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Temple, 30th January, 1806.

WILLIAM COLE

Says, that on the 17th of January instant, he walked from Blackheath to London with Mr. Stikeman, and, in the conversation on the road, Cole mentioned the circumstance of the little child, saying, that he was grown a fine interesting boy; to which Stikeman replied, What, do you mean Billy Austin? Cole said, Yes. Pray do the old man and woman come to see the child as usual? Stikeman said, " Old man and woman! they are not old; we have not seen them much lately; they live at Deptford;" but he appeared to avoid any conversation on the subject. Cole says, that the account of the correspondence between the Princess and Captain Manby was communicated to him by Fanny Lloyd, but she never mentioned any such correspondence having taken place through Sicard, since Captain Manby went abroad.

Cole says, that he has not been in the company, or presence, of the Prince alone, or had any conversation with him on this, or any other subject, since the Princess went to live at Charlton, which is near nine years ago.

WM. COLE.

23rd February, 1806.

WILLIAM COLE

Says, that the Gentleman and Lady were sitting close together on the sofa; but there was nothing particular in their dress, position of legs or arms, that was extraordinary; he thought it improper that a single Gentleman should be sitting quite close to a married Lady, on the

sofa; and from that situation, and former observations, he thought the thing improper.

The person who was alone with the Lady at late hours of the night (twelve and one o'clock), and whom he left sitting up after he went to bed, was Mr. Lawrence, the Painter, which happened two different nights at least.

As to the observation made about Sir Sidney having a key of every door about the gardens, it was a gardener, who was complaining of the door of the green-house being left open, and the plants damaged, and who made the same to Mr. Lampert, the servant of Sir John Douglas, and which he mentioned at Cheltenham to Sir John and Mr. Lowten.

Lampert said he should know the gardener again.

Temple, 4th April 1806.

ROBERT BIDGOOD.

Have lived with the Prince 23 years on the 18th of September next, and have been with the Princess since 21st March, 1798. In 1802 we were at Blackheath, and did not go to any other place; in 1801 Sir Sidney Smith left his card at Montague House, and he was afterwards invited to dinner; and, in the Spring of 1802, Lady Douglas came to reside at the Tower, where she stayed about three weeks. During this time Sir Sidney was frequently at the House, both morning and evening, and remained till three or four o'clock in the morning. He has seen Sir Sidney in the blue parlour early (by ten o'clock) in the morning; and, on inquiring from the footmen how he came there without his knowledge, they said, they had not let him in, and knew nothing of his being there. know of Sir Sidney being alone till three or four o'clock

He does not

in the morning, as there were other Ladies in the house. During the year 1802 the Princess used to ride out in her phaeton, attended by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and took out cold meat, and went towards Dartford, where she spent the day, and returned about six or seven in the evening.Williams, the coachman, always attended the Princess.

Lady Douglas, during the year 1802, was constantly at Montague House, and was admitted at all times. The Princess was used frequently to go to Lady Douglas's house, where Sir Sidney resided; at the end of that year there was a misunderstanding between Lady Douglas and the Princess; and one day he saw Lady Douglas leave the house in tears, and afterwards she has not visited the Princess. Mr. Bidgood's wife has lately told him, that Fanny Lloyd told her, that Mary Wilson had told Lloyd, that one day, when she went into the Princess's room, she found the Princess and Sir Sidney in the fact; that she (Wilson) immediately left the room, and fainted at the door.

In the Winter of 1802, and the Spring of 1803, Captain Manby became a visitor at Montague House; his frigate was fitting out at Deptford, and Bidgood has reason to believe, that the Princess fitted up his cabin, for he has seen the cotton furniture brought to the Princess to chuse the pattern, which was sent to Blake, her upholsterer, in London-street, Greenwich. When Captain Manby was about to sail, he was walking in the anti-room, to let Captain Manby out; and, as he stayed some time, Bidgood looked into the room, and, from a mirror on the opposite side of the room to where Captain Manby and the Princess stood, he saw Captain Manby kissing the Princess's lips; and soon afterwards he went away. He saw the Princess, with her handkerchief to her face, and go into the drawingroom, apparently in tears.

In 1803, was not with the Princess at Margate.
In 1804, was with the Princess at Southend.

We

went there the 2d of May; Sicard was constantly on the look-out for the Africaine, Captain Manby's ship; and, about a month afterwards, Sicard descried the ship; before she came to the Nore. The instant the ship cast anchor, the Captain came on shore in his boat to the Princess. The Princess had two houses, Nos. 8 and 9. She lived at No. 9; and, on Sicard seeing Captain Manby come on shore, he ran down the shrubbery to meet, and shewed him into the house, No. 9; Captain Manby was constantly at No. 9; and used to go in the evening on board his ship, for some weeks; but afterwards he did not return on board the ship in the evening, and Bidgood has seen him in the morning, by ten o'clock, in the house, No. 9; and, from the circumstance of towels, water, and glasses, being placed in the passage, he had reason to believe that Manby had slept there all night.

In 1805, Bidgood was not with the Princess in Hampshire.

After the Princess returned from Hampshire, Captain Hood used to visit the Princess at Blackheath alone, without his wife. Captain Hood used to come about twelve o'clock, and was shewn into the blue room, where luncheon was ordered; and the Princess and the Captain were alone together, without a lady or other attendant. He used to stay dinner, and sometimes in boots; about an hour afterwards coffee was ordered; after which the Princess retired, and Captain Hood had also left the room, and had not been let out of the house by any of the servants, Bidgood has not seen Captain Hood since about Chrismas last.

Bidgood has strong suspicions that Mrs. Sander used to deliver letters to Sicard, which he conceived to be from the Princess to Captain Manby, as Sicard used to put the letters into his pocket, and not in the common bag for letters.

*P

1

Mrs. Sander must be fully informed of all the circumstances above alluded to. Mary Wilson and Miss Mielfield must also know all the circumstances.

Bidgood has seen the mother (as she is called) of the little boy frequently at Montague House; the child was about three weeks old when he first saw it. The mother was at Montague House on Monday last. The husband worked in Deptford Yard: but was discharged, and Stikeman has since employed him at his house in town. The mother appears to be better dressed than usual.

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About six months ago, in a conversation with Fanny Lloyd, respecting the general conduct of the Princess, she said, that whilst Sir Sidney visited the Princess, that Mary Wilson had gone into the bed-room to make up the fire, and found the Princess and Sir Sidney in such an indecent situation, that she immediately left the room, and was so shocked that she fainted away at the door.

(This witness was not examined before the Commissioners; at least, no Copy of such Examination, if there was any, was transmitted with the other Papers. The first Paragraph in her Examination is, however, stated above, as it is observed upon in the Princess's Answer; but the remainder, not being adverted to, either by the Commissioner's Report, or by the Answer, and being all hearsay, is omitted.)

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