ship sent for me again, and asked me if I was sure of what I said being all that I could say respecting the Princess? I said it was; and that I was ready to take my oath of it, if his Lordship thought proper. He said, it was very satisfactory; said I might go, and he should not want me any more. "JONATHAN Partridge. "Sworn at the County Court of Middlesex, in Fullwood's Rents, the 25th day of Sept. 1806, before me, THOMAS LEACH." The Deposition of PHILIP KRACKELER, one of the Footmerr of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and ROBERT EAGLESTON, Park-keeper to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales "These deponents say, that on or about the 20th day of June last, as they were across together along Greenwich Park, they saw Robert Bidgood, one of the pages of her Royal High. ness, walking in a direction, as if he were going from the town of Greenwich, towards the house of Sir John Douglas, and which is a different road from that which leads to Montague-house, and they at the same time perceived Lady Douglas walking in a direction to meet him. And this deponent, Philip Krackeler, then desired the other deponent to take notice, whether Lady Douglas and Mr Bidgood would speak to each other; and both of these deponents observed, that when Lady Douglas and Mr Bidgood met, they stopped, and conversed together for the space of about two or three minutes, whilst in view of these deponents; but how much longer their conversation lasted, these deponents cannot say, as they, these deponents, proceeded on their road, which took them out of sight of Lady Douglas and Mr Bidgood. "PHILIP KRACKELER. "ROBT. EAGLESTONE. "Sworn at the Public Office, Hatton Garden, this 27th day of Sept. 1806, before me, "THOMAS LEACH." Correspondence between EARL SPEN- MY LORD, "20th June 1806. "In consequence of certain inquiries directed by his Majesty, Lady Douglas, wife of Sir John Douglas of the marines, has deposed upon oath, that she was told by her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, that at a breakfast at Lady Willoughby's house, in May or June 1802, &c.(Extract of Lady Douglas's Deposi tion. See last Number p. 195.) "It being material to ascertain, as far as possible, the truth of this fact, I am to request that your Lordship will have the goodness to desire Lady Willoughby to put down in writing every circumstance in any manner relative thereto (if any such there be) of which her ladyship has any recollection; and also to apprize me, for his Majesty's information, whether, at any time, during the course of the above-mentioned year, Lady Willoughby observed any such alteration in the Princess's shape, or any other circumstances, as might induce her Ladyship to believe that her Royal Highness was then pregnant. am," &c. I "SPENCER." from Lady Willoughby. I have the "MY LORD, "In obedience to the command contained in your Lordship's letter (communicated to me by Lord Gwydir,) I have the honour to inform you, that I have no recollection whatever of the fact stated to have taken place, during a breakfast at Whitehall, in May or June 1802; nor do I bear in mind any particular circumstances relative to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales at the period to which you allude. "I have the honour, &c. June 21, 1806. & Earl SPENCER." quently done me the honour to break. fast and dine at Whitehall, and Langley, in Kent. Her Royal Highness may have been at my house in the months of May or lune 1802; but of the periods at which I had the honour of receiving her, I have no precise recollection. Q. Has her Ladyship any recollection of the circumstance of her Royal Highness having retired from the company, at such breakfast or dinner, on account, or under the pretence, of having spilt any thing over her handkerchief? And if so, did Lady Willoughby attend her Royal Highness on that occasion, and what then passed between them relative to that circumstance? A. I do not remember her Royal Highness having, at any time, retired "Sidmouth, July 3, 1806. from the company, either at White"MY LORD, "I immediately communicated to Lady Willoughby the queries transmitted to me in the envelope of a letter dated July the first, which I had the honour to receive this day from your Lordship. I return the queries with Lady Willoughby's answers in her own hand-writing. "We are both truly sensible of your Lordship's kind attention in not requiring Lady Willoughby's personal attendance. She will most readily obey the order of the Council, readily obey the order of the Council, should her presence become necessary. "I have the honour, &c. "GWYDIR." "To Earl SPENCER, &c. &c. &c." "A true Copy,' J. BECKET." QUERIES. Q. Does Lady Willoughby remember seeing the Princess of Wales at breakfast or dinner at her house, either at Whitehall or Beckenham, on or about the months of May or June 1802? A. In the course of the last ten years, the Princess of Wales has fre hall, or at Langley, under the pretence Q. Had Lady Willoughby frethat year, to see her Royal Highness quent opportunities, in the course of the Princess of Wales, and at what periods? And did she, at any time during the year, observe any appearthe Princess of Wales was pregnant? ance which led her to suspect that A. To the best of my remembrance, I had few opportunities of seeing the Princess of Wales in the year 1802, and I do not recollect having observed any particular cir cumstances relative to her Royal Highness's appearance. Q. Is Lady Willoughby acquainted with any other circumstances leading to the same conclusion, or tending to establish the fact of a criminal intercourse, or improper familiarity between her Royal Highness, and any other person whatever? and if so, what are, they? A. During the ten years I have had the honour of knowing the Princess of Wales, I do not bear in mind a single instance of her Royal High ness's [The following document, which had not reached us last month, is however too interesting to be omitted.] First Statement of LADY DOUGLAS to the PRINCE of WALES. