provoked, malignity, yet, I cannot flatter myself, that the world does not produce other parsons, who may be swayed by similar motives to similar wickedness. Whether the statement, to be prepared by by the Prince of Wales, is to be confined to the old charges, or is intended to bring forward new circumstances, I cannot tell; but if any fresh attempts of the same nature shall be made by my accusers, instructed as they will have been, by their miscarriage in this instance, I can hardly hope that they will not renew their charge, with an improved artifice, more skilfully directed, and with a malice inflamed rather than abated, by their previous disap pointment. I therefore can only appeal to your Ma jesty's justice, in which I confidently trust, tha whether these charges are to be renewed against m either on the old or on fresh evidence; or whethe new accusations, as well as new witnesses, are to b brought forward, your Majesty, after the experi ence of these proceedings, will not suffer you. Royal mind to be prejudiced by ex parte, secre examinations, nor my character to be whispered away by insinuations, or suggestions, which I have no opportunity of meeting. If any charge, which the law will recognize, should be brought agains me in an open and a legal manner, I should hav no right to complain, nor any apprehension to me it. But till I may have a full opportunity of meeting it, I trust your Majesty will not suffer to excite even a suspicion to my prejudice. I mus claim the benefit of the presumption of innocenc till I am proved to be guilty, for, without that pre

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 invention for the support of the charge, is the strongest demonstration that the truth, undisguised, and correctly represented, could furnish them with no handle against me. And when I consider the nature and malignity of that conspiracy, which, I feel confident I have completely detected and exposed, I cannot but think of that detection, with the liveliest gratitude, as the special blessing of Providence, who, by confounding the machinations of my enemies, has enabled me to find, in the very excess and extravagance of their malice, in the very weapons, which they fabricated and sharpened for my destruction, the sufficent guard to my innocence, 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 days will not elapse before I shall receive from your Majesty, that assurance that my just requests may be so completely granted, as may render it possible for me (which nothing else can) to avoid the painful disclosure to the world of all the circumstances of that injustice, and of those unmerited sufferings, which these Proceedings, in the manner in

which they have been conducted, have brought

upon me.

I remain, Sire,

With every sentiment of gratitude,
Your Majesty's most dutiful,

most submissive Daughter-in-law,
Subject and Servant,

(Signed)

Montague-House, February 16, 1807.

C. P.

As these observations apply not only to the official 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 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.

SIRE,

Ma

When I last troubled your Majesty upon my unfortunate business, I had raised my mind to hope, that I should have the happiness of hearing from your Majesty, and receiving your gracious commands, 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 Conduct), 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

circumstance of your Majesty's staying at Windsor through the whole of the week. I, therefore, détermined to wait a few days longer, before I took a step, which, when once taken, could not be recalled. Having, however, now assured myself, that your Majesty was in town yesterday—as I have received no command to wait upon your Majesty, 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 alluded 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 advice I have acted; and whatever. those consequences may be, I am fully and unalterably convinced, that they must be incalculably, less than those, which I should be exposed to from my silence: But as to any other consequences, unpleasant or hurtful to the feelings and interests of others, or of the public, my conscience will certainly acquit me of them;-I am confident that I have not acted impatiently, or precipitately. To avoid coming to this painful extremity, I have taken every step in my power, except that which would be abandoning my character to utter infamy, and my station and life to no uncertain danger, and, possibly, to no very distant destruction.

With every prayer, for the lengthened continuance of your Majesty's health and happiness; for every possible blessing, which a Gracious God can bestow upon the beloved Monarch of a loyal People, and for the continued prosperity of your dominions, under your Majesty's propitious reign, I remain, Your Majesty's

Most dutiful, loyal, and affectionate,
but most unhappy, and most injured
Daughter-in-law, Subject, and Servant,
Montague House, Mar. 5, 1807.
To the King.

SIRE,*

C. P.

IN discharge of the duty I owe to myself, and the great duty I owe to your Majesty and your Illustrious Family, I have herewith transmitted a statement which I 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 anxiety about my 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 tter accompanied the Princess's Answer to the Commissioners Seport, and should have been inserted after page 180.