before it was cleansed from the Impurities of its Birth and also saw the Navel-string cut and some drops of fresh Blood received into a Spoon which the Deponent mingled with a little black-cherry-Black-cherry-water and saw given by the Physitians Orders to the Child And afterwards going into the great Bed-chamber where the Queen was delivered he saw the After-burthen c. fresh Ja. St. Amand. After these depositions were taken His Majesty was pleased to acquaint the Lords That the Princess Anne of Denmark would have been present but that she being with Child and having not lately stirred abroad could not come so far without hazard Adding further ANd now my Lords although I did not question but every Person here present was satisfied before in this matter Yet by what you have heard you will be better able to satisfie others Besides If I and the Queen could be thought so wicked as to endeavour to impose a Child upon the Nation you see how impossible it would have been Neither could I my Self be imposed upon having constantly been with the Queen during her being with Child and the whole time of her Labour And there is none of you but will easily believe Me who have suffered so much for Conscience sake uncapable of so great a Villany to the prejudice of my own Children And I thank God that those that know me know well that it is my Principle to do as I would be done by for that is the Law and the Prophets And I would rather dy a thousand deaths than do the least wrong to any of my Children His Majesty further said IF any of My Lords think it necessary the Queen should be sent for it shall be done But their Lordships not thinking it necessary Her Majesty was not sent for IT is Order'd this day by His Majesty in Council That the several Declarations here before made by His Majesty and by her Majesty the Queen-Dowager together with the several Depositions here entered be forthwith Enrolled in the Court of Chancery And the Lord Chancellor is Ordered to cause the same to be Enrolled accordingly IN Pursuance of which Order in Council the Lord Chancellor on Saturday the 27th Day of October following in the High Court of Chancery many of the Nobility and Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council being there present caused the aforesaid Order of Council and Declarations of His Majesty and likewise that of Her Majesty the Queen Dowager to be openly and distinctly Read in Court as the same are Entered in the Words aforesaid in the Council Book And the Lords and Ladies and other Persons who made the respective Depositions aforesaid being present in Court were Sworn again and having heard their several Depositions distinctly Read in the Words aforesaid and being severally Interrogated by the Court to the Truth thereof they all upon their Oaths affirmed their respective Depositions to be true and did likewise Depose except some few who came in late to the Council Chamber or some who stood at too great a distance that they heard His Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen Dowager make the several Declarations aforesaid and that the same as they had been Read were truly Entered as they did believe in the Council Book according to the Sence Intent and Meaning of what His Majesty the King and her Majesty the Queen-Dowager did then Declare And forasmuch as the Earl of Huntingdon and the Earl of Peterborow who were able to Depose to the Matters aforesaid had not beer Examined at the Council Board but had brought their several Depositions in Writing which they delivered into Court the said Lord-Chancellor after the said Earls were severally Sworn Ordered their Depositions to be openly Read in these Words following UPon Trinity Sunday 10th June 1688. I went to St. James's House about Nine a Clock in the Morning and followed my Lord Chancellor through the Lodgings to the Dressing Room next to the Queens Bed-Chamber where divers Lords of the Council were met upon occasion of the Queens being in Labour the King came several times into the Room and amongst other things was pleased to tell us that the Queen came exactly according to her first Reckoning which was from the Kings Return from his Progress to Bathe in September 1687. After this the Counsellors were ordered to come into the Bed-Chamber and I stood on that side of the Bed that had the Curtains drawn open I heard Her Majesty Cry outseveral times I staid in the Room during the Birth of the Prince of Wales I saw him carried into the little Bed Chamber whither the King the Lords and my self in particular did follow him Huntingdon I Had the Honor to be in the King's Chamber in the Morning when word was brought him the Queen was not well and followed him into the Dressing Room next her Majesties Bed-Chamber where I staid till His Majesty called me to come in which was about the beginning of her Pains I confess the Compassion I had for Her Majesty hearing her Crys made my stay there very