a confidence, exactly proportioned to the respec- ren, or to his wife, or to any other relative? tability of Mrs. Lisle's character, that, whatever | How would it be endured, in general, and I she meant, by any of these expressions, she trust, that my case ought not, in this respect, to could not, by possibility, have meant to describe form an exception, that one woman should in a conduct, which to her mind afforded evidence of similar manner be placed in judgment, upon the crime, vice, or indecency. If she had, her re- conduct of another? And that judgment be regard to her own character, her own delicacy, ported, where her character was of most importher own honourable and virtuous feelings, would ance to her, as amongst things which must be in less than the two years, which have since credited till decidedly contradicted? Let every elapsed, have found some excuse for separating one put these questions home to their own herself from that intimate connexion, which, by breasts, and before they impute blame to me, her situation in my household, subsists between for protesting against the fairness and justice of us. She would not have remained exposed to this procedure, ask how they would feel upon it, the repetition of so gross an offence, and insult, if it were their own case?——But perhaps they to a modest, virtuous, and delicate woman, as cannot bring their imaginations to conceive that that of being made, night by night, witness to it could ever become their own case. A few scenes, openly acted in her presence, offensive months ago I could not have believed that it to virtue and decorum.If your Majesty thinks would have been mine. But the just ground I have dwelt too long and tediously on this part of my complaint may perhaps be more easily of the case, I entreat your Majesty to think what appreciated and felt, by supposing a more famiI must feel upon it. I feel it a great hardship, liar, but an analogous case. The High Treason, as I have frequently stated, that under the cover with which I was charged, was supposed to be of a grave charge of High Treason, the proprie- committed in the foul crime of adultery. What ties, and decencies, of my private conduct and would be the impression of your Majesty, what behaviour, have been made the subject, as I be- would be the impression upon the mind of any lieve so unprecedently, of a formal investigation one, acquainted with the excellent laws of your upon oath. And that, in consequence of it, I Majesty's kingdom, and the admirable adminismay, at this moment, be exposed to the danger tration of them, if npon a Commission of this of forfeiting your Majesty's good opinion, and kind, secretly to inquire into the conduct of any being degraded disgraced in reputation man, upon a charge of High Treason, against through the country, because what Mrs. the state, the Commissioners should not only Lisle has said of my conduct, that it was proceed to inquire, whether in the judgment of "only that of a woman who liked flirting," has the witness, the conduct of the accused was such become recorded in the Report on this formal as became a loyal subject; but, when the result inquiry, made into matters of grave crimes, and of their Inquiry obliged them to report directly of essential importance to the state. Let against the charge of Treason, they, nevertheme conjure your Majesty, over and over again, less, should record an imputation, or libel, againstbefore you suffer this circumstance to prejudice his character for loyalty, and reporting, as a part me in your opiniou, not only to weigh all the of the evidence, the opinion of the witness, that circumstances I have stated, but to look round the conduct of the accused was such as did not bethe first ranks of female virtue in this country, come a loyal subject, should further report, that and see how many women there are of most un- the evidence of that witness, without specifying impeached reputation, of most unsullied and un- any part of it, must be credited till decidedly suspected honour, character and virtue, whose contradicted, and deserved the most serious conconduct, though living happily with their hus- sideration? How could he appeal from that bands, if submitted to the judgment of persons of report? How could he decidedly contradict a severer cast of mind, especially if saddened, at the opinion of the witness! Sire, there is no the moment, by calamity, might be styled to difference between this supposed case and mine, be 26 flirting." I would not, however, be un- but this. That in the case of the man, a characderstood as intending to represent Mrs. Lisle's ter for loyalty, however injured, could not be judgment, as being likely to be marked with any destroyed by such an insinuation. His future improper austerity, and therefore I am certain life might give him abundant opportunities of falshe must either have had no idea that the expressifying the justice of it. But a female character, sions she has used, in the manner which she used them, were capable of being understood, in so serious a light as to be referred to, amongst circumstances deserving the most serious consideration, and which must occasion most unfavourable interpretations; or she must by the imposing novelty of her situation, in private exami-is the only part of the case, which I conceive to nation before four such grave characters, have been surprised into the use of expressions, which, with a better opportunity of weighing them, she would either not have used at all, or have accompanied with still more of qualification than that, which she has, however, in some degree, as it is, annexed to them. 