A DECLARATION OF His Highness the Lord PROTECTOR AND THE PARLIAMENT, For a Day of Public Thanksgiving On Friday the Twentieth of February, 1656.   blazon of the Commonwealth 

Monday, the 2d of February, 1656.  
ORdered by the Parliament, That the Declaration for a Day of Thanksgiving on the Twentieth of February instant, be forthwith Printed and Published, and that the same be sent to the Sheriffs of the respective Counties and Shires, who are required to take care that the same be delivered to the Ministers of the respective Parishes and Congregations.  
Hen: Scobell, Clerk of the Parliament.   
London, Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, Printers to His Highness the Lord Protector, 1656.   

A Declaration of His Highness the Lord Protector and the Parliament, for a Day of Public Thanksgiving on Friday 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 mild proceed, endeavour the regaining of their Countrymen, and not their destruction:  
Yet such was the rancour of many of them, that they ceased not to design and labour 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, endeavouring 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 Us; 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 chief by some of that Party, together with the former Adversary; and these have so far degenerated, as to associate themselves with 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 Country; 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 public Ministers employed 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 Murder 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 Months since one Miles Sundercomb acquainted John Cecil, that there was a Design in hand among some very considerable persons, for killing the Lord Protector, persuading 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.  
That 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, Cecil engaged to join 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 lifeguard, whom Sundercomb had engaged to serve them in this attempt, was to give them notice when the Protector went abroad; and Sundercomb and Cecil 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 near him, he could have done it and escaped.  
That this way proving not effectual, they took a house at Hammersmith, where there is a garden-wall, and upon the wall a Banqueting-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 firework 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 places where they might put the firework, and Toop undertook to place it.  
That they & Cecil on Thursday the 8. of January instant, between five and six of the clock in the Evening, came to the Chapel at Whitehall, and brought thither and placed their firework with the matches lighted, that they conceived it would have fired between twelve and one of the clock at night.  
That one Boys (a principal actor in these designs) did assure them, that when the Protector was dispatched, Forces were to come from Flanders, in ships to be hired with the King of Spain's 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 near the Abbey 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 hundred pounds in money, when the Protector should be killed; and said, that it was better that Charles Stuart should reign here then the Protector.  
That there were five of them besides Toop who knew of this design and were engaged 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 imagine 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 thankful 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 day of Public 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 entreat 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 Enjoined to abstain from bodily labour, and from the ordinary works 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 Lord's day, next before the said day of Public Thanksgiving: And that they be Exhorted on all occasions in their prayers in the Public Congregation, to pray for the Lord Protector and all that are in Authority in this Commonwealth.  
Henry Scobell Clerk of the Council.