uneasie One of the last especially seemed to me so sharp as it really forced me for a little time to stop my Ears with my Fingers to avoid hearing more of the like when setting them at Liberty I heard no more but perceived a suddensatisfaction in the Faces of the Assistance several saying that the Queen was Delivered and soon thereupon I saw the Prince brought from about the Bed and carried into the little Bed-Chamber whither I went afterwards to behold him more particularly where I saw him as a Child newly Born. Peterborow AFter which the said Earls did severally upon their Oaths affirm their Depositions to be True as they had been Read and that they were present in Council and heard His Majesty and Her Majesty the Queen-Dowager make the several Declarations aforesaid and that the same were Entered in the Council Book as they did believe according to the effect true Sense and Meaning of what their Majesties declared in Council Whereupon His Majesties Attorny General moved the Court that the said Declarations of His Majesty and of Her Majesty the Queen-Dowager and the several Depositions and the Order of Council should be Enrolled in the Petty-Bag-Office and in the Office of Inrolments in the Court of Chancery for the safe Preservation and Custody of them which the Lord Chancellor Ordered accordingly Published by His Majesties Special Command Edinburgh Re-printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to His most Sacred Majesty 1688.
Don't tell me what it is yet and Mrs. Dawson came to this Deponent and whispered him in the Ear 'T is a Prince but don't take Notice of it yet Then Mrs. Delabadie brought away the Child from the Bed-side and carried it into the little Bed-Chamber and the King and the Lords of the Council went after her but this Deponent did not follow them Edward Grissen Sir Charles Scarburgh First Physician to the King Deposeth THat upon the Deponents coming to visit Her Majesty then lying at St. James's on Sunday the 10th of June 1688. as the Deponent went up the Back-Stairs he heard the joyful Acclamation that a Prince of Wales was born upon which the Deponent hastned presently into the little Bed-Chamber where the Deponent found Mrs. Labadie just sitting down before the Fire with the New Born Prince wrapped in the Mantles lying in her Lap. Then passing to the Queen in the next Bed-chamber the Deponent congratulated the happy Birth of the Prince and her Majesties safe Delivery The Queen was wearied and panting but otherwise in good condition Then the Midwife brought to the Deponent the After-Birth reeking warm which Sir Thomas Witherley with the Deponent examined and found very sound and perfect After a while the Deponent understood that a Medicine was mentioned among the Ladies for a certain Remedy against Convulsions It was some drops of blood from the Navel-string the Deponent consulted Sir Thomas Witherley and the other Physitians and to satisfie the Women it was allowed of there being as was conceived no danger in the thing Whereupon the Midwife with a small Knife slit the Navel-string beyond the Ligature from which came some drops of fresh blood taken in a Spoon and given the Child being mix'd with a little Black-Cherry-Water Thus much the Deponent hath to say upon Her Majesties present delivery Now for the Time of the Queens Conception She often told the Deponent and others That She had two Reckonings one from Tuesday the 6th of September when the King return'd from His Progress to the Queen then at Bathe and the other from Thursday the 6th of October when the Queen came to the King at Windsor but for some Reasons the Queen rather reckoned from the latter though afterward it proved just to agree with the former Moreover Her Majesty when according to Her Reckoning She was gone with Child Twelve Weeks said That She was quick and perceived the Child to move the Deponent returned no Answer to the Queen but privately told those about Her That in truth it could not so be in so short a Time Yet the Queen was in the right only mistook Her Reckoning for She was then full sixteen Weeks gone with Child about which time She usually quickned with Her former Children and accordingly was brought to Bed on the 10th of June 1688. and within Three or Four days of full Forty Weeks Charles Scarburgh Sir Thomas Witherly second Physician to the King Deposeth THat on Sunday the Tenth of June the Deponent was present in the Queen's Bed-chamber when the Prince of Wales was born the Deponent saw Mrs. Labadie bring the Child from the Midwife and carry him into the next Room whither the Deponent followed her and saw the Child before he was cleaned and having a Command from the Queen that there should be two drops of the blood of the After-burthen given the first thing We the said Deponent and the other Physitians did take two drops of Blood from the Navel-string which remained upon the Child and gave it in a spoonful of Black-cherry-Water