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 Majes ty, that I have felt it, and felt it strongly. It 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, that any thing she has said should be pressed against me, I trust I have sufficiently shewn. In canvassing, however, Mrs. Lisle's evidence, I hope I have never forgot what was due to Mrs. Lisle. I have been as But my great complaint is the having, not, anxious not to do her injustice, as to do justice particularly, Mrs. Lisle's opinion, but any per- to myself. I retain the same respect and regard son's opinion, set up, as it were, in judgment for Mrs. Lisle now, as I ever had. If the unfaagainst the propriety of my private conduct. vourable impressions, which the Commissioners How would it be endured, that the judgment of seem to suppose, fairly arise out of the expres one man should be asked, and recorded in a sious she has used, I am confident they will be solemn Report, against the conduct of another, understood, in a sense, which was never intended either with respect to his behaviour to his child-by her. And I should scorn to purchase any 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 witness ought to have been more severely sifted and tried? The fact rested solely upon his single assertion. 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, to conceive 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, withont 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. advantage to myself, at the expense 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 came to Montague House either the end of 1803, 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 on 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. Cap-whose prejudices against me, might be prepared tain 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 Is he asked, as I suggested before should have from his depositions, there can undoubtedly be been done with regard to Mr. Cole-To whom no complaint of any thing being left to inference, he told this fact before? When he told it? Here is a fact, which must unquestionably oc- What was ever done in consequence of this incasion almost as unfavourable interpretations, as formation? If he never told it, till for the purany fact of the greatest impropriety and indeco- pose of supporting Lady Douglas's statement, rum, short of the proof of actual crime. And how could he in his situation as an old servant of this fact is positively and affirmatively sworn to. the Prince, with whom, as he swears, he had And if this witness is truly represented, as one lived twenty-three years, creditably to himself, who must be credited till he is decidedly contra- account for having concealed it so long? And dicted; and the decided contradiction of the par- how came Lady Douglas and Sir John to find out ties accused, should be considered us unavailing, that he knew it, if he never had communicated it constitutes a charge which cannot possibly be it before? If he had communicated it, it would answered. For the scene is so laid, that there is then have been useful to have heard how far his no eye to witness it, but his own: and therefore present story was consistent with his former; and there can be no one who can possibly contradict | if it should have happened that this and other him, however false his story may be, but the per- matters, which he may have stated, were, at sons whom he accused. As for me, Sire, there is that time, made the subject of any inquiry; no mode, the most solemn that can be devised, in then how far that inquiry had tended to confirm which I shall not be anxious and happy to con- or shake his credit. His first examination was, tradict it. And I do here most solemnly, in the it is true, taken by Lord Grenville, and Lord face of Heaven, most directly and positively Spencer alone, without the aid of the experience affirm, that it is as foul, malicious, and wicked of the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice; a falsehood, as ever was invented by the malice this undoubtedly may account for the omission: of man. Captain Manby, to whom I have been but the noble Lords will forgive me if I say it under the necessity of applying, for that purpose, does not excuse it, especially as Mr. Bidgood in the deposition which I annex, most expressly was examined again on the 3d of July, by all the and positively denies it also. Beyond these our Commissioners, and this fact is again referred to two denials, there is nothing which can by pos- then as the foundation of the suspicion which he sibility be directly opposed to Mr. Bidgood's afterwards entertained of Captain Manby at evidence. All that remains to be done is to ex- Southend. Nay, that last deposition affords on amine Mr. Bidgood's credit, and to see how far my part, another ground of similar complaint of he deserves the character which the Commis- the strongest kind. It opens thus: "The Prinsioners give to him.-How unfoundedly they "cess nsed to go out in her phaeton with coachgave such a character to Mr. Cole, your Majes- "man and heiper towards Long Reach, eight or ty, I am satisfied, must be fully convinced.- "ten times, carrying luncheon and wine with I suppose there must be some mistake, I will "her, when Captain Manby's ship was at Long not call it by any harsher name, for I think it "Reach, always Mrs. Fitzgerald with her. She can be no more than a mistake, in Mr. Bidgood's "would go out at one, and return about five or saying, that the first time he knew Captain Man-"six; sometimes sooner or later."- -The date by 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. Bidgood must have seen him then.-But, however, the date is comparatively immaterial, the fact it is, that is important.And here, Sire, surely I have the same complaint which I have so often urged. I would ask your Majesty, whether I, not as a Princess of Wales, when Captain Manby's ship was lying at Long Reach, is not given; and therefore whether this was before, or after, the scene of the supposed 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 Captain Manby's ship lying there at the time, examined to by the Commissioners? The first 475] spondence to be kept up with my charity boys, point, the matter foremost in their minds, when But Mr. Sicard was, I suppose, represented by my enemies to be a confidant, from whom no truth could be extracted, and therefore that it was idle waste of time to examine him to such points; and so unquestionably be, and every other honest servant in my family, who could be supposed to know any thing upon the subject, were sure to be represented by those, whose conspiracy and falsehood, their honesty and truth were the best means of detecting. The conspirators, however, had the first word, and unfortunately their veracity was not questioned, nor their unfavourable bias sus