appear to me, on which I shall presently proceed | to remark; and which were made by your Majesty's Servants, at the time when they gave you their advice to receive me, I feel myself in a situation, in which I deeply regret that I cannot rest in silence, without an immediate reception into your Majesty's presence; nor, indeed, with that reception, unless it be attended by other circumstances, which may mark my satisfactory acquittal of the charges which have been brought against me. may feel myself fully restored in public estimation to my former character. And should they prove so satisfactory, I shall indeed be delighted to think, that no further step may, even now, appear to be necessary to my peace of mind, my security, and my honour.--But your Majesty will permit me to say, that if the next week, which will make more than a month from the time of your Majesty's informing me that you would receive me, should pass without my being received into your presence, and without having It shall at no time be said, with truth, that I the assurance that these other requests of mine shrunk back from these infamous charges; that I shall be complied with, I shall be under the paincrouched before my enemies, and courted them, ful necessity of considering them as refused; in by my submission, into moderation! No, I have which case I shall feel myself compelled, however boldly defied them. I have ever felt, and ever reluctantly, to give the whole of these prostill feel, that, if they should think either of pur- ceedings to the world; unless your Majesty can suing these accusations, or of bringing forward suggest other adequate means of securing my any other which the wickedness of individuals honour and my life from the effect of the contimay devise, to affect my honour, (since my con- nuance or renewal of these proceedings for the science tells me, that they must be as base and future as well as the present; for I entreat your groundless as those brought by Lady Douglas), Majesty to believe, that it is only in the absence while the witnesses to the innocence of my conduct of all other adequate means, that I can have reare all living, I should be able to disprove them sort to that measure. That I consider it with all; and, whoever may be my accusers, to tri- deep regret; that I regard it with serious appre umph over their wickedness and malice. But hension, by no means so much on account of the should these accusations be renewed, or any other effect it may have upon myself, as on account of be brought forward in any future time, death the pain which it may give to your Majesty, your may, I know not how soon, remove from my in- august family, and your loyal subjects.- -As far nocence its best security, and deprive me of the as myself am concerned, I am aware of the obmeans of my justification and my defence.- servations to which this publication will expose There are, therefore, other measures, which I me; but I am placed in a situation in which I trust your Majesty will think indispensable to be have the choice only of two most unpleasant altaken, for my honour and for my security.-ternatives; and I am perfectly confident that the Amongst these, I most humbly submit to your imputations and the loss of character which must, Majesty my most earnest entreaties that the pro- under these circumstances, follow from my siceedings, including not only my first answer, lence, are most injurious and unavoidable; that and my letter of the 8th of December, but this my silence, under such circumstances, must lead Jetter also, may be directed by your Majesty to inevitably to my utter infamy and ruin. The be so preserved and deposited, as that they may, publication, on the other hand, will expose to all of them, securely remain permanent authentic the world nothing which is spoken to by any wit documents and memorials of this accusation, and ness (whose infamy and discredit is not unanof the manner in which I met it; of my defence, swerably exposed and established) which can, in as well as of the charge; that they may remain the slightest degree, affect my character for hocapable at any time of being resorted to, if the nour, virtue, and delicacy.--There may be cirmalice which produced the charge originally shall cumstances disclosed, manifesting a degree of ever venture to renew it.. -Beyond this I am condescension and familiarity in my behaviour sure your Majesty will think it but proper and and conduct, which, in the opinions of many, just that I should be restored, in every respect, may be considered as not sufficiently guarded, to the same situation from whence the proceed- dignified, and reserved. Circumstances, howings under these false charges have removed me. ever, which my foreign education and foreign haThat, besides being graciously received again bits misled me to think, in the humble and reinto the bosom of your Majesty's Royal Family, tired situation in which it was my fate to live, restored to my former respect and station amongst and where I