as the Queen commanded After this the Deponent saw as also did the other Physitians the After-burthen entire Tho. Witherley Sir William Waldegrave Knt. Her Majesties first Physician Deposeth THat in the Progress of Her Majesties being with Child the Deponent having the Honor to wait upon her as usual upon the 13th of February 1688. about Ten in the Morning she told the Deponent she had Milk in her Breasts which dropt out it was then thought the 19th Week according to One Reckoning but according to Another Reckoning it was the One or Two and Twentieth Week The Deponent also affirmeth that Her Majesty took such Adstringent Medicines during the most part of her being with Child in order to avoid Miscarriage That if she had not been with Child they must have been prejudicial to her Health and of dangerous consequence Upon the 10th of June 1688. The Deponent was called at his Lodging in Whitehall to wait upon the Queen being told she was in Labour upon which the Deponent immediatly went to St. James's and so into the Queen's Bed-Chamber and found her beginning her Labour it being about Eight of the Clock in the Morning The Deponent stirr'd not from thence but to get such Medicines as were fit for her Majesty and then return'd again and was in the Bed-Chamber when she Cry'd out and was Deliver'd The Deponent followed Mrs. Delabadie who took the Prince in her Arms so soon as he was Born and carried him into the Little Bed-Chamber where the Deponent saw him upon her Lap and was by when he took two or three drops of the Navel-string fresh warm Blood which was mix'd with black-cherry-Black-cherry-water then returned into the great Bed-Chamber where the Deponent saw the After-burthen fresh and warm William Waldegrave Dr Robert Brady one of His Majesties Physitians in Ordinary Deposeth THat a little before Ten of the Clock in the Morning on the Tenth of June 1688. the Deponent was in the Queen 's little Bed-Chamber at St. James's where the Deponent saw the Prince of Wales in Mrs. Labady's Lap by the Fireside the Deponent desired to see the Linen and Blankets opened in which he was wrapped which being done the Deponent saw it vvas a Male Child and the Navel-string hanging down to or below the Virile parts with a Ligature upon it nor far from the Body but did not see any After-burthen hanging at or joyned to it not being at the Birth The Deponent asked how long he had been born the standers by told him At three quarters of an hour after Nine of the Clock the Queen was Delivered Robert Brady James St. Amand their Majesties Apothecary Deposeth THat from the beginning of November last he hath generally every day till the ninth of June 1688. given by the Physitians Orders Restringent and Corroborating Medicines to the Queens Majesty That on the 10th of June he was sent for in haste to come to St James's to her Majesty who the Messenger told him was in Labour That the deponent then received a Note from the Physitians for medicines for her Majesty which the deponent was obliged to stay and prepare and so came not to St. James's till the Queen was delivered the deponent meeting just as he was going into the Bed-chamber Mrs. Labady with the young Prince in her Arms the King and several of the Lords soon after following into the little Bed-chamber where the deponent saw the Child Naked
on Sunday morning the 10th of June last she the Deponent was sent for to the Queen who was in Labour That the Deponent came presently and was with the Queen all the time of her Labour and that kneeling down by the Midwife giving her Clothes for the Queen the Midwife told this Deponent that immediatly on the next Pain the Queen would be Delivered which accordingly she was That this Deponent whispered to the Midwife asking whether it was a Girle she answered no whereupon the Midwife parted the Child and put it into the Receivor that the Deponent had given her and then delivered the Child to the Deponent and bid her go and carry it to the Fire and take care of the Navel which this Deponent did and the King and Council followed her and the King asked this Deponent what it was who answered what he desired The King replyed but let me see whereupon the Deponent presently shewed his Majesty that it was a Son and the Privy Counsellors then present saw it one after another The Deponent sat with the Prince in her Lap till the Midwife had done with the Queen then the Midwife came and took the Prince from this Deponent and asked for a Spoon for to give it three drops of the Blood of the Navel String which the Midwife cut off by the Advice of the Physicians who said it was good against Fits. That the Deponent held the Spoon when the Midwife dropt the Bloud into it and stir'd it with a little black Cherry Water and then it was given to the Prince That the Queen sent for this Deponent and gave her the Prince to take care of him in quality of Dry Nurse which she has hitherto done and further Deposeth