eloquence; a speech so highly applauded, that 20,000 copies of it were fold in one day. Yet did it not effect its purpose, as no punishment was inflicted on Crawley, a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and one of the twelve Judges, and whose crime was that of fubfcribing to an opinion that the King had a right to levy fhip-money.

Matters having now come to an extremity betwixt the King and his parliament, Charles, on the 22d of August 1642, erected the royal standard at Notting⚫ham, and on this occafion our Author fent his Majesty a thousand broad pieces; a pretty convincing proof that he wished not ill to the royal cause; at the fame time correfponding with those more imme⭑ diately employed about the King's person; by their means he obtained the royal leave for returning to his duty in parliament, where it was expected he would be of fingular service to his prince by the force of his eloquence.

Soon after the battle of Edge-hill, which was fought on the 23d Oct. 1642, Charles retired to Oxford, where Waller was one of the Commiffionersappointed by the parliament to prefent their propofitions of peace. The Commiffioners were received by his Majesty in the garden of Christ-Church, and Waller, as the lowest in rank, was presented last. After having kissed the royal hand, Charles looking on him with complacency, said, "Though you are the last,

yet you are not the worst, nor the leaft in my fa66 vour."

As Whitelocke, who was alfo one of the Commiffioners deputed by the parliament gives teftimony to the above anecdote, we can hardly queflion its authenticity; and though that author's veracity ought not to be difputed in narrating a fact, of which himself was witnefs, yet ought we not wholly to rely on the conclufions which he deduces from it. He more than once afferts, that the favourable reception conferred upon Waller by the King at Oxford, was in confequence of the plot then forming by him for his Majefty's intereft, and which was detected in a fhort time after the return of the Commiffioners to London. But it is hardly probable that Charles fhould commit a folecifm in politicks fo extremely flagrant, if he really knew that Waller had affociated against his foes, as thus to take publick and particular notice of him on that account, and confequently mark him a victim of the parliament's wrath, fhould his concert mifcarry.

This plot was formed and discovered in the 1643, and was of fo mild a nature, that Mr. Hume fays, "it might with more juftice be ftyled a project than "a plot." Mr. Whitelocke has given the following account of this affair *.

"June 1643," fays he," began the arraignment of * Memorials of English affairs, p. 70. edit. 1732.

"Waller, Tomkins, Challoner, and others, confpi"ring to surprise the City militia, and fome members "of parliament, and to let in the King's forces to "furprise the City, and diffolve the parliament. Wal"ler, a very ingenious man, was the principal actor “and contriver of this plot, which was in design "when he and the other Commiffioners were at Ox"ford with the parliament's propofitions; and that "being then known to the King, occafioned him to 'speak these words to Waller, Though you are the laft, "yet you are not the worst, nor the leaft in favour. When "he was examined touching this plot, he was asked "whether Selden, Pierpoint, Whitelocke, and others "by name, were acquainted with it? He anfwered, "That they were not; but that he did come one " evening to Selden's ftudy, where Pierpoint and "Whitelocke then were with Selden, on purpose to "impart it to them all; and fpeaking of fuch a thing in general terms, thefe gentlemen did fo in"veigh against any such thing astreachery and base"nefs, and that which might be the occafion of fhed"ding much blood, that he said he durft not, for the "awe and refpect which he had for Selden and the "reft, communicate any of the particulars to them, "but was almost disheartened himself to proceed in "it. They were all upon their trials condemned. "Tomkins and Challoner only were hanged. Wal"ler had a reprieve from General Effex; and, after Volume 1.

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"a year's imprisonment, paid a fine of 10,cccl. and was pardoned."

That the reader may be enabled to judge of this matter with the greater precision, to this account by Whitelocke we shall fubjoin that of Lord Clarendon, Hiftory,printed at Oxford, 1727,vol. II. part I. p. 247.

"There was of the House of Commons," fays the noble hiftorian, "one Mr. Waller, a gentleman of a very good fortune and eftate,and of admirable parts "and faculties of wit and eloquence, and of an in"timate conversation and familiarity with those who "had that reputation. He had, from the beginning "of the parliament, been looked upon by all men as "a perfon of very entire affections to the King's fer"vice, and to the established government of church "and ftate; and by having no manner of relation to "the court, had the more credit and interest to pro66 mote the rights of it. When the ruptures grew fo great between the King and the two Houfes, that 66 very many of the members withdrew from those counfels, he, among the reft, with equal dislike, ab"fented himself; but at the time the standard was "fet up, having intimacy and friendship with fome "perfons now of nearnefs about the King, with the « King's approbation he returned again to London, "where he spoke, upon all occafions, with great

Tharpness and freedom, which (now there were fo "few there that used it, and there was no danger of

*being over-voted) was not reftrained, and therefore "ufed as an argument against those who were gone

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upon pretence" that they were not fuffered to de"clare their opinion freely in the House, which could

not be believed, when all men knew what liberty "Mr. Waller took, and spoke every day with impunityagainst the sense and proceedings of the House." "This won him a great reputation with all people "who wished well to the King, and he was looked upon as the boldeft champion the crown had in "both Houses; fo that fuch Lords and Commons as really defired to prevent the ruin of the kingdom, "willingly complied in a great familiarity with him, as a man refolute in their ends, and beft able to "promote them: and it may be they believed his "reputation at court fo good, that he would be no "ill evidence there of other mens zeal and affection; "and fo all men spoke their minds freely to him, "both of the general distemper, and of the paffions "and ambition of particular perfons; all men knowing him to be of too good a fortune, and too wary a nature, to engage himself in defigns of danger or "hazard.

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"Mr. Waller had a brother-in-law, one Mr. Tom"kins, who had married his fifter, and was Clerk of "the Queen's Council, of very good fame for honefty and ability. This gentleman had good inte"reft and reputation in the City,and converfed much