[1] He joined his father as a supporter of James II during the Williamite War in Ireland, serving as a captain and later a colonel in the Jacobite dragoon regiment of Lord Dongan.
He was outlawed under the Articles of Limerick and in 1691 he joined in the Flight of the Wild Geese to France, serving briefly in the French Royal Army.
With support from influential figures, including the Duke of Shrewsbury, Bellew was granted a pardon by William III of England on 18 March 1697.
In January 1709, he contested a by-election for the Steyning constituency in the House of Commons of Great Britain on the interest of his brother-in-law, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond.
He contested the seat for a second time at a by-election in February 1712 and was successful, but was unseated in May 1712 after an investigation found evidence of bribery and the election was declared void.