the Commissioners;
(it least, 110 Copy of such Examination, if there was any.,
was transmitted with the other Papers. The jirst Para-
graph in her Examination is, however, stated above, as it
is observed upon in the Princess's Answer; but the re-
mainder, not being adverted to, either by the Commis-
sioner's Report, or by the Answer, and being all hearsay, is
omitted.)
FRANCES LLOYD.
FROM RIPLEY, IN SURREY.
To the best of my knowledge, Mary Wilson said, that
she had seen the Princess and Sir Sidney in the blue
room ; but she is so close a woman, that she never opens
her mouth on any occasion ; never heard Mary Wilson
say she was so alarmed as to be in a fit.
Heard the gardener at Ramsgate say one day, at din-
ner, 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 Andrew Hammond and his son came 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 adjoin-
ing house to her Royal Highness, which room belonged to
her.
One morning, about six o'clock, she was called to get
breakfast for her Royal Highness, when she saw Captain
Manby and her waking 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. L _, .,
108
About four years ago, as I think, Mr. Mills attended
tne for a cold, and, in conversation, he asked me if the
Prince visited at our ho use ? I said, not to my knowledge.
He said, the Princess certainly was with child.
FRANCES LLOYD,
A true Copy,
(Signed) J. Becket,
Whitehall, QQth August, 180(5.
END OF TUB DOCUMENT*.
A
STATEMENT OF FACTS
Relative to
THE CHILD
Now under the Protection of Her Royal Highness
THE PRINCESS OF WALES;
Describing, at large, the Circumstance of the Child's being taken
from a Poor Woman from DEPTFORD j
f
THE
PARTICULARS OF ITS BIRTH, &c.
AND
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE PARENTS OF THE CHILD.
RELATIVE TO
THE CHILD
Now under the Protection of Her Royal Highness,
THE PRINCESS OF WALES.
SOON after the memorable Investigation of 1806-7, M
was currently rumoured, for want of evidence on the sub-
ject, that the Child which her Royal Highness had adoptr.
ed, was, in fact, her own son. General as this report
was, very considerable doubts arose in the mind of the
writer as to its authenticity. In order to remove these
doubts, and to obtain satisfactory information relative to
this circumstance, he instituted a diligent inquiry concern-
ing the reputed mother ; confident that, by these means, he
should procure a complete proof of the fact ; at least, so
far as proof could be obtained, without witnessing the ac-
tual birth of the infant. His inquiries were successful ;
and an interview was had with the mother of the Child,
who is still living.
The writer being a perfect stranger to this woman, he
introduced himself to her by [remarking how fortunate
she was to be known to her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales. The mother acquiesced in this observation,
and said that her Royal Highness had been so good as to
take under her care one of her children, a little boy named
William ; that her Royal Highness had kept the child in
her possession for some years ; ever since 1802. He next
inquired the reason of her Royal Highness 's taking a fancy
to the child ; she then detailed some particulars relative to
this affair, and he left her ; promising, however, to renew
his visit, as he wished to put some further questions to her.
And tliis, the writer observed, he was the more anxious to
do ; having heard it reported, that doubts were entertain-
ed as to her being the mother of the child. She wept,
and said she had herself heard reports of that nature ; but
she could not imagine what could be the cause of these
doubts ; that she was positive as to its being her own child ;
and could prove this fact by bringing forward several per-
sons who had known the child from the time of its
birth.
Some few days after this interview, the. writer paid
another visit to the mother, at which time he also saw
her husband, and conversed with them both. He then
signified a desire to see the child; but was informed
that it was at Dr. Burney's school at Greenwich, and
that the mother saw the child only when it was with
her Royal Highness at Blackheath or Kensington; and
that she never had it at home with her, since the Prin-
cess first took it under her protection. She thought,
however, that the writer might see the child at Green-
wich, as he constantly attended church on Sundays
with the other boys.
The writer afterwards, frequently saw MRS. AUSTIN
(the mother of the child) and conversed with her res-
pecting her son. Feeling great anxiety to behold the
Child, he went to Greenwich expressly lor this purpose,
hut was, the first time, dis ppointcd ; William being
on that day, with her Royal Highness at Kensington.
He however repeated his visit to this place, and actu-
ally saw the Child ; and walked by his side, from the
church to Dr. Burney's school. When he inquired for
its
"Master Austin, of one of the young gentlemen, as they
were return ing from church; when tvvolittleboys walking
together in regular procession, were pointed out to him.
Having desired the boy not to say which was young
Austin, the vrrker instantly discovered this lad by the
strong likeness which be bore to the mother: the si-
milarity of countenance is, indeed, strikingly marked.
He spoke to the boy, and asked, if his name was AUS-
TIN ; to which he answered, " Yes." From this mo-
ment, the writer's doubts completely vanished, and
he was fully and satisfactorily convinced that this Child
is no other than the child q/'SopHi A AUSTIN.
On a subsequent occasion, when he saw Mrs. Austin^
the writer expressed his entire satisfaction in having
bebefd and conversed with her son at Greenwich ; he
also added, that he was perfectly convinced she was the
mother of the child then, and now, under the protection
of her Royal Highness. Any person, indeed, endowed
wiih the blessing of sight, must, on seeing the mother
and* the child, be instantly struck with the marked re-
semblance between them, and feel, forcibly, the convic-
tion of trie writer on this subject. Mrs. Austin ap-
peared quite elated with his expressions of satisfaction
on this point ; and said, if he would be at the trouble
of committing them to paper, she would detail the whole
particulars of her Royal Highness's taking the child;
and added " that she thought it due to her Royal
Highness, that the public min<l should be satisfied as to
this point." He, accordingly, wrote down from her own
mouth, the following interesting fact?, relative both to
the child, and to Mrs. Austin and her husband.
SAMUEL AUSTIN, the father- of WILLIAM (the
child now under the protection of Her Royal Highness,
114
and the subject of this narrative,) was born at Welling-
ton in the county of Somerset ; and is the son of Peter
and Lydia Auitin, poor, but industrious people of that
town.
When very young, he was initiated into his father's
business, which was that of a Woolcomber ; but he left
Wellington at an early age, and went to reside at Wil-
ton, in the county of Wilts. Here, after living some
years, and working at his trade, he married, at the age
of twenty-one, Sophia, the daughter of Daniel and Ara-
bella Whit marsh, also poor, industrious people of the same
town. This event took place on the 1st of April, 1796,
SOPHIA being then in her twenty-first year.
SAMUEL and SOPHIA AUSTIN continued at Wil-
ton until they had two children, Daniel and William,
which latter died at the age of nine months.
Soon after the breaking out of the war on the Conti-
nent, the clothing business became very slack, and
AUSTIN determined to remove to London, at which
place he arrived in the month of February, 1798;
leaving his wife and two children with her friends in the
country. Here, he engaged himself as a porter, with a
Mr. Young, a broker, in Lombard-court, Seven Dials.
Shortly afterwards, his wife followed him, leaving the
youngest child with her friends at Wilton. Upon her
arrival in town, finding that her husband could scarcely
earn a sufficiency to maintain himself, she resolved to
go into service; and, accordingly, engaged herself with
Mr. Cooper, a coal merchant, of Villiers-street, in the
Strand ; leaving the child she brought with her to the
care of a relation. Sophia remained in this place about
twelve months.
AUSTIN being much afflicted with the rheumatism,
was incapable of continuing long in Mr. Young's em-
115
ploy. He was, afterwards, with a Cheesemonger in
Chandos-streetf but was soon obliged to leave this situ-
ation also, on the same account. He next entered
into the service of Mr. Cunningham, a hatter, in Picca-
dilly ; but having, soon after he had taken this engage-
ment, a severe attack of his old com plaint, he was obliged
to leave Mr. Cunningham. Austin then lived as foot-
man with the DUCHESS OF CUMBERLAND, where he
stayed but for a short period, owing to a return of his
rheumatic affection.
Mrs. AUSTIN, after quitting Mr. Cooper's service,
filled the office of nurse in several families. During
the greater part of this time, she and her husband
lived separately from each other.
On the 12th of March, '1800, Mrs. Austin had another
son, who was named Samuel. Of this child she lay in
at the Brownhw-street Hospital; having been recom-
mended thither by a Mr. Ashlin, of Bel ton-street.
In the ensuing August, Mrs. AUSTIN was employed
. to take care of a house for Mr. Woodford, her husband's
uncle,at Deptford ; with whom she remained about twelve-
months. During some part of this time, her husband lived
chiefly in London, in various places of service; soon
after his,, -wife's removal to 'Deptford, Austin went to
live with her at that place, and at a subsequent period,
obtained employment in His MAJESTY'S DOCKYARD,
as a labourer at lls. per week, and an allowance of
]5. 6d, for chip money. Having continued in this si-
tuation about fifteen months, be was discharged with
many others, at the time of the general peace in 1802.
Being now out of employ, Austin and his wife were
in much distress ; and on one occasion, some little differ-
ence arising between them, he proposed that she and her
children shouldbecomejchargeable to the parish. This she
refused, as /og a$ she was able to work f and could get her
116
tread; but proposed to take one of the children, and to
leave the other to the care of her husband. To this, how*
ever, Austin objected, and LEFT HER \jirst dividing the,
ONLY &UAKTERN LOAF they had /eft, between them.
Nearly a fortnight had elapsed, before Mrs, Austin re-
ceived any tidings of her husband; when be sent a per-
son for his clothes, but these ghse refta&gd to deliver.
Austin now returned, and again urged her to 8eJc
parochial relief for herself and her two children; hut
this, however, she again positively refased to do, on the
grounds before stated.
Mrs. AUSTIN having again become pregnant, and
being uithin two months of her delivery, she was desi-
rous of obtaining a letter of recommendation to be again
admitted into the Brounlotc-street Hospital. Being ac-
quainted with 'a poor woman of the name of Lasley,
who used to obtain the broken meat, &c. from MON-
TAGUE HOUSE, the residence of HE ROYAL HIGH-
NESS TH K PRINCESS OF WALES, Mrs. Austin request-
ed Mrs. Laslcy to endeavour to procure a letter of. re-
commendation iVoua some of the ladies in attendance,
for admittance into the Hospital. She made applica-
tion, but was not successful. Fearing, however, that
Mrs. Austin would suspect that she had not applied far
her, she proposed that Mrs Austin should accompany
her to Montague House. To this Mrs. Austin agreed,
and on the Monday following they kept the appointment;
.Sirs. Austin remaining on the Heath, while her .com-
panion went into the house.
Mrs. Lusley inquired for Mr. STIKEMAN, the page,
thinking him the most likely person to succeed -with the
ladies; but he not being in the house at the time, they
returned. Meeting Mr. STIKKMA-N, however, as they
were crossing the-Heath, Mrs. Lasley poke to him, and
" This is the poor woman for whom I solicited a
Uf
letter of recommendation into the hospital." Mr. STIKB
MAN observed, he was very sorry he could not obtain
one for her; but said the ladies would give her a letter
to he attended at home. Mrs. Austin told him she had,
once before, lain in at Brownlow Street Hospital, and
would like to go there if she could, it not being so conve-
nient for her to lay in at home. He said he should be
happy to serve her if he could, but in this case he could
not, os he had already asked the ladies the question.
Being unsuccessful in procuring a letter from Mon-
tague House, she applied to a friend in town of the
name of Wilson who obtained one for her, from Mr.
lioare, the banker, in Fleet Street; and was admitted
into the hospital, on Sunday the llth of July, 1802.
ON THIS DAY, Mrs. AUSTIN was delivered of a son,
who was baptized at tie house of t lie Institution, OH the
J6f/i of the same month, and named WILLIAM.
A few days after its birth, the child was observed to
have a mark of red wine on its right hand, completely en~
circling the thumb; but this mark has since gradually
disappeared, and is not at present discernible.
Mrs. Austin continued in the hospital until theSQth
of .Inly, at which time she left it and returned with her
son to Deptford ; calling in her way at Mr. Hoare's, to
leave a letter of thanks, as is usual in these cases.
AUSTIN being still out of employ, and his wife hear-
, ing that several persons had made successful application
to HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES
to procure a reinstatement in his Majesty's Dock Yard,
she was advised to try this expedient on behalf of her
husband. Mrs. Austin proposed to him to write
a petition, and she would take it to HUR ROYAL
HIGHNESS, and endeavour to get him replaced in his
former situation. Austin, however hesitated, for some
time, to embrace his wife's offer, conceiving that the
118
attempt would be quite fruitless. At length, to satisfy
Mrs. Austin, he consented to the measure. His wife
accordingly took the petition, and went with the child
(WILLIAM) in her arms, on Saturday the2Srd of Octo-
ber, 1802, to MONTAGUE HOUSE. Here she inquir-
ed for Mr/SriKEMAN, whom she had seen but once only
before, when she applied for a letter of recommendation
to the Brownlow-street hospital.
Mr. STIKEMAN appearing, she. requested him to pre-
sent the petition, stating that the object of it was to get
her husband reinstated in the Dock Yard, from whence
he had been lately discharged, with many others. He
said, he was " denied doing such things ; having ap-
plications of a similar nature, almost daily." She urged
her great distress, telling him she had another child at
home, and no prospect of any provision for them, her
husband being quite destitute of employment. He
then gave her a s H i L LI N G, took the petition and put it in-
to his pocket, observed she had a fint child in her arms,
and asked how old it was ; Mrs. Austin answered, about
three months. Mr. STIKEMAN replied, if it had been
about a FORTNIGHT OLD, HE COULI> HAVE GOT IT
TAKEN CARE OF FOR HER ; she observed to him that
she thought it a better age to be taken from the mother,
than if it were younger ; he answered, "Ah, true" He
then turned up the child's clothes and looked at its legs,
saying, "J/'sa fine child, give it to me." He accordingly
tock the child into the house, and as he went along the
passage, danced it up and down, talking to it.
During the time Mr. STIKEMAN was in possession of
the child, Mrs. Austin remained at the door of Montague
House, on the Heath. Having waited his return with
her child for more than half an hour, she began to be
apprehensive that her son would be taken from her, and
that she should not behold him again. These fears she
119
eomnuuiicated to some persons passing at the time, as
she stood weeping at the gate ; but they encouraged
her to hope for the best, saying there was no doubt but
that the child would be safely restored to her.
Mr. STIKEMAN now brought, the child to her, and
said that he had been a very good boy, and desired her
to give him the shilling again, that he might make it up
HALF-A-GUINEA ; and this, he said, was a present from
the ladies.
She then asked Mr. STIKEMAN if he thought he
could get the child taken care of for her : he said he
would try what he could do, and desired that she would
come again on Monday. He thea desired her to go
round to the Cookery, and he would give her some-
thing. On her way thither, she met him in the yard,
and he gave her some broken meat, telling her to be
sure to bring the child again on Monday, by eleven
o'clock in the morning.
On her return, Mrs. Austin found-,^
husband hud packed up all his clothes, and had gone
off by the coach to London ; leaving the other child
with a woman in the house. She, afterwards, discover-
ed that he had engaged himself with a Mrs. Nichols,
u furrier in Oxford Road. r ^
On Monday October 25, Mrs. Austin again went to
Montague House, according to appointment; but the
day being very foggy, she wandered about for some time,
not being able to find her way, and was near falling
down a precipice on the Heath, called Sot's-hqle.
Meeting, however, with a baker who was crossing the
Heath, he directed her to her ROYAL HIGHNESS'*
house. When she arrived, she inquired for Mr,
STIKEMAN, who came out to her., and exclaimed,
" JB/ess me ! I did not expect to see you such a morning
as this!' 1 He now inquired for her husband ; she told
him, that he was from home, seeking employment. He
13(3
then asked if she conld come the next morning; and
bring her husband with her, as he particularly wished to
see him ; and observed, if they were not at Montague
House by 10 or II o'clock, he would call on them at
Deptford, at twelve. He then gave her some broken
meat, and she went away. Austin and his wife lived,
at this time, at A T o. 7, Depfford, New Rozc, with a per-
son of the name of Bearbfock, a milkman.
When she reached her home, supposing that some-
thing advantageous was intended to be done for them,
&he resolved to go immediately to London, in quest of
her husband ; whom, after a considerable time spent in
the search, she found at a relation's. Mrs. Austin
then related to her husband the success she had met
with at MONTAGUE HOUSE, and told him that Mr.
STIKEMAN wished very particularly to see him; and
that he had better return with her by the coach. To
this he readily consented, being too unwell to fulfil the
engagement into which he had entered.
Austin and his wife arrived at Deptford about 11
o'clock that night. In consequence of his disorder in-
creasing, Austin was so ill, that he found himself inca-
pable of rising in the morning faud was, of coutse, pre-
vented from going to Montague House. At 12 o'clock,
however, Mr. STIKEMAN called on them, and made
particular inquiries into their circumstances and cha-
racter ; promising to do what he could for them, in the
way of getting the child taken care of.
A few days afterwards, Mrs. Austin went to MOM-
f AGE HOUSE, and seeing Mr. STIKEMAN at th
door, she asked him whether he would be able to do
any thing for her child. He said, he would try
and let her know. On Thursday the 4th of Novem-
ber, Mr. STIKEMAN came to Deptford, and said
he had spoken to Arthur the gardener, to employ her bus-
121
band. Austin, however, being introduced to the gar-
dener, was told, that he could not have any employment ;
but the gardener promised to recommend him as a la-
bourer to a master bricklayer! But, as Austin did not
possess even a labourer's tools, this prospect of employ-
ment vanished.
Mr. STIKEMAN, at this lime, directed Mrs. Austin
to' bring her child to Montague House, the nest day
being the oth of November, and gave her particular in-
structions in what manner she was to act on the occa-
sion. He directed her to come to Blackheath at a cer-
tain hour, and to place herself near the door of Mon-
tague House; to lay the child on her arms, in the
same manner as she would, if it were to be christened ;
in full view, so that HER ROYAL HIGHNESS might see
it as she was getting into her carriage. It happened,
however, that the day was very unfavourable, raining
almost incessantly from morning till night ; and Mrs.
Austin was prevented from going. This circumstance
rendered her peculiarly uneasy, and she hesitated, whe-
ther (as she had been unable to attend the appointment)
.she should go any more to Montague House, until she
receive d further instructions.
On the next day, being the 6th of November, about
onco'clock, Mr. STIKEMAN came to Deptford to inquire
the reason of her not bringing the child according to
appointment. She urged the unfavourable state of the
weather as the only cause of her absence ; and express-
ed the sorrow she felt on the occasion ; but said, that
she was fearful of endangering her own and the child's
health, by going so far (heing about two miles) in a
pouring rain.
Mr. STIKEMAN appeared much displeased, and at
last became quite angry ; telling her she must leave
what she was about imn ediatelv, dress herself and the
. '
122
child, and hasten, with all possible speed, to Montague
House, as the Princess was anxious to see it immediate-
ly ; that \vhcn she came she must inquire for him, and
not speak to any of the servants, or take the least no-
tice of the circumstance to any person whatever. He
farther observed, that he could ill spare the time to call
upon her, and that he must return without delay; or
he should be too late for dinner.
She instantly gave the child to a Mrs. Davis, who
lived in the next loom, to dress it, while she changed
her own apparel. Mrs. Austin made all possible haste,,
and arrived at MONTAGUE HOUSE about two o'clock.
In her way thither she met her husband, who accompa-
nied her, and assisted in carrying the child. He re-
mained at the door, and Mrs. Austin entered and in-
quired for Mr. STIKEMAN, who being called from the
steward's room, and came to her went up the stair-
case, and desired her to follow him. Mr. STIKEMAN
then shewed her into a room, called the Blue-room, ob-
tained some refreshment for her and the child, and
told her that she was now to be introduced TO HER
ROYAL HIGHNESS, who was then taking a walk, but
that she would soon return. Mrs. Austin rcaited for
about tKO hours. During [this time, she felt much
ngitatcd, fearing that she should not conduct herself
with propriety in her Royal Highness's presence. These
facts she communicated to Mr. STIKEMAN who told her
she had nothing to apprehend; "that HER ROYAL
HIGHNESS was a very affable, good sort of a lady, and
that she would say all for her."
At length, HER ROYAI, HIGHNESS made her ap-
pearance, coming into the room where Mrs. Austin was,
from an adjoining one, accompanied by two ladies; but
r>f these ladies Mrs. Austin has no knowledge. HEU
ROYAL HIGHNESS came to her as she stood with the
child in her arms, and touching the child under the
chin, said, " O what a nice one ; koto old is it?" Mrs.
Austin replied, about three mouths. Her Royal High-
ness then, without saying another word, turned to her
ladies, and conversed with them in French; but of the
purport of this conversation Mrs. Austin could form no
idea. Immediately afterwards her Royal Highness re-
tired, with one of the ladies, into the same room from
whence she came, leaving the other lady and Mr.
STIKEMAN, with her and the child. Mr. STIKEMAN
and this lady also, retired for a few minutes into an ad-
joining room ; and as they were shutting the door, she
heard the lady say to Mr. STIKEMAN, " What do you
know of this woman ?" the door closing, she heard no
more.
The lady then returned and asked her whether she
thought she could make up her mind to part from the
child, and leave it with her Royal Highness, observing
" what a fortunate woman she would be to have her
child taken under the protection of so illustrious a per-
sonage, and that the child would, in all respects, be
brought up and treated as a young prince ; and if he
should behave properly as he grew up, what an excel-
lent thing it would be for him." Mrs. Austin replied,
that she thought she could part from it to such a
person as her Royal Highness, rather than keep it,
and suffer it to want. The lady then gave her a pound
note, and desired her to go into the coffee-room, and get
some arrow-root and other necessaries, for the purpose
of weaning the child ; as she then suckled it. Mrs.
Lloyd, the woman who superintended the coffee-room,
was directed by Mr. Stikeman, to give the arrow-root to
her, with instructions how to mix it ; and Mrs. Austin was
ordered to begin weaning the child that night, but if the
1'24-
weaning appeared to hurt the child, she uus not 1:0 per-
severe, but to inform them.
She then went with Mr. STIKEMAN into the coffee-
room, where he ordered Mrs. Lluud to give her the ne-
cessary articles. After she had received them, Mr.
STIKEMAN accompanied her out of the house, between
four and five o'clock. As they were going out, a carriage
stood at the front door, and a lady who came from the
house was getting into it. Mr. Stikeman accompanied
her to the carriage-door, and said to the lady, " This is
the little boy which her Royal Highness is going to take,
" Oh, is it/' she replied, and what is his name? He an-
swered WILLIAM; "why, that is the very name to
which her Royal Highness is so partial." Who this
lady was she does not know. The carriage driving off,
they proceeded, and were joined by Austin, who had
waited all the time on the Heath. Mr. STIKEMAN
walked some distance with them, conversing verv freelv
x o / *
as they walked along; and her husband spoke to him of
his afflicted state of body. Mrs. Austin said, " I be-
lieve her Royal Highness is going to take the child,"
to which Mr. STIKEMAM observed, " Yes, I believe she
will;" but requested them not to say any thing about
it to any. person for the present, as they could not be
certain that .this would be the case. She then asked
him what answer she should give to any person who
might inquire about it; he replied, " say nothing for
the present, but when the, child is finally left zciih her
Royal Highness, tell t/ie truth, and say that she has taken
the child under her protection." Mr. STIKEMAN then
left them, and returned, charging her to inform him how
the child took its weaning, or if she could not do this he
promised to call on them ; ordered her to come when
she wanted more arrow-root, and wished them & good
125
^
Mrs. Austin went again to Montague Hou^e on the
Thursday following, and saw Mr. Stikeman. He said he
expected her before, as they were anxious to know how the
child took its weaning. Mr. STIKEMAN called at Dept-
ford, twice afterwards, in the course of that week, and
observed, that the child appeared to be doing very well,
and looked quite as healthy as when she suckled it.
Mrs. Austin called at Montague House again on the
Sunday morning, and inquired for Mr. Stikeman, who was
not then stirring ; but she waited at the door till he came.
He gave her more arrow-root, and desired her to wait,
and he would inquire of the ladies on whet day Her
Royal Highness would want the child. He soon returned,
and said, that she must bring it on the next day, (Monday
the loth of November) by eleven o'clock in the forenoon ;
and observed, that he had asked for a day or two more for her,
but Her Royal Highness said, " No : she could not wait
any longer, and must have him by that time."
On Monday, about 11 o'clock, Mrs. Austin left home,
calling on a Mrs. Jones in Butt Lane, an acquaintance,
that she might take leave of the child before she filially
parted from it. In her way to Montague House, she
met Mr. STIKEMAN, near the sign of the Green Man,
talking to a gentleman. When be saw her he crossed
over the way to her, and said she was rather behind
her time; that the ladies had been looking "out for her
to see which way she would come ; and that the house-
maid had been twice to the gate looking for her. He
said he was going to Greenwich to purchase a night lamp
for the child. Observing her cry, he inquired the cause
of her grief; she told him they were the mingled tears
of joy and grief at parting from her child. He said,
" Make haste up, and make free and ash for any thing you
rcant, and the ladies will not think the zcorse of yon by
seeing you in trouble at parting from your child T He
told her when she arrived at Montague House to ask
for Miss SANDER, which she immediately did.
MARY WILSON shewed her into MissSANDEK's
room, which is on the same floor with and next to her
Royal Highness's sleeping-room. Miss SANDER
was not in the room at the time, but MARY WILSON
went to inform her of Mrs. Austin's arrival. Miss SAN-
DER came from her Royal Highness's room, and seeing
her much distressed at parting from the infant, she said,
" It is still your option zchether to have it or not with her
Royal Highness." Mrs. Austin replied, "she would certain-
ly let her Royal Highness have it, as she knew it would
be taken care oj." Miss SANDER then took the child,
saying, " Take a kiss of your mother, my dear, at part-
ing," and conveyed it to HER ROYAL HIGHNESS.
Mrs. Austin waited for a considerable time before Miss
SANDER returned, who (as she was told) was dressing
the child ; new clothes having been provided for it by
her Royal Highness's orders. Miss SANBER then
brought the clothes which the child wore, when it was
brought, even to the very pins. She now signified to
Miss SANDER a desire to see the child once more be-
fore she finally left it, but ihis favour was denied her.
Mrs. Austin was now desired to go into the Coffee-
room, and get some refreshment, where she waited Mr.
Stikeman'd return from Greenwich. During her stay in
the Coffee-room, Mrs. Lloyd said to her with apparent
displeasure, " I don't suppose the child will be kept in
the house; 1 don't know what we shall do with it here;
we have enough to do to wait on her Royal Highness."
It appeared evident that much confusion prevailed among
the servants on this occasion. Mrs. Austin then asked
her where she thought the child would be placed. Mrs.
Lloyd said, she supposed " it would be put across the Heath,
where her Royal Highness HAD SOMB OTHER CHILDREN
127
AT NUESE, under ihe cure nf the Steward's wife." This
unlooked-for And unwelcome information added consi-
derably to her distress, as she understood that the child
was to be brought up IN THE HOUSE, under the imme-
diate inspection of HER ROYAL HIGHNESS. Just at
this moment, HER ROYAL HIGUNESS'S bell rang, and
the footman caaie in for soire arrow-root, which Mrs.
Lloyd mixed, and he took it with him.
By this time Mr. STIKEMAN had returned from
Greenwich, and Mrs. Austin immediately told him
what Mrs. Lloyd had said respecting the child's being
put out of the house. He desired her to pay no atten-
tion to any thing that was said by any of the servants,
as they knew nothing about the business ; and requested
her when she came again, to go into the steward's room.
She also now stated to him how they were situated;
that her husband was ill with the rheumatism ; that
they had nothing to subsist upon ; and that she thought
of going into service. This, however, Mr. STIKE-
MAN appeared not to approve, saying that she would
by that means be giving up her home, and that he
thought she had better wait, and see what might turn
up ; she then took her leave of them, and departed.
The next day Mr. STIKEMAN came to Deptford, to
inform Mrs. Austin that the child was very well; that
her Royal Highness had done every thing for it her-
self; and that she appeared to be very fond of it. She
asked him when it would be agreeable for her to see
her child ; and he said if she would come on Wednes-
day evening, he would then endeavour to procure an in-
terview for her. She accordingly went at the time ap-
pointed, but was informed by Mr. STIKEMAN, that her
Royal Highness was engaged with the child, that
she did not like to be disturbed, and that she must come
some other time.
118
Mrs. Austin then said, that several persons at Deptford
had been telling her that she would never see the child
again ; that they blamed her very much for parting from it,
saying that they would not let the KING have a child
of theirs, and many other observations of the like nature,
which contributed to render her very uneasy. Mr. Stike-
man then observed, " If you will come with me, I will
satisfy you, by shewing you the child with her Royal High-
ness. He then took her to the door of the Princess's room
and desired her to look through the keyhole ; and having
obeyed Mr. Stikeman's directions, she distinctly observed
her ROYAL HIGHNESS passing to and fro, nursing the
child and chatting to it. Mrs. Austin was now better satis-
fied. Mr. S;ikeman desired her to come again on Sa-
turday evening, when he promised that she should see the
child.
Mrs. Austin accordingly went to Montague House on
the day appointed, and saw MARY WILSON, who told
her that the child was asleep, and that HER ROYAI.
HIGHNESS was faking a walk. Upon her ROYAL HIGH-
NESS'S return, Mrs. Austin was ordered up into the BLUE-
ROOM, where thePrincess was, with the child laying in her
lap; and she ran and kissed the child as he lay. HER ROYAL
HIGHNESS said it had been a very good child; but that it
had a little cough, and sucked its thumb ; but that she had
consulted a physician, and he was of opinion that its suck-
ing its thumb would not hurt him. Mrs. Austin observed
some phials there, and on the label was written, " Fo R
THE INFANT AT MONTAGUE BoWER." Her RoYAL
HIGHNESS desired her to come again on Sunday morning
and she should nurse the child. This she did, and waited
a considerable time, the child not being dressed. She was,
at length, introduced into Miss Sander's room, where the
Princess was, who he: self gave her the child. Here Mrs.
Austin remained, nursing the child ; her Royal Highness
129
being present, during the whole of the time, with Miss
Sander.
No particukr conversation took place at this meeting.
Mrs. Austin having told the Princess that her little boy
Samuel was ill at home, her Royal Highness inquired
the nature of the child's complaint; and she replied
that she did not know : her Royal Highness said she
would send a doctor to see it, and Mr. EDMEADES, her
Royal Highness's apothecary called at Deptford, in Mrs.
Austin's absence, for this purpose. A person who lived
in the next room told Mr. EDMEADES that she was ap-
prehensive that the child had the measles. This infor-
mation Mr. EDMEADES communicated to HER ROYAL
HIGHNESS, at which she appeared displeased, sup-
posing that Mrs. Austin knew the cause of the child's
illness, though she forbore to mention it. But HER
ROYAL HKSHNESS, desired Mr. Edmeades not to be-
have harshly to Mrs. Austin, as it was possible that she
might not have been aware of the nature of her son's
illness at that time.
Mr. Edmeades however, having called ?.t Deptford, to
see Mrs. Austin and the child, he began to chide her
for not informing her Royal Highness with the fact.
She told him that it was impossible for her to do so, as
she was not acquainted with the nature of the child's
disorder. Upon farther examination, indeed, it appeared
that the measles was not the disorder with which the
child was afflicted, Mr. Edmeades then desired her
not to say any thing to the Princess on the subject of
his speaking harshly to her, as he was in the habit of
attending her. He also observed that if the child had
been ill with the measles, it might have produced very
serious consequences, as her Royal Highness had not,
* that time, had the disorder herself.
*.
Mr. STIKEMAN called on Mrs. Austin a day or two
afterwards, and desired her not to come to MONTAOUB
HOUSE, till Mr. Edmeades should be of opinion that
there was no danger to be apprehended.
Mrs. Austin intimated to Mr. Stikeman, at this time,
her intention of going into service as a nurse. He said
he had asked permission of her Royal Highness, that
she might be engaged as a nurse for the child; but she
answered, " No !" Mr. Stikeman seeing an advertise-
ment in one of the papers, of a situation which he
thought would suit Mrs, Austin, he called and left some
money to enable her to take the coach to London, and
make the requisite inquiries. The reference was to a
Mrs. Garrard, in Panton-street. To this place she went
on the 28th of January, 1803, on the recommendation
of Mr. Stikeman, and continued with Mrs. Garrard till
the June following ; her child she entrusted to the care
of a friend, her ROYAL HIGHNESS contributing to-
wards its support. Mrs. Austin's husband being still
out of employ, Mr. Stikeman engaged him at his own
house, at Pimlico, for the purpose of turning a mangle,
cleaning shoes, and going on errands. There he con-
tinued nearly five years.
When Mrs. Austin left Mrs. Garrard's she became a
servant of all work, in the family of a Mr. Edwards, a
Wine-merchant, in Crutched Friars ; in which place she
continued till the Christmas following. Mrs. Austin now
entered into the service of a Mr. Millard of St. Dun'
stan's-hi/l, and remained with him till the following
March twelvemonth. On her quitting this last situation
she returned to her husband, who lived at this time in
Eaton-lane, Pimlico, in the vicinity of Mr. Stikeman's
residence.
On Friday the 19th of April 1805, Mrs. Austin was
admitted, a third time, into ihe Brownlow-street Hospi-
131
tal, on the recommendation of Mr. Hoare, the banker,
her friend on a former occasion. She was, on the 20th
of the same month, delivered of another son, who was
named Job. She left the Hospital three weeks after-
wards ; returned to Pimlico, and took in a child to wet
nurse. Mrs. Austin continued at Pimlico about three
years.
About this period, the " Delicate Investigation" took
place, and Mrs. Austin was brought forward for exami-
nation. Her deposition will be found in APPENDIX
(A), p. 124.
During the time Mrs. Austin lived at Pimlico, she oc-
casionally visited Blackheath, and was always permitted
to see her child, for whom a regular nurse had been pro-
vided, about nine or ten days after it had been left with
her Royal Highness. A Mrs. GOSDEN was engaged for
the purpose, and continued, in this capacity, for about
two years.
As the subject of this memoir (William Austin) grew
up, he was constantly taken about with the Princess i and
was treated, in every respect, as a child of her own. Her
Royal Highness, indeed, appeared to be very much at-
tached to the boy. William was, at an early age, placed
at a day-school, on Blackheath ; and when about nine
years old, he was sent to a boarding-school at Greenwich
kept by Dr. BURNEY. William, however, has been
lately taken from this seminary, and placed at another
school at Blackheath, where he still remains.
For the last five or six years, Mrs. AUSTIN has seen
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS but seldom, though she goes
regularly, once a quarter, to visit her son, and to re-
ceive a quarterly allowance for the education of a younger
child, which is paid to her by Miss SANDER; and,
she has reason to believe, on her own account..
In August 1808, AUSTIN was appointed a pet-
manent locker in the LONDON DOCKS, a situation which
her Royal Highness obtained for him, through the in-
terest of the late Mr. PERCEVAL. This post he still
retains, at a salary of about six guineas per month, when
able to attend; but in case of illness, his pay is reduced.
And this frequently occurs, as he is much afflicted witty
the rheumatism.
Such are the " short and simple annals" of these poot
but industrious people, SAMUEL and SOPHIA AUSTIN ;
such is the plain and unvarnished history of WILLIAM
AUSTIN, their fortunate son; and such is the State-
ment of Facts relative to the conduct of her ROYAL
HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES, and of her
agents, throughout the whole of this singular, and al-
most unparalleled transaction.
The evidence respecting WILLIAM AUSTIN, the
child now under the protection of her Royal Highness,
seems to be of the most conclusive nature. Scarcely a
doubt c,an, indeed, exist on this subject. The testimo-
ny of Mrs. AUSTIN (connected with the various concur-
ring circumstances detailed in this statement) is, the
writer conceives, entirely unimpeachable, and of such a
nature, as for ever to set at rest the fears of Englishmen
respecting the future SUCCESSION to these kingdoms ;
so far, at }ea$t, as it concerns the subject of the present
narrative.
As the name of WILLIAM AUSTIN will, most pro-
Imbly, be transmitted to posterity, in connection with
that of her ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF
WALKS, the writer feels some degree of satisfaction in
having collected (with no small labour) materials for a
document, which may, perhaps, at some future time x
133
occupy no unimportant place in the annals of English
History.
In the present state of the public mind, it would be
improper to offer any farther comment up,n this affair;
the writer, therefore, will leave it to every person to
form hij own opinion : assuring the public that he
has fully enabled them to do so, by giving a succinct
but, faithful statement of FACTS ONLY, unaccompanied
by arguments or any remarks which should at all tend
to bias their opinion on this subject.
Finally, the writer delivers this statement to the public
under the strongest conviction of its veracity and in
the fullest persuasion of its importance to the nation at
large to her ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF
WALES to Mrs. AUSTIN, the mother of the child now
under the protection of her Royal Highness and to
WILLIAM AUSTIN, the subject of this short and, as the
writer conceives, interesting memoir.
FINIS.
Pi luted bv It. Edwards,
Orne-ourt. Fleet-street, London.
A VINDICATION
f
OF THE
CONDUCT OF
LADY DOUGLAS,
\
DURING HER INTERCOURSE WITH HER
ROYAL HIGHNESS THE
PRINCESS OF WALES:
TOGETHER WITH REMARKS ON
l)t UflOlij
AND OX THE CONSEQUENCES OF ITS PUBLICATION.
ALSO,
A NARRATIVE OF
AND COMMENTARIES UPON
SOME EXTRAORDINARY TRANSACTIONS;
INCLUDING ANECDOTES OF NUMEROUS
HIGH AND DISTINGyiSHED PERSONAGES.
Innocence finds not near so much protection as guilt.
LA RoCHEFOLCAtLl.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY EFFINGHAM WILSON, 88, ROYAL EX-
CHANGE, CORNHILL, AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1814.
(Price 5s. 6d.)
3ntmfc at jfctationm ?i?aU.
Maurice, Printer,
Howford-buildings, Fenchurch-street.
VINDICATION
OF THE CONDUCT OF
LADY DOUGLAS, &o.
THE unhappy and lamentable differences
between a certain illustrious couple, having so
long been made a topic of universal discussion,
it may, at first view, appear extraordinary that
any more remarks should be published upon
the subject. A little reflection, however, may
lead to the belief, that illustrations of the to-
B
pic are by no means exhausted ; and that to-
wards SOME of the parties concerned justice
has hitherto been but partially administered.
Time, however, as it seldom fails to elucidate
the most mysterious transactions, may yet af-
ford means to decide whether the late over-
strained sensibilities of the British people were
not of that generous though thoughtless nature
which might have been qualified by the exer-
cise of discretion.*
If the sentiments delivered a few months
ago at the numerous meetings, called for the
purpose of addressing the Princess of Wales,
should be mistaken by the rest of Europe for
the general opinion of Englishmen, what infer-
ences must be drawn by the rest of Europe, as
to the wickedness of British Statesmen, and
in what a deplorable light would appear the
* This tract was written last summer. It was, however,
thought proper to withhold its publication till the present
period; as at this time its contents are likely to be re-
garded with more dispassionate attention than they would
then have received.
conduct of the- Person age who is placed at the
head of this empire ! In case the different na-
tions should have formed a prejudiced judg-
ment on the late transactions, how necessary it
is that they should be undeceived ! For, unfor-
tunately, the desperate leaders of the lowest
political faction in this country never had so
specious an opportunity for the degradation of
the throne ; nor was there ever a period when
their operations so fairly promised that result
which has been the incessant object of their
wishes.
That the Princess of Wales should have
had the cruel misfortune to fall into the snares
of persons whose motives, one might think,
could never have been for a moment mistaken
by her, is a circumstance that must always be
lamented. It is an event truly distressing to
that respected portion of British subjects who
are anxious to transmit the blessings of the
Constitution unimpaired to their posterity. It
is an axiom not to be disputed, that anarchy
can never take place in a state till insolence
B2
4
towards the reigning powers has settled into
permanent disrespect; and what could be
more likely to excite a general and indignant
feeling of this nature against the PRINCE RE-
GENT, than such infamous assertions as were
uttered at the public assemblies? Such libels
(for to this appellation are most of the address-
es entitled) must be supposed to receive the
sanction of ali who stand recorded as their
framers and patrons ; but the stigma must
not be suffered to disgrace those who would
preserve their reputation for loyalty and dis-
cernment.
The addressers have been profuse in their de-
clamations about a conspiracy ; but themselves
have turned out to be the only true conspira-
tors! Their manoeuvres of the last winter too
fatally succeeded in fanning the dormant
sparks of chagrin into a blaze of vindictive-
ness : but reason, driven for the moment from
her seat, defeated their designs by the resump-
tion of her empire.
If that illustrious personage, the Princess of
Wales, instead of allowing her conscience and
confidence to be moulded to the purposes of
those pretended but treacherous friends who
have dragged her forth into an unpropitious
notoriety, had displayed a degree of prudence
and firmness consistent with her dignified si-
tuation, she would have insisted on being left
in tranquil retirement. It is astonishing that
she had no discreet adviser, who might have
pointed out the gross impropriety of letting
such a document as her Letter relative to the
Princess Charlotte be thrown before the pub-
lic : for, had any reflection been exercised, it
might have been foreseen that this proceeding
was. likely to produce very serious consequen-
ces, without the remotest probability of benefit
to the complainant; while, if it had not taken
place, the world would not have been supplied
with a topic for scandalising small-talk and
blush-exciting sarcasm, through the publication
of a most obnoxious mass of indelicate de-
tails !
As the matter now presents itself, a certain
turn appears to have taken place in the public
mind. Now that the printed proceeding's of
1800 are on every person's table, unprejudiced
and reflecting men are at a loss to discover the
grounds on which the illustrious female can be
congratulated on her escape from destruction !
What they had thought before they possessed
the means of forming a correct opinion, ap-
' pears, therefore, an "error of judgment:" they
cannot now discover any shadow of such a
wicked design; they se'e^no frustration of a
conspiracy against the Princess of Wales, be-
cause they are not supplied with reasons for
believing that such baseness ever existed in
any mind : but they do exult in the exposure
of a plot to degrade royalty altogether; and
they commiserate the lady who could descend
to act the heroine in such a despicable drama
of political mountebanks. These never had
any partiality for the Princess of Wales, nor
any feeling for the peculiarity of her situation:
they would never, at another time, have moved
a finger to vindicate her honour or preserve her
life! But the opportunity of reviling the Re-
gent, and aiming a deadly blow at his reputa-
tion, through the pretended injuries inflicted
upon his wife, was too inspiring to be neglect-
ed. They entered, however, upon their
schemes with too much audacity to procure
success. They had all the malignity and arro-
gance of the Titans, without any of their cou-
rage or skill. They attacked the throne on its
invulnerable side, and their forlorn hope has
become a monument of their impudence and
folly !
If, as a most able writer has asserted, private
vices are public benefits, we have, in the late
transactions, a proof, that public ivicJcedness is
likewise attended with general advantage.
Had a sort of national credibility been given
to the charges and insinuations thrown out
against the head of the empire and certain mem*
bers of his august family, by the democratical
orators, who is there that does not perceive
the disesteem into which they would have
irrevocably fallen ! Perhaps the evident differ-
8
ence of opinion which now prevails, may be at-
tributed more to the universal perusal of THE
BOOK than to any contingent circumstance ;
while any attempt, at the beginning of the
present year, to stem the torrent of gene-
rous sympathy, rather than letting it be self-
exhausted, would have been regarded as the re-
sult of apprehension. Many a dispassionate
person, after sedately perusing that extraordi-
nary publication, has laid it down with a sig-
nificant shake of the head, and a confirmed
opinion, that no man ought to become a par-
tisan till he has heard all that can be said on
both sides of a question !
From these preliminary observations, it may
be imagined that the writer is about to pursue
the very extreme Avhich has been condemned,
and to become a champion of that personage
against whom the late popular disrespect and
clamour have been so conspicuously directed.
Nothing however is farther from the author's
intention. A calm observer can perceive the
errors which all the parties have run into;
9 /
but it requires only a moderate portion of
understanding to discover on which side they
are ordinary, and least offensive to the moral
* *-/
organization of society.
Peace and praise be to her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales, to the full extent that
she merits tranquillity and popularity. She
has long been placed in a predicament which
has excited universal sympathy, and she has
enjoyed all the consolation that can be derived
from popular testimonies of condolence! But,
if she possess a stomach capable of digest-
ing the immeasurable and fulsome adula-
tion which has lately been poured upon her
from every quarter, the truth of Lord CHES-
TERFIELD'S assertion, that a woman " will
greedily swallow the highest and gratefully ac-
cept of the lowest; while she may be safely
flattered, from her understanding down to the
exquisite taste of her fan," will appear as in-
contestible as the passages of scripture.
We have, however, said, and it shall be here
repeated, that those eulogies were only the
media, or vehicles, to direct as many insults
against the Prince: but the public do not en-
tertain so poor an opinion of that great Per-
sonage, as to believe that such outrages for
a moment annoyed him. And still more disre-
spectful would be their ideas of the under-
standing of the Princess of Wales, if they
could suppose that she derived the smallest
gratification from hearing the inflammatory in-
sinuations of these king-haters against the lead-
ing members of her family. The supposition
is, indeed, forbidden by decency and morality :
but it would have redounded to the honour of
the Princess of Wales, and have afforded a trait
of her magnanimity, for the admiration of poste-
rity, if, in her answers to the seditious address-
ers, she had expressed her indignation at their
conduct, in approaching her with protestations
of sympathy, only the more directly to vent
their calumnies against the father of BRITAIN'S
HEIRESS ! Without disparagement to the men-
tal intelligence of the Princess of Wales, we
may lament the imbecility of those confidential
11
associates who must have counselled the line
that was adopted. Even a side- wind hint of
disapprobation at the language of the address-
ers and Jacobin-orators would have afforded
a salutary check to subsequent and similar
impertinence; and how delicately appropri-
ate would have been an intimation, that fa-
mily misunderstandings were never yet re-
conciled by the abrupt and officious obtrusi-
ons of a mob; who, by volunteering their cen-
sures against either disputant, have ultimately
acquired the contempt of both.
Supposing, as we are bound to do, that there
is only a moderate portion of truth in what has
been said and sung about her Royal Highness' s
intellectual accomplishments, we are convinced
that many instances must have presented them-
selves to her mind, as recorded in history both
sacred and profane, where wives, however great
may have been the injuries and persecutions
which they have sustained, have nobly sacri-
ficed all private feelings of animosity, to repel
assaults on the reputation of their husbands ;
12
while it cannot be denied that such examples
are at all times laudable and worthy of imi-
tation. An extraordinary and unfortunate es-
trangement from connubial affection must not
be urged to justify a different line of conduct.
We could say much more on the topic of the
late addresses, if farther disquisition had any
relation to the principal subject of this pre-
face ; but it is unnecessary. The rage has had
its day ; the attempt to insult the Regent on
his throne has been defeated by the good sense of
the public, and thinking people have frequently
observed, that " all has been done which is neces-
sary for the protection of innocence and the ends
of justice " This fine and liberal language,
however, is not strictly correct; for we would
ask such persons, what sort of justice has been
done, or what human compensation can be
made, to those individuals whose reputation
has been invaded, whose conduct has been pre-
judged, whose fortunes have been ruined, and
whose peace of mind has been destroyed, by
the furious and unreasonable spirit which has
13
possessed the whole nation? These persons
are indisputably SIR JOHN and LADY DOUG-
LAS ! Never has this country witnessed such a
league on the part of its population, to run
doivn a family, not only without positive proof
of their culpability, but in defiance of every
principle of justice, reason, and humanity!
It has been very truly observed, that when
the passions of a people have been roused
against any particular object, their brutality
displays itself in the exact inverse proportion
of their civilization. This was exemplified in
the case of the DUKE OF YORK, and also,
in the conduct of the London populace, on
their return from Kensington-palace; but it
has been much farther illustrate^ by the cruel
treatment of SIR JOHN and LADY DOUGLAS.
For the last seven years, these individuals have
been subjected to every kind of abuse and in-
dignity which human prejudice could imagine:
they have been held up to public odium and
execration by such artifices as the British peo-
ple at any former period would have dis-
14
darned to practise; and if their persons have
hitherto escaped from gross assault, this ap-
pears to be rather owing to their own fortitude
and consistency ', than to any considerations of
decency on the part of the public. And yet, let
it not be supposed, that these individuals are
immaculate. They have been guilty of some
signal and censurable indiscretions, which
shall be fully pointed out in the course of this
publication; but they shall not be hunted out
of society, like rabid animals, without a bar
being thrown, by one hand at least, in the way
of their infuriate pursuers !
It is a fact equally surprising as lamentable,
that persons of all descriptions, sects, and
principles, have united to censure this couple,
and expose them to universal obloquy; the
only contest appearing to be, which party
should be most profuse in the epithets of defa-
mation and abhorrence. The accusations of
the public writers against Lady Douglas, were,
that " she insinuated herself into the good
graces of the Princess ; that she was dis-
15
charged from the presence of the latter for
improper behaviour, which so enraged her, that,
in conjunction with her husband, she plotted
the DESTRUCTION of the Princess; an object
which she might suppose would be agreeable to
a high personage ! With this view, she con-
trived, by insinuations and inuendoes, to cast
that degree of suspicion upon the- character
of the Princess which produced the miscalled
delicate investigation,"* &c. This piece of
critical condemnation is a fair specimen of the
late general tenor of editorial sensibility
throughout the country.
Other writers, equally candid and liberal,
called the Douglases " infamous individuals,
leagued against the life of a Princess, and sup-
porting their charges by evident perjury ."f
And, not to multiply instances, we may say at
once, that the English language was ransacked
for similar terms, to give a zest to the political
rejections of almost every newspaper in the
* Nottingham Review, March, 1813.
t WestmoVeland Advertiser, April 3, 1813. ^
1(5
kingdom ; while the street-orators, those wor-
thy advocates of justice and tranquillity, de-
scribed the Deposition of Lady Douglas as
" the ravings of a disordered imagination,
transferring its own impure suggestions to the
bosom of innocence! !! *
Thus the public were instructed to reconcile
absurdities, by considering Lady Douglas in
the compound character of mad-woman, knave,
and fool/ And it was really amusing to hear
the arguments advanced in private companies,
to prove her right to all these creditable quali-
fications !
Against such a torrent of senseless calumny
and prejudice, what human being could stand ?
Sir John and Lady Douglas had been found
guilty, according to the system at Algiers, with-
out being heard in their defence. They were
universally asserted to have condemned them-
selves, though no one could tell when or how this
had happened. It was sufficient that the people
* Alderman Wood's Speech at the Westminster Meet-
ing, as reported in the Morning Chronicle.
17
of England had taken it into their heaos that
they were malicious, plodding, crafty, mad,
foolish, envious, immoral, ungrateful, base, wick-
ed, slanderous, false, perjured, infamous, and
consequently detestable!!! Such a string of
damnatory epithets w6uld have been powerful
enough to suffocate a couple of Saints, if such
could be found in our profane and diabolical
aera ! But the time of retribution may arrive,
and perhaps sooner than many persons appre-
hend.
