CHARGES AGAINST THE QUEEN.

The Attorney-general proceeded immediately to state the charges against her Majesty. (The silence which at this moment pervaded the house was rendered more impressive by loud peals of thunder that burst in rapid succession over the building.) The learned counsel commenced his address in a a very low tone of voice.-My lords, I now attend at your bar to fulfil the duty which you have demanded, of stating to your lordships the circumstances which are to be adduced in evidence in support of the charges which are contained in the preamble of the bill now under your lordships' consideration. A duty, my lords, more painful or more anxious, I believe was never imposed upon any individual to accomplish. My lords, I am sure I shall receive your lordships' indulgence if, under the weight of this important duty, I feel that which I cannot express. My lords, I was stating to your lordships that the duty which I now have to perform is one of the most painful and anxious which was ever cast upon any individual. I have, my lords, to state to your lordships the circumstances which are to be adduced in evidence to your lordships in support of those serious and heavy charges which are made in the preamble of the bill, which has already been so much the subjeet of discussion-charges which, in the language of the preamble, not only reflect the greatest scandal and disgrace upon the individual against whom they are made, but also reflect the greatest disgrace upon the country itself. The highest individual, as a subject, in the country, is charged with one of the most serious offences both against the laws of God and man: it is that of an adulterous intercourse-an adulterous intercourse carried on under ciacumstances of the greatest aggravation. My lords, upon the nature of this charge, or upon the importance of this investigation, it is quite unnecessary for me to enlarge. Your lordships, and every individual in the country, are fully capable of estimating these topics in their proper light. The only consolation, my lords, which I derive under the discharge of the duty which I have now to fulfil, is, that it calls not upon me to address myself to your lordships' passions or feelings; and that I shall best discharge it according to your lordship' command by abstaining from any observation which might tend to aggravate the charge made against so illustrious a person. I shall confine myself in this stage of the proceeding to a clear, simple, but full recital of the facts which are to be alleged in evidence. My lords, we are now arrived at that period of these proceedings in which siJence can no longer be preserved. It is now necessary to state the charges in the fullest extent in which they can be laid before

your lordships and the public; and if, in the recital of the cir cumstances which I have to detail, I shall be under the painful necessity of bringing before your lordships scenes which must disgust every well regulated mind-transactions which must offend the feelings of every honourable and virtuous person, I am sure your lordships will think that upon this occasion I ought to hold no reserve; at the same time taking care to state nothing which in my conscience I do not believe I shall be able to substantiate by proof. I shall now, my lords, without further preface, state to your lordships the painful narrative of those facts and circumstances which are to be adduced in proof before you. My lords, undoubtedly the recital must involve a considerable space of time, and apply to facts which occurred in various places,in which her Majesty chanced to be during her residence abroad. I shall therefore commence my statement at that period when her Majesty quitted this country, and proceed, as well as I can, to detail the various facts and circumstances which took place from that period almost to the time I now have the honour of addressing your lordships. It was well known to their lordships and the country, (continued the learned gent.) that, in the year 1814, her Majesty, for reasons operating upon her own mind, and not by compulsion, as has been insinuated by his learned brothers, thought fit to withdraw herself from this country to a foreign land.

Mr Brougham, in an under tone of voice, made some explanatory observation.

upon me.

The Attorney-general.-I beg pardon (cries of Order, order); but if I am to be interrupted, it will be impossible for me to do justice to the task which your lordships have cast When remarks are offered to my ear, my attention is necessarily distracted by them; and on an occasion so important as the present, with such public expectation attending the result of the duty I have to perform, and with a consciousness of my own inability to do justice to so arduous a task, I should be devoid of all feeling if I were insensible to the difficulty of my situation. I trust I shall therefore receive that indulgence from your lordships which even a person of stronger nerves would find it necessary to claim.

Mr Brougham.-I did not mean to interrupt the learned person. (Cries of order, order.)

Mr Brougham.-My Lords, in all courts (Order, order.)

Mr Brougham.-In every court

go on.)

Mr Brougham was reluctantly silent.

-(Order, order; go on,

The Attorney-general.-My Lords, it was perhaps more my fault than that of my learned friend, in alluding to what had passed. I will not, therefore, take up any further time on C

this subject.. The learned gentleman then went on to state, that in 1814 her Majesty withdrew herself from this country, for the purpose of travelling upon the continent, or visiting other countries. She went in the first instance to Brunswick, and from thence, after a short stay, she went to Italy, and arrived at Milan on the 9th of Oct. 1814. Her Majesty, when she quitted this country, quitted it with persons about her who were precisely such persons as should be about an individual of her exalted rank. She was accompanied by individuals connected with distinguished families in this kingdom. Among these were Lady Charlotte Lindsay and Lady Elizabeth Forbes, who were her nraids of honour; Mr St. Leger, who was her chamberlain, and Sir Wm. Gell and the Hon. Keppel Craven, who, I believe, were attached to her in a similar character. She was also accompanied by Captain Este, as her equerry, and Dr. Holland, as her physician, besides other persons whom it is unnecessary to enumerate. With this suite her Majesty arrived at Milan. It was her intention to proceed to other parts of Italy, and to visit Naples. She remained at Milan for the space of three weeks, and during that period a person was received into her service, whose name occurred in the preamble of this bill, and whose name will frequently occur in the course of these proceedings-a person of the name of Bergami, who was received by her as a courier, or footman, or valet de place. This person, at the time he entered her Majesty's service, was in want of employment ; but he had been in the service of General Pino, and being recommended to her Majesty, though it did not appear how he was recommended, he was received into her suite in the character and capacity which he had stated. He need hardly remark to their lordships upon the distance which interposed between her Majesty and her courier, or observe that, froin the natural course of things, the communication between her Majesty and this man must have been most unfrequent; and that no familiar intercourse, at least during an early stage of his service, could take place under ordinary circumstances. It was about fourteen or fifteen days previons to her Majesty's departure from Milan that Bergami entered into her service. Her Majesty, on quitting Milan, proceeded to Rome, and from thence she went to Naples, where she arrived on the 8th of November, 1814. This person had not been in her Majesty's service more than three weeks. He begged to call their lordships' attention to this circumstance, because they would find how material it became when they listened to the facts which presently it would be his melancholy duty to relate. He should have stated, that, besides the persons whom he mentioned as accompanying her Majesty from this country, there was a lad whose name was perhaps familiar to their lordships-be meant Wm. Austin. Up to the time of her Majes