Mr. Bidgood then proceeds to state the situa tion 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 Manby and the rest of the company, "retire with Captain Manby from No.7, through "No. 8, to No. 9, which was the house where "the Princess slept. I suspect that Captain Manby slept very frequently in the house. "Hints were given by the servants, and I believe "that others suspected it as well as myself."What those hints were, by what servants given, are things which do not seem to have been thought necessary matters of inquiry, At least there is no trace in Mr. Bidgood's, or any other witness's examination, of any such inquiry having been made. In his second deposition, which applies to the same fact, after saying that we went away were exposed to sight, as if to declare that he the day after the Africaine sailed from Southend, was there. It is tedious and disgusting, Sire, I he says, "Captain Manby was there three times am well aware, to trouble your Majesty with a week at the least, while his ship lay for six such particulars; but it doubtless is true, that I "weeks off Southend at the Nore; he came as bid him not to take the candles away from No. 9. "tide served in a morning, and to dine, and The candles which are used in my drawing-room, "drink tea. I have seen him next morning by are considered as his perquisites. Those on the "ten o'clock. I suspected he slept at No. 9, the contrary which are used in my private apartment "Princess's. She always put out the candles are the perquisites of my maid. I thought that "herself in the drawing-room at No. 9, and bid upon the whole it was a fairer arrangement, when "me not wait to put them up. She gave me the I was at Southend, to give my maid the perqui"orders as soon as she went to Southend. I used sites of the candles used at No. 9; and I made "to see water jugs, basons, and towels, set ont the arrangement accordingly, and ordered Mr. opposite the Princess'e door in the passage. Bidgood to leave them. This, Sire, is the true "Never saw them so left in the passage at any account of the fact respecting the candles; an "other time, and I suspected he was there at that arrangement which very possibly Mr. Bidgood "time; there was a general suspicion through did not like. But the putting out the candles "the house. Mrs. and Miss Fitzgerald there, myself, was not the only thing, from which the "and Miss Hammond (now Mrs. Hood) there. inference is drawn, that Captain Manby slept at "My suspicion arose from seeing them in the my house, at No. 9, and as is evidently insinuat"glass," &c. as mentioned before."Her beha-ed, if not stated, in my bed-room. There were "viour like that of a woman attached to a man; water jugs, and basons, and towels left in the "used to be by themselves at luncheon, at South- passage, which Mr. Bidgood never saw at other 66 end, when the ladies were not sent for; a num- times. At what other times does he mean? At "ber of times. There was a poney which Cap- other times than those at which he suspected, "tain Manby used to ride; it stood in the stable from seeing them there, that Captain Manby "ready for him, and which Sicard used to ride." slept in my house? If every time he saw the baThen he says, the servants used to talk and sons and towels, &c. in the passage, he suspectlaugh about Captain Manby, and that it was ed Captain Manby slept there, it certainly would matter of discourse amongst them; and this, follow that he never saw them at times when he with what has been alluded to before, respect- did not suspect that fact. But Sire, upon this ing Sicard's putting letters for him into the post, important fact, important to the extent of con which he had received from me, contains the victing me, if it were true, of High Treason, if whole of his deposition as far as respects Captain it were not for the indignation which such scan-Manby. Aud, Sire, as to the fact of retiring dalous licentious wickedness and malice excite, through No. 3, from No. 7, to No. 9, alone with it would hardly be possible to treat it with any Captain Manby, I have no recollection of ever gravity. Whether there were or were not basons having gone with Captain Manby, though but and towels sometimes left in a passage at Southfor a moment, from the one room in which the end, which were not there generally, and ought company was sitting, through the dining-room to to have been never there, I really cannot inform the other drawing-room. It is, however, now your Majesty. It certainly is possible, but the above two years ago, and to be confident that utmost it can prove, I should trust, might be such a circumstance might not have happened, is some slovenliness in my servant, who did not put more than I will undertake to be. But in the on- them in their proper places; but surely it must ly sense in which he uses the expression, as re- be left to Mr. Bidgood alone to trace any evitiring alone, coupled with the immediate context dence, from such a circumstance, of the crime that follows, it is most false and scandalous. I of adultery in me. But I cannot thus leave this know no means of absolutely proving a negative. fact, for I trust I shall here again have the same If the fact was true, there must have been other advantage from the excess and extravagance of witnesses who could have proved it as well as this man's malice, as I have already had on the Mr. Bidgood. Mrs. Fitzgerald is the only per- other part of the charge, from the excess and exson of the party, who was examined, and her travagance of his confederate Lady Douglas. evidence proves the negative so far as the nega- What is the charge that he would insinuate? That tive can be proved; for she says, "he dined I "there, but never staid late. She was at South❝end all the time I was there, and cannot recol"lect to have seen Captain Manby there, or "known him to be there, later than nine, orhalf "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. As to the putting out of the candles, it seems he says, I have the orders as soon as I went to Southend, which was six weeks before the Africaine arrived; so this plan of excluding him from the opportunity of knowing what was going on at No. 9, was part of a longmeditated 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 