it to be the same Child that was born of the Queen And that Mrs Danvers one of the Princess of Denmarks Women and formerly Nurse to the Lady Isabella coming to see the Prince she told this Deponent she was glad to see the same marks upon his Eye as the Queens former Children had Mary Anne Delabadie Mrs. Judith Wilks Deposeth THat being the Queens Midwife she came often to her especially when her Majesty was in any Danger of miscarrying and many times felt the Child stir in her Belly and saw the Milk run out of her Majesties Breasts That on Trinity Sunday last in the morning about eight of the Clock the Queen sent Mr. White Page of the Back-stairs to call her this Deponent believing her self in Labour when the Deponent came she found the Queen in great Pain and Trembling the Queen told her she feared it was her Labour it being near the time of her first Reckoning she the Deponent desired her Majesty not to be afraid saying she did not doubt that it was her full time and hoped her Majesty would have as good Labour as she always had and whilst her Majesty was sitting trembling her Water broke and immediatly she sent for the King he being gone to his own Side and let him know in what Condition she was and desired him to send for whom he pleased to be present The Queen ordered this Deponent to send for Mrs. Dawson and the rest of her Women Mrs. Dawson came presently and the Countess of Sunderland with her and the rest of the Women also That most of them saw her this Deponent make the Bed fit for the Queen to be Delivered in which when it was ready her Majesty was put into and about ten a Clock that morning the Queen was Delivered of the Prince of Wales by her this Deponents assistance and afterwards she the Deponent shewed the after-burthen to the Physicians and before them the Deponent cut the Navel-string and gave the Prince three drops of his Bloud to prevent Convulsion Fits according to their Order And this Deponent further saith That when the Child was born it not crying the Queen said she thought it was dead this Deponent assured her Majesty it was not and desired leave to part the Child from the after-burthen which the Queen was unwilling to have done thinking it might be dangerous to her self but the Deponent assuring her Majesty it would not her Majesty gave consent whereupon the Child presently cryed and then the Deponent gave it to Mrs. Labadie Judith Wilkes Mrs. Elizabeth Pearse Laundress to the Queen Deposeth THat about nine a Clock on the 10th of June last in the morning she came into the Bed-chamber and heard the Queen cry out being in great pain in which she continued until her Delivery after which she the Deponent saw the Prince of Wales given by the Midwife to Mrs. Labadie That immediatly after the Deponent saw the Midwife hold up the after-burthen shewing it to the company and then the Deponent setcht her Maids and with them took away all the soul Linen hot as they came from the Queen That for a month after her Majesties Lying-in the Deponent well knows by the washing of her Linen that the Queen was in the same condition that all other Women use to be on the like occasion and that some time after her quickning it appeared by her Smocks that her Majesty had Milk in her Breasts which continued until she was brought to Bed and afterwards during the usual time Elizabeth Pearse Frances Dutches of Richmond and Lenox Deposeth THat the the Deponent was not at the Queens Labour because she did not know it time enough but as soon as she did she made all the haste she could to dress heâ—â— but the Queen was Delivered before she the Deponent came And that at a time when the Queen apprehended she should Miscarry and the Physicians made her Majesty keep her Bed for that Reason the Deponent went one Evening to wait upon her Majesty and as she stood by her Bed-side her Majesty said to her my Milk is now very troublesome it runs out so much The Deponent asked the Queen if it used to do so who answered It used to run out a little but now the fright I am in of miscarrying makes it run out very much as you may see throwing down the Bed-clothes to the middle of her Stomach and shewing her Smock upon her Breast to the said Deponent which was very wet with her milk F. Richmond Lenox Charlotte Countess of Lichfeild Deposeth THat she was not at the Queens Labour being in Child-bed her self but that she was almost constantly with the Queen while she was with Child and hath put on her Smock and seen the Milk run out of her Breast and felt her Belly so that she is sure she could not be deceived but that the Queen was with Child C. Lichfeild Anne Countess of Marischal Deposeth THat she was several times in the Queens Bed-chamber when she shifted her self and hath seen her Smock stained with her Milk That she was not at the Queens Labour tho' sent to by one of her Ladies being sick of a Fever but does in her Conscience believe her Majesty was with Child both