Upon this all the Company, that was with _Pinto_, enter'd the Chamber at once, and sought _Vasconcellos_; they overturn'd the Bed and Tables, broke open the Trunks, and every one was desirous of giving him the first Blow; yet, spite of their Endeavour, they could not find him, and they began to fear that he had made his Escape: but at last an old Maid-Servant being threaten'd with Death, unless she would tell where her Master was; and seeing the uplifted Swords, pointed to a Press which was made within the Wall, and in which they found the Secretary bury'd under a heap of Papers. So great was his fear of Death, which he saw surrounding him on every side, that it prevented his Speech. Don _Roderigo de Saa_, Lord Chamberlain, was the Man who kill'd him, by shooting him through the Head with a Pistol; after which several of the Conspirators stabb'd him, then threw him out of the Window, crying, _Liberty! Liberty! The Tyrant is dead! Long live Don_ John _King of_ Portugal! The Noise which all this had made, had drawn a vast number of People to the Palace-Court, who seeing the Secretary's Body thrown out, shouted in a most joyful manner; then rushing upon the Carcase, they mangled it, every one being eager to give him a Stab, thinking that, thro his sides, they wounded Tyranny. Thus perish'd _Miguel Vasconcellos_, a _Portuguese_ by Birth, but by Inclination a _Spaniard_, and an Enemy to his Country. He had an excellent Genius for Business, was crafty, politick, nor could any Man apply himself closer to it than he did. He was always inventing new ways of extorting Money from the People, was unmerciful, inexorable, and cruel, without the least regard to Friend or Relation; so fix'd, that after he had taken a Resolution, no one could byass his Temper; and so harden'd, that he never knew what the Stings of Conscience were. He had a Soul that was not capable of relishing any pleasure, but that of hoarding up Money; so that he left vast Sums behind him, part of which the People plunder'd, being willing to repay themselves, in some measure, that which had been extorted from them.