evidence, there was so little contrivance to conceal, that the basons and towels, which the Captain is insinuated to have used, | meditated and effected a stolen, secret, clandestine intercourse with an adulterer? No.Captain Manby, it seems according to his insinuation, slept with me in my own house, under circumstances, of such notoriety that it was impossible that any of my female attendants at least should not have known it. Their duties were varied on the occasion; they had to supply basons and towels in places where they never were supplied, except when prepared for him; and they were not only 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 Mauby 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 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 supposed iniquity, must then have put his life in the hands of my servants and depended for his safety upon their fidelity to me, and their perfidy to the Prince their master. If the excess of vice and crime in all this is believed, could its indiscretion, its madness, find credulity to adopt it almost upon any evidence? But what must be the state of that man's mind, as to prejudice, who could come to the conclusion of believing it, from the fact of some waterjugs 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 occasion, his believing, on any particular night, that Captain Manby slept in my house; the situation of these towels and basons is what leads to that belief.But, Sire, may I ask, did the Commissioners believe this man's suspicions? If they did, what do they mean by saying that these facts of great indecency, &c. went to a much less extent than the principal charges? And that it was not for them to state their bearing and effect? The bearing of this fact unquestionably, if believed, is the same as that of the principal charge: namely, to prove me guilty of High Treason. They therefore could not believe it. But if they did not believe it, and as it seems to me, Sire, no men of common judgment conld, on such a statement, how could they bring 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 respect to Captain Manby, which must be credited till decidedly contradicted, omit to specify the facts which he spoke to that they thus thought worthy of belief, but leave the whole, including this incredible part of it, recommended to belief by their general and unqualified sanction and approbation. known it; as your Majesty finds one witness appealing to another, who is pointed out as a person who must have been able, with equal means of knowledge, to have confirmed her if she spoke true, and to have contradicted her if she poke false. And, Sire, when added to all this, your Majesty is graciously pleased to recollect that Mr. Bidgood was one of those who, though in my service, submitted themselves voluntarily to be examined previous to the appointment of the Commissioners, in confirmation of Lady Donglas'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, when I confidently trust that his malice and his falsehood, as well as his connexion in this conspiracy against my honour, my station in this kingdom, and my life, will appear to your Majesty too plainly for him to receive any credit, either in this or any other part of his testimony.The other circumstances to which he speaks, are comparatively too trifling for me to trouble your Majesty with any more observations upon his evidence. The remaining part of the case which respects Captain Manby, relates to my conduct at East Cliff.--How little Mrs. Lisle's examination affords for observations upon this part of the case, except as shewing how very seldom Captain Manby called upon me while I was there, I have already observed. Mr. Cole says nothing upon this part of the case; nor Mr. Bidgood. The only witness amongst the four whose testimonies are distinguished by the Commissioners as most material, and as those on which they particularly rely, who says any thing upon this part of the case, is Fanny Lloyd. Her deposition is as follows:"I was at Ramsgate with the PrinBut the falsehood of this charge does not "cess in 1803. One morning when we were rest on its incredibility alone. My servant Mrs." in the house at East Cliff, somebody, I don't Sander, who attended constantly on my person," recollect who, knocked at my door, and deand whose bed-room was close to mine, was ex- "sired me to prepare breakfast for the Princess. amined by the Commissioners; she must have" This was about six o'clock; I was asleep. known this fact if it had been true; she posi-" During the whole time I was in the Princess's tively swears," that she did not know or believe" service, I had never been called up before to that Captain Mauby staid till very late hours" make the Princess's breakfast. I slept in the with me; that she never suspected there was any "housekeeper's room, on the ground-floor. I improper familiarity between us. M. Wilson," opened the shutters of the window for light. who made my bed, swears, that she had been in“ I knew at that time that Captain Manby's ship the habit of making it ever since she lived with" was in the Downs. When I opened the shutme; that another maid, whose name was Ann" ters, I saw the Princess walking down the Bye, assisted with her in making it, and swears "Gravel-Walk towards the sea. No orders had from what she observed, that she never had any " been given me over-night to prepare breakfast reason to believe that two persons had slept in it." early. The gentleman the Princess was with Referring thus by name to her fellow-servant," was a tall man. I was surprised to see the who made the bed with her; but that servant," Princess walking with a gentleman at that why I know not, is not examined. As your time in the morning. I am sure it was the Majesty then finds the inference drawn by Bid-“ Princess.”—What this evidence of Fanny good to amount to a fact so openly and undisguisedly 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 Lloyd applies to, I do not feel certain that I recollect. The circumstances which she mentions might, I think, have occurred twice while I was there; and which time she alludes to, I cannot (To be continued.) Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent Garden. |