of her, and therefore I believe wrote to him by Sir Sa muel Hood.

(Signed)

HESTER LISLE,

Signed before us, in Downing-street, this third day

Before your arrival in Downing-street last night, I bespoke the indulgence of the Lords of his Majesty's Council for inaccuracy as to dates, respecting any attendance at Blackheath, before 1803. Having only notice in the forenoon of an examination, I could not prepare myself for it to any period previous to that year, and I now hasten, as far as the examination of my papers will permit, to correct an error into which I fell, in stating to their Lordships, that I attended her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales in the spring of 1802, and that I then met his Royal Highness the late Duke of Gloucester at Blackheath. It was in the spring of 1801, and not of 1802, that, after attending her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales for ten or twelve days, I had the honour of seeing the Duke of Gloucester at her house.

I have the honour, &c.

A true Copy,

J. Becket.

FR. MILMAN.

Earl Cholmondeley, sworn July 16th, 1806.

I HAVE seen the Princess of Wales write frequently, and I think I am perfectly acquainted with her manner of writing.

A letter produced to his Lordship marked (A).

This letter is not of the Princess's hand-writing. A paper produced to his Lordship, (marked (B) with a kind of drawing with the names of Sir Sidney Smith and Lady Douglas.

This paper appears to me to be written in a disguised hand. Some of the letters remarkably resemble the Princess's writing; but because of the disguise I cannot say whether it be or be not her Royal Highness's writing.

On the cover being shewn to his Lordship also marked (B.) he gave the same answer.

His Lordship was also shewn the cover marked (C.) to which his Lordship answered, I do not see the same resemblance to the Princess's writing in this paper.

APPENDIX (B).

Statement of Lady Douglas.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having judged proper to order me to detail to him, as Heir Apparent, the whole circumstances 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 preg"nant in Carlton House."

As an English woman, educated in the highest respect

* H

ful 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 Royal 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.

1

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 Chatham, 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 lilaç 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 ironrailing 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