As to the modest and liberal remarks of ma-
ny public writers, they are deserving of as
much consideration as is due to the vehicles in
which they have appeared. The editors are
sensible people : their property is of consider-
able value ; but it would be so no longer than
their owners would continue to coincide with
the popular opinion upon such a topic as this.
What degree of truth there is in the charges
they have disseminated whether Lady Doug-
las " insinuated herself into the Princess's fa-
vour," " was dismissed for improper behaviour"
c
18
&c. &c. may be Relieved or disbelieved, after the
annexed NARRATIVE has been attentively
perused. We shall merely observe, en-passant,
that, though such abundance of words and pa-
per has been sent forth in defence of the Princess
of Wales, no writer has yet ventured to rebut a
single assertion of Lady Douglas, which appear-
ed in her Deposition on Oath. But the fact is,
that it is more convenient to believe than to reflect
upfyii any subject whatever; and Scandal herself
would at any time be famished, if the food on
which she subsists were to be purified by the
rays of reason. We are convinced, that if an un-
prejudiced jury could be formed, the Douglases
might obtain verdicts for defamation against
every newspaper-editor in the kingdom who
has thus dared to assassinate their reputation!
It is very remarkable, and the fact ought to
make a general impression, that all the scrib-
blers and orators of the democratic stamp, were
the most vulgar and virulent enemies of the
Princess of Wales, from the time of her first
immersion into obscurity, till, in 1813, they had
19
REASONS for turning their attacks on a higher
object of hostility /* On assuming a new cha-
racter, it was necessary for these high priests
of sedition to devote some victim or other to
their sacriiicial orgies. It was not enough*
that they who had for years been employed in
disseminating all manner of indecent inuen-
does, sneers, and sarcasms, against the Prin-
cess of Wales should suddenly become the loud-
est declaimers about her innocence and her suf-
ferings. This, we say, was not enough ! Over-
whelmed with sympathy, as the tender souls
affected to be, they could not start up as the
champions of the Princess of Wales, without
falling, like a gang of cannibals, upon Lady
* In that loyal and truly respectable paper, the Morn-
ing Post, of September 11, 1806, and other periods of that
year, some liberal writing appeared in defence of a branch .
of the Royal Family, against the unmanly assaults of certain
seditious characters ; and in the same article, their slander-
ous attacks upon a defenceless female (the Princess of
Wales) are pointedly execrated.
c 2
20
Douglas, and tearing her reputation piece-
meal !
And what, after all, is the sum and substance
of Lady Douglas's offending? It would, we
are bold enough to insist, in defiance of all
the base crew of sycophants, be extremely
difficult to make out a case less criminal,
or even, on the whole, less censurable, than
that of this female. Those who choose to
believe that the statement which she has given
in the following pages is not totally false,
or completely manufactured, will also believe,
that the treatment she experienced at Monta-
gue-house wns most unhandsome, capricious,
and insulting. They may puzzle themselves
in vain to discover what improper conduct La-
dy Douglas was guiljy of, except that of ever
again setting her foot in Montague-house, after
the conversation she says she was insulted by
hearing on two or three occasions ! She was evi-
dently treated with disrespect, by one certainly
of a much higher rank than herself, but who ap-
pears to iiave courted her acquaintance; and
21
*
disrespect, without any plausible reason for
it, towards a person of character and educa-
tion, ought never to be overlooked, but ought,
on the contrary, under peculiar circumstances,
always to be followed by indignation!* For,
after all that can be said by parasites, how
insignificant is the glare of inflated rank, when
opposed to the enviable brilliancy of natural or
acquired talents. But we must abstain from
digression. The poet justly says,
" Hell has no fury like a woman scorn'd. "
Such conduct as that of Lady Douglas might
therefore naturally be expected from any
one; for the causes which are asserted to
have led to it would have stimulated the most
generous disposition to resentment. In short,
the only circumstance which her public ene-
mies advance, as derogatory to her character,
appears, in the opinion of the unprejudiced,
a point materially in her favour. " She did
not (say her revilers) make any stir in the busi-
* Verbum satis sapient i bus ! HOR.
32
ness for FOUR YEARS after the occurrences took
place." This, then, instead of demanding
censure, ought to be viewed as a remarkable
proof of her forbearance. She had buried in
oblivion her resentment at the treatment she
experienced : she wrote no Book on the sub-
ject, nor did she transmit any comments on it,
in her correspondence with her friends, other-
wise the investigation could not have been
delayed for a single quarter of a year ! ! But,
however prudent might be her own conduct,
she could not lay an injunction on the tongues
of others! It was, of course, at Montague-
house that the buzzing first commenced, and
not at the peaceful retreat of Lady Douglas.
At the former mansion, the subject was cer-
tainly a constant topic of conversation, (we
make no allusion to the child, we speak only
of the "flirting"} and the ribaldry of Robert
Bidgood, Fanny Lloyd, t/te delicate-nerved,
fainting virgin, Mary Wilson, and the domestics
in general, was the real cause of the proceedings
that were deemed necessary ; not the " insinu-
23
ations" of Lady Douglas, who really appears
to have insinuated nothing whatever, till she
was COMMANDED to speak out. As to Bid-
good, it will be seen* that he deposed to cir-
cumstances, (only on hearsay evidence, to be
sure) which were calculated to satisfy the
most curious ; and which would undoubtedly
have caused this person or his informants to
be visited by prosecution and exemplary
punishment, if some very cogent reasons (such,
perhaps, as the difficulty of proving the slan-
der against those who first set it afloat) had
not operated to prevent a pursuance of the
matter to extremities!
When, however, the reported transactions
at Montague-house had become a theme of
fashionable notoriety, and an inquiry" in to their
truth or falsehood was indispensable, Lady
Douglas was applied to^ because the servants
had frequently spoken of her intimacy there,
and of the rupture of the feeble partiality rais-
* In Edwards's edition of The Book, p. 104.
24
called friendship. It was not supposed, that
she would fabricate base reports ; but she
might either corroborate or overturn the insinu-
ations of others, by deposing to circumstances
of which she had been an eye-witness.
Placed, then, in a situation which compelled
her to disclose the nature and all the circum-
stances of her intercourse witK the Princess
of Wales, she evidently seeuas to have entered,
with distressing repugnance to her feelings,
into such details as have been arranged in the
!
following narrative. But the subject was far
too important to allow of its illustrations rest-
ing upon mere assertions. The sacred formal-
ity of an oath was therefore wanting, to give
effect to her communications. Thus, when an
examination was deemed necessary, before the
members of the privy council, she was brought
forward, to confirm the matters which she had
previously transmitted in writing; and those
who will take the trouble of comparing her
DEPOSITION UPON OATH, as it appears
in all the numerous editions of the Book, with
25
the NARRATIVE which follows these re-
marks, will find that there is not the least in-
consistency or contradiction between the one
and the other; but, in the account here pre-
sented to the public, whatever could be remem-
bered as bearing upon the subject, has been
introduced.
And we would here ask the reader, whether,
in the whole course of the persecution, any
disposition has been manifested, on the part of
Lady Douglas or her husband, to recant or
extenuate any part of those statements which
she has thought proper to make at her dif-
ferent examinations? There has not even been
a rumour of such an inclination. Thev soli-
V
cited, on the contrary, to be allowed, to prove
the truth of certain matters which they had as-
serted, as far at least as these could be proved
by the indirect evidence they might offer ; but
they sought in vain for permission to re-estab.-
lish that reputation o/ which a senseless cla-
mour had deprived them ; for this attempt,
they received only a new portion of contume-
26
ly; and they retired in disgust from a contest,
in which their earnest protestations were repro-
bated with a scurrility worthy of St. Giles's !
Is this justice is this reason is this human-
ity nay, is it decency? What right has any
person, on such common place and ex-parte
grounds as are alone before him, to impeach
Lady Douglas's veracity, or to question the
integrity of her motives ? But the fact is, that
her character has been immolated to satiate
party prejudice, and the high rank of the Per-
sonage whose conduct she scrutinized has
O . ,
formed the altar of sacrifice!
But Lady Douglas may still have hopes of
receiving justice from the British people : they
possess the same manly feelings as ever, and
their natural abhorrence of oppression will, at
no remote time, cause them to believe, that
this female has been injured by their prema-
ture opinion. Their returning sense of justice
will begin by the reflection, that her assevera-
tions have been sanctioned by that most so-
lemn of moral obligations which gives to the
27
transactions of mankind the seal and stamp of
veracity ! And unless this sacred form of re-
ligion were to be credited in a far higher de-
gree than mere assertions, there must be an
end of all trust and confidence in the world.
Let her enemies therefore remember, that when
she was forced to give her deposition, she made
a solemn appeal to GOD to witness the truth
of all which it contained ; hence, if mankind
refuse to believe, the Almighty is a judge of
her sincerity; and the least that can be said of
those who presume to arraign the truth of her
testimony, is, that they are guilty of a gross
act of wickedness and immorality.
But we have no objection to waive this pow-
erful auxiliary, this sheet-anchor on which the
reputation of the Douglas family may be sup-
posed to rely. The public have already had
time to try the merits of the topic by the
balance of common-sense, *
There are certain acts in this life which re-
quire no illustration, because they carry their
own evidence along with them. Nobody, for
28
example, can deny, that there were certain
extravagancies committed at Montague-house,
which would have called forth the suspicions
and ridicule of the most purblind dolts that
ever filled domestic situations. The servants,
however, at that petty palace, were by no
means of this description. It was made a
complaint by the Princess herself, that Mr.
Bidgood had had too good an education for his
place; and even in the remarks of Fanny
Lloyd, and most of the other females, we dis-
cover a habit of 'Observation which bespeaks
intelligent minds, who, at only a false alarm of
dishonour, feel the blush of shame and indig-
nation mantle in their cheeks ! Such people,
if not capable of logical disputation, can at
least assimilate causes with effects, and draw
inferences in the ordinary language which car-
ries on the human intercourse. They can ar-
gue, that grass cannot sprout up without seed
being sown, or that a house cannot be built
without bricks and a foundation ; and, from
similar antecedentia and consequentia, they
29
agree, that, as Lady Douglas was once upon
terms of extreme intimacy with the Princess of
Wales, their misunderstanding could not have
originated in nothing; and theij* friendship, as
it is called, could not have terminated without
something outrt having occurred on one side or
the other. But as, in this blessed piece of bu-
siness, they cannot rake up even a rumour of
misconduct on the part of Lady Douglas,
their ultimate inference is evident. Such is the
reasoning of nature, which " needs not the
aid of foreign ornament!"
But it is not Sir John and Lady Douglas
alone, who have been subjected to a severe
moral injury through this precious affair. We
do in our conscience believe, that the conduct
of a certain set towards the illustrious" Regent
was meant to be most disrespectful, disloyal,
and infamous. For the last seven years, the
Personage in question has, on this account,
been assailed by all the repulsive contumely and
insinuations of malice and impudence. To give
an additional colour to their condemnation of his
30
domestic resolutions, all his juvenile errors and
indiscretions were raked up from the ob-
livion into which time and liberality had cast
them, to be hurled at his devoted head, in fur-
therance of the long-existing project for de-
stroying the attachment between people and
prince! And here we cannot but digress, to
lament that the cry of reprobation was first
issued by the staunch and veteran advocates
of church and king. On this occasion, the
persons in question laboured under the influ-
ence of that " dreadful termagant," excessive
zeal, -which certainly outran their discretion,
and left them no time to reflect on the conse-
quences of the line they were pursuing. Look-
ing only at the moral influence of example, in
the separation of the royal pair; forgetting
that a similar example existed in a preceding
reign of the house of Brunswick ; and being,
even down to the present moment, in total
ignorance of the real CAUSES which induced
a separate establishment, they ran into ex-
tremes ; they could see nothing but a blaze
31
of virtue, ability, innocence, and injury, on
one side, and a mass of vice, apathy, and
cruelty, on the other! Yet here, as Voltaire
says, " they were in error;" for they would
have come nearer to the fact, if they had be-
lieved, with' that Sir John in the play, that
" indeed there are faults on both sides!" The
very idea of an unfortunate stranger being
in England, married, persecuted, and aban-
doned, is at any time, and we hope will ever be,
sufficient to raise for her a phalanx of indig-
nant and sympathetic defenders. So it hap-
pened with the Princess of Wales. All those
well-meaning persons who pique themselves
on their excessive LOYALTY, took the part of
this unfortunate Personage, because they pre-
supposed her injured, in the evidence of her
living apart from her husband ; while such
a supposition was not only disloyalty itself,
as believing the husband to possess a heart
capable of inflicting injury on the wife, but, as
it indicated a willingness on the part of other
eminent characters to sanction illiberality, it be-
came a libel on the honour and integrity of the
whole of the Court and the Cabinet. We know
many of these persons who have lately thought
proper materially to alter their sentiments !
They have regretted their premature and par-
tial interference, and their error must find
excuse in the negative merit of good intentions!
Their sensations, on discovering that their re-
prehensions have afforded a machine for the
enemies of legitimate monarchy to degrade
and calumniate the Heir to the Throne, may
be unpleasant; they will operate as an ex-
ample, and under its influence we leave them,
with sentiments of perfect charity; observ-
ing by the way, that neither the Prince nor
Lady Douglas owes any more to their liberal-
ity than they owe to that of the prejudiced
mob!
It is, however, by no means the object of
this essay to justify the conduct of one per-
sonage, or to stigmatize the indiscretions of
another; but it is our opinion, that, as the
public cannot correctly know the causes of a
33
certain lamentable family dissention, an over-
strained zeal, on either side, must be unser-
viceable and officious; and heaven knows, if
zeal and officiousness- be ever so elastic, they
have been strained beyond all reason on a
late occasion. In future, (although we sin-
cerely hope that this matter is set at rest
for ever) the public will do credit to their
character for impartiality, not to be too pre-
cipitate in their judgment ; for, priests may
preach and philosophers may reason ; but,
after all, they will find it a hard task to make
black appear white, or to reconcile deep-rooted
antipathies! As to the general conduct of one
great character, it is certainly capable of much
extenuation. All, however, that shall be said
here on this delicate topic is, that if he may
have been in the habit of wandering with So-
lomon, he can at least plead in defence that he
never had the advantage of a body-guard of
such grave lecturers as David ! !
The obloquy thrown upon the noblemen
and gentlemen who formed the late and pre-
D
34
sent administration is only another link to the
chain of Jacobinical prejudice and injustice. It
is true, that the proceedings relative to the " In-
quiry took place when the Cabinet was formed
of certain characters known by the appella-
tion of " the Princes friends;" yet nobody
can doubt that some inquiry was absolutely
necessary, and it must have taken place un-
der any ministry. This, indeed, is proved
by the contents of the cabinet minute, of
April 21, 1807; and it is equally clear,
now the nature of the evidence is known
to all Europe,- that no commissioners could
have produced a Report more delicately
worded, 'or more decisive as to the innocence
of the Princess respecting the principal charge;
the sentiments contained in it were the sound-
est declarations of justice, blended with the
language of delicate reprehension. All, indeed,
that we have been astonished at, is, that a
clamour should be raised by one set of parti-
sans, because the Report contained even a sin-
gle passage that could be construed into cen-
35
sure! as if, because the main suspicion was
completely falsified, all the subordinate inci-
dents should have been passed over with silence,
which might have been rnjsconstrued into a sanc-
tion for their repetition ! A very pretty precedent
this would have been, indeed; for, afterwards,
who would have a right to complain, if the re-
sidences of hi'h characters should have re-
*^
sembled those of Messalina or Sardanapalus ?
That the conduct, however, of the noble Com-
missioners was perfectly independent, dignified,
and free from every shade of party feeling, is
evident, from the coincidence with their ob-
servations, of that administration of which
Mr. Perceval was the head ; which, in Ja-
nuary, 1807, declared that they " agree in the
opinions submitted to his Majesty in the ori-
ginal report!" *
So far, then, the Tory ministry declare, that
had they been in power, they would have acted
precisely the same as the Whigs. Does it not
therefore appear inconsistent, nay, even cruel,
for the first mentioned characters to say, in the
D 2
36
same document, that " they do not warrant ad-
vising that any farther steps should be taken
in the business, except only such as his Majes-
ty's law servants may, on reference to them,
think n't to recommend, for the prosecution of
Lady Douglas, on those parts of her Deposi-
tion which may appear to them to be justly
liable thereto?"
Thus, it seems as if the ministry of 1807
were loth to let the subject pass away without
the eclat of a sacrifice! The appearance of
Lady Douglas, moving in a circle, for an hour
in Palace-yard, would have been a spectacle
novel and interesting to John Bull ; and it re-
ally does appear to have been by a chance that
she escaped some kind of persecution, for com-
plying with the express commands of the Heir
Apparent. However, we know that neither
the late nor the present statesmen have thought
proper to direct any prosecution against her ;
and thus her character remains unvindicated ;
in short, she has no redress. What a singu-
lar and shameful situation for an individual to
37
be reduced to, in this boasted laii'l of liberty!
But it is farther remarkable, that the noble
Commissioners did not, in their Report, even
hint at the propriety of a prosecution. It was
left f6r the Princess's quondam friends, in coun-
cil assembled, to talk upon the subject, and
then to let it " vanish into air, thin air!"
It will be recollected, that, by the reported
proceedings in Parliament, on the 6th of
March last, the public were given to under-
stand, that no criminality was irnpti table to her
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales ; that
no case was made out, and that, therefore, the
House was of opinion, that miy farther inquiry,
for which Mr. Jolmslone moved, was superflu-
ous. This gentleman is also reported to have
said, that, " if he were rightly informed, Sir
John and Lady Douglas still persisted in the
same story ; and he asked, if all they maintain-
ed were so notoriously false, WHY WERE THEY
NOT PROS&CUTED?"
This is, indeed, a very plausible question.
If a//, all, is so notoriously false, why not in-
38
diet them at least fora, libel; seeing that, ac-
cording to the notions of some profound sage*
of the law, it would be difficult to prove a CON-
SPIRACY against them ! But it seems, from all
that has appeared on the subject, that these
persons are not t6 be intimidated \ by threats of
a prosecution, into a recantation of what they
have so solemnly sworn, and thus to put them-
selves in a condition to be prosecuted, by
standing self-convicted of perjury and detrac-
tion. This, however, is what seemed to be de-
sired by some shallow-headed parasites. But
it appears far more likely, that, after so much
perseverance, they will persist in the " same
story " for the remainder of their lives.
We have already alluded to the disgraceful
V O
misrepresentations of the conduct of the four
noble Commissioners who drew up the Re-
port. Although we acknowledge them to be as
much above the effects of the calumny as its
propagators are beneath contempt, we feel an
honest pride in paying our humble tribute to
their character. They are shielded by the
39
panoply of conscious rectitude ; and posterity
will justify the firmness with which they ful-
filled a most ob'noxious task, t!:e execution of
which it was impossible for them to decline.
Nor will any sophistry convince the reasonable
portion of the world, that the "serious admoni-
tion" recommended in the Report was not an
imperative duty on their part.
The publication of the Book has certainly
been favorable rather than disadvantageous to
the Douglases ; inasmuch as it puts a limit
to the previous exaggerations of their conduct.
In every other respect, its appearance is a cir-
cumstance deeply to be deplored. Many a
heavy sacrifice had been made to prevent the
contents of the Book from ever meeting the
public view ; and certainly the great Personage,
who was so anxious to prevent them from ex-
posure, was influenced by a feeling of repug-
nance at the universal publicity of the evi-
dence of Cole, Bidgood, and others ; at the
idea of which (in the words of the Times on
the llth of February last,) every sensitive
mind must shrink! Deaf, however, to the
suggestions of policy and reason, and wilfully
blind to all the Consequences of an inevitable
RE-ACTION of the public sentiment, the despe-
rate advisers of the Princess of Wales, by the
production of her memorable Letter, forced
from the sacred pigeon-holes of office the pre-
cious documents which they had so long con-
cealed. And now, like unskilful PhUetons,
they have excited a flame which cannot but be
unpleasant in the very quarter that, but for their
officious obtrusion, might have been for ever
screened from its effects !
At all events, the Princess of Wales lias
gained not/ting . whatever by these disclosures.
She has, on the contrary, been compelled to
submit to the indignity of receiving and hear-
ing from the Pariahs" of Britain, such libels
* Pariahs, as perhaps all our readers may know, are those
outcasts of India, whose very touch is considered as pollu-
tion, and who are consequently excommunicated, shunned,
and dt spised, by all persons who have the least pretensions
to character or respectability. The application will doubt-
41
against her illustrious family as they could not
have dared to utter without the opportunity
which she so unhappily afforded them ; while
etiquette required that she should repeat to
each gang, a different lesson of thanks and
gratitude ! ! !
As to the conduct of those by whom that il-
lustrious female is immediately surrounded
those
" Rash, inconsiderate, fiery, voluntaries,
With ladies' faces, but fierce dragons' spleens,"
we forbear to dilate upon it; because, by their
disreputable and absurd endeavours, they have
made themselves sufficiently ridiculous, and
marred the cause they attempted to support;
besides, let it be remembered, that OUR ob-
ject is NOT " to sting and venom!" If such
unworthy views could ever enter our contem-
plation, we possess the means of more completely
lessly be deemed appropriate for those far more infamous and
audacious reprobates at home, who are designated by sedate
land sensible people as Jacobins or seditious demagogues !
effecting that purpose than themselves, or,
perhaps, than any other persons who have yet
interfered with the subject. But, no! the mind
which dictates this effusion never yet lent its
energies to a deed of dishonour, nor ever will.
If it may assist in bringing Lady Doug-
las over the whirlpool of popular indignation,
enough will be attained.
For the rest, it shall be added, that, however
great may have been her indiscretions, she is
an extremely injured person. Nothing that
rank can offer or respectability accept, can
compensate for the unjust and cruel obloquy to
which she and her family have been subjected
through the honest performance of an impe-
rative duty towards the throne. It is from
the public that they have met their injuries:
from them, if they wait with fortitude and
patience, they may one day have retribu-
tion !
With a few words more we shall close these
preliminary remarks. The people of Eng-
land are egregiously disappointed as to the
43
contents of the 13ook. They persist in a be-
lief that all the facts which could have been
printed on this important and indelicate subject
have not appeared in it. THEY ARE COR-
RECT IN THEIR CONJECTURE! Yet
what right had ,the public to expect gratifica-
tion, at the expense of private peace and sensi-
bility? But they have only to recollect by
whom, and for what purpose, the said Book was
prepared; and, however greatly they may be
disappointed, they surely cannot be surprised!
The long suspense in which they were kept,
a suspense heightened by a thousand prepos-
terous exaggerations, excited a curiosity which
the Book has been very far from allaying:
time, however, may effect wonders !
We shall now r proceed to the narrative of oc-
currences, from the pen of Lady Douglas,
which will at least render more complete, by
forming a counterpart to, those numerous edi-
tions of the Book with which the world has
been inundated, but which only contain Lady
Douglas's DEPOSITION UPON OATH,
- 44
and not one syllable of the contents of the fol-
lowing pages!* The notes which are added
may be considered as so many rational obser-
vations, by a different hand, which the reader
can of course agree with, or dissent from,
according to the bent of his predisposed opi-
nions.
For ourselves, we feel so deeply for the situ-
ation of a certain illustrious female, that we la-
ment the necessity we have been under of mak-
ing 1 so many allusions to past and unpleasant
transactions. But the case in question is like
one in a court of law, where RANK with 'the
whole ^orld at its back is plaintiff, and unpro-
tected OBSCURITY is defendant. We have cho-
sen to become voluntary counsel for the latter,
and our attempt must find its excuse in the libe-
rality of the motive.
* It is not meant that the contents of the narrative ha\*e
never before appeared in print. To those who have read
one edition of the Book, it will not be new.
A NARRATIVE
or
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
WHICH TOOK PLACE AT
MONTAGUE-HOUSE. <>
BY LADY DOUGLAS.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having
judged proper to order me to detail to him, as heir ap-
parent, the whole circumstance of my acquaintance with
her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, from the day
I first spoke with her to the present time, I felt it my duty
as a subject to comply without hesitation with his royal
highness's commands : and I did so, because I conceived,
even putting aside the rights of an heir apparent, his royal
highness was justified in informing himself as to the ac-
tions of his wife, who, from all the information he had
collected, seemed so likely to disturb the tranquility of
the country ; and it appeared to me that, in so doing, his
royal highness evinced his earnest regard for the real in-
terest of the country, in endeavouring to prevent such a
46
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 disco-
vered in bringing 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 in Carl ton
House." (A.)
As an Englishwoman educated in the highest respect-
ful 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
has honoured with a public mark of his approbation, and
who is bound to the royal family by ties of respectful re-
gard and attachment, which nothing can ever break, I
feel it my duty to make known the Princess of Wales's
sentiments and conduct, now, and whensoever I may be
called upon. (B.)
For the information, therefore, of his Majesty and of
the heir apparent, I beg leave 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
47
daughter born upon the l?th 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 with snow, as I was sitting in my parlour*
which commanded a view of the Heath, I saw to my sur-
prise, the Princess of Wales, elegantly dressed in a lilac
satin pelise, 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
stopping, as if desirous of opening the gate in the iron
railing to come in. At first 1 had no conception her
royal highness reaily wished to come in, but must have
mistaken the house tor another person's, for I had never
been made known *o her, and 1 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, court-
sied (as I understood wa- j customary); to my astonish-
ment she returned my courtsey by a familar nod, aud
stopped.
Old Lady Stuart, a West Indian lady, who lived in my
immediate neighbourhood, and who Mas in the habit of
coming to see me, was in the room, and said, " You
should go out, her royal highness Vvants to come in out of
the snow." Upon this I went out, and she came imme-
diately to me and said, " I believe you are Lady Douglas,
and you have a very beautiful child; I should like to see
48
it." I answered that I was Lady Douglas. Her royal
highness then said, " I should like of all things to see your
iittle child." I answered 'hut I was very sorry 1 could
not have the honour 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. I held open the gate, and the Princess of Wales
and her lady, Miss Heyman (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 nonsense. After her royal highness had amused
herself as long as she pleased, she inquired where Sir John
Douglas and Sir Sydney Smith were, and went away,
having shook hands with me, and expressed her pleasure
at having found me out and made herself known : I con-
cluded that Sir Sydney 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 hate an airy room
appropriated to himself, as he was always ill in town, and,
frpm being asthmatic, suffered extremely when the wea-
ther was foggy in town. Sir John gave him that hospita-
ble reception he was in the habit of doing by all his
friends, (for I understand they have been known to each
49
other more than twenty years), and he introduced him to
me as a person, to \\hom he wished my friendly attentioa
to be paid; as I had never seen sir Sydney S:nith in my
life, until this period, when he became, as it were, a part
jof the family. vVhen I returned to town, I told sir John
Douglas the circumstance of the Princess having visited
ine, and a few days after this, we received a note from
Mrs. Lisle (who was in waiting) commanding us to dine at
Montague-house. (D.) We went, and there were several
persons at the dinner. I remember Lord and Lady Dart-
mouth, and I think Mr. and Mrs. Arbuthnot, &c. &c.
From this time the Princess made me frequent visits, al-
ways attended by her Ladies, or Mrs. Sander (her maid).
When Sander came, she was sent back or put in another
room ; but when any of her Ladies w r ere with her, we
always sat together. Her royal highness was never attend-
ed by any livery servants, but she always walked about
Blackheath and the neighbourhood only with her female
attendants. In a short time, the Princess became so ex-
travagantly fond of me, that, however flattering it might
be, it certainly was very troublesome. Leaving her attend-
ants below, she would push past my servant, and run up
r\
stairs into my bed-chamber, kiss me, take me in her arms,
and tell me I 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
50
high-flown compliments that women are never used to
pay to each other.(E.) I used to beg her royal highness not
to feed my self-love, as \ve had all enough of that, with-
out encouraging one another. She would then stop me,
and enumerate all my good points I had, saying she was
determined to teach me to set them off. She would e
claim, " Oh ! believe me, you are quite beautiful, different
from almost any English woman ; your arms are fine
beyond imagination, your bust is very good, and your
eyes, Oh, I never saw such eyes all other women who
have dark eyes look lierce, but your's (my dear Lady
Douglas) are nothing but softness and sweetness, and yet
quite dark." In this manner she went on perpetually, even
before strangers. (F.) I remember when I was one morn-
ing at her house, with her royal highness, Mrs. Harcourt,
and her ladies, the Duke of Kent came to take leave be-
fore his royal highness went to Gibraltar. When we were
sitting at table, the Princess introduced me, and said
" Your royal highness must look at her eyes ; 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 obliging, for he continued to talk with Mrs.
Harcourt, and took little notice, for which I felt much
obliged; but she persisted, and said a Take off your
hat." I did not do it, and she took it off; but lib royal
-
highness, I suppose, conceiving it would not be very
51
pleasant to me, took little notice, and talked ef some
thing else. (G.)
Whenever the Princess visited us, either sir John, or I,
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 that her royal highness
was a very singular and a very indiscreet woman, (H.) and
we resolved to be always very careful and guarded with
her; and when she visited us, if any visitor whosoever
came to our house, they were put into another room, and
they could not see the Princess, or be in her society,
unless she positively desired it. However her royal high-
ness forgot her high station, (and she was always forget-
ting it), we trust, and hope, and feel satisfied, we never
for 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
French proverbs, in which the Princess always cast the
parts and played ; musical magic, forfeits of all kinds ;
sometimes dancing ; and in this manner, either the Prin-
cess and her ladies with me, or we at Montague-house,
we passed our time. Twice, after spending the morn-
ing with me, she remained without giving me any pre-
vious notice, and would dine with us ; and thus ended the
year 1801.
52
In tlie month of February, before Miss Garth was to
come into waiting in March, 1802, the Princess, in on
of her morning visits, after she had sent Sander home,
said, " My dear Lady Douglas, I am come to see you
this morning to ask a great favour of you, which I hope
you will grant me." I told her, I was sure she could not
make any unworthy request, and that I could only say, I
should have great pleasure in doing any thing to oblige
her, but I was really at a loss to guess how I possibly
could have it in my power to grant her a favour. Her
royal highness replied, " what 1 have to ask is for you to
come and spend a fortnight with me ; you shall not be se-
parated 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 com-
plete suit of rooms for a lady and her servant. When
Mrs. Lisle was in waiting, and hurt her foot, she resided
there; Miss Heyinan always was there, and Lord and
Lady Lavington have slept there. When I have any
married people visiting me, it is better than their being in
tbe house, and we are only separated by a small garden.
I dislike Miss Gai ih, and she hates to be with me, more
than what her duty demands, and I don't -wish to trouble
any of my ladies out of their turn. I shall require you,
as lady in waiting, to attend ine in my walks, and when
I drive out ; v\ rite my notes and letters for me, and be
53
in the way to speak to any one\vho may come on business.
I seldom appear until about three o'clock, and >ou may
go home before I want you after breakfast every day." I
replied, that, being a married woman, I could not promise
ibr 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 venture to say he
would ailow me if he could; and when he came home I
asked him if I should go. Sir John agreed to the Prin-
cess's desire, and I took the waiting. During my stay 1
attended her royal highness to the play and the opera, 1
think twice, and also to dine at Lord Dartmouth's and
Mr. Windham's. (I.) At Mr/Windham's, in the evening,
while one of the ladies was at the harpsichord, the Prin-
cess 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 compre-
hend 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 r I told her I believed not ; that when the Prin-
cess thought proper to visit me, she always wanted it, and
I gave her what 1 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 for, and did o ; it was brought, and . the Princess
drank it all.
54
When at Lord Dartmouth's, his lordship asked me if I
was the only lady in waiting, being, I supposed, surprised
at my appearing in that situation, when, to his know ledge,
I had not known the Princess more than four mouths.
I answered, I was at 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. I 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 lilackheath. During this visit I was
greatly surprised at the whole stile of the Princess of
Waless conversation, u'hich teas 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 I went home hoping and be-
lieving .she was at times a good deal disordered in her
senses, or she never would have gone on as she did. (K.)
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 pai r
of slippers down at the heels.
55
After supper I attended her to the house. I found her
a person without education or talents, and without any de-
sire of improving herself. (L.) 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 tell him a fair lady was
in her Tower, that she left it to his own heart to find out
who it was, but if he was the gallant prince that sire
thought him, he would fly and see. I was amazed at
such a contrivance, and said, Good God! how could your
royal highness do so ? I really like Sir John better than
any body, and am quite satisfied and happy. I waited
nine years for him, and never would marry any other
person. The Princess ridiculed this, and said " Non-
sense, nonsense, my dear friend." In consequence of the
Princess's note, Prince William actually rode the next
morning to the Tower, but by good fortune Sir Sydney
Smith had previously called, and had 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 walking,
and we immediately walked away to Charlton, having first,
unperceived, seen Prince William ride back again, (of
course not very welt pleased, and possibly believing I had
a hand in his ridiculous adventure.) It seems he was an-
jry, for soon after his royal highness, the late duke of
Gloucester, came and desired to see the Princess, and
told her, that his son William had represented to him how
very free she permitted sir Sydney Smith to be, and how
constantly he \\as visiting at Montague-house ; that it
rested with herself to keep her acquaintance at a proper
distance; and as sir Sydney was a lively thoughtless man,
and had not been accustomed to the company 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 pe-
culiar 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
Mr. Cole to fetch me. (M.) I went into the drawing-room,
where the Duke and her royal highness were sitting, and
she introduced 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 me you have made (N.) one of the
most delightful children in the world ; and indeed it might
be so, when the mother was so handsome aiid good-
uatured-looking." By this time I was so used to these
fine speeches, either from the Princess, or from her
through others, that I was ready to laugh, and only said,
'' \Ve did not talk about much beauty, but my little girl
was iu good health, and her royal highness was very oblig-
ing." As soon as his royal highness \vas gone, the Princess
sent again for me, told me every word he had said, and
said, " he is a good man, and therefore. I 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
Sydney comes here to see you, and that you and he are
the greatest possible friends. I delight of all things in
cheating those clever people." Her speech and intentions
made me serious, and my miud was forcibly struck with
the great danger there would follow to myself, if she was
this kind of person. I begged her not to think of such a
thing, saying, your royal highness knows it is not so, and
although I would do much to oblige you, yet, when my
own character is at stake, I must stop. Good God,
Ma'am, his royal highness would .naturally repeat it, and
what should I do? Reputation will not bear being sported
with. The Princess took me by the hand, and said, " cer-
tainly, 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 much too good an opinion
of you, and too good an opinion of sir Sydney Smith.
It would be very bad in him, after sir John's hospi-
68
tality to him. I know him incapable of such a thing,
foi I have known him a long time ; but still I wonder too
in the samehouse it does nothappeu." (O.) By this time I
was rather vexed, and said, your royal highness and I
think differently Sir Sydney Smith comes and does as he
pleases to his room in our house. 1 really see little
of him. He 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 is 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. (P.) I said, I shall continue to think as Miss
Garth did, and that it depended very much upon the lady.
Upon the 2Qth of March, I left Montague House, and
the Princess commanded me to be sent up to her bed-
chamber. I went and found her in bed, and I took Mrs.
i m
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 hand, she said, " You see, my dear friend,
I have the most complaisant husband in the world I have
no one to controul me. I see whom I like, I go where I
like, I spend what 1 please, and his royal highness pays
for all other husbands plague their wives, but he never
plagues me at all, which is certainly being very polite and
59
coinplaisaut, and I am better off than my sister, who was
heartily beat every day. How much happier am I 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 shew you a
letter wherein the Prince of Wales gives me full leave to fol-
low my own plans." She then put the letter into my hands,
the particulars of which I have mentioned. (Q.) When
1 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
work!. I should have been the man, and he the woman.
I am a real Brunswick, and do not know what the sensa-
tion of fear is ; but as to him he lives in eternal warm water,
and delights 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." SLe then told every circum-
stance relative to her marriage, and that she would be se-
parated, 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 subject close upon them, whenever they
00
were at. "Montague House; for she told me more than
once she had. Her royal highness before she put the
letter by, said, " I always keep this, for it is ever neces-
sary. I will go into tho 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 at Carlton House, he often asked me
why I did not select some particular gentleman for my
friend, and was surprised I did not." She then added, " I
am not treated at all as a Princess of Wales ought to be-
As to the friendship of the Duke of Gloucester's family,
I understand that Prince William would like to marry
either my daughter or me, if he could. I now therefore
am desirous of forming a society of my own choosing, and
I beg yon always to remember, all your life, that I shall
always be hap^ to see you. I Uiiak you very discreet,
and the best woman in the world, and I beg you to con-
sider 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 always come to my
Tower. I hope to see you there very soon again. The
Prince has offered me sixty thousand if I'll go and live at
Hanover, but I never will; this is the only country in the
world to live in," (R,) She then kissed me, and I took
my leave.
61
While I had been in the round tower in Montague
O
I louse, which only consists of two rooms and a closet on
a floor, I had always my maid and child slept within
jiy room, and sir John was generally with me : he and all
my friends having free permission to visit. Mr. Cole
(the Page) slept over my room, and a watchman went
round the Tower all night. Upon my return home, the
same apparent friendship continued, and in one of her royal
highness's evening visits she told me, she was come to have
a long conversation 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 I gave it up, for I 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 I am sure you know all the while.
I thought you had completely 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?" J affected not to understand the Princess at all,
and did not really comprehend her. She then said, " well,
I'll tell; I am with child, and the child came to life whe
I was breakfasting with Lady Willoughby. The milk
flowed up into my breast so fast, that it came through
62
my muslin gown, and I was obliged to pretend that I had
spilt something, and go up stairs into Lady Willoughby's
room, and did very well, but it was an unlucky adventure."
I was, indeed, most sincerely concerned for her, conceiv-
ing ^t impossible but she must be ruined, and I expressed
my sorrow in the strongest terms, 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 me she would not employ me in the busi-
ness, for I was like all the English women, so very nervous ;
and she 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 Princess
added, " You will be surpiised to see how well I manage
it, and I am determined to suckle the child myself." I
expressed my great apprehensions, and asked her what
she would do if the Prince of Wales seized her person,
when she was a w r et uurse ? (S.) She said shew r ould 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 Avantures da Chevalier de
Grammont, yoit 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
t>3
Douglas of those times ; have you never heard of it ?" I
looked upon it as her own invention to reconcile my
mind to these kind of things. After this we often met,
and the Princess often alluded to her situation 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 Elizabeth,
in the Bible." When she was bl$d, she used to press
me always to be, and used to be quite angry that I would
not, and whatever she thought good for herself, always
recommended to me. Her royal highness now took every
occasion to estrange me from sir John, by laughing at
him, and wondering how I could be content with him >
urged me constantly tf> keep my own room, and not to
continue to sleep with him, and said, if I had any more
children, she would have nothing more to say to me. Her
design was evident, and easily seen through, and conse-
quently 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.(T.) I took especial care
therefore, that my regard for him x should not be under-
mined. I never told him her situation, and contrary to
her wishes, sir John and I remained upon the same happy
terms we always had.
64
It will scarcely be credited, (nevertheless it is strictly
true, and those who were, present must avow it, or perjure
themselves) i&hat liberty the Princess gate both to her
thoughts and her tongue, in respect to every part of tJie
royal family. (V .) It was disgusting to us beyond the power
of language to describe, and upon sach 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 Fitzgeralds,
sir Sydney Smith and ourselves, that when Mr. Adding-
ton had his house given him, his Majesty did not know
what he was about, and waved her hand round and round
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 niade by the son of a quack doctor." (U.)
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 no very
/ .
likely, a Russian Princess will marry the grandson of a
washerwoman." Sir Sydney Smith, who was present,
65
begged her pardon, asserted it was not so, and wished
to stop her, but she contradicted him, and entered into all
she knew of the private history of the Duchess's mother,
saying, " she was literally a common washerwoman, and
the Duchess need not to take so much pains and not to
expose her skin to the open air, when her mother had been
in it all day long."
When she was gone, sir John was vtry much disgusted,
and said, her conversation had been so low, and ill
judged, and so much below her, tkat he was perfectly
ashamed of her, and she disgraced her station : sir Sidney
Smith agreed, and confessed he was astonished, for it
must be confessed she was not deserving of her station.
After the Duke of Kent had been so kind as to come and
take leave of her, before he last left England, upon the
day I mentioned, she delivered her critique upon his royal
highness, saying, " He had the manners of a Prince, but
was a disagreeable man, and not to be trusted, and that
his Majesty had told him. l Now, sir, when you go to
Gibraltar, do not make such a trade of it as you did when
you went to Halifax.' The Princess repeated, upon my
honour it is true ; the King said, ' Do not make such a
trade of it.' She went on to say, " the Prince at first
ordered them all to keep away, but they came now some-
times : however they were no loss, for there is not a man
among them all, whom any one can make their friend."
66
As I was with the Princess one morning in her garden
house, his royal highness the Duke of Cumberland waited
upon her. As soon as he was gone, she said, " he was a
foolish boy, and had been asking her a thousand foolish
questions." She then told me every word of his secrets,
which he had been telling her ; in particular, a long story
of Miss Keppel, and that he said, the old woman left
them together, and wanted ^o take him in, and therefore
he had cut the connection. She said she liked his coun-
tenance best, but she could trace a little family likeness
to herself; but for all the rest they were very ill
made, and had plum-pudding faces, which she could
not bear. His royal highness the Duke of Cambridge
was next ridiculed. She said, " he looked exactly like
a Serjeant, and so vulgar with his ears full of powder."
This was her royal highness's usual and favorite mode
of amusing herself and her company. The conversation
was always about men, praising the Englishmen, reviling
all English women, as being the ugliest creatures in the
world, and the worst, and always engaged in some pro-
ject or another, as the impulses of the moment might
prompt, without regard to consequences or appearances.
Whether she amused other people in the same way, I
know not, but she chose to relate to me every private
circumstance she knew relative to every part of the royal
family, and also every thing relative to her own, with
67
such strange anecdotes, and circumstantial accounts of
things that are never talked of, that I again repeat, I
hope I si. all never hear again ; and I remember once in
my lying-in-room, she gave such an account of Lady
Ann Windham's marriage, and all her husband said on the
occasion, that Mrs. Fitzgerald sent her daughter out of
the room, while tar royal highness finished her story.
Such was the person we found her royal highness the
Princess of Wales, and as we continued to see her cha-
racter and faults, sir John and myself more and more,
daily and hourly, regretted that the world could not see
her as we did,, and that his royal highness the Prince of
Wales should have lost any popularity, when, from her
own account (the only account we ever had) she was the
aggressor from the beginning ; herself, alone ; and I as an
humble individual, declare, that from the most heartfelt
and unfeigned conviction, that I believe if any other
married woman had acted as her royal highness has done,
I never yet have known a man who could have endured
it; and her temper is so tyrannical, capricious, and fu-
rious, that no man on earth will ever bear it ; and, in pri-
vate life, any woman who had thus played and sported
with her husband's comfort and her husband's popularity,
would have been turned out of her house, or left by her*
slf in it, and would deservedly have forfeited her place in
society. I therefore again beg leave to repeat, from the
F 2
68
conviction of my own unbiassed understanding, and the
conviction of my own eyes, no human being could live
with her, excepting her servants for their wages ; and
any poor unfortunate woman like the Fitzgeralds, for their
dinner; (W.) and I trust and hope her real character will
sometime or another be displayed, that the people of this
country may not be imposed upon. The Princess was
now sometimes kind, and at others churlish, especially if
I would not fall into her plans of ridiculing sir John.
About this time, one day at table with her, she began
abusing Lady Rumbold (whom she had invited to see her
a few days before, to give her letters of recommendation
if she went to Brunswick), and as the abuse was in the
usual violent vulgar stile, and I had never seen Lady
Rumbold but that one morning, when she was her royal
highness's guest, and cared nothing about her, I did not
join in reviling her and Miss Rumbold. Sir Sidney
Smith was present, and as there appeared a great friend-
ship between the Rumbolds and him, I thought it nor
civil to him to say any thing, and one always conceives,
in being quite silent, one must be safe from offending any
party. I was, however, mistaken: for, observing me
quite silent, she looked at me in a dreadful passion, and
said, " why don't you speak, Lady Douglas? I know you
think her ugly as well as us a vulgar common milliner ;
Lord Heavens ! that she was ; and her daughter looks
69
just like a girl that walks up the street." I suppose she
expected, by this thundering appeal, to force me to join
IK the abuse ; but it had a contrary effect upon me. I
chose to judge entirely for myself, and I was determined
I would not ; therefore, when she had raved until she
could go on no longer, I said I did not think her ugly : it
was a harsh term I thought her manner very bad, and
that she was very ill-dressed ; but when young, I thought
she must have been a pretty woman. This was past
her power of enduring, which I really did not know, or I
would have remained silent. She fixed her eyes furiously
upon me, and bawled out, " then you're a liar, you're a
Jiar, and the child you're going to have will be a liar." I
pushed my plate from me, eat no more, and remained si-
lent, and my first impulse was to push back my chair and
quit the house, but the idea that I should break up the
party from table, and make a confusion, and also my not
being able to walk home, and my carriage not being
ordered until night, left me in the chair. The conver-
sation was changed ; at last, sir Sidney said again, " Well,
these ladies have had a severe trimming, they had better
not come to Blackheath ; and, there sits poor Lady Doug-
las, looking as if she were going to be executed." As
I was very far advanced in pregnancy, it agitated me
greatly, and I remained aloof and very shy all the evening.
When I afterwards wrote to sir Sidney Smith for sir John
70
upon some common occurrence, I said, I do not like the
Princess of Wales's mode of treating her guests: her
calling me a liar was an unpardonable thing, and if she
ever speaks upon the subject to you, pray tell her I did
not like it, and that, if I had been a man, I would have
rather died than endured it ; that it is a thing which never
4
on any account occurs to a lady ; on a repetition of it
I will give up her acquaintance. It seems sir Sidney
Smith spoke to the Princess upon the subject; for two
days before I was confined, she made me a morning visit
with the two Fitzgeralds, and, after having sat a short
time, said, " I find you were very much affronted the
other day at my house, when I called you a liar ; I de-
clare I did not mean it as an affront ; Lord heavens ! in
any other language it is considered a joke ; is it not, Mrs.
Fitzgerald?" meaning that in Germany it is a very good
joke to call people liars, (for Mrs. Fitzgerald does not
know any language but German and English) ; Mrg. Fitz-
gerald absolutely said, yes. They made me very nervous,
and I burst into tears ; and told the Princess I only wished
her to understand such a thing was never done, and was
far from desiring her to apologize to me; that I had now
forgiven and forgotten it, though I confess, at the time, I
was very much hurt, and very much wounded ; that as I iie-
verheard of its bung thought a joke in any country, (W.W.)
I was not in the least prepared to receive it in that light;
71
for that, in this country, ladies never used the expression
and men only to shew their greatest contempt; that I
never bore malice twelve hours in my life, and there was
an end of the matter. The Fitzgeralds sat by, sometimes
as audience, approving by looks; sometimes as orators,
begging me not to cry, (after they had made me), and
praising her royal highness as the most magnanimous,
amiable, good, beautiful, and gracious Princess in the
world. In short they tormented me till they made me
quite hysterical; and the Princess began then to be
frightened, and they all got up to look about the room
for hartshorn, or something of that kind, to give me
the Princess crying, " Give her something, give her some-
thing ; she is very much shook, and her nerves agitated;
she will be taken ill." They gave me some water, I be-
lieve, and I did all I could to recover my spirits; but I
felt in pain, and sir John came in soon after, and as I
knew it would hurry him if he saw me ill, I appeared as
cheerful as I could, and they all went away, the Princess
taking no notice to him. Her royal highness had always
said, she would be at my lying-in from the beginning to
the end, ,and commanded me constantly to let her know,
saying, " I have no fear about me, and 1 would as soon
come over the heath in the middle of the night as in the
day ; I shall have a bottle of port wine on a table to keep
up your spirits, a tambourine, and I'll make sing" (X.)
1 was unwell all the night after her royal highness had
been with me, and remained so all next day ; and next
morning by six o'clock was so ill, that Dr. Mackie, of
Lewisham, who was to attend me, was sent for. In
the forenoon I begged sir John to write a note for
Montague-house, where it so happened 1 was to have
dined with the party. He wrote that I had the head-ache,
and begged leave to remain at home, and the Princess be-
lieved it, and went to town ; but upon her return, at five
o'clock in the afternoon, she called before she went home
to dress, to ask after me, and finding how it was, wanted
to run up into the room, but Dr. Mackie said positively
she should not come, and locked the door nearest him to
keep her out. Miss Cholmondely and Miss Fitzgerald
were drove home, and her royal highness and Mrs. Fitz-
gerald stopped. Upon my giving a loud shriek, she flew
in at the other door, and came to me, doing every thing
she possibly could to assist me, and held my eyes and
head. The moment she heard the child's voice she left
me, flew round to Dr. Mackie, pushed the nurse away,
and received the child from Doctor Mackie, kissed it, and
said no one should touch it until she had shewn it to me.
Doctor Mackie was so confused and astonished, that, al-
though an old practitioner, he left the room without giving
me any thing to recruit my strength and avert fainting
as is the custom, and the nurse gave me what she thought
73
best; by which omission, however, I was not subject to
faint away, but it was certainly a new mode of proceed-
ing where life is at stake, and shewed more curiosity than
tenderness for me.
Before my little girl was brought to me, I observed, as
her royal highness stood holding it, that Mrs. Fitzgerald,
the Nurse, and herself, were all intent, and speaking toge-
ther, as if there was something peculiar in its appear-
ance ; the circumstance alarmed me, fearing it was born
with some defect, and I asked eagerly to see it, and if
all was right. The Princess upon this brought it to me,
and said it was a remarkable large fine child, and they
were only looking at a mark it had upon its left breast,
certainly a very large one, and a little on its eyes, but
it would go off. (Y.) I recollected that, although I never,
when in a pregnant state, was subject to whims or longing,
as thinking it very troublesome and foolish, yet I felt
obliged, in this instance, to believe the old received opi-
nion to be correct ; for it happened, that during my visit
at Montague-house, in March, I was one Sunday morn-
ing very much incommoded by pains in my chest and sto-
mach, and her royal highness made Mrs, Sander give me
some warm peppermint-water ; there was raspberry-
ice in the desert the same day, and I had just begun to eat
mine, when the Princess looked at me and said, " My
dear Lady Douglas, you have forgotten the pain you were
74
in this morning ; and, turning to her page, ordered him to
take away my plate.
Mr. Cole, the page, removed it, and I can never
describe my disappointment. I was almost inclined to re-
monstrate, although there was a large party of strangers,
and I did express a desire to retain it, but the Princess
would not allow of it : and as she had appointed herself
to the sole management of me, I was obliged to be
quiet : my uneasiness, however, became extreme, and for-
getting every thing but the ice in question, I asked a Mr.
Hamer, who sat next to me, to be so good as to ask for
some ice, and, by dint of asking him to do so, I at length
induced him, and at last he asked Lady Townsend for
some more ice. I immediately took my spoou, and
stooping a little, so that the flowers upon the plateau con-
cealed me in part from the Princess, eat all Mr. Hamer's
ice, while he looked on laughing, and put his plate a little
nearer to me that it might not look so odd. The follow-
ing day, I eat eight glasses of raspberry ice at once, and
was very well after it ; and from that time sought it every
where, and eat of it voraciously ; and I cannot help attri-
buting the marks of my little girl to the circumstance.