had no relation, no equal, no friend them, your Majesty will be graciously pleased to advise me, were wholly free from offence. either to exert your influence with His Royal But when they have been dragged forward, from Highness the Prince of Wales, that I may be re- the scenes of private life, in a grave proceeding stored to the use of my apartment in Carleton on a charge of High Treason and Adultery, they House, which was reserved for me, except while seem to derive a colour and character from the the apartments were undergoing repair, till the nature of the charge which they are brought fordate of these proceedings; or to assign to me ward to support; and I cannot but believe, that some apartment in one of your royal palaces. they have been used for no other purpose than to Some apartment in or near to London is indis- afford a cover, to screen from view the injustice pensably necessary for my convenient attendance of that charge; that they have been taken advanat the Drawing-room. And if I am not restored tage of, to let down my accusers more gently, to that at Carleton House, I trust your Majesty and to deprive me of that full acquittal on the will graciously perceive how reasonable it is that Report of the four Lords which my innocence of I should request that some apartment should be all offence most justly entitled me to receive, assigned to me, suited to my dignity and situation, which may mark my reception and acknowledgment as one of your Majesty's family, and from which my attendance at the Drawing-room may be easy and convenient.--If these measures are taken, I should hope that they would prove satisfactory to the public mind, and that I -Whatever opinion, however, may be formed upon any part of my conduct, it must in justice be formed with reference to the situation in which I was placed; if I am judged of as Princess of Wales, with reference to the high rank of that station, I must be judged as Princess of Wales, banished from the Prince, unprotected by the And that to this letter I sent the following answer: 66 support and the countenance which belong to that station; and if I am judged of in my private character, as a married woman, I must be judged of as a wife banished from her husband, and liv- "L'aveu de votre conversation avec Lord ing in a widowed seclusion from him, and retire- "Cholmondeley, ne m'étonne, ni ne m'offense. ment from the world. This last consideration "C'étoit me confirmer ce que vous m'avez taleads me to recur to an expression in Mrs. Lisle's "citement insinué depuis une année. Mais il y examination, which describes my conduct, in the aurout après cela, un manque de delicatesse ou, frequency and the manner of my receiving the pour mieux dire, une bassesse indigne de me visits of Captain Manby, though always in the plaindre des conditions, que vous vous imposez presence of my Ladies, as unbecoming a married à vous même.Je ne vous aurois point fait woman. Upon the extreme injustice of setting "de reponse, si votre lettre n'étoit conçue de up the opinion of one woman, as it were, in judg-"maniere à faire douter, si cet arrangement ment upon the conduct of another, as well as of" vient de vous, ou de moi; et vous sçavez que estimating the conduct of a person in my unfortunate situation, by reference to that which might in general be expected from a married woman, living happily with her husband, I have before generally remarked; but beyond these general remarks, in forming any estimate of my conduct, your Majesty will never forget the very peculiar circumstances and misfortunes of my situation. Your Majesty will remember that I had not been much above a year in this country, when I received the following letter from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. σ 66 vous m'annoncez l'honneur. La lettre que vous "m'annoncez comme la derniere, m'oblige de "communiquer au Roy, comme à mon Souve"rain, et à mon Pere, votre aveu et ma reponse. "Vous trouverez çi incluse la copie de celle que "j'ecris au Roy. Je vous en previens pour ne pas m'attirer de votre part la moindre reproche "de duplicité. Comme je n'ai dans ce moment, "d'autre protecteur que Sa Majesté, je m'en rapporte uniquement à lui. Et si ma conduite "merite son approbation, je serai, du moins en "partie, consoleé.-Du reste, je conserve toute "la reconnoissance possible de ce que je me "trouve par votre moyen, comme Princesse de "Galles, dans une situation a pouvoir me livrer sans contrainte, à une vertu chere à mon cœur, "je vieux dire la bienfaisance. Ce sera pour "moi un devoir d'agir de plus par un autre motif sçavoir celui de donner l'exemple de la pa"tience, et de la resignation dans toutes sortes "d'epreuves. Rendez moi la justice de me "croire, que je ne cesserai jamais de faire des « devouée."* vœux pour votre bonheur, et d'être votre bien (Signed) "CAROLINE. « Ce 6 de May, 1796." Windsor Castle, April 30, 1796. "Madam,-As Lord Cholmondeley informs "me that you wish I would define, in writing,* "the terms upon which we are to live, I shall en"deavour to explain myself upon that head,« "with as much clearness, and with as much pro"priety, as the nature of the subject will admit. "Our inclinations are not in onr power, nor "should either of us be held answerable to the other, because nature has not made us suitable "to each other. Tranquil and comfortable so"ciety is, however, in our power; let our intercourse, therefore, be restricted to that, and I "will distinctly subscribe to the conditiont "which you required, through Lady Cholmonde"ley, that even in the event of any accident "happening to my daughter, which I trust Pro"vidence in its mercy will avert, I shall not in"fringe the terms of the restriction by proposing "at any period a connexion of a more particular "nature. I shall now finally close this disagree"able correspondence, trusting that, as we have "completely explained ourselves to each other, "the rest of our lives will be passed in uninter-letter, if it had not been conceived in terms to 66 rupted tranquillity.- -I am, Madam, with "great truth, very sincerely yours, (Signed) "GEORGE P." * The substance of this letter had been previously conveyed in a message through Lord Cholmondeley to Her Royal Highness; but it was thought by Her Royal Highness to be infinitely too important to rest merely upon a verbal communication, and therefore she desired that His Royal Highness's pleasure upon it should be com. municated to her in writing. + Upon the receipt of the message alluded to in the foregoing note, Her Royal Highness, though she had nothing to do but to submit to the arrangement which His Royal Highness might determine upon, desired it might be understood, that she should insist that any such arrangement, if once made, should be considered as final; and that His Royal Highness should not retain the right, from time to time, at his pleasure, or under any circumstances, to alter it. TRANSLATION. Cholmondeley neither surprises nor offends me. The avowal of your conversation with Lord It merely confirmed what you have tacitly insinuated for this twelvemonth. But after this, it would be a want of delicacy, or rather an unworthy meanness in me, were I to complain of those conditions which you impose upon yourself.- -I should have returned no answer to your make it doubtful whether this arrangement pro- 1 The date of His Royal Highness's letter is the 30th of April, 1796. The date of our marriage, your Majesty will recollect, is the 8th day of April, in the year 1795, and that of the birth of our only child the 7th January, 1796. from whóm my inexperience could have best received the advantages of the one, and with whom I could, most becomingly, have enjoyed the comforts of the other; and if in this retired, unassisted, unprotected state, without the On the letter of His Royal Highness I offer check of a husband's authority, without the no comment. I only entreat your Majesty not benefit of his advice, without the comfort and to understand me to introduce it, as afford- support of the society of his family, a stranger to ing any supposed justification or excuse, for the the habits and fashions of this country, I should, least departure from the strictest line of virtue, in any instance, under the influence of foreign or the slightest deviation from the most refined habits, and foreign education, have observed a delicacy. The crime which has been insinuated conduct, in any degree deviating from the reagainst me, would be equally criminal and de- serve and severity of British manners, and partestable; the indelicacy imputed to me would taking of a condescension and familiarity, which be equally odious and abominable, whatever that reserve and severity would, perhaps, deem renunciation of conjugal authority and affection, beneath the dignity of my exalted rank, I feel the above letter of His Royal Highness might confident, (since such deviation will be seen to in any construction of it be supposed to have have been ever consistent with perfect innoconveyed. Such crimes and faults, derive not cence), that not only your Majesty's candour and their guilt from the consideration of the conju- indulgence, but the candour and indulgence, gal virtues of the individual, who may be the which, notwithstanding the reserve and severity most injured by them, however much such of British manners, always belong to the British virtues may aggravate their enormity. No such public, will never visit it with severity or cenletter, therefore, in any construction of it, no Sure.