The National Register.
London, England, 1809-02-05 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

FEB. 5.

Doke of York at this time? A. It was so uuderstood at the
time.

Q. Did you ever see the Duke of York at Mrs. Clarke's?
A. Never.
Q. (By Mr. Fuller) Of your own knowledge do you know
of such a relative situation between them ? (a laugh). A. I
don't understand the question.
Q. (By Mr. Wilberforce) What passed between you and
Mrs. Clarke, as far as the interview has left any impression on
your mind ? A. When I first came, she. Mrs. Clarke, talked
much of difficulty, and of secrecy, and of the danger she incurred
if any thing she did was permitted to transpire.
Q. (By the Chancellor of the Exchequer). What were her
words ? A. Ido not recollect ; that vra,s her meaning.

Q. Did yon not know from Mr. Knight that the Exchange
was in train of being effected before Mrs. Clarke's influence %%a,
asked ? A. I understood it would have been done in time.
DIN. Clarke was only asked to expedite it. It was a fair thing,
and would have gone regularly through the office.

EXAMINATION OF MR. It. KNIGHT.
Q. Did Mrs. Robert knight desire Dr. Thynne to use his in-
Suenre with Mr. Clarke, for the purpose of expediting an ex-
change between Colonel knight and Colonel Brooke ? A. 1
did.

Q. Did he authorise Dr. Thynne to hold out any pecuniary
temptation to Mrs. Clarke for that purpose ? A. Yes.
Q. To what amount ? A. 2001.
Q. After the exchange was effected, did Mr. Knight send any
money to Mrs. Clarke ? A. I did.
Q. To what amount? A. 2001.
Q. Had Colonel Knight any positive promise from die Com-
mander in Chief that he should be exchanged, prior to the appli-
cation to Mrs. Clarke? A. My brother had applied in the re-
gular way, and received the usual official answer, that whenever
a proper successor could be found, there would be no objection
to comply with his request.
Q. Why was an application made to Mrs. Clarke on the sub-
ject ? A. Some delay had taken place, of the cause of which !
was ignorant. I stated it to Dr. Thynne, who recommended me
to apply to Mrs. Clarke; and I authorised him to do so, and to
offer her 2001. to facilitate my brother's object.
Q. In what manner was the 2001. conveyed to Mrs. Clarke ?
A. By my servant, under a blank cover.
Q. Did Mr. Knight see Mrs. Clarke soon after the exchange
bad been Gaxettedi and if so, for what purpose ? A. I saw hr
in September, to thank her for her exertions.
Q. On that occasion did Mrs. Clarke request secrecy on the
transaction, and did she assign any reason for that request ? A.
Mrs. Clarke entreated that I would he secret with respect to'the
transaction, lest it'should come to the Duke of York's ears.
Q. Has Mr, Knight seen Mrs. Clarke within the last mouth ?
A. ).-eF.
Q. How happened it that he saw her ? A. 9he sent me a note,
to which I made no reply. Ten days ago she sent me another
tote, upon which I called on her, and she asked me he name or
the Officer who bad exchanged with my brother. Shn made o
number of complaints of the ill treatment she hail experienced
from his Royal flightless the Duke of York; who hail left her
WOOL in debt, and expressed her determination to expose him
to the public, unless she could bring, him to terms. I said that
it. was her affair. and that I trusted would not produce me Or
my brother. Her reply was " good God! no, I have no such
intention. You can have nothing to do with it."
Q. At what hour of the day did Mr. Knight send the 2001. to
Mrs. Clarke? A. Rather early in the forenoon.
Q. In his conversation with Mrs. Clarke did Mr. Knight un-
4erstand that Mrs. Clarke had actually applied to the Comman-
der in Chief to expedite his brother's exchange, and that the ex-
change waseffeeted in consequence of that application ? A. Of
course Mrs. Clarke took credit to herself for the success of her
application.
Q. Did Mr. Knight ever learn from Mrs. Clarke that she had
actually applied to the Commander in Chief on the subject ? A.
She told me so.
Q. At the time when the transaction occurred, did Mrs.
Clarke reside in Gloucester-place ?. A. She did.
• Q. Was Wafter Mrs. Clarke's application to the Commander
In Chief that she requested' secrecy. A. Yes.
Q. Was it after the 2001. was sent to Mrs. Clarke that she ex-
pressed adesire that the trawaction might be kept a secret from
the Duke of York ? A. Yes.
Q. Did she express her desire to conceal from the Duke of
"Kink that 2001. had been paid her, or what were her words. A.

