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1 Trial and Execution of Bellingham, for the Murder of Mr. Perceval, Prime Minister of Great-Britain. Sessions-House, Old Bailey, Friday, May 15, 1812 1812

handle is hein.trials/xprecmdr0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Trial and Execution OF BELLINGHAM, FOR THE IURDER OF MR. PERCEVAL, Prime Minister of Great-Britain. SESSIONS-HOUSE, OLD BAILEY, FRIDAY, MAIY 15, 1812. BELLINGHAM eat his dinner yesterday at two o'clock with seemingly a good appetite, and was soon afterwards visited by Mr. Under-Sheriff Smith, and other Gentlemen, and desired to prepare for his trial. Between four and five o'clock, Mr. Harmer, the So- licitor, appointed to conduct his defence, waited upon him, but he would have nothing to say to him ; insisting that he needed neither Attorney nor Counsel, but was competentto manage his own affairs! At six o clock he drank some tea, immediately after which he began to draw up his defence.-He continued writing till about twelve at night, when he went to bed and requested silence that he might repose in quiet-waked at three this morning, wrote a few lines and then lay down again and slept till seven, when he got up, washed himself, ai.d breakfasted at eight o'clock. He eat sparing- ly, began to be much agitated, expressed great concern for his fa- mily, and was sick. His hair being dressed, he began to express impatience for the hour of trial. At a quarter before ten this morning, Mr. Newman took him down to the Court. At an early hour the populace had already collected in immense numbers, anq every avenue to the Court was occupied. By nine o'clock the Court was crowded in every corner. The Marquis Wellesley took his seat on the Bench, beside the Recorder. Mr. Alderman Combe was seated on the same bench in virtue of his office. Besides the Marquis Wellesley, we observed the Duke, of Clar- ence on the Bench, who entered with the Lord Mayor. A great number of Members of Parliament, and among others Sir Francis Burdett, were in the body of the Court. The Judges who took their seats on the Bench, were Sir James Mansfield, Barons Graham and Smith, and Mr. Justice Heath.- ,As soon as the Judges had taken their seats, the prisoner was brought in. He was heavily ironed on each leg, and advanced