- It remains for me now to make some renunciation of conjugal affection or duties, remarks upon the further contents of the paper, could ever palliate them. But whether conduct which was transmitted to me by the Lord Chanfree from all crime, free from all indelicacy, cellor on the 28th ult. And I cannot in passing (which I maintain to be the character of the omit to remark, that that paper has neither title, conduct to which Mrs. Lisle's observations date, signature, nor attestation; and unless the apply,) yet possibly not so measured, as a cau- Lord Chancellor had accompanied it with a note tious wife, careful to avoid the slightest appear- stating that it was copied in his own hand from ance of not preferring her husband to all the the original, which his Lordship had received world, might be studious to observe. Whether from your Majesty, I should have been at a loss conduct of such description, and possibly, in to have perceived any single mark of authenticisuch sense, not becoming a married woman, ty belonging to it, and as it is, I am wholly uucould be justly deemed, in my situation, au of able to discover what is the true character which fence in me, I must leave to your Majesty to does belong to it. It contains, indeed, the addetermine. In making that determination, vice which your Majesty's servants have offered however, it will not escape your Majesty to con- to your Majesty, and the message, which, acsider, that the conduct which does or does not cording to that advice, your Majesty directed become a married woman materially depends to be delivered to me.—— -Considering it, thereupon what is, or is not known by her to be fore, wholly as their act, your Majesty will exagreeable to her husband. His pleasure and cuse and pardon me, if, deeply injured as I feel happiness ought unquestionably to be her law; myself to have been by them, I express myself and his approbation the most favourite object of with freedom upon their conduct. I may speak her pursuit. Different characters of men require perhaps with warmth, because I am provoked different modes of conduct in their wives; but by a sense of gross injustice, I shall speak cer when a wife can no longer be capable of per- tainly with firmness and with courage, because ceiving from time to time what is agreeable or I am emboldened by a sense of conscious innooffensive to her husband, when her conduct can cence. -Your Majesty's confidential servants no longer contribute to his happiness, no longer say, "they agree in the opinions of the Four hope to be rewarded by his approbation, surely "Lords," and they say this, "after the fullest to examine that conduct by the standard of what "consideration of my observations, and of the ought in general to be the conduct of a married "affidavits which were annexed to them." Some woman,is altogether unreasonable and unjust.- of these opinions, your Majesty will recollect, What then is my case? Your Majesty will do me are, that "William Cole, Fanny Lloyd, Robert the justice to remark, that, in the above letter "Bidgood, and Mrs. Lisle are witnesses who of the Prince of Wales, there is not the most "cannot," in the judgment of the Four Lords, distant surmise, that crime, that vice, that in- "be suspected of any unfavourable bias ;'" and delicacy of any description, gave occasion to "whose veracity in this respect they had seen his determination; and all the tales of infamy" no ground to question" and "that the cir and discredit, which the inventive malice of "cumstances to which they speak, particularly my enemies, has brought forward on these as relating to Captain Manby, must be creditcharges, have their date years and years after "ed until they are decisively contradicted." the period to which I am now alluding. What Am I then to understand your Majesty's confithen, let me repeat the question, is my case? dential servants to mean, that they agree with After the receipt of the above letter, and in about the four Noble Lords in these opinions? Am I two years from my arrival in this country, to understand, that, after having read with the I had the misfortune entirely to lose the sup- fullest consideration, the observations, which I port, the countenance, the protection of my have offered to your Majesty; after having husband I was banished, as it were, into a seen William Cole there proved to have sort of humble retirement, at a distance from submitted himself, five times at least, to him, and almost estranged from the whole of private, unauthorized, voluntary examination by the Royal Family. I had no means of having Sir Jolin Douglas's Solicitor, for the express pur recourse, either for society or advice, to those, pose of confirming the statement of Lady Doug 66 66 the injustice which had been, inadvertently and unintentionally, no doubt, done to me, by the four noble Lords in their Report, upon the evidence of these witnesses, to state to your Majesty, that they agree with these noble Lords in their opinion, though they cannot, it seems, go the length of agreeing any longer to withhold the advice, which restores me to your Majesty's presence? And with respect to the particulars to my prejudice, remarked upon in the Report as those which justly deserve the most serious "consideration, and which must be credited "till decisively contradicted," instead of fairly avowing, either that there was originally no pretence for such a remark, or that, if there had been originally, yet that my answer had given that decisive contradiction which