Plot to assassinate Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell.

1656. 
      
1657. 
      
1658. 1657  January 8th.Levellers Plot:Miles Sindercombe and group of disaffected Levellers are betrayed in their attempt pt to assassinate Lord-Protector Oliver Cromwell by blowing up the Palace of Whitehall in London and arrested. Plotters: In Flanders Miles Sindercombe met another Leveller and anti-Cromwell plotter Edward Sexby in 1656. Miles Sindercombe joined his plot to assassinate the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell in hope of restoring the Puritan republic as they saw it. Edward Sexby supplied Miles Sindercombe with money and weapons. In 1656 Miles Sindercombe returned to England and gathered a group of co-conspirators, including renegade soldier John Cecil, apparent conman William Boyes and John Toope (member of Cromwell's Life-Guards. John Toope gave plotters information about Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell's movements.
      Assassination attempts: First Miles Sindercombe rented a house in King Street in Westminster where they intended to shoot Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell when he rode past in his coach. However, they noticed that it would be a difficult place to escape after the attempt, so they abandoned the plan. Next Miles Sindercombe rented another house near the Westminster Abbey using the name "John Fish". He intended to shoot Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell with an arquebus on his way from Westminster Abbey to Parliament on September
      17th.1656.However,when a large crowd gathered outside,William Boyes panicked and left,the attempt had to be abandoned. Miles Sindercombe's group then intended to shoot Lord-Protector Oliver Cromwell when he left for  Hampton Court, as he customarily did every Friday.They intended to shoot at Lord-Protector Oliver Cromwell's coach while it was going through a narrow passage. As it happened, the Lord-Protector Oliver Cromwell changed his mind on that particular Friday, and the plotters waited in vain; the next idea was shoot the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell when he was walking in the Hyde Park.They broke the hinges of the park gates to facilitate their escape, and John Cecil began to follow Lord-Protector Oliver Cromwell and his entourage. However, Oliver Cromwell became interested in John Cecil's horse and called him over, John Cecil lost his nerve and could not shoot him. He afterwards claimed that the horse was ill so he could not have escaped. Capture: After so many failed attempts, Oliver Cromwell's spymaster John Thurloe had noticed the would-be- assassins. He had already heard about the plot from his spies on the continent. Miles Sindercombe's next idea was to burn down Whitehall Palace and the Lord-Protector Oliver Cromwell with it. William Boyes made an explosive device out of gunpowder, tar and pitch and the group planted it in the palace chapel on January 8th.
      
      1657. However, John Toope, who had had a change of heart, had revealed the plan to authorities. When the plotters left, guards disarmed the bomb. John Thurloe gave an order to arrest the plotters. John Cecil was easily captured but William Boyes escaped. Miles Sindercombe fought the guards until one guard cut off part of his nose. John Cecil and Miles Sindercombe were sent to the Tower of London. John Cecil decided to tell all, with John Toope's aid, John Thurloe was able to reveal also Edward Sexby's part in the plot and present his findings to the Parliament.Trial & death: Miles Sindercombe remained uncooperative.
      1657 February 9th. Miles Sindercombe was found guilty of treason when both John Cecil and John Toope testified. 1657 February 13th. Miles Sindercombe did not want to face the humiliation of execution and committed suicide by poison in the Tower of London.