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"rity wasrequifite, and, being trufted to them, would

66 not be executed at all, or elfe at such a time as his

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· Majesty should receive ample fruit by it, provided “it were done with fecrefy equal to the hazard they "fhould run who were employ'd in it.

"The King had this exception to it," the impro"bability that it could do good, and that the failing 64 might do hurt to the undertakers." But the promo"ter was a very popular man in the City, where he "had been a commander of the Trained Bands till "the ordinance of the militia removed him, which "rather improved than lessened his credit, and he was very confident it would produce a notable ad"" vantage to the King. However, they defired it who were there, and would not appear without it; and "therefore the King confented to it, referring the "nomination of all perfons in the commiffion to "him, who, he verily believed, had proceeded by the "inftru&ion and advice of thofe that were nearest "the concernment: and for the fecrefy of it, the King "referred the preparing and dispatch of the com"miffion to Sir Nicholas Crifp himself, who should "acquaint no more with it than he found requifite.

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So, without the privity or advice of any counfellor

or minifter of state, then most trusted by his Ma

jefty, he procured fuch a commiffion as he defired

"(being no other than the Commiffion of Array in English) to be figned by the King, and fealed with "the great feal.

“This being done, and remaining still in his cu"ftody, the Lady Aubigney, by a pafs, and with the "confent of the Houles, came to Oxford to transact "the affairs of her own fortune with the King, upon "the death of her hufband, who was killed at Edge"hill; and the having in few days difpatched her bu"finefs there, and being ready to return, Sir Nicho"la Crifp came to the King, and befought him "to "defire that lady (who had a pafs, and fo could pro"mife herself safety in her journey) to carry a small 'box (in which that commiffion fhould be) with her,

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and to keep it in her own custody until a gentleman "should call to her Ladyfhip for it by fuch a token; "that token, he faid, he could fend to one of the per"fons trufted, who fhould keep it by him till the opportunity came in which it might be executed." "The King accordingly wished the Lady Aubigney to

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carry it with great care and fecrefy, telling her "it "much concerned his own fervice, and to deliver it "in fuch manner, and upon fuch affurance, as is "before mentioned;" which she did, and, within few 66 days after her return to London, delivered it to a 'perfon who was appointed to call for it. How this "commiffion was difcovered I could never learn, for 66 though Mr. Waller had the honour to be admitted "often to that lady, and was believed by her to be "a gentleman of most entire affections to the King's fervice, and, confequently, might be fitly trufted

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"with what the knew, yet her Ladyship herself, not 'knowing what it was the carried, could not in"form any body elfe.

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"But about this time a fervant of Mr. Tomkins, "who had often curforily overhead his mafter and "Mr. Waller difcourfe of the argument we are now upon, placed himself behind a hanging at a time they 66 were together, and there, whilft either of them dif"courfed the language and opinion of the company "they kept, overheard enough to make him believe "his information and discovery would make him welcome to those whom he thought concerned, and fo went to Mr. Pym, and acquainted him with all he "had heard, or probably imagined. The time when "Mr.Pymwas made acquainted with it is not known, "but the circumftances of the publishing it were fuch

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as filled all men with apprehenfions. It was on "Wednesday the 31st of May, their folemn fast-day, "when being all at their fermon, in St. Margaret's "church in Westminster, according to their custom, "a letter or meffage is brought privately to Mr. Pym, "who thereupon, with fome of the most active mem"bers, rife from their feats, and, after a little whi"fpering together, remove out of the church. This "could not but exceedingly affect those who staid "behind. Immediately they fend guards to all the prifons, as Lambeth-house, Ely-house, and fuch "places, where their malignants were in cuftody, with

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"directions" to search the prisoners, and fome other places which they thought fit should be suspected.” "After the fermons were ended, the Houfes met, and

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were only then told, "that letters were intercepted "going to the King and the court at Oxford, that expreffed some notable confpiracy in hand, to deli"ver up the parliament and the City into the hands "of the Cavaliers, and that the time for the execu"tion of it drew very near." Hereupon a commit"tee was appointed, to examine all perfons they "thought fit, and to apprehend fome nominated at "that time." And the fame night this committee ap"prehended Mr. Waller and Mr. Tomkins, and the "next day fuch others as they fufpected.

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"Mr. Waller was fo confounded with fear and ap"prehenfion, that he confeffed whatever he had faid, "heard, thought, or feen; all that he knew of him"self, and all that he suspected of others, without

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concealing any perfon, of what degree or quality "foever, or any difcourfe that he had ever, upon 66 any occafion, entertained with them: what fuch "and fuch ladies, of great honour, to whom, upon "the credit of his great wit and very good reputas "tion he had been admitted, had spoke to him in "their chambers of the proceedings in the Houses, "and how they had encouraged him to oppose them; "what correspondence and intercourse they had with "fome minifters of state at Oxford, and how they

* derived all intelligence thither. He informed them, * " that the Earl of Portland and the Lord Conway "had been particular in all the agitations which had "been with the citizens, and had given frequent ad"vice and directions how they should demean them"felves; and that the Earl of Northumberland had expreffed very good wifes to any attempt that might give a stop to the violent actions and proceed"ings of the Houses, and produce a good understanding with the King."

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They proceeded to try Mr. Tomkins, Mr. Chal"loner, a citizen of good wealth and credit, and moit " intimate with Mr. Tomkins, Mr. Hambden, who "brought the last message from the King, one Haf"fel, a meffenger of the King's who paffed often be"tween London and Oxford, and fometimes carried

letters and meffages to the Lord Falkland, and "fome citizens whofe names were in the commiffion "fent from Oxford, by a council of war; by whom "Mr.Tomkins and Mr. Challoner were condemned 66 to be hanged, and were both, with all the circum"stances of severity and cruelty, executed; the one " on a gibbet by his own house in Holborn, where he "had long lived with fingular eftimation, and the "other by his house in Cornhill, near the Old Ex“change. Haffel, the messenger, faved them further "trouble, and died in prison the night before his "trial: and there being no evidence against Mr. Volume I.

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