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dence, by which they state that it was proved nion of my pregnancy, to convey a meaning most that the child was, beyond all doubt, born in contrary to that which I could by possibility Brownlow-street Hospital, on 11th July, 1802, have intended to convey, but which it was neof the body of Sophia Austin, and brought to cessary that he should impute to me, to give the my house in the month of November following. better colour to this false accusation.As to "Neither should we," they add, "be more Sir John Douglas, however, when he swears to "warranted in expressing any doubt respecting the appearances of my pregnancy, he possibly "the alleged pregnancy of the Princess, as might be only mistaken. Not that mistake will "stated in the original declarations; a fact so excuse or diminish the guilt of so scandalous a "fully contradicted, and by so many witnesses, falsehood upon oath. But for Lady Douglas "to whom, if true, it must, in various ways, there cannot be even such an excuse. Indepen "have been known, that we cannot think it en- dent of all those extravagant confessions which "titled to the smallest credit." Then, after she falsely represents me to have made, she stating that they have annexed the depositions states, upon her own observation and knowfrom which they have collected these opinions, ledge, that I was pregnant in the year 1802. they add "We humbly offer to your Majesty Now, in the habits of intercourse and intimacy, 66 our clear and unanimous judgment upon them, with which I certainly did live with her, at that "formed on full deliberation, and pronounced time, she could not be mistaken as to that fact. "without hesitation, on the result of the whole It is impossible, therefore, that in swearing 66 Inquiry.". These two most important facts, positively to that fact, which is so positively therefore, which are charged against me, being disproved, she can fail to appear to your Maso fully, and satisfactorily, disposed of, by the jesty to be wilfully and deliberately forsworn. unanimous and clear judgment of the Commis-As to the conversations which she asserts to sioners; being so fully and completely disproved have passed between us, I am well aware, by the evidence which the Commissioners col-that those, who prefer her word to mine, will lected, I might, perhaps, in your Majesty's not be satisfied to disbelieve her upon my bare judgment, appear well justified, in passing them denial; nor, perhaps, upon the improbability by without any observation of mine.-But and extravagance of the supposed conversations though the observations which I shall make shall themselves. But as to the facts of pregnancy be very few, yet I cannot forbear just dwelling and delivery, which are proved to be false, in upon this part of the case, for a few minutes; the words of the report," by so many witnesses, because, if I do not much deceive myself, upon "to whom, if true, they must in various ways every principle which can govern the human have been known," no person living can doubt mind, in the investigation of the truth of any that the crime of adultery and treason, as charge, the fate of this part of the accusation proved by those facts, has been attempted to be must have decisive weight upon the determina fixed upon me, by the deliberate and wilful tion of the remainder. I therefore must beg to falsehood of this my most forward accuser. remark, that Sir John Douglas swears to my when it is ouce established, as it is, that my having appeared, some time after our acquaint- pregnancy and delivery are all Sir John and ance had commenced, to be with child, and that Lady Douglas's invention, I should imagine that one day I leaned on the sofa, and put my hand my confessions of a pregnancy which never exupon my stomach, and said, "Sir John, I shall isted; my confession of a delivery which never "never be Queen of England" and he said, took place; my confession of having suckled a "not if you don't deserve,” and I seemed angry child which I never bore, will hardly be be at first. lieved upon the credit of her testimony. The This conversation, I apprehend, if it has the credit of Lady Douglas, therefore, being thus least relation to the subject on which Sir John destroyed, I trust your Majesty will think that I was examined, must be given for the purpose of ought to scorn to answer to any thing which her insinuating that I made an allusion to my preg- examination may contain, except so far as there nancy, as if there was a sort of understanding may appear to be any additional and concurrent between him and me upon the subject, and that evidence to support it.