with respect to the declarations of Cole, Bidgood and Fanny Lloyd. They do not come forth with attested, or witnessed, signatures, as in the case of the Statement of Sir John and Lady Douglas. The signature of that famous Statement is, as you will see, verified by the Duke of Sussex, who signs his name as having seen the paper signed; a very necessary precaution in so importance, seeing that the persons, who made them, were not afterwards examined upon oath by the Commissioners. Bidgood, Gole and Lloyd were old servants of the Prince, and, it appears that Cole has been at Carleton House, in performance of his service, ever since the time to which his information refers. Bidgood appears to have been still with the Princess when the Inquiry was going on; but, you will re-momentous a case, but not less necessary mark, that there is an affidavit, produced by the Princess, shewing, that, while the Inquiry was going on, Bidgood was, upon one occasion, at least, in conversation with Lady Douglas; and, that, too, at a time when he must have well known what that Lady had been doing with regard to his Royal Mistress, because he himself had been previously examined for the purpose of confirming her Statement. When you have read the defence of the Princess, you will want nothing to convince you, that the evidence of Bidgood and Cole is of no unequivocal description. Indeed, it is quite impossible for you to entertain the smallest doubt as to its character. With respect to Fanny Lloyd's declaration there are some remarks to be made of very great interest and importance. 66 You will bear in mind, that all the declarations, of which we are speaking, were taken, as their title imported, "for the Purpose of confirming the statement made "by Lady Douglas.' Cole voluntarily underwent four separate examinations; Bidgood one, and Fanny Lloyd one, all which you will have read in the foregoing Number. At what place Cole was exainined and signed his declarations is not stated in their dates; but, those of Bidgood and Fanny Lloyd are dated at the Temple, a place in London where Lawyers and Attorneys reside; and it is pretty fairly presumed by the Princess, in her defence, that they were drawn up and signed at Mr. Lowten's, who is an Attorney, living in the Temple, and who, as appears from one of Cole's declarations, was at Chelten ham with Sir John Douglas to take the declaration of the two Lamperts. These are very material circumstances for you to bear in mind, and it would be useful to have it clearly ascertained, who it was that actually employed Mr. Lowten. At any rate, we see him at Cheltenham employed in taking declarations with Sir John Douglas," for the purpose of confirm66 ing the Statement of Lady Douglas ;" and it is at the Temple where we find that the declarations of Bidgood and Fanny Lloyd were made. Observe another thing, too, with regard to the confirmatory declarations than with regard to the statement itself. It is a pity that this requisite is wanting to these documents; because, if they had been regularly witnessed, we should have seen: who were the persons engaged in taking them down, a circumstance of no trifling import, when we are endeavouring to unravel the thread of these memorable proceedings. Carrying all these circumstances along in your mind, you will now accompany me in some remarks touching the declaration of Fanny Lloyd. This part of the subject has very much interested the public here, and will not, I dare say, be uninteresting to you, a lover of truth and justice as you always were, and who always felt a deep interest in every thing connected with the peace, happiness and honour of the country of your forefathers. Fanny Lloyd says, in her declaration, taken at the Temple, and she afterwards swears nearly to the same amount before the Four Lords; but, it is with her declaration that we now have to do. She says, in her declaration, that a Mr. Mills, a Surgeon and Apothecary, at Greenwich (a place near Blackheath), being in attendance upon her for a cold, asked hier if the Prince visited at the Princess's house; and, Fanny Lloyd having answered, that he did not to her knowledge, said that, THE PRINCESS WAS CERTAINLY WITH CHILD. Now, mind, this declaration is taken down at the Temple, on the 12th of May, 1806; (keep the dates constantly in your eye;) it is signed at the Temple on that day, but in the presence of whom we are not informed. Luckily for the character of the Princess a new witness was here introduced. Mr. Mills was named; and he was to be examined, of course. He was examined, not at the Temple, indeed, but at the House of the Earl of Moira, and by that nobleman himself, but, in the presence of Mr. Lowten, who is a person of some consideration, being, besides an attorney, an officer in the Court of King's Bench. Fanny Lloyd's declaration, confirmatory of Lady Douglas's Statement, was of great importance, as it went directly to establish the fact of the alleged pregnancy; but, seems very reluctant to fix the blame of this unfortunately for Miss Lloyd's veracity, omission upon any one. She says, Mr. Mills declared to Lord Moira and Mr."know not whether it was Lord Moira, or Lowten, that her declaration, as far as re- 66' "Mr. Lowten, who should have commulated to him, was "an infamous false-"nicated this circumstance to his Royal "hood." Now mind, this was on the Highness" (who is stated to have laid 14th of May, 1806, two days