Her royal highness then kissed me, begged me to send for
her whenever I liked, and she would come ; desired 1
might have plenty of flannel about me, of which she ha< !
sent me some by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and then went home to
75
dinner. I know not what she said or did among her par-
ty at home, but Miss Cholmondely often said she should
never forget the Princess on that day. All the month of
August the Princess visited me daily ; in one of these vi-
sits, 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 have got through this affair; I,
who am not the least nervous, shall make nothing at all
of it. When you hear of ray having taken children in
baskets from poor people, take no notice; that is the way
I mean to manage : I shall take any that offer, and the one
I have will be 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." I said it was a perilous
business ; I would go abroad if I 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 I was very thankful. I put the question
to her, Who she would get to deliver her? but she
did not answer for a minute, and then said, I shall get a
person over ; I'll manage 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
76
Miss Ghaunt must be sent to Germany, and the third
maid, a young girl, kept out of the way as well as they
could. I suggested, I was afraid her appearance at St.
James's could not fail to be observed, and she would have
to encounter all the royal family. Her reply was, that
she knew how to manage her dress, and by continually in-
creasing large cushions behind, no one would observe, and
fortunately birth-days were over, until she should have
got rid of her appearance. In this manner passed all the
time of my confinement, at the end of which she sent
Mrs. Fitzgerald to the church, and when I went to pay
my duty to her royal highness, after I went abroad again,
she told me, whenever I was quite stout, she would have
the child christened, that she meant to stand in person,
and I must find another godmother ; Sir Sidney Smith
would be the godfather. I named the Duchess of Athol,
as a very able woman, of suitable rank, and said, that as
there had been a long friendship betwixt Sir John's fami-
ly and the Athol family, I knew it would be very agree-
able to him. Finding they were gone to Scotland, we
wrote to ask her Grace ; and she wrote word she would
stand godmother with great pleasure, and enclosed ten
guineas for the nurse. The Princess invited sir Sidney
Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Smith, and Baron
Herbert, and sir John Douglas, to dine with her. Miss
Cholmondeley and the two Fitzgeralds were with her roy-
77
al highness, and in the evening they all came ; I staid at
home to receive her. The clergyman from Lewisham
christened the child ; the Princess named it Caroline Sid-
ney. As soon as he was gone, (which was shortly after
the ceremony was over,) the Princess sat down upon the
carpet a thing she was very fond of doing, in preference
to sitting upon the chairs, saying, it was the pleasantest
lively affair altogether she had ever known : she chose
to sit upon the carpet the whole of the evening, while we
all sat upon the chairs. Her royal highness was dressed
in the lace dress which, I think, she wore at Frogmore
fete ; pearl necklace, bracelets, and arm-bands, a pearl
bandeau round her head, and a long lace veil. When
supper was announced, her royal highness went in and
took the head of the table, and eat an amazing supper of
chicken and potted lamprey, which she would have served
to her on the same plate, and eat them together. (Z.) Af-
ter supper, she called the attention of the party to my
good looks, and saying, I was as lively and as espiegle as
ever ; said, that I had such sharp eyes, I found her out in
every thing, adding, " Oh! she found me out one day in
such a thing when I was at luncheon, and gave me a look
which was so expressive, that I was sure she knew."
This speech, which passed between herself and me, was
algebra to the party. I did not know what to do, but I
*aw the secret cost her dear to keep, and she was ready to
78
betray it to any one she met, by the strange things she
aid and did ; I laughed and said, if my eyes have been
too observing I am sorry, I never intended them to be ; I
cannot be quite so polite as to say, " if my sight offends I
will put it out," because I think with Sheridan, that the
prejudice is strongly in favour of two ; but depend upon
it, at all future luncheons, I will do nothing but eat. (A. A.)
She was in great spirits, staid until two o'clock in the
morning, aud then, attended by Miss Cholmondeley and
the Fitzgeralds, went home. Her royal highness's civili-
ties continued; she desired me constantly to bring my
children to Montague-house, and also the infant; and
when I would have retired to suckle it, she would not suf-
fer me, but commanded me to do it in the drawing-room
where she was ; and she came with her ladies visiting me
both mornings and evenings, and nursing little Caroline
for hours together. I saw now the Princess had told Mrs.
Sander, who I believe was a very quiet good kind of wo-
man, and her countenance was full of concern and anxiety.
She appeared desirous of speaking to me, and was unu-
sually obsequious : but the Princess always watched us
both close ; if Sander came into a room, and I went to-
wards her, the Princess came close or sent one or ano-
ther away, so that I could never speak to her. The Prin-
cess had now quarelled with sir Sidney Smith, to whom
she had been so partial, and to every part of whose fami-
79
ly she had been so kind, telling us constantly that she liked
them all, because old Mr. Smith had saved the Duke of
Brunswick's life. (B.B.) As sir John was sir Sidney's
friend, she therefore was shy of us all, and we saw little of
her but on the 30th of October, I went to call upon her
before I left Blackheath, and met her royal highness just
returned from church, walking before her own house with
Mrs. Fitzgerald and her daughter, dressed in a long Spa-
nish velvet cloak and an enormous muff, but which toge-
ther could not conceal the state she was in, for I saw di-
rectly she was very near her time, and think I must have
seen it if 1 had not known her situation. She appeared
morose, and talked a little, but did not ask us to go in, and
after taking a few turns returned home. In about a fort-
night, we received a note, the Princess requesting neither
sir John or I to go to Montague-house, as her servants
were afraid some of the children she had taken had the
measles, and if any infection remained about the house,
we might carry it to our child. We wrote a note expres-
sive of our thanks for her obliging precautions, and that
we would not go to Montague-house, until we had the
honor of receiving her royal highness's commands. The
Princess never sent for us, and when I left my card be-
fore I went to pass Christmas in Gloucestershire, I was
not admitted ; so that / never saw her after the 13tk* of
30th.
80
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 my return to Blackheath in January,
T called to pay my duty. I found her packing a small
black box, and an infant sleeping on a sofa, with a piece"
of scarlet cloth thrown over it. She appeared confused, and
hesitated whether she should be rude or kind, (C.C.) but re-
covering herself, chose to be the latter; said, she was hap-
py to see me, and then taking me by the hand led me to
the sofa, and uncovering the child, said, " Here is the
little boy, I 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.
Fitzgerald opened the door and came in. The Princess
consulted what I had better have, what would be good
for me. I declined any thing, but she insisted upon it I
I
should have some soup, and said, " my dear Fitzgerald,
pray go out and order some nice brown 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 fable of the child having been brought by a
poor woman from Deptford, whose husband kad left her;
that Mr. Stikeman, the page, had the honour of bringing
81
it in, that it was a poor little ill-looking thing when first
brought, but now, \\iih such great care, was growing very
pretty, and that as her royal highness was so good, and
had taken the twins (\\hose father would not let them re-
main) and taken this, all the poor people would be bring-
ing 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 literal-
ly in the stile of a common nursery. The tables were
covered with spoons, plates, feeding-boats, and clothes;
round the fire were napkins hung to air ; and the marble
hearths were strewed icith napkins taken from the child; for,
very extraordinary to relate, this was a part of the cere-
mony her royal highness was particularly tenacious of ul-
&ayj 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 for two or three daysy but it did not
do, so we bring him up by hand with all kind of nourish-
ing things, and you see how well he thrives ; so that I re-
ally always supposed she had attempted to suckle "It.
o
82
Another time she showed me his hand, which has a pink
mark upon it, and said, it was very singular both our chil-
dren should be marked, and she thought her child's came
from having some wine thrown on her hand, for she did
not look much at little Caroline's mark. The Princess
now adopted a new mode of inviting us to see her. She
. '
would .either invite Sir John or I, but never both toge-
ther as formerly, I concluded from this, that as she
found it so difficult to keep even her own secret, she could
ill imagine I had been able to keep hers, and therefore un-
der 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 curious arranged party, J
will put down the names ; for, to the person who is to pe-
ruse 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 on the sofa,
elegantly dressed in white and silver drapery, which co-
rered her head and fell all over her person, and she had
trer little boy upon her knee elegantly dressed likewise.
The guests were, Her Royal Highness Princess Char-
lotte of Wales, with Miss Hunt her Governess, Captain
83
Manby of the Navy, Mr. Spencer Smith, the Fitzgeralds,
and ourselves. She got up and nursed the child, and car-
rying it to Sir John, said, " here, Sir John, this is the
Deptford boy, I suppose you have heard [ 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 then sat down to table, put-
ting a chair for Princess Charlotte on' her right hand, tak-
ing me by the hand and putting me on her left hand, told
Captain Manby to sit at the : top, and' Mr. Spencer
Smith at the bottom, and Sir John and the Fitzgeralds
faced as. Princess Charlotte had a plain dinner prepared
for her in another room, according in custom, and came
in when our desert was placed, when \ve all sat down
again as we were sitting, except Miss Hunt, who was ne-
-ver' ordered to sit, but stood a few yards from Princess
Charlotte. About five o'clock, her royal highress rose
from table, the little boy was brought in again, Princess
Charlotte played with it, and the Princess of Wales
wished all of us a good morning, and we broke up, total-
ly at a loss to conceive what amusement it could be to
collect us together. This breakfast was a kiud of Jinale.
We had very little intercourse. Her royal highness
would walk past our house, for the express purpose of
i
shewing she did not mean to come in, and when we did
see her she always abused Sir Sidney Smith. Often
84
said, she wondered I liked to live in such a dull place as
Blackheath, and, in short, gave us hints we could not
misunderstand, 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 determined to
go, to emancipate ourselves from the Princess of Wales,
and as soon as we could dispose of the furniture, I fol-
lowed him, leaving the house empty which was onrs ;
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; overpoteering him
and myself noro with kindness, 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 very kind to me during his absence; however, after he
was gone, she never came near me, or offered me any
kind of civility whatsoever.
When I was on the eve of departure, I called upon
her and took her god-daughter and my other little girl with
me. She was almost uncivil, and paid little or no atten-
tion if I spoke. I said the children were with me, but
she did hot answer, and after spending four or five hour?
X
85
very unpleasantly, suffering all the unpleasant feeling of
being where I had been courted and idolized, I begged
permission at last to go away. When I went out, to my
surprise, I found the children had been kept in the pas-
sage near 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
housekeeper'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 under-
stand 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. I
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 impertinence, and which was doubly
cruel in sir John's absence; but I deferred going until I
meant to take my final leave, which I did on the follow-
ing Sunday. Doctor Burnaby was standing in the hall
with every thing prepared for the Princess to receive the
sacrament. I was ushered through notwithstanding, and
the footmen seemed to go to and fro as much at their
ease, as if no such thing was preparing. She was stand-
ing in the drawing-room, and received me with Mrs.
Lisle and Mrs. Fitzgerald. I said I should have been
gone before, had it been in my power, and in compliance
86
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 I had
brought my little girls a few days past, and that I should
never have done so, but from her royal highness's re-
peated desire. She said, she was sorry ; and asked, who
used them so. I told her, one of her livery servants, and
sir John would not like to hear it. Her royal highness
said, stop a moment; flew past me through the hall
where Doctor Burnaby stood waiting for her, up to her
own room, and returned with a white-paper box, push-
ing it into my hand God bless you, my dear Lady Doug-
las. I said, I vfished to decline taking any thing, that
my object in coming there was to offer her my duty, and
tell her how ill my children had been used. I could not
conceive how any footman could use the freedom of treat-
ing sir John's children so, unless he had been desired.
She only answered, " Oh ! no, indeed : good bye." I
attempted to put the box into her hands, saying I had ra-
ther not have it ; but she dropped her hands and turned
away. I therefore wished Mrs. Lisle and Miss Fitzge-
rald good morning and went away. Doctoi Burnaby
spoke to me as I passed him, and, looking back, I saw
her royal highness's head; she was looking out after me
to see if she had fairly got rid of me, and laughing im-
moderately at Dr. Burnaby in his gown I quitted her
87
house, resolved never to re-enter it but for form-sake, and
wrote her word, that as I had long been treated rudely
and my children whom she courted to her house, were
now nsulted there, I felt a dislike to accepting a present
thrown at me, as it were, under such unpleasant circum-
stances ; that I had not untied the box, and requested she
would permit me to return it ; and that as I \vas an Eng-
lish gentlewoman, and defied her to say she had ever seen
a single impropriety in my conduct, I would never suffer
myself to be ill used without a clear explanation. The
Princess wrote back a most haughty imperious reply, de-
siring me to keep the box, stiled herself Princess of Wales,
in almost every line, and insulted me to such a degree, that
I returned an answer insisting upon her explaining her-
self. (D.D.) This she returned me unopened, saying, she
would not open my second letter, and had therefore sent it
to me to put in the fire, and that she was ready to put the
matter in oblivion, as she desired me to do, wished me
and my dear little children well, and should at all times
be glad to see her former neighbour. I did as she de-
sired, and went away at Christmas without ever seeing or
hearing more of her royal highness, and found in the
paper box a gold necklace, with a medallion suspended
from it.
Thus ended my intercourse, for the present, with the
Princess of Wales, and the year 1 803.
88
When tve resided in Devonshire, seeing by the papers
that her royal highness was ill, we sent a note of enquiry
to the lady in waiting, which was answered very politely,
and eveu in a friendly manner, by her royal highness's
orders. Upon the arrival of the Duke of Sussex from
abroad, sir John returned to town to attend him, and
when we drove to Blackheath to see our friends, I left
my card for her royal highness, who was visiting Mr.
Canning ; the moment she returned home she commanded
Mrs. Vernori to send me word never to repeat my visits
to Blackheath. I gave sir John the note, and must con-
fess, accustomed as I had been to her haughty overbear-
ing caprice, yet this exceeded my belief of what she was
capable of, being so inconsistent with her two last letters ;
but the fact was, she thought we were gone above 200
miles from her, and should be there for many years, and
she never calculated upon the return of his royal highness
the Duke of Sussex, having very often told me his royal
highness would never live in England, in his majesty's life-
time ; that she was certain of that, and had reasons for
knowing it ; and sir John would never have him here.(E.E.)
I suppose she had taken this into her head, because she
wished it; and, therefore, the return of his royal highness
was a mortal death-blow to all her hopes on this score ;
and when she found that his royal highness vras not only
returned, but that sir John was in attendance, and that
89
his royal highness was at Carlton-house, where sir John
might see and have the honour of being made known to
the Prince of Wales, her^eflr and rage got the better of
every prudent consideration, and she commanded Mrs.
Vernon to dismiss me as I have mentioned. Had the
Princess of Wales written to me herself, and told me, in
a civil manner, that she would thank me to keep away, I
should have acquainted her, that I wished to do so, and
had only called for the sake of appearances, and there the
matter would have ended ; unless I had ever been called
upon (as I am now) by his Majesty, or the heir apparent.
In that case, as in this, I should have made it my sacred
duty to have answered, as upon my oath : but the circum-
stance of being driven out of her house by the hands of
the lady in waiting, as if I had deserved it, and as if I were
a culprit, was wounding one with a poisoned arrow,
which left the wound to fester after it had torn and stab-
bed me; it was a refinement in insult, for the Princess
had always been in the habit of writing to me herself, and
had commanded me never to hold intercourse with her
through her ladies, but always directly to herself; and so
particular were her directions and permission upon this
head, that she told me never to put my letters under cover,
but always direct them to herself.(FF.) I felt so miserable,
that Mrs. Vernon, to whom I was known, and for whom
sir John and myself had an esteem, should think ill of me,
90
and I therefore wrote to the Princess, saying, " From the
moment she judged proper to come into my family, I
always conducted myself to her royal highness with the
respect her high station demanded ; and that when she
forced her secrets upon me, I had (whatsoever my senti-
ments were) kept them most honourably for her, never
yet having told sir John, although I gave him my full
confidence in all other things ; nor had I even, under my
present aggravation, imparted it, or meant : that after
such generous conduct on my part, I was at a loss to con-
ceive what she proposed to herself by persecuting me ;
that I was afflicted at being so placed in the opinion of a
good woman, like Mrs. Vernon, and who was free to say
what she pleased upon the subject every where; that it was
half as bad to be thought ill of as to deserve it; and that
I would wait upon Mrs. Vernon, and detail to her a cir-
cumstantial account of every thing which had occurred
since I had known her royal highness ; and I would ac-
quaint my husband and family with the same, and leave
them, and the circle of my friends, to judge betwixt her
royal highness and myself; that I would not lie under
an imputation of having done wrong ; and I took my leave
of her royal highness for ever, only first regretting I had
ever known her, and thankful to be emancipated from
Montagues-house, and that she owed it to me to have,
91
at least dismissed me in a civil manner, by her own
hands."
This letter her royal highness returned unopened ; but
from its appearances, I had strong reason to believe she
had read it. I was resolved, however, if she had not, she
should be taught belter, as she might not treat any other
person so ill as she had me, and my mind was bent upon
speaking to Mrs. Vernon. I was nearly certain, if I
wrote to Mrs. Vernon, the Princess would make her send
my letter back, and therefore I wrote Mrs. Fitzgerald
nearly a copy of what I sent her royal highness, and called
upon her, as she had been always present, to say, if she
ever saw any thing in my behaviour to justify any rudeness
towards me ; that I was precisely what the Princess found
me, when the Princess walked up to her knees in SHOW to
seek my acquaintance, and precisely the same individual
whom she had thought worthy of the strongest proofs of
her friendship, and whose lying-in she had attended in so
particular a manner, and had thought worthy of shedding
tears over ; that her royal highness had thought proper to
confide in me a secret, of very serious importance to her-
self; and 1 would not, after acting in the most honourable
manner to her, be dismissed by a lady in waiting ; and I
meant to be at Montague-house, and have a satisfactory
conversation with Mrs. Vernon ; arid therefore she would
be so good as acquaint her royal highness with the contents
92
of my letter, or lay it before her royal highness. (G.G.)
Mrs. Fitzgerald sent back a confused note, saying, she
could not shew the Princess my letter, unless she was
called upon; and when she opened it her disappointment
was great, for she expected to have found respectful in-
quiries after her royal highness's finger (which was hurt
when she went to see Mr. Canning), and that I might
make my mind easy, as ladies in waiting never repeated
any thing ; and she was astonished I had thrown out such
a hint. A day or two after a note was sent to sir John,
as if nothing had happened, requesting him to go to Mon-
tague-house. The servant "who brought it, drove Mrs.
Vernon from Blackheath 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
highness's summons, and she received him in the most
gracious pleasant manner, taking as much pains to please
and flatter him now as she had formerly done by me, and
began a conversation with him relating to a General Innes,
of the Marines, whom the Admiralty thought proper,
with many others, to put upon the retired list ; she ex-
pressed an ardent desire to get that officer reinstated, and
consulted sir John, as belonging to the same corps, how
she could accomplish such an undertaking. Sir John
listened to her attentively, and made her short and very
93
polite answers, acquainting her 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 herself and
the ladies. Sir John found Mrs. Venion w : as sent off,
and a lady was there whom he did not know, but thought
was lady Carnarvon. When they were all seated Mi-
John remained on his legs, and she looked anxiously on
him, and said, " My dear sir John, sit down and eat."
He bowed with distant respect, and said he could not
eat; that he was desirous of returning 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 eat nor drink. " Well
then," she said, " come again soon, my dear sir John ;
always glad to see you." Sir John made no reply, bowed
and left the room. I now received, by the twopenny
post, a long anonymous letter, written by this restless
mischievous person, the Princess of Wales, in which, in
language, which any one who had ever heard her speak,
would have know'n to be hers, she called me all kind of
names, impudent, silly, wretched, ungrateful, and illiteral
(meaning illiterate), she tells me to take that, and it will
mend my ill-temper, &c. &c. &c. and says, she is a person
94
high in this government, and has often an opportunity of
*freely with His Majesty, and she thinks my conduct au-
thorises her to td! him ojf] and that she is my onjy true
and integer friend. Such -is the spirit of this foreigner,
which would have disgraced a house-maid to have written,
and it encloses a fabricated anonymous letter, which
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 that I am indiscreet, and tell every
body that the child she took from Deptford, was her own.
The whole construction of both these epistles, from be-
ginning 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 impudence to come
on her door again, and tells me 'tis for my being indiscreet
and not having attozeed her to call me a liar, that she treats
me thus, and that I would do well to remember the story
of Henry 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 the answer to it. I immedi-
ately carried it to sir John Douglas, who said he was sure
it came from the Princess, and he shewed it to sir Sidney
So ia the authenticated copy ; some words seem omitted.
95
Smith, who said, every word and expression in it were those
which the Princess of Wales constantly used.(H.H.) Sir
John desired me now to give him a full explanation of
what her royal highness the Princess of Wales had con-
fided to me, and whether I had ever mentioned it. I
gave him my solemn word of honour it had never passed
my lips, and I was only now going to utter it at his posi-
tive desire. (I.I.)
That her royal highness the Princess of Wales told me
she was with child, and that it came to life at Lady Willough-
by's, that if she was discovered she would give the Prince
of Wales the credit, for she slept at Carlton-house twice
the year she was pregnant ; that she often spoke of her
situation, compared herself and me to Mary and Elizabeth,
and told me, when she shewed me the child, that it was
the little boy she had two days after I last saw her, that
was the 30th of October ; therefore her sou was born upon
the 1st of November, and I took a retrospect view of
things after I knew the day of his birth, aud found her
royal highness must have gone down stairs and dined with
all the Chancellors about the 4th day after she was de-
livered, 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 mother of the reputed Dept-
9(J
ford child. (K.K.) I then acquainted him of the pains she
had taken to estrange my mind and affections from him, and
he saw her pursuit of now changing sides, and endeavour-
ing to estrange him from me, lest, if we lived in a happy
state of confidence, I might make known her situation to
him : and we agreed, that as we had no means of commu-
nicating at present with his Majesty, or the heir apparent,
we must wait patiently until called upon to bring for-
ward her conduct, as there seemed little doubt we should
?
one day be. Finding that sir John Douglas did not
choose to visit where his wife was discarded and hurt in
the estimation of her acquaintance, her fury became so
unbounded that she sought what she could do most atro-
cious, wicked, and inhuman; she reached her* it
would seem, and the result was, she made two drawings
with a pen and ink, and sent them to us by the twopenny
post, representing me as having disgraced myself with his
old friend sir Sidney Smith. They are of the most inde-
cent nature, drawn with her own hand, and words upon
them in her own hand-writing.(L.L.) Sir John, sir Sidney,
and myself, can all swear point blank, w ithout a moment's
hesitation ; and if her royal highness is a subject and amena-
ble to the laws of this country (and I conceive her to be
so,) she ought to be tried and judged by those laws for
A blank in the authenticated copy,
97
doing thus, to throw firebrands into the bosom of a quiet
family.
My husband, with that cool good sense which has ever
marked his character, and with a belief in my innocence,
which nothing but facts can stagger (for it is founded upon
my having been faithful to him nine years before we were
married, and seven years since), as well as his long ac-
quaintance with sir Sidney Smith's character and dispo-
sition, and having seen the Princess of Wales's loose and
vicious character, put the letters in his pocket, and went
instantly to sir Sidney Smith. Sir Sidney was as much
astonished as we had been. Sir John then told him, he
put the question to him, and expected an answer such as
an officer and gentleman ought to give to his friend; sir
Sidney Smith gave sir John his hand, as his old friend
and companion, and assured him, in the most solemn
manner, as an officer and gentleman, that the whole was
the most audacious 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 said a word to your wife, but what you might have
heard ; and had I been so base as to attempt any thing of
the kind under your roof, I should deserve for you to
shoot me like a mad dog. I am ready to go with Lad/
98
Douglas and yourself, and let us ask her what she means
by it; confront her." Accordingly Sir John wrote a note
to the lady in waiting, which was to this effect; "sir John
and Lady Douglas, and sir Sidney Smith, present their
compliments to the lady in waiting, and request she will
have the goodness to say to her royal highness the Prin-
cess of Wales, that they are desirous of having an audience
of her royal highness immediately." We received no
answer to this note, but in a few days, an answer was sent
to sir Sidney Smith, stating, that her royal highness the
Princess of Wales was much indisposed and could not see
any one at present. This was directed to sir Sidney
Smith, at our house, although he did not live there. This
was an acknowledgement of her guilt : she could not face
us ; it was satisfactory to us all, for it said I am the
author, let me off; but to make one's satisfaction upon
this the more perfect, and to warn her of the danger she
run of discovery, when she did such flagrant things, I
wrote the under-written note and put it 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,
CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS."
99
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 high-
ness the Duke of Kent, and requested him to send for sir
Sidney, and by the post sir Sidney received an anony-
mous letter, saying, the writer of that wished for no civil
dissensions, and that there seldom was a difference where,
if the parties wished it, they could not arrange matters.
Sir Sidney Smith brought this curious letter to shew sir
John, and we were all satisfied it was from her royal high-
ness, who, thinking sir Sidney and sir John might, by this
time, be cutting each other's throats, sent very graciously
to stop them ; in short, she called them civil dissensions.
His royal highness the Duke of Kent, being employed to
negotiate, sent for sir Sidney Smith, and acquainted him,
that he was desired by her royal highness to say, that she
would see sir Sidney Smith in the course of a few days,
provided, when he came to her, he avoided all disagree-
able discussions whatsoever. His royal highness the
Duke of Kent then sought from sir Sidney an explanation
of the matter : sir Sidney Smith then gave the Duke of
Kent a full detail of circumstances, and ended by saying,
" We all could, and would, swear the drawings and
words contained in those covers were written by the
Princess of Wales ; for, as if she were fully to convict
herself, she had sealed one of the covers with the identical
100
seal she had used upon the cover, when she summoned
sir John to luncheon at Montague-house." His royal
highness the Duke of Kent, finding what 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, I wish sir John and Lady Douglas would
(at least for the present) try to forget it; and if my
making 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 I will speak fully to the Prin-
cess of Wales, and point out to her the danger 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 now."
Sir Sidney Smith came from his royal highness the Duke
of Kent to us, and delivered his royal highness's message.
Sir John declined all negociation : but told sir Sidney
Smith, that he was empowered to say to the Duke of
Kent from him, that of whatsoever extent he might
his injuries, and however anxious he
might be to seek justice, yet when he received such an in-
timation from one of the royal family, he would certainly
pause before he took any of those measures he meant to
take ; and if that was the case, and his royal highness the
* So in the authenticated copy.
101
Duke of Kent \vas desirous of his being quiet, 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 Majesty's repose and the public good;
but he begged te be clearly understood, that he did not
mean to bind himself hereafter, but reserve to himself a
full right of exposing the Princess of Wales, when he
judged it might be done with the greatest effect, and when
it was not likely to disturb the repose of this country .(M.M.)
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 commanded Sir
John and sir Sidney to dine with him at Kensington Pa-
lace; but the Duke of Kent did not speak to sir John
upon the subject, and the matter rested there, and would
have slept for a time, had not the Princess of Wales re-
commenced a fresh torrent 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 royal highness the Duke of Sussex, in order that he
might acquaint the royal family of the manner the
Princess of Wales was proceeding in, and to claim his
Majesty's and tke heir apparent's protection. His royal
highness the Duke of Sussex, with that goodness and
102
\
consideration sir John expected from him, has informed
his royal highness the Prince of Wales, who sent sir J ohu
word, that " He desired to have a full detail of all that
passed during their acquaintance with her royal highness
the Princess of Wales, and how they became known
to her, it appearing to the heir apparent, from the repre-
sentation of his royal highness the duke of Sussex, that
his Majesty's dearest interests, 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 circumstantial in their detail respecting all they may
know relative to the child the Princess of Wales affected
to adopt. Sir John and Lady Douglas repeat, that,
being so called upon, they feel it their duty to detail 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 information. I have
drawn up this detail in the best manner I could; and fear,
from my never having before attempted a thing of the
kind, it will be full of errors, and being much fatigued
from writing of it, from the original, in 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 1 them all to be true.
CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS.
103
ON THE PRECEDING
NARRATIVE.
(A.) Page 46. It ought not to be here a question,
whether this assertion be true or false. Notwithstanding
all that can be advanced by interest or partiality, the pub-
lic will exercise a discretionary opinion, that is to say,
they will argue on the probability or improbability of cer-
tain parts of the narrative, from the apparent consistency
of the whole. One question however may be asked; did
the Princess, or did she not, sleep two nights at Carlton-
house? The commencing sentences of the narrative
104
show, that the demand made upon Lady D. for informa-
tion, was of a nature not to be evaded. What she says
about her sense of duty, must be acknowledged to be mo-
ral, sensible, and proper.
(B.) Page 46. Are not these very creditable and jus-
tifiable reasons for her interference ? Any person so edu-
cated and connected, must have felt a similar inclination
to make the exposure ; but few would have had sufficient
resolution to place themselves in a condition for encoun-
tering those dangers and that obloquy, which might have
been anticipated as the result of the investigation, pro-
vided that it should terminate in the way it has done. It
could have required no penetration on the part of Lady
Douglas to forsee that she would inevitably become an
object of general indignation and injustice, as long as any
part of her exposition were not implicitly believed. On the
other hand, if it happened (as in fact it did) that her ipsa
dixit had not been deemed sufficient evidence to authorise
any public proceedings, she would nevertheless have been
regarded by the public as a malignant calumniator, and
the prejudice would even have been stronger against her,
from the very circumstance of her details having apparently
received no credence. Even the pretended friends of the
Princess of Wales would not have failed to seize on this
circumstance to blast the unfortunate Lady's reputation and
105
destroy her peace. We therefore repeat and insist, that
an evident proof of fortitude, on the part of Lady
Douglas, is, her making such a statement. Besides, her
assertion, that she entered upon these particulars by de-
sire of the Heir Apparent, (who could not feel otherwise
than deeply interested in acquiring a just knowledge of
the facts,) is sufficient to inspire the opinion that she was
actuated by no other motive in this exposure, than her
loyalty, or attachment to the Royal Family, to whom it
appears her husband was devoted, not only as a public
servant, but from motives of grateful attachment for
private patronage. This person, however, and his lady,
are by no means solitary instances of the instability of
royal friendships. There is, perhaps, nothing more inju-
rious to individual prosperity, than zealous attachment
to the great from principle alone ; as such earnest at-
tachments scarcely ever meet with other recompense
than apathy, neglect, and callous ingratitude, and are
therefore at best but a thankless waste of talents and
integrity.
(C.) Page 48, line 10 from the bottom. Nothing can
be more likely than the preceding passages. It was ex-
tremely probable that sir Sidney Smith was the informant.
He is an enthusiastic sort of character; though we believe,
that, sailor-like) his virtues may be assimilated with those
106
of the African negroes, which, according to the investi-
gations of President Jefferson, of America, lie more in
the heart than the head ! Reverting however to the sen-
tence on which this note depends, who knows that sir
Sidney's eulogies on the beauty and accomplishments of
Lady Douglas may not have been the first excitations
of that female curiosity which led to the intercourse be-
tween her and the Princess f Wales ! This said female
curiosity is a deuce of a thing ! A little touch of it must,
we think, have operated upon that buxom demirep,
Mary Wilson, who told Fanny Lloyd, that one day she saw
something going forwards, at Montague-house, that " har-
rowed up her soul," and made " each particular hair to
stand on end, like quills upon the fretful porcupine !"*
As to sir Sidney, he is a hero, alike victorious in the fields
of Mars and Venus ; and his well-known prowess, like that
of Mark Antony and Caesar, cannot but be a carte-blanche
of introduction to the notice of the softer sex ! If report
say true, it is not only at Montague-house that this
fortunate admiral has made a figure. The little tyrant,
Cupid, is reported to have tipped the point of his dirk
with that subtle, insinuating poison, which, when aided
by the imposing auxiliaries of an uniform, and fame for
deeds of arms, does so much mischief in the world! In-
deed, fame and externals will at any time impart to a
* See Edwards's Edition of the Book, p. 104.
107
brawny, broad-shouldered waggoner, the graces of an
Adonis, and level all distinctions to one common rank,
with more effect than all the patriotism on earth! But
it is known that the Knight of Jerusalem is equi-distant
in pretensions, between the two extreme characters
which we have coupled by way of contrast. We must,
however, say a word or two more concerning this gal-
lant admiral. Most of our readers may recollect, that
sometime ago, it was asserted in all the newspapers,
that " at an interview with a certain eminent character,
he had entered into SMC// explanations of the occurrences
at Montague-house as were deemed perfectly satisfactory,
as far as related to himself, and that he had, in conse-
quence, the honour of dining with the Personage in,
question." Now, suppose, that by one of those extraor-
dinary means, which are not to be accounted for, the
whole of his precious table-talk should be known to those
who could, if they should think fit, give it publicity!
Would it not be a sort of a treat, to enliven the dull routine
of insipidity which prevails at the winter card-tables ?
This and much more certainly is known to those who can
go on with the subject as long as they think proper;
and afterwards the Devil, or any one else, may furnish
the supplement!
(D.) Page 49. This circumstance, trifling as it seems,
108
is nevertheless of great consequence to our illustrations.
It shows that the Princess forced the intercourse. Her
curiosity, as we have already hinted, seems to have been
powerfully excited by the unqualified eulogiums of sir
Sidney Smith, and this passion was not satiated with a
single interview. With the natural and justifiable propen-
sity of the sex, she wished to know more of the female
in whose praise the men spoke so loudly. She, therefore*
not only invites her to her house, but introduces her, as a
chosen associate, to her select and noble friends ! This much
at least, we are authorised to infer, from the part of the
narrative now under consideration.
(E.) Page 50. In this as well as some other parts of
the narrative, there certainly does seem something ex-
tremely capricious, and it might be said, even fulsome, on
the part of the Princess of Wales. We are certain, that
any English lady must be disgusted with such nauseating
liberties, if such were ever taken with her, by one of her
own sex : they remind us of the " Memoirs of Antonina,
Queen of Abo /" The only palliation which can be offered
for such freedoms is the loose and perhaps harmless, but
certainly indelicate, customs of the continent! Without
any inclination to place implicit confidence in this part of
the narrative, we shall nevertheless here take occasion to
say, that whatever may be the prejudice against Lady
109
Douglas on account of the contents of the whole of her
remarks, there are some parts which bear such evident
marks of probability, that sophistry itself would be lost
hi attempting to enter the mazes of justification!
(F.) Page 50. It is very likely, admitting this not to
be totally destitute of truth, that many of the associates
of the Princess of Wales, who were then present, must
have been struck with this absurd conduct ; and it may
have become the subject of their subsequent observa-
tions. Indeed, if various sinister remarks were not well
known to have been current on this very topic, long be-
fore the appearance of the Book, one might the more
easily suppose it to be altogether a fabrication. But
every person connected with the fashionable world, knows
such matters to have been the theme of constant con-
versation in all high associations.
(G.) Page 51. Now, suppose the question of the ve-
racity of Lady Douglas were to be put at issue on the
truth or falsehood of this very passage. Could the Duke
of Kent not recollect whether any thing so ridiculously
gallant did or did not take place? Suppose the cen-
surable indiscretions of the end of last year should- be re-
newed in the present season, how easily might recourse be
had to such evidence as would rebut the charges of the
110
" stingers and venomers !" Certainly the Duke of Kent
could either give an unequivocal denial of the occur-
rence, or he must admit the statement to be literally cor-
rect ; for it is too brief and pointed to be frittered down
or modified.
(H.) Page 51. Enough has already been said (that is,
presupposing anj veracity in the narrative) to justify this
opinion of Lady Douglas; the term might have been
more strong without any violation of propriety.
(I.) Page 53. In the whole of the preceding passages,
there is described a degree of kindness on the part of the
Princess towards Lady Douglas which indicates a forma-
tion of the strongest partiality. The offer was of that
generous and condescending nature which never fails to
excite gratitude in the breast of parties so honoured, pro-
vided they have any pretensions to decency or sentiment.
Could it then be any trifle, any insignificant or pitiful
pique, which could have induced Lady Douglas to invent
gross and scandalous falsehoods and calumnies? There
may be such baseness in the world ; but it must appear
to us in a " tangible shape," before we can give credit to
it! Consistency, leaving decency out of the question, is
at variance with the 'supposition that this story is the
" mere invention of an enemy." We are, therefore, on
Ill
the whole, more than ever inclined to believe in the asser-
tion at page 45, respecting the only motives that induced
Lady D. to make the exposure.
(K.) Page 54. This is really a very strong and bold as-
sertion. It is one of those which have drawn down so
much contumely upon the head of the unfortunate au-
thor; and we may be certain, that it is either an infamous
libel, or it must have some foundation in fact. All who
have been acquainted with that personage must know well
enough, whether her general conversation could be at all
liable to the construction here put upon it. The con-
cluding inference of Lady Douglas may be deemed se-
vere ; but, if the previous assertions have the least founda-
tion, then is the conclusion liberal, inasmuch as it seeks
to find a natural justification for what is morally inde-
fensible !
(L.) Page 55. This is a mere matter of opinion,
which the public have no more right to believe than they
have to censure the author for asserting it. It has been
said, and most truly, that women are no judges of each
others' beauty. Talents, however, may be estimated by
an unerring scale; and such is 'their attraction, when pos-
sessed by females in high or genteel life, that one hour's
conversation affords sufficient scope to discover the full
112
extent of them. We should be sorry to believe that
Lady Douglas has not here been influenced by some por-
tion of prejudice.
(M.) Page 06. The whole of this story is ludicrous,
nay, ridiculous ; and its accuracy appears less question-
able than several of the other assertions in the narrative.
It would make a good scene in a modern novel.
(N.) Page 56. This and other parts of some sentences,
in the narrative, though marked in italic letters by Lady
Douglas, are no farther worthy of notice than because
they are German idioms. Persons unacquainted with this
fact, may be apt to put an indelicate construction upon
the phrase, as it appears in print. We may, however,
observe, en passant, that foreigners, even when well ac-
quainted with our language, find nothing so difficult as
to get rid of these idioms. It is evident, that Lady
Douglas has recorded them in a way which she could not
have done, unless accustomed to the talk of persons wh& do
not speak English correctly.
(O.) Page 58. There is certainly nothing criminal
in this expression of astonishment; for we have la-
mentable proofs that such things are always happening.
Alas ! many a baneful, slippery, serpent insinuates itself
113
into the Eden of domestic happiness, and gluts upon
FORBIDDEN FRUIT: hence, when hospitality is so fre-
quently invaded by the infamy of false friends, th* finding
of exceptions in high life is as surprising as it is creditable
to those ladies who are less licentious than their neigh-
bours!
(P.) Page 38. This is, indeed, the true philosophy of
the German school ; and, if the opinion in question were
really that of the Personage alluded to, she must be a pro-
found admirer of the works of that school, which would
have made dreadful havoc on the foundations of our mo-
rality, if British good sense had not consigned them to
merited contempt and oblivion.
(Q.) Page 59. There has been by far too much con-
sequence attached to this Letter. Every body who had
heard it mentioned before the appearance of the Book,
believed it to be a carte blanche, for the Princess to fill
up, in what manner she pleased ! We surely need not
enlarge upon the fact, that it is nothing of the kind; nor
can the most splenetic critic torture it into a document
which allows the smallest liberty to the Lady, beyond a
conduct of strict propriety. There is no other part of
the Book, at the publicity of which the illustrious Letter-
writer has so much reason to be gratified ; as it vindicates
i
114
his character from a groundless, though reputed stain, to
whir.h it had for years 'been subjected.
(R.) Page 60. Her Royal Highness's subsequent expe-
rience must have amply convinced her of what she might
here have meant to say. The Addressers, amidst all their
fulsome flattery, took care to remind her, that this is the
only country in which justice can be obtained by persons
of every rank. We trust the melancholy fate of her il-
lustrious and unfortunate aunt, the late Queen of Den-
mark, was present in her mind's eye, when she paid this
feeling tribute to British liberty.
(S.) Page 62. A very, natural apprehension of Lady
Douglas: though the same question might have been
asked by any other female, on hearing so preposterous an
exposition.
(T.) Page 63. We cannot admit this inference to be
correct. Has Lady Douglas ever known such an instance
as she here pr-e-supposes ? We think not. But we
have more to say on this subject, which may not be very
pleasing to Lady Douglas herself, though it will be one
farther proof of our own independence of all parties > or
persons, named in this, publication. There is.a blunt old
Kn^lish proverb, which is here very apposite; it runs
115
thus : " Give even unto tJie Devil his due !" Now we
cannot for a moment persuade ourselves that the passages
which precede tiiis note have a just foundation. We have,
all through this our pamphlet, defended Lady D. on the
ground of her having sworn to the principal points in this
statement ; and we repeat, that till proofs of perjury be
offered, the world is bound to believe her. Still there is
something so unnaturally improbable in this part of her
narrative, that we would fain persuade ourselves it is alto-
gether a gross misconstruction of certain ideas expressed
in imperfect English ! But if this liberal supposition were
to be contested, how greatly must the character of Lady
Douglas sink, through her conduct on the occasion, if not
in point of morality, at least in the scale of intellectual
firmness. If it were possible that she could have been so
grossly insulted, it ought not to have required a moment's
hesitation on her part, to resolve to quit, for ever,'a man-
sion, in which so great an outrage had been offered to
her sense of modesty and decency ! Even if she were a
timid woman, she might at least have summoned sufficient
fortitude to inform her husband of the disgusting particu-
lars ; for not even Royalty, or any thing that bears its
semblance, should ever be suffered to abase the dignity of
female virtue. If it could be said, that a proper retort
and abrupt departure might have been taken as insult, we
answer, let it have been so ; and it would have been be-
11(5
yond all comparison inferior to the insult which, accord-
ing to her own account, she herself had received. How
different was the conduct of PUBLIUS RUTILIUS, as re-
corded by VALERIUS! but he, to be sure, was not a
woman, but a spirited Roman : being requested by his
Prince and companion to do something inconsistent with
the dignity of his character, he sharply refused; on which
the Prince asked him what the belter he was for his
friendship, if he would hesitate at such a trifling proposi-
tion as was made to him ? Stop, said RUTJLIUS, and tell
me what the better / am for such a friend as you, who
would wish me to compromise my morality ! But we
see how it was with Lady Douglas; she was, throughout her
intercourse at Montague-house, afraid of giving offence!
(V.) Page 64. Why has not Lady Douglas published
the names of all the persons who were present on such
occasions, as witnesses of such disreputable conversation, if
it really did take place, for here again we cannot persuade
ourselves that Lady Douglas has not fallen into some un-
intentional error. It is very d : fficult to recollect the par-
ticulars of a desultory conversation. We have ourselves
heard strange sayings in private, by several persons, who
we know were, at the time in question, constant visitors at
Montague-house. We could even insert the names of
some ten or twelve distinguished characters, who used to
117
amuse themselves and their friends with a series of delect-
able anecdotes ! But we are too charitable to draw the
eyes of the public upon many fashionable persons, whose
characters would not receive the smallest benefit from the
elucidation's which we could throw upon them.
(U.) Page ()4. We do not think that Lord Sidmouth
has ever, by his conduct as a Minister, merited the abuse
or even the satire of any person, although he has met with
a tolerable share of both. In his political station, he is
polite and unassuming, and totally divested of that official
sang-froid, or those cold repulsive manners, which have
their origin only in family or national pride, and shallowness
of intellect. Has any high personage yet to learn, that
talents are not the constant appendage of those who are
" born to greatness," and that many a brainless head and
callous heart can support the weight of a coronet ! We can
assure the Princess of Wales, that there are many persons
who owe nothing to birth, but who- are, nevertheless, quali-
fied for all the duties of modern Statesmen, to be found in
places where she has never once thought of looking for them !
Lord Sidmouth, probably, never heard the high opinion
which was entertained of him in a certain quarter, till he
observed it last March, at the Board of the Privy Coun-
cil; and on that occasion, we have been told, that the
sedate assemblage found it impossible to preserve their
gravity !
118
Respecting the whole of the stuff, which fills pages
64 and 65, we do not think that its publicity is of the
least consequence whatever, and that it ought nof. to have
excited a moment's chagrin in the breasts of any of the
persons who are exposed in it : though it certainly ex-
ceeds all the gossiping satires of old-maidism, that ever
have been brought forward at the tea-table. Yet we
know that it was this part of the Book, more than any
part, which caused the memorable struggle and artifices
to keep the whole for ever from the public eye ! We,
however, regard the observations as equally silly, laugh-
able, and contemptible ; and it may be said of them, with
nearly as much truth as the remark was made on the
works of a noted modern Poet, that they will be remem-
bered by the world (only) when those of Shakspeare are
forgotten !
(W.W.) Page 70. It is certainly less a joke in this
country than in any other ; for here many a noble hearted
fellow has paid for such fun the forfeit of his life. We
think there must have been some basis for this detail. It
surely could not have been ALL fabricated!
(W.) Page 68. This is a most indecent and illibe-
ral remark of Lady DOUGLAS. It has no relation what-
ever to the subject of her narrative; and we are, in fact,
119
totally at a loss to discover a motive which she could have
had, for \vouudiug the feelings of ladies who have the
misfortune to be in a dependant situation (for dependence
of any sort is a misfortune to persons who have beeu
liberally brought up.) That they must be truly respecta-
ble persons we are bound to infer, from the situations to
which they were appointed.
(X.) Page 77- We really see nothing to censure iu
this lively condescension of the illustrious female. It
shows at least, that she is totally destitute of pride that
obnoxious though too frequent attendant on stiff, starched
rank. It is a pity, however, that her Royal Highness had
not learned how to qualify her condescension, so as to draw
the line between thai familiarity which leads to disrespect,
while it compromises true dignity, and that repulsive and
despicable hauteur which seems to acknowledge no created
equal.
(Y.) Page 73. There must, in all probability, have
been several other persons in the room, besides Doctor
Mackie some four or Jive. Perhaps some of these are
yet amongst the living, and have seen these assertions
in the Book. What then F says the reader. Why, what
we mean to say is, that they cannot but know whether
these assertions of Lady Douglas are true or false.
120
(Z.) Page 77. This is merely a. matter of taste, in
which great personages have all possible right to indulge,
and which John Bull, who sticks to his beef and pudding,
has no right to condemn. DIOCLETIAN, when clothed
in the imperial purple, caused lampreys to be raised for
his own eating ; and we have even heard that fried sprats
have sometimes been considered as a dainty at a Royal
table. As to sitting upon the carpet, and taking supper
in that position, there is nothing in this but the same good
humoured eccentricity we have already been pleased
with. In Turkey such conduct would be thought no-
thing of!
(A. A.) Page 78. This really does seem too absurd
for credibility. It is liable to those objections which
have been started against other passages.
v
(B.B.) Page 79- A reason is here given for the illus-
trious female's partiality to the Smith family, which is as
affecting as it is natural. Gratitude for service of any
kind/ is a sentiment so rarely to be found in high life, that
when it does occur, the solitary instance ought to be
hailed with all possible exultation.
(C.C.) Page 80. Lady Douglas is here not correct in
the idea which she would express. She could not tell
121
what was passing in her Royal Highness's mind: what she
meant to say doubtlessly vt as, that, in her opinion, the Prin-
cess appeared to hesitate, 8cc. 8cc.
(D.D.) Page 87. This correspondence, we have
strong reasons for thinking, will at no remote time be
published.
(E.E.) Page 88. Respecting the Duke of Sussex and
Sir John Douglas, we should like to ask a very plain ques-
tion of those who can answer it. It is well known, not
merely from what is stated in the Book, that Sir John
held a confidential and honourable post in this Prince's
establishment. He was not merely in this employ at the
time of the delicate misunderstanding; but he continued in
it tiH the spring of the present year, 1813. Just after the
late explosion, however, and not before, (that is to say
eight years after Lady Douglas w as called upon for her
testimony,) Sir John was said to have been dismissed from
his situation. The Pilot Newspaper, at the time in ques-
tion, contained the following paragraph: " We are in-
formed, from good authority, that the Duke of Sussex has
auspended sir John Douglas from attendance upon his
Royal Highness in the capacity of equerry." Now we
would wish to ask why sir John was dismissed from at
tendance at this particular time, and not before ? It looks
122
as if either his past conduct had increased in enormity (if
there' were ever any thing improper in it) with the increase
of time, or else that the illustrious Du.k * ;vas complaisant
enough to make, in the dismission of the Knight, a sort of
solemn offering to the V ox Populi !
(F.F.) Page 89- " Barium et mutabile semper Famitia !"
(G. G.) Page 92. If the reader can divest himself of
the idea of the vast difference between the rank
these ladies respectively hold in society, he will see,
in this part of the business, nothing but an ordinary
and ridiculous squabble between two females ; one of
whom, having received a pique, exercises her natural
r^ght of resentment.
(H. H.) Page '95. There appears no doubt that this
rupture took place with all the acrimony here exposed ;
as the same fact is mentioned by his Royal Highness
of Kent, in the Book.
(I. 1.) Ibid. From this we may draw the general in-
ference, that some women can keep the secrets of others
better than they can themselves.
(K. K.) Page 96. It ought to be recollected, in justice
123
to sir John, that this belief was expressed before the inves-
tigation, so happily and completely proved he was mis-
taken.
(L. L.) Ibid. If Lady Douglas had doubts about
the author or designer of such a precioiis article, she
should have handed it over to those puritanical mounte-
banks, the Society for the Suppression of Vice! But we
forget these godly quacks, no doiibt, would not have
dared to interfere ; they seem, in their operations, to ack-
nowledge, with our immortal bard, that, when vice is
plated with gold, it is invulnerable.
(M. M.) Page 101. From this we may conjecture what
is yet likely to happen. If sir John Douglas owed as
much to his own feelings when all this took place, what
does he not owe to them now*? Is it to be supposed that
he will sit down tamely, for the rest of his life, under
such a load of open outrage, insult, and cruel injustice, as
he has experienced? If he do, vre think there will be
no doubt, in the Court of Honour, that he merits all he
has received. We are, in our own mind, convinced of
the contrary. The press is said (how truly we cannot
declare) to be already at work on a new Book, which
is expected to contain an unreserved detail of every mat-
ter which has arisen out of, and had any bearing upon, the
124
remarkable and unfortunate intercourse between the
Princess of Wales and Lady Douglas.
The reader of the preceding passages
readily perceive, that the Commentaries on the
Narrative might have been extended to a much
greater length, if there had been any necessity
for such enlargement ; as there is scarcely a
sentence of that document which does n*ot
afford strong ground for observation. It was
not, however, the object of the author to make
a Book; in proof of which, the reader is de-
sired to observe, that two-thirds of the whole
contents of the present tract are printed with
small types ; and in consequence, it contains
about half as much more matter than is usu-
ally sold for its price.
The principal object of the author, as has
been already observed, is, to vindicate Lady
Douglas against the prejudices of the public
at large; but it must have ben discovered,
that the Defence has been written in the perfect
spirit of independence ; for Lady Douglas has
not been spared on such points of her conduct
125
as the writer has chosen to think demanded
animadversion.