- -This brings me to the he made me angry, by an expression which im- remaining part of the Report, which I read, I plied that what I alluded to would forfeit my do assure your Majesty, with a degree of astoright to be Queen of England. If this is not the nishment and surprise, that I know not how to meaning which Sir John intends to be annexed express. How the Commissioners could, upon to this conversation, I am perfectly at a loss to such evidence, from such witnesses, upon such conceive what he can intend to convey. Whether an information, and in such an ex parte proceedat any time, when I may have felt myself unwelling, before I had had the possibility of being I may haveused the expression which he here im- heard, not only suffer themselves to form such putes to me, my memory will not enable me, an opinion, but to report it to your Majesty with the least degree of certainty to state. The with all the weight and authority of their great words themselves seem to me to be perfectly names, I am perfectly at a loss to conceive. Their innocent; and the action of laying my hand great official and judicial occupations, no doubt, upon my breast, if occasioned by any sense of prevented that full attention to the subject which internal pain at the moment, neither unnatural, it required. But I am not surely without just nor, as it appears to me in any way censurable. grounds of complaint, if they proceeded to proBut that I could have used these words, intend-nounce au opinion upon my character, without ing to convey to Sir John Douglas the meaning all that consideration and attention which the which I suppose him to insinuate, surpasses all importance of it to the peace of your Majesty's human credulity to believe. I could not, how-mind, to the honour of your Royal Family, and ever, forbear to notice this passage in Sir John's the reputation of the Princess of Wales, seem, examination, because it must serve to demon- indispensably to have demanded.In the part strate to your Majesty how words, in themselves of the Report already referred to, the particumost innocent, are endeavoured to be tortured, lars of the charge, exclusive of those two imby being brought into the context with his opi-portant facts, which have been so satisfactorily

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no further upon your Majesty at present, 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 render. ing it impossible distinctly and specifically to meet it. The Commissioners state indeed that some things are proved against me, which must be credited till they shall receive a decisive contradiction, but what those things are they do not state. They are particulars and circumstances which, especially considering my ex"alted rank, must give occasion to the most un"favourable interpretations. They are several strong circumstances of this description," "they are, if true, justly deserving of most se"rious consideration," and they "must be cre"dited till decidedly contradicted." But what are these circumstances? 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 are, except as conjecture may enable me to surmise, to what parts of the examinations of the four witnesses on whom they particularly rely, they 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 de. cidedly contradicted? How can I decidedly contradict another person's opinion? I may reason against its justice, but how can I con

disposed of, are, as I have already observed, 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 so, "when connected with the assertions already "mentioned;" and as "points of the same nature, though going to a much less extent." But they do not become the subject of particular attention in the Report, till after the Comanissioners 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 allegations of the pregnancy and delivery of the Princess, those declarations on the whole of which your Majesty had required their Inquiry and Report, contain 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. That from various depositions and proofs annexed to their Report, particularly from the examination of Robert Bidgood, W. Cole, F. Lloyd, and Mrs. Lisle, several strong circumstances of this description, have been positively 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 46 on the precise bearing and effect of the facts thus appearing, it is not for them to decide, these they submit to your Majesty's wisdom. But they conceive it to be their duty to report on this part of 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 the circumstances to which they now refer, particularly those stated to have passed between Her Royal Highness and Captain Manby, must be credited until they shall receive some decisive contradiction, and if true, are justly entitled to the most serious consideration." Your Majesty will not fail to observe, that the Commissioners have entered into the examina-tradict it? Or how can I decidedly contradict tion of this part of the case, and have reported any thing which is not precisely specified, nor upon it, not merely as evidence in confirmation distinctly known to me?Your Majesty will of the charges of pregnancy and delivery which also observe that the Report states that it is not they have completely negatived and disposed of, for the Commissioners to decide upon the but as containing substantive matters of charge bearing and effect of these facts; these are left in itself. That they consider it indeed as re- for your Majesty's decision. But they add, that lating to points “of the same nature, but going if true, they are justly entitled to the most "to a much less extent," not therefore as con- serious consideration. I cannot, Sire, but