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"with those who difliked the proceedings of the par liament, and wished to live under the fame govern"ment they were born, and from those citizens re"ceived information of the temper of the people

upon accidents in the publick affairs: andMr. Wal"ler and he, with that confidence that uses to be be"tween brethren of the fame good affections, fre“quently imparted their obfervations and opinions "to each other, the one relating how many in both "Houses inclined to peace, and the other making the "fame judgment upon the correspondence he had, "and intelligence he received from the most subftan"tial men of London; and both of them again com"municated what one received from the other to "the company they used to converfe with; Mr. Wal"ler imparting the withes and power of the well"affected party in the City to the lords and gen"tlemen whom he knew to be of the fame mind, "and Mr. Tomkins acquainting those he durft trust "of the City, that such and fuch lords and gentlemen, who were of special note, were weary of the

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distractions, and would heartily and confidently "contribute to fuch an honourable and honest peace 64 as all men knew would be most acceptable to the "King: and from hence they came reasonably to a "conclufion, that if fome means were found out to "raife a confidence in those who wished well, that

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they should not be oppreffed by the extravagant "power of the defperate party, but that if they

"would fo far affitt one another as to declare their

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opinions to be the fame, they fhould be able to

prevent or fupprefs thofe tumults which feemed "to countenance the distractions, and the Houfes "would be induced to terms of moderation.

"In this time the Lord Conway, being returned "from Ireland, incenfed against the Scots, and dif" contented with the parliament here, finding Mr. "Waller in good efteem with the Earl of Northum"berland, and of great friendship with the Earl of "Portland, he entered into the fame familiarity; "and, being more of a foldier, in the difcourfes ad"ministered queftions and confiderations neceffary "to be understood by men that either meant to use force, or to refit it, and wifhed "that they who "had intereft and acquaintance in the City would "endeavour, by mutual correfpondetice, to inform "themselves of the diftinct affections of their neigh"bours, that, upon any exigent, men might foresee "whom they might truft;" and thefe difcourfes be

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'ing again derived by Mr Waller to Mr. Tomkins, "he, upon occafion and conference with his com➡ "panions, infifted on the fame arguments; and they 66 again converfing with their friends and acquaint<< ance, (for of all this business there were not above "three who ever spoke together) agreed “that fome "well-affected perfons, in every parish and ward "about London, fhould make a lift of all the inhabi

tants, and thereupon to make a reasonable guefs of "their feveral affections (which at that time was no "hard thing for obferving men to do) and thence a computation of the firength and power of that party which was notoriously violent against any "accommodation.

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"I am perfuaded the utmost project in this design "was (I speak not what particular men might intend " or with upon their own fancies) to beget fuch a com"bination among the party well-affected, that they "would refuse to conform to thofe ordinances of "the twentieth part, and other taxes for the support "of the war, and thereby, or by joint petitioning for

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peace, and difcountenancing the other who peti

tioned against it, to prevail with the parliament to "incline to a determination of the war. And it may be "fome men might think of making advantage of any

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cafual commotion, or preventing any mischief by "it; and thereupon that inquiry where the magazines lay, and discourse of wearing some distinguishing tokens, had been rather cafually mentioned than feriously propofed: for it is certain very many, who "were conscious to themfelves of loyal purposes to "the King, and of hearty dislike of the parliament's proceedings, and obferved the violent, revengeful, "ruinating profecution of all men by thofe of the "engaged party, were not without fad apprehenfions that, upon fome jealoufy and quarrel picked, even a general maffacre might be attempted of all

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** the King's friends; and thereupon, in several dis** courses,might touch upon such expedients as might, “in those seasons, be most beneficial to their safety. “But that there was ever any formed design, either "of letting in the King's army into London, which "was impossible to be contrived, or of raising an army there, and surprising the parliament, or any "one perfon of it, or of using any violence in or upon "the City, I could never yet fee cause to believe; "and if there had, they would have published such a "relation of it,after Mr. Waller had confeffed to them "all he knew, had heard, or fancied to himself, as "might have conftituted fome reasonable understand❝ing of it, and not have contented themselves with "making conclufions from questions that had been asked, and answers made by persons unknown, and forcing expreffions used by one to relate to actions of "another, between whom there had been never the "leaft acquaintance or correfpondence, and joining "what was faid at London to fomewhat done at Ox"ford at another time, and to another purpose: for, "before I finish this difcourfe, it will be neceffary to

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fpeak of another action which, how distinct foever "from this that is related, was woven together to "make one plot.

"From the King's coming to Oxford, many citi"zens of good quality, who were profecuted, or jea* lously looked upon in London, had reforted to the King, and hoping, if the winter produced not a

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"peace, that the fummer would carry the King be "fore that city with an army, they had entertained "fome difcourfe" of raifing, upon their own stocks "of money and credit, fome regiments of foot and "horfe, and joining with fome gentlemen of Kent, "who were likewife inclined to fuch an underta"king."Among thefe was Sir NicholasCrifp,a citizen "of good wealth, great trade, and an active-spirited man, who had been lately prosecuted with great feverity by the Houfe of Commons, and had thereupon fled from London, for appearing too great a “stickler in a petition for peace in the City. This "gentleman induftriouflypreferved a correspondence "ftill there, by which he gave the King often very "useful intelligence, and affured him “of a very "confiderable party which would appear there for him, whenever his own power should be fo near as to give them any countenance In the end, whe"ther invited by his correfpondents there, or truft'ing his own sprightly inclinations and refolutions too much,and concluding that all who were equally honeft would be equally bold; he defired his Majesty "to grant a commiffion to such persons, whom " he would nominate, of the City of London, under "the great feal of England, in the nature of a Com"million of Array, by virtue whereof, when the fea"fon should come, his party there would appear in 66 discipline and order; and that this was defired by "those who beft knew what countenance and autho

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