MY Desire of securing Truth from the Out-rages of ill Men, especially when the publick is concern'd, have prevail'd with me to give a short Account of the Sickness and Death of Captain Bedlow. On Munday the 9th. Day of this Instant, he came very ill from Lon­don, having the Head-ach, and an extream Looseness most part of that Day; the next Day after he came home, he was seized with a most violent Vomiting and Looseness; Physitians were sent for, who attended him three days, but his Distemper encreasing, on Thursday Two other Physitians were joyn'd in Consultation a­bout him; his Disease still grew upon him, and he be­ing very Apprehensive that it would issue in his Death, and understanding that the Lord Chief Justice North would be there to hold the Assizes the 16th. Instant, ex­pressed a very great desire to speak with his Lordship for discharging of his conscience, in deposing some what which he had not before disclosed; with which his Lordship being made acquainted, was pleased that night at his Request to go to him; before whom he did by ma­ny repeated Asseverations, upon the Words of a Dying Man, declare, That in all the great business of the Plot he spoke nothing against any Person upon Oath, or otherwise by way of Accusation, but what was true; and only complain'd that he had been too timerous, and rather lessened his Evidence in some particulars.

After some short time, the Company were desired to withdraw; and none being left with him but the Lord Chief Justice, Capt. Bedlow's Wife, and the Judges Clerk; My Lord gave the said Mr. Bedlow his Oath, and his Clerk took a pretty long Deposition in Writing, the Contents whereof are yet [...] thus fer we know [Page 2] he made Oath, That whatsoever he had declared to the King and Council, and the Secret Committee, and at the several Tryals upon Oath, were all true, upon the word of a dying man. He told the Judge he expected no Crown of Martyrdom for Lying, as the Papists did, but what he said was sincerely true, as he was shortly to appear before the great Iehovah, the maker of all flesh where he should stand with a clear Conscience as to all matters of the Plot, wherein he had given Evidence. He said morever to the Judge: My Lord, some will not believe the Plot, or pretend it at least. My Lord, I speak the more, because I know not but that I may dye this night. He very often said to my Lord Chief Justice with great earnestness, My Lord! I pitty the King! I pitty the King! His life is in danger! they will Poyson, or cut him off! they are going towards it! they are carry­ing on the Plot! the Papists will Kill Him! when my Lord was going away, he called him back again, took him by the hand, and beg'd him to present his most Humble Duty to the King, and to tell him he was His most loy­al and dutiful Subject, and to beseech Him to take care of Himself.

Tuesday the 17th. of August, towards the Evening, he appear'd worse than he had been all his sickness before; some about him asking him several Questions about his Dedosition; he replyed, He was a very weak man, and would talk no more of Temporal things.

Wednesday he had a severe Fit, through the violence of which, he spake not for the space of 14 hours, or thereabouts. Thursday in the Evening his speech re­turned to him, and he took some refreshment, and asked those about him what day of the Month it was? and what hour of the day, exactly? One standing by, asked him if he were satisfied in his Conscience as to what he [Page 3] had sworn and acted in the publick business he had been involved in? His Answer was, That as he hoped for Salvation, all that he had sworn about the Plot was just and true, and that he had rather omitted, than augmented any thing he had given in Evidence. This he spoke the night before he dyed, and after he had been in a Trance sever­al hours.

Friday the 20th. of August Instant, his Speech failed him again, and returned no more; and about Two of the Clock that Afternoon he expired.

Yesterday being Sunday, after he had been publickly exposed in Merchant-Taylors Hall, in this City, to the view of all Spectators, his Corps was carried thence a­bout Six of the Clock in the Evening, and buried in the Mayors Chappel, called the Gaunts; the Funeral was attended with a very numerous Company of Citizens, both Men and Women. Mr. Mayor, and others of the best Quality being present, several Gentlemen of the Council, and others bearing up the Pall. Church was hung with Black. Mr. Palmer, a-Reverend and Learned Divine of the City, Preached an excellent Ser­mon at his Funeral, on Rom. 14. v. 12, 13. So then e­very one of us shall give an account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way. There were Escutcheons fixed to the Hearse, with this Inscription in black letters in a Field-Argent.