87

She requeted that the whole business might he concealed from him.
Q. Did she express herself particularly as to tunnel' or in ge-
neral conversation on the transaction itself? A. On the transac-
tion itself.
Q. When Mrs. Clarke expressed a wish for secrecy, dirt, sho
also express a wish that his Royal highness the Duke of York
should not know the cin umstatnce ? A. Certainly.
Q. Was it not her wish that the transaction should be kept se-
cret from the ptihl ic ? A. From HIM.
Q. What expressions did Mrs. Clarke use, the recollection of
which enabled the witness now to state, that it .was 1101 from the
public, but from the Duke of York himself she was aox ions to
conceal the. transaction that had taken place? A. She begged
that it might be kept secret from his Royal Highness.
Q. Was she more anxious to keep the transaction a secret front
the Duke of York than from the public ? A. The public was
never mentioned iu the business. _ _

Q. When Mrs. Clarke intimated her intention of exposing his
Royal Highness, did she particularise the measures that she
meant to pursue fur that purpose ? A. No.
Q. Does Mr. Knight recollect the expressions which she used
on the occasion ? A. Mrs. Clarke stated that the had bean neg.
lotted an ill-used by his Royal IlighnesB, and that if he wound
not pay her debts that he w quid expose him.
Mr. Knight was then ordered to withdraw.
In answer to an observation from Mr. Lascellec, that there
was a gallant officer present who could give the House informs.
tjon with respect to the application that bail been inade by Co-
lonel Knight for permission to exchainge.
General Loftus staled that Colima Knight ha 'certainly a-p ?. • •
plied to him on the subject, and had explained most salisinete4.
rily his wishes, or else, as Colonel of the' Rugiment he *Wilt
not. have been justified in giving him the ktter of reoaumeeadac-
tion, which, on that occasion he had done.
EXAMINATION OF MRS. CLARKE.
(By Mr. WAttni.E.)
Q. Did Mrs. Clarke reside in Gloucester-place with his ap* '
Highness the Duke of York in July 180(1? A. Yes, IJ.
Q. Was she at that time uuder hii Royal Highness's pretet.

•tio ? A. I was. •
Q. Does Mrs. Clarke recollect Dr. Thymus's having attended
her professionally ? A. About that time Dr. Tb)nite did at.
tend me.
Q. Does she recollect an application made to her by Dr.
Tnynne, to use her influence with the Commander in Chief. for
the purpose of expediting an exchange between Colonel Knight •
and Colonel Brooke I A. I do.
Q. Did Dr. Thynno bold out to Mrs. Clarke the expectation
of any pecuniary complement in the event of her success? A.
lie did.
Q. Any particular sum ? A. Yes; he said something about
a couple of hundred pounds.
Q. Does Mrs. Clarke recollect that Dr. Thyttne told her thal
Colonel Knight had long. been tr ing to procure the exchange
for w Stich he was solicitous ? A. I do.
Q. Did she afterwards speak to the Commander in Chief oa
the ,object ? A. Y es, l did.
Q. how did she mention the business to him ? A. I told his
Royal itighness of it. and gave him the paper containing the
name?: of the parties, that had been been put into my hands by
Thvnne.
Q. l)id Mrs. Clark at the same time state to the Commander
in Chief that she expected a 'pecuniary recootpeace for her
trouble ? A. I said that the parties had promised to make noes
complement.
Q. Did she state the amount to his Royal Melon.? •A.
am not certain whether 1 did or not.
Q Is Mr:. Clarke certain tkatislie mentioned to the Cons-
wander io Chief her expectation of recciv:ng, any pecuniary.
contpensattoti ? A. I told hip) Royal tli; httes3 that I did not
know the men at all, but that I certainly expected• a comple•
ment from them.
Q. When tlic eXeltange appeared in the rsaaettc. does Alms. C -
recollect sending it Dr. -Itt”ine ? A. 1 do,
Q Did she ae rvi a note with it? A. Vett.
Q. Did Mrs. Clarke receive afterwards any pecaniery coo;
sideration? -"S. Yes, 1 dad.
Q. II o w 1 A. Two hundred potinds, in Bask amts.
Q. In *hat way sent/ A.• Inclosed in a note, witu• Dr.
rh %line% compliments. •
Q. Did Mrs. Clarke mate known the receipt of itte •
the t7nintoander iu Chief? A. Yes, I did.
Q. W licit did she mention it to him Oa

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