Unfortunately Mordaunt and Delamere pitched upon Aaron Smith, an acrimonious and unprincipled politician, who had been the legal adviser of Titus Oates in the days of the Popish Plot, and who had been deeply implicated in the Rye House Plot.

Richard Hampden, a man of decided opinions but of moderate temper, objected to this appointment.

His objections however were overruled.

The Jacobites, who hated Smith and had reason to hate him, affirmed that he had obtained his place by bullying the Lords of the Treasury, and particularly by threatening that, if his just claims were disregarded, he would be the death of Hampden.

[31] Some weeks elapsed before all the arrangements which have been mentioned were publicly announced: and meanwhile many important events had taken place.