It may, however, be supposed by many,
that Lady Douglas herself has had some con-
cern in the production of this tract ; that she
or her friends have solicited the author to pre-
pare it; that hints have been communicated
for its contents; in short, that this lady herself
may have been the author of more than what
therein appears with her name !
The writer knows too well the perfect use-
lessness of attempting to overcome prejudice or
prepossession. If it were in this place to be
solemnly declared, that neither sir John nor
Lady Douglas could possibly have known any
thing of this publication till they saiv it adver-
tised; and that its author (whose sex is not
>
declared, because that is of no consequence
to the public) NEVER either saw them or
either of them ; never corresponded with them,
or had the least communication , directly or in-
directly , on their behalf; and farther, that all
possible means have been taken to prevent the name
126
of the said writer from becoming known to them
or to any one else, except to the persons neces-
sarily concerned in the production of the tract
If these assertions, we say, were ever so so-
lemnly made, it is evident, that nine hundred
and ninety-nine out of every thousand readers
would not believe one word of them : all
declarations on this head shall therefore
be withheld : it is useless to waste words, in
attempting to remove incredulity. The pub-
lic, therefore, well satisfied as they , must be
with the quantity of matter here presented- to
them, and equally gratified as it is hoped that
most of them (but not all!) will be with its
quality y are at liberty to draw, respecting the
Author, whatever inferences they may think
proper !
PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION,
IN ONE VOLUME, OCTAVO,
A COMPLETE REVIEW of the Work generally
known by the Title of
.THE BOOK;
in which the Parts forming the EVIDENCE and the
DEFENCE, will be critically and analytically e
THE
IMPORTANT TRIAL
OP
JOHNM1TFORD, Esq.
ON THE PROSECUTION OF
J,ADY VISCOUNTESS
JFor
AT
GUILDHALL, ON THURSDAY, FEE. 24, 1814,
BEFORE LORD ELLENBOROUGH,
Forming a Clue to the Discussions which took place relative to the
djfairs of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, in
the beginning of the Year 1813.
ILLUSTRATED WITH
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.
BY THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
WITH AN
APPENDIX,
CONTAINING A NUMBER OF ORIGINAL LETTERS FROM LADY
PERCEVAL AND JOHN MiTFORP, ESd.
NEVER YET PUBLISHED.
" Nobility with us is an object of contempt when the action corresponds not
with the rank ; and high birth or exalted stations, so far, in our home-spun
ideas, from forming an excuse for mean and dirty actions, is their great-
est aggravation." THE NEWS, June 6, 1813.
LONDON:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY T. A. FHIPPS, NEWS OFFICE, 28,
BHYDGES-STREET, COVENT-GARDEN.
JND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS IN THE VHITED KINGDOM.
1814.
JUOU'I 1H
.
V.I 3/{ /:
\i
-
'
TO THE PUBLIC.
STANDING as I do under the charge of a Libeller * of a
libeller of Lady Viscountess Perceval, it would be 1 both in-
decent and improper in me, on this occasion, to make any
comments on her ladyship's conduct. I am accused of stating
in my paper (The JVeivsJ, that I gave credit to the solemn
oath of Mr. Mitford, when he affirmed, that he had re-
ceived the forged letters in question from Lady Perceval.
Had I not done so, I never should have published them.
* This circumstance was amply commented upon by Mr. Holt, in the
late Trial, and was urged by him to the Jury, as an impeachment of my
evidence in favour of Mitford. How unjustly, will appear from the two
following circumstances : 1st. I was not subpoenaed as a witness by Mit-
ford's, but by Lady Perceval's attorney, and attended the Trial not as his
but as her evidence. If I was supposed to be a partial witness, why did
she subpoana me ? 2d. I do lay under the imputation of a libeller of Lady
Perceval ; and have lain under that imputation ever since July 1813, when
she tendered a bill against me at Hick's Hall. But it has not been my fault ;
and Mr. Holt, when he made Ins speech, knew that it had not been my
fault, that the imputation was not long since either justified or done away.
The cause was expected to come on at the September Quarter Sessions ;
and I then publicly declared my readiness to meet it, but Lady Perceval
removed it by certiorari into the Court of King's Bench. In that Court it
was set down for Trial last Michaelmas Term ; and again I declared my
readiness to answer the accusation ; but again Lady Perceval put it off. It
was expected to come on last Hilary Term, and a third time I attended
with my legal defenders. But a third time it was put off, at Lady Perce-
val's suggestion. Am I then not justified in saying, that had her ladyship
been half as eager to wipe off the imputation on her name, as I have been
to erase it from mine, her counsel (Mr. Holt) would never have had the
opportunity of throwing a doubt on my evidence, on account of my lying
under the charge of being a libeller? Edit.
IV
1 do so still, and now am borne out in my credence by
the fiat of a Jury and the dictum of a Judge. I am also
accused of having imputed to Lady Perceval a knowledge of
the letters, previous to the moment Mr. Mitford delivered them
for publication into my hands. In other words, I am accused
of saying, that her Ladyship either forged the letters, or uttered
them knowing them to be forged. Such " is the head and front
of my offending." As this point is still unsettled, I shall there-
fore at present decline entering into any remarks on her
ladyship's conduct towards me. A plain narrative of fajts,
is however necessary, as a key to the following trial; and
this I shall transcribe principally from statements made in
my defence, from time to time, in The News, adding to
them such circumstances of an important nature, as have,
Miice their insertion, come to my knowledge ; and which
1 have hud opportunities of verifying.
C.vrp.ACT FR, :M THE KFAVS OF APRIL HTH, 1813 THE
Su&bAY A1TKR THE PUBLICATION- OT THE FORGED LET-
TKRS, BEING THE EXPLANATION I HAD INTOBMED LADY
PEKCEVAL, I FELT MYSELF BOUND IN* HONOR TO MAKE
TO THE PUBLIC.
The Editor of the Neivs to the Public.
" I am well aware, that in the appeal I am about ta
ji;al-;e to the Public, 1 should state a very strong case, to
justify the disclosure of documents and circumstances of the
nature of those which follow. Not all the abuse poured upon
me by my brother Editors, in which they have not been
sparing, for having published what they have been pleased
to call ' a gross imposition and forgery' not all the reflec-
tions which have been put forth upon the weakness of my un-
derstanding, and upon my fitness to conduct a newspaper,
for suffering myself to be imposed upon by what Mr. PERRY,
of The Chronicle, and others, have presumed to term, ' so
* palpable and at the same tirtie so audacious a forgery'-
V
nothing of this kind would have made the least impression
upon me*. I have been too many years the Conductor of a
newspaper, not to be well aware of the little jealousies uni-
formly shewn towards any journal, distinguished by the con-
fidence of a party which may happen to stand high in the
popular estimation. 1 know too well how prone many of us
are to run down another, whom they suspect enjoys a con-
fidence from which they are excluded, to suffer the scvn>
rility of a host of public writers to give me a moment's un-
easiness. Had I been called a dupe, had I been accused of
being associated with an impostor, had every provocation
been given me to speak out, which the English language is
capable of, my defence should have rested upon mysimple
asseveration ; and I would have trusted to the general cha-
racter of my newspaper, to have convinced the public, that 1
was not likely to become the one, or capable of associating
myself with the other. Something else than the undeserved
abuse of my contemporaries was wanting, to induce me to
break the charm which bound me to secrecy. That some*
thing) I regret to say, has been applied, and that charm,
which bound me to secrecy, is broken, by the very hand which
originally formed it. It is a painful task I have imposed
upon myself; but I feel I owe it to the public, from whom I
derive a liberal competency, I feel I owe it to my character
and reputation, as a man of integrity, and as a man pretend-
ing to some discernment, to prove that I have not been im-
posed upon: and that 1 have not published, wilfully or in-
tentionally (what has been since pronounced to be) a forged
document.
" To the regular Readers of The News, it is unnecessary
to expatiate on the enthusiasm with which 1 have advocated,
* M> brethren were however by no means sparing of me on this oc-
casion. . I was like the wounded deer, almost run down by the herd. Oiir
w;i- amazed at my stupidity; another was astonished at my <julliij:i.t.. :
and a thirO kindly promised me the pillory for my JKUHS. Kdit,
VI
what I shall always advocate and consider as a sacred and just
cause the cause of her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales.
" On the 14th of February, I published her Royal High-
ness's letter to the Prince Regent, with such observations
upon it as appeared to me to be just and proper. The next
day, Monday, I received, through the medium of Mr. Parish,
Stationer, No. 159, Strand, two letters, of which the fol-
lowing are authentic copies. The originals are in my pos-
session : See Appendix Nos. I. and II.
"It is here necessary to observe, that both these letters are
111 the hand-writing of the same person Lady Viscount Per-
ceval. This remark is necessary, to explain some of the sub-
sequent occurrences, and is not intended to convey the slight-
est reflection on Lady Perceval, who, I was informed, had
authority from Lady Anne Hamilton to make use of her
name in every thing which concerned the Princess of Wales.
The next letter from Lady Perceval I received the week
following, and is also in her ladyship's hand-writing : See
Appendix No. III.
"Enthusiastic as I was, and ever shall \)C,m\he just cause
of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, I cannot deny
that I experienced considerable gratification from the receipt
of these letters ; more especially knowing, as I did, the
intimacy which prevailed between the noble writer, and the
illustrious lady whom 1 was endeavouring to defend. It was
not, however, until the 1 5th of March, after seeing several
communications from Montague-house to different news-
papers, The Pilot, &c. &c. that I presumed respectfully to
put in my claim to such authentic information from that
quarter as might gratify the public interest, and enable me iu
a better manner to fight for that cause under which I had with
so much zeal enlisted. On that day I addressed the following
letter to Lady Anne Hamilton *, and delivered it myself,
* In point of fact I never should have thought of addressing Lady
Vll
at her ladyship's house, No. 4, Manchester-street, Man-
chester-square : See Appendix, No. IV.
" I now arrive at the interesting part of my narrative at
that part in which I introduce my principal character. On
Sunday, the 21st of March, I was called down from some
friends, with whom I was sitting, to speak to a gentleman
who sent up his card, < Mr. John Mitford.' On my entering
into the room in which this gentleman had been shewn, he
commenced the conversation by saying, he had learned that I
had written a letter to Lady Anne Hamilton ; which I ad-
mitted : and we proceeded to remark on the peculiar situation
of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales ; who, lie said,
had condescended to express herself much pleased at my zealous
exertions in her cause. After conversing with me for some
time, with a view, as 1 thought, to sound me, he said he was
intrusted with a letter to me from Lady Anne Hamilton,
which letter he delivered to me, and the following is an ac-
curate copy. The original is in my possession * : See Ap-
pendix No. V.
" I must here remark, that this letter, although written
in the name of Lady Anne Hamilton, and in answer to one
I had addressed to that lady, is in the hand-writing q/*Lady
Viscountess Perceval. The reason of this I have explained
above. After Mr. Mitford had delivered to me this letter,
which he announced as his credentials, he proceeded to say,
that in the course of the week I should be favoured with some
Anne Hamilton, or any other lady, on this subject, had 1 not received the
letters, Nos. I. II. and III. They were called on Mitford's Trial men
orders for my paper; but are newspaper orders from persons of such rank,
as Ladies Perceval and Hamilton, in general couched in such flattering
terms as these are? I understood them as indirect invitations for me to
make an offer of my services, and I do not think I shall be charged with
vanity in having put that interpretation on them. Edit.
* This letter was on the late Trial shewn to L-U'V Anne Hamilton,
who positively denied the had given authority to Lad^' Pergeval to write
$uch an one. Edit.
vm
documents of great importance, which were intended for pub-
lication, on the part of her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales ; and he promised I should see him on that subject
the day following. He did not, however, come until Wed-
nesday, March 24, when he expressed sonic surprise, that a
packet (which he said had left Blackheath about the time he
had) had not arrived at my house. This packet he stated to
contain two letters of importance, which the Princess wished
to be published. He remained with me from about six
o'clock in the evening until past one o'clock on the Thursday
morning ; and in the mean time wrote several paragraphs
upon a variety of subjects, connected with the case of her
Royal Highness, all of which are now in my possession. In
the course of the time he remained with me, he frequently
expressed much surprise at the nan-arrival of the packet,
and promised that early on the next morning I should hear
from him on that subject ; for which purpose he would break-
fast with me at ten o'clock. Instead of calling at the hour
appointed, about noon on the Thursday, I received from him
the following letter : See Appendix, No. VI.
" The next day> Friday, March 26, Mr. Mitford came
about four o'clock to my house, accompanied by Mr. Speech-
ley*, a relative of Lady Perceval, and delivered to me for pub-
lication a statement of two occurrences which had taken place
at Montague-house on that morning. The following is a cor-
rect copy of the paper he gave to me, now in my possession,
all in the hand-writing of Lady Viscountess Perceval,
The day afterwards, Mr. Mitford informed me, in the presence
of Mr. Speechley, that this statement was copied by Lady
* This young man is, I have since learned, not a relative of Lady Per-
ceval, but the nephew of a woman who has lived many years in her lady-
ship's family, and who was her nurse. On the Trial, Lady Perceval de-
nied having sent any articles, particularly to The Netes, for insertion ; and
yet Speechley, more than once, accompanied Mitford to my house, and, it
is natural to suppose, with the knowledge of Lady Perceval, with whom he
constantly resided. Edit,
IX
Perceval, from a letter in the hand-writing of her Royal
Highness, addressed to her ladyship. See Appendix t No. VII.
" Mr. Mitford requested me to write some remarks on
these two occurrences, and from the same authority, he de-
sired I would publish the particular- of f the New Secret In-
'qniryj and the circumstance of the offer of 20,000/. being
made to Captain Manby, which I published in The News, of
Sunday, March 28. ' Mr. Mitford came again to my house
on the Saturday, March 2/, and having read my manuscript
observations on the two occurrence?, he expressed his entire
approbation of them. Learning from me, that he might
have a proof -sheet of the next day's paper as early as seven
o'clock on that evening, he said he should call to see it,
and about eight o'clock he returned, accompanied by Mr.
Speechley ; when be read over what 1 had written, on the
' -New Inquiry,' on the offer made to Captain Manby, and
on the two occurrences relative to the two-penny post letters,
and the delivery of the Duchess of Brunswick's Will ; which
had on the day before taken place at Montague-house. Of
all he was pleased to express his great approbation ; observ-
ing (in Mr. Speechley 's presence), that he had no doubt
they would afford much pleasure at Blackheath*.
" On the following Monday, March 29, Mr. Mitford
again called ; he spoke in the warmest terms of the satisfac-
tion The News of the preceding day had given at Black-
heath, and said, he expected a packet to arrive at my house,
between the hours of four and six, addressed to himself.
This packet, he said, was to contain the letters which passed
between her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte of Wales,
and her Royal Father, respecting the visit of the former to
her illustrious mother. These letters, Mr. Mitford informed
me, were to be published in The Neivs of the ensuing Sun-
* By " Blackheath," I always understood Mitford to mean Lady Per-
eval, whose residence is in Dartmouth-row, Blackheath. Edit.
b
day. During the time he remained with me, and whilst
waiting for the arrival of the packet alluded to, he wrote, in
my presence, a letter to Mr. Walter, of The Times office,
authenticating the intelligence in The News, of the preced-
ing 1 day, respecting the two-penny post letters, the Duchess
of Brunswick's Will, Captain Manby, and the Ne\v In-
quiry: informing him it would oblige her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales, if lie would, in The Times, take some
notice of these circumstances, which were all correct. . After
remaining some time, waiting with much anxiety for the
packet he had spoken of, he went away, first writing and de-
livering to me, open, the following letter*, to be given to the
servant, who was expected to bring it: See ^tppeftdbfo
No. V11I.
" It is here necessary to remark, that on my shewing
this letter to Lady Anne Hamilton, to whom it is addressed,
on Sunday last, Lady Anne assured me she never saw A/ir.
Mitford! I liave no reason to doubt the word of her lady-
ship. The candour which 1 experienced from her, in a long 1
audience with which she honoured me on that day, convinces
me I may implicitly rely on every word she uttered f. Her
ladyship, however, at the same time referred to what she
had before informed me respecting the carte blanche, which
Lady Perceval possessed, of using her name, and expressed
po other sentiment than surprise, at the familiar manner in
which this note was couched.
" I now arrive at another interesting epoch of this curious
business, to which I request my readers' particular attention.
* Some use was endeavoured to Le made of this letter against
Mitford, on the Trial, as having addressed a letter to a lady, who swore
slie knew nothing of him. But it was proved from her own letters, that
Lady Perceva.1 desired him occasionally to write to her under the cover of
Lady Anne Hamilton's name. Edit.
f Her ladyship has, hov.ever, since undeceived me as to this comic-
lion ; for on the Trial her oath and mine, as to the circumstances which
1 ajsed at this interview, were directly opposed to each other. Edit,
XI
On Mr. Mitford leaving me on the Monday evening, March
29, he promised to return early on the following morning.
At some inconvenience to my private concerns, 1 waited at
home for him the whole of Tuesday, he never came near
me j the same on Wednesday ; still he absented himself,
On the evening of that day, weary of giving up my time to
a man who appeared so inattentive to the business intrusted
to him, I addressed a letter to * John Mitford, Esq. at Vis-
countess Perceval's, Curzon-street, Mayfair;' and, consist-
ent with my idea of the delicacy proper on such an occasion,
I delivered it myself at her ladyship's house, to a servant,
who said Mr. Mitford was not there, but that he should
quickly be in possession of it. Of this letter I preserved no
copy, but as far as my recollection carries me, it was written
in rather an angry manner, at his suffering me to remain so long
in a state of anxious expectation ; and it concluded by re-
questing to let me see him as soon as possible, on account
of the advanced state of the week. I naturally expected to
hear from him on the following day ; but having waited with-
out effect until seven o'clock, I left home for the purpose of
passing the evening in Greek-street, Soho. In the interim
he called at my house about ten o'clock, and having learned
where I was, he came to me, and between ten and eleven I
was called from my friends by a servant, and introduced to
the long-expected Mr. Mitford. He commenced by apolo-
gizing for his apparent inattention* and then produced a
paper, which contained the letters 1 published in The News
of last Sunday: these letters I again publish this day, and I
leave it to the public to decide, from what I have already
stated, and shall further state, whether they are or are nof
genuine ; and whether, coming from the respectable source
they did, I could or ought to have entertained any suspicion
of their being fabricated documents. It is certainly not in
my power to prove their authenticity, nor have I seen the
originals ; and if I had, I should not stand better as to proof^
ill
not even knowing the hand-writing of the noble lords whose
correspondence they purport to be. But, if they are forge-
ries, it is easy for the noble lords to declare them such : aind
the silence, oi these noble lords respecting this correspondence
*is.,well worthy of remark and consideration. This, however,
1 boldly aver: I received these documents from Mr. John
Mitford, fr.mi the same person ..who,, on Sunday the 21st oi*
March, called and delivered to me a letter in answer to one I
had written to Lady Anne Hamilton, a circumstance known
only to Lady Anne and myself, unless, as I presume, and I
confidently appeal to her ladyship to contradict it, if I am ia
an error. .she sent my letter to Lady Viscountess Perceval
for consideration and for reply. At any rate, I am able to
prove the answer this gentleman brought me is in the hand--
writing of Lady Perceval. I therefore repeat, I received
these documents from him, from the same person who, on
Friday the iZGth of March, brought me the statement of two
occurrences which had that morning taken place at Montague-
house, respecting the receipt of two two-penny post letters,
and the disrespectful delivery of the ivill of the late Duchess
of Brunswick; a statement now in my possession, and which
I am able to prove is all in the hand-writing of Lady Vis-
countess Perceval. Thus did I come into possession of these
letters which have been pronounced forgeries ; but which I
must, until contradicted by one of the noble lords, believe
to be, with the exception of some verbal inaccuracies,
strictly genuine *.
" On delivering to me these letters, Mr. Mitford stated
that he was directed by the Princess of Wales to give them
t;> me for the purpose of publication f, and that they were to
""_ - :
* Such undoubtedly was my conviction at the time I wrote this article,
HI, (lit was a good deal .strengthened by the forbearance of the noblemen in
quistjoii, iu not brinpn me up to the bar of the House of .Lords. 1 need
II >t add, my opinion wn. this subject is now reversed. Edit.
f On the Trial I was sharj'ly questioned by Mr. Holt, as to the ground
liii
appear in The News of the Sunday following, I lamented the
advanced state of the week j observing,, that it afforded me a
very small scope of time for previously informing the public,
that I was about to publish such important documents. To
this he replied, that I should print hand-bills, &c. &c. which
I agreed to clo. He staid with me nearly an hour; and in
the course of conversation, took occasion to repeat the very
favourable commendations the Princess of Wales had been
pleased to bestow upon my exertions in her behalf ; and to
confirm his words, he took from his pocket a letter, which he
informed me was written by her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales, and presented it to me to read *. Having requested
me to make some remarks on the documents he left icith me t
he took his leave, promising to call the next day, when he
said he should be able to bring me the last letter of Lord
on v.'iieh I made tlic above assertion, it being deemed by him incompati-
ble with Mitford's oath, that he had received these letters from Lady Per-
ceval ; and with my e>idnre to the same effect. Mr. Mitford certainly
did puce inform me, that he received directions from the Princess of \\alrg
i:> U.V.L- me the forged letters lor publication; but he always said, that he
Ii.id them from the hands of Lady Perceval, with similar orders. I then
deemed his information, as to the Princess, an embellishment of an actual
fact 5 and the circumstance of his oath not confirming it, makes me still
suppose it.so. Edit,
* Fora copy of this letter see Appendix, No. IX. As to its authenti-
city, I have had several opinions. Her Royal Highness's Vice Chamber-
lain, Sir. St. Leger, .it once pronounced it a forgery. Lady Anne Hamil-
.inioii of it I have given in my evidence on the Trial. One remark-
able circumstance \vhicli attends this letter, may produce conviction in
the minds of many, that it is a genuine production. ( shall therefore
mention it. Her Royal Highness generally signs C. P. in the manner of a
cypher or anagram, the two letters in one. The signature to this note ig
nut so the letters are separate, C. P. Now a person intending to forge
the hand-writing of another would, it is probable at least, endeavour to
copy such a peculiarity as that here named. The outward signs of imita-
tion, it is natural to suppose would, at least, appear in a forgery-. Whether"
or not it be a forgery, it d,-it--, not, in the least, impeach Mr. Mitfcrd'g cre-
ililility ; for he always asserted, thnt the letter \vas given to him by Lady
Perceval. Edit,
7>lverpool, which had not arrived when he left Blackheatb.
that morning, but the contents of which they knew. He
returned to me on the Friday, April 2, according to his pro-
mise, and having read the observations I had written on the
documents, he expressed a great inclination that I would
suffer him to take them to Blackheath, promising to return
them to me the same evening. This I agreed to. He
then expressed a wish to have the manuscript he had given
me returned to him that he might make such corrections as
it required, having before told me that he copied it in the
presence of the Princess of Wales ; but that " her Royal
Highness talking to him during the time, confused him, and
he was fearful there might be a verbal error or two in it." I
gave him his manuscript, which he almost immediately re-
turned into my hands, saying, " I must not deprive you of
this, for you will want it to print by during my absence"
Having, however, informed him, that I had taken a fair and
correct copy, he again took it, and put it, with my manu-
script remarks, in his pocket. Before he left me, I asked
whether I was taking too great a liberty in requesting of him
to give me the note he had shewn me the evening before
from her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, observing,
that it would afford me considerable gratification to be in
possession of a letter in which my humble exertions were
noticed by so illustrious an individual ? he gave it me imme-
diately. We then parted ; Mr. Mitford repeating his promise
of returning in the evening with my manuscript remarks, a
corrected copy of the document, and the last letter of Lord
Liverpool. As I did not see this gentleman again until Sun-
day last, when I met him coming out of Lady Perceval's
house, in Dartmouth Row, Blacklwath. I must here make
a few observations on this his last visit to me."
I lay claim to no other discernment in distinguishing a
Togue.from an honest man, than that which an active life and
some knowledge of the world of necessity confer on every one.
XV
The conduct of Mr. Mitford in concealing himself, and in
tamely submitting to be called opprobrious names, stamp no
credit upon his character. Still I acquit, wholly acquit him
of any premeditated design in taking the two manuscripts with
him on Friday, as I have described. I am sure that had I
expressed the smallest objection to his having either of them,
he would directly have admitted it. In point of fact, I rather
gave them him than he took them. Besides, if he then en-
tertained an idea either of imposing upon me, or afterwards of
disavowing me, why give me the Princess of Wales's letter,
in which I was so honourably mentioned ? why provide me
with this weapon ? her Royal Highness's letter was not neces-
sary to make me confide in him more than I did. Why, I
repeat, then give me such an important document, if lie meant
to rob me of my own manuscript, and never sec me again ?
J knew him as the man, who had brought me important in-
formation information which I had published, and which,
if not correct, I knew myself amenable to the law for having
so done. I knew him as the man who had brought me in-
formation in the hand-writing of Lady Perceval ; information
which, in the presence of a friend of mine, Mr. Speechley
stated to be copied by her ladyship, from a letter in the hand-
writing- of the Princess of Wales. What reason, therefore,
had I to mistrust him, and what reason had he to give me a
letter as from her Royal Highness, if he then intended to de-
ceive me ? I now resume my narrative.
" Having waited with anxiety the return of Mitford the
whole of Friday night, and great part of Saturday, I imagined
some accident had befallen him. He had left me with strict
orders to publish the documents, and he knew that I had an
authentic copy of them. I therefore conceived I was right
in proceeding, more especially as I was in some degree
pledged to the public ; having, by Mr. Mitford's directions,
fssued hand-bills, advertisements, &c. &c. Still., two words
XVI
from him would have stopped me, a consideration whfcfi
much influenced me in publishing them. I, therefore, ad
well as I was able, from recollection, re-wrote the remarkf
Mr. Mi t ford hud, on the previous day, taken away with him,
and submitted the whole to the public in The News of Sun-
day last*. Deeming it however respectful to Lady Per
that she should be informed of the hasty manner in which
Mr. Mitford 's extraordinary conduct had compelled me to
write my remarks on the important documents I published, I
wrote her Ladyship the following letter, which was delivered
fct Perceval Lodge, Blackhcath, with a newspaper, about
eight o'clock last Sunday morning : See Appendix, No. X.
" In consequence of this letter, I was, about 1 "2 o'clock last
Sunday morning, waited upon by Mr. Speechley, the gen-
tleman who had twice accompanied Mr. Mitford to my house.
He said he came from Lady Perceval, that she knew nothing^
of the letters, and that she feared there was some mistake.
This surprised me, and 1 determined to wait on Lady Anne
Hamilton. On sending up my card, I was immediately ad-
mitted, and my first question was (: Whether her ladyship
believed the letters authentic ?" She replied, she knew no-
thing of them. I then entered into an explanation of all
that had passed between Mr. Mitford and myself, on which
her ladyship said, " She never saw Mr. Mitford ; but be-
lieved him to be a distant relative of Lady Perceval, and that
if I luas sure I received them Jrom him (Mr. Mitfo.-dJ,
she saw nothing on the face of the letters, which gave her
* This extraordinary conduct of Mr. Mitford occasioned all the sub-
cqucut occurrences respecting these letters. It was, 1 really believe,, " #
mistake," that the letters were j>u':ii:-'.ied on the day they weir. The );l"t
then, was not properly prepared; the agent ll-en, was n-.t |>i-o;;i rly dis-
posed of at the Tiger's llcml, at Lea ; or at Mother Hardeastle's, at Wool-
wich, as originally intended. In another week all these minor arrange*
ments mijjht have been made ; and the Editor of The A'eas kit to hunt
his quondam acquaintance, Mitford, without effect, through all the mad-
houses in the kingdom. Edit,
XVII
reason to doubt their authenticity. That her name being
to one of them, a little surprised her, as it was the usual eti-
quette to affix the signature of the lady in waiting to all
such documents, and that Lady Charlotte Lyndsay was then
in waiting. But still referring to the carle blanche she had
given Lady Perceval as to using her name, she was unable
decisively to pronounce them forgeries. On the whole, I
quitted her ladyship with my mind much relieved from the
idea of having imposed a spurious statement on the public*.
On my return home, I found Lady Perceval had sent a servant
from Blackheath, express, with the following letter, in her
ladyship's hand-writing : See Appendix, No. XT.
I must, at present, decline entering into any particulars
of my long interview with Lady Viscountess Perceval f.
Suffice it to say, she declared she knew nothing of the let-
ters ; that Mr. Mitford was subject to fits of insanity, in one
of which she supposed he had given me them, and that she
hoped I would contradict them, and declare them forgeries.
I had met Mr. Mitford on my entrance into the house, but
he ran from me. I left her ladyship in a state of mind that
convinced me some person's reputation was to be sacrificed ;
but having directly on my arrival in town disclosed the whole
to a confidential friend, with a view of taking advice what steps
I should pursue, I wrote the following letter to her ladyship,
* It is proper here to remark, that on the Trial, Lady Anne Hamilton
roundly denied every word of the statement here made. 1 may observe, in
defence of my veracity, that I wrote the above account and published it
six days only after the interview took place. Lady Anne Hamilton knew
at the time, that I had made such a statement, and yet she then contra*
dieted but one part of it, that respecting the carte blanche. On the Trial,
however, she denied it in toto.Edit.
f- The particulars of this interview are however very fully explained
in my evidence on the Trial. Edit.
J How correct I was in this presentiment th Trial will abundantly
. J5&7.
C
XV111
which, late as it was, I delivered that night at Perceval
Lodge : See Appendix, No. XII.
Here ends my part in this mysterious affair. I have
had applications made to me during the week from Lady
Perceval, to induce me to withhold what I now publish j hut
I have uniformly rejected them. I, therefore., with confi-
dence, throw myself on the public, to judge between me
and those who have employed me. I call on Mr. John Mit-
ford to come forward, and avow the part he has had in this
transaction. If the documents I published last Sunday, and
which I re-publish this day, are forgeries, who gave him
those forgeries ? come forward I again say, Mr. Mitibrd, iu a
manly manner, and reply to ray questions.
I now conclude my narrative. Every circumstance not
strictly within the line of my justification, I have withheld,
and it remains for the same power which has called forth this
my defence, to draw them from their present state of dark-
ness.
T ? A. PHIPPS."
.
"News' Office, Brydges-street."
'
THE above is a verbatim Copy of the explanation I gav
to the public, the Sunday after I inserted the forged letters
in The News ; an explanation which Lady Perceval at that
time took so much pains to prevent appearing, In conse-
quence of it, I was the same week assailed from various quarters.
Lady Anne Hamilton published a statement, denying that she
ever said that Lady Perceval had received a carte blanche from
her to use her name. Lady Perceval also opened, but from a
masked battery. She put Mr. Holt, the barrister, in front j
and he (I must suppose by her authority), published the two
XIX
following letters in the Morning Chronicle : See Appendix,
No. XIII. and XIV.
How Mr. Holt, with all his special pleading, can reconcile
these letters with the evidence he produced on the late Trial,
I am at a loss to conceive. In both of them he assert?, that
Mitford was a lunatic at the time he gave me the forced let^
ters, and he brings a mad-house keeper of the name of War-
burton to my house to corroborate his assertion. For some
reason or another, however, this ground was abandoned on
Mitford's trial. No attempt was then made to make him in-
sane, no Warburton was then called to prove it. Mr. Holt,
who could in April 1813, so readily give it under his own
hand, that Mr. Mitford's " unfortunate situation was such
as to divest him of all responsibility for his own actions,"
in February 1814, never once touches on that point : was it
not tenable, Mr. Holt } surely, sir, before you had put your
hand and seal to such an assertion, you should have had the
best, the very best of medical testimony to have supported
you in it. The zeal, " without knowledge," with which this
t( legal counsel" took the part of his noble client, was at
that time evidently productive of much injury to her. Un-
qualified and bold assertions, when not founded in fact, are
fatal to the party making use of them in a disputed case.
In the letter (No. XIV.) Mr. Holt had the daring folly,
to assert, that all the papers, " said to be in my posses-
sion by me? ni of Mr. Mitford," \vereforgeries; and this
he scrupled not to say, before he had seen one of them. This
was improving on his employer with a vengeance. Her lady-
ship, when I told her on Sunday, April the 4th (as appears
in my evidence), " that I had other papers and letters in my
possession given me by Mr. Mitford, some of which I had
reason to suppose were in her hand- writing ;" without asking
to see them, at once informed me they were all forgeries. Mr.
Holt, however goes further. He publishes the assertion to
the world, and thereby shews himself either the assertor of
XX
a direct falsehood, or a very careless searcher after the truth.
Lady Anne Hamilton and Mr. Holt were however not the
only persons who noticed my first appeal to the public. It
rousi'd Mr. Mitford, and J believe awakened in him a proper
sense of the unmanly, dishonourable line of conduct he had,
in a moment of weakness, consented to pursue. On the en-
suing Thursday, the 14th of April, I received from him the
following letter : See slppendi.v, X T o. XV.
The receipt of this letter gave me some hopes, that Mr.
Mitford began to feel what he owed to his own character
to me, and to the public. I did not, however, see him until
the next Monday, when he called at my house. I was from
home, and he sent me the following letter : See Appendix,
No. XVI.
-fjjl should here observe, that the last time I had &een this
gentleman was, when he ran from me at Perceval Lodge, on
Sunday, April 4th. Fifteen days had therefore elapsed
iinci; the publication of the forged letters. Fifteen days, as
he has described them to me, of threatening!-, of entreaties,
and of continual persecutions*. Of Mr. Mitford 's conduct
I would wish to speak tenderly ; because, though slow in
' '
* I have reason to know, that during these fifteen days much havoc
was m.nde by burning a considerable quantity of Lady Perceval's letters to
Mr. Mitford. Such was the influence she retained over the mind of tbi*
infatuated man, that he was prevailtd upon i/i that period to destroy every
letter of hers, which could be found at his lodgings in Crawford-street.
Thus making himself the instrument, as far as lay in his power, of his own
destruction. Providentially, however, both for himself and me, the letters I
insert in the Appendix were not at his lodgings in Crawford-street; but
h;v.l, from time to time, been emptied from his pocke'ts, and thrown care-
lessly into a drimer, at the house of a relation at Little Chelsea, nhere be
sometimes slept; and where they lay neglected and forgotten. This ac-
counts for the comparative meagre ness of my selection. Had all the letters
from Lady Perceval to Mr. Mitford been preserved, instead of a pamphlet
I must have put forth a thick quarto; for her ladyship possessed, during
her connection with him, m.u-e of the " cacoethes scribendi" than I be-
lieve ever before fell to the lot of one woman. Edit.
XXI
performing, he ultimately acted as became a man of honour
and integrity. An idea of the life he underwent in this pe-
riod may be collected from the evidences of Messrs. Per-
ceval, Speechify, and Hardcastle, on the late trial. As some
excuse for his delay in giving the explanation lie owed to mr,
I should mention, that for a long time previous, Lady Per-
ceval had buoyed him up with hopes of procuring him some
place, as a reward for his services in the newspaper business
she employed him in. He had therefore been accustomed
to consider her as a kind of patroness as the person who had
engaged to provide for himself and his family. Independent
of these considerations, he had, notwithstanding her late treat-
ment of him, a personal regard for her ladyship, the effect, it
is probable, of a long and intimate connection. I mean not
here to insinuate aught against the moral character of Lady
Perceval. I simply mention the fact, that in his first inter-
views with me, after the publication of the forged letters, his
remarks on her ladyship's behaviour towards him partook more
of the wrathful ebullitions of disappointed affection, than of
indignant resentment at the line of conduct, he said, she had
prescribed for him. I have digressed thus far in justice to
Mr. Mitford, purposely to excuse his delaying to do that
which every man of principle would have performed immedi-
ately it was in his power. 1 now resume my narrative. The
moment I saw him I demanded an explanation of his con-
duct. Almost my first words were, " Mitford, are you what
you always represented yourself to me to be, or are you an
impostor ?" He disavowed, with indignation, the latter term;
and offered the next day to put into my hands certain letters
from Lady Perceval, addressed to him as proofs that he was
her authorized agent, and that in every thing he had done he
had acted by her desire and directions. I accepted his offer,
accompanied him to Little Chelsea, where he said the letters
were, and received from his hands those which I insert in
the Appendix. Few as they are, they afford abundant proof
XXII
of the origin of the late discussion of the affairs of her Royal
Highness the Princess of Wales. These letters prove, heyond
the possibility of a doubt, that Lady Perceval and her agent
Mitlord raised the whole storm. In the progress of their
praiseworthy undertaking, they were joined hy many well-
meaning persons, who had no idea of the latent spring which
moved the entire machine. Amongst these I followed at a
humble distance. In this proceeding I acknowledge I was not
without blame. I suffered the warmth of my feelings to over-
come my judgment, and gave a too hasty confidence to per-
sons whose rank in life formed their only title to credit. My
punishment has been one Chancery suit, an action com-
menced against me at the Middlesex Quarter Sessions, and
two suits at law in the Court of King's Bench, one of which
is now depending. My ambition of connecting myself with
persons in the elevated walks of life was never very great ;
I therefore trust, that four law-suits in eight months will
reduce it within proper bounds*.
T. A. PHIPPS.
* I have omitted here to mention, that influenced by the same spirit
which induced Mr. Mitford to put into my possession the letters here al-
luded to, he voluntarily offered, on Lady Perceval filing a bill against me,
to make the affidavit which formed the ground of the late indictment.
9(/j ol .m
COURT OF KING'S BENCH,
Guildhall, Feb. 24, 1814.
BEFORE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE ELLENBOROUGH.
The KING (on the Prosecution of Viscount
Perceval, and Bridget, his Wife) versus JOHN
MITFORD, Esq.
MR. W. RAY OPENED THE PLEADINGS.
GENTLEMEN OK THE JURY,
THIS is an Indictment for Perjury', against John
,Mitford, Esq. on the Prosecution of Lord and Lady Per-
ceval. The Indictment sets forth, that in the 53d Year of
the King, a Conditional Rule of the Court of King's Bench
was granted, whereby it was ordered, that, on the Monday
then next ensuing, Thomas Adderley Phipps should shew
cause, why a Criminal Information should not be filed against
him for a Libel. And the Defendant, Mitford, intending
to procure, by false, wicked, and corrupt means, the said
Rule to be discharged, went before Sir John Bayley, one of
His Majesty's Justices of the Court of King's Bench, and
A
( 3 )
did swear, "That, on or about the 31st of March, he was
sent for by Lady Perceval, to Perceval Lodge, Blaekheath j
when she stated, that she had letters of great consequence to
publish ; and, that Mr. Phipps, the Editor of The Ar.v,
appeared to her the most likely person to do them justice.
That the experiment was a dangerous one, but something
should be done to give satisfaction to the Princess of Wales ;
by which Deponent understood, that these letters would
compel them (Government) to give a greater establishment
to the Princess of Wales. That Lady Perceval then shewed
Deponent three letters, signed by the Lord Chancellor, the
Earl of Liverpool, Lord Castlereagh, and Lady Ann Hamil-
ton ; observing, that the spirit of John Bull was declining,
or dying away, but that the said letters would make him
clamorous. That, when they were published, it would be
necessary for Deponent to be out of the way, for a few days ;
and she had thoughts of him and his wife remaining at the
Tiger's Head, at Lea ; but, on reflection, that seemed to h^
too near Blackheath ; she had, therefore, settled, that they
were to go to the mother of her friend, Hardcastle, at Wool-
wich : and she asked, whether, if the worst happened, he
would consent to be confined at Whitmore House, meaning
Dr. Warburton's, at Hoxton; stating, that it would be
^?2000 in his way. Deponent, not thinking the letters for-
geries, expressed his surprise at Lady Perceval's apprehen-
sions ; when she observed, that perhaps they might bring
him to the bar of the House. He, having copied the letters,
hastened to town to find out Mr. Phipps, to get them pub-
lished in his newspaper. He had no apprehension that they
were forgeries, although he thought her conduct extraor-
dinary." The Indictment goes on to deny, that Lady Per-
ceval ever had any such letters, and that no such conference
ever took place. To this the Defendant pleads, that lie is
not guilty of the perjury thus alleged.
( 3 )
MR. HOLT My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Juiy,
MY learned Friend having stated the nature of this
Indictment, and the principal points upon which the perjury
Is assigned, and thus put you in possession of the matters of
fact which you are to try, it is uo\v my duty to bring the
case before you, in detail, but with all that brevity which the
valuable time of the Court requires.
Gentlemen, the Prosecutors of this Indictment are Lord
and Lady Perceval ; his lordship, though not immediately
.connected with it, being introduced, in addition, in compli-
ance with a necessary form. Lady Perceval is a woman of
the most eminent rank and of the most irreproachable worth.
She does not come forward to solicit the strict justice of the
Court against the Defendant j she does not prosecute him
from any particle of revenge, from any feeling of anger,
but she conies forward to set herself right in a point of
character ; to which, in common with all honourable minds,
she is moat sensibly alive. The person prosecuted is Mr.
Mitford, who became acquainted with Lady Perceval, from
bearing the name of a family which she intimately knew,
and to which she was allied. He took refuge in her family
when he was discountenanced by his own relatives ; and her
ladyship, with that amiable goodness of heart, which she is
known to possess, endeavoured to put him in some situation
by which he might procure an honourable subsistence for
himself and his family. The public mind was, at this time,
agitated by the affairs of an illustrious personage ; and, as
Mr. Mitford occasionally saw Lady Perceval at Curzon -street
and at Blackheath, he had, of course, an opportunity of
-hearing her opinions on the subject. In the month of April
last, some letters relative to this topic were published in a
Paper called The News. They purported to be signed by
three noble lords, on the one part, and by Lady Anne Hamil-
ton on the other, On the morning of the publication, the
Paper containing them, accompanied by a letter, was sent to
Lady Perceval, at Blackheath. The letter informed her,
that these documents came into the proprietor's possession,
through the medium of the Defendant. Lady Perceval
knowing nothing about the fabrication of the letters, but
convinced that they were forged, (as well from the nature of
the subject, as from the circumstance of the name of the
lady in waiting subscribed not being that of the person wlio
was actually in attendance on the Princess of Wales), imme-
diately sent a gentleman of the name of Speechley to Mr.
Phipps, for the purpose of stating that they were forgeries ;
and this gentleman was also the bearer of a letter, requiring
Mr. Phipps to wait on Lady Perceval at Blackheath. She
also dispatched her son, Mr. John James Perceval, for Mr.
Mitford, with directions to bring him down to Perceval
Lodge, that the parties might be confronted together, and
that the forgery might be investigated. Notwithstanding
this, Gentlemen, you will find, that the Defendant has
charged Lady Perceval with forging these letters. He has
sworn, that on or about the 31st of March, he received the
documents from Lady Perceval, who expressed a desire that
they should be published. But, you shall presently see how
he acted on the morning of the publication. And here, Gen-
tlemen, before I proceed farther, I wish to make a few re-
marks on the evidence. Evidence must always be guided by
the rules of possibility; and in no case can you demand
more evidence than it is possible to give. Where, therefore,
there are two parties connected with a fact, and one has
sworn that he only did that which the other required of him,
we can have no direct evidence against the deposition, but
the uncontradicted oath of the other, leaving it to you to
judge of the criminality, by the degree of Credibility due to
the respective parties.
Gentlemen, if this principle were not allowed, every per-
son of character, and virtue, and innocence^ in society, how-
( 5 )
ever unstained his life, however upright his life, might be
thrown at the feet, might be left at the mercy of the most
base and profligate individual in the community. In other
words, Gentlemen, you will, in deciding upon this case, look
to the tenor of the Defendant's conduct, and compare it with
what he has alleged; and if, in addition to the solemn oath
of Lady Perceval, which you shall this day have, you find a
long train of circumstances in the conduct of Mr. Mitford,
confirming Lady Perceval's statement, and not agreeing with
any thing that would shew his story to be true, you will
then have all the evidence which the case will admit, and it
would be contrary to common sense if you refused to give it
its proper weight and importance.
Gentlemen, I have said, that on the day of publication,
the paper containing the letters was sent to Lady Perceval;
that she stated them to be forgeries, and required Mr. Phipps
to come to Blackheath. I have also told you, that she sent
her son for Mr. Mitford, that she might confront them toge-
ther, she having learned from the letter which accompanied
the paper, that the documents had come through the hands
of the Defendant. In consequence of this proceeding, Mit-
ford arrived at Blackheath about four o'clock on the Sunday
evening, and was shewn into a room belonging to Mr. Per-
ceval. Two gentlemen, Messrs. Hardcastle and Speechley,
who shall be produced before you, were present. While the
Defendant remained in the room, Lady Perceval entered,
with the letter and paper she had received, in her hand
She put the letter into the hand of the Defendant, and said,
" Good God! Mitford, what have you been doing?" She
gives him the letter, where Mr. Phipps accused Defendant
with having given him the forged documents, and he reads
it ; he next reads the paragraphs in the paper, and then most
solemnly protests that he knows nothing about the documents,
that he never saw them before, that he never gave them to
Phipps, adding " D-mn the fellow, I never saw him more
( 6 )
than twice in my life !" and expressed a wish to seek for Mr*
Phipps. This passed in the presence of Mr. J. J. Perceval,
Mr. Hardcastle, and Mr. Speeehley. Lady Perceval then
tell> him, that he must wait, as she had sent for Mr. Phipps,
to confront them together, and expected him immediately. The
Defendant manifests a wisli to go, observing, that it was not
possible for Mr. Phipps to cofne down, because he had to
prepare his paper for publication on the following day. Lady
Perceval, however, persisted in requiring him to stay. At
this moment, her ladyship saw Mr. J. J. Perceval cross the
yard, who immediately announces Mr. Phipps ! Mitford im-
mediately leaves the room, passes over the court-yard, greets
Mr. Phipps with a shake of the hand, and, as the latter
enters the house, the former absconds and disappears. It is
unnecessary to say, what passed between Lady Perceval and
Mr. Phipps, which will be fully detailed in evidence. But
I may be allowed to state, that her ladyship received a denial
of the authenticity of those documents, from Mr. Phipps,
which Mr. Hardcastle afterwards published in the other pa-
pers.
Gentlemen, Lady Perceval's object now was, to learn
where Mr. Mitford got these papers, and to find out what view
he had in publishing them. For this purpose, Mr. Hardcastle
went to his lodging, where he was denied. At different
times, different pretences were resorted to, to account for his
absence. At one time it was said, he had gone to Windsor
with Colonel Bloomfield ; but he could not be found there.
Lady Perceval then sends her son, who, Iraving seen De-
fendant at the window of his lodging, with great difficulty
.got admittance to him. On seeing Mr. Perceval, Mitford
.says, " I hope you are come to comfort me." " I come,"
answered the other, f( to take you down to Blackheath, to
know the reason why you have committed these forgeries."
.Mitford said, he could not bear the interview, having com-
mitted an act which he would repent all his life - 3 he added,
( 7 )
that he had long possessed the countenance and protection
of Lady Perceval, and could not bear her frown. Mr.
Speechley, who accompanied Mr. Perceval, then said,
" What could induce you to put forged documents into the
hands of the Editor of The News ?"
Gentlemen of the Jury, he does not deny the fact. He
answers, "The distress of my family forced me to do it ; I
was offered a bribe, and could not withstand it." He added,
" D-mn the rascals ! I will publish their names." Here
was a confession of crime, voluntarily made by the De-
fendant himself. He then said he would make a confession
to Lady Perceval ; and, with that intention, proceeded with
these two gentlemen to Blackheath. They arrived there
about twelve o'clock at night, but did not see Lady Perceval.
The two gentlemen sat up with the Defendant, lest he
should again escape. Sleep, however, overtook the one, and
the other left the room on a temporary occasion. Of this
the Defendant takes advantage ; he escapes out of the win-
dow, and is never seen by Lady Perceval after that time.
This is the substance of the evidence that I shall lay before
you. The charge against Lady Perceval is, that she forged
these letters ; she will be produced before you, and she will
contradict, paragraph by paragraph, the statements contained
in the Defendant's Affidavit. The three other witnesses, Mr.
Perceval, Mr. Har,clcatle, and Mr. Speechley, will give you
an account of what took place at Blackheath, on the 4th of
April, and of the conversation which subsequently occurred
at Mitford's lodgings. You will thus, Gentlemen, be put in
possession of all the circumstances which I have mentioned ;
and a case will thus be made out in evidence, which it will
be almost impossible to doubt.
Gentlemen, cases of this nature can have nothing to prop
them besides the oath of the Prosecutor, except circumstances
in the conduct of the person prosecuted. Both of these
will appear on the present trial. Three kinds of evidence
only can be admitted in courts of justice, 1st, The po-
sitive oath of a party ; 2d, Circumstantial evidence ; in
which a variety of circumstances are found to correspond :
and, 3d, which is best of all, The confession of a party
himself. In the present case, Gentlemen, these three spe-
cies of evidence will be found to concur. You shall have
the positive oath of Lady Perceval gentlemen will be called,
who will state a number of corroborating circumstances :
and, lastly, you shall hear the confession of the Defendant
himself,
Mr. ALLEY (of Counsel for the Defendant) As you
speak of a confession, all the witnesses must go out of Court,
mine as well as your own.
The witnesses were accordingly ordered to withdraw.
.
Mr. S. VINES, Solicitor for the Prosecution, was tJie.
first witness called; he ivas examined by Mr. E. LAWS.
Q. Have you the Rule Nisi obtained in the Court of King's
Bench, in June last A. Yes, sir.
Produce it. Mr. Vines here exhibited the rule.
Q. Is this the original rule : A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is the Defendant in this prosecution the person named in
that rule ? A. The rule was obtained against Mr. Phipps the
affidavit or Mr. Mifcford was sworn 'for the purpose of having it
discharged.
Q. Is Mr. Mitford, the present Defendant, the man named in'
that rule r A. Not in the first rule but in the order for dis-
charging the first rule.
The Rule was here put in and read.
MONDAY, next after the Octave of the Holy Trinity, in the Fifty-
third Year of King George the Third.
Middlesex. UPON reading the Affidavit of The Right Honour-
able John Lord Perceval and another, and parts of
two printed Newspapers, intituled " The News, Sun-
day, April 4, 1813," and " The News, Sunday, Junefi,
1813 5" It is ordered that Monday next be given to
( 9 )
Thomas Adderley Phipps to shew Cause why an
Information should not he exhibited a^iiinst him for
certain Misdemeanours in Printing and Publishing
certain Scandalous Libels upon notice of this Rule
to be given to bim in the mean time.
On the motion of Mr. Holt.
By the Court.
Mr. Richard Gnde, examined by Mr. E. LAWS.
Q. Are you a clerk in the Crown Office ? A. Yes.
Q. Have you the affidavit of the Defendant, mentioned in the
indictment r A. Yes.
Q. (By Lord ELI.EXBOHOUGH), You bring it from the Crown
Office r A. Yes, my Lord.
The affidavit was handed in.
Mr. Daniel Tobin, examined fy Mr. E. LAWS.