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having judged proper to order me to detail to him, as Heir Apparent, the whole circumstance of my acquaintance with Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, from the day I first spoke with her to the present time, I felt it my duty, as a subject, to comply, without hesitation, with his Royal Highness's commands; and I did so, because I conceived, even putting aside the rights of an Heir Apparent, his Royal Highness was justified in informing himself as to the actions of his wife, who, from all the information he had collected, seemed so likely to disturb the tranquillity of the country; and it appeared to me that, in so doing, his Royal Highness evinced his earnest regard for the real interest of the country, in endeavouring to prevent such a person from, perhaps, one day, placing a spurious Heir upon the English throne, and which his Royal Highness has indeed a right to fear, and communicate to the Sovereign, as the Princess of Wales told me, "If she were discovered in bringing her son into the world she "would give the Prince of Wales "the credit of it, for that she had slept two nights in the year she was pregnant in Carlton House," As an Englishwoman, educated in the highest respectful attachment to the Royal Family; as the daughter of an English Officer, who has all his life received the most gracious marks of approbation and protection from his Majesty, and from his Roy 46 al Highness the Prince of Wales: and as the wife of an Officer whom our beloved King has honoured with a public mark of his approbation, and who is bound to the Royal Family by ties of respectful regard and attachment, which nothing can ever break, I feel it my duty to make known the Princess of Wales's sentiments and conduct, now, and whensoever I may be called upon. For the information, therefore, of his Majesty and of the Heir Apparent, and by the desire of the Heir Apparent, I beg leave to state, that Sir John took a house upon Blackheath in the year 1801, because the air was better for him, after his Egyptian services, than London, and it was somewhat nearer Catham, where his military duties occasionally called him. I had a daughter born upon the 17th of February, and we took up our residence there in April, living very happily and quietly; but in the month of November, when the ground was covered with snow, as I was sitting in my parlour, which commanded a view of the heath, I saw, to my surprise, the Princess of Wales, elegantly dressed in a lilac satin pelisse, primrose-coloured half boots, and a small lilac satin travelling cap, faced with sable, and a Lady, pacing up and down before the house, and sometimes stopping, as if desirous of opening the gate in the iron railing to come in. At first I had no conception her Royal Highness really wished to come in, but must have mistaken the house for another person's, for I had never been made known to her, and I did not know that she knew where I lived. I stood at the window looking at her, and, as she looked very much, from respect courtesied (as I understood was customary ;) to my astonishment she returned my courtesy by a familiar nod, and stopped. Old Lady Stuart, a West Indian Lady, who lived in my immediate neighbourhood, and who was was in the habit of coming in to see me, was in the room, and said, "You should go out, her Royal Highness wants to come in out of the snow." Upon this I went out, and she came immediately to me and said, "I believe you are Lady Douglas, and you have a very beautiful child; I should like to see it." I answered that I was Lady Douglas. Her Royal Highness then said, " I should like of all things to see your little child." I answered, that I was very sorry I could not have the honour of presenting the little girl to her, as I and my family were spending the cold weather in town, and I was only come to pass an hour or two upon the Heath. I held open the gate, and the Princess of Wales and her Lady, Miss Heyman (I believe) walked in and sat down, and stayed above an hour, laughing very much at Lady Stuart, who being a singular character, talked all kind of nonsense. After her Royal Highness had amused herself as long as she pleased, she inquired where Sir John Douglas and Sir Sidney Smith were, and went away, having shook hands with me, and expressed her pleasure at having found me out and made herself known. I concluded that Sir Sidney Smith had acquainted her Royal Highness that we resided upon the Heath, as he was just arrived in England, and having been in long habits of friendship with Sir John, was often with us, and told us how kind he should think it if we could let him come to and fro without ceremony, and let him have an airy room appropriated to himself, as he was always ill in town, and from being asthmatic, suffered extremely when the weather was foggy in town. Sir John gave him that hospitable reception he was in the habit of doing by all his old friends, (for I understand they have been known to each other more