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

The plot was published in the most terrifick

manner.

On the 31st of May (1643), at a folemn faft, when they were liftening to the fermon, a meffenger 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 sent 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 whatever "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 dif"courfe 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 reputation, he had "been admitted, had fpoke to him in their "chambers upon the proceedings in the Houses, "and how they had encouraged him to oppofe "them; what correfpondence and intercourfe

they had with fome Minifters of State at "Oxford, and how they had conveyed all in"telligence thither." He accufed the Earl of Portland and Lord Conway as co-operating in the tranfaction; and teftified that the Earl of Northumberland had declared himself disposed in favour of any attempt that might check the violence of the Parliament, 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 confict of factions, to have that difaffection known which cannot fafely be punished.

Temkyns was feized on the fame night with
Waller,

Waller, and appears likewife 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 fent 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 confesses them to have had, the original copy.

It can raise no wonder that they formed one plot out of thefe two defigns, however remote from each other, when they faw the same 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 citizens, to tell them of their imminent danger, and happy efcape; and inform them, that the defign was "to feize the Lord Mayor and all "the Committee of Militia, and would not

fpare one of them." They drew up a vow and covenant, to be taken by every member of either houfe, by which he declared his detefta

tion of all confpiracies against the parliament, and his refolution to detect and oppofe 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 sheriff; but their lands and goods were not seized.

Waller was ftill to immerse 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 queftion the veracity. With thefe doubts he was fo 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 unreafonbly to

"hide that truth, which, without you, already "is, and will every day be made more ma"nifeft. Can you imagine yourself bound in "honour to keep that fecret, which is already "revealed by another; or poffible it should "ftill be a fecret, which is known to one of "the other fex? - If you persist to be cruel to "yourself for their fakes who deferve it not, "it will nevertheless be made appear, ere long, "I fear, to your ruin. Surely, if I had the happiness to wait on you, I could move you to compaffionate both yourself and me, who, defperate as my cafe is, am defirous to die "with the honour of being known to have "declared the truth. You have no reafon to " contend to hide what is already revealed

inconfiderately to throw away yourself, for "the interest of others, to whom you are less obliged than you are aware of.”

This perfuafion feems to have had little effect. Portland fent (June 29) a letter to the Lords, to tell them, that he " is in cuftody, "as he conceives, without any charge; and

that, by what Mr. Waller hath threatened "him with fince he was imprifoned, he doth "apprehend a very cruel, long, and ruinous

"restraint: