I do solemnly, and upon my oath, depose, that having received the commands of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales to paint Her Royal Highness's Portrait, and that of the Princess Charlotte; I attended for that purpose at Montague House, Blackheath, several times about the beginning of the year 1901, and having been informed that Sir William Beechey, upon a similar occasion, had slept in the house, for the greater convenience of executing his painting; and it having been intimated to me, that I might probably be allowed the same advantage, I signified my wish to avail myself of it; and accordingly I did sleep at Montague House several nights; -that frequently, when employed upon this painting, and occasionally, between the close of a day's sitting and the time of Her Royal Highness dressing for dinner, I have been alone in Her Royal Highness's presence; I have likewise been graciously admitted to Her Royal Highness's presence in the evenings, and remained there till · · twelve, one, and two o'clock; but, I do solemnly swear, I was never alone in the presence of Her Royal Highness in an evening, to the best of my recollection and belief, except in one single instance, and that for a short time, when I remained with her Royal Highness in the blueroom, or drawing-room, as I remember, to answer some question which had been put to me, at the moment I was about to retire together with the ladies in waiting, who had been previously present as well as myself; and, though I cannot recollect the particulars of the conversation which then took place, I do solemnly swear, that nothing passed between Her Royal Highness and myself, which I could have had the least objection for all the world to have seen and heard. And I do further, upon my oath, solemnly declare, that I never was alone in the presence of Her Royal Highness in any other place, or in any other way, than as above described; and that neither, upon the occasion last mentioned, nor upon any other, was I ever in the presence of Her Royal Highness, in any room whate ever, with the door locked, bolted, or fastened, otherwise than in the common and usual manner, which leaves it in the power of any person on the outside of the door to open The Deposition of Thomas Edmeades, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Surgeon. On Tuesday, May 20, 1806, I waited upon Earl Moira,` by his appointment, who, having introduced me to Mr. Conant, a Magistrate for Westminster, proceeded to mention a charge preferred against me, by one of the female servants of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, of my having said, that Her Royal Highness had been pregnant. His Lordship then asked me, if I had not bled Her Royal Highness; and whether, at that time, I did not mention to a servant, that I thought Her Royal Highness in the family way; and whether I did not also ask, at the same time, if the Prince had been down to Montague House. I answered, that it had never entered my mind that Her Royal Highness was in such a situation, and that, therefore, certainly, I never made the remark to any one; nor had I asked whether His Royal High-. ness had visited the house:-I said, that, at that time, a report, of the nature alluded to, was prevalent; but that I treated it as the infamous lie of the day. His Lordship : adverted to the circumstances of Her Royal Highness's having taken a child into her house; and observed, how dreadful mistakes about succession to the throne were, and what confusion might be caused by any claim of this child I observed, that I was aware of it; but repeated the assertion, that I had never thought of such a thing as was suggested, and therefore considered it impossible, in a manner, that I could have given it utterance. I observed, that I believed, in the first instance, Mr. Stikeman, the page, had mentioned this child to Her Royal Highness, and that it came from Deptford, where I went, when Her Royal Highness first took it, to see if any illness prevailed in the family. Mr. Conant observed, that he believed it was not an unusual thing for a medical man, when he imagined that a Lady was pregnant, to mention his suspicion to some confidential domestic in the family: -I admitted the bare possibility, if such had been my opinion; but remarked, that the if must have been removed, before I could have committed myself in so absurd a manner. : Lord Moira, in a very significant manner, with his hands behind him, his head over one shoulder, his eyes directed towards me, with a sort of smile, observed, "that he could not help thinking that there must be something in the servant's deposition;" as if he did not give perfect credit to what I had said. He observed, that the matter was then confined to the knowledge of a few and that he had hoped, if there had been any foundation for the affidavit, I might have acknowledged it, that the affair might have been hushed. With respect to the minor question, I observed, that it was not probable that I should condescend to ask any such question, as that imputed to me, of a menial servant; and that I was not in the habits of conferring confidentially with servants. Mr. Conant cautioned me to be on my guard; as, that if it appeared, on further investigation, I had made such inquiry, it might be very unpleasant to me, should it come Bb under the consideration of the Privy Council. I said, that I considered the report as a malicious one; and was ready to make oath, before any Magistrate, that I had not, at any time, asserted, or even thought, that her Royal Highness had ever been in a state of pregnancy since I had had the honour of attending the household. Mr. Conant asked me, whether, whilst I was bleeding her Royal Highness, or after I had performed the operation, I did not make some comment on the situation of her Royal Highness, from the state of the blood; and whether I recommended the operation: I answered in the negative to both questions. I said, that her Royal Highness had sent for me to bleed her, and that I did not then recollect on what account. I said, that I had bled her Royal Highness twice; but did not remember the dates. I asked Lord Moira, whether he intended to proceed in the business, or whether I might consider it as at rest, that I might have an opportunity, if I thought necessary, of consulting my friends relative to the mode of conduct I ought to adopt: he said, that if the subject was moved any further, I should be apprized of it; and that, at present, it was in the hands of a few. I left them, and, in about an hour, on further consideration, wrote the note, of which the following is a copy, to which I never received any reply: 66 7. Mr. Edmeades presents his respectful compliments to Lord Moira, and, on mature deliberation, after leaving "This Lordship, upon the conversation which passed at "Lord Moira's this morning, he feels it necessary to ad vise with some friend, on the propriety of making the particulars of that conversation known to her Royal "Highness the Princess of Wales; as Mr. Edmeades fi would be very sorry that her Royal Highness should "consider him capable of such infamous conduct as that ❝f imputed to him on the deposition of a servant, by Lord Moira, this morning. 2 London, May 20, 1806.” 1 have been enabled to state the substance of my interview with Lord Moira and Mr. Conant with the more particularity, as I made memorandums of it, within a day or two afterwards. And I do further depose, that the Papers hereunto annexed, marked A. and B. are in the hand-writing of Samuel Gillam Mills, of Greenwich aforesaid, my Partner; and that he is at present, as I verily believe, upon his road from Wales, through Gloucester, to Bath. Memorandums of the Heads of Conversation between Lord Moira, Mr. Lowten, and myself. May 13, 1806, I received a letter from Lord Moira, of which the following is an exact copy: SIR, St. James-Place, May 13, 1806. A particular circumstance makes me desire to have the pleasure of seeing you, and, indeed, renders it indispensable that you should take the trouble of calling on me. As the trial in Westminster Hall occupies the latter hours of the day, I must beg you to be with me as early as nine |