only after the declarations before the King): "but, Miss Lloyd had made her declaration." she adds, in all fairness, it ought unUpon hearing this from Mr. Mills, Lord" questionably to have been communicated Moira said (as Mr. Mills states in his affi-" by some one." And so it certainly should; davit) that he supposed there must be some for Fanny Lloyd's was one of those impor mistake, and that Fanny Lloyd must have tant declarations, upon which confessedly meant Mr. Edmeades, who was the part- the inquiry was founded. ner of Mr. Mills, and who, having at the request of Lord Moira, waited on his Lordship, at his house, on the 20th of May, 1806, (mind the dates) declared (as you will see by his affidavit) to his Lordship, in the presence of a Mr. Gonant, a Police Magistrate, that the declaration of Fanny Lloyd, if he was the person meant by her, was wholly false; for, that he, at no time, had said that the Princess was pregnant, and that such a thought had never for a single moment, entered his mind. It is my business to fix your attention upon great points, it being impossible for me, in my limited space, to go over the whole of the case with you, and it being also quite unnecessary, seeing that the documents themselves are so full and satisfactory. One of these great points is, the credibi- › lity, which the Four Lords gave to the evidence of Cole and Fanny Lloyd, and the effect of that credibility. You will perceive, that the facts of pregnancy and delivery were so completely disproved, that their Lordships, Here, then, we see Fanny Lloyd's con- in their REPORT to the King, declare, in firmatory declaration, or, at least, the only the most explicit and the most forcible important part of it, blown, at once into terms, that the charge was wholly false; the dark regions of malicious invention. that it was utterly destitute of foundation. The whole of the affidavits of Messrs. But, they leave a sting in the tail of this Mills and Edmeades, the facts stated by Report. They say, that other particulars,› those gentlemen, the place, time, and man- respecting the conduct of her Royal Highner of their being examined, are worthy of ness, must "necessarily give occasion to your most careful attention; but, at preVERY UNFAVOURABLE INTERsent, let us pursue the destination of the PRETATIONS;" and these particulars, declaration of Fanny Lloyd; and, as you they say, rest especially upon the evidence are about to see, our pursuit will soon be of Bidgood and Cole, Fanny Lloyd and at an end. That declaration was taken, Mrs. Lisle; "who, say the Lords, you will observe, on the 12th of May," cannot, in our judgment, be suspected 1806, at the Temple; on the 14th it was "of an unfavourable bias, and whose VEflatly falsified by Mr. Mills; on the 20th it" RACITY, in this respect, we have seen was as flatly falsified by Mr. Edmeades; on" no ground to question." the 29th, as appears from the Report, Fanny Lloyd's declaration was laid before the King; but, it does NOT appear any where, THAT THAT DECLARATION WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE FALSIFICATION FIXED ON IT BY MR. MILLS AND MR. EDMEADES. As to Bidgood, you will see by the defence and by his own declarations and depositions, whether he was likely to be under any unfavourable bias. Mrs. Lisle's evidence amounts to little, and of that little I shall leave you to judge with only this remark: that, if every married woman in the As her Royal Highness, in her defence, world were to be liable to be admonished avows, that she dares not trust herself with upon grounds similar to those to be found in any inferences from this proceeding, I can- that evidence, there would not be one, even not be expected to draw any; but, I can- amongst you Quakers, that would escape an not, at any rate refrain from expressing my admonition. If it be faulty in a married deep regret, that this omission should have woman to prefer talking to a man rather taken place; because, if the falsification of than to her attendants; if it be a fault in a Fanny Lloyd's declaration had accompanied married woman to smile or laugh in conthe declaration itself, the King might, pro-versation with any other man than her husbably, have not issued the commission for that inquiry, which has led to all this serious mischief. The Princess, in her defence, band; if it be a fault in her to endeavour to appear witty or agreeable in the eyes of any man except those of her husband; if this be the case, point me out, if you can, single brother Broad-brim, who has not a right to complain. Mary Wilson was sworn to secrecy, and "threatened to be turned away if she divulged what she had seen." This, you Fanny Lloyd and Cole are two of the per- will observe, was a most important fact; sons, whose veracity, in this respect, it ap and these are the very words in which Cole pears, the Four Lords saw no ground to stated it in his declaration, which declaraquestion. With regard to Fanny Lloyd, tion was one of the papers on which the you will bear in mind, that she had posi- Inquiry was founded. Now, then, what tively sworn to the most important fact says Fanny Lloyd to this fact? Why, as about the pregnancy; and that Messrs. you will see, at the close of her deposition, Mills and Edmeades had sworn before these she swears, THAT SHE NEVER DID same Lords, that that fact was false. She TELL COLE ANY SUCH THING. swore on the 7th of June, 1506, that Mr. Which of