Q. You are clerk to Mr. Justice BAYLEY ? A. I am.
Q. Was tbis affidavit sworn by the Defendant Mitford, before
Mr. Justice BAYLEY ? A. It was.
Q. And signed by him ? A. Yes.
Q. (By Lord ELLENBOROUGH), Do you know the person
swearing it ? A. Yes, my Lord.
Mr. ALLEY. We admit it to be sworn by Mitford.
The affidavit was then read, as follows :
THAT for many months prior to last March, he, Mitford,
was employed by Lady Perceval to convey articles or intelligence,
relative to the affairs of the Princess of Wales, to different news-
papers. That on or about Wednesday, March 31, be was sent for
to Lady Perceval, at her house at Blackheath, who informed him
that she had letters of great consequence indeed to publish; and
that Mr. Phipps appeared to her the man most likely to do them
justice. That in the course of the same (lay Lady Perceval, in
reference to the said letters, said to him, " That the experiment
they were going to make was a dangerous one ; but that something
must be done to compel them to give a proper establishment fo her
Uoyal Highness the Princess of Wales." That shortly after, lie,
at the desire of Lady Perceval, and in her presence, copied, from
a manuscript ia the hand- writing of Lady Perceval, three letters as
follow.
No. I.
" WE are Instructed by his lloyal Highness the Prince of
WALES, to make known to your Royal Highness, that a propo-
sition, comprehending the extension of your Royal Highness's es-
tablishment o/i a larger scale, will he submitted to your Royal
Highness's consideration on Thursday next.
We are, &c. &c. " ELDOX,
" LIVERPOOL,
" Carltou House, Tuesday. " CASTLEEEAGH.
" To her Royal Highness the Princess of H'aies."
No. II.
" Montague Home, Wednesday.
" I AM commanded to acknowledge the receipt of a letter,
signed ELDON, LivEKPOoL,and CASTLEBEAGH, by her Royal High-
ness the Piincessof WALES, and to desire you to acquaint the
authority from whom it originated, that nothing short of THE
FULL ESTABLISHMENT IN HER RIGHTS will satisfy her
Royal Highness, as that is the only means of convincing the people
of England, beyond a doubt fichuh some have dared to express}, of
her full and perfect innocence.
" Her Royal Highness also commands me to add, that she pe-
remptorily insists, as the first step towards her long withheld dig-
nities, that her apartments in Carlton House be assigned over to the
care of her Royal Highness's own proper servants.
" Finally, Her Royal Highness will not return any reply to any
question or proposition that may he made hereafter, until her Royal
Highness is assured, that the secret and illegal examinations, now For
at time suspended, are put to a conclusion, never again to be revived.
" I am, &c. &c. ANNE HAMILTON."
" To LordEldon," Ssc.
No. III.
" Thursday Morning.
" Lord LIVERPOOL is commanded to acquaint her Royal High-
ness the Princess of WALES, that her Royal Highness's Letter
has been received is now under consideration and will be replied
to early this evening."
That during the time he was copying these letters, Lady Perce-
val said to him, " that the spirit of John Bull was declining or
dying away, but this would render him clamorous." Lady Perceval
also said to him, " that it would be absolutely requisite for him to
be out of the way for a few weeks after the publication of these
Utter*; and that she had at first thought of lodging him and his
( 11 )
wife (who must also not he seen) at the Tiger's Head, at Lea
"but, upon reflection, that was too near 1'lackheath, and she had
settled that they should go to the mother of her friend Hardcastle,
at Woolwich, where they would he perfectly safe." He was then
asked hy Lady Perceval, " whether, if the worst happened, he
would submit to he confined in Whitmore House (meaning Mr.
Warburton's mad-house at Iloxton) till all was settled, as it
would be at least 20001. in his way when it was over ? to which he
consented ; but not supposing the letters to he forgeries, he expres-
sed his surprise at her ladyship's apprehensions. Lady Perceval
then informed him that the danger was in his being brought to the
Bar of the House, which, as he knew so much, would be very
unpleasant. He then, having conufd the aforesaid letters from a
manuscript in the hand-writing of Lady Perceval, received her
directions to hasten to town to rind out Mr. Phipps, and to desire
him to publish them in his newspaper. He did so : but Mr. Phipps
being from home, he did not deliver them to him until Thursday,
the 1st of April. On that day he delivered the said copies into th
hands of Mr. Phipps, informing him he did so by orders from Lady
Perceval. He also in brined Mr. Phipps, that Lady Perceval de-
sired he would publish the said letters in the next number of hit
newspaper, being Sunday, the 4th of April last ; and he believet
that Mr. Phipps did so. He also swears, that he had not at any time
any reason to believe the letters to he forgeries although the appre-
hensions of Lady Perceval struck him as being singular and unac-
countable. He also says, that in the whole affair relative to the said
letters, he acted by the direction of Lady Perceval ; and that he ha
at this time no other reason to suppose them forgeries than the
assertion of Lady Perceval."
Mr. S. ffnes again called, and examined by Mr. E.
LAWS.
Q. Are you the Solicitor that instructed Counsel to obtain thi*
Rule Am 9 A. Yes.
Q. Was it afterwards opposed in Court ? A. It was, Sir.
Q. You have heard the affidavit read? A. Yes.
Q. ]s the matter contained in it, relative and material to that
Rule ": A. It is very much so.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. This is the first time I ever heard
such a question asked. It is for the Court to judge whether
it is, or it is not relevant.
Q. Was that affidavit used in shewing cause against the Rul
Nisi'? A. Yes.
Q. Was it in consequence of that affidavit that it was dis-
charged ?
( 12 )
Mr. ALLEY. You cannot ask that question.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. The Rule must speak for itself.
It lies in the breast of the Court, whether it was dis-
cluuged on that affidavit^ or not*.
. -
Q. Was the Rule discharged ?
A. It was. <*d .hevo
The Order for that purpose was here put in and read.
-r, -, ,
jwwg&r viscountess Perceval, sivorn y and examined
ly Mr. E.
Q. Did you, on or about Thursday, the 1st of April hsf, send
to the Defoiulnnt John Mitford : A. Not to the hest of my re-
... . ' i A . 1\.~
collection -ctrta inly not.
Q. Was it on Wednesday, the 31st of March IA. Neither of
i I . \
those days, certainly.
Q. 1 dout ask, whether you saw him ; hut whether you sent for
him ? A To the hest of my recollection, certainly nor.
Q. When did YOU last see him in the month of March last
A. 0,nI,e*Gtli of March.
Q. When next, after the <2u'th of March, did you see hiiii?ry
A. On the evening of April the 3d.
Q. Did you, at any time, hetween these two days see him
A. Positively not.
Q. Did vour ladyship see him on the 2d of April at B!;ick-
, , , T 1- 1 1
heath '. A. 1 did in the evening.
Q. At that time, when you saw him, or at any other time, did
you ever mention to him, that you had letters of great consequence
to pnhlish : A. Never.
Q. Did you ever jay to him, that Mr. Phinps nppoimd to you
a man most likely to do justice to the Princess ot Wales A. I
never recollect to have used the expression.
Q. Did you ever speak to him of a dangerous experiment,, with
respect to certain letters ? A. Certainly never.
Q. But that something must he done to compel them to give a
proper establishment to Her Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales: A. Never.
- - , , - . - i . *
* I li we reason to Iv iieve that the rul<! \v;i$ nut discharged sdi-h on
th:it AHuiavit, tmi in p irt ujum the shewing of a letter to tlie Court writ-
ten by Lady Perceval to the Defendant in xh.it cause, in wliich she c;:l!s
the insertion of the forced letters in The Neics, " a mistake," anr! invites
him ID her house, to confer \>ith hiui confidentially about its ixetilication.
Set* Appendix.
( 13 )
Lord ELLENBOROUGH Repeat the question.
Q. Did you ever say, that the experiment yon and the De-
fendant were going to make, was a dangerous one : but that some-
thing must be done to compel them to give a proper establishment
to the Princess of Wales ? A. I never did.
' 9
Mr. E. LAWS Lady Perceval, be so good as to look at
the three letters in this paper. The News, of the 4th of April.
i i r
Q. Did the Defendant, Mitford, ever, by your ladyship's desire,
and in your presence, make a copy of these letters r A. Never.
Q. Had your ladyship any manuscript of these letters ? A.
None whatever.
Q. When, and how, did your Ladyship first hear of, or see,
those letters r A. The first time 1 heard of these letters was from
Mr. Phipz.s, who sent me his paper of the 4th of April, accom-
panied !,y a letter.
Q. \Vas Mr. Phipps in the habit of sending you that paper?
A. I had ordered that paper previous to the 4th of April.
Q. Was that paper taken in by you ? A. It was regularly de-
livered at Perceval House previous to the 4th of April.
Q. Did your Ladyship ever make use of this expression to the
Defendant, " That the spirit of John Bull was dying away ; but
that these letters would renew his clamours r" A. I never used that
expression.
Q. D.d your ladyship ever tell Defendant, that it would be ab-
solutely necessary for him to be out of the way for a few weeks,
after the publication of these letters ? A. Never.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH You will pursue that mode most
convenient to yourself, Mr. Laws; but, as your present
course makes it necessary for me to take down every word
contained in the Indictment, would it not be better to read
it over slowly, and ask the witness whether the whole or any
part of it is true ?
Q. I ask you, whether you ever used these expressions to De-
fendant, That you had thoughts, tit first, of lodging him and his
wife at the Tiger's Head, at Lea ; but that, upon recollection, it
was too near Blackheatb ; and that you had settled th:;t he and his
wife should go to your friend, Mr. Hardcastle's ? A. In conse-
quence of representations made by Mr. Mitford, previous to the
26tb of March, that he was watched and pursued, and his house
( 14 )
beset by inquiries from these with whom lie pretended to have hart
communications ; and that Mrs. JMitfonl, in consequence of her
alarms, was seriously indisposed, I did advice Mr. Mil ford to re-
move her out of town for a little time ; and, I believe, the first
idea might have been for them to have remained at Lea, for that
period.
Q. But was that communication with reference to these letters ?
A. Certainly not. It was previous to the 26'tb of March.
Q. Was that before your ladyship had any knowledge or idea
that such letters were in existence ? A. Assuredly it was.
Q. Did your ladyship ever ask Mitford, with reference to these
letters, whether, if the worst happened, he would submit to be con-
fined in Whitmore House? A. Certainly not.
Q. Did your ladyship ever say to Mitford, that these letters
would be at least X2000 in his way ? A. I never uttered the ex-
press ion.
Q. Did your ladyship ever express to Mitford any apprehension
with respect to these letters ? A. Never.
Q. Did your ladyship, on any occasion whatever, say, that there
was a danger of Defendant being brought to the bar of the House
of Commons or Lords ? A. Never.
Q. Lady Perceval, did you ever give Mrs. Mitford any direc-
tions respecting these letters *< A. Never.
Q. Was you in any way whatever privy to their publication ?
A. Not in the least.
Q. Did you ever tell the Defendant to go to Mr. Phipps with
them ? A. Certainly not.
Q. Or give any direction at all respecting them? A. None
whatever.
Q. I think your ladyship has said, the first you knew of them
was, by seeing them in that paper of the 4th of April ? A. Yes.
Q. Upon seeing them in The News of that day, what did you
jlo ? A. I immediately sent up Mr. Speechley.
Q. To whom did you send Mr. Speechley A. To Mr. Phipps.
Q. Who is Mr. Phipps : A. The Editor of The News.
Q. For what purpose did you send Mr. Speechley to Mr.
Phipps ? A. To inform Mr. Phipps that J knew nothing of the
forged letters.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH Her name is not mentioned in
the letters.
Mr. LAWS No, my lord ; she had seen them in conse-
quence of the newspaper heing sent by Mr. Phipps.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROVGH' Was it not a part of th terffl*
f your message, that the letters w-jre forged ?A. I said I knevr
nothing or the letters in The News of the 4th of April.
Q. Have you the letter which you received with the newspaper
from Mr. Phipps ? A. Yes. That is the letter.
.
Mr. ALLEY Though it is evidence, I will not agree to
its production, till I have cross-examined Mr. Phipps.
Q. It was in consequence of a letter from Mr. Phipps, as well
as from seeing the paper, that you sent to him ? A. Yes.
Q. Did you send your son, Mr. Perceval, at any time to Mr.
Mitford ? A. I sent my son to town to bring dowu Mitford t
explain his conduct.
Lord ELLESBOROUGH His name does not appear in the
letters.
Lady Perceval No, my lord.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH Then state a reason for sending
fo him. We have it not in evidence what his conduct was.
Let me not lead you (the counsel) to any thing inconvenient.
I wish to bring you to that which will throw light on the
jsubject.
Q. What was the reason you sent to explain his conduct ? A.
It was in consequence of Mr. Phipps's letter to me that I sent t
him.
Mr. LAWS. The letter is here.
Mr. ALLEY. You must take the letter de bene esse. If
you please you may call Mr. Phipps to prove it.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. That, I think, is correct. The
witness says, that in consequence of a letter she received, sup-
posing it to come from Mr. Phipps, she took a particular mea-
sure, that of sending for Mitford.
Q. Did Mr. Mitford and Mr. Hardcastle go down to your house
at Blackheath ? A. Mr. Mitford did afterwards corne down.
Q. On what day, and at what time of the day ? A. On Sun-
day, April the 4th.
Q. The same day on which the letters were published ? A.. The
same day.
Q. At what hour did he cunie down r A. Between the homs
of two and five.
Q. On bis coming, what was the address yon made to him r A.
I came into my room with the newspaper in my hand.
Q. (By Lord ELLENBOROUGH.) Is The Ntv:s the paper you
speak of ? A. Yes, my Lord.
Lord ELLENBOROL T II. Then we shall so call it.
Q. What did you say to the Defendant ? A. I had Mr. Phipps's
letter in my hand, at the same time.
Q. What was the expression you used to M itford ; did you give
In' in the letter? A. I gave him the news-paper and the letter, ami
addressed him in these terms
Q. Did lie, in consequence, in your presence, read the letter, and
the paragraphs of the letters in the newspaper ? A. I don't recol-
lect whether he read them or not.
<^. Did he read the letter you received from Phipps ? A. I don't
recollect whether he did or not.
Q. Now he so good as to state the expression you used to him
when you saw him r A. When first 1 saw him, presenting the
newspaper and the letter, I said to him, " In God's name, Mitford,
what have you heen about ?"
Q. What was Mr. Mitford's reply }A. I proceeded to say,
" Do you know any thing, or what do you know, about the letters
in The News of this day?" Mr. Mitford, in answer, said,
" What do you mean ?"
Q. Upon that did you give to Mitford the letter ? A. I gave
him the letter, saying, " Read that letter, and you will under-
stand what I mean."
Q. Did your ladyship repeat your question to him, whether he
bad any knowledge of the letter ? A. I repeated it.
Q. In answer to these repeated questions, what was his reply?
A. His answer was accompanied by an oath, that he never savr
the fellow hut twice in his life.
Q. Did he, upon that, propose to go to any person, and to
whom ? A. lie proposed immediately to go to Mr. Phipps.
Q. Upon that proposition being made, what did your ladyship
gay to him ? A. I informed him, that I had seut for Mr. Phipps,
and expected him very shortly.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps afterwards arrive at your ladyship's house
at Blackheath, and about what hour ; A. He did, I should ima-
gine between four and six.
Q. Oa Mr. Phipps's arrival at your ladyship's house, what was
tie ceuduet of the- Defendant, Mitford? A. The moment Mr.
( 17 )
Phipps was announced, lie immediately rushed out of the room,
and I saw no more of him.
Q. Did your ladyship afterwards again send Mr. Specchley and
a Mr. Hardcastle to to\vn, and oa what errand > A. I sent them to
bring Mr. Mi t ford down.
Q. Lady Perceval, before I proceed in this part of the examina-
tion, I will ask you one question : Did the Defendant, when you
asked him whether he knew any thing of the letters, acknowledge
them, or deny any knowledge of them ? A. He denied knowing
any thing about them.
Q. Did he repeat that declaration more than once ? A. He re-
peated it, to the best .of my recollection.
Q. It was the same day, the 4th of April, that you sent these two
persons for him IA. No, it was not on the Sunday evening.
Q. Oa what day was it you sent Speechley and Hardcastle to
bring Mitford down? A. It was on the Monday morning I re-
quested them to go.
Q. "\Yhen next did the Defendant, Mitford, come again to Black-
heath ? A. He was brought down on the Wednesday evening, for
on the three days I repeatedly sent for him.
Q. Did your ladyship see him on that occasion? A. \ did not.
Q. Then it is only by hearing it from ether persons that you
know he came to the house at that time : A. Yes.
Q. Has your ladyship, then, ever seen him since the 4th, of
April? A. No; certainly not.
, Q. Is your ladyship quite certain you have not seen him front
the 20th of March to the 2d of April 'Positively certain.
.ibu it--- Cross examined by Mr. ALLEY.
Q. You have been some time acquainted with Mr. Mitford ?
A. I have.
Q. A long time I believe ? A. Some time.
Q. I believe you knew where he lodged, and bad taken the
lodging for him in town ? A. I did not.
Mr. A L LI; Y Let me take the liberty of telling you, Lady
Perceval, that I have reasons for putting these questions, and
I shall bring witnesses to state the facts. Therefore, do not
answer hastily, I do not wish to embarrass or entrap you.
Q. Where did the Defendant lodge ?. A. In Crawford-street,.
Portman^quare.
Q. Wuat was the name of the gentleman who kept the hpuse ;
A. I think the name was Donovan.
Mr. ALLEY. You are perfectly right.
Q. Lady Perceval, I ask you, did you not recommend Mr.
Mittord to Donovan, anil obtain the lodging of Donovan, for him,
upon your oath //. I spoke in favour of Mr. and Mrs. Mitford.
Q. Then it was only speaking in favour of them, as you call it ;
h'.it was not that, in order to induce Donovan to take Mittord and
his wife as lodgers ? A. As a recommendation.
Q. Your visits have heen very freqiu-nt to Donovan's; at all
hours of the day and night ? Lady Perceval (in accents of sur-
prise) "At all hours !"
Mr. ALLEY Aye ! I won't except any hour?'.
Q. At all hours of the day and night, on your oath were they
not ? A. I have called occasionally by night.
Q. At all hours, ten, eleven, twelve, or one o'clock I A,
Never to my recollection, so late as twelve.
Q. Never to your recollection ~>. I wish you would brush it up,
and give us something positive. I ask, did you never go there later
than twelve? A. Not to my recollection.
Q. Have you not been there after Mr. Mi t ford was in bed,
much later than that ": A. Certainly not.
Q. Did you not send up letters to him, after he was in bed ?
Lord ELLENBOROUQH. You must split your question in
parts. In delivering a letter, the witness might not know
the Defendant was in bed.
Q. Did you ever deliver a letter to Mr. Donovan, or his servant,
for Mr. Mittord, at the hour I have mentioned > A. Not at that
hour certainly.
Q. Pray what might have heen the latest hour at which you
ever called there r A. Upon my word it is so long since, I cauiiot
recollect.
Q. No f It is not a twelvemonth ago. You have not lost your
.memory. Jt i.- not impaired, I hope. Pray where did you leave
your carriage, when you made these visits ? A. It sometimes drew
up to the door.
Q, Were you not in the habit of leaving it in back streets, when
you sent to Mr. Mitford's ? A. Sometimes, ttoin the state of the
streets, it was impossible to drive up.
Q. Now, Lady Perceval, I ask you, did you not repeatedly leave
your carriage at a distance, and walk up to the house ? A. When
the su.te of the street did not penult the carriage to proceed, 1- was
obliged to do so.
Q. Is it a crowded street r A. No. The street was uot paved.
The streets around were not paved.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. If they were not paved, one
would think, that would prevent you as much at one time as
at another ; but when these impediments in the streets
were done away, then, I suppose, you drove up to the door ?
No answer.
Q. Do you mean to say, that there was no carnage way to
Crawford-street, twelvemonths ago : A. There was great difficulty
in getting up to the door at the time.
Mr. ALLEY. You said, the street was not paved. Give
it as you please, I will take it. Witness. It was very dif-
ficult to come up the street.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. You said it was impossible, a
while ago.
Q. Was not the street paved a twelvemonth ago ? A. I cannot
it
recollect.
Q. Then I am not to take it as your answer, that, because the
street was not paved, you could not come up ? A. The street could
be come up, after it was paved.
Q. I thank you for your information. The streets, it seems,
were unpaved, before they were paved. Now, I ask you, were they
not paved sufficiently to admit a carriage twelvemonths ago ? I
ask you, on the oath you have taken, were not the streets paved a
twelvemonth ago, so as to permit you to go up :- Were they not
so paved previous to a twelvemonth ago r A. They might hut
about that time they were in such a state as to prevent a carriage
being driven through them.
Q. Did you not often walk to the door, when your carriage
could have taken you up to it ? A. Not that I recollect.
Mr. ALLEY. O ! don't give me your recollection. A
lady would not walk in the dirt, when she had a carriage
waiting, without some reason that must impress it on her
memory.
Q. By Lord ELLINBOKOUGH. Your servant attended you to
the door r A. I presume so.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. You presume so ! Do you
mean to say that he went to the door with you ": A. I think he
attended me.
Q. Behind your carriage, no doubt, but did be always go up
with you to the door ? A. 1 believe so.
Q. You told me you were many and many times at Mr. Mit-
ford's lodgings. A. Not many and many times.
Q. We must come to round numbers, were you there twenty,
thirty, or forty times r A. Not thirty nor twenty.
Q. When you went there you generally saw Mr. Mitford, by
himself, without his wife? A- I don't recollect to have seen him
ever once by himself, at his house.
Q. Mr. Mitford was repeatedly visiting you at Blackheatb, be-
fore March ": A. Not before March ; 1 did not reside there then.
Q. Did he not repeatedly visit at your house before that month :
A. Two or three times, I believe.
Q. Was he not in the constant habit ot visiting you, at Black-
heath or elsewhere ? A. He was occasionally permitted to come.
Q. I believe you very often employed him to copy writings for
you : A. Not to my recollection, not often. Never, as 1 recol-
lect ; not often, certainly.
Q. Did you ever employ him to carry any paragraphs to diurnal
papers, for insertion ? A. 1 have occasionally desired him to offer
some articles for insertion.
Q. May I take the liberty of asking you on what subject you
wrote ? was it love, or religion, what might it be ? A. It was on
neither of these.
Q, What ! neither love nor religion ! politics, perhaps r A. I
don't recollect.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. What was the subject? your
recollection cannot fail you, because it is a matter so much out of
the ordinary course of things ? A. It was on the subject of the
affairs of an illustrious personage.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Speak out, is it the Princess of
Wales j or whom else do you mean ?
Q. On the subject of the affairs of whom did you write ?
A. Of the princess of Wales.
Q. Have all your squibs or crackers been inserted ? A. No.
Q. Can you give a guess, and tell why they have been returned
uninserted ? A. I don't know.
Q. Not give a guess, cannot you say to the best of your know-
ledge ? A. They were thought too strong.
Q. Too libellous, perhaps ? A. I don't know.
Q. Has it ever happened, that some paragraphs have been in-
serted, a part of which, as originally sent, was struck out ? have
they been inserted in a mutilated state ? A. One was.
Q. Do you recollect writing to Mitford, and finding fault with
him for allowing it to be inserted other than in the state in which it
vras sent to him ? A. \ Lave a recollection of it.
( 21 )
Q. It was not inserted, to use your own pi i rase, so strong an
yon seat it : A. It was not inserted in the manner in which it was
offered.
Q. Did you usually entitle your paragraphs. I mean put a head
to them ? as for instance, did you evi-r -cud a paragraph leaded
thus? " Nelson \vhenachild." A. \ recollect a letter beginning
in that manner.
Q. I ask you, whether you did not 5>oth write and send a letter
for insertion, hearing that title r A. Certainly not tor insertion.
Q. Whom did you write it to ? A. Mr. Mitford,
"
The letter was here handed to the witness.
Q. It is in your hand-writing? A. Yes.
Q. You wrote another, I believe, entitled " A Curious Fact f"
A. I have no recollection of it. ' "o?
Mr. ALLEY. I will refresh your memory about it.
:- . ;. J
Lord EI.LENJBOROUGH. Perhaps the catch words at the
beginning are not sufficient to recall it to the witness's
mind. IF you read more perhaps she would remember.
The paper headed " A Curious Fact," was handed to the
witness.
Q. Is not that your hand-writing ? A. It is.
Q. Is not the envelope ' To Mr. Mitford," your hand-writing ?
A. It is.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Are these two addressed to Mr.
Mitford ?
Mr. ALLEY. Yes, my Lord.
A series of letters, from No. I. to XI. inclusive, was
here put in, and admitted to be in the hand-writing of
Lady Perceval, Amongst them was, " When Nelson was a
Child," " A Citrious Fact j" two addressed to Mr. Phipps,
one of them purporting to be written by Lady Anne Hamil-
ton, thanking him for the offer of his paper, in supporting
the cause of the Princess of Wales, and one directed to Mrs.
Mitford. At a subsequent period of the trial, several of them
were read, and will be found in their proper places.
Lord ELLEN BOROUGH. I don't know the contents of any
( 23 )
f these letters j but I think it right to inform the witness,
that she need not acknowledge them to be her* if she docs
not please. According to the suggestion that has been
thrown out, they are 1'bellous ; and, if so, by admitting
them, she may be criminating herself by a string of libels.
Mr. HOLT. I am not aware of any thing libellous.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH.- Perhaps not, Sir; but you need
not make a speech on it. The witness may demur to any
question respecting her hand-writing ; but, if she answers,
she must answer truly.
Q. Will you be so good, since I cnn find no date to this letter
(No. XI. directed to Mrs. Mitfnrd), to tell me when you wrote it ?
Was it before, or after the publication of those libels ? A. It was
after tho publication of the letters on the 4th of April.
Q. \ believe k was on the very next day you wrote it ? A. I
do not know.
Q. A day or two afterwards? A. It was in the next ivcek,
tcrtninly.
Q. You say, that iu consequence of a letter you sent to Mr.
Phipps, he waited on you at Blackheath, on Sunday the 4th of
April ? A. Yes.
Q. When he was introduced to you, I believe your son was in
the room with you ? A. My sou announced Mr. Phipps.
Q. Then he came into the room with him ? A. I believe he
did.
Q. You desired him ro comedown to make a -rectification ? A.
I think an explanation of what I could not understand in his letter.
Q. Rectification was the word in your letter ? A. Whichever
you please.
Q. Did your son continue in the room all the time Mr Phipps
was there? A. He might have gone out for a few minutes; but
the best part, indeed almost the whole time, he was in the room.
Q. Do you recollect Mr. Phipps complaining that he was very
ill-used ? A. I believe he did use some expression of that kind.
Q. Did he not demand, that you should produce Mitford face to
face with him, that an explanation might take place? A. Yes, he
did.
Q. Now, Lady Perceval, I ask you, did you not then declare,
on your word of honour, to Mr. Phipps, that you had not seen him
for a considerable time before ? A. I informed him, that 1 had
seen him on the Friday evening.
Q. Did you not tell Mr. Phipps, that you had not seen him that
( 23 )
*ay, or the day he-fore : A I informed him, that I had seen hint
on Friday, the '-2d of April.
Q. That you told me before : it is not an answer to my ques-
tion ; and I will have one. 1 ask you, when Mr. Phipps demanded
that Mitlbvd, who was in yr.tir house, should be brought face to
face with him, for an explanation, did you not declare, that hewai
oot in fhe house r A. I did not.
Q. Did you not give him to understand, that you had not lately
seen Mitford ; and iis>itrn it as a reason, that yon knew nothfng of
the letters published ? A. I did not; because I informed him that
] had seen Mitford on tlte Friday evening.
Q. Did you tell him, that the man with whom he would come
face to face was in your house, and you would be happy to bring
them together, to explain? A. I did not.
Q. \A uy, I thought you sent to him for the purpose of rectifi-
cation, or explanation 9 A. So ] did : but Mr. Mitford left the
house the moment Mr. Phipps came in.
Q. Could not Mr. l/iiipps see him ? A. He had a glimpse.
Q. Why then did you not tell him that he was in the house ?
A. Because he rushed out of the room, and 1 knew not where h
was gone to.
Q. Now, Lady Perceval, did you not beseech Mr. Phipps not to
publish, in his next Sunday paper, the explanation he had received
with respect to these letters, such as it was } A. I requested Mr.
Phipps, with reference to Mitford's name and connections, if, con-
sistently with his duty to the public, he could avoid the exposure of
Mitford, in so disgraceful a transaction, that he would do so.
Q, Did he not say, that he could not, consistently with his pub-
lic duty, or his own honour, withhold the particulars ? A. He said
he must explain the manner in which he had received them from
Mitford.
Q. Did not you, on that, request him only to state, generally, a
contradiction, and not to state the particulars : A. For the reasons
1 Lave already assigned, yes.
Q. You had a very benevolent feeling towards Mr. Mitford, at
that time. 1 hope you sent your son to console him ? A. 1 was
extremely indignant.
Q. But, for all that, you endeavoured to soften the printer r
A. I had a respect for the name of Mitford.
Q. Such a respect, that you would have done the same for any
other person of the name r ~-A. 1 would for any person of the
family.
Q. 1 believe you desired Mr. Phipps to sit down, and write a
contradiction for other papers, which he did, though he would not
do it for his own? A. I told him, that a contradiction would ap-
pear in some of next day's papers.
( 24 )
0. You requested Mr. Phipps to pen a paragraph ? A. Bdiet-
ing Mr. PbippS to have been imposed on, at that time, I asked him
to put thai contradiction into whatever iorm of words was least
humiliating to himself.
Q. It was to be put in the other papers. Was it to be put in
bis own paper, tor the next Sunday r A He put it in his own way.
Q. Not a contradiction r A. No ; an avowal, a statement ol
the business.
Q. While your son was absent, did you not draw your cbair
nearer to Mr. Phipps, and take a very affectionate leave of him ?
A. I take an affectionate leave of Mr. Phipps ?
Q. Yes ! did you not take his hand between yours, and say,
" My dear Mr. Pnipps, if you will l>ut insert the contradiction as I
wish, you will be the saviour of me and my family ?" A. To the
best of my recollection, certainly not.
Q. You deny it r A. Certainly every word of it.
Q. I believe your son is about twenty ; A. .Rather younger,
he is in his nineteenth year.
Q. Now, attend. Did you not say, that if things went on as you
hoped, your son would, in six or seven years, be Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and then the printer should have his reward r that
another Perceval would be Chancellor of the Exchequer } A. Cer-
tainly not.
Q. When you talked of reward, did you speak of remuneration
of a pecuniary kind, or of a place under government? A. I
spoke of no reward whatever.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOKOUGII. Did you say any thing of ano-
ther Perceval, or of your son being Chancellor of the Exchequer ;
A. I heartily wish he may be, but 1 never expressed such a senti-
ment.
Mr. AJLLEY. After what has passed, there may be two
feelings on that subject.
Q. You held out no promise, then of expectation or reward to
Mr. Phipps r A. I did not.
Q. You have told the gentleman who examined you, that you
never intimated a wish that Mr. Mitford should go to a mad-house ?
A. I never did.
Q. You know Whitmore House 1 A. Yes.
Q. Did you not on, Sunday the 4th of April, after Mr. Phipps
left you, endeavour to prevail on Mr. Mitford to go ro Wai burton's
mad-house : A. No: I did not see him after Mr. Phipps left the-
room.
Q. Did you at any other time of the day ? A. No, I .lkl not :
I never saw him after he kit the house.
( 25 )
Q. Oa the next day, on Monday the 5th of April, you sent
Speechley and Hardcastle to Mr. Phipps, the printer ? A I did.
Q By whose advice did you do it ' A. In consequence of a
letter 1 received from Mr. Phipps, late on Sunday night.
Q. Was not the object of your message by them to him, to
contradict the letters, in the manner mentioned the day before, for
the tranquillity of your mind r A. It was to have an explanation
of the letter, which was sent down at eleven o'clock the night he-
fore ; and tu desire that he would come down, and explain that
letter. ( t t\
Q. It was in consequence of that letter, which you received on
the Sunday uigbt, and ia which Mr. Phipps says : " that, con-
sistently with his own honour, and his duty to the public, he must
give a particular, and not a general statement of the transaction,"
that Speechley and Hardcastle were sent to him ? A. Yes Mr.
Phipps added, " unless Mr. Mitfordcame forward, and avowed hi
share in the fabrication." The letter is here.
Q. Who might have been with you, besides Speechley and
Hardcastle, at the time you agreed to send a message to Mr.
Phipps. By whose advice, in addition, did you act ? A. I acted
entirely from my own feelings.
Q . You have told me you wrote the letter I hold in my hand,
to Mrs. Mitford ? A. Yes.
Q. She went down to Blackheath, in consequence ? A .She did.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. When was this ? A. I think
it was on Thursday, the 6th of April.
Q. Did you not endeavour to prevail on Mrs. Mitford, to per-
suade her husband to go to a mad-house : A. Mrs. Mitford re-
presented, that her husband had been in such an extraordinary state
of agitation and violence of temper, that she did not know how to
account for it; and said she was fearful to return to him, without
being accompanied.
Q. What was your advice on that occasion ? A. In conse-
quence of her representations, I suggested the probability, that he
might be again disordered that he might be unwell.
Q. Did you not endeavour at that time, to prevail on her to
persuade her husband to go to a mad-house ? A. I suggested,
whether it would not be better to have some person from War-
burton's, in his own house, for the safety of herself aad her child.
Q. War not that suggestion of yours, after she said she would
sot assist in sending him to St. Luke's, or to Warburton's ? A. No.
Q. Did you not suggest the propriety of sending him to St.
Luke's, or to Warburton's ? A. Certainly not. On the contrary,
I advised Mrs. Mitford to have some person from Warburton's,
iu. his own house.
Q. Mrs. Mitford came down on your solicitation, therefore,
sh did uot come to make a complaint to you, you intended to
m
( 26' )
complain to her, not she to you ? A. I sent for her to explaiir
what her husband's conduct had been.
Q. Do you recollect saying, when you proposed that a man
from Warbm ton's should be in the house, that no restraint should
he imposed on Mr. Mi t ford, it was only for form's sake ? A. No,
1 said it was for her own safety certainly not for form's sake.
Q. Before I sit down, as Mr. Phipps is here, I will again ask
you, did you not tell him, to this eflecr, that when your son should
be prime minister, his reward should come ? A. Certainly not.
Q. You have stated, that one of these letters, though it has the
name of Lady Anne Hamilton, is written by you. Had you her
permission ? A. I had her permission to write that letter.
Q. Did you not desire both Mr. Phipps and Mr. Mitford, when
they wrote to you on the subject we have been speaking of, to direct
to you under cover to Lady Hamilton ? A. Not Mr. Phipps ; but
J desired Mr. Mitford, upon occasion, to address me, under cover,
to Lady Hamilton, when 1 was in the country.
Re-examined by Mr. LAWS.
Q My Learned Friend wishes to know, when you sent the let-
ter No VMI. (beginning " when Nelson was a child,") to Mr.
Mitford }A. <Z'\ December | 1812.
Q. When was the letter about the rectification sent to Mr.
Phipps ? A. It was in April last.
Q. You said Mr. Mitford had been disordered in his mind ?
A He had been extremely unwell ; and it was conceived that hu
mind was not in a perfect state.
Q. How long was that previous to the paragraphs in The News
of April 4th ? A. It was in January, 181<2. It was more than a
year he I me, :i year and a qurirter.
Q. And he was then confined on that account ? A. He was
tlien at VVarbiirton's.
Q. Was it by the direction of his relations : A. It was.
By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Had you known him befov*
he went there ?- A. 1 had seen him only two or three times pre-
vious to his being placed there.
Q. Which did you know his wife or him, first : A. Mrs. Mit-
ford.
Q. What was the occasion of your first introduction to Mr.
Mit for.'! ? A. Mrs. Mitford introduced her husband.
Q. For what purpose? A. With a view to befriend him, end
to enable hint to support bis wife and family.
Q. Whatever might have been Mr Mifford's roivYrr
: ai'tor ti'.sc left-is \-.-> iv
did- he up;- -.\1 state of niiih; ":--.' "*
4th of A;j; - il.
Q. Then It was some time after these paragraphs wen? publish-
ed, that Mrs. Mitfonl came and related to you his state of mind ?
A. Yes, she stated to me the violence of his temper.
Q. When you sa\v Mr. Phipps, did you ask him how he came,
and by whose directions, to publish these letters 1 A. I did.
Q. By whose directions did he tell you he had doue it : A. He
informed me that Mitford had delivered these letters to him.
Q. Was it in consequence of that, that you made the request
to Mr. Pijipps to insert a general explanation r A I asked Mr.
Phipps, in consequence of his answer, whether he was sure that it
was Mr. Mitford who delivered these papers to him, or any one
assuming his name.
Q. What did he tell you ? A. He assured me it was Mitford ;
the gentleman whom he had passed in going out of the house.
Q. What house did he allude to ? A. My house at Blackhcath.
Lord ELLEN-BOROUGH These are admitted facts, both
stories are, that he delivered the letters. The question is,
whether he copied them or not, as he has sworn.
Mr. E. LAWS. My reason for asking these questions is,
to shew that Mr. Phipps had seen the Defendant at the house,
and thus to account for Lady Perceval's not stating that he
was there.
Q. Was it at that time yon said you had not seen Mr. Mitford
since Friday ? A. I never used the expression, that J had not seen
him since Friday.
Q. Then you used the expression, that you had seen him on
Friday ? A. Yes.
Q. And you did not mention to him that you had seen him on
Sunday? A. I did not then.
Q. Was not the reason because Mr. Phipps said he had seen
Mitford at your house on that day ? A. Exactly so.
Q. I understood you to say, that Mitford came to your house,
on the Sunday, before Mr. Phipps's arrival, and that Mr. Phipps
came after ? A. Yes.
Q. Were they ever together in the parlour of your house ?
A. Mitford left the parlour very abruptly, on hearing Mr. Phipps
was arrived before he came in.
Q. I think you said you never used Lady Anne Hamilton's
name without her leave ? A. Yes.
Q. And that you had her leave for writing that particular note
in her name ? A. Yes, that letter thanking Mr. Phipps for tli
offer of bis columns.
( 58 )
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. When was it ?
Mr. LAWS. It is the letter No. I. given in evidence.
Lord ELLKNBOROUGH. Yes, but when was that letter
written ?
Lady Perceval. I think the 21st of March.
Q. Now there is a letter mentioned, commencing, " Nelsom
when a child," was that sent for insertion in any paper ? A. Cer-
tainly not, it was a private letter to Mr. Clifford.
Q. Was there any more than one paragraph sent by your direc-
tion, by Mr. Mitford, to 77* e A'cu-* ? A. Certainly not, not any
to The News.
Q. Was it to The Star newspaper that the other paragraph
was altered, was sent ? A. Yes, to The Star.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOKOUGH. When was it returned? In-
deed I do not know.
Q. By Lord EI.LENBOROUGH. How recently before the
month of March ? A. I believe it might be in the month of Fe-
bruary.
Q. You may remember a paragraph relative to a paper, contain-
ing a copy of the Duchess of Brunswick's will, what newspaper
had Mr. Mitford liberty to publish it in? A. He bad the liberty
of inserting it in any paper be chose, or thought proper.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Of inserting any letters you
delivered to him, or any letters he chose? A. The particular arti-
cles I gave him.
Q. When you went to Mr. Donovan's house, for whom did
you inquire? A. I inquired for Mr. Mitford generally ; 1 may
have inquired for Mrs. Mitford, or for both.
Q When you went there, did you go alone? A. I went alone
generally, J believe always.
Q. Wuat was your occasion of calling there, when you did go ? >
A I called to see Mrs. Mitfoid generally, 1 felt interested in their
well doing, and that was the subject of conversation amongst
others.
Q. Did you make any endeavour to obtain for Mr. Mitford any
situation of emolument ? A. I did use every opportunity I had to
enable him to provide honourably for his family.
Q In particular did you use any endeavours to get him any
situation hi the Navy Pay Office ? A. No ; I introduced him to
two gentlemen who were setting up a Navy Agency concern.
Q. Was it sometimes the subject of your calling at Mr. Douo-'
ran's ? A. Very often.
( 29 )
Q. And of writing to Mr. Mitford ? A. I wrote to him on that
subject and on others.
Examined by Lord ELLENBOROUGH.
Q. Can yon state in how many instances you authorized him
to insert paragraphs ? A. 1 don't know, my lord; Init he never was
authorized to use my name.
Q. \our name was not to appear; it was not to be put for-
ward ; but he was to do the act you put him upon. He, concealing
your name, w;is to put in the strong paragraphs ? A. He was di-
rected, from time to time, my lord, to insert my sentiments on the
subject.
Q. YOU wrote a letter to Mr. Phipps, in the name of Lady
Anne Hamilton ? A. I had L tdy Anne Hamilton's leave, my
lord, to write a note, in her name, in answer to an offer which
Mr. Phipps had made of his columns.
Q. Through whose procurement had he made that oSer ? A. I
believe it was of his own movement, my lord.
Q. To whom did he write ? A. To Lady Anne Hamilton, my
lord.
Q. Why did he write to her ? A. He can l>est answer that, my
lord.
Q. She had not applied to him ? A. Certainly not, my lord.
Q. But why did you get her leave to write ? A. It was an im-
material note ; it was no matter who wrote it, my lord.
Q. The more immaterial, the more necessary to write in your
own name, and not in that of another person ? A. I don't know.
Q. How came you to make use of her name ? A. It was ac-
cidental, my lord.
Q. Yes, it was an accident that never took place before ; very
few people here, I believe, have ever heard of such a one. On the
4th of April you saw the paper with these forged letters, and im-
mediately sent up Speechley to state to Phipps, that you knew no-
thing of them. How came you to know that he suspected you
then ? A. Because, my lord, he wrote me a notCj on the morning
of the 4th, with his paper.
Q. Why did he write to you ? A. He then addressed me^ mj
lord, to use his own phrase, unauthorized.
Q. Yu peremptorily deny, when Mr. Phipps came down, that
any of that conversation, or any of those civilities, passed between
you, which were stated in the questions put to you as, that you
took him by the hand, and said, "My dear Phipps, you will be the
Saviour of myself and family :" A. I do, my lord.
Q. Did not Lady Anne Hamilton desire you to answer that letter
jn her name ? A. Yes, my lord.
Q. Then how came you to say, that " you had her leave :"
( 30 )
that looked as if you had asked leave from her. A. I wrote by her
desire, my lord.
Then 1 will put down, that you wrote by Lady Anne Ha-
milton's leave and desire.
Mr. HOLT. May I request your lordship to put a ques-
tion to Lady Perceval ?
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. If it be material.
Mr. HOLT. Will your lordship have the goodness to ask,
whether she did not use the words, " Saviour of his family "
with reference to Mr. Mitford ?
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Why she has denied using the
words ; and I cannot suggest a qualification of a direct con-
tradiction. It would be making the court a party to subor-
nation of perjury ; I cannot put such a question.
Mr. John Hardcastle examined by Mr. W. RAY.
Q. Had you, on the 4th of April last, occasion to call on the
Defendant, Mitford, on any business, no matter what ? A. 1 had.
Q. Before you waited on him that morning, had you seen The
Kerns? A. I had.
Q. Had you read in it the letters which have been alluded to ?
A. 1 had, sir.
Q. Did you mention them to the Defendant ? A. I did, sir.
Q. On your naming them to him, what remark did he make ?
A. He seemed surprised, and desired me to relate their purport.
Q. You did so? A. I believe 1 did.
Q. You afterwards went with him to Lady Perceval's house,
Cur/on- street ? A. I did.
Q. When there, had you any conversation with him on the sub-
ject of The News? A. Not in Curzon- street.
Q. Where did you go from Curzon-street ? A. To Black-
heath.
Q. On your arrival at Blackheath, where were you introduced ?
A. To Mr. Perceval's room Lady Perceval was engaged.
Q. Whom did you find there ? A. Mr. Speechley went with
us : there were also Mr. Thomas Speechley and Mr. Perceval.
Q. About what hour of the day was it ? A. About four.
Q. Lady Perceval shortly after came into the room ? A. She
did.
Q. On her coming into the room, what passed between her and
the Defendant ? A. She peremptorily asked him, what he knew of
the letters in the paper.
( 31 )
Q. By Lord ELLEN-BOROUGH. Dkl she mention The
.4. In The News of that morning, my lord.
Q. Had she any papers in her hand } A. A letter from Mr.
Phipps.
Q. You saw it ? A. Yes.
Q. Had she any other paper in her hand ? A. I cannot re-
collect.
Q. What reply did Defendant make to her, when she asked
that question ":A. He denied all knowledge of them, positively
and repeatedly.
Q. Do you remember the expression he made use of, when h
denied them \A. D-mn the fellow, 1 never saw him hut twice iu
my life.
Q. Had any name been mentioned in conversation, between
Lady Perceval and Mr. Mittoid, to which that expression applied >
A. Mr. Phipps's name had been mentioned.
Q. By Lord ELLEXBOROUGH. Mentioned just before? A. It
had, my lord.
Q. What did the Defendant afterwards say ? A. That he
wished to go to town to contradict the letters.
Q. Did he say to whom he wished to go ? A. To Mr. Phipps,
to contradict the letters.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH r What letters ? A. Those tba*
had appeared in The News, iny lord,
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. In what particular did he say he
wished to contradict them ? A. He spoke generally, my lord.
Q. He did not say in what particular, then, he only said h
wished to go to town to contradict them } A. Yes.
Q. When he said that, what did Lady Perceval say ? A. She
said, that Mr. Phipps was coming down, and it was useless for
him to go to town, as they would pass on the road.
Q. You say it was then about four o'clock ; did she say at what
hour she expected Mr. Phipps? A. It was about four when we
went down, this was about a quarter before n've.
Q. Did she state a long or a short time, before she expected
Mr. Phipps down ? A. She said she expected him about five.
Q. What did Defendant do, or say ? A. He seemed a good
deal agitated, and wished still to go.
Q. Did he give any reason why Phipps would not be there that
evening ? A. He said that Mr. Phipps could not go dowu, on ac-
count of publishing his morning paper.
Q. By Lord ELLEN-BOROUGH. Is he connected in another
publication, besides the Sunday paper ? A. No, my lord ; but he
publishes the same paper to send into the country on Monday.
Q. Mr. Perceval wa? not in the room at the conclusion of their
conversation r A. No.
Q. Did h afterward* return ? A. He returned, anil announced
Mr. Phipps.
Q. What did Defendant do when Mr. Phipps's name was an-
nounced ? A. He passed hastily by Mr. Perceval, .and left the
house.
Q. You saw no more of him on that day ? A. I did not.
Q. You were sent repeatedly afterwards to seek him, by Lady
Perceval, and did not meet him ? A. 1 did not.
x*>
Cross-examined by Mr. ALLEY.
Q. Did you live in Lady Perceval's house ? A. No, sir.
Q. What are you and how did ^rou happen to be there ? A.
I belong to the Dock-yard at Woolwich.
Q. Are you a private friend of Lady Perceval ? A. Yes, sir.
Q. You were at her house on the Monday as well as the Sun-
day? A. I was.
Q. Why Monday was not a holiday ? A. I had leave, sip*
C^. She does not communicate many of her secrets to you,* you
did not know that these publications were going on ? A. No, sir.
Q. You are a casual visitor ? A. I went there, sometimes.
Q. You did not know any thing of these letters ? A. I knew
nothing of the transaction.
Q. Did you remain in the room after Mr. Phipps went down
to Blackheath, on the Sunday ? A. 1 did not.
Q. Mi t ford remained in the house, did he not? A. Not to
tny knowledge.
Q. Did you see him at Blackheath on that day ? A. I did not.
Q. What time did Mr. Phipps stay there ? A. I don't know.
Q Mr. Phipps wrote a letter the next day to Lady Perceval?
A. Not the next day.
Questioned by Lord ELLENBOROUGU.
Q. What is your situation in the dock-yard ? A I am a clerk.
Q. Are you frequently at Lady Perceval's ? A. I am there,
perhaps once or twice in a fortnight.
Q. Are you acquainted with any particular person in the family,
rtr do you go to Lady Perceval ? A. To Lord and Lady Perceval
both.
Mr. Ralph Speechley examined by Mr. HOLT.
Q. Yon are the nephew of a lady who resides with Lady Per-
ceval ? A. Yes.
Q. And you reside yourself in the family ? A. I do.
( 33 )
Q. Were you in Mr. Perceval's room, in her ladyship's house,
.at Blackheath, on the 4lh of April A. Yes.
Q. Do you recollect the Defendant coining into that room ?
4. Yes.
Q. With whom ? A. With Mr. Hardcastle and Mr. Perceval.
Q. Whilst you were in the room together, did Lady Perceval
come in ? A. She did, Sir.
Q. Be so gooil as to relate, when she came into the room, what
she said or did ? A. She came in with The Ntics ol that day, and
Mr. Phipps's letter, which she had received with it, in her hand ;
and she asked Mr. Mitt'ord if he knew any tiling of the letters
puhlisherl in The News of that day.
Q. What did he say ? A. He declared positively that he did
not.
Q. Did he say that once or twice, or how many times ? A.
He said it frequently.
Q. Did Lady Perceval speak to him, or press him on this an-
swer ? A. She did.
Q. What were his answers? A. I remember him saying:
" D-mn the fellow, J never saw him hut twice in my life.
Q. To whom was that expression applied ? A. 1 understood
to Mr. Phipps.
Q. Are you sure he denied repeatedly the knowledge of the let-
ters r A. Quite sure.
Q. Did Lady Perceval mention the name of Mr. Phipps ? A.
She gave him the letter she had received with the paper.
Q. But did she say any one thing about expecting Mr. Phipps }
A. She said she expected him at five o'clock.
Q. What did he say ? A. That he knew he could not come,
as he would be busy preparing his Monday's publication.
Q. Did you observe any thing particular in his conduct ' A.
He was anxious to get away, to go to town to meet Mr. Phipps.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps arrive, or was his name announced, before
he went ? A. That I cannot tell ; for I went with Mr. Perceval to
meet Mr. Phipps at the gate of the court-yard.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. You say at the gate of ths
court-yard, is it some distance from the room ? A. Yes, my lord.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. What distance is it from the
bouse ? A. About fifty yards from the door.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. What door? A. The door
leading into the house.
Q. When did you next see Defendant ? A, 1 walked with Mr.
Phipps towards the door leading to the house, and met Mr.Mitford.
Q. How was he coming out ? A. Rather in a brisk manner.
Q. Did he meet Mr. Phipps ? A. Yes, in the passage leading
from the bouse to the court-yard.
E
( 34 )
Q. Where was Mr. Perceval then : A. I believe in the room
with L:uly Perceval. He ran forward to announce Mr. Phipps.
Q. When the Defendant and Mr. Phipps met, did you observe
anything particular: A. They shook hands together, and both
ix-tired back into the yard.
Q. What became of Mitford ? A. He absconded. W r e could
not find him afterwards.
