4 o4 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

c H a p. services of this kind, and perhaps too from alxviii. regard to his father, Sir Edward Fitz-harris, whorsisi. bad been an eminent royalist, he had receivedfrom the king a present of 250 pounds. Thisman met with one Everard, a Scotchman, a spyof the cxclusionists, and an informer concerningthe popish plot ; and he engaged him to write alibel against the king, the duke , and the wholeadministration. What Fitz-harris’s intentions were,cannot well be ascertained : It is probable , ashe afterwards asserted, that he meant to carrythis libel to his patron , the dutchefs , and tomake a merit of the discovery. Everard, whosuspected some other design, and who was wellpleased on his side to have the merit of a dis-covery with his patrons , resolved to betray hisfriend : He posted Sir William Waller, a notedjustice of peace, and two persons more behindthe hangings , and gave them an opportunity ofseeing and hearing the whole transaction. Thelibel, sketched one by Fitz-harris , and executedpartly by him, partly by Everard, was the mostfurious , indecent , and outrageous performanceimaginable ; and such as was fitter to hurt thanserve any party , which should be so imprudentas to adopt it. Waller carried the intelligenceto the king, and obtained a warrant for com-mitting Fitz-harris, who happened, at that verytime, to have a copy of the libel in his pocket.Finding himself now delivered over to the law,he resolved to pay court to the popular party,who were alone able to protect him , and by