colstituting actual crime, but as amounting to lect from these passages, an intimation that improprieties and indecencies of behaviour, some further proceedings may be meditated, And aggravated by the exalted rank which I hold," perhaps, if I acted with perfect prudence. as" occasioning unfavourable interpretations," seeing how much reason I have to fear, from the and as "entitled to the most serious considera- fabrications of falsehood, I ought to have tion." And when they also state that it is not waited till I knew what course, civil or criminal, for them to decide on their precise bearing and your Majesty might be advised to pursue before effect, I think I am justified in concluding that I offered any observations or answer. To this they could not class them under any known alternative however I am driven. I must head of crime; as, in that case, upon their either remain silent, and reserve my defence, bearing and effect they would have been fully leaving the imputation to operate most injucompetent to have pronounced.- -I have, to ariously and fatally to my character; or I must, degree, already stated to your Majesty, the un- by entering into a defence against so extended precedented hardship to which I conceive myself a charge, expose myself with much greater to have been exposed, by this ex parte Inquiry hazard to any future attacks. But the fear of into the decorum of my private conduct. I have possible danger, to arise from the perverted already stated the prejudice done to my charac-interpretation of my answer, cannot induce me ter, by this recorded censure, from which I can to acquiesce under the certain mischief of the have no appeal; and I press these considerations unjust censure and judgment which stands against

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me, as it were, recorded in this Report. I shall therefore, at whatever hazard, proceed to submit to your Majesty, in whose justice I have the most satisfactory reliance, my answer and my observations upon this part of the case. And here, Sire, I cannot forbear again presuming 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, before they entered into the particulars of the Inquiry, rendered still more sus-upon her examination, as distinctly and separatepicious from being connected 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 disproved; 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 principal informers, for the purpose of supporting the false statement of Lady Douglas; that they are the witnesses therefore of persons, whom, after the complete falsification of their charge, I am justified in describing as conspirators who have been detected in supporting their conspiracy by their own perjury. And surely where a conspiracy, to fix a charge upon an individual, has been plainly detected, the witnesses of those who have been so detected in that conspiracy,--witnesses that are brought forward to support this false charge,cannot stand otherwise than considerably affected in their credit, by their connexion 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 Commissioners, 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.Now, Sire, I feel the fullest confidence that I shall prove to your Majesty's most perfect satisfaction, that all of these witnesses (of course I still exclude Mrs. Lisle) are under the influence, and exhibit the symptoms of the most unfavourable 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 surprise 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 Commis66 sioners, are not to be suspected of unfavour"able bias, and their veracity in that 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 seems to imply, that they have seen reason to question it

in other respects? Is it meant to be insiu rated that they saw reason to question their veracity, not in respect of an unfavorable bias, out of a bias in my favour? I cannot impute to them 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, F. Lloyd, and Mrs. Lisle. With respect to Mrs. Lisle, I trust your Majesty will permit me to make viy observations ly, 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 observations, as I shall be under the absolute necessity of making, upon the other witnesses, could be intended, 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 appointed by him to situations about me; Cole and Lloyd immediately upon my 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 appointment might possibly have felt; but if I knew nothing more of them than that they had consented to be vo luntarily 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, your Majesty would not, I am sure, be surprised, to find, that I saw, in that circumstance alone, sufficient to raise some suspicions of an unfavourable bias. But when I find Cole, particularly, submitting 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, I 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 great familiarity and intimacy with several gentlemen,-Sir Sidney Smith, Mr. Lawrence, Captain Manby, and I know not whether the same are not meant to be extended to Lord Hood, Mr. Chester, and Captain Moore. 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.

