A Declaration of His Highneſs the Lord Protector and the Parliament, for a Day of Publique Thankſgiving onFriday the Twentieth of Fe­bruary, 1656.

THe good People of this Com­monwealth after a long and ſharp Contention, with the greateſt of Hazards and Diffi­culties, for the preſervation of their Native Rights, being at length, by the Goodneſs and Power of God, reſtored to the bleſſings of Peace and Freedom, and their Enemies given into their power, Did nevertheleſs by all tenderneſs and milde proceedings, endeavor the regaining of their Countreymen, and not their deſtruction:

Yet ſuch was the rancor of many of them, that they ceaſed not to deſign and labor to raiſe new Troubles amongſt us, and open freſh veins of Engliſh blood; for which end, they lately were in actual Arms in ſeveral places, endeavoring again to kindle the flames of Civil Diſſenſion in theſe Nations, had not the ſame by the good Hand of the Lord been quenched and prevented.

Beſides theſe, have riſen up a ſort of diſ­contented Spirits, called Levellers, plotting to diſturb Our Peace, divide Our Strength, and to bring new Miſeries upon Vs; but by the ſame good Hand of Providence, theſe were likewiſe ſeaſonably diſcovered, and at that time ſuppreſſed.

The lateſt of theſe wicked Practices, was chiefly by ſome of that Party, together with the former Adverſary; and theſe have ſo far degenerated, as to aſſociate themſelves with2 the inveterate Enemies of the Engliſh Nati­on and Proteſtant Religion, thoſe of Spain; and for malice and hire, to ſubmit themſelves to be executioners of their barbarous De­ſigns, and againſt their Native Countrey; and finding themſelves diſabled to proſecute the ſame by open Violence, and well knowing that in all precedent Paſſages and Deliver­ances from the beginning of our Troubles to this preſent, it pleaſed God to make uſe of, and to own the Lord Protector, as a moſt Eminent and Principal Inſtrument, and the Leader of his People:

Theſe Conſpirators fell to that which is deteſted even by the People who know not God, yet after the practice of our Foreign Enemy (whereof our publique Miniſters imployed in Foreign parts have had ſad ex­perience) they fell to ſecret and unworthy Plots againſt the life of the Lord Protector, to commit baſe and horrid Murther upon His perſon, bloodily and inhumanely to Aſſaſinate Him, whom they durſt not by open Force attempt.

The particulars whereof in the enſuing Narrative appear, by Examination upon Oath, and Confeſſion of ſome of the parties themſelves who were engaged in this Deſign of Blood and Confuſion.

THat about four Moneths ſince one Miles Sunder­comb acquainted John Cecill, that there was a De­ſign in hand among ſome very conſiderable perſons, for killing the Lord Protector, perſwading him to engage therein; and that it would be a very acceptable Service to take off the Protector, whereby things would come to Confuſion, and the People riſe.

3That there was no attempting him in the Field, nor any other way, but by falling upon his perſon at an advantage, and that money ſhould be provided.

Upon theſe and ſuch like diſcourſes, Cecill engaged to joyn in this work (viz.) to attempt and kill the Lord Protector.

Firſt they provided good horſes, and agreed to at­tempt him as he went upon the Road, and the intenti­on was to make a Party of Horſe, of about forty to have aſſaulted him, but that proving a difficult buſineſs to get ſo many men together, it was reſolved to be done by a leſſer party, and theſe two agreed to take the firſt opportunity to Aſſacinate the Protector when he went abroad, and one Toop of the life-Guard, whom Sunder­comb had engaged to ſerve them in this attempt, was to give them notice when the Protector went abroad; and Sundercomb and Cecill were upon the Road five or ſix times, on purpoſe to have made this attempt, and had notice of the Protectors going abroad by Toop, but had no opportunity to effect the deſign.

That Sundercomb went once into Hide Park with in­tention to have attempted the Protector there, having a Sword and Piſtol to that purpoſe, being confident that if he could have come neer him, he could have done it and eſcaped.

That this way proving not effectuall, they took a houſe at Hammer-ſmith, where there is a garden-wall, and upon the wall a Banquetting-houſe which is upon the ſtreet, out of which the intention was to ſhoot as he came by, with Guns made on purpoſe for that buſineſs, which ſhould carry twelve or more Bullets at a time.

