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the presence of Her Royal Highness, in any room what ever, with the door locked, bolted, or fastened, other wise than in the common and usual manner, which leaves it in the power of any person on the outside of the door to open it.

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The Deposition of Thomas Edmeades, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Surgeon.

On Tuesday, May 20th, 1806, I waited upon Earl Moira, by his appointment, who, having introduced me to Mr. Connant, a Magistrate for Westminster, proceeded to mention a charge preferred against me, by one of the female servants of 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, I 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 the remark to any one; nor had I asked whether his Royal Highness 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 the infamous lie of the day. His Lordship

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adverted to the circumstance of Her Royal Highness's having taken a child into her house; 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 it impossible, in a manner, that I could have given it utterance. I observed, that I believed, in the first instance, Mr. Stikeman, the page, had mentioned this child to Her Royal Highness, and that it came from Deptford, where I went, when Her Royal Highness first took it, to see if any illness prevailed in the family. Mr. Connant observed, that he believed it was not an unusual thing for a medical man, when he imagined that a Lady was pregnant, to mention his suspicion to some confidential domestic in the family: -I admitted the bare possibility, if such had been my opinion; but remarked, that the if must have been removed, before I could have committed myself in so absurd a manner.

Lord Moira, in a very significant manner, with his hands 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 affidavit, 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 imputed to me, of a menial servant; and that I was not in the habits of conferring confidentially with servants. Mr. Connant cautioned me to be on my guard; as, that if it' appeared, on further investigation, I had made such inB b

quiry, it might be very unpleasant to me, should it come 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 Magistrate, 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. Connant asked me, whether, whilst I was bleeding Her Royal Highness 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 negative to both questions. I said, that Her Royal Highness had sent for me to bleed her, and that I did not then recollect 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 present, 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 received any reply :

"Mr. Edmeades presents his respectful compliments to "Lord Moira, and, on mature deliberation, after leaving "his Lordship, upon the conversation which passed at "Lord Moira's this morning, he feels it necessary to ad"vise with some friend, on the propriety of making the

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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' "consider him capable of such infamous conduct as that

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imputed to him on the deposition of a servant, by Lord Moira, this morning.

"London, May 20, 1806."

I have been enabled to state the substance of my interview with Lord Moira and Mr. Connant 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 aforesaid, my Partner; and that he is at present, as I verily believe, upon his road from Wales, through Gloucester, to Bath.

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Memorandums of the Heads of Conversation between Lord Moira, Mr. Lowten, and himself.

May 14, 1806.

May 13, 1806. I received a letter from Lord Moira, of which the following is an exact copy:

St. James's-place, May 13, 1800.

SIR,

A particular circumstance makes me desire to have the pleasure of seeing you, and, indeed, renders it indispensable that you should take the trouble of calling on me. As the trial in Westminster Hall occupies the latter hours of the day, I must beg you to be with me as early as nine o'clock, to-morrow morning; in the mean time, it will

be better that you should not apprize any one of my hav ing requested you to converse with me.

I have the honour, Sir, to be

Your obedient servant,

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In consequence of the above letter I waited on his Lordship, exactly at nine o'clock. In less than five minutes 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 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 some time; 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 inquiries when interviews might have taken place with the Prince. I answered, that I never had declared the Princess to be with child, nor ever made the inquiries stated; that the declaration was an infamous falsehood. This being expressed with some warmth, his Lordship observed that I might have made the inquiries very innocently,

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