LORD BERKELEY'S ADVENTURES 83 



was opened, and a footpad, dressed as a sailor, pointed 

 a fully-cocked pistol at him. The man's hand trembled 

 violently, and while my lord was producing what 

 money he had about him, the trigger was pulled, 

 more, it would seem, from accident than intention. 

 Happily, the pistol missed fire. The man then 

 exclaimed, " I beg your pardon, my lord," and, 

 recocking his pistol, retreated with his plunder. 



After this escape, Lord Berkeley swore he would 

 never be robbed again, and always travelled at night 

 with a short carriage-gun and a brace of pistols. 

 Thus armed, it was on a November night in 1774 

 that he was attacked for the last time. He was 

 Cfoino; to dine with Mr. Justice Bulstrode, who lived 

 in an old house surrounded by a brick wall, near 

 where Hounslow's modern church now stands, and 

 as the carriage was nearing the town, a voice called 

 to the postboy to halt, and a man rode up to the 

 carriage window on the left-hand side, thrusting in a 

 pistol, as the glass was let down. With his left hand 

 Lord Berkeley seized the weapon and turned it away, 

 while with his right he pushed the short double- 

 barrelled gun he had with him against the robber's 

 body, and fired once. The man was severely wounded, 

 and his clothes were set on fire, but he managed to 

 ride away some fifty yards, and then fell dead. Two 

 accomplices then appeared, but Lord Berkeley, and a 

 servant on horseback who rode beliind the carriage, 

 made for them, and they fled. It was then discovered 

 that the gang were all amateur highwaymen, and 

 youths from eighteen to twenty years of age, in good 

 positions in London. 