That at the ſame time they had a deſign to fire White­hall, and a fire-work was prepared for that purpoſe, and made up in a hand basket with two matches hang­ing out of each ſide.

That Sundercomb and Toop viewed ſeveral places4 where they might put the fire-work, and Toop under­took to place it.

That they & Cecill on Thurſday the 8. of January inſtant, between five and ſix of the clock in the Evening, came to the Chappel at White-hall, and brought thither and placed their fire-work with the matches lighted, that they conceived it would have fired between twelve and one of the clock at night.

That one Boyes (a principal actor in theſe deſignes) did aſſure them, that when the Protector was diſpatch­ed, Forces were to come from Flanders, in ſhips to be hired with the King of Spaines money.

That a Port Town was to be ſeized upon, where Forces were to be landed, and that a very great ſum of money would be given for ſuch a place.

That their deſign is going on for taking away the life of the Protector, and that there are thirty or forty men engaged therein.

That there was a deſign to take away the Pro­tectors life the firſt day of the Parliament, the inten­tion being to ſhoot the Protector as he went by in his Coach, but there being no poſſible way of eſcaping, they were diſcouraged from that enterpriſe.

Then they hired a houſe neer the Abby in Weſtminſter, thinking to ſhoot him as he went from the Sermon to the Parliament, but they not having time to make con­veniencies, and finding ſo many people ſtanding on both ſides the way before the Protector came by, and as he paſſed, they durſt not do any thing for fear of being diſ­covered before they ſhot.

That Sundercombs diſcourſe was ſuch, that another of his companions believed that he was hired, and ſet on work by the King of Spain.

That he aſſured him that within half a year, he him­ſelf ſhould be a Colonel of Horſe, and that the other ſhould have a Troop of Horſe and fifteen hundred5 pounds in money, when the Protector ſhould be killed; and ſaid, that it was better that Charles Stuart ſhould raign here then the Protector.

That there were five of them beſides Toop who knew of this deſign and were ingaged to effect it.

This Bloody and barbarous deſign thus carried on, though by ſo few perſons, yet it pleaſed the juſt God (who deteſteth wickedneſs) ſo to work upon the heart of one of that ſmall number, that he voluntarily came and diſcovered it to his Highneſs.

Thus did they imagin a Miſchievous device, which (through the goodneſs of God) they were not able to perform; but the Lord hath brought their Counſel to nought, and made their Devices of none effect.

It is God who delivered us, and doth deli­ver, and in whom we truſt, that he will yet de­liver us.

For this eminent Mercy and great delive­rance which the Lord hath wrought for our Chief Magiſtrate, and for all the good People of this Commonwealth; whoſe peace and com­forts were deſigned to be taken away with the life of the Protector, and thereby new Cala­mities, Blood and Confuſion upon all the Inhabitants of the three Nations.

For this and many other Mercies, His High­neſs the Lord Protector, and this preſent Par­liament, hold themſelves obliged, with all hum­ble and thankfull acknowledgement, to praiſe his Name, who is the Author of all our Mer­cies; And for this purpoſe have thought fit, and do hereby appoint, That Fridaythe Twen­tieth day of February One thouſand ſix hun­dred fifty ſix, ſhall be ſet apart for a day6 of Publique thankſgiving to the Lord, in all the three Nations of England, Scotland and Ireland; And do hereby incite and encourage all perſons, who are ſenſible of the Mercy of God to them, to come together in their ſeveral Congregati­ons for the performance of this Duty, to praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, humbly to intreat the continuance of his loving kindneſs to us, (though we have departed from him) that our God may be exalted in his own ſtrength; and that Peace and Righteouſneſs may flou­riſh in theſe Nations.

And all perſons whatſoever, are hereby Re­quired and Enjoyned to abſtain from bodily la­bour, and from the ordinary workes of their calling upon that day, under the penalties which by Law are to be inflicted for ſuch offen­ces.

And that all Miniſters in their reſpective Congregations, be Required to publiſh this Declaration and Narrative on the Lords day, next before the ſaid day of Publique Thankſ­giving: And that they be Exhorted on all oc­caſions in their prayers in the Publique Con­gregation, to pray for the Lord Protector and all that are in Authority in this Common­wealth.