PHillip Earl Pembrook and Mountgomery, with seve­ral other of his Retinue, having been abroad at Dinner at a Person of Qualities, on Wednesday being the 11th. of this Instant August, 1680; [Page 4] where drinking till it was late, and then, as it is said, be­ing somewhat High flown with Wine, they returned homewards in a Hackney-Coach, till at last crossing over Turnham-Green, they were stopped by the Watch belong­ing to the Parish of Chiswick, the Constable of the said Watch being then with one Mr. Smeethe, a Gentleman belonging to the Court, and one Mr. Halfpenny, another Constable of the said Parish, who just came from London with the former Constable, and went to drink at the Cock and Half-Moon, who upon notice of a Coach be­ing stopped, came out of the House, and coming close up to the side of it, demanded who the persons were, and whether they were designed, not knowinst it to be my Lord of Pembrook, nor that they had such dangerous per­sons to deal withal; but being sharply answered, they made the like Return, whereupon, as it is creditably re­lated, his Lorship opening the other side of the Coach, came out, and whilst the parties beforementioned were talking to the rest, not dreaming of such a Fate, he came upon them unawares, and with his Sword run Smeethe first into the Belly quite through, the weapon passing out, and then wheeling about, made at Halfpenny, and with a pass run him quite through the Body, in on one side, and out of the other; and afterwards through the Rist, so furious was he to destruction bent; and had done greater mischief, had not Mr. Smeethe feeling himself wounded, cryed out, I will not be thus killed like a Dog, and there­upon caught a Staff out of one of the Watchmens hands, he having none before, and with the same knocked his Lordship down, who then began to cry for Quarter, up­on which his Servants came and fell upon him to save him from Blows, which Smeethe seeing, said, My Lord, you have given me my Deaths-wound, and I could Kill you not having you thus at my mercy, if I pleased, but [Page 5] that I scorn so foul and base a Deed, and thereupon seiz­ed him as his Prisoner, whilst the rest of his Retinue which were about six in number, were oblieged to sub­mit; several of the Watchmen having broke their Staves in desending themselves, and making a stout Re­sistance: after his Lordship was taken, he was by the Order of the Constable of the Watch, conveyed to the Cock and Half-Moon, strongly Guarded, for upon the Brunt of the Skirmish, all the people in the Green were Alarum'd, where they, after he was disarm'd, put him into a Chamber, and the Constable went in and discour­sed with his Lordship of the heinousness of the Affront and Violence he had done to the Kings Watch, at which he seemed little concerned.

During the Uproar and Tumult, a person of Quality as it is said, came by, who understanding what the cause of it was, and how his Lordship was taken, went to visit him, and after a long conference with the Constable of the watch, his Lordship was suffered to depart, unknown to most of the Company; they being given to understand that he was asleep, and that none must disturb him, &c. This Exploit was done about twelve of the Clock in the Evening, and after his Lordship was let go, which was about One, it is said he made all speed for London: He being gone, the Wounded men were looked after, and Chirurgions immediately sent for, who no sooner came, but found two wounds to be Mortal, one, viz. Halfpenny having bled so excessively, that he fainted away; and the other, viz. Smeethe, in a short time afterwards dyed, he being a Man of a considerable Estate, and so stout, that it is believed, had he not been surprized at unawares and unarmed as he was, none could have wronged him either with Sword or Staff; and a person so far from offering an abuse to any, that he abhor'd the Company [Page 6] of such as he knew to be Guilty of the same. Mr. Half­penny being carried home, the Chirurgions upon sight of his Wound, durst not venture to search the wound to any deepness, for fear that his Lungs should be pierced, or some other of his Vital parts; so that they dispair of his ever recovering, and look every day that he will dye; there was likewise a third person hurt, viz. a poor Fellow who was lately discharged from a Farmers Ser­vice of that place, but his wounds were but slight. On Fryday the Coroner and his Jury sat upon the deceased, but could not agree in giving in their Verdict.