-W. Cole says, "that Sir Sidney Smith first friends, Sir John and Lady Douglas, in my
visited at Montague House in 1802; that he neighbourhood on Blackheath, gave the oppor-
observed that the Princess was too familiar with tunity of his increasing bis acquaintance with
Sir Sidney Smith. One day, he thinks in Fe- me. It happened also that about this time I
bruary, he (Cole) carried into the Blue Room fitted up, as your Majesty may have observed,
to the Princess some sandwiches which she had one of the rooms in my house after the fashion of
ordered, and was surprised to see that Sir Sidney a Turkish tent. Sir Sidney furnished me with
was there. He must have come in from the
a pattern for it, in a drawing of a tent of
Park. If he had been let in from Blackheath Murat Bey, which he had brought over with
he must have passed through the room in which him from Egypt. And he taught me how to
he (Cole) was waiting. When he had left the draw Egyptian Arabesques, which were neces-
sandwiches, he returned, after some time, into sary for the ornaments of the ceiling; this may
the room, and Sir Sidney Smith was sitting very have occasioned, while that room was fitting up,
close to the Princess on the sofa; he (Cole) several visits, and possibly some, though I do
looked at Her Royal Highness, she caught his not recollect them, as early in the morning as
eye, and saw that he noticed the manner in Mr. Bidgood mentions. I believe also that it
which they were sitting together, they appeared has happened more than once, that, walking
both a little confused."- -R. Bidgood says also, with my ladies in the Park, we have met Sir
in his deposition on the 6th of June, (for he was Sidney Smith, and that he has come in, with us,
examined twice)" that it was early in 1802 that through the gate from the Park. My ladies
he first observed Sir Sidney Smith come to Mon- may have gone up to take off their cloaks, or to
tague House. He used to stay very late at dress, and have left me alone with him: and, at
night; he had seen him early in the morning some one of these times, it may very possibly
there; about ten or eleven o'clock. He was at have happened that Mr. Cole and Mr. Bidgood
Sir John Douglas's, and was in the habit as well may have seen him, when he has not come
as Sir John and Lady Douglas of dining or through the waiting room, nor been let in by
having luncheon, or supping there every day. any of the footmen. But I solemnly declare to
He saw Sir Sidney Smith one day in 1802 in your Majesty that I have not the least idea or
the Blue Room, about 11 o'clock in the morn-belief that he ever had a key of the gate into
ing, which was full two hours before they ex-
pected ever to see company. He asked the
servants why they did not let him know that 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 de-
position taken on the 3d of July, he says he lived
at Montague House when Sir Sidney came.
Her (the Princess's) manner with him appeared
very familiar; she appeared very attentive to
him, but he 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 the evening, but not alone with the Princess.
I 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.”- -Fan-
ny Lloyd does not mention Sir Sidney Smith in
her deposition.Upon the whole of this evi-
dence then, which is the whole that respects Sir
Sidney Smith, in any of these depositions (ex-
cept some particular passages in Cole's evidence
which are so important as to require very parti-
cular and distinct statement) 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 com-
pany 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 contra-
"dicted;" 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 conversation, his
account of the various and extraordinary events,
and heroic achievements in which he had been
concerned, amused and interested me; and the
circumstance of his living so much with his

the Park, or that he ever entered in or passed
out, at that gate, except in company with my
self 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 guilt, from whence the Commissioners can
draw any unfavourable 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 visited me; trades.
men 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
unquestionably it is a truth, that I never had an
idea that there was any thing wrong, or objec
tionable, in thus seeing men, in the morning,
and I confidently believe your Majesty will see
nothing in it, from which any guilt can be in-
ferred. I feel certain that there is nothing im- -
moral in the thing itself; and I have always un-
derstood, 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 different notions
which my foreign education and foreign habits
may have given me. But whatever character
may belong to this practice, it is not a practice
which commenced after my leaving Carleton
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 receive lessons
from various masters, for my amusement and
improvement; I was attended by them frequent-
ly, from twelve o'clock till five in the afternoon;

Mr. Atwood for music, Mr. Geffadiere for

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 daty 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 dig there were something, in the known and avowed nity 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 suspicions 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 Comas their conduct is innocent, and that guilt will missioners, so unimpeachable. They supply imnot be imputed to them froin 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 imSidney Smith; the circumstances in which he ob- portance to those which I shall afterwards have served together he particularizes, and states occasion to notice.Your Majesty will please his opinion. He introduces, indeed, the whole to observe, that there are no less than four differof the evidence, by saying that I was too familiar ent examinations, or declarations, of Mr. Cole. with Sir Sidney Smith; but as I trust I am not They are dated on the 11th, 14th, and 30th of Jayet so far degraded as to have my character de-nuary, and on the 23rd of February. In these cided 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, or such meaning, I never could have ordered

