The National Register.
London, England, 1813-03-14 00:00:00

Tiff,' NATIONAL REGISTER.

MARCH 14.

DEPOSITION OF SAMUEL ROBERTS.

lam a footman to the Princess of Wales. I remember the child
being taken by the Princess. I never observed any particular appear-
ance of the Pt incess in that year—nothing that led me to believe that
she was with child. Sir -Sydney Smith used to visit the Princess at
Blat.kileath. I. never saw him alone with the Princss. He 'neve:
stlyed after eleven o'clock. I recollect Mr. Cole once asking me, I
think three years ago, whether there were any favourites in th::
? I remember saying that Capt. Manby and Sir S. Smith were fre-
bitten! ly at Blackheath, and dined titer., oftener than any other persons.
I Pever knew Sir Sidney Smith to stay later than the Lidies. I cannot
say exactly at what hoar he went, but I never remember his staying
alone with the Princess.

SAMUEL ROBERTS.

(Signed)
Sworn at Lord Grenville'i House, in
pown:ng•strect, June 7, ISCki, before us,
(Signed) ERSKINE, GRENVILLE,
SPENCER, ELLENBOROUGH.

11EPOgITION OF Tilam.kS STIKEMAN.

I have been Pagc to the Prircess of Wales ever since she has been
ia Fnelacd. When I first saw the chill who is with the Princess, it
ts altit four years ago. Her Royal Highness had a strong d sire to •
have an infaiit, which 1 and all the house knew. I heard there was a
woman wee) had twins, one of which the Princes; was desirous to
bays, hut the parents would not part with it. A‘N onlan came to the
gloor with a petition to get her husband replaced in the dock-yard, who
had been remeeed ; site had a chid with her ; I took the child, I be-
iieve, and sheaved it to Mrs. Saunders. I then returned the child to 1
the woman. I 'mete inquiries after the father, and afterwards desir-
ed the WOIM:111 to bring the child again to the house, which she did.
I
The child was taken to the Princess ; after the Princess had seen it,
she desired the %ennui to take it again, and bring it back in a few
slays, and Mrs. Saunders was desired to provide linen for it. Within a
few days the child W4S brought again by t he mother, and was left, and
Has been with the Princess ever since. 1 do not recollect the child
had any mark, but upon reflection, I do recollect that the mother said
he was marked with elder wine on the h ind. The father of the child,
whose name is Austin, lives with me at Pimlico. My wife is a laun.
dress, and washes th linen of the Princess. Austin is employed to turn
a mangle for me. The child was born in Brownlow-street. I never
saes the woman to my knowledge before .he came with the Petition
to the door. I had no particular directions by life Princess to procure
a child ; 1 thought it better to take the child of persons of good cha. '
ratter than the childof a pauper. Nothing led me, from the appear-
ance of the Princess, to suppose she was with child ; but from her
shape it is difficult to judge when she is with child. When she was
with child of the Princess Charlotte, I should not have known it
when she was far advanced in her time, if I had not been told it. Sir
Sydney Smith, at me ti ne, visited very frequently at Montague
House, two or three times a week, at the time the Princess was alter-
ing her room in the Turkish style. Sir Sydney Smith's visits were
very frequent. The Princess consulted him upon them. Mr. Mo-
rel' was the upholsterer : Sir Sydney Smith came frequently alone.
lie staid alone with the Princess sometimes till eleven o'clock at night.
Ile has been there till twelve o'clock at night, and after, 1 believe,
alone with the Princess. The Princess is of that lively vivacity, that
she makes herself familiar with gentleincu, which prevented my be-
struck with his staying so late. I do not believe that at that time
arsy other Gentlemen visited the Princess so often and stayed s a late.
1 have seen the Princess, when they were alone, sitting with Sir Sydsiey
on the same sofa, in the blue room. I had access to the blue room at
all times; there was an inner room which opened into the blue room
when that room was not lighted up. I did not consider that 1 had a
right to go into it. I had no idea on what account 1 was brought here.
• I did not know that the Princess's conduct was questioned or gates.
tionable. I was with the Princess at Ramsgate ; wise site was at East
Clef. Capt. Manby was very frequently there ; went away as late as
1l o'clock. I do not remember Fanny Lloyd being called up any morning
ta make breakfast for the Princess. I did not like Capt. Manby's
coining so often ands aying so late, and I was un asv at it. I re-
member a piece of plate, a silver lamp, being sent to Captain Maeby ;
I saw it in Sicard's possession ; he told me it wls for Captain Manley,
and he had a letter to send with it. I have never sae:} Csirain Mar-
by at the Princess's, at Ramsgate, b,:fure nine in the worning, but I

166

have heard he h,►s been there earlier. I never had any suspicion
of there being any thing improper, either from the frequent visits of
Captain Maltby, or fr conduct. I was at Catherington with
the Princess ; she used to go out generally in her own chaise. I think
I have once or twice seen her go out with Mr. Hood, in his one-horse
chaise ; they have been out for two hours, or two hours and an half
together. I believe only a day or two elapsed between the time of
he child bei►►g first brought again, and left with the Princess. lam
sure the child was not weaned after it had been first brought. Ido
no; recollect any Gentleman ever sleeping in the house. Ido not re-
member Lawrence the Painter ever sleeping there. The Princess
seems very fond of the child ; it is always called Wiliam Austin.
(Signed) THUS. STIKEMAN.
Sworn at Lord Grenville's House, in Downing-
street, June 7, 1806, before us,
(Signed) EItSKINE, GRENVILLE.
SPENCER, ELLENBOROUGH.