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English, Mr. Tourfronelli for painting, Mr. | sandwiches to have been brought in, or any other Tutoye for imitating marble, Mr. Elwes for the act to have been done, which must have brought harp. I saw them all alone; and indeed, if I myself under the notice of my servants, while I were to see them at all, I could do no otherwise continued in a situation which I thought improthan see them alone. Miss Garth, who was then per and wished to conceal. Any of the circumsub-governess to my daughter, lived, certainly, stances of this visit, to which this part of the deunder the same roof with me, but she could not position refers, my memory does not enable me be spared from her duty and attendance on my in the least degree to particularize and recal. daughter. I desired her sometimes to come Mr. Cole may have seen me sitting on the same down stairs, and read to me, during the time when sofa with Sir Sidney Smith; nay, I have no I drew or painted, but my Lord Cholmondely in- doubt he must have seen me, over and over formed me that this could not be. I then re- again, not only with Sir Sidney Smith, but with quested that I might have one of my bed-cham- other gentlemen, sitting upon the same sofa; ber women to live constantly at Carleton House, and I trust your Majesty will feel it the hardest that I might have her at call whenever I wanted thing imaginable, that I should be called upon to her; but I was answered that it was not cus- account what corner of a sofa I sat upon four tomary, that the attendants of the Royal Family years ago, and how close Sir Sidney Smith was should live with them in town; so that request sitting to me. I can only solemnly aver to your could not be complied with. But, independent Majesty, that my conscience supplies me with of this, I never conceived that it was offensive to the fullest means of confidently assuring you, the fashions and manners of the country to receive that I never permitted Sir Sidney Smith to sit gentlemen who might call upon me in a morning, on any sofa with me in any manner, which, in whether I had or had not any one with me; and my own judgment, was in the slightest degree ofit never occurred to me to think that there was fensive to the strictest propriety and decorum. either impropriety or indecorum in it, at that In the judgment of many persons, perhaps, a time, nor in continuing the practice at Montague Princess of Wales should at no time forget the House. But this has been confined to morning elevation of her rank, or descend in any degree visits, in no private apartments in my house, but to the familiarities and intimacies of private life. in my drawing-room, where my ladies have at all Under any circumstances, this would be a hard times free access, and as they usually take their condition to be annexed to her situation. Under luncheon with me, except when they are engaged the circumstances in which it has been my miswith visitors or pursuits of their own, it could fortune to have lost the necessary support to the but rarely occur that I could be left with any dignity and station of a Princess of Wales, to gentleman alone for any length of time, unless have assumed and maintained an unbending digthere were something, in the known and avowed uity would have been impossible, and if possible, business, which might occasion his waiting upon could hardly have been expected from me.me, that would fully account for the circum- After these observations, Sire, I must now restance.I trust your Majesty will excuse the quest your Majesty's attention to those written length at which I have dwelt upon this topic. I declarations which are mentioned in the Report, perceived, from the examinations, that it had and which I shall never be able sufficiently to been much inquired after, and I felt it necessary thank your Majesty for having condescended, in to represent it in its true light. And the candour compliance with my earnest request, to order to of your Majesty's mind will, I am confident, be transmitted to me. From observations upon suggest that those who are the least conscious of those declarations themselves, as well as upon intending guilt, are the least suspicious of having comparing them with the depositions made beit imputed to them; and therefore that they do fore the Commissioners, your Majesty will see not think it necessary to guard themselves at the strongest reason for discrediting the testimony every turn with witnesses to prove their inno- of W. Cole, as well as others of these witnesses, cence, fancying their character to be safe as long whose credit stands, in the opinion of the Com as their conduct is innocent, and that guilt will missioners, so unimpeachable. They supply imnot be imputed to them from actions quite indif- portant observations, even with respect to that ferent.- -The deposition, however, of Mr. part of Mr. Cole's evidence which I am now Cole, is not confined to my being alone with Sir considering, though in no degree equal in inSidney Smith; the circumstances in which he ob-portance to those which I shall afterwards have served us together he particularizes, and states his opinion. He introduces, indeed, the whole of the evidence, by saying that I was too familiar with Sir Sidney Smith; 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 sandwiches, 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 circumstance, 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 observation; for if I had had such consciousness, er such meaning, I never could have ordered

occasion to notice.- -Your Majesty will please to observe, that there are no less than four different examinations, or 'declarations, of Mr. Cole. They are dated on the 11th, 14th, and 30th of Jauuary, and on the 23rd of February. In these four different declarations, he twice mentions the circumstance of finding Sir Sidney Smith and myself on the sofa, and he mentions it not only in a different manner at each of those times, but at both of them in a manner which materially differs from his deposition before the Conymissioners. In his declaration on the 11th of January, he says, that he found us in so familiar a posture, as to alarm him very much, which he expressed by a start back and a look at the gentleman.- -In that dated on the 22d 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;