Q. Did Lady Perceval send you the next morning to town :
A. Yes, she did.
Q. On the 7th of April, did Lady Perceval send you to Mit-
ford's lodging, on Wednesday, the 7th ? A. Yes.
Q. Who went along with you ? A. Mr. Perceval.
Q. Did you seek for Mitford at his lodging '? A. Yes, frequent-
ly, two or thiee times.
Q. How often did you apply at the door of his lodging } A.
Two or three times.
Q. Were you admitted, or did you get into the lodging : A.
No, we did not.
Q. Did you see Mr. Mitford ? A. Yes, we saw him at the
window ; we went to a public-house opposite and saw him.
Q. Why did you go to the public-house opposite : A. Because
we had reason to think he was in the house, though denied.
Q. After you were denied admittance, did you observe him at
the window ? A. Yes, sir.
Q. How soon after you had called ? A. A quarter of an hour.
Q. Had you kept your eye on the door of the house, so as to
see that he was not admitted between the time of applying and of
seeing him: A. Yes.
Q. What time did you go to the house } A. About seven in
the evening.
Q. Did you gain admission then ? A. Yes.
Q. Did you see Mitford ? A. Yes.
Q. Now state what you observed, and all that passed, when
you saw him? A. When I went into die room where his wife was
sitting, she said he was lying on his bed, in the next room ; I went
in and saw him. He appeared very much distressed ; and said, lie
hoped we came as his friends I told him there was no doubt of
that ; and all Lady Perceval required of him, was to give a caudid
account of what he knew of these forged letters.
Q. What did he reply to that r A. He told me that his reason
for doing it
<^. You say you found him in a distressed state did he say any-
thing of his state or character ? A- He said, he had committed
himself and his reputation.
Q. Anything else on that head : you said, all Lady Perceval
ask.cd of him, was to give an explanation, of these forged letters :*-
( 35 )
ilul you say anything of his going down with you? A. Yes ; I
asked him would he go down with us.
Q. What did he say upon that ? A. He said he could not hear
the interview and he used this expression, that as he had heen so
long accustomed to her kindness, he could not hear her frowns.
Q. Did you speak to him ahont the documents in The News
ahout the forged papers, as you called them? A. I asked him,
what could have been his reason for imposing those letters on the
Editor of The News.
Q. What did he say to that r A. lie told me he saw his fa-
mily in great distress, and he could not resist a bribe.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Did he say whom he had the
bribe from ? A. Yes, uiy lord.
'Lord ELLENBOROUGH. O ! we shall hear that pre-
sently.
Q. What did you say ? A. I asked him who offered him the
bribe ; he said it was Colonel Bloomfield.
Q. Did he say anything else ? A. He said he should never rise
again from his bed he was in great distress.
Q By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Who was present with you ?
A. Mr. Perceval, my lord.
Q. Did he say anything else ? A. He jumped up from his bed,
and with a forcible expression, said, "D-mnthem all, I will publish
their names."
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Did he say whom he meant by
them all ? A. No, my lord.
Q. What did you observe next ? A. After a great deal of en-
treaty, he said, he would go down with us, and he went into the
next room to arrange his dress.
Q. Was there a looking-glass there ? A. Yes.
Q. Did he say anything on going up to it? A. He turned
round to me, and said, "Don't I look horrible ? Have I any other
appearance than that of a villain ?"
Q. Did he, at last, consent to go down with you to Blackheath ?
A. Yes, he did.
Q. Did you and Mr. Perceval accompany him to Blackheath ?
A. Yes ; both of us.
Q. At what time of night did you arrive ? A. About eleven
o'clock, I believe.
Q. Now where did he go when he went down ? <A. Into the
room occupied by Mr. Perceval as his study.
Q. Did he say anything of what he would do that night or
next morning ? A. He frequently asked what time we thought
( 36 )
lYireva! would lie at lioine ; and told me he wished Ladjr
Perceval would leave him till the morning, and then he would Jell
all.
<'. What time of night did you K-,ive him ? A. We left him
about tour or fise the next morning, lie lay down on a bed iu the
next room.
(J. Were you sitting up watching him > A. We sat in the next
room, the door of which opened into that where he was.
<} . Did yon see him next morning ? A. No, we did not ; we
l;iy down about five or MX o'clock, and when we awoke we found he
jvas gone ; and we could uot (iud him.
f..'. What hour was it in the morning when you made the search ?
A. About seven o'clock, as near as I recollect.
V. At the time you searched for the Defendant, were the doors
of the house open r ./.' Yes, they were.
V. Did Lady IVrcou'l direct you to go next morning to London,
to look for Defendant r ./. Yes.
1J. Did you go ? ,/. I did.
Q. Did you see him ? -/. The man told me he was not at
home -, and 1 waited till I saw him.
Q. By Lord ELLF.NUOEOUGH. What time was it ? A. About
five in the evening, my lord.
<J. Did you a.-k him to go to Blackheath again ? ./. I did ; he
Said no, he would not go.
y. What reason did he give for his refusal? ./. He gave
BO one.
(). Wdl, what else? .-/. I asked had he seen Lady Perceval,
he said, " Yes j we have settled it all :" although I knew he had
cot seen her.
Cross-examined by Mr. CTJRVVOOD.
Q. You are introduced as the nephew of a lady in the house.
Wlnt air. you yourself? -/. 1 am waiting for an opportunity to go
abroad. I have been abroad before.
ij. Win-re do you live r .4. At Lady Perceval's.
V. A : you supported by Lly Perceval '; A. Yes, I am.
Q. You are dependent on her bounty ? A. Yes.
Q. By Lord ELLI.NBOKOUGII. How long? A. Since I re-
turned, in September, twelvemonth.
Q. Have you lived continually in the house: A. Not con-
tinually.
Q. lln'.vlongr A. Since Mirch last.
Q. livLord Lyi.LENBOKoi'GH. \\ hat was your situation abroad}
A. 1 was iu a merchant's counting-hcruse at Teneriftc.
Q. Did it ever happen to you to he sent by Lady Perceval with
*ny of these paragraphs to newsp-ipers } A. No, Sir.
Q. Have you ever copied any of them : A. I don't think I
Lave.
Q. You don't think why il is a remarkable circumstance
you must know it. Have you, I ask, ever copied what you knevf
was intended for publication : A. 1 have.
Q Wiiy did you not s,ay so at once, Sir. How many time*
bave you done it r A. Not more than onre.
Q. Does it happen to be known by yon, that Mr. Mitford wa
frequently employed by Lady Perceval ia writing? A. No, I
kave heard her say
Mr. HOLT. I object to that question.
Lord ELLKNBOROUGH. What is your objection }
Mr. HOLT made no answer.
_ TT _, , w . , , ,
Q. Have you not seen Mr. Mitford employed in copying articles?
+-A. \ have not.
Q. Have you not seen him and Lady Perceval together, fabri-
fating paragraphs ": A iSo, I have not.
Q. Have you not seen them writing together ; A. He mag
have written in her presence.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. And he may not also that
is no answer. Has he ever, to your knowledge, lK>en writing in
Lady Perceval's presence? A. Perhaps letters to his friends.
Q. By Lord ELLEN-BOROUGH No perhaps. Have you ever
.seen him writing in her presence ? A. I have.
Q. On the 4th of April were you present when Mr. Phippt
ame in ? A. I was not- When Mr. Phipps came into the door,
1 turned hack into the yard.
Q. When, before that day, had you seen Mr. Mitford there ?
A. On the Friday evening.
Q. This being on the Sunday? A. Yes.
Q. When Phipps name in, you say, he met Mitford ? A. Yes;
they shook hands, went into the yard together*, and Phipps after-
wards went into the house.
Q. Were you present at the interview r A. I was not.
Q. Mr. Phipps having h it the house, you were, on the next
In the most solemn manner I deny the assertion *f this witness,
respecting my going with Miti'onl iiiio the yard. We met in a narro\v
passage ; and he PHII from me like a man wtw had beeu bidden to keep out
v( my sight. Edit.
( 38 )
morning, sent to Mr. Mitford ? A. We were we first called on
Mr. Phipps.
Q. You went to Mr. Mi t ford's lodgings ? A. Yes.
Q. You did not see bim \ A. No.
Q. When did you see him ? A. On the Wednesday after.
Q. Be so good as to look at the letter, sir; were you the hearer
of that letter to Mrs. Mitford ; there is no post mark on it ? A.
No, sir ; I took no letter.
Q. How long was it hefore you saw Mrs. Mitford at Perceval-
lodge ? A. She was there on the Thursday following, the 4th of
April.
Q. You were not present ? A, I saw Mrs. Mitford ; but know
nothing of the conversation.
Q. Do you know who else had been there ? A. I do not.
Q. Did Mrs. Mitford sleep there that night ? A. Yes.
Q. When did she leave Perceval- lodge r A. The next morn-
ing.
Q. What time did you arrive on the Thursday night ? A. About
ten or eleven o'clock.
Q. Do you know of any letter being written for Mrs. Mitford
to copy, to be sent to Dr. Warburton ? A. I do not.
Q. Was any body there, on Friday morning, not of the family,
besides Mrs. Mitford ? A. There was a Mr. Grimani, who went
up to town with Mrs. Mitford.
Q. Am 1 to understand you to say, you were not at the con-
sultation respecting sending for a man from Dr. Warburton's
house ? A. No, 1 was not.
Q. When you saw Mr. Mitford, did you observe anything in
bis appearance like a mad-man ? A. Nothing, except on the Wed-
nesday, when lying on his bed ; he then certainly seemed deranged.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. That was the day he talked of
the bribe ? A. Yes, my lord.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOEOUGH. Did he tell you how much he
received, or with what he was bribed ? A. No, my lord.
Mr. John-James Perceval examined by Mr. LAWS.
Q. You are the son of Lord and Lady Perceval ? A. Yes, I
am.
Q. You reside with them r A. Yes.
Q. You lived with them in March and April last ? A. Yes.
Q. Were you in the habit of seeing Mr. Mitford, when he
came to the house ? A. I was.
Q. Did you see Mr. Mitford on the 31st of March, on the day
previous, or the day after ? A . No, I did not.
( 39 )
Q. Is it likely you would see him if tlicre : A. Yes.
Q. Did you see him on the Cd of April, or the Friday ; A
Yes; Idid.'
Q. When next, after Friday, the 2d of April, did you see him
at your father's house r A. On Sunday, the 4th.
Q. No\v, sir, did your mother, after .XI,: lord arrived, come
into the room where he \vas? A. Yes, she did; ou Sunday the 4th.
Q. What was it she first said to Defendant ou coming into the
room ? A. She brought Mr. Ph'pps's papi-r, with the letter she
received trom him, and said, " Mitionl, what have you taen about :"
He said, " What do you mean ?" as if he did not know any thing
about it. Then shesaid, " Look, see, and read ;" and gave him the
paper. Then he said, " I know nothing of it."
Q. Did he use any particular words, when he said that : A.
Yes; he said, " D-mn the the fellow, I never saw him but twice in
my life-'"
Q. Of whom was he speaking when he said, " the fellow r"
A. Of Mr. Puipps, certainly.
Q. Did he say he would go to Mr. Phlpps ? A. Yes ; he said
he would go to town.
Q. What was your mother's observation on that ? A. He
need not go to town, for she had sent for Mr. Phipps, to come down
and he would scon be there, as it was near five, at which time she
had appointed him.
Q. Did he say anything about Phipps's coming down ? A. He
said he could not come, for he was preparing his Monday's publica-
tion.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps come r A. I went out soon after, and met
Mr. Phipps at the gate of the yard, the outer gate.
Q. Was any person with you then ? A. Mr. Speechley was
with me.
Q. Did you remain with Mr. Speechley there ? A. I went up
part of the yard with Mr. Speeebley and Mr. Phipps, and then ran
on to announce Mr. Phip|>s.
Q. Did you see Mr. Mitford then ? //. When I came into the
room, he was there-
Q. Did Mitford stop till Phipps came into the room ? A. No j
as soon as he heard he had arrived, he rushed past me, and went
out of the house.
Q. When did you see Phipps afterwards? A. I saw him after-
wards in the room, just as he was going into the room.
Q. Had the Defendant, Milford, got out of your sight before
Phipps came into the room r A. Yes, he had.
Q. Did Mitford leave the room in haste? A. He did; he
seemed very much flurried, and even left his stick behind him.
( 40 )
Q. Did lie take leave in flic ord i nary way : A. No; he did
not take leave of me or my mother.
Q. Did you go next day, by desire of your mother, to Mr.
Mitford's house r A. Yes, 1 did.
Q. For u hat put poser A. To learn what he knew of those
forged letters.
Q. Did you frequently, (luring that clay, make inquiries for
him r A. Yes, we did.
Q. Were they ineffectual? A. Yes ; the landlord said he was
not at hoiue, and \ve did not bee him during the whole of that
day.
Q. DM you repeat your visit to Di'iVndant's house, on Wed-
nesday the 7tu, \vich Sneechley ? A. Yi's, I did.
Q. \\ hat was the- answer ? A. That he was not at home ; at
least, for the rirst two or three visits.
Q. When and how did you see him on Wednesday r A. We
suspr-crtd thai he was at home ; we watched and saw him come to
the window boon after we called.
Q. W-.-re VOM at length admitted, towards night, to Mitfonl's
presence ? A. We weie.
Q. Was he then np, or on his bed ? A. On his bed.
Q. How did Mr. Mitford, on seeing you in that situation, first
address you ? A.. lie said, "1 am happy to see you 1 hope you
are con:e to comfort me."
Q. Did he speak about his character r A. Yes ; he said he
was a lost man, and seemed sadly distressed.
Q. Was it then proposed to him to go to your mother's at
Blackheath ? A. Yes.
Q. What did he say to that : A. He said, she was too good
he did not seem to like to come.
Q. Did he say anything of hearing the interview A. He said
he could not hear the interview that was the expression.
Q. Did he say anything about her frowns : A. Yes ; as he
was so long accustomed to her kindness he could not bear her
frowns.
Q. Did you hear Speechley a^k any thin;; about the forged
papers r A. Yes ; Speechley a-ked what was his reason for impos-
ing forged documents on the Editor of The News ?
Q. Now, slowly and deliberately, tell my lord, what he said to
that: A. He said, he saw his wife and children starving, and h
could not re fuse a bribe.
Q. Did he mention who offered the bribe } A. Yes; he men,-
tioned Colonel Bloomfield.
Q. Did he say anything ahput publishing names ' A. He said.,
" D mu them, I will publish all their names."
( 41 )
Q. Did he mention any names ? A, No, he did not.
Q. Did he rnenti" i any person hut Col. Bloomlield, to
wh'tm th<- ex "t^sion < t.uld apply : A No. lie did :.'J*.
Q. By L'ii-d ELLEHBORQUGB. Did he mcntic.i what the
bribe was, or when it was offered? A. No, my Lord, he did
not.
Q. Were you present when lie went to an adjoining' room
to a looking ^ lass ? A. Yes, I was.
(<!. llau he, at that time consented to go to B lack heath ?
A. Yes, with much entreaty.
Q. Did you hear hiui say any thing, when looking at the
glass? .4. No, I don't recollect."
Q. Did he ultimately go to your father's house at Black-
heath ? A. Yes, he did.
Q. At what time did he arrive there ? A. Between 11 and
12 o'clock at night.
Q. Did he see your mother, that night? A. No.
Q. Did he go to bed? A. He lay down on my bed in the
next ruom. He asked my leave, and 1 consented.
Q. What time was this? A. About one o'clock in the
morning.
Q. Was it by his own consent, or your persuasion, that he
sat up ? A. By his owu consent; at length he said he was
tired.
Q. Did you see him the next morning? A. No, 1 did not.
Q. Do you know what became of him ? A. No, I do not.
Q. At what time were yon up next morning ? A. Between
six aud seven. I did not pull off all my clothes; I lay down
on the sofa.
Q. Why did you lie ou the sofa ? A. Because he was in
my bed.
Q. But was there not another bed that you might go to ?
A. Yes, there was; but I thought I would stop for fear he
khould go away.
Q. You saw nothing of him afterwards ? A. No.
Cross examined by Mr. ALLEY.
Q. You say you were at Perceval-lodge, when Mr. Phipps
.:ame there on Sunday ? A. Yes.
Q. And when Speechley and the other man were sent to
town, to Mr. Mitford, on Monday? A. I was.
Q. Do you recollect a letter, written by your mother to Mrs.
Mitford, requesting her appearance at Blackheath? A. No,
I do not.
Q. Were you at home on Wednesday the 7th of April :
A. No, 1 was not.
F
( 42 )
Q. Were you there when Mrs. Mitford came iu? A. I do
not know whether I was there, when she arrived, hut I recollect
her being there.
Q. On the Thursday or Friday ? A. Yes.
Q. i)o you recollect a proposition, mtidr by your mother, to
send Mr. Mitford to the mad-house? A. Yes.
Q. The-e was then a proposition made to Mrs. Mitford to
send him to the nivd-house? A, Yes*.
Q. It was Brat pro<-;yj>-d to send him to St. Luke's, and af-
terwards to Hoxtoit ? A. Never to St. Luke's, but to Hoxton.
Q. 1 believe she objected to it and said, Mr. Mitford would
he angiy if she agreed to it ? : A. She objected.
Q. It was nt last agret-cf that a keeper should be sent for,
from Dr. Warburtou's, and that Mr. Mitford should be in no-
minal Custody ? A. Yes, to prevent his doing any harm.
Q. Do you recollect any person in Court, whom you saw
there at the lime ? A. No.
Q. Don't you see any person in Court, who wrote a letter for
Mrs. Mitford to copy? A. No.
Q. Was it not proposed to send Mr. Mitford to the mad-
house, was not Mrs. Mitford asked to write a letter to Dr.
Warburton, and did she not say she could not write the letter,
and that some person must write it for her to copy? A. I don't
know.
Q. Do you not know, from your mother, that a letter was
written for Mrs. Mitford to copy? A. Not as I recollect.
Q. Who was there, besides yourself, your mother, and Mrs.
Mitford? A. Mr. Speechley and two ladies.
Q. Was there no other gentleman ? it is a particular
thin". A. I do not recollect.
Q. Did not your mother request a gentleman who was pre-
sent, to write a letter for Mrs. Mitford to copy ? -A. I do not
know.
Q. Did you not hear that it was intended to place Mr. Mit-
ford in nominal custody? A. Yes, so far as to prevent him
from doing any harm.
D J
The case for the Prosecutor closed here. Mr. CUR-
WOOD observing, that they ought to have called Mr.
Phipps ; a letter said to have been written by him hav-
ing been put in.
* Vide Speecbley'* and Lady Perceval's contradictory evidence on thi
point. The former denied being present at this meeting, and the latter as-
serted that no such proposition as sending Mitford to Box ton ta4-husr
was ever made by her.
( 43 ;
Mr. ALLEY. " Mr. Perceval, you will be good
enough to withdraw." [The young gentleman had
seated himself beside the attorney for the prosecution/]
This request of Mr. ALLEY, drew f^rth son.f n,;'.rks
of disapprobation from Messrs. HOLT nnd LAW-, but the
propriety of the course pursued by the Defendant's
Counsel was acknowledged by
Lord ELLEVBonoroH, who ?aid " It is much bet-
ter for Mr. Perceval to withdraw; it may prevent him
from hearing some unpleasant observations, and will leave
the advocate more at liberty to perform his duty."
Mr. ALLEY. " That is exactly my motive for wish-
ing Mr. Perceval to leave the Court. It is evident he was
purposely placed in his present situation, to enibarrais
it j r
me."
Jot! bfUf
_,
'
Mr. ALLEY Although I wish to avoid using one
word of unnecessary severity in this case, yet I am afraid,
in the discharge of my professional duty,Ishallbe obliged
to make some observations, which I should rather the
son of Lady Perceval did not hear; this, and this only,
was my reasoo for calling on him to withdraw.
Gentlemen, I was about to state that I felt, and I do
most unfeigned ly feel, the deepest regret, that the task
of defending Mr. Mitford has fallen to me. I should
have been extremely well pleased, if I had, in the pre-
it instance, the assistance of my learned Friend {Mr.
Topping) within the bar, who is leading Counsel in an-
other case, growing out of this, but, unhappily, it wag
- not in the defendants power to avail himself of tin
.{4. talents possessed by my kjiuied Friend. Every
person must be aware of the principle of humanity and
( 44 )
kindness towards the distressed, \vhich pervades the
of the legal profession, and which always incites
to step forward in dsfrnco of the unfortunate: but,
you know, from the rank held by my learned Friend, it
was necessary that a license should be obtained before
he could appear for the defendant, and that requires a
sum of inone}' greatly beyond the present means of Mr.
Mitford Lo advance. Under these circumstances (he duty
of conducting the defence has devolved upon me.
Gentlemen, I have been much surprised at the man-
ner in wh-ch the learned Counsel for the prosecution has
been instructed to state his case to you. I was sur-
prised when he was stating a criminal offence against
the defendant, to hear him assert, that he was driven
from his i'amily, and sheltered in the house of Mrs., I
should say, of Viscountess Perceval.
I regret he made use of the expression and introduced
it in the manner he has done, because it was nei-
ther generous or just, because it was not called for
by the. necessity of the case. I was also sorry to
hear him eulogise, in such flattering terms, the situa-
tion in life which Lady Perceval fills. This was also
unnecessary. With the rank of the parties what have
we to do? Well, however, has the learned Gentlemen said,
and in this I agree with him, that it is not for justice Y^s-'
countess Perceval appears here to-day, but to protect her
character irom obloquy ; and in that attempt, you will
presently see, she has most completely failed.
Gentlemen, the learned Counsel spokt of three kinds
of evidence: and the sort of proof which he adverted
to, may do very well in his opinion, but we are not bound
to take his definition. There is something more than he
has stated, necessary to justify a conviction of a defen-
dant: it must be plainly seen, that the witnesses giving
( 45 )
their evidence are "honest witnesses, and not partakers in
the guilt of those they accuse; or they must he con-
firmed, as dishonest witnesses require. And hert per-
mit me to observe, 'tis not the powerful influence of
a powerful accuser 'tis not the popular abhorrence
of a crime nor yet the injurious consequence*
resulting from the perpetration of an offence, that
can at this day authorise the infliction of the
law. In this happy land, happy because 'tis free, and
free because the. law is honestly and impartially admi-
nistered to the people, all is definite and just; to every
crime its correspondent punishment is attached, and ere
the humblest individual can be hurt in his person or his
property, legal guilt must be ascertained by /ega/and by
honest proof. I use these words advisedly, and in con-
tradistinction to each other; for we may have proof that
is legal, and yet by no mea.is honest. We know, that in
our criminal courts, a common highwayman is admitted
as evidence against the person whom he has assisted in
committing depredations: so is the common burglar
permitted to appear against his partners in iniquity; so
have the witnesses to-day been allowed to come forward,
but whether they are all honest witnesses the sequel must
decide. This, however, I will venture to say, that too
much integrity will not be found in the conduct of Vis-
countess Perceval.
Gentlemen, I shall now proceed to call your minds
to the fact, as it is charged in the indictment, and to
the circumstance from whence the affidavit made by Mr.
Mitford originated. You have been told, that Mr. Phipps
refused to contradict, in the manner desired by Lady
Perceval, certain paragraphs which appeared in his
journal on the 4th of April, in the last year ; and, when he
found that such a statement, as he thought the occasion
( 46 )
demanded, was not drawn up, he felt it a duty, owing
boi> to himself and to the public, to give to the world a
narrative of what had passed between him and Lady
Perceval, and to publish, in corroboration of that state-
ment, several letters, copies of which I shall lay before
you. And why, I will ask, did Mr. Phipps do this ? Was
it from any unworthy design? Was it with any sinister
tiew? Certainly it was not; but he felt his honour, his
character, his integrity assailed, and he resorted to the
only means by which his conduct could be placed in a
fair and honest light! Gentlemen, I thought it would
have been my duty to cross-examine Mr. Phipps: he at-
tends here, in consequence of a subpccna, from the other
side, and yet my learned Friends have not dared to call
him. Such conduct shews, that which wj 11 be proved;
it shews, that the prosecution is rotten at Ute core ! Buf
I shall call Mr. Phipps, who will distinctly state, that
Lady Perceval told him, her son would be Chancellor of
the Exchequer in the course of a few years, and then
should come the printer's reward ! When my learned
Friend* discovered the facts to which Mr. Phipps would
swear, they abstained from calling upon him. What
is the natural inference? It evidently is this, that evefi
in their opinion Lady Perceval was not the witness of
truth. Mr. Phipps, as I before intimated, finding that a
full explanation, which he considered necessary, nnd
sought, by calling on Lady Perceval at Blackheatli, was
avoided, by the latter contriving to -get rid of Mit-
ford, so that the parties could not be confronted with
each other, conceived it absolutely necessary to give to
the public a narrative of the transaction. Lady Per-
ceval then applied for a rule of the Court of King's
Bench, calling on Mr. Phipps to shew cause why a cri-
minal information, for a libel, said to be contained in
his statement, should not be filed against him. A con-
ditional rule was granted, but, when it came on to be
argued, on the motion that it should be made absolute,
the court thought fit to discharge it, in consequence of
the affidavits of Mr. Phipps and Mr. Mitford. In the
affidavit of the latter, he made those allegations which
are the subject of the present indictment for perjury.
But why should Mr. Mitford make this affidavit,
except impelled by the feelings of an honourable and
honest man, which I say he is, although poor? Why,
but from a conviction that it was right for him to
offer every atonement in his power, for the mischief
he had unknowingly done to the property of Mr.
Phipps, in whose paper he procured the publication
of these forged documents? What else could in-
duce him to turn against his friend, the Viscountess
Perceval? By Mr. Phipps there was no temptation
thrown out no consideration was offered to influence his
actions? Why, then, should Mr. Mitford do it ? Thefle
was no other reason (for, according to the statement of my
learned Friend, his feelings must have been strongly in
favour of his benefactress, Lady Perceval,) but his own
sense of what was due to Mr. Phipps. In spite of every
effort to cause a departure from what was evidently his
duty, his integrity kicked the beam, and it overleaped
every prospect of advantage or interest, and directed him
to stand boldly forward in behalf of the injured printer!
The indictment, you will find, states, that the
defendant, intending^ falsely, corruptly, and dishon-
estly, to get the rule, which I have before mentioned,
discharged, did swear that Viscountess Perceval in-
duced him to procure the insertion, in Mr. Phipps's pa-
per, of these forged letters. The subject-matter of the
indictment is contained in this affidavit, where Mr.
( 48 )
Mitford positively deposes, that oa or about the 31st of
March, he met Lady Perceval at Blackheat.ii, by appoint-
ment, who told him that. Utter.- of great consequence
were to be published, and that Mr. Phipps was a pro-
per person to entrust them with, as he was most likely
to do justice to the Princess of Wales.
There are, in the indictment, no less than ten
assignments of perjury; but there is no denial of
Lady Perceval having, on or about the 31st of March,
sent for the defendant. There is a great deal of special
pleading; much ingenuity is manifested, but this
fact is not expressly denied. The second assignment
states, that " Lady Perceval did not, on the day in ques-
tion, or on any other day, give the defendant letters, in
her hand-writing, to be copied, neither did she, on the
day mentioned, state that it was a dangerous experi-
ment." Xow the allegation of the defendant, is, that
Lady Perceval said so^ and I think it does not signify a
single farthing, whether the statement was on that par-
ticular day, or on any other. I am sure, Gentlemen,
when you have heard all the facts detailed, you will agree
with me, that Lady Perceval did so express herself, par-
ticularly when you consider the dangerous tendency of
the letters which shall be read to you, and which, by her
own admis.-ion, were composed by her. You will per-
ceive, from one of these letters, that she found fault with
the defendant, because part of a paragraph, transmitted to
him for insertion, was left out, the proprietor of the pa-
per, to whom it was given, thinking it unsafe to publish
it. The same remarks will apply to the third assignment.
As to the 4th, averring that Lady Perceval never said what
was stated by the defendant, about John Bull; namely,
that the publication of these letters would rouse him,
and inake him clamorous; this is a fact which can oulv
( 49 )
be knotfn to the parties themselves; Mr. Mitford says
that, in a private meeting with Lady Perceval, she so ex-
pressed herself, he speaks to the fact: and, unless there
is something more in contradiction, than the mere evi-
dence of Viscountess Perceval denying his statement, you
must acquit him; I repeat it, Gentlemen, if there is no-
thing more than the bare oath of Viscountess Perceval op-
posed to the statement contained in the defendant's oath,
he must have your verdict. For it is a rule in law, par-
ticularly in cases of perjury, that, where a defendant has
stated a fact upon oath, you shall receive his asseveration,
rather than that of the plaintiff, if the latter is not sup-
ported by any collateral evidence. I am, therefore, of,
opinion, that we may leave out all those assignments, and
come to that which states, that " the defendant did not
copy these letters from a manuscript in the hand-writing
of Lady Perceval." Her Ladyship denies that the de-
fendant copied these letters from originals in her hand-
writing; but she has not added, that they were not co-
pied, in her presence, from letters written by some other
persons. Yet I think the woman who stands up to
accuse another of the crime of perjury, should do
it in the most plain and unequivocal manner. And,
if her ladyship had alleged that which I have just
adverted to, I should have entertained a suspicion of the
integrity of my client; but, when I find there is no coifnt
in the indictment, setting forth, "that the defendant did
not copy the letters, in Lad;/ Perceval's presence, from
originals furnished, though ipt written, by her," I look
upon the indictment as a mere special pleading etlbrt,
an effort, which, however ingenious, will, T hav
no doubt, fail of success. If Lady Perceval, intend-
ing to impose on the defendant, had got other
person!? to imitate her hand-writing, and the letttis,
a
( 50 )
thus copied, were placed before my client to deceive him,
he must be extremely shallow who could imagine that
such a subterfuge would entail the guilt of perjury upon
the person thus unfairly dealt with; the question not
being, whether the letters were copied from originals in
her hand-writing, but whether, from papers laid before
the defendant by Lady Perceval.
Gentlemen, we come next to the evidence offered in
support of the allegations contained in the indictment.
So far as Lady Perceval's direct examination went, she
denied the facts sworn to by the defendant. And if her
statement be adequately continued, you must receive it;
but, in my opinion, Lady Perceval, on her cross-exa-
mination, did not appear in a very amiable light, she
did not give her evidence in that open, candid, decisive
manner, which always characterises the ivitncss of truth !
To the best of my recollection, I asked her (and I beg
you to remark the circumstance, for it shews very clearly
the nature of her evidence,) whether she did not propose
to Mrs. Mitford, to send her husband to St. Luke's ? Her
answer was " No." I then demanded whether she had
proposed to send him to Dr. Warburton's? Still the
answer was " No." I knew she had made this propo-
sition, because my client had stated it upon oath, and
his deposition is at least as good as that of Viscountess
Perceval. But mark what follows : her own son, the
young gentleman who has just gone down from the wit-
ness-box, has admitted the fact, and thus contradicted
his mother, he swears that he was present when it was
proposed by Lady Perceval, to Mrs. Mitford, that her
husband should be sent to Hoxton!
Where, then, is the truth the boasted veracity of
this lady? of her, forsooth, whose rank is called in aid
to overpower and bear down an unfortunate gentleman,
( 51 )
duperl by her machinations ! Oh, hut 'tis said the defen-
dant has confessed his guilt! so has many a man, whose
innocence has yet been proved. But let us examine into
this shallow artifice, and see how the thing stands. The
forgery having been discovered, in a moment of distress,
surrounded with difficulties, and when the honour and
reputation of Lady Perceval was at stake, my client, in
return for kindnesses formerly conferred, urgently soli-
cited and importuned, consented to save the lady, though
he should sacrifice himself; and therefore agreed, not
only to confess the crime, but to add that he was bribed
to forge the letters by a gentleman, whose honour and
reputation would spurn at such an act. This mention
of a bribe explains the whole, and the venemous contriv-
ance is easily seen through, when it is recollected, that
the gentleman alluded to holds a distinguished situation
in the house of an illustrious personage, on whom to fix
a stain would infinitely delight the Viscountess Perceval!
It is now time to inquire, what return Lady Perceval
made to Mr. Mitford for this generous self-immolation!
to make her own protection doubly sure, she urges him
to retire to a mad-house; this he thinks too much, and
refuses, his mind being at that time as perfect as that of
any man that hears me; she determines to pursue her
purpose, sends for his wife, and endeavours to associate
her in the conspiracy against her husband; the wife will
not consent, and then (to use the lady's own phrase) a le-
gal counsel is consulted, who is directed to prepare a let-
ter for Mrs. Mitford to copy, which is to be sent to the
governor of Whitmore house, ordering him to send a
keeper to protect his family from the rage of this nultns
volens madman from the fury of Lady PercecaTs dan-
gcrons lunatic, for whose relief, notwithstanding her love
for all the Mitford family, she had not called in the as-
( 52 )
sistance of even the family apothecary: however the
keeper arrives, my client is put into his clutches, and
thus deprived of his liberty, the Viscountess thinks her-
self secure! Base, unfeeling degeneracy, which has no
parallel amongst the titled fair of Britain, and compels
me to e:
" Are thtre no stones in Heaven, but those designed for
thunder !"
Gentlemen, ray learned Friend has said, that he was
willing to let his case be judged by the conduct of the
Defendant, after the publication took place. I am no
less willing to let it rest on the conduct of Lady Perceval.
She has, I know, denied all that T have asked her, re-
specting the interview with Mr. Phipps; she shrinks at
the mere idea of her lily hand having touched the prin-
ter's honest ink- stained fist. If you believe her, she did
not call him the saviour of her family; she never men-
tioned his future reward! But, Gentlemen, I will prove
all this to you, tolidem verbis, as I asked the questions of
the witness! But what can one think of Lady Perceval's
conduct, who, having Mr. Mitford in her power, never
produced him to Mr. Phipps who was so anxious to
see him, and who went to Blackhealh for the purpose?
Her Ladyship, no doubt, thought that if Mitford and the
printer met together, the one accusing the other, the
whole subject of the letters would be canvassed in her
presence, and a discovery would probably be made which
she wished to avoid. Therefore she resolved no meeting
should take place.
I asked her Ladyship whether she had taken the
lodgings for Mr. Mitford, and whether she visited him
late at night? She was quite indignant at the question.
And, after some difficulty, she stated, that she did
not pay for the lodgings '* but," said she, " I recom-
( 53 )
mended him and his wife to the gentleman who kept
the house." That is to say, they would not be admitted
without my recommendation, and, therefore, I gave it.
She stated further, that she did not drive up in her
coach to his door, sometimes, because the pavement was
not down ; now, every body who knows Crawford-street,
must be sensible, that it was paved a twelvemonth ago.
It is a great thoroughfare, leading, I believe, into Baker-
street. His Lordship, for which I am indebted to him, de-
manded, whether her serv a Always attended her in
those visits to Crawford/- street; but, remarkable as the
circumstance :must be, she could not answer positively.
But, Gentlemen, she has gone repeatedly to the Defen-
dant's lodgings, unattended, after he was in bed, and sent
up her scribblings to him, that he might get them inserted
in the papers. I do not mean to impute to her that she
was frail ; but I state this to shew that she was ashamed
of her conduct, and that she sought the obscurity of night
to screen her from observation. If her motives were
good, what was the necessity of concealment? There
is no secrecy in truth ; it stands before the world open
and unabashed ; but
** Suspicion haunts the guilty mind."
Ladv Perceval thought the necessity of the case pleaded
her excuse sufficiently, and, therefore, went on foot,
unattended, because she was afraid of attracting notice.
Gentlemen, I put into the hands of Lady Perceval,
some papers, which she acknowledged were of her writ-
ing, to which I now proceed to call your attention, com-
mencing with that, " When Nelson was a child ;" but, be-
fore I read it, I think it necessary that I should explain its
meaning. Every man knows the courage of that departed
hero, who died in the service of his country, whose
words Lady Perceval quotes, as a reproach to those who
( 34 )
refused to publish some of her paragraphs in their original
state; they being, it seems, more timid than her Lady-
ship was. But, Gentlemen, she fought behind a screen;
she was not in the forlorn hope, destined to bear the
brunt of the engagement. No, no, my poor client was
to mount the breach; he was to shield her Ladyship,
and, if the attempt did not succeed, he was to be the sa-
crifice. Of this I shall shew you, and that what he has
done, was not merely under the direction, but under the
control of this heroic lady, who most ungenerously took
advantage of that bounty, which the learned Counsel has
stated her to have bestowed on my client; she wrought
upon the unsuspecting goodness of his heart, and ex-
ercised the right of positive command over him. She
tells him, in her letters, to do this and that, and spe-
cially directs him not to take any stop without first com-
municating it to her. Now, Gentlemen, I will read the
letter.
" Monday.
"Nelson, when a child, said, ' What is fear? I never saw
it.' Mr. T. would not have won the battle of the Nile, Let
those fear who espouse a bad cause. We who contend for
Justice for the Princess of Wales, and for our i'uture Queen,
should not flinch Cowards never gained the field. I wish to
God, Mr. T - had been any where but there just then and
I hope he will have a prosperous voyage, but not a speedy
return. I would Mr. M. being a man, as he IK, of bold and
valiant principle of honorable, energetic, and chivalric feel-
ing, were alone proprietor of his P -. I hate half measures,
half arguments, half appeals to the public sense and heart :
they never answered yet. Rush upon your enemy surprise,
astound him and terror unhorses him !
** I shall be glad if the abortion of my letter do good.
But it is vexatious when a whole, so complete as it was, con-
nected the one part with the other, to have it mangled, and
a bit only thrown to the public.
" Yesterday was the very day for it * The tide-serving
4 moment' that Shaksp bids us watch and catch. But what
is done cannot be helped Another time tho' pray no mutt-
( 55 )
lot ionsand what Mr. T. may have no stomach for, may please
another s appetite; and aoraethiqg of lighter digestion can be
prepared To, him. f am sure Mr. M. tea* truly distresstd.
When vlr. T. goes into the country, will Mr. M. have the
power then to insert at pleasure? It is really cruel to have
torn me piecemeal for observe how the connection of the parts
s destroyed by it How difficult to rejoin this snake, which
would so keenly have stung where we intended without the
venom being libellous. Send me back my copy, for I have none,
and I cannot re-create until I have it.
Who, (asked Mr. ALLEY,) created this ? Lady
Perceval acknowledged herself to be the author; and,
Gentlemen, if she gave birth to such sentiments as these,
can it be doubted that she would also create the para-
graphs published in The News? Paragraphs, which bear
the same proportion to what I have just now read, as an
innocent dew-drop does to the most poisonous liquid.
Her Ladyship goes on to say
" So, without loss of time or post, return it to me,
and I will see what 1 can do."
That is, she would try whether she could not devise some
other mode of using what the printer had refused to
publish. Xow, Gentlemen, mark the determined spi
rit she exhibits:
" But promise me that if Mr. M. will not insert it as I send
it (save and except any expression that may be strictly libellous,
which I am sure there was none in that lettefj which I can
alter,) to return it me whole: for as the cause must not lose for
other's squeamishness, it should find its way somehow to the
public but not with the same signature as that given to Mr.
This is Certainly new in the annals of female diplomacy
and intrigue. One party having refused the article, it
must be cooked up again, in a different way ; and, under
another signature, it is to be given to the world. These
passages, Gentlemen, appear to me to be the most ma-
( 56 )
terial, and it is hardly necessary that I should call your
attention further to the extracts which I have read from
this extraordinary letter. Many of you, I am sure, would
excuse me any further labour; for I think yon \vill agree
with me, that the person who could force upon the de-
fendant such an epistle as that which I have read, would
not scruple to ask him to publisii any thing. I shall
now, Gentlemen, proceed to a second letter, also di-
rected by her Ladyship to Mr. Mitford :
" Sunday.
" I write this in case you should disappoint me again arid
again though 1 hope not ; for it is of the utmost importance, I
repeat, to both our agency and our cbivaLriceau.se, that you
should not leave me so ignorant, &c. &c. Besides, you were
to have brought me the letters for Mr. Downes, inclosing the
paper I wanted to send him on my money businesses. Next
place, I want the paragraph about Billy Austin, for I suppose
Mr. M does not wish to insert it, as he has not: on the
contrary, 1 observe in the paper of last night, an allusion and
extract upon the same subject but very tame and inefficient.
I would, therefore, wish you to bring it back to me, that I may
do what I like with it, and make some use of it. I would also
be glad of the other scrap, about" God Save the K ." I
beg you will get possession back of the copy of the letter prin-
ted, which was written in large hand."
Is it not clear, Gentlemen, from this language, that
Lady Perceval was at the head-quarters, aiding and as-
sisting in the fabrication of various letters? The De-
fendant certainly was, in some part, connected with
these transactions. I am sorry he was mixed with
^them ; but he has done all he can to atone for his con-
duct, he has come forward, in spite of threats and en-
treaties, to justify the man who was injured by those pro-
ceedings. The letter, which was written from the coun-
try to Mr. Mitford, continues:
" 1 da not send the other which is ready, because, since
Mr. M has nut liked Billy A , lie will not, perhaps,
( 57 )
like this; and if I do not see you, or hear from you, I always
tear accidents, people changing their feelings, &c."
Her Ladyship appears to be a very good sort of wo-
man. Nothing, it seems she dreads so much, as that
worst of moral accidents, " people changing their feel-
ings." She is quite unwilling, when people get into
danger, that they should save themselves by turning
evidence against their fellows. No, her command is,
" stick to your text,"dear Mr. Mitford ; never, under any
circumstances, depart from it." The letter goes on
" I do expect that now is the moment of the tide serving for
our cause. John Bull's heart is her'**, and liis eyes are opened ;
and we must hope that if Englishmen would chain piouize Mrs.
Clarke, the P ,
(That is, Gentlemen, the prostitute; I suppose Mr. 1 .
Clarke will not be much obliged to her Ladyship for the
appellation.)
" against the king's son, very unjustly, and to their discredit,
I ever thought, those same Englishmen will at heart defend
and protect their old king's 'niece and their young queen elect's
mother. Do, pray, answer this note, unless I shall have seen
you ; at all events, 'send me Downe's letter and Billy A
" I do not suppose you will let me leave town without seeing
vou. Can you come this evening between ten and twelve
o'clock you will find me returned from Pol ham.
" If Mr. M. will choose another letter for to-morrow's paper,
come and say so; but 1 do not send it without being certain it
will be accepted.
*' I can put Billy A in the form of a letter, for 1 much
wish that it should be in. The paragraph of la-ft night called
forth not an atom of warm feeling. Such benevolence as that
of the person in question, should be known, and not be misre-
presented."
From this, Gentlemen, it is apparent that her lady-
ship did not think the Defendant fit to conduct such a
concern. She speaks to him, not as a pfuiiccps criminis
u
( 58 )
in the production of her libel.*, but as a mere tool and
agent, knowing that she might shake him oil' whenever
she pleased ! And so, in truth, she would have done,
it' it had not been for the existence of these letters.
Fortunately, however, they were preserved, although
she called on the Defendant's wife and begged her to
burn them, which Mrs. Mitford assured her had been
done; and, at another period, I will shew, that she
requested Mr. Phipps', when she heard he had other
letters in his possession, to destroy them. Happily
for Mr. Phipps and for the Defendant, these docu-
ments are still in being, and afford a clue to the
whole of this base transaction. Sorry should I be,
Gentlemen, if her Ladyship's misconduct were detri-
mental to the interests of her children. God forbid
that the sins of the mother should be visited on that
young gentleman who lately gave his testimony.
But, whatever the consequences may be, however it may
affect a family to whose abilities the country is so much
indebted, all the circumstances of this case must be deve-
loped, and the course pursued by Lady Perceval must be
clearly pointed out. The next letter says,
" Where is the copy of the letter, fort suppose you have
sent it now ? I have had no Slars ; you promised them to me last
night; pray bring them to-morrow, &c."
He was, it seems, to have sent many of The Star newspa-
pers to her, for the purpose of letting the other parties
connected with the conspiracy, see the progress she was
making, and to give them an opportunity of applauding
the wickedness which had been perpetrated:
" You may come down this evening if you can, to tell me all
that lias passed since. I am yoing out at five o'clock. I must-
se you before Monday, if you can. When is the other letter
tobeiur&c. I ass re you we must work them well. If Mr.
.'.oes not like to put it in, I wish you would withdraw it,
that I may send it elsewhere. M ', 1 think, neglects the
cause."
All this shews you, Gentlemen, that Mr. Mitford
was still acting in the capacity of agent, as I have before
observed. The next letter with which I shall trouble
you, says,
" It is very singular, that since ray son left you on Friday
evening, I have neither heard of you nor seen you. No papers
no insertions. I am afraid your friend M does not mean,
or wish to insert, either letter; he had much better have said
this candidly from the first. Therefore, without fail, I mu-t
require you to bring back both the MSS. of the remarks of the
letter; both are absolutely necessary for the publication of the
cause."
This is perfectly characteristic of the transaction. Ob-
serve, Gentlemen, her Ladyship's caution: " Do not
keep the manuscript; bring it back to me, who am the
author." What would she not have given to get back
these letters?
" You may say to your friend Mr. M- , that since he and
Mr. T object to 'them both, your friend directs you to re-
turn them immediately."
Here again, the same expression, the same feeling per-
vades all the letters. Lady Perceval does not call upon
the defendant to take back these articles to himself, but
she demands that they may be returned to her, from
whom they originally came. The letter continues:
" I hope you have not forgotten to-morrow's News. You
understand my allusion."
On this, Gentlemen, I could make many observations,
but, as I have not evidence to sustain them, I will pass
( CO ;
it over; for I wish not to introduce a word that I can-
not prove.
" You must not come to where I am, lint to the Green
Man Inn, and send me a message to say you are there. I shall
be in town early in the morning, therefore let me hear from you
at all events, &c."
This is of a piece with all the rest of her letters; she
commands the Defendant to return her the documents,
which she had transmitted to him. Perhaps she imagined
there was some danger, and, therefore, she orders him to
restore the manuscripts. I shall only request your at-
tention, Gentlemen, to one other letter; but, if ray
learned friends wish it, they may have the whole of
trhem read. The paper to which I allude, and which the
proper officer will presently read to you, contains one of
the grossest lihels that ever was written, a libel on an
illustrious personage, and on a nobleman filling one of
the highest situations in the state, and, I am sure, the
noble Judge will pardon me if I say, a libel on one of the
best men that ever graced the judicial seat, I mean the
present Chancellor. The times are gone by, when this
inflammatory composition would be treated as some-
thing worse than libel. But Lady Perceval ought to
know, that there were periods in the history of this
country, better than those of Charles or of James, in
which no great delicacy was observed, when the produc-
tion of such a writing would have been considered as an
overt act of treason. That paper only I shall require to
be read to you, in addition to those which I have al-
ready noticed. I have other letters here, and I will keep
them, but should public justice demand them, hereafter,
they shall be forthcoming.
Now, Gentlemen, let us observe a little, what oc-
( 61 )
currecl immediately prior to the publication of these
forged documents. Mr. Phipps, thinking lie had got
hold of letters really written by those great authori-
ties, whose names they hore, and coming into his
hands through Mittbrd, did not hesitate to publish
them. And it is a circumstance which ought to be
particularly noticed, that Mitford, when he delivered
the documents, did not make use of any talse name,
which he certainly might if he were conscious that
he was doing wrong. He, however, did no such
thing; he boldly and directly mentions Lady Perceval,
as the person from whom he procured the letters.
Mr. Phipps, anxious to give them to the public, before
his brother journalists, and convinced of their being
genuine, inserts them in his paper without scruple*
The moment he has published them, his office is beset,
and he is informed, on all sides, that they are forgeries.
" Forgeries'." says he; "I have had them from a Mr.
Milford, and he told me he got them from Viscountess
Perceval." But what does her Ladyship? After the
thing has been buzzed about, she sends to London; the
matter is discovered, and she determines to ruin the de-
fendant and save herself. Mr. Speechley is dispatched
to M r. Phipps, and her son is sent to Mr. Mitford. What i
to the man who had dared to impute forgery to Viscoun-
tess Perceval? Yes, he is sent to that very man, and
this too by his mother! When he met Mr. Mitford in
what way did he greet him ? Did he say to him, " You
have done that which was profligate and base, for which
I shall take you by the collar." Nothing of this kind,
on the contrary he is introduced into the audience cham-
ber, and treated with great civility. Meantime, Speechley
is sent to Mr. Phipps, to entreat him, for God's sake,
merely to state that the letters are forgeries. And, when
( 62 )
he declares that he cannot, consistently with his honour,
tlo that, she writes to him as follows:
(Sea Appendix, No. XI.)
No sooner does Mr. Phipps, inconsequence of this
note, make his appearance, than her Ladyship, for fear
of a true rectification, as she calls it, contrives to send
Mr. Mitford away. Gentlemen, the Defendant has de-
clared it, that he did not, of his own free will, leave the
house, that he slept there that night, and the next day
his wife was sent for. He is at present the accused per-
son ; but, perhaps, he will have an opportunity of stat-
ing these facts, on his oath, in a court of justice, when
the parties shall have changed places. The conduct of
Mr. Phipps spoke for itself, it wanted no comment. " II,"
said he to Lady Perceval, " Mitford has imposed upon
me, let me see him here, face to face." This was the
proceeding of an honourable and well-intentioned man.
But Lady Perceval never rang the bell, to order her ser-
vants to call up Mitford ; she does not direct her son or
Mr. Speechley to search for him, and send him in. Xo,
she refuses the proposition of the honest printer, who
desires to meet the business fairly, at that moment.
This, Gentlemen, would not suit her Ladyship, such
an investigation, before her face, might- have gone to a
conviction of her guilt, and then she would not have
an opportunity of bringing 4 this accusation against the
Defendant. Something more followed while Mr.
Phipps remained: Lady Perceval has denied it, but I
shall prove it, I will prove that she asked him to burn
letters of liar's which he had then in his possession.
For, when she stated the documents to be forged, he ob-
served, " Lady Perceval, I have got other letters of
yours in my possession, which, compared with those
handed to me by Mitford, shew at once what you have
( 63 )
been about." " Dear Mr. Phipps," said her Ladyship,
" publish such a contradiction as I have mentioned,
burn the letters, and you will be the saviour of me and
my family; in six or seven years my son will be chan-
cellor of the exchequer, and then conies your reward."
Now, my learned Friends, who know something of these
transactions, and who have subpwnaed Mr. Phipps, think
it would be dangerous to produce him, and, therefore,
have not examined him. But I shall call him into Court,
and if my learned Friends gain any thing by this ma-
noeuvre, which gives them an opportunity of cross-ex-
amining the witness, they are extremely welcome to it.
Gentlemen, this case is of far greater importance to the
public than to the parties immediately interested in it.
If such fabrications are allowed to be published with im-
punity, the Government cannot stand ! If Lady Perce-
val's system is tolerated, the well-ordered state of sociefy
can no longer be maintained! If this " consilium sub
cunsilio" (to quote another of her Ladyship's phrases,)
assembled in cabal at Perceval-lodge, if this species of
petticoat-gorernment is once known to be endured, there
is an end to the respectability of the country, in the eyes
of foreign states, and to the contentment and happiness
of the people at home!