these two witnesses spoke falsely, Mills told her the Princess was with child, it is impossible for me to say, but that one or looked, as if she was with child. The of the two did speak falsely there can be no two gentlemen (there appearing to be a mis- doubt; indeed, the fact is certain, for the take as to which of the two it was) both two witnesses flatly contradict each other. swear, on the 25th of the same month, And yet, they are both, yes, both, menthat they never did and never could say any tioned as persons, whose veracity the Four such thing to her; for that such a thought Lords see no grounds to question. You nevercame into their heads. And, yet, as you will please to observe, that the qualification I will perceive, the Four Lords, in their re- by the words, " in this respect," does not port to the King, say, that Fanny Lloyd is apply here, as in the former case; for, the a witness, whose veracity, in this respect, fact here mentioned does not relate to the they see no ground to question. To be sure, pregnancy, or the delivery, but merely to they are here reporting upon the improprie- the improprieties of conduct; so that the ties of conduct, and not upon the pregnan- flat contradiction given by Fanny Lloyd to cy, and they qualify their opinion of the the declaration of Cole appears not to have veracity of the witness, by the words, " in been, in the opinion of the Four Lords, sufthis respect;" but, as her evidence relative ficient ground to cause the veracity of either to the pregnancy as well as to the impro- of them to be questioned as to the matter to prieties was all contained in the same depo- which, it is clear, that their evidence résition, it was not very easy to regard her as lated. Against the opinion of four such a person of veracity in respect to the latter, persons as Lord Erskine, Lord Ellenborough, and not as a person of veracity in respect to Lord Grenville, and Lord Spencer, it is the former. Therefore, it appears to me, not for me to set up mine; and, indeed, that their Lordships must have given more my only object is to draw your particular credit to her oath than to the oath of Mr. attention to the point, to induce you to read Mills, or Mr. Edmeades, and, in that case, with care all the documents referred to, they would, of course, see no ground to and then to leave you, as a sensible and imquestion her veracity. Be their view upon partial man, far removed from the heated this point, however, what it might, you, atmosphere of our politics and parties, to having all the documents before you, will form your own judgment; always bearing form your own opinion as to Fanny Lloyd's in mind, however, that Cole and Fanny veracity, and you will always bear in mind, Lloyd were two out of the four person's, that she was one of the four persons, whose from whose evidence those particulars evidence, the Four Lords. say, must ne- arose, which, as the Four Lords say, cessarily give occasion to very unfavourable" must necessarily give rise to very uninterpretations." "favourable interpretations." Mr. Cole was another of the four wit- As the present double Number of my nesses, whose evidence is said, by the Register contains nearly the whole of the Four Lords, to give occasion to these inter-Defence of Her Royal Highness, and as I pretations. Now, observe, then, as to Cole, know you, who are a lover of truth and that he, in his declaration of the 11th of justice, will read the whole of it, I will not January, 1806, positively says, that Fanny Lloyd told him, that, one day, "when "Mary Wilson supposed the Princess to "be gone to the Library, she went into the "bed-room, where she found a man at "breakfast with the Princess; that there "was a great to do about it; and that trouble you with any further remarks upon the case itself, being well assured, that there will not, when you have gone through the whole, as you will be enabled to do by my next Number, in an attentive manner, remain in your mind, the smallest doubt, that Her Royal Highness was perfectly in nocent of every charge preferred against more especially as the Report and the Depositions must necessarily find their way to the knowledge of so many persons. It was impossible, that, when so many persons were examined, the purport of the accusations should remain a secret. Indeed it was very well known; and. it is also very well known, that it gave rise to very serious doubts and unfavourable impressions. Was it not, then, very hard upon the accused party, that the accusation should have been received and recorded, and reported upon by a tribunal, whose incompetence on her side was such as not to constitute perjury any thing that might be sworn falsely against her? Such, however, now appears to have been the fact; and upon that fact I shall not, for I am sure it is quite unnecessary, offer you any further observation of mine, being convinced that you will want no one to assist you in forming a correct opinion with respect to it. Sir John Douglas, however, has presented a petition to the House of Commons, on behalf of himself and of Charlotte, his wife, praying the House to put them in a situation to re-swear all that they have before sworn. That the prayer of this petition could not be granted, they knew very well. However, as the petition was upon the Table of the House, Mr. CоCH to, You will naturally be anxious to know, whether any measure, and what, has been adopted by the