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 Commissioners. 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;

he thought it improper that a single gentleman | Sire, I could hardly believe my eyes; when I should be sitting quite close to a married lady on found such a fact left in this dark state, without the sofa; and from that situation, and former ob- any further explanation, or without a trace in servations, he thought the thing improper. In the examination of any attempt to get it further this second account, therefore, your Majesty explained. How he got this impression on his perceives he was obliged to bring in his former mind that this was not a thief? Whom he be observation to help out the statement, in order lieved it to be? What part of the honse he saw to account for his having been so shocked with him enter? If the drawing-room, or any part what he saw, as to express his alarm by "start- which I usually occupy, who was there at the ing back." But unfortunately he accounts for it, time? Whether I was there? Whether alone, as it seems to me at least, by the very circum- or with my Ladies? or with other company? stance which would have induced him to have Whether he told any body of the circumstance been less surprised, aud consequently less startled at the time? or how long after? Whom he by what he saw; for had his former observations told? Whether any inquiries were made in been such as he insinuates, he would have been consequence? These, and a thousand other prepared the more to expect, and the less to be questions, with a view to have penetrated into surprised at, what he pretends to have seen. the mystery of this strange story, and to have But your Majesty will observe, that in his depo- tried the credit of this witness, would, I should sition before the Commissioners (recollecting, have thought, have occurred to any one; but perhaps, how awkwardly he had accounted for certainly must have occurred to persons so exhis starting in his former declaration), he drops perienced, and so able in the examination of his starting altogether. Instead of looking at facts, and the trying of the credit of witnesses, the gentleman only, he looked at us both, that as the two learned Lords unquestionably are, I caught his eye, and saw that he noticed the whom your Majesty took care to have introduced manner in which we were sitting, and instead of into this commission. They never could have his own starting, or any description of the man- permitted these unexplained, and unsifted, hints ner in which he exhibited his own feelings, we and insinuations to have had the weight and effect are represented as both appearing a little confused. of proof.-But, unfortunately for me, the duties, Our confusion is a circumstance, which, during probably, of their respective situations prevented his four declarations, which he made before the their attendance on the examination of this, and appointment of the Commissioners, it never once on the first examination of another most importoccurred to him to recollect. And now he does ant witness, Mr. Robert Bidgood-and surely recollect it, we appeared, he says, "a little your Majesty will permit me here, without of confused."A little confused!-The Princess of fence, to complain, that it is not a little hard, Wales detected in a situation such as to shock that, when your Majesty had shewn your anxiety and alarm her servant, and so detected as to be to have legal accuracy, and legal experience sensible of her detection, and so conscious of assist on this examination, the two most import the impropriety of the situation as to exhibit ant witnesses, in whose examinations there is symptoms of confusion; would not her confusion more matter for unfavourable interpretation, have been extreme? would it have been so little than in all the rest put together, should have as to have slipped the memory of the witness been examined without the benefit of this accuwho observed it, during his first four declara- racy, and this experience. And I am the better, tions, and at last to be recalled to his recollec-justified in making this observation, if what has tion in such a manner as to be represented in been suggested to me is correct; that, if it shall the faint and feeble way in which he here de- not be allowed that the power of administering scribes it? -What weight your Majesty will an oath under this warrant or commission is ascribe to these differences in the accounts given questionable, yet it can hardly be doubted, that by this witness I cannot pretend to say. But I it is most questionable whether, according to am ready to confess that, probably, if there was the terms or meaning of the warrant or commisnothing stronger of the same kind to be obsion, as it constitutes no quorum, Lord Spencer served, in other parts of his testimony, the in-and Lord Grenville could administer an oath, or ference which would be drawn from them, would act in the absence of the other Lords; and if depend very much upon the opinion previously they could not, Mr. Cole's falsehood must be entertained of the witness. To me, who know out of the reach of punishment.Returning many parts of his testimony to be absolutely then from this digression, will your Majesty false, and all the colouring given to it to be permit me to ask, whether I am to understand wholly from his own wicked and malicious in- this fact respecting the man in a great coat, to vention, it appears plain, that these differences be one of those which must necessarily give ocin his representations, are the unsteady, awkward casion to the most unfavourable interpretations, shuffles and prevarications of falsehood. To which must be credited till decidedly contrathose, if there are any such, who from precon- dicted? and which, if true, deserve the most ceived prejudices in his favour, or from any serious consideration? The unfavourable interother circumstances, think that his veracity is pretations which this fact may occasion, doubtfree from all suspicion, satisfactory means of less are, that this man was either Sir Sidney reconciling them may possibly occur. But be- Smith, or some other paramour, who was admitfore I have left Mr. Cole's examinations, your ted by me into my house in disguise at midnight, Majesty will find that they will have much more for the accomplishment of my wicked and adul to account for, and much more to reconcile. terous purposes. And is it possible that your -Mr. Cole's examination before the Commis- Majesty, is it possible that any candid mind can sioners goes on thus:-"A short time before believe this fact, with the unfavourable interthis, one night about twelve o'clock, I saw a pretations which it occasions, on the relation of "man go into the house from the Park, wrapt a servant, who for all that appears, mentions up in a great coat. I did not give any alarm, it for the first time, four years after the event "for the impression on my mind was, that it took place; and who gives, himself, this pic "was not a thief." When I read this passage, ture of his honesty and fidelity to a master,

