Stuart dynasty

( 290 )
APPENDIX IT.
" I, Margaret Dawson,* tho weake in body, yet of sound mind and
memory, for which God be blessed, foreseeing that, by reason of my great
age and. weaknesse, the time of my dissolution draweth nigh, do here in
the presence of God Almighty, before whom I shall shortly appear, make
this solemn Declaration that what I have written with my own hand and
subscribed to, in a little book concerniug the birth of his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales, at which I was present when He was brought into
the World by the Queen's Majesty his Mother, is certain and true to my
knowledge, and that if God Almighty should vouchsafe to continue me
longer in this world, I would most readily and conscientiously attest the
same upon oath before any person or persons whatever, whenever I should
be called and summoned to give in my Evidence.
" Witnesse this my hand this thirteenth day of February, 1700.
"(Signed) Margaret Dawson."
" We whose names are underwritten do testify and declare, y* Mrs.
Margaret Dawson did freely subscribe the declaration above written, after
it was twice distinctly read unto her, and after she had declared y l she
distinctly heard the same. We also testify y' she owned the above said
declaration, after she bad subscribed the same, to be her act and deed, and
likewise that during the severall readings of the said declaration she held
the book mentioned in it in her hand.
"Witness our hands, the day, and month, and year above written.
"(Signed) George Hickes, D.D.
Thomas Smith, D.D.
Thomas Boteler, A.M.
Bridget Harrison."
Additional MSS., Brit. Museum, No. 33,286.
„ „ ,, „ „ 26,657.
* Margaret Dawson was Bedchamber Woman to Mary of Modena.