A LETTER to a FRIEND Concerning the SICKNESS and DEATH Of His Highness the Duke of Gloucester. With the True Copies of Three Letters Wrote by Dr. Hannes, Dr. Gibbons, and Dr. Radcliffe, to the KING; And also the Surgeon's Certificate who Dissected him. Published for the Rectifying the Many Mistaken Rumours Spread on this Most Lamented Loss.  

SIR,  
NEws is a Compound in which Falsehood is generally the Largest Ingredient; so must beg leave to tell you your Commands would have been more speedily obeyed in any thing, than to write on this unhappy Solemn Subject. But the Injunction your Letter laid on me, as well as the various Reports this Town has afforded, put me on an Exact Enquiry after the Truth; and now I have had the good luck to find it, I fear any dress I might put on would disguise it, therefore I send it you naked in the Copies of Three Letters Wrote in his Majesty, by the Three Eminent Physicians who attended his Highness in his short Sickness, and the Three noted Surgeons Certificate who opened him. They are Examined with the Originals, and I know you will as clearly inform yourself and the Country from them, as any body else is able: And I hope this will make my Excuse for not writing you the Melancholy News sooner, as you requested,  
Your Obliged Servant, B. P. London, the 1st. of Octob. 1700.   

A Copy of Dr. Hannes' Letter to the KING, in relation to the Duke of Gloucester's Death.  
ON Wednsday, July the 24 th'. His Highness the Duke of Gloucester, after the Ceremony of his Birthday was over, found himself fateagued and indisposed the same Night, and the next Day He was extremely Sick, and complained of his Throat. All Friday He was hot and Feavourish. On Saturday Morning, upon his losing a little Blood, He thought himself better; but in the Evening his fever appearing more violent, a Blister was directed with such other Remedies as were thought most proper, his Highness went this Day very often to Stool; this day a Rash came out on his Skin, which increased the next, more Blisters were laid on. On Sunday in the Afternoon the fever growing stronger He went into a Delirium, which lasted with his Life: He passed this Night as he had done the preceding, with short broken Sleeps, and incoherent Talk. On Monday, the Blisters having taken effect, and the Pulse mending, it was thought probable his Highness might recover. About Eleven at Night we were alarmed with a sudden change, and about two Hours after, Nature giving way to the Malignity of the Distemper, His Highness Expired.   

A Copy of Dr. Gibbons' Letter, July the 30th. 1700.  
I came to wait on his Royal Highness July the 28 th', being Sunday, betwixt Three and Four in the Morning. I found him very Feavourish, with a quick and low Pulse, and a crude Urine, and was informed by those that attended him, that He had had several Stools that Afternoon. He swallowed with ease, and when I looked into his Throat, I sound nothing amiss there. About Eight the same Morning I found him in a Sweat, and Eruptions began to appear in his Skin, which towards the Afternoon increased, and at Night appeared like a Rash. About Three in the Afternoon He strove to Vomit, and brought up a great deal of Vescied Phlegm, presently after which He had a large Stool, and had like to have fainted away, but by applying proper Remedies, recovered his Spirits in some Reason. By the help of Alexipharmacal Medicines He continued in a Breathing Sweat, and the Rash out, till about Eleven of the Clock last Night, when on the sudden He was seized with a difficult Breathing, and could swallow nothing down, and died before Midnight.   

A Copy of Dr. Radcliffs Letter, July the 30th. 1700.  
ON Sunday the 28 th'. about Noon, I was sent for to attend upon his Highness the Duke of Gloucester at Windsor, I got thither about Six in the Evening, where I found his Highness in Bed with a very high Fever upon him, his Flesh was extreme hot, a high colour in his Cheeks, with several Eruptions upon his Skin and Face, attended with a Rash; which gave some Suspicion that it might prove the Smallpox: His Pulse was very quick and Feverish; his Tongue White, and his swallowing without pain or difficulty; his Breathing by fits short, and attended with great sighing; his Urine Pale and without Sediment, and He himself very Restless and extreme Lightheaded. He had that day several Stools, and with the last so weakened, that He had like to have fainted away. After that I had informed myself of the present Circumstances and Condition of his Distemper, I retired with Dr. Gibbons, and Dr. Hannes (who were both there) to consult about his Recovery: We ordered him that Night a Drink, which was proper to suppress his Looseness, which had its effect, for He had no Stools afterwards. His Fever was a Malignant Fever in all its Symptoms, with a Rash attending it: We ordered him Cordial-Powders and Cordial-Julips to resist the Malignity; He took a Paper of those Powders that Night, which kept him in a Breathing Sweat, and brought out the Rash in a greater quantity; He had but very little Rest that Night with great sighing and dejection of Spirits, and towards Morning complained very much of his Blisters; they were opened in the Morning, and they were drawn, and Run well; upon the Running of his Blisters He was less Lightheaded, and the Rash came out more, so that towards Noon his Head was considerably better, and his Breathing freer, which gave us some Encouragement at that time to hope his Recovery: We ordered him in the Evening two more Blisters, and to continue the Method He was in, hoping, by the assistance of 'em, He would have a better Night, and be less Lightheaded: But before the Blisters could take place, the Malignity of the Distemper retreating from the Skin upon the Vital Parts, He was on a sudden, after a little doseing, taken with a sort of Convulsive Breathing, with a defect in Swallowing, and a total Deprivation of all Sense, which lasted about an Hour, and so between Twelve and One at Night he departed this Life.   

The Opinion of the Surgeons, that Dissected the Duke of Gloucester.  
WHereas 'tis reported that we the Surgeons, who Dissected the Body of his Highness the Duke of Gloucester, have given it as our Opinions, that He died of a Quinsy, or sore Throat: We do now (as we did upon Dissection declare our Opinions) that the sole Occasion on His Highness' Death was a very high Malignant Fever.  
Charles Bernard. Edward Green. William Cowper.   
FINIS.   

LONDON. Printed and Sold by A. Baldwin in War 〈◊〉 〈◊〉