ABSTRACT
The alliance between Charles II and Spain revived the opportunities of royalist agents for employment. Among the many royalist agents whose activities were disclosed by Francis Corker to his employers were Nicholas Armorer and John Stephens; the Secretary was informed, but already knew, 'belongs to Marquess of Ormond'. For eight days Ormond remained in the capital, moving from one house to another, while holding a series of hurried conferences with representatives of the different groups of conspirators. This chapter describes the old Delinquent party that have not only the intentions that they had when they were in open arms but they do retain their old principles and still adhere to their former interest, and what that is been all along, hatching new disturbances to trouble the peace of the State. In January 1657 John Thurloe, in a parliamentary speech, expressed his irritation that 'the old Delinquent Party' was once again hatching new disturbances to trouble the peace of the State.
