which purpose there was to be appointed one in every diftrict, to diftinguish the friends of the king, the adherents to the parliament, and the neutrals. How far they proceeded does not appear; the refult of their enquiry, as Pym declared, was, that within the walls for one that was for them, there were three against them; but that without the walls for one that was against them, there were three for them. Whether this was faid from knowledge or guess, was perhaps never enquired.

It is the opinion of Clarendon, that in Waller's plan no violence or fanguinary refiftance was comprised; that he intended only to abate the confidence of the rebels by publick declarations, and to weaken their power by an oppofition to new fupplies. This, in calmer times, and more than this, is done without fear; but fuch was the acrimony of the commons, that no method of obftructing them was safe.

About this time another defign was formed by Sir Nicholas Crifpe, a man of loyalty that deferves perpetual remembrance; when he was a merchant in the city, he gave and procured the king, in his exigencies, an hundred thoufand pounds; and, when he was driven from the Exchange, raised a regiment, and com

manded it.

Sir Nicholas flattered himself with an opinion, that fome provocation would fo much exasperate, or fome opportunity fo much encourage, the king's friends in the city, that they would break out in open refiftance, and then would want only a lawful ftandard, and

an authorised commander; and extorted from the king, whofe judgment yielded to importunity, a commiffion of array, directed to fuch as he thought proper to nominate, which was fent to London by the lady Aubigney. She knew not what fhe carried, but was to deliver it on the communication of a certain token which Sir Nicholas imparted.

This commiffion could be only intended to lie ready till the time fhould require it. To have attempted to raise any forces, would have been certain deftruction: it could be of use only when the forces fhould appear. This was, however, an act preparatory to martial hoftility. Crifpe would undoubtedly have put an end to the feffion of parliament, had his ftrength been equal to his zeal; and out of the defign of Crifpe, which involved very little danger, and that of Waller, which was an act purely civil, they compounded a horrid and dreadful plot.

The discovery of Waller's design is variously related. In Clarendon's Hiftory it is told, that a fervant of Tomkyns, lurking behind the hangings when his mafter was in conference with Waller, heard enough to qualify him for an informer, and carried his intelligence to Pym. A manufcript, quoted in the Life of Waller, relates, that he was betray"ed by his fifter Price, and her presbyterian chaplain Mr. Goode, who ftole fome of his papers; and if he had not strangely dream"ed the night before, that his fifter had betrayed him, and thereupon burnt the rest of "his papers by the fire that was left in his chimney, he had certainly loft his life by "it."

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"it." The question cannot be decided. It is not unreasonable to believe that the men in

power, receiving intelligence from the fifter, would employ the fervant of Tomkyns to liften at the conference, that they might avoid an act fo offenfive as that of deftroying the brother by the fifter's teftimony.

The plot was published in the most terrifick manner. On the 31st of May, at a folemn fast, when they were liftening to the fermon, a messenger entered the church, and communicated his errand to Pym, who whispered it to others that were placed near him, and then went with them out of the church, leaving the reft in folicitude and amazement. They immediately fent guards to proper places, and that night apprehended Tomkyns and Waller; having yet traced nothing but that letters had been intercepted, from which it appeared that the parliament and the city were foon to be delivered into the hands of the cavaliers.

They perhaps yet knew little themselves, beyond fome general and indiftinct notices. "But Waller," fays Clarendon, " was fo con"founded with fear, that he confeffed what"ever he had heard, faid, thought, or feen; "all that he knew of himself, and all that "he fufpected of others, without concealing any perfon of what degree or quality foever, "or any difcourfe which he had ever upon any occafion, entertained with them; what "fuch and fuch ladies of great honour, to "whom, upon the credit of his wit and great

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reputation, he had been admitted, had spoke "to him in their chamber's upon the proceedings in the houses, and how they had encouraged

couraged him to oppofe them; what cor refpondence and intercourfe they had with "fome ministers of state at Oxford, and how

they conveyed all intelligence thither." He accused the earl of Portland and lord Conway as co-operating in the transaction; and testified that the earl of Northumberland had declared himself difpofed in favour of any attempt that might check the violence of the par. liament, and reconcile them to the king.

He undoubtedly confeffed much, which they could never have difcovered, and perhaps fomewhat which they would wish to have been fuppreffed; for it is inconvenient, in the conflict of factions, to have that difaffection known which cannot fafely be punished.

Tomkyns was feized on the fame night with Waller, and appears likewise to have partaken of his cowardice; for he gave notice of Crifpe's commiffion of array, of which Clarendon never knew how it was difcovered. Tomkyns had been sent with the token appointed, to demand it from lady Aubigney, and had buried it in his garden, where, by his direction, it was dug up; and thus the rebels obtained, what Clarendon confeffes them to have had, the original copy.

It can raise no wonder that they formed one plot out of these two defigns, however remote from each other, when they saw the fame agent employed in both, and found the commiffion of array in the hands of him who was employed in collecting the opinions and affections of the people.

Of the plot, thus combined, they took care to make the most. They fent Pym among

the

the citizens to tell them of their imminent danger, and happy escape; and inform them, that the defign was to feize the "lord mayor "and all the committee of militia, and would "not spare one of them." They drew up a vow and covenant, to be taken by every member of either house, by which he declared his deteftation of all confpiracies against the parliament, and his refolution to detect and oppose them. They then appointed a day of thanksgiving for this wonderful delivery; which fhut out, fays Clarendon, all doubts whether there had been fuch a deliverance, and whether the plot was real or fictitious.

On June 11, the earl of Portland and lord Conway were committed, one to the custody of the mayor, and the other of the fheriff; but their lands and goods were not seized.

Waller was still to immerfe himself deeper in ignominy. The earl of Portland and lord Conway denied the charge, and there was no evidence against them but the confeffion of Waller, of which undoubtedly many would be inclined to question the veracity. With these doubts he was so much terrified, that he endeavoured to perfuade Portland to a declaration like his own, by a letter extant in Fenton's edition. “But for me," fays he, • you "had never known any thing of this business, "which was prepared for another; and there"fore I cannot imagine why you should hide "it fo far as to contract your own ruin by

concealing it, and perfifting unreasonably "to hide that truth, which, without you, already is, and will every day be made more, manifeft. Can you imagine yourself bound

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