Mr. ALLEY then returned his thanks to Lord Ellen-
borough and the Jury, for the patient attention they had
afforded him, and concluded by calling,
Mr. T. A. PHIPPS, who was examined by Mr. Cuuwoon.
Q. What is your name? A. Thomas Addeiley Phipps.
Q. Are you the proprietor and editor of The News newspa-
per ? -A. I am, sir.
Q. Have the goodness to look at that note, which purports
to come from Lady Anne Hamilton; was it brought to you by
M r. M i tibrd ? A . It w u s .
Q. In consequence, did you insert in your paper, on the 4th
of April, certain letters, purporting to be signed by the Lord
Chancellor, the Earl of Liverpool, and Lord Castlereagh,
brought to you by Mr. Mitford ? A. I did.
The following letter was here put in and read. See
Appendix, Xo. V.
Q. From whom did you receive these (the forged) letters ?
A. From Mr. Mitford.
Q. Did you receive other paragraphs from him ? A. I re-
ceived three paragraphs in all, in Lady Perceval's hand-writing.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. You know her hand-writing ?
A. I do, iny Lord; 1 received tiiree paragraphs or articles.
Q, Having inserted these letters in your p;iper of the 4th of
April, did you, on the same day, receive this letter from Lady
Perceval ? A. I did.
The letter, dated Dartmouth-row, April 4, see Ap-
pendix, No. XL was here read.
Q. Having received that letter, did you go to Lady Perce-
val's, at Blackheath, on that day? A. 1 did.
Q. What time of the day did you get there ? -A. About four
or live in the afternoon ; rather earlier, about four.
Q. Whom did you first see, when you arrived there ? A. I
saw Mr. Speechley and Mr. John James Perceval in the road,
apparently looking for me.
Q. You went into the house, of course ? A. I did, sir.
Q. Which of them first saw yon? A. I came upon them
almost before either saw me; for, not knowing where the house
was situated, I had gone past it, and came up as if I was coming
from Lewisham ; they were looking for me the contrary way,
towards London.
Q. Did yon see any person as you entered the house? Jf.
As 1 entered the house I met Mr. Mttford.
Q. Were you afterwards shewn in to Lady Perceval ? A.
I was.
Q. Who was in the room with Lady Perceval ? A. When
I entered the room, there were Mr. John James Perceval, a
person I understood to be Mr. Hardcastle, and Mr. Speechley.
Q. Were they present at your conversation with Lady Per-
ceval, or did they leave the room? A. Lady Perceval desired
Speechley and Hardcastle immediately to leave the room.
Q. i>y Lord ELLEMJOI'.'JL'GH. Her son did not continue?
A. Her son icmaiued at first, my Lord.
( 65 )
Mr. CmwooD. Now will you have the goodness, without
my putting it to you, to state, slowiy a. id (; >.ivei-
sution which passed between you.
Witness. Lady Perceval said, " Mr. I'hipu-, ti.'- i- : ,
sad thins?; I know nothing of these letter>." I am
astonished to hear that, lor I had them from Mr.
She then said, " Sure there must Le some mistake, for Mitford
has been at Woolwich ever since Thursday last, the 8]
March." Her sou was standing at the back of her chair, wl:cu
she turned, as if to appeal to him to confirm what *lie hu<:
she did not appeal in words. I said," Your Ladyship must br
mistaken, for I met Mr. Mitford not five yards Iron) liie door oi'
this room, on my entrance. She then, my Lord, desired her
son to leave the room, and drew her chair rather closer to t he-
table than she sat before: she said, " Mr. Phippi, this is a very
unfortunate business; these letters mut-t be contradict d." I
said, I could not contradict them, without: giving a full expla-
nation of how I came by them. I said, I -had been at <
derable pains and expense, by Mr. Mitford's desire, in inform-
ing the public, by means of advertisements and Lund-hills, -that
I had such letters, and that 1 meant to publish them, on the
Sunday, in my paper.
(^. By Lord ELLENBOROUGII. How long before the Sun-
day, had you circulated these hand-bills? A. Two diiys, my
Lord, I'riday and Saturday.
*>. By Lord Eilenborough. "Where did you advertise them ?
'/. In four morning papers, I beiu-M .
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. What papers were they?
A. The Morning Chronicle, The Morning Post, The Morning He-
rald, and The Day or The British Press; but I am not sur.-.
Q. By Lerd Ellenborough. Do you know whether Lady
Perceval takes in either of these papers? A. I do not kno\>,
inv Lord.
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. There were also hills, you say ?
A. Yes, my Lord; there were likewise large posting-bills,
through the" streets of London, two clays previous.
Mr. Phipps continued his narrative. And, therefore, that
it behoved me to give a full explanation, to the public, of tdo
manucr in which they came into my hands. Lady Per .-vat
said, she could not account for Mitford's conduct, any other
way than by supposing him to be insane; that he had
some short time before confined in a mad-house, and tiiat she
.-uppot-ed he was ill again. Her son came in about this time,
and she appealed to him :s to the truth of this.
Q. By Lord EI.I.KNBOBOUGH. As to the fact of tuad.v
A. Yes, my Lord, and lie confirmed it.
Mr. Phipps proceeded. I said he had no appearance, to
me, of being ins-ane. She then endeavoured, very earnestly,
I
to persuade me simply to contradict the letters in my paper;
but I constantly refused, without an explanation. 1 then said
that the letters he had delivered to me, on the Thursday pre-
ceding, were not the only letters and papers, or articles, in my
possession, which I had had delivered to me, in the fortnight I
had known him ; that I was in possession of several letters, some
of which purported to he in the hand-writing of her ladyship.
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. You believed them to be in
her hand-writing? A. I did, my Lord, and I told her so.
Mr. Phipps. And one which purported to be in the hand-
writing of the Princess of Wales.
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. How do you mean purporting;
writing does not purport of itself by whom it is formed ? A. It
had the signature C. P. and all the characteristics of a letter
written by the Princess of Wales.
Mr. Phipps continued. She said, "Mr. Phipps, they are
all forgeries."
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. Have you that letter, which
purports to be her's, as yon call it, here ? A. Yes, my Lord.
Mr. Phipps proceeded. "And I hope you will burn them,
or deliver them up to me." She repeated this with very consi-
derable agitation and earnestness ; so much so, that though I
had the letters then in my pocket, I did not think it prudent to
say that I had. Lady Perceval then said, she would have the
letters contradicted in the daily papers. I said, with that I had
nothing to do, she was at perfect liberty to do what she pleased
in any other paper, but that I could not insert a simple contra-
diction of them in mine. She then endeavoured to reason with
me on the folly of supposing that a simple contradiction of
them would injure or hurt the interests of my paper.
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. Did she explain what she
meant by a simple contradiction? A. Merely to this effect, my
Lord : *' We understand the letters published yesterday in The
Netvs are forgeries."
Mr. Phipps continued. I still persisted in opinion that it
would, and therefore refused. She then asked rne to write a
copy of a paragraph or two for her, to send to the p" ^ers of the
following morning, which I did, in terms of her enditing, but
never with any view to insertion in my own paper. She then
said, that I had done a great deal of service to the cause of the
Princess of Wales, and that it would materially injure that
cause if I entered into the explanation whicb I said was neces-
sary. I said, I should be sorry to do so, but that I could not
contradict the letters without a full explanation of the manner
in which I came by them. She then was very earnest in her en-
treaties, and I grew almost weary of withstanding her impor-
tunity. I then said, I would go home and consult my friends,
and be guided by their advice how I should act. She appeared
( 67 )
to take this as consenting to what she had been requesting of
me, and she took me by the hand and said, I waa the saviour ot'
herself and her family.
Q. By Lord Ellenborough. Are you sure of this? .-I. I
swear it, my Lord. She took me by the hand and said, I was
the saviour of herself and her family. Whether she rang the
bell, or Mr. Perceval came in of his own accord, at that mo-
ment, I really am hardly certain, but 1 know at that moment he
did come in, and Lady Perceval desired him to take me by the
hand, and to vow an eternal friendship to me. She said, she
had no doubt, but some years hence, he would fill some im-
portant post in the administration of his country, and that then
I should not be forgotten. I still persisted in refusing to give
any promise of what should be the future line of my conduct,
and I then took my leave.
Q. When her ladyship said, that Mitford, had been at
Woolwich since the preceding Thursday, did she use no expres-
sion as to that morning? A. No, sir.
Q. She did not tell you he was then in the house ? A- No,
sir.
Q. Did she express any regret that he had gone ? A. She
did not mention any thing about his being gone.
Q. She desired you to write a paragraph to contradict these
letters? A. She did.
Q. Do you know that she used it, in the application for a
rule against you, personally, in the Court of King's Bench ?
A. I believe she did, in the affidavit on which the application
was founded, and I answered it in mine.
Q. It is fair to apprise you, that what you have stated
about her taking you by the hand, and calling you the savionf
of her family, is contradicted by her; now do you mean to as-
sert it? -A- I swear it, sir, positively.
Cross-examined by Mr. HOLT.
Q. You say, you received three paragraphs, from Mr. Mit-
ford, in Lady Perceval's hand-writing? A. I did.
Q. Were not two of them letters? A. No: one was rela-
tive to the delivery of some two-penny post letters, at Mon-
tague-house, and a second related to the Duchess of Bruns-
wick's will.
Q. They were on one piece of paper ? Yes ; but they were
different paragraphs, on different subjects.
Q. Were not those on one piece of paper, delivered at the
same time, and making one article? A. No, sir, they did not
form one article.
Q. What was that which you called the third paragraph ?
A. It was an article entitled " A curious fact."
( 68 )
Q. Was it on a different piece of paper? A. Tt was.
O. V.'hcn \v;js it dfiiv^red ? A. About a fortnight after!
became acquainted with Mr. Mil ford. He was with me every
day ' ..!t
m an to swear, tnut these three paragraphs consisted
ol to 01. on<- -.lip of paper, and that the oilier was a paragraph
on a different piece? A. I do.
Q. I)r' \on .i i\e <'ie last-mentioned paragraph before or
nfte: the <.'. >. i do uot know whether I received it be-
fore or aft<_'i ; but I got them all from Mr. Mitford.
Q. You ilu i;ut know which preceded the other? A. No, I
do nt.
Did you ever hear from Lady Perceval, until yon wrote
to Lady Anne Hamilton, asking information from Montague-
.' A. Yes, I had three letters from her.
Q. Were they not to order the paper? Yes, they were;
but they contained compliments I did not deserve.
Q. One for herself, one for Lady Hamilton, and one for
somebody at Bridgwater? A. Yes.
Q. Did you receive any other letter or communication au-
thorising you to write to Lady Anne Hamilton? A. I should
never have thought of writing to Lady Anne Hamilton, but for
those complimentary letters just mentioned.
Q. You wrote to Lady Anne Hamilton relative to the af-
fairs of the Princess of Wales? A. I did, Sir.
Q. And, in answer to the letter you sent to Lady Anne Ha-
milton, you received a letter, which has been read, in Lady
Anne's name, but written by Lady Perceval ? A. 1 did.
Q. In the letter to Lady Anne Hamilton, you made an of-
fer of the columns of your paper, and, in answer, received a
letter neither declining nor accepting the offer? A. I received
the letter which has been read.
Q. In whose hand-writing were the letters published on the
4th of April? A. In Mr. M it ford's hand-writing.
Q. I see you have sworn, that, at the time you received the
copies rf those forged letters from Mitford, he informed you that
he received the same from Lady Perceval? A. He did so.
Q. Now, sir, I ssk you, on your oath, did you not tell a
different story, and make a different statement from this, at a
former period ? A. Never, sir.
Q. Now, sir, I ask you, did you not tell Lady Anne Hamil-
ton, on Sunday, the 4th of April, (and she is here this day) that,
at the time Mitford gave you these letters, he stated, that he
had copied them, in the presence of the Princess of Wales, from
origi i! Is in her hand-writing, and she talked so much, that lie
ftaied he had made many mistakes in the transcript? A. He
( 69 )
did say, that he copied them in the presence of the Princess of
Wales; but he \vas> always consistent in saying hugoi them from
Lady Perceval.
Q. He told you, then, that he copied them in the presence
of the Princess of Wales, whose talking confused him: A. lie
did tell me so at lirst, at the time \vhen he delivered the let-
ters.
Q. Did yon say to Lady Anne Hamilton, that, when he put
those letters into your possession, he told you he had received
them from the Princess of Wales, and had copied them in her
presence ? A. He never said he got them from the Princess of
Wales.
Q. That is no answer. Did you tell that to Lady Anne Ha-
milton? A. I believe not.
Q. Will you swear it : A. I do. I could not have told her
so.
Q. Did you not, in your paperof the 1 1th and 18th of April,
state, in excuse for the publication of these letters, that M it ford
had copied them in the presence of the Princess of Wales.' A.
I did, but I had not seen Mitford then.
Q. How then can it be true that he copied them in Lady
Perceval's drawing-room ? A. He always said he had received
them from Lady Perceval.
Q. Then I am to understand, that the first account he gave
\vas, that he copied the letters in the presence of the Princess of
AVales,and that she gave them to him? A. Certainly not. He
always stated that he got the letters from Lady Perceval.
Q. You do not understand me. Did you not publish that
he received them from the Princess of Wales? A. I never did.
Mr HOLT here desired the Witness to read an ex-
tract from The News of the llth of April, which he did
as follows :
" On delivering to me these lettters, Mr. Mitford stated
that he was directed by the Princess of Wales to give them to
me for the purpose of publication, and that they were to appear
in The News of the Sunday following."
Witness. This Mr. Mitford stated to me ; he expressed a
wish to have the minutes he had given me returned to him, to
make such corrections as they required; having told me that
lie copied them in the presence of the Princess of Wales, while
she was talking to him, and that her noise probably occasioned
him to make an error or two.
Q. You also published a statement in T/te News of the 1 8th ?
A. I did.
I 70 )
Mr. HOLT here handed to the witness the paper of
April 18, and he began to read a note subjoined to an ar-
ticle on the subject of these letters, commencing "Mr.
HOLT cites no authority for this bold assertion;" and go-
ing to state " that Mr. Mitfbrd informed him (Mr.
Pliipps), he had been honoured with several audiences by
the Princess of Wales, and that he copied the documents
which had been called forged in the presence of her Royal
Highness " when he was stopped short by MR. HOLT,
who proceeded with the examination.
Q. If, 14 days after this business you thus expressed your-
self, how could you subsequently state, that Mr. Mitford got
these letters from Lady Perceval, in her drawing-room ?
A. Mr. Mitford always said, he copied them in the presence of
Lady Perceval.
Q. You have said, in the presence of the Princess of Wales ?
Lord ELLENBOROUGH, Lady Perceval might be
present with the Princess of Wales.
Q. Did Mitford say, Lady Perceval was present ? A. He
always said she was present.
Q. Do you speak with respect to one and the same copy, or
to any other ? A. 1 have since been told by Mitford, that there
were several copies.
Q. Did Mitford tell you, that Lady Perceval was with the
Princess of Wales, in her room, when this particular copy was
made ? I do not know whether it was at the Princess of Wales's
or not; I cannot say, whether it was at Montague-house, or
Dartmouth-row.
Q. Did you not tell Lady Anne Hamilton, that Lady Per-
ceval was not present when the copy was made ?- A. I could
not tell her that.
Q. Did you not tell Lady Anne Hamilton, that Mitford, in
the last conversation you had with him on the subject, never
made any mention of Lady Perceval's name? A. I did not.
Q. Did you, in any of your publications, from the 4th of
April, state Lady Perceval to be the author of those forgeries,
until she applied for the injunction in the Court of Chancery ?
~A. I was afraid to do it, as I had no evidence, though 1 be-
lieved her to be the author.
( n )
Q. Do you swenr you told l^ady Anne Hamilton, that Mit-
ford informed you, that L-.uly Perceval was present when he got
these IrUtMx? A. I did tell her so.
Q. Did iiot Mitford l>ring you, at the same time that he gave
you the letters Tor publication, another purporting to he from
the Princess of Wales? A. Yes, here is tin; letter; Mr. Mit-
ford delivered it to me, and said Lady Perceval had delivered it
to him.
Q. Before the letter was emblazoned in this hook, [the letter
was fixed in a 4to. volume, The Life of Sir Walter Raleigh,} did
you not shew it to Lady Anne Hamilton, and did not she say it
was a forgery ? A. No, sir; she said it was impossible to give
a decisive opinion on her Royal Highness's writing, for she
wrote twenty different hands, and even condescended to imitate
her's.
Q. This you swear? A. I do.
Q. Did not Lady Anne Hamilton produce a letter, with
which she compared it, and then say it was a forgery ? A. She
shewed me one or two letters, and some French songs, written
by her Royal Highness, and we both compared them ; I thought
there was a considerable resemblance, but she did not.
Q. Did not she say it was a forgery ? A. No, she said that
the letters " C. P." were certainly different from her Royal
Highness's general signature.
Q. Did you not likewise produce another letter, directed to
Lady Anne Hamilton, and coming from Mr. Mitford? A. I
did, sir.
Q. Can you produce it? A. Yes, sir, here it is.
Q. On receiving that letter, which addresses her as an ac-
quaintance) did not Lady Anne Hamilton say that she knew no-
thing of Mr. Mitford, that she had never seen him in her life?
A. She did, sir.
Q. She examined the letter? A. She did, I put it into her
hand.
Q. Was not Mitford very anxious to get hack the letters in
his own hand-writing, delivered to you? A. Never, sir, he ne-
ver asked me for one.
Q. Did he not require the three forged letters, which were
in his own hand-writing? A. He said, he was desired to take
them back.
Q. Did he get them? A. Yes, he did.
Q. Did not Speechley come to you, on Sunday morn.ng,
the 4th of April, to tell you, that there was a mistake, and thr
letters were forgeries? A. He never told me they were for-
O
geries.
Q. What did he tell you? A. That Lady Perceval knew
nothing of them.
Q. By Lord Ellenlx-roughiThis was before you .
your letter to her? A No, my Lord, afterwards.
Q. In your conversation with Lady Perceval, in her draw-
ing-room? Witness: 1 was not in her drawing-room, 1 saw her
in l lie butler's pantry.
Q. Mo mutter. At the time yon spoke \villi her, in lu r
house, did yon tell her, that when Mitford delivered the letters
to you, he informed yon, that lie received them from her lady-
ship? A. I M\ car it. Mr. Mil ford always said he got them
from her, and copied them in her presence ; he always made
ofj r name.
Q^-Do you mean to s-ay, that on Sunday, the 4tli of April,
yon told her ladyship, that the letters came from Miiford. who
told you, 'that he received these identical letters i'rom her?
A. i'<lid tell her so.
Q. Was any person present when you snid this? A. There
mi glil be: young Mr. Perceval was in and out; hut I cannot
hpeak positively.
Q. it', on the 4th of April yon told her this, why did you
state, for two months afterwards, in your paper, that they were
copied at Montague-house, before the Priucos of Wales?
A. Mr. Mitford always said, lie copied them in the presence of
the Princess of Wales, but that Lady Perceval was also pre-
sent.
Q. In the statement contained in your paper you say, " that
the letters were copied in the presence of the Princess of Wales
by Mitford, who was directed to give them to you for publica-
tion, on the following Sunday;" here Lady Perceval's name is
not mentioned : when, then, did you first make the charge, that
Mr. Mitford had received them from Lady Perceval, who di-
rected them to be brought to you? A. Mr. Mitford told me,
that he copied the letters by the direction of Lady Perceval,
who afterwards gave them to him for the purpose of publication.
Lord Ellenborough. You are asked, how soon after the
publication of these letters, did you implicate Lady Perceval
'in this charge ? A. Immediately after i received these letters
from Mr. Mitford.
Q. Did yon say a word about her ladyship, till the applica-
tion was made to dissolve the injunction in the Court of Chan-
cery : A. I believe not, for I was afraid ; I had no evidence.
Q. Yon were not afraid to state, that the letters were copied
in th'> Princess of Wales* s presence, and lhat her talking con-
fused Mr. Mil ford? A. No, sir, because Mr. Mitford told
inc
Q. Did he not also say, that he received the letters from Ladr
P A. lie always told me. that he received them from
Ladv Perceval.
( 73 )
<?. But you never staUd it ? A. lur ladyship denied it <ni th
Monday.
Q. Did you tell Lady Perceval distinctly that yen received the
letters from Mitford, and that he said he got them ii\uu her : A.
I did.
Q. Did you also make the statement relative to the Friucess of
Wales to IKT : J . \ did.
Q. Is this letter yours ? A. It is : See Appendix, No. X.
Q. Was it not in consequence of this letter, written by you to
Lady Perceval, on Sunday morning, that you received another
letter from her, on the same day? A. Yes.
Q. Now, in that letter is there a single word, importing that
Lady Perceval or the Princess of Wales kuew of these letters?
is not 3Ir. Mitford alone mentioned r A. A general feeling of that
description pervades the letter, although there is no [vuUcuUr ex-
pression.
The letter from Mr. Phipps to Lady Perceval, was here
put in and read : See Appendix, No. X.
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. This letter was written on
Sunday morning, at Six o'clock ? A. Yes, my lord.
Q By Lord ELLENBOBOUGH You had not seen Speechley
then : A No, my lord.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Then it is evident that this let-
ter was written under an impression, that Lady Perceval had
some connection with the documents published that morn-
ing.
Q. When you went to Lady Perceval's, you say you met Mit-
ford coming out of the yard ? A. Yes.
Q Did you shake hands with him? A. I don't think I did ;
but 1 cannot swear it.
Q. Did you retire into the yard with him ? A. I did not ; he
seemed to wish to run away from me.
Q. Did you accost him ? A. I said, Mitford, you are the very
man I want to see ; he did not utter a word, but made a motion
with his hand, as much as to say, " go into that room," and away
he went, I saw him no more.
Q. Did you ever tell Lady Anne Hamilton, that Mitford, in his
last conversation with you, when he delivered the letters, never
once mentioned the name of Lady Perceval ? A. I fold her, that
I received them from Mr. Mitford, wbo informed me, that lie had
( 74 )
received them from Lady Perceval, with directions for me to pub-
lish them.
Q. This you assert ? A. 1 swear it.
Q. When you saw Lady Perceval, she told you they were for-
geries? A. Not at first; she said she knew nothing about them ;
there must he some mistake.
Q. Did not you ask Lady Perceval to befriend you and your fa-
mily r A. Never.
Q. Did you not tell her, that the more papers the letters were
contradicted in, the better ? A. No, I did not ; 1 was unwilling
that they should he contradicted.
Q. Did voa ask Lady Anne Hamilton her opinion as to the au-
ihenticity of these le'ttrs : A. \ did.
Q. What did shr- ;jy in reply to that? A. She said, there was
nothing on the tace of the documents to induce her to suppose they
were not genuine, if I were, sure I had them from Mr. Mi t ford.
She likewise said, that the circumstance of her name being to them
was no proof to her that they were not genuine letters ; because
Lady Perceval had a carle blanche to use her name in all the concerns
of the Princess of Wales ; but she said she knew nothing of them,
r, Q Xou are positive of this ? A, I swear it.
Re-examined ly Mr. CURWOOD.
Q. You have been asked, did you not get articles in the hand-
writing of Lady Perceval, and you have answered that you did ?
A. Yes.
Q. They were not on the same paper ? A. No, they were not.
Mr. CURWOOD. I see they were not ; for the paper on
which the two paragraphs are written, is not of the same size
with that containing, A Curious Fact.
Witness. I would not publish so scandalous a libel as
that you have just named.
* , . . , i ., ~ . ^
[The paragraph mtitled A Curious Fact, was here put
in and read : See Appendix.']
Q. By Lord ELLENBOROUGH. Was that paragraph inserted
in the paper?' A. No, my lord j I refused to insert it.
Lord ELLEN BOROUGH. It ought to be burned.
[The other two paragraphs were next read : Ste Appen->
dix, No, VII.]
( 75 )
Witness. These paragraphs I received from Mr.
Mitford.
Q By Lord ELLEKBOKOUGH. Were they inserted in the pa-
per? A. Thev were, mv lord.
* *
Q. You have been examined as to a supposed contradiction.
I think you to!:! me, that Mitford said he had copied these letters
in the presence or' the Princess of Wales, Lady Perce\al being also
present? A. Th.it is 1'ie fact ; he always said so.
Q. She might have been present, and handed the copy over to
him? A. Certainly.
Q. Did you shew Lady Anne Hamilton the note, purporting to
come from her, on the subject of the offer of your columns r A.
i j- i " *>
I did.
Q. What did she say ? A. That Lady Perceval had authority
to use her iimne; hut she was averse to what her ladyship was do-
ing i'-i the newspapers : it was contrary to her feelings.
Q Did you represent to Lady Hamilton, that you got these
letters from Mr. Mitfoid ; and that he said he had received them
from Lady Perceval ? A. I did.
Q. You say, that though you believed Lady Perceval to be the
author of these letters, yet you were afraid to publish your senti-
ments, from want of evidence? A. I was afraid to publish them
in ray paper, on that account.
Q. You believe her now to be the author ? A. I do, firmly.
[Three letters were here put in and read. They were all
addressed to the Defendant. The first, commencing,
" When Nelson was a child " ; the second, " I write this,
.
in case you should disappoint me again and again, " ; and
the third, complaining of not having seen him for some days.
See Appendix^
Mr. ALLEY. My Lord, I rest my case here.
Mr. HOLT. I call Lady Anne Hamilton to contradict
the last witness.
Lady Anne Hamilton examined by Mr. HOLT, ij at
Q. Your ladyship, in April last, was one of the ladies of the
bed-chamber to the Princess of Wales ? A. Yes, 1 was.
Q. Do you recollect a person of the name ot'Phipps calling on
your ladyship, on the 4th of April, last year ? A. Yes.
( 76 )
Q. Did he produce any papers ? A. Yes ; they were printed lu
his newspaper of that day.
Q. Did you read those papers? A. I did, at last ; but not
at fi r <t.
Q. When you read those letters, what did you tell him : A . \
said, I was convinced they were all forgeries.
Q. Did Pbipps tell you from whom he received them ? A. I
cannot recollect.
Q. But you will reroliiTt. if you think a little ? A. [After a
pause] He said Mr. Mi t ford cave them to him.
Q. Did he tell you from whom Milford, when he gave him the
letters, represented he had received them ? A. No.
Q. 1 am nor understood. Did he tell you from whom Mitford
said he had received the letters ? A. I think he did.
Q. From whom r A. He said, Mitford had copied them at
Montague- -house.
Q. And from whom had he received them ? A. That he had
got -them at Maiktagcat-ka0se; was what Mr. Phipps told me.
Q. Did Phipps say, that Mitford had received them from any-
body at Montague house r A. No ; he said, that Mitford copied
them, in the presence of the Princess of Wales, at Montague-
bouse.
Q. Did Phipps add any particulars, as to the manner in which
Mitford copied them ? A. That Mitford said, he was very much
alarmed writing hi the presence of so great a personage.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps make any mention of Mitford's having re-
ceived the letters from any other individual than this illustrious
personage : did he mention Lady Perceval ? A. I asked him if he
Was slir0 it was from Mr. Mitford he had received the letters.
Q. And did he say, that Mitford had brought them from Lady
Perceval ? A. Now I recollect, he never once mentioned Lady
Perceval's name in this last conversation.
Q. You mean, that Phipps said, that, in his last conversation
with Mitford, the latter never mentioned Lady Perceval's name ?
A. Yes.
Q Your ladyship then is quite sure, that Phipps said Mitford
toM him, that he copied the letters at Montague- house ; that he
was ahirimtl whilst he was so employed j and that be never men-
tionod L'uly Perceval's name ? A. I am : and when he was asked,
whether Mitford said he got them from Lady Perceval, he answered
" No :" oh file cofcirary, Mrt Ford never named her ladyship.
Q Then you are sure that Phipps did not tell you, that Mitford
finrl gut the letters from Lady Perceval ? A. I am sure 1 have
stated exactly what he said.
Q. L >ok at that letter -, do you recollect Phipps putting a letter
into your hand, purporting to come from Mitford ? A. 1. do.
( 77 )
Q. ^ ou told him you never had any correspondence witk Mr.
Mitroixl ? A. I (lid, directly or iudireclly.
Q. Is tliat the letter :A. It is.
[The following letter from Mr. Mitford to Lady Anne
Hamilton was here read : See Appendix, No.VIIL]
Q. You never corresponded with Mitford, or saw him in your
life, till that letter was put in your hand r A. Never.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps put another letter hi your hand, purporting
to he written hy the Princess of Wales ? A. Yes, he did.
Q. Did you tve him any opinion as to the authenticity of that
letter ? A. I told him J \vas quite sure it was a forgery.
Q Did you give any reason why r A. It was totally unlike her
royal highness's hund-vvriting.
Q. Did your ladyship tell Phipps, that her royal highness was
accustomed to write twenty different hands, and had often conde-
scended to imitate yours ? A. 1 never said so.
Q. Did you ever tell Phipps that you gave Lady Perceval a
carte blanche to use your name in the affairs of the Princess of
Wales ? A. Never.
Q. Did you, in fact, give her & carte blanche ? A. Never but
on two occasions. The one, to order the paper for ni, the other
to refuse the offer of Mr. Phipps's columns, positively, but civilly.
Q. Did your ladyship ever state any douhts of the authenticity
of the letters shewn to you r A. Never, after I read them.
Q. Did you tell Mr. Phipps that you disapproved of Liady Per-
ceval's connection with newspapers ? A. No, sir.
'Q. Nothing to that effect ? A. Not that I can recollect.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps represent to you, thai Mitford said he had
often heen at Montague-hojse ? A. Not the word often ; hut that
he had heen there, and copied the letteis in her royal highness'*
presence.
Cross-examined by Mr. CURWOOD.
Q. In the month of April last, your ladyship was one of th
ladies of the hed-ch imher to the Princess of Wales ? A. I was.
Q. I do not know whether that situation requires a great deal
of attendance about her person ? A. \ lived in the house.
Q. Your ladyship, of course, is acquainted with Lady Perce-
Tal? A. Yes.
Q. Did you visit much at Perceval-house ? A. Sometimes.
Q. Did it hapin to you to know, that Lady Perceval was in
communication with the newspapers, n the subject of the Princess
f Wales's affairs ? A. I cannot say it did.
Q. Can you say it was not known to you ? A. It was not.
Q. [Exhibiting a letter], do you know Lady Perceval's bandr
writing ? A. I think that is hers.
( 78 )
.i ...Q- Now have you not given authority to her TO use your nnme, or
have you sji\cnhcr a cat'te Llanciie? A. Never ; occpt ou t\vo
Q. Once to order The Nevs, and once to refuse Mr. Phipps's
offer >A. Vt>.
Q. Why did you not write these letters yourself 1 A. On the
first occasion, L.uiy Perceval was writing for her own paper, and I
requested her to \vrito forme. On the second, 1 was in a hurry,
and requested her to wiite a civil refusal of Mr. Phipps's offer, just
as if I declined going to a party.
Q. Then if she wrote, accepting that offer, she acted contrary
to your directions ? A. Certainly.
Q. And was guilty of a gross h reach of trust ? A. Certainly.
]f I had seen the letter I never would let it have gone.
Q. Yon did" not se* it then, hefore it was sent ? A. I did not
see it till it was pnhlislwH.
Q. Is that Mr. Phijips there? A. I believe it is.
[Mr. Phjpps was sitting within three feet of her lady-
l -i
hip].
Q. You are not certain ? A. No, I am not.
Q. By Lord ELLEIVBOKOUGH. Did you ever see that letter?-
A. Never.
Lord ELI.ENBOROUGH. Then let it be read ; to see
whether you would have given it your concurrence.
[The letter written by Lady Perceval, to Mr. Phipps, in
Lady Anne Hamilton's name, was here read : See Appen-
dix, No. V.]
Q. By Lord ELLKNBOROUGH. You never authorized that let-
ter ? A. Certainly not, my Lord.
Q. By Lord ELLESBOKOCGH These are not your sentiments,
of course ? A. I would not have let the letter go, if I had seen
it.
Q. As you are not quite certain of Mr. Phipps's person, perhaps
you may not he quite certain of the tenor of his conversation ?
A. 1 think I recollect what passed.
Q. Did he shew you the letter he just read ? A. He did not.
Q. What did he say when he introduce I himself? A. He
asko'I if I had seen a letter in his paper, Tlte News, of that Morn-
ing, signed with my name ? I ask:-d by what authority I was ques-
tioned ? he then declared himself, and pointer! out the letters.
Q. Did you at once say that they were forgeries ? A.. He did
not give me time ; he sui prised rue by the letter which he gavd me,
( 79 )
from Mr. Mil ford, and by observing that he bad other letters to
shew me ; but at last 1 said they were forgeries.
Q. You had no connection with these letters ? A. None what-
ever.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps not mention the name of Lady Perceval ?
A. I cannot recollect.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps not inform you that Mitford said Lady Per-
ceval had given him the forged letters ? A. I do not recollect.
Mr. CURWOOD. But you should recollect ; you come
here expressly to contradict a witness, and therefore should
i
recollect.
Questioned by Lord ELLENBOROUGH.
Q. Did you see any advertisement respecting the publication
of letters said to have passed between you and Lords JEldon, Liver-
pool, and Castlereagh r A. No, my Lord, I did not.
Q. What paper do you take in ? A. The News ; I don't take in
a ( iy daily paper.
Q. Did Mr. Phipps say he received these letters from Mr. Mit-
foidr A. He did.
Q. Though you only take in TheNen:s, Lady Anne, you might
see the morning papers : they are generally laid on the breakfast
tables in great families ' A. I saw ^all the papers when at the
Princess of Wales's -, but none, except The News, at my own
house 1 live very retired.
Q. And you did not cast your eye upon any advertisement re-
specting the publication of these letters? A. 1 did not, my lord.
Q. Then you had no idea that Mr. Piiipps was about to publish
such letters on that day ? A. 1 had not, my lord.
Mr. HOLT. I have reason to think, my lord, that it
was a mere general advertisement, announcing an intended
publication of letters, but not stating any reason.
Lord ELLENCOROUGH. Mr. Phipps, what were the terms of
your advertisement r A. 1 believe they were general, to the best
of my recollection.
Mr. ALLEY. May it please your LordshipGentlemen
pf the Jury,
On the new evidence which has been adduced, I
have a right to make a few observations j but, at this late
( 80 )
hour of the i ; ot trouble you with many remarks :
indeed, I think it would be quite unnecessary , if it were a
much earlier hour j for you, who arc men of understanding,
who are perfectly competent to decide this case, will not be
carried away by any effort of mine, you will advert solely td
the evidence which has this day been examined ; and no
one can doubt but that your verdict will be correct.
Gentlemen, if I wanted any assistance to support the
case of my client, I have found it in the act' of my learned
Friend, who called the last witness into the box. And I beg
of you to mark the distinction between her evidence and that
of Mr. 1'hipps. The latter, like the witness of Truth, speaks
promptly and decidedly ; the former speaks with hesitation
suid uncertainty. Would you, Gentlemen, take away the
character of an honest man on such testimony. Would yW
Entirely rum an individual, already much oppressed, on so
weak and rotten a foundation ? One word more, Gentle-
men, on a point which fixes the rope round the neck of this
prosecution. The witness, Lady Perceval, had the audacity,
in that box, to state, that she wrote by Lady Anne Hamilton's
desire, the letter to Mr. Phipps, which has been read. What
docs Lady Anne Hamilton say ? She tells you that it is au
impudent and audacious falsehood ; and that the letter was
a gross breach of integrity on the part of Lady Perceval.
Gentlemen, I shall say no more : I leave it to your good
sense to decide, whether such a person can be considered
the competent accuse* of the good fame and character <>f
another !
Mr. HOLT. May it please your Lordship Gentlemen
of the Jury,
At so late an hour of the day, I should be tarry t$
fatigue you by any observations, except such as arise naturally
from the evidence before you : I contend, that the case oa
( 81 )
the part of the Crown is unimpeached ; and that the attempt
to defend perjury is supported on the basis of perjury itself !
My learned Friends have not rebutted the charge, that the
Defendant has sworn falsely in his affidavit j but, by infer-
ence, they endeavour to weaken the testimony delivered
against him. They put letters and paragraphs into your
hands, and tell you, because Lady Perceval wrote them be-
cause she wrote letters, in confidence, to the Defendant,
that, therefore, she authorized him to publish these forgeries!
But that this was not the case is shewn by the testimony of
Lady Perceval by the corroborating evidence of three wit-
nesses ; and, more than all, by the confession of the Defen*
dant himself !
Gentlemen, how monstrous would the principle be, if it
were tolerated. How monstrous would it be, if, because I
have confidential communications with a person, I must,
therefore, be considered as a participator in his evil actions !
Is it a fair or just conclusion, because Lady Perceval employ*
ed Mitford to hand paragraphs to a paper (paragraphs which
no man laments more than I do), that, merely from this cir-
cumstance, she must have been privy to the letters which he
gave Phipps to publish ?
Some gentlemen, <we recollect, some years ago were tried
for high treason, in a neighbouring county * j it came out in
evidence, that a part of them were in communication with
*ome of the most virtuous some of the best men in society.
But, though these individuals were known to have been hi
correspondence with the accused, no man ever thought of
communicating any portion of the infamy of their guilt to
persons, whose minds were far as the poles asunder, from a
contemplation of a base or wicked action ! Who never even
suspected the guilty wishes which were harboured in th
hearts of those misguided men !
* Trial of Col. Pcspard and vthers, ii> Surry.
L
Gentlemen, is not the case of Lady Perceval of a similar
kind ? It is true, she was in communication with the De-
fendant, and he took some paragraphs to the papers for her :
but is it on this account, that all the subsequent actions,
however wild and visionary, however scandalous and impro-
per, of this man, are to be attributed to her ?
Gentlemen, the only evidence which my learned Friends
have brought forward to meet the case, consists of those kind
of inferences and presumptions, drawn from the most slight
and unstable premises. If you leave out these, we have no-
thing but the testimony of Mr. Phipps. And, Gentlemen,
can you believe that man, when his statement is contradicted
in every point, by Lady Anne Hamilton. He swore, that
the letters were received by him from Mitford, who told him
that Lady Perceval had given them to him, and that he
stated this to Lady Hamilton. But she told another story.
Her statement was quite different : and imputes to him the
blackest perjury ! She informs us, that Phipps declared to
her, that Mitford stated he had copied these letters in the
presence of the Princess of Wales, at Montague-house ; that
her Royal Highness, by talking, confused him ; and therefore
he was afraid of some inaccuracies. Did Phipps say, that
Mitford observed to him, that he received these letters from
Lady Perceval ? No, answers her ladyship j Phipps said that
the name of Lady Perceval was not even mentioned in the
last conversation with the Defendant. / asked Mr. Phipp*
whether Mitford really told him, that he received the letters
from Lady Perceval when he delivered ? He answered in
the affirmative. And the question very naturally followed ;
if you knew this fact, why did you not say so all a\ong ?
Why did you go on, for six or eight weeks, with a different
account ? He stated, that he did not make the circumstance
public from fear! But, Gentlemen, do you think this man
can fear anything ? If he dared to accuse the Princess of
Wales of a knowledge of these letters, must not hislassertion,
( 83 )
that he refrained from disclosing a fact, through fear of Lady
Perceval, appear completely false ? But I put it to him, and
the thing is most evident, that until an injunction was ob-
tained, and not till then, did he talk of accusing Lady Per-
ceval. This, however, is not the only contradiction his
evidence has met with from Lady Anne Hamilton. She
has, in fact, contradicted him, sentence by sentence, para-
graph by paragraph, through the whole book and volume of
his statement. But this single point by itself is, I think,
quite sufficient to destroy his testimony. For, can you
believe, if he knew that Lady Perceval had given the letters
to Mitford, that he would have cooked up the story he had
done 'j that he would have published, to the world, for some
time after, that the Defendant had copied them at Monta-
gue-house, and that he was confused at the time, in conse-
quence of the Princess of Wales .talking to him ? It is not
to be credited-
This, Gentlemen, is a conspiracy against the honour and
character of Lady Perceval, which was never before even
suspected ! Who are those by whom the defence is sup-
ported ? Who is Mr. Phipps ? A man, standing himself
under an indictment for a libel, growing out of the .same
charge ! Is he not then an interested witness, ready, by
swearing, to bring the Defendant off, that he may be a
pure evidence, for himself, when his own indictment came on
to be tried ? Manifestly swearing, as he has done, for that
purpose, to what weight is his evidence entitled ? I am,
however, glad that he has sworn ; for it has given me an op-
portunity of directly contradicting him. He told us, whea
he shewed Lady Anne Hamilton a letter purporting to be
written by the Princess of Wales, that she was unable to de-
cide on its authenticity, because her Royal Highness was in
the habit of writing twenty different hands. Lady Hamilton
has denied this, most positively. He also gave her another
letter, written by Mr. Mitford - } and concluding in this iarni-
( 84 )
liar manner, " God bless you adieu !" Lady Hamilton
declares she never saw, never heard of the man in her life.
Here Mr. Phipps acknowledges himself to he the hearer of
two letters ; the one, a vile forgery of the Princess of Wales'*
writing; the other, an impudent fraud, as it pretended an
intimacy with Lady Anne Hamilton, that did not exist.
Gentlemen, I had no other evidence to lay before you
than I did, that of Lady Perceval and Lady Anne Hamilton ;
and I hope you weighed, with the attention they demanded,
the circumstances which I have adduced in corroboration of
their testimony. You will observe, when Lady Perceval re-
ceived the letter from Mr. Phipps, she sent Mr. Speechley to
inform him, that he had been abused that he had published
forgeries, of which she knew nothing. Gentlemen, the letter
she wrote afterwards is not, in my opinion, a proof of guilt ;
but evidence of a kind and benevolent disposition. Mr.
Phipps says, he received the forged documents from Mitford,
who stated, that Lady Perceval gave them to him. Why, if
he knew this, why, if he were informed, that Lady Perceval
had sent them, did he not mention it in his letter of Sunday
morning? Why did he not observe, " the letters were
brought to me, by Mitford ; but he had your authority for
giving them publicity?" If this were the fact, why did he
not say, when Speechley told him they were forgeries, "You
may call them forgeries, if you please ; but they came from
Lady Perceval, and Mitford told me so ?" But, Gentlemen,
he said nothing of the kind : he did not even hint anything
of this description, until eight weeks after; when an in-
junction was obtained against the audacious attempts to de-
fame Lady Perceval's character.
Gentlemen, let us pursue Lady Perceval's conduct a little
farther. In her letter to Phipps, she says, " You are under
a mistake ; come down to Perceval-lodge, and the business
will soon be settled by a confidential communication."
What does he mean by this ? Her evidence, and Mr.
Phipps's statement, prove, that an audacious forgery had
been imposed upon him by Mitford. What then was the
consideration that influenced her to send for Phipps ? As
she knew that Mitford had had a lapse of mind, she was anx-
ious to put Mr. Phipps on his guard, lest he should be led into
some serious error. It was natural she should thus conduct
herself towards a person who had supported a cause to which
she was herself attached. Besides, she was of course anx-
ious for Mitford, for whom she had before interested herself;
and therefore it was that she wished the contradiction, which
she insisted should be made in the next papers, to be couched
in as delicate terms as possible. She was unwilling to bury,
beneath a heap of infamy, an individual whom she had la-
boured to serve. She also, for the sake of Mr. Phipps hiin-
selfy whom she believed to have been imposed upon, was de-
sirous that the disavowal should be as mild as possible. This,
Gentlemen, is the natural and fair construction of the letter
which she sent to Mr. Phipps, speaking of the case with
which the rectification might be made. Some remarks have
been ventured on that word perhaps it is a fashionable term
for explanation ; but, at all events, I hope Lady Perceval will
not suffer because she made use of it casually. I recollect a
person having been tried in this Court for the inadvertent
use of an expression. He had compared our constitution to
a tree ; and, pursuing his simile, he observed, that the mo-
narch was the trunk ; and the two houses of parliament the
two arms. Still carrying on the figure, he maintained, that,
if the arms were cut off, the trunk might remain and flourish.
The House of Commons indicted him for it. But, Lord
Kenyon said, "Don't let this man fall a sacrifice to a meta-
phor." And, I say, let not the word rectification prejudice
Lady Perceval in the present day.
How, then, Gentlemen, does the case stand ? Because
a few letters and paragraphs have beer written by Lady Per-
ceval, are you to suppose that she is guilty of these audacious
( 86 )
forgeries ? If it be so inferred, with whom can we corre-
spond in safety ? What clerk, what domestic, can we trust
confidentially ? If we write to him a letter, or employ him
to carry a paragraph at some subsequent period, though we
are far removed from any participation of his guilt, yet the
infamy of his actions may be attributed to us !
Gentlemen, I am convinced that Lady Perceval comes
into Court this clay to seek for justice, and I am confident she
will obtain it. A deadly blow is again struck at this family
in her ladyship's person ! This is a strong expression, but it
is a true one. The blow of an assassin has already deprived
the country of one of its members a man whom we must all
recollect with reverence and regret : but, Gentlemen, I am
assured, that you will preserve the family honour as clear arul
as bright as it was left by the illustrious person.
LORD ELLEXBOROUGH'S CHARGE TO TUB JURY.
Lord ELLENDORorrrH. Gentlemen of the Jury, in de-
ciding a question of such importance, both to the accuser
and the person accused, the Court is not to be carried away
by the loudness and violence of declamation. Your duty
and mine is, to attend to the proofs adduced in the case, and
to see that the declaration contained in the indictment is satis-
factorily supported. You have, Gentlemen, heard a vast
deal, this day, about the honour and character of a family ;
but really, I think, if it be contrary to honour and character,
if it be against every principle of honest feeling, tw be a foul
and malicious libeller, then have these panegyrics been very
unnecessarily addressed to you. It is here, under the hand-
writing of this lady, manifestly proved, that she used the
unfortunate Defendant, on different occasions, to procure
the publication of different articles composed by her. A
twelvemonth after he had been in Warburton's mad-house,
( 87 )
fliis lady corresponds with him ; she nrges him to insert this
and that in the newspapers ; and when the publishers, from
a fear of their personal safety, mutilated one of her produc-
tions, she reprobated their conduct, and regretted the ab-
sence of that venom, which it was her wish to instil, with no
palliative observation but this, that it was not libellous. But,
Gentlemen, what right hag she to break in upon the comforts
of public or private life ? What privilege does she possess to
scrutinize the actions of individuals, and select them as the
objects of her libels ? For such I say they are. The keenness
and malignity of her libels, you can gather from herself ;
"
you have the warrant of her own expressions, in her letter to
Mitford, to guide your opinion; she is there goading this
young man to the publication of libels, from time to time j
therefore to term her a libeller, in this case, is not speaking
unreasonably, since the fact is borne out and avowed by her
own hand-writing. Gentlemen, the only point for your con-
sideration in this place will be, whether, contrasting her evi-
dence with the circumstances of her conduct, there is a fair
and probable ground of inference, that she really acted in the
manner stated by the Defendant. The letter, beginning,
V When Nelson was a child," gave me, I assure you, more,
pain and disgust, than I ever recollect to have experienced-
on the reading of any former production in a court of justice.
I was shocked and pained to find so much bitterness so
much unchristian malignity, in the expressions contained in
that letter ; which I shall read to you
ct Monday.
' NELSOJ.% when a child, said ' What is fear? I never saw
it.' Mr. T. would not have won the Battle of the Nile."
He had not the courage, I suppose (observed his lord-
ship), to wring the hearts of his fellow-creatures, as he was
requested to do. Her ladyship proceeds
( 88 )
" Let those fear who espouse a bad cause. We, who contend
for Justice, for the Princess of Wales, and for our future Queen,
should not flinch. Cowards never gained the field. I wish to God
Mr. T had been any where but there just then and I hope he
will have a prosperous voyage ; but not a speedy return. I would
Mr. M. being a man as he is, of bold and valiant principle of ho-
nourable, energetic, and chivalric feeling, were alone Pioprietor of
Lis P I hate half measures, half arguments, half appeals to
the public sense and heart ; they never answered yet. Rush upon
your enemy, surprise, astound him, and terror unhorses him !"
These, Gentlemen, are very masculine sentiments. The
letter goes on
" I shall he glad if the abortion of my letter do good. But
h is vexatious when a whole, so complete as it was, connected the
one part with the other, to have had it mangled j and a bit onlj
thrown to the public."
This, however, is something femini ne she is speaking
of the offspring of her brain, to which, of course, she was
very much attached.
" Yesterday was the very day for it- ' The tide-serving mo-
ment,' that Shaksp bids us watch and catch. But what is done
cannot be helped. Another time tho' pray no mutilations and
what Mr. T may not have stomach for, may please another's
appetite ; and something of lighter digestion can be prepared for
him. Z am sure Mr. M. teas truly distressed. When Mr. T
goes into the country, will Mr. M. have the power then to insert
at his pleasure ?"
Mr. 1V$. it appears, is less scrupulous than Mr. T. j and
the absence of the latter is overlooked upon as being favour-
able to her views.
.
" It is really cruel to have torn me piecemeal,-*-for observe
how the <cnuetion of the parts is destroyed by it."
( 89 )
Now, Gentlemen, that which follows is the malignant
y and reflects very great dishonour on the writer.
" How difficult to rejoin this snake, which would so keenly
have stung where we intended, without the venom heing libellous.
Send me hack my copy, for I have none; and I cannot re-create
until I have it so, without loss of time or po^t, return it to me,
and I will see what I can do. But promise me, that if Mr. M. will
not insert it as 1 send it (save and except any expression (hat may
be strictly libellous; which I am sure nothing in that letter was,
which 1 could alter), to return it me whole : for as the cause must
not lose for other's squeamishness, it should find its way somehow
to the puhlic, but not with the same signature as that given to
M - ."
Here you see, though she boasts the courage of my Lord
Nelson, she appears to look a little to the consequences which
would probably attend the publication of a libel.
Now, Gentlemen, I own I do not know how you or
many persons in this court are constituted ; but I confess I
heard that letter read with a great degree of horror? It
pained me to think, that an individual could be found, ready
to employ any person in the situation of this unfortunate
gentleman, perhaps not perfect in his mind, to assist in dis-
seminating articles of such a nature as those mentioned in
the letter ; and afterwards to regret, that all their venomous
malignity had not been preserved. I will leave it to you to
judge how far these sentiments are consistent with the feel-
ings of women, or the doctrines of Christianity ; I thank God !
very few instances of an adherence to such principles are met
with. The next point for you to decide upon is, how far the
Pefendant was employed by Lady Perceval in publishing .the
letters which appeared on the 4th of April. In the affidavit,
which is the foundation of this Indictment, the Defendant
fwears, that on or about the 31st of March, he was sent for
by Lady Perceval, who was at her house, at. Blackheatfar;
when be arrived there, Lady Perceval informed him, that
M
( 90 )
she had letters of great consequence to publish, and that Mr.