than twenty years,) and he introduced him to me as a person, to whom he wished my friendly attention to be paid; as I had never seen Sir Sidney Smith in my life, until this period, when he became, as it were, a part of the family. When I returned to town, I told Sir John Douglas the circumstance of the Princess having visited me, and a few days after this, we received a note from Mrs Lisle (who was in waiting) commanding us to dine at Montague House. We went, and there were several persons at the dinner. I remember Lord and Lady Dartmouth, and I think Mr and Mrs Arbuthnot, &c. &c. From this time the Princess made me frequent visits, always attended by her Ladies, or Mrs Sander (her maid). When Sander came, she was sent back, or put in another room; but when any of her Ladies were with her, we always sat together. Her Royal Highness was never attended by any livery servants, but she always walked about Blackheath and the neighbourhood only with her female atttendants. In a short time, the Princess became so extravagantly fond of me, that, however flattering it might be, it certainly was very troublesome. Leaving her attendants below, she would push past my servant, and run up stairs into my bed-chamber, kiss me, take me in her arms, and tell me I was beautiful, saying she had never loved any woman so much; that she would regulate my dress, for she delighted in setting off a pretty woman; and such high-flown compliments that women are never used to pay to each other. I used to beg her Royal Highness not to feed my self-love, as we had all enough of that, without encouraging one another. She would then stop me, and enumerate all my good points I had, saying she was determined to teach me to set them off. She would exclaim, Oh! believe me, you are quite beautiful, different from almost any English woman: your arms are fine beyond imagi nation; eyes dark the usual amusements were-playing French Proverbs, in which the Princess always cast the parts, and played; Musical Magic, forfeits of all kinds; sometimes dancing, and in this manner, either the Princess and her Ladies with me, or we at Montague House, we passed our time. Twice, after spending the morning with me, she remained without giving me any previous notice, and would dine with us, and thus ended the year 1801. nation, your bust is very good, and your eyes, Oh, I never saw such all other women who have eyes look fierce, but yours (my dear Lady Douglas) are nothing but softness and sweetness, and yet quite dark. In this manner she went on perpetually, even before strangers. I remember when I was one morning at her house, with her Royal Highness, Mrs Harcourt and her Ladies, the Duke of Kent came to take leave before his Royal Highness went to Gibraltar. When we were sitting at table the Princess introduced me, and said -Your Royal Highness must look at her eyes; but now she has disguised herself in a large hat, you cannot sec how handsome she is. The Duke of Kent was very polite and obliging, for he continued to talk with Mrs Harcourt, and took little notice, for which I felt much obliged; but she persisted, and said-Take off your hat, I did not do it, and she took it off; but his Royal Highness, I suppose, concei-"was really at a loss to guess how I ing it could not be very pleasant to me, took little notice, and talked of something else. Whenever the Princess visited us, either Sir John, or I, returned home with her and her party quite to her door; and if he were out, I went with her Royal Highness, and took my footman; for we soon saw that her Royal Highness was a very singular and a very indiscreet woman, and we resolved to be always very careful and guarded with her; and when she visited us, if any visitor whosoever came to our house, they were put into another room, and they could not see the Princess, or be in her society, unless she positively desired it. How. ever her Royal Highness forgot her high station (and she was always forgetting it;) we trust, and hope, and feel satisfied, we never for a moment lost sight of her being the wife of the Heir Apparent. We passed our time as her Royal Highness chose when together, and April 1813. 66 In the month of February, before Miss Garth was to come into waiting in March 1502, the Princess, in one of her morning visits, after she had sent Sander home, said, "My dear Lady Douglas, I am come to see you this morning to ask a great favour of you, which I hope you will grant me." I told her, "I was sure "she could not make any unworthy "request, and that I could only say, "I should have great pleasure in do"ing any thing to oblige her, but I 66 66 possibly could have it in my power to grant her a favour." Her Royal Highness replied, "What I have to ask is for you to come and spend a fortnight with me: you shall not be separated from Sir John, for he may be with you whenever he pleases, and bring your little girl and maid. I mean you to come to the Round Tower, where there are a complete suit of rooms for a lady and her servant. When Mrs Lisle was in waiting, and hurt her foot, she resided there, and Miss Heyman always was there, and Lord and Lady Lavington have slept there. When I have any married people visiting me, it is better than their being in the house, and we are only separated by a small garden. I dislike Miss Garth, and she hates to be with me, more than what her duty demands, and I don't wish to trouble any of my ladies out of their turn. I shall require you, as lady in waiting, to attend me in my walks; and when I drive out write my |