Dilcomts,

I

HA

of frequent visiting on terms of great intimacy, as I have said before, they cannot be contradicted at all. How inferences and unfavourable interpretations are to be decidedly contradicted, 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 Sydney Smith.

denial, probably, will be thought of no great 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 conscience 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 danger 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 improper intercourse whatever ever subsisted between Sir Sydney Smith and myself, or any thing which I should have objected that all the would should have seen. 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 contradicts it. Sir Sydney Smith's absence from the country prevents my calling upon him to attest the truth; but, I trust, when your Majesty

1

later than my company or the ladies-for, what Mr. Stikeman says, with respect to his being alone with me in an evening, can only mean, and is only reconcilable with all the rest of the evidence on this part of the case, by its being understood to mean alone, in respect of other company, but not alone in the absence of my ladies. The deposition, indeed, of my servant, S. Ro-Yet, we being the supposed guilty parties, our berts, is thus far material upon that point, that it exhibits Mr. Cole, not less than three years ago, endeavouring to collect evidence upon these points to my prejudice. For your Majesty will find that he says, I recollect Mr. Cole once "asked me, I think three years ago, whether "there were any favourites in the family. I re"member saying, that Captain Manby and Sir "Sydney Smith were frequently at Blackheath, "and dined there oftener than other persons." He then proceeds-" I never knew Sir Sydney "Smith stay later than the ladies: I cannot ex"actly say at what time he went; but I never "remember his staying alone with the Princess." -As to what is contained in the written declarations of Mr. and Mrs. Lampert, the old servants of Sir John and Lady Douglas (as from some circumstance or other respecting, I conceive, either their credit or supposed importance), the Commissioners have not thought proper to examine 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 Sydney Smith, your Majesty, I am confident, will not be surprised that I do not descend to any particular observations on her deposition.-shall find, as you will find, that my declarations One, and one only observation will I make, which, however, could not have escaped your Majesty, if I had omitted it.-That your Majesty will have an excellent portraiture of the true female delicacy and purity of my Lady Douglas's mind and character, when you will observe that she seems wholly insensible to 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 familiarity 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 adultresses has ceased to reflect that discredit upon the characters of other women who admit them to 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 Douglas's evidence of me is true, was a most low, vulgar, and profligate disgrace 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 assured no reliance can be placed on Lady Douglas's testimony; but after what is proved, with regard to her evidence respecting my preg. nancy and delivery in 1802, I am certain that any observations upon her testimony, or her veracity must be flung away. -Your Majesty has there fore 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 unfavourable interpretations, must, in the opinion of the Commissioners, be credited till decidedly contradicted.As to the facts

to a similar effect, with respect to the other gen tlemen referred to in this Report, is confirmed. by 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 or weight may, after all the above observations, be supposed yet to belong to Mr. Cole, to his inferences, his insinuations, or his facts. Not, indeed, that I have yet finished my observations on Mr. Cole's credit; but I must reserve the remainder till I consider his evidence 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 witnesses, Fanny Lloyd and Mr. Cole (both of whom are represented as so unbiassed and so credible) in flat, decisive, and irreconcilable 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 con tradict it. "That she remembers my sitting to Mr. Lawrence for my picture at Blackheath, and in London; that she has 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. Lawrence in a manner that 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