dreadful plot.

The discovery of Waller's design is variously related.

In "Clarendon's History" it is told, that a servant of Tomkyns,
lurking behind the hangings when his master was in conference with
Waller, heard enough to qualify him for an informer, and carried his
intelligence to Pym.

A manuscript, quoted in the "Life of Waller," relates, that "he was
betrayed by his sister Price, and her Presbyterian chaplain Mr.
Goode, who stole some of his papers; and if he had not strangely
dreamed the night before, that his sister had betrayed him, and
thereupon burnt the rest of his papers by the fire that was in his
chimney, he had certainly lost his life by it." The question cannot
be decided. It is not unreasonable to believe that the men in
power, receiving intelligence from the sister, would employ the
servant of Tomkyns to listen at the conference, that they might
avoid an act so offensive as that of destroying the brother by the
sister's testimony.

The plot was published in the most terrific manner.

On the 31st of May (1643), at a solemn fast, when they were
listening to the sermon, a messenger 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 rest in solicitude 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,