was sufficient to discredit them; instead, I say, of acting this just, honest, and open part, to take no notice whatsoever of those contradictions, and content themselves with saying, that "none of the facts or allegations stated in preliminary examina❝tions, carried on in the absence of the parties "interested, could be considered as legally or "conclusively established?"They agree in the opinion that the facts or allegations, thoughstated in preliminary examination, carried on in the absence of the parties interested, must be credited till decisively contradicted, and deserve the most serious consideration. They read, with the fullest consideration, the contradiction which I have tendered to them; they must have known, that no other sort of contradiction could, by possibility, from the nature of things, have been offered upon such subjects: they do not question the truth, they do not point out the insufficiency of the contradiction, but, in loose, general, indefinite terms, referring to my answer, consisting, as it does, of above two hundred written pages, and coupling it with those examinations (which they admit establish nothing against an absent party) they advise your Majesty, that "there appear many circumstances "of conduct, which could not be regarded by las (of that Lady Douglas, whose statement and deposition they are convinced to be so malicious and false, that they propose to institute such prosecution against her, as your Majesty's Law Officers may advise, upon a reference, now at length, after six months from the detection of that malice and falsehood, intended to be made) -after having seen this William Cole, submitting to such repeated voluntary examinations for such a purpose, and although he was all that time a servant ou my establishment, and eating my bread, yet never once communicating to me, that such examinations were going on-am I to understand, that your Majesty's confidential servants agree with the four Lords in thinking, that he cannot, under such circumstances, be suspected of unfavourable bias? That after having had pointed out to them the direct, flat contradiction between the same William Cole and Fanny Lloyd, they nevertheless agree to think them both (though in direct contradiction to each other, yet both) witnesses, whose veracity they see no ground to question? After having seen Fanny Lloyd directly and positively contradicted, in an assertion, most injurious to my honour, by Mr. Mills and Mr. Edmeades, do they agree in opinion with the four Noble Lords, that they see no ground to question their veracity?-After having read the observations on Mr. Bidgood's evidence: after having seen that he had the hardihood to swear, that he believed Captain Manby slept in my house, at Southend, and to insinuate that he slept in my bed-room; after having seen that he founded himself on this most false fact, and most foul and wicked insinuation, upon the circumstance of observing a bason and some towels where he thought they ought not to be placed; after having seen that this fact, and this insinuation were disproved before the four noble Lords themselves, by two maid-servants, who, at that time, lived with me at Southend, and whose duties about my person and my àpartments, must have made them acquainted with this fact, as asserted, or as insinuated, if it had happened; after having observed too, in con- your Majesty without serious concern;" and firmation of their testimony, that one of them that, as to all the other facts and allegations, exmentioned the name of another female servant cept those relative to my pregnancy and deli(who was not examined), who had, from her very, they are not to be considered as legally situation, equal means of knowledge with them- "and conclusively established," because spoken to selves-I ask whether, after all this decisive in preliminary examinations, not carried on in weight of contradiction to Robert Bidgood's the presence of the parties concerned. They do testimony, I am to understand your Majesty's not, indeed, expressly assert, that my contra. confidential servants to agree with the four noble diction was not decisive or satisfactory; they do Lords in thinking, that Mr. Bidgood is a wit- not expressly state, that they think the facts and ness, who cannot be suspected of unfavourable allegations want nothing towards their legal and bias, and that there is no ground to question his conclusive establishment, but a re-examination veracity? If, Sire, I were to go through all the in the presence of the parties interested, but remarks of this description, which occur to me they go far to imply such opinions. That those to make, I should be obliged to repeat nearly all opinions are utterly untenable, against the obmy former observations, and to make this letter servations I have made, upon the credit and chaas long as my original answer: but to that an- racter of those witnesses, I shall ever most conswer I confidently appeal, and I will venture to fidently maintain; but that those observations challenge your Majesty's confidential servants to leave their credit wholly unaffected, and did not find a single impartial, and honourable man, undeserve the least notice from your Majesty's serconnected in feeling and interest with the par- vants, it is impossible that any honourable man ties, and unconnected in Council, with those can assert, or any fair and unprejudiced mind who have already pledged themselves to an believe.