JET. 34.] .ASSASSINATION OF PERCEVAL. 15 



the woollen country. Unhappily he did not live to 

 witness the contradiction to his prediction. On the 

 llth May, when complaining that he had not come 

 down at the stipulated time, I told the Secretary of the 

 Treasury that I must go on notwithstanding, as it was 

 the second time Perceval had failed me. He sent a 

 messenger to Downing Street to hasten Perceval, by 

 letting him know we had begun. The messenger met 

 him in Parliament Street, walking with Stephen, who, 

 of course, attended most regularly, and took a con- 

 stant and active part. Perceval, with his wonted acti- 

 vity, left him, and darted forward to the House. Had 

 Stephen continued as he was, on the left hand, he 

 might have been the victim of Bellingham, who was 

 waiting in the lobby either for Perceval or some one 

 of note : it afterwards appeared he hardly knew or 

 cared who. 



I was proceeding with my examination of the wit- 

 ness, when I heard a report, as it seemed to me of a 

 pistol which had gone off in some one's pocket in 

 the gallery, the sound being deadened. This passed 

 through my mind, but I did not interrupt my exa- 

 mination. Some persons were seen in the gallery 

 running towards the door, so it seemed that the report 

 had come from the lobby. Instantly after, General 

 Gascoigne rushed up the House and cried, " He has 

 been shot!" As I expected Whitbread, I asked if 

 it was he. Gascoigne replied, " No, Perceval ; he is 

 shot dead." 



He had fallen close to "William Smith, who took 

 him up, and, assisted by others, carried him into the 

 Speaker's room. Before they got there he was dead. 

 The ball had penetrated the heart, passing completely 