ministry, the parliament, or the people, in consequence of the disclosure, which has now, fortunately for the cause of truth, taken place. By the mi-RANE JOHNSTONE, one of the members, nistry no measure has, as yet, been adopted. upon the ground, that, while it so lay, In parliament there have been some move- without any opinion of the House proments, but, hitherto, without producing nounced upon it, it seemed to receive some any measure of a decided character. A degree of countenance from the House, motion has been brought forward by Mr. moved, on the 24th instant, the following Whitbread for the prosecution of Sir John resolution: "That the petition of Sir John and Lady Douglas for perjury; but was Douglas, in behalf of himself and of given up, upon its appearing, that they" Charlotte his wife, is regarded by this could not be so prosecuted, having given" House as an audacious effort, to give, their oaths before persons, acting in a capa-" in the eyes of the nation, the colour of cily which did not make it perjury for any "truth to falsehoods before sworn one to swear falsely before them. Of this, during the prosecution of a foul and deas you will perceive, the Princess complains" testable attempt against the peace and in her defence. And, surely, it was very "happiness, the honour and life of Her hard for her to have her conduct tried, to "Royal Highness the Princess of Wales." have evidence touching her honour and her This motion, upon the ground of there life, taken down before a tribunal, whose being no documents regularly before the competence did not extend far enough to House, whereon to ground such a resolu allow of false swearers being prosecuted for tion, was got rid of by a motion to ad perjury. This should have been thought journ; but, during the debate that took of before the warrant was issued; for, it place, it was avowed on all hands, that seems to me, that the hardness of the case the opinion which the resolution expressed is without parallel. If the oaths had was perfectly just. Not a single man was been taken before the Privy Council, or found in the House to attempt to justify, before magistrates, a prosecution for per- to excuse, or to palliate the conduct of the jury might have followed; and, it is to be petitioners; and, therefore, the effect of greatly lamented, that this most important the motion of Mr. COCHRANE JOHNSTONE circumstance was not attended to in time; upon the public mind has been just the 66 doubt, that, though acquitted upon all The public feeling, which was before strong on the side of the injured Princess, has now received the sanction of the conviction of her perfect innocence; and, which is well worthy of remark, this conviction has been produced, in general, by the reading of the Evidence only; for, there is not, up to this hour, one person out of fifty thousand in the kingdom, who has read the Defence, contained in the letter of the 2d of Oct., the greater part of which I now pub-influenced in the forming of this opinion lish in this Double Number. What, then, must be the feelings of the people, when time and circumstances shall have enabled them to read and well reflect on that Defence and the Affidavits in support of it? a rash by the total silence of the Princess herself; The fact which first led me to suppose, that I Another thing worthy of remark, is, that those news-papers, which, upon the appearance of Her Royal Highness's Letter to the Prince, and upon that of the farbetter letter which she addressed to the Speaker of the House of Commons; those news-papers, which called her a misguided woman, an unfortunate woman, woman, who taunted her with the evidence of Cole, Bidgood, and Fanny Lloyd, and who menaced her with a new Inquiry; those same news-papers, perceiving the universal cry excited by their baseness, accompanied with a disclosure of all the dark machinations of her vindictive ene-mies, have, all of a sudden, turned round, and, while they have become her panyge-author of the Book; when he, who was now rists, have fallen, in the most violent manner, upon Sir John and Lady Douglas; just as if the conduct of these persons were not now what it always had been known to be! You will be shocked to hear of such a perversion of that noble instrument, the Press; but, my friend, you must be here, and be acquainted with the means made use of to move that instrument; you When the Prince was addressed by the City must see the working of the secret wheels, of London upon his being constituted Regent, I before you can have a sufficient horror of the thought that the Princess ought to have been cause of so apparently unaccountable an effect. addressed too. I think so still; and, if she had, For my own part, I confess, that, with at that time, been placed in a situation to hold a court, THE BOOK would still, in all human out any motive whatever to bias my judg-probability, have slept in quiet. The want of ment, I, for a long while, for several years, thought the Princess guilty to some considerable extent. The very existence of a commission to inquire into her conduct was sufficient to produce that impression in my mind; and this, added to the tales and anecdotes which were circulated with an industry and in a way, of which you, who live in a happy ignorance of the crafty intrigues of this scene, cannot form the most distant idea, had left me in little wisdom in the advisers of the Prince and the 1 |