- -I now proceed, Sire, to observe, opinion upon this subject, who will lay his hand very shortly, upon the advice further given to upon his heart, and say, that these three wit-your Majesty as contained in the remaining part nesses, on whom that Report so mainly relies, are not to be suspected of the grossest partiality, and that their veracity is not most fundamentally impeached.Was it then noble, was it generous, was it manly, was it just, in your Majesty's confidential servants, instead of fairly admitting of the paper; which bas represented that, both in the examinations, and even in my answer there have appeared many circumstances of conduct which could not be regarded but with serious concern, and which have suggested the expression of a desire and expectation, that such ence, of these proceedings, will not suffer your Royal mind to be prejudiced by ex parte, secret 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 against me in an open and legal manner, I should have no right to complain, nor any appre hension to meet it. But till I may have a full opportunity of so meeting it, I trust your Ma a conduct may, in future, be observed by me, as may fully justify those marks of paternal regard and affection, which your Majesty wishes to shew to all your Royal Family.And here, Sire, your Majesty will graciously permit me to notice the hardship of the advice, which has suggested to your Majesty, to convey to me this reproof. I complain not so much for what it does, as for what it does not contain; I mean the absence of all particular mention of what it is, that is the object of their blame. The cir-jesty will not suffer it to excite even a suspicion cumstances of conduct which appear in these examinations, and in my answer to which they allude as those which may be supposed to justify the advice, which has led to this reproof, since your Majesty's servants have not particularly mentioned them, I cannot be certain that I know. But I will venture confidently to repeat the assertion, which I have already made, that there are no circumstances of conduct spoken to by any witness (whose infamy and discredit are not unanswerably exposed and established), nor any where apparent in my answer which have the remotest approach either to crime or to indelicacy.- -For my future conduct, Sire, impressed with every sense of gratitude for all former kindness, I shall be bound unquestionably, by sentiment as well as duty, to study your Majesty's pleasure. Any advice which your Majesty may wish to give to me in respect of any particulars in my conduct, I shall be bound, and be anxious to obey as my law. But I must trust that your Majesty will point out to me the particulars, which may happen to displease you, and which you may wish to have altered. I shall be as happy, in thus feeling myself safe from blame under the benefit of your Majesty's advice, as I am now in finding myself secured from danger, under the protection of your justice. Your Majesty will permit me to add one word more. Your Majesty has seen what detriment my character has, for a time, sustained, by the false and malicious statement of Lady Douglas, and by the depositions of the witnesses who were examined in support of her statement. Your Majesty has seen how many enemies I have, and how little their malice has been restrained by any regard to truth in the pursuit of my ruin. Few, as it may be hoped, may be the instances of such determined, and unprovoked, malignity, yet, I cannot flatter myself, that the world does not produce other persons, who may be swayed by similar motives to similar wickedBess. Whether the statement to be prepared 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 disappointment. I therefore can only appeal to your Majesty's justice, in which I confidently trust, that whether these charges are to be renewed against me either on the old or on fresh evidence; or whether new accusations, as well as new witnesses, are to be brought forward, your Majesty, after the experi to my prejudice. I must claim the benefit of Montague House, Feb. 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 Majesty's servants, to send this letter in duplicate, one part through Colonel Taylor, and the other through the Lord Chancellor, to your Majesty. (Signed) To the King. C. P. [Here should have come in the Princess's Letter to the King of the 5th of March, 1807, which letter was the last she wrote; but it will be found in the foregoing Number of the Register, at page 410.] Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent Garden. |
