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 per∣fect. After a while, the Deponent understood that a Medicine was mention∣ed 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 allow∣ed 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 Depo∣nent 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 Sep∣tember, 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.