of the year 1643, our poet was deeply engaged in the
design for the reducing the city of London, and the Tower, for the
service of his Majesty, which being discovered, he was imprisoned, and
fined ten thousand pounds. As this is one of the most memorable
circumstances in the life of Waller, we shall not pass it slightly
over, but give a short detail of the rise, progress, and discovery of
this plot, which issued not much in favour of Mr. Waller's reputation.

Lord Clarendon observes[3], 'that Mr. Waller was a gentleman of very
good fortune and estate, and of admirable parts, and faculties of wit
and eloquence, and of an intimate 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 person of very entire
affections to the King's service, and to the established government of
church and state; and by having no manner of relation to the court,
had the more credit and interest to promote the service of it. When
the ruptures grew so great between the King, and the two houses, that
many of the Members withdrew from those councils, he, among the rest,
absented himself, but at the time the standard was set up, having
intimacy and friendship with some persons now of nearness about the
King, with his Majesty's leave he returned again to London, where he
spoke, upon all occasions, with great sharpness and freedom, which was
not restrained, and therefore used as an argument against those who
were gone upon pretence, that they were not suffered to declare 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 impunity,
against the 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 boldest champion the crown had in either House, so that such Lords
and Commons who were willing to prevent the ruin of the kingdom,
complied in a great familiarity with him, at a man resolute in their
ends, and best able to promote them; and it may be, they believed his
reputation at court so good, that he would be no ill evidence there of
other men's zeal and affection; so all men spoke their minds freely to
him, both of the general distemper, and of the passions and ambition
of particular persons, all men knowing him to be of too good a
fortune, and too wary a nature, to engage himself in designs of
haza