Phipps appeared to her the man most likely to do her justice 1 .
Now, it is not very improbable, that she might suppose he
Would do them justice, after the fulsome panegyrics she had
lavished on his nervous style, his classical manner of con-
ducting his paper, and various other points, couched in
praises of the same kind.. Besides, there are letters laid before
you, which clearly shew a communication between Mr.
Phipps and Lady Perceval, commencing so early as six
o'clock, on the morning of publication, before any thing had
transpired on the subject. Now, it was urged, that Mr.
Phipps never thought of imputing these letters to Lady Per-
ceval until an application was made 'to the Court of Chan-
cery for an injunction, and then, through fear, this charge
has been made ; but I will read to you the letter which he
wrote to Lady Perceval, on the morning of the 4th of April,
and I will ask you does it not bear the stamp and character
of a communication on a particular subject, of which the
writer supposed the party to whom he addressed himself to be
conscious ?
" MADAM, " Sunday Morning, April 4, 1813.
" 1 implicitly rely on your ladyship's justice lor au excuse,
ibr addressing you unauthorized. My humble tender of what ser-
vices I might, through the medium of niy paper, ' The News,' be
able to render to the sacred and just cause of her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales, made a few weeks ago, through Lady Anne
Hamilton, arose solely from an earnest wish that my voice, in that
cause, might be raised with eftect."
The writer here alludes to the offer he had made some
time before of his columns ; the answer to which offer was
written by Lady Perceval, in the name of Lady Anne Hamil-
ton. The latter now denies it to have been smthi.'ri/.rd !>y
her, though Lady Perceval declared, fl .ul\ her
privity and consent. Mr. Pl: : ,
( 91 )
" I vras wholly animated by that motive, my situation in irfe,
us \vell as the dictates of my mind, repel any selfish idea. "Having
thus premised, I trust your ladyship will excuse my troubling you
with a concise detail of the transactions between Mr. Mitford and
myself since Thursday last."
Now, unless he was confident that she was privy to this
business of Mitford's, why should he write to her at all.
" On the evening of Thursday last (continues Mr. Phipps),
as late as 1O o'clock, Mr. Mitford delivered into ray hands copies
of the letters, I have, according to his direction, inserted in The
News of this day, marked 1, 2, 3, with a desire that I would write
some remarks upon them,. He did not then mention any wish of
taking away those remarks, for the revisal of your ladyship or any
other person. On the Friday I wrote some remarks, although it
was much later in the week, than I have it in my power in general,
consistent with the necessary arrangement of my paper, to insert,
at lengthy any original matter. On that day Mr. Mitford called
upon me about 4 o'clock, and having read what 1 bad written, he
expressed a wish to take it for revisal to Blackheath. To this I
could have no other objection thaa the fear that the papers might
not be returned to me, time enough on the Saturday, to publish
them in my paper of this day. Here, 1 am fearful, I may justly
incur blame, for not properly impressing this fear on the mind of
Mr. Mitford. However, he gave me a solemn promise that the
papers should be returned me on the same evening, before 9 o'clock.
To convince him that it was absolutely necessary 1 should then
receive them 1 informed him 1 should sit up the whole of the
Friday night ; and I did sit up the entire night ; but, from that mo-
ment, J have never seen or heard from him. I say nothing of my
feelings or my anxiety during this delay."
The meaning here is evident ; it alludes to a person, for
the revisal of whom the paragraphs were intended, and
proves that the two ideas of Lady Perceval and Mr. Mitford
were, on this business, associated in the mind of Mr. Phipps.
Taken to Blackheath for revisal. That very word signifies
another examination of something which a party has seea
( 92 )
before ; it points, as it were to something, of which
the individual addressed was the author. Now, why should
Mitford carry it to Blackheath, if he had not received it
there ? This may be said to be the language of Mr. Phipps.
But, Gentlemen, it was drawn up early on the morning of
the publication, when he wrote with as much indifference as
any other person on the subject. Mr. Phipps concludes
thus :
" I again beg to express a wish, that your ladyship will excuse
my present application to you. I am fearful of heing thought guilty
of any disrespect, or any inattention to orders, which confer honour
on my humble exertions : order?, vrhich I am only anxious to re-
ceive, to shew my most respectful obedience."
Now must not this language, which speaks his fear of
shewing any disrespect to orders, which confer honour on
him, be considered as failing from a man, labouring under
a strong impression, at the time he wrote the letter, that
Lady Perceval was connected with the publication ? It can,
in my mind, bear no other interpretation. Then what be-
comes of the idea, that Mr. Phipps never harboured a
thought of Lady Perceval being at all acquainted with the
transaction, till, at a much later time, when other publica-
tions had taken place ; and, on information having been
moved for against him, the Defendant, in the present case,
swore, that Lady Perceval had desired him to carry the let-
ters to Mr. Phipps, observing, that the experiment was a
dangerous one, but something must be done to compel them
to grant a proper establishment to the Princess of Wales ;
and that the publication would, no doubt, have that effect.
That he then copied the three letters from the hand-
writing of Lady Perceval, which purported to be signed by
the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Liverpool, Lord Castle-
reagh, and Lady Anne Hamilton, all of them relating to the
establishment of the Princess of Wales ? Now, the real ques-
tion for you, Gentlemen, to try is, whether the Defendant
copied these letters from an original manuscript, written by
Lady Perceval ? And here it will be right to bear in mind,
that several letters have been put in, which, according to the
evidence of Mr. Phipps, Lady Perceval was most anxious to
get back into her possession. It certainly was a desirable
thing for her to recover letters and papers of such a descrip-
tion ; it was natural she should be desirous of obtaining
themj because they might, her hand-writing being proved,
subject her to criminal prosecutions. But she disseminated
her paragraphs, it appears, by the hands of this unfortunate
gentleman, the Defendant. She selected him for this pur-
pose ; either, because, from the state of his understanding,
she thought it would be less dangerous for him to act in the
business, or because she wished to shield herself in utter
darkness : for, if she had been as fearless as (using the lan-
guage of Lord Nelson), she said she was, she would not
have sought an agent; she would have acted for herself; she
would have gone with her writings ; she would not have made
use of the instrumentality of this unfortunate man. To
what, Gentlemen, can you attribute the visits, early and
late, made by Lady Perceval to the Defendant and his wife ?
Do you think it was charity that called upon her to go to
their lodgings, without her carriage ? But she stated, that
the streets were not paved, as a reason for proceeding ori
foot ; and yet, when I ask her whether her servant attended
her on these excursions, she could scarcely call the fact to
mind. What, then, I ask you, could those visits relate to,
but to that which her acknowledged letters speak of ? By
that subject she had electrified the shattered understanding
of this unfortunate man, and had induced him to give circu-
lation to the venom which she herself had concocted. Un-
der these circumstances, looking simply to the conduct of
those concerned in the case, seeing this lady aaxious to pub-
lish libels, by the agency of the Defendant, a fact that can-
not be controverted, surely it is not at all unnatural to sup-
pose that she may be the author of other libels, intended to
effect the same purpose. With respect to the particular
points on which the perjury is assigned, not an individual has
spoken to them but Lady Perceval herself. All the rest of
the evidence, on the part of the prosecution, relates to cir-
cumstances which are said to have occurred since the publi-
cation of the 4th of April. Of these, the strongest is the
conduct of this young man himself, who has been represented
as proceeding to town from Blackheath, ashamed and afflicted
at what he had done. He is described as having thrown
himself on his bed, in great anguish of mind, exclaiming,
that he was dishonoured, and his reputation gone. But why,
if he had been the projector of the forgeries, did Lady Per-
ceval send for him ? Why did she seek the return of a man so
dangerous as she represented him to be ? Why did she, on
the Wednesday evening, cause him to be brought to her own
house, where he threw himself on the bed of Mr. Perceval ?
It seems, when questioned at his own lodging, that he talked
of a bribe ; but no one heard what that bribe consisted of.
He had, it seems, threatened to publish all their names ;
but it did not appear to whom this all referred. Gentlemen,
this looks like the conduct of a frantic man, as he is stated
to have been. But the affidavit was sworn on the 23d of
June 5 and, if he had been disordered in his mind, in April,
he might by that time have recovered. He then declared
that he had been at Blackheath, that he had there got the
letters, and carried them where ? why, to that very paper,
which Lady Perceval had been perfuming : to the very place
where she should be most likely to send them, if she sent
them at all. Then, Gentlemen, you have the evidence of
Mr. Phipps, who has deposed to conversations with Lady
Perceval and Lady Anne Hamilton, who have both denied a
part of his statement.- Lady Hamilton swears, that he never
i 95 )
mentioned Lady Perceval as the person through whom Mitford
received the letters. It is for you, Gentlemen, to decide ou
this conflicting testimony. But it is most clear, that the be-
lief of Mr. Phipps, as to Lady Perceval's having written the
letters, was not an after-thought. For, at six o'clock in the
morning of the 4th of April, he addresses her on the subject,
confidentially. Why, Gentlemen, would he think of sending
the matter to Blackheath for revision, if it had never beeu
there before ? Gentlemen, I think it is scarcely necessary
for me to go through this immense mass of evidence,
[Here the Foreman of the Jury interrupted his lordship.
They were, he observed, perfectly satisfied : and a verdict of
NOT GUILTY was immediately returned which was re-
ceived with evident marks of satisfaction by a very crowded
Court. The Trial commenced at half-past nine iri the
morning; and was not terminated till half-after six in the
evening.]
^
.
IN the above extraordinary case, Mr. VINES, of Stone
Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, was the Attorney for the Prose-
cution : Mr. MANNING, of Clement's Inn, for the De-
fendant.
'
APPENDIX.
No. I.
" Lady Viscountess Perceval requests Mr. Phi ops will
send her, regularly, his weekly paper, The News, particularly
the one of this day, which includes the interesting and well-
made observations on the Letter of her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales.
"27, Curzon-street,
" Sunday, 14th Feb.
** Phipps, Esq.
" The News Office, Brydges-street,
" Strand."
No. II.
" Lady Anne Hamilton requests that Mr. Phipps will direct
his paper, The News, to be regularly sent to her, No. 4, Man-
chester-street ; and Lady Anne particularly begs that this day's
News may be sent there without delay.
"Sunday, 14th Feb.
'* Phipps, Esq.
" The News Office, Brydges-street,
" Strand."
NO. in.
'* Mr. Phipps is requested to send down his last and his pre-
sent Sunday's paper, and those which will be published touching}
the interesting cause now agitating, addressed to John Teed,
( 98 )
Esq. M. P. at Richard Phillips, Esq. Surgeon, &c. Bridge-
water.
" And place these numl>ers to Lady Perceval's account.
i j
" Curzon-street, Feb. 2 1st.
" Phipps, Esq.
" News Office, Brvdges-slreet, Strand."
No. IV.
" Monday, March 15, 1813.
" Mr. Plnpps, the Editor and Proprietor of TJie News, pre-
sents his profound respects to Lady Anne Hamilton. He trusts
to her wonted goodness to excuse the liberty he thus takes of
addressing her. Entirely influenced by a sense of duty, he,
as a Newspaper Proprietor, owes to the public, who liberally
pay him, Mr. Phipps has presumed in a very sincere, if not an
able manner, to espouse a cause, which he truly laments re-
quires the exertions of any advocate. In thus performing what he
conceives his indispensable duty, he, however, labours under a
deficiency of information, which not only paralyzes his efforts,
buthe fears sometimesleads him into errors injurious to the illus-
trious lady he endeavours to defend. On this subject, there-
fore, he presumes to address Lady Anne Hamilton, and in the
most respectful manner to offer the columns of his paper for the
insertion of any thing which may, in any shape, tend to repel
the infamous slanders in circulation.
'* Mr. Phipps begs to add, that he has no connection, nor
ever had, with any political party, or with any public political
person that his character for honour and integrity will bear
the strictest investigation and that he is the sole editor and
proprietor of his paper, writing and selecting every thing in it.
He also presumes to say, that his motives to this address are
pure and honourable, and simply occasioned by an earnest de-
sire of raising his feeble voice with some effect in the cause of a
much-injured lady.
{ 99 )
" Mr. Phipps has the gratification of stating to Lady Anne.
Hamilton, that such is the popularity of the part he has thought
it his duty to take in this affair, that the circulation of his paper,
which four weeks ago was about 7^00, is now increased to
8,900."
No. V.
" *Lady Anne Hamilton's compliments to Mr. Phipps, and
at the same time that she must express her admiring approba-
tion of the pertinent energetic reasoning and classical style of
his paper, acknowledges herself exceedingly gratified by Mr.
Phipps' s loyal, zealous, and disinterested offer of his independent
columns towards advocating the sacred, just, and illustrious
cause of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, against her
conspiring adversaries.
" Manchester-street, March 1 8.
" (Private.)
' Phipps, Esq.
*' The News Office, Brydges-street,
" Strand."
* It \vas contended by the Plaintiff's Counsel on the late trial, that
this letter is not an acceptance of the offer I had made of the columns
of my paper. It is certainly written in a very guarded manner in a
manner quite consistent with the .fear Lady Perceval always entertained
of putting any thing in the printer's hands, which might, on a future
occasion, be turned against her. If, however, it is not an acceptance,
no one can maintain that it is a refusal. It should be borne in mind,
that it was brought by Mitford, who was instructed verbally to conmiu*
nicate that information the letler is deficient in. EDIT.
No. VI.
Thursday Morning, 9 o'Clock.
Dear Sir,
" I write in a hurry. Should the packet alluded to by me
last . :. .!u, arrive, take no steps upon it until 1 come. The
following extract will explain my reasons:
** * The death of the Duchess of Brunswick renders it dcco-
' rously necessary, that the publication of the Letters should be
' deferred fur a short time. 1 '
" Again,
" ' / hope that the Sunday remarks o/The News, will do us a
* weelcs good. As you say you can rely on Mr. P., he shall be our
' u\ai:i courier in future : you must slick close to him, and keep
* his spirits alive: give him Manby, fyc.' '
" I think I shall call about 4. I have written for a copy of
the evidence of Mrs. L. which I trust will be in time. Truly
yours,
" JOHN MITFORD.
" Mr. Phipps, Editor of The News,
" Brydges-street, Covent-garden."
To be delivered immediately.
VII.
" Two days after the death of her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Brunswick, Lady Charlotte Lindsay, the lady in
waiting upon her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, re-
ceived tM-o letters by the two-penny post, the one from the
Coontessof'Macclesfieldjon the part of the Queen, and the other
from the Dowager Countess of Rosslyn on the part of the Prin-
cesses mere formal lettersof inquiry after the Princess of Wales.
And this is all the notice that her majesty and the princesses
have taken of the Princess of Wales upon the melancholy eveut
of the sudden death of her mother."
" And on the very same day, as the Princess of Wales was
sitting with Lady Charlotte Lindsey and Lady Charlotte Camp-
bell, at her luncheon, a paper, folded in the form of a petition,
was brought to her royal highness. Her royal highness incau-
tiously opened it, when, to her utter astonishment, she discovered
it to contain the copy of the will of her royal mother, which the
lord chancellor, as one of the executors of her late royal highness,
had sent to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, by the
servant of Mr. Le Blanc, the Duchess of Brunswick's solici-
tor. Nothing accompanied this paper of importance, except
a note from Mr. Le Blanc to the Princess of Wales, purporting
that he was directed by the Lord Chancellor to send her royal
highness a copy of her Royal Highness the late Duchess of
Brunswick's will."
No. VIII.
" Dear Madam,
" I have now waited until seven. When the letter arrives,
Mr. Phipps will send you this, with some remark he may deem
necessary on the occasion.
" I leave this in case you have left Abingdon-street.
" God bless you !
" Adieu!
" JOHN MITFORD."
" Right Hon. Lady Anne Hamilton,
" No. 16, Abingdon-street*,
" Westminster."
* There is a great deal to come out respecting this house. The osten-
sible occupier was a man of the name of Land, who had been a butcher at
Greenwich, and in that capacity had served both Montague House and
Perceval Lodge with meat. Its proximity to the two houses of parliament
I fancy occasioned it to be taken. EDIT.
( 10* )
No. IX.
"Sir,
*' I am obliged by your attention, and beg you to thank Mr-
I'hipps, iu my name, lor his exertion.
" Fray attend me in the morning.
" C. P."
" Monday Evening.
" Mr. John Ailford."
No. X.
" Sunday Morning, April 4, 1813.
" Madam,
*' I implicitly rely on your ladyship's justice for an excuse
for addressing you unauthorised*. My humble tender of what
services I might, through the medium of my paper, The Neivs,
be able to render to the sacred and just cause of her lloyal
Highness the Princess of Wales, made a few weeks ago, through
Lady Anne Hamilton, arose solely from an earnest wish that my
voice, in that cause, might be raised with effect. I was wholly
animated by that motive, my situation in life, as well as the
dictates of my mind, repel any selfish idea. Having thus pre-
mised, I trust your ladyship will excuse my troubling you with
a concise detail of the transactions between Mr. Mitford and
myself since Thursday last.
*' On the evening of Thursday last, as late as 10 o'clock, Mr.
Mitford delivered into my hands, copies of the letters, I have,
according to his direction, inserted in The News of this dav,
. *
marked 1, 2, 3, with a desire that I would write some remarks
* The word " unauthorised''' here, merely refers to my baring been assured
by Mr. Mitford, that he was the medium through which 1 was to receive
what communications it was considered proper to make public on the part
of her Royal Highness the Princess of Walts. Nothing less than the
abandonment of Mr. Mitford would have made me prciume tu
Lady Perceval. EDIT.
( 103 )
upon them. He did not then mention any wish of taking away
those remarks for the revisal of your ladyship or any other per-
son. On the Friday I wrote those remarks, although it was
much later in the week than I have it in ray power in general,
consistent with the necessary arrangement of my paper, to insert
at length any original matter. On that day, Mr. Mitford called
upon me about four o'clock, and having read what I had
written, he expressed a wish to take it for revisal to Blackheath.
To this I could have no other objection than the fear that the
papers might not be returned to me time enough, on the Sa-
turday, to publish them in my paper of this day. Here, I am
fearful I may justly incur blame, for not properly impressing this
fear on the mind of Mr. Mitford : however, he gave me a solemn
promise that the papers should be returned to me oil the same
evening, before nine o'clock. To convince him that it was ab-
solutely necessary I should then receive them, I informed
him 1 should sit up the whole of the Friday night, and I did
sit up the entire night, but from that moment I have never
seen or heard from him. I say nothing of my feelings or my anx-
iety during this delay, they may be appreciated, when I state
to your ladyship, that owing to the great number of my paper,
one part goes to press as early as three o'clock on Saturday
morning, another about nine o'clock, another about two o'clock,
and the last about six o'clock. To make room for the manu-
script taken away by Mr. Mitford, 1 had, at much inconve-
nience, discarded matter of some importance; and, at five
o'clock last night, I was left with my whole composing room
standing still, waiting for his promised return. In that situa-
tion I had no remedy than from recollection, to re-write what I
had given that gentleman. This, I anxiously hope, will form
my excuse for any inaccuracy in the observations in my p^iper
of this week.
" I again beg to express a wish that your ladyship will excuse
my present application to you. I am fearful of being thought
guilty of any disrespect, or any inattention to orders which con-
( 104 )
for honour on my humble exertions; orders, which I am only
anxious to receive, to shew my most respectful obedience.
" I have the honour to subscribe myself,
*' Madam,
" Your ladyship's most humble servant,
"T. A. PHIPPS."
No. XL
** Dartmouth-row, Blackheath,
Sir, Sunday, April 4th.
" Since I requested Mr. Speechley to wait upon you this
morning, in consequence of your letter, and the mistake which
appears to have occurred, I much wish that, if not very incon-
venient, you would favour me with an interview at my house
here, as soon after your receiving this as may suit you. I believe,
by conferring with you CONFIDENTIALLY for a few minutes, the
rectification can be best arranged.
" I am, Sir, your's, &c. &c.
" (Private.} " B. P.
" Phipps, Esq.
*' News Office, Brydges-street, Strand."
No. XII.
"News Office, Sunday Evening, Ten
" Madam, o'Clock, April, 4, 1813.
" Immediately on my return to town, I deemed it my indis-
pensible duty to consult a friend on the subject of my confer-
ence with your ladyship this morning. His advice is peremp-
torythat my honour my reputation, every thing that i*
dear to me, compel me to have no concealments with the public,
whom I have been made instrumental in grossly deceiving.
This is also the result of cool reflection ; I therefore respect-
fully state to your ladyship, that unless Mr. Mitford imme-
diately comes forward, and avows the part he has had in the
business, for the purpose of my justification, I shall be under
the painful necessity, in my next Sunday's publication, of en-
tering into a full explanation of the whole affair. My part in
this transaction will be to me most painful, but it must be
performed, if any contradiction appears in the public papers
of what I have inserted in The News of this day.
" I have the honour to subscribe myself, &c. &c.
"T.A. PHIPPS."
No. XIII.
" To the Editor of The Morning Chronicle."
Sir. The publication in his paper of this clay, by the
Editor of The News, induces me to request you will be pleased
to insert in your paper of to-morrow, the copy of a letter which
I addressed to that gentleman, and which was delivered at the
office of The Neivs late on Friday night. I hare only to add,
that the Editor of The News has been informed that the letters
in his possession, alleged to be letters in the hand-writing of the
Princess of Wales, are positively forged; as well as the letters
purporting to be signed by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Liver-
pool, and Lord Castlereagh ; and the answer, purporting to be
signed by Lady Anne Hamilton. It is unnecessary to state, that
Mr. Mitford's unhappy situation absolves him from all crimina-
lity respecting these papers, as well as those which are referred
to in my letter to the Editor of The News, (now in my posses-
sion,)' the fabrications of Mr. Clifford's disordered fancy.
" I am your obedient servant,
" Temple, April 11." " F. L. HOLT."
No. XIV.
" Sir,
" In consequence of an advertisement which appeared in some
<sf the daily pnpers, announcing your intention of publishing in
( 100 )
\our paper of Sunday next, certain letters and communications
from Lcdy Anne Haicilton, Lady Perceval, and Mr. Mitford,
nephew to Lord Redesdale, I was desired to call at your office
on Thursday last, for the purpose of acquaiuti:i you, that what-
ever communications you had received from Mr. Mitford, were
entirely the invention of the disordered imagination of that un-
fortunate gentleman ; aud that the letters published in your pa-
per of Sunday last, as well as other papers said to be in your
possession by the means of Mr. Mitford, are forgeries. I was
also directed to state to you, that Mr. Mitford is entirely un-
known to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales personally,
or by any mode of communication; and that her Royal High-
ness had not any knowledge of any matter inserted in your pa-
per. Dr. Warlmrton attended with me for the purpose of con-
firming to you the account of Mr. Mitford's situation} which is
such as to divest him of all responsibility for his own actions.
He had been prematurely removed from the care of Dr. War-
burton, about seven weeks ago, and has again been placed under
Dr. Warburton's control. His extravagancies have not been
confined to the impositions practised upon your paper. I have
now before me various letters and minutes of conversations on
the same subject, given by Mr. Mitford to a friend of mine, al-
leged to have been addressed to him, under a feigned name, and
to have been holden with him by gentlemen of respectability,
whom he probably never saw; appointing interviews, and offer-
ing rewards for the disclosure of secrets which had no existence,
and relating discourses between other parties, which it hasJaeen
ascertained never took place*. As I had not the good fortune to
see you at either of the times when I called upon you, I have
thought it proper to give you this circumstantial detail in writ-
ing, lest there should have been any misunderstanding or mis-
take in the verbal communication to you, which will have been
* It is singular that Mr. Holt produced none of these on th late trial.
Edit.
( 107 )
the consequence of mine and Dr. Warburton's visits at your of-
fice, from the persons whom I saw there.
"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" Temple, April 9. " F. L. HOLT."
To the Editor of The News."
No. XV.
" Sir, "Wednesday.
" I did not see The Neicsof last Sunday until yesterday morn-
ing. I was not permitted to have any communication with any
person until this day, when I effected my escape from an un-
just and unauthorized confinement.
" 1 am so situated that I have little more time than to say,
that there are some parts of your paper I do not comprehend,
but in the principal points you are correct.
' I have been allowed, during my confinement, to write one
letter > dictated to me*, and that was all.
*' I have seized the momentary advantage of my liberty to
write to one or more of the papers The Herald in particular,
you shall hear from me when I am forty miles from town, where
I shall halt.
" Truly your's,
" JOHN MITFORD."
" Mr. Phipps,
" Proprietor of The Neu-s."
* Mr. Mitford once informed me, that he had been induced to write some
kind of acknowledgment, that he was, the author of the forged letters; but
that the letter, which contained that acknowledgment, referred to some
circumstances not expedient to be made public; and, therefore, that Lady
Perceval would never dare to make any use of it against him. I only state
what he once mentioned. When I reflect on the species of mental and cor-
poreal bondage, iu which Lady Perceval kept this unfortunate gentleman,
I certainly should feel no surprise at any thing he said or wrote, in the inter-
val between the 4th of April and the 19th, the day I first saw him after the
publication of the forged letters. On the trial, nothing in his hand-writing
was offered to be produced. Edit.
( 108 )
No. XVI.
"Dear Sir,
" I have not been three hours from the country ; my fortitude
cannot };ear 10 be thus lacerated by the scissars of a woman.
" J much wish to see you this evening.
" Your's, faithfully,
"Mr. Phipps." "JOHN MITFORD."
(No date.)
No. XVII.
The following were Lady Anne Hamilton's remarks on my
appeal to the public, inserted by her order in The Morning Chro-
nicle. Many of them are quite irrelevant. I never asserted,
that her ladyship ever wrote to me except through the medium
of Lady Perceval, nor did 1 ever say, that she at any time either
saw or wrote to Mr. Mitford. One point alone of my previous
statement does she deny that respecting the carte blanche.
My assertion of her inability decisively to pronounce whether
the letters were forgeries, she avoids noticing; and my subse-
quent statement of the Princess of Wales being in the habit of
writing twenty different hands, she never publicly contradicted
until the late trial. Edit.
*' In consequence of some publications in The News, and com-
lueiiU upon thtm in other papers, we have authority to state
that Lady Anne Hamilton never wrote a line to Mr. Phipps in
her life. That she never authorized Lady Perceval to write to
him, but upon the two occasions mentioned in his paper (The
News) of Sunday last the one to order his paper to be sent to
her the other civilly to decline the offer he had made her of
his columns ; and that she never saw either of those letters till
they were published*.
* It is singular that Larly Anne did not at this time disavow the letter
Lady Perceval wrote in her name to me; she did so distinctly on the trial.
( 109 )
" We have authority to state further, that Lady Anne Hamil-
ton never gave Lady Perceval * authority to make use of her
'name in jvhatever concerned the Princess of Wales;' nor has
she ever asserted or admitted, in any way, or to any person, that
bhc Ir^d so done; and that Lady Perceval herself disclaims ever
having received or exercised such authority.
" That Mr. Phipps was ' immediately admitted' (as he states)
when he called at Lady Anne Hamilton's house, on Sunday the
4th instant, in consequence of her supposing him to be Mr.
Phipps, the oculist; nor after the discovery of this mistake, did
she know who he was, till he proclaimed himself the editor of
The News.
" That Lady Anne Hamilton never saw Mr. Mitford, nor
wrote to him, nor received a line from him, nor ever had any
communication with him in any way."
LADY PERCEVAL'S LETTERS.
No. XVIII.
" Monday."
" Nelson, when a child, said * What is fear? I never saw
it.' Mr. T.* would not have won the battle of the Nile. Let
those fear who espouse a bad cause. We who contend for jus-
tice for the Princess of Wales, and for our future QUEEN, should
not flinch Cowards never gained the field. I wish to God,
Mr. T had been anywhere but there just then and I hope
he will have a prosperous voyage, but not a speedy return. I
* Mr. T means Mr. Tulloch, one of the proprietors of The Star
evening newspaper, a paper at that time much favoured by Lady Perce-
val's political lucubrations, but afterwards turned off ou'accouut of the
stjueamithness and want of spirit in its proprietors.
( "0 )
would Mr. M.* being a man, as lie i, of bold and valiant prin-
ciple of honourable, energetic, and ciiivalric feeling, were alunc
proprietor of his P . I hate half measure.-, half arguments,
half appeals to the public sense and heart : they never answered
yet. Riiah upon your enemy surprise, astound him and ter-
ror unhorses him !
*' I shall be glad if the abortion of my Utter do good ; but
it is vexatious when, a whole, so complete as it was, connected
the one part with the other, to have had it mangled and a bit
only thrown to the public.
"Yesterday was the very day for it 'the tide-serving mo-
ment' that Shaksp bids us watch and catch. But what is
done cannot be helped Another time tho' pray, no mutilations
and what Mr. T may not have stomach for, may please
another's appetite ; and something of lighter digestion can be
prepared for hi ID. 'I am sure Mr. M. was truly distressed.
When Mr. T goes into the country, will Mr. M. have
the power then, to insert at his pleasure? It is really cruel to
have torn rue piecemeal for observe how the connection of the
parts is destroyed by it Mow difficult to rejoin this snake, which
would so keenly have stung where we intended without the ve-
nom being libellous. Send me back my copy, for I have none,
and I cannot re-create until I have it so, without loss of time
or post, return it to me, and I will see what I can do. But pro-
mise me that if Mr. M. will not insert it as I send it (save and
except any expression that may be strictly libellous, which I
am sure none in that letter was, which I could alter) to return
it me whole: for as the cause must not lose for other's squeam-
islmess, it should find its- way somehow to the public but not
with the same signature as that given to Mr. M .
** Write to me constantly your minutes of J. Bull's conver-
sations were pleasingf, and Holyrood House remark very well.
* Mr- M ,Mr. Mayne, one of the minor proprietors of the same pa-
pernot possessing the power over its insertions which Mr. Tulloch had.
f These and Holyrood House remark, were articles written in favour of
the Princess of Wales by Mr. Mitford, and which appeared in The Star.
( 111 )
If you should come down, go to Bridgewater House, send a
note to me, enclosed to Lady Anne Hamilton* from thence.
" Your's, C. P."
Address
"John Mitford, Esq.
" Crawfurd Street,
" Montague Square,
" London.
" Monday, 4 o'clock."
"[To be delivered this evening.]"
Copy of " the abortion," alluded to by Lady Perceval, in No. 18.
(From The Star of Feb. 22.)
" To the Editor of The Starf.
*' England asks, and England expects to be answered, whe-
ther during the recent, and we fear continued indisposition of
the Princess Charlotte of Wales severe enough to require the
attendance of physicians, not only was and is her Royal Mother
left unsolicited to visit her beloved and loving child, deprived
by the illness of the rarely-granted comfort of intercourse with
her August Parent, but refused even the privilege of access to
her? I am, &c. &c.
" JUSTITIA."
* The date of Lady Anne Hamilton's trimming letter to Lord Liverpool,
was Feb. 15th. Her Ladyship was, therefore, in waiting on the date of this
letter, which, by the post-mark upon it, appears to have been sent the 23d
of the same month. This circumstance renders Lady Anne Hamilton's de
claration on the trial, " that she knew nothing of Lady Perceval's newspaper
connections," very singular.
-J- On this letter 1 shall merely observe, that I would not wish to hurt the
feelings of any Lady Authoress much Itss one of Viscountess Perceval's
ligli rank ; but if the letter of Juttitia ever did contain any thing resem-
bling common sense, the Editor of The Star must have been clever indeed,
to have reduced it to its present form. Edit.
No. XX.
" Sunday i
11 I write this in case you should disappoint me again and
again though I hope not; for it is of the utmost importance, I
repeat, to both our agency and our chivalric c:iuse*, that yon
should not leave me so ignorant, &c. &c. Besides, you were to
have brought me the letters for Mr. Downes, inclosing the pa-
per I wanted to send to him on my money businesses. Next
place, I want the paragraph about Billy Austin, for I suppose
Mr. M does not wish to insert it, as he has not : On the
contrary, I observe in the paper of last night, an allusion and
extract upon the same subject but very tame and inefficient. I
would, therefore, wish you to bring it buck to me, that I may do
what I like with it, and make some use of it. I would also be
glad of the other scrap, about ' God save the K .' I beg
you will get possession back of the copy of the letter printed,
\xhich was written in large hand. I do not send the other
which is ready, because, since Mr. M has not liked Billy
A , he will not, perhaps, like this; and if I do not see, or
hear from you, I always fear accidents, people changing their
feelings, &c. I do expect that now is the moment of the tide
serving for our cause. John Bull's heart is her's, and his eyes
are opened; and we must hope that, if Englishmen could cham-
pionize Mrs. Clarke, the P , against the king's son,
very unjustly, and to their discredit, I ever thought, those
same Englishmen will at heart defend and protect their old
king's niece and their young queen elect's mother. Do, pray,
answer this note, unless I shall have seen you ; at all events
send me Downe's letter and Billy A .
** I do not suppose you will let me leave town without seeing
you. Can you come this evening between ten and twelve
o'clock you will find me returned from Fulham.
" If Mr-. M. will choose another letter for to- morrow's paper,
* The conspiracy which Lady Perceval and her agent were carry ins: on
apruinst the peace of the kingdom, is most clearly proved by this letter.
JJiie talks of our agency and oar cause. AVlwt cause, even if a good one,
could be oilier lliau ruined by such an agent EDIT.
( "3 )
come and say so ; but 1 do not send it without being certain it
will be accepted.
" I can put Billy A in the form of a letter for I much
wish that it should be in. The paragraph last night called, forth
not an atom of warm feeling. Such benevolence as that of the
person in question, should be known, and not be mU
" Your's.
Addressed
" John Mitford, Esq."
No. XXI.
" Where is the copy for the L , for I suppose you will
send it now. 1 have had no Stars as you promised me last
night. Pray bring some to-morrow to where I am going, and
end in word a gentleman has called on Lady P. *. Yon
may comedown this evening, if you can, to tell me all that passed
since. I am going at 5 o'clock. Be here before, if you can.
I must see you before Monday. When is the other letter to be
in? I can assure you we must work them wellf. IfM. docs
not like to put it in, I wish you would withdraw it, that I may
send it elsewhere. M. neglects, 1 think, the cause.
" The inclosed is written for a shew letter if you choose to
use it as such*. It is a fact that I have done what I therein sny,
and great circulation will it give it."
* Montague house wat, I have been informed, the place where he wa
going. Edit.
t This expression shews the bitter spirit which, throughout the whole
of this business, appears to have animated this fJacfiieval in petticoats.
Edit.
J For this letter, which may serve for a model of its kind, see No. XXII.
TS T o. XXII.
[This letter is alluded to in the preceding, and is a good spe-
cimen of the talent displayed by Lady Perceval in her manage-
ment of the Editors of newspapers*. Her Ladyship calls it
" A Shew Letter;" that is, a It tier written expressly for the
purpose of being shewn to a particular person, to attain a par-
ticular object. Mr. Mayne, one of the proprietors of The Star,
was the gentleman here aimed at. Mr. Tulloch, the other pro-
prietor, however, prevented the dose from taking effect.]
" My dear Sir,
" I have seldom received more satisfaction than from your
letter. It does one so much good in these times (when the
chicalric principle, alas ! is so grievously exploded) to meet with
those kindred souls who will sympathize in the cause of woman,
as Milton says, ' the last, and best, fairest work of the creation.'
T/tc illustrious one* in question, I do assure you should not be
the least nor the last in our dear love, for she possesses a heart
and mind purely emanating from the great Duke of Bruns-
wick. I can best express myself when I say, that when 1 am
near her I am all soul. I never knew any one who had so much
the magic of communicating incitement to ail that is great aud
goodf. May the people of England duly estimate her worth.
Heaven be praised, the PS.S. Charlotte of Wales knows her mo-
ther's worth, and her best quality, that which will bring pros-
perity to her future realm is her filial love. I admire and ap-
plaud Mr, M.'s sentiments and emotions , and I feel him to be
* I.aJy Perceval here directly identities herself with the Princess of
VTales, on what authority it behoves her publicly to explain Edit.
f It is evident the writer of this letter must have found flattery most
efficacious HI the course of her intrigues, for she never fails dealing it out
most plentifully; no matfer'whether directed towards a priricess or a vulgar
black-handed printer, both have a sickening dose administered to them.
Edit.
J Lady Perceval will perhaps condescend to explain what slie meant
by Mr. Wayne's " emotion*" Were they of a corporeal or mental nature ?
a congenial spirit with myself; assure him that, considering him
as such, every nerve of my zeal shall be exerted to befriend our
Carolinean star, which must never grow dim*. Be it under-
stood, however, that I am wo disaffected subject^. Loyalist, I
am, to my latest breath, and never, I trust, will a Perceval de-
sert his Sovereign. My dear and only son will, I trust, tread in
the steps of his ancestors, and lamented great uncle. If, by
sounding the public opinion in measured respectful language^,
in the P. R. ear, we can make him understand his best interests,
and the secret of his want of popularity, my object is obtained .
Let him set the example of respect to domestic propriety, and
John Bull will worship him. I wish him as popular as I know
his Princess to be, and deservedly so ; for I consider them both ||
as composing the third estate of the realm, and as such respect
the Prince, but love the Princess. Can you some day bring
young Mayne with you; you know how I am the friend of
youth that has honourable and aspiring mind. I will send to-
* Such were the promises this intriguante was accustomed to hold out
to those she hoped would aid her in her political schemes. Edit.
t It was very necessary for Lady Perceval to make this assertion. Had
she not made it, Mr. Mayne must have thought he was corresponding with
a female plotter, who, to attain her ends, would have set the nation in a
flame Edit.
J The wide difference in opinion which exists between the Lord Chief
Justice of England and Lady Perceval, as to what constitutes " measured
respectful language," is well worthy of remark. Edit.
How infinitely indebted his Royal Highness must ever feel to Lady
Perceval, for her tender solicitude for his popularity. Edit.
\\ This female politician's principles are truly constitutional. She
considers them both as composing the third estate of the realm. Perhaps
she will condescend to explain what /wrfr'on of the government the wife of
the sovereign is entitled to by the laws of England. Undoubtedly, were
tliat wife assisted by the talents of Lady Perceval, it would be hard indeed
if she did not appropriate to herself ranch more than of right, or of courtesy
"fcelmiffrd to her Edit.
morrow to the office, but if I receive the papers not in time,
they will be forwarded to me.
" Take care of yourself, and believe me,
'* Your zealous friend, and sincere cousin,
Dec. 30, 18U." " K. PERCEVAL."
The letter enclosing this, is addressed,
" John Mitford, Esq.
" 69, Crawford-street, Montague-square."
No. XXIII.
" Instead of sending my servant to the Star Office, where
inquiries and observations would be made, or at least might,
pray do you send in your name*, or request Mr. M. to enclose
them to me, addressed, by the first Greenwich coach, as follows:
" Viscountess Perceval,
" To be left at Mr. Land's,
*' Crescent, Greenwich.
" To be delivered directly.
" From thence the parcel will be sent to meat Bridgewater-
houset, of course they will put the date on the outside, and
book it.
" I have the greatest delight in Mr. M.'s declaration and
profession of faith; I hope he will never change his religion. I
long to hear how my letter to you worked^. Let me have a
* Here the cloven foot appears : " pray do yon send in your name,
for if I send in mine, some observations might be made." " J'eritas nilul
teretur nisi abscondi." This was not the case with Lady Perceval ; she
courted concealment. EDIT.
f Bridgewater House, to which reference is here msi-'le, is a seminary
for young ladies, at the village of Lee. It is kept by a Mr. and the two
Misses Grimini's, and patronized by Viscountess Perceval. Before her
Ladyship took the house she now live* in, which she has christened" Perce-
val Lodge," Bridgewater House was head-quarttTS.-E<iit.
\ This referred to the shew letter. cfrY.
ticket porter to Curzon street (which will accompany my other
letters to Lee) to detail all that passed betwixt you.
" I beg you and Mrs. Mitford will drink to my son's
health and glory in the political career, on Sunday next, the 3d,
his birth-day.
" Tell Mr. M. that I trust, some six or seven years hence,
The Star will have to brighten its columns with the next Lord
Perceval's eloquence and virtues*. In Scotland he will learn
to drink deep of science, &c.
" Believe me, your sincere friend,
" B. P."
" I have been lucky enough to find a perfect copy of Fo-
lard's Polybius, icitli the plans. I made it mine. So uow we
may proceed. It has never been translated into English.
" Wednesday night.
** If you can come to me by eleven o'clock to-morrow, I can
spare you some minutes; and pray take a coach. I must pay
for hf, since it is by my desire. You must not be accompanied.
Addressed
"John Mitford, Esq.
*' Craufurd-street, Montague-square."
* Here is a direct allusion to her sow's future greatness. As to hi*
rirtne I can say nothing. He comes of a very virtuous stock, and there-
fore I suppose he will be virtuous. Of his eloquence, those who heard
him on the late trial may form a very good opinion. He will, however,
have occasion to drink copiously of the fountain of science before, the co-
lunis of Tlte Star are brightened by his speeches Edit.
J- Mr. Mitford has informed me that be is many pounds out of pocket
for coach- hire, ticket porters, and postage of letters, it not being uncom-
mon for him to be favoured with three and four of the latter per diem. Ac-
cording tu his account, Lady Perceval was by no means liberal in her pecu-
niary disbursements to him, although it is evident she worked him lik
a pack-horse. Deficiencies in her Ladyship's larder aud wine cellar h;.v:
eften been the subject of his complaints F.dit.
No. XXIV.
s " Sunday, March 7.
" It is very singular that since my son left you at the coffee-
house*, Friday evening, I have neither heard of you or seen you.
No papers; no insertion By which therefore (if it is that there
is no insertion) of either the Remarks, or the letter of Interro-
gator ', that your friend Mr. M. does not mean or wish to insert
either, lie had much better have candidly said this from the first.
I must desire, therefore, that without fail, you bring back both
the manuscript of the Remarks and that of the Letter; both
are absolutely necessary for publication for the cati.se. You
may say, from your friend, to Mr. M. that since he and Mr. T.
object to its insertion, and delay it day after day, your friend
directs you to return both immediately.
" I hope you have not forgotten about to-morrow's noon,
and will not suffer delays upon that point. You understand my
allusionf ?
'* You must not come to where I am nowj, but to the Green
* This was the Exchequer Coffee house, where Mr. Mitford, Mr. John
James Perceval, and Mr. Speechley had heen on Friday, March 5, after at-
tending; the House of Commons, to hear the debate on Mr. Cochrauc
Johnstone's motion, relative to the Princess of Wales. Edit.
f Mr. Mitford has explained this important business in the following
manner: The Princess of Wales was expected in town on Monday the 8th
of March, and some officious persons, being desirous that certain marks oi'
respect might be shewn to her Royal High ness, Mr. Mitford and an Iriih-
man, at that time connected with TJie Pilot evening paper, were employed
to procure a number of Irish chairmen and others, to take the horses from
the carriage near the Mews-gate, and from thence to drag her royal high-
ness to Warwick house, where she was going on a visit to the Princess
Charlotte of Walts. This was the important commission, to cffYct which
" no delays were to be suffered." Mr. M. and his colleague, however, as
the day approached, became alarmed, and most basely deserted their posts.
Her royal highness therefore was allowed silently to proceed. Edit.
^ Her Ladyship was, 1 have been informed, at Montague hous at this
time, and therefore Mitford was to stop at the Green Man nearly opposite
and send her a note to say he was there. The expense she put this poor
jMMitlc man to, and the degrading manner in which she treated him, are well
exeinnlified in this letter. Edit.
Man Inn, ami from thence send me a note to say you arc there.
I shall Lie in lo'.rn very early to-morrow morning; so at all
events let me hear from you there, for now I despair of doing
fco in this lieighbourhdod."
No. XXV.
" Dear Sir,
" I have enjoined a particular friend of mine, in a principal
army agent's office, to prefer The Star beforu a:iy oilier paper,
for forwarding to our military officers abroad*. In haste,
" I am your's sincerely. B. P."
" Dec. 31."
Address " John Mitt'ord, Esq."
No. XXVI.
" Dear Sir,
" I write to say that you must not fail to come to the country
after me, this evening or to-morrow morning^, for we must settle
certain points for next week.
" March C. Yr*. B. P."
No. XXVII.
" Come to me immediately, or you will find me at No. lu,
Abingdon-street^:, Westminster, this evening, at eight o'clock"
Address
" John Mitford, Esq.'-'
,
* The intriguing spirit of this woman could suffer nothing to escape her.
Our army abroad were to be influenced by her inflammatory publications.
Edit.
\ Such was tbe state of subjection in which Lady Perceval kept this un-
fortauate g-cntu-iuau, that he was fain to come at iier beck or call in town
OF country, at a ruinous expense to biicself and faintly. Promises we ve
alone his recom; ease. Edit.
J I hare bet'ure named this bouse, it was tltefoctu of tbe plot of is 1.3.
A clue is here givcu which a very little trouble might unravel to the end. .
Edit.
( 120 )
No. xxvnr.
[The following is an article which Mr. Mitford gave me for
publication some time between March 22d and April 2d. At the
time he gave it me, he hinted it had been deemed " too strong"
by another newspaper; and he wrote an article of similar im-
port, but in a more softened style, which he likewise put into
my hands for publication. However I inserted neither. In point
of fact, I had for some time after I received it, a suspicion that
it was not in Lady Perceval's hand-writing (it being written in
so scrawling a manner) although Mr. Mitford declared it was.
1 was however, soon satisfied on that head, and on the late trial
Lady Perceval acknowledged it. The lines in blank are
couched in such "measured respectful language,'" that I con-
fess I possess not enough of the courage of Lord Nelson to in-
sert them.]
" A Curious Fact,"
" Out of thy own mouth, and by thy own deeds I will
judge thee V
*' That in the name and on behalf of His Majesty, to use
the accustomed formula for promulgating present acts and
deeds of sovereign power, Sir John and Charlotte Douglas his
wife were summoned to town, andybr the convenience of con-
tiguity lodged, as they are btill in St. Albans Street. So that
no time might be lost, which might with a due and laudable
respect to English justice be consecrated to the re. Secret exa-
mination of the aforesaid Sir John, and Charlotte his wife,
upon the evidence formerly * * * *
*******
*******
*******
\
If referred to for proof of the authenticity of this historical
fact, Sir J. D. will confirm this statement, which he has al-
ready made to several members of parliament."
* This apt quotation has not been inaptly applied to her Ladyship..
Edit.
No. XXIX.
" Lady Perceval has the honour of presenting her compli-
ments to Lord Hood, and takes the liberty of requesting for a
connexion of Lord Perceval's (Mr. John Mitford) the indul-
gence of a few minutes interview. Many years having inter-
vened since Mr. Mitford had the honour of serving under the
command of Sir Samuel Hood, and at that time being pre-
sented to Lord Hood, he was apprehensive that without a se-
cond introduction his Lordship might not recollect him. Lady
Perceval begs leave to apologise for undertaking to make it."
" Curzon Street, Sept. 4, 1812.
" Right Hon. Lord Hood, &c. &c."
[My motive for inserting the above letter, which was a mere
introductory letter to Lord Hood, received from Lady Perce-
val, but never used by Mitford, is to shew that at the very time
it was written, Mitford was under nominal confinement as a lu-
natic, and with Lady Perceval's knowledge. The first infor-
mation 1 had of the lunacy business was from Lady Perceval,
who, on my interview with her Ladyship, on the 4th of April,
observed, that " Mr. Mitford was subject to occasional fits of
insanity, in one of which she supposed he had given me the
documents" said to be forged. Her Ladyship also said, that
he had not been many weeks released from a mad-house, but
did not, as far as I recollect, specify time or place. These
deficiencies were, however, amply supplied by Mr. Holt and
Mr. Warburton, who called on me on the Thursday following,
April 8. The latter then stated, in the presence of two wit-
nesses, that Mr. Mitford had been under confinement, at his
house, from May, 1812, to March, 1813 ; that he could not,
however, name the exact day he (Mr. M.) left him, without
referring to his papers; but that he was clear he was with him
from May, 1812, until sometime in March, 1813, and that he
was then releastd at the invitation of Lady Perceval, but with-
out his or Lord Redesdale's consent. Mr. Holt confirmed alt
this, adding however, that he merely spoke from information
received by him from Lady Perceval. All this must appear
to the public very strange. Here is a man, who by the testi-
mony of a keeper of a mud-house was in his custody as a lu-
natic, from May, 1812, to March, 1813, and yet Lady Perceval
writes a letter of introduction for this lunatic to a nobleman of
high rank in one of the intervening months. I should much
wish to know whether the confinement of this lunatic from
May, 1812, to March, 1813, proceeded from political or civil
reasons.] Edit,
No. XXX.
" Wednesday Night.
" My dear Mrs. Mitford,
" Your poor unfortunate husband has indeed plunged you
into the greatest distress; and me too implicated beyond all
conception. I believe him either ill again, or having been
bribed by - . We have him very safe here, and he shall
not come to harm. But, a legal counsel * muse talk with him.
He seems miserable; but do not be alarmed for his life. He
has implicated the Princess, Lady Anne Hamilton, and most
himself. Yet it may end not amiss, if he be in his senses.
Come down to me by the first coach, because if he be ill, you
must give authority to act f. He shall be safe with us from
jnischief.
" Your friend,
Address" Mrs. J. Mitford, B. P."
" Crawford Street.
" Why did you not write to me before ?"
* This expresiion is well worthy of remark. " The legal counsel" here
alluded to, was Mr. Holt. Now, if Mitford was insane, what had a legal
counsel to do with him ! If he was not insane, and had actually done what
Lady Perceval accused him of, why should she harbour and protect him ?
t This js the pith of the whole letter. Mitford could not be made mad ;
that is, he could not be committed to custody as a madman without autlio-
( 123 )
This letter was received by Mrs. Mitford on Thursday,
April 8th, the fourth day after my publishing the forged
letters, and the day after poor Mitford had been captured and
taken prisoner to Blackheath by Lady Perceval's Aid-de-camps.
The letter is written in a very guarded style, and was evidently
intended to alarm Mrs. Mitford for the life of her husband,
which it did most effectually. I however wish, particularly
to draw the attention of the public to the following circum-
stances attending this letter. On the trial, Lady Perceval
swore, that on the Sunday previous, I demanded to be con-
fronted with Mitford, which I did. She also swore that she
was anxious I should see him, and for that purpose wished to
detain him on that day. Why then, I publicly demand of
Lady Perceval, did she not, when writing, the above letter,
write also to me to inform me that she had Mitford safe on
the Wednesday. Is not the reason obvious? Does not this let-
ter prove that she dreaded above all things the meeting of Mit-
ford and myself. She knew I wished most anxiously to see
Mitford, and yet she purposely concealed him from me.]
Edit.
rity from his poor wife; and this authority, was to be wrung from her by
alternate promises and threats. So alarmed was she, that she was unable
{O write the few lines necessary to commit her husband. " The legal
counsel," therefore, kindly assisted her; he wrote the letter which she co-
pied. A man from Warburton's soon came, and away went the alleged
forger, transformed by magic art into a lunatic. Edit.
THE END.
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