his Highness on this great mercy and deliverance." The interview was on January the 23rd, in the Banqueting House in Whitehall, when Speaker Widdrington made the address for the House, and Cromwell replied in a most affectionate speech (_Speech_ VI.). The thanksgiving was on Feb. 20; on which day Principal Gillespie of Glasgow and Mr. Warren had the honour of preaching the special sermons before the House in St. Margaret's, Westminster. The day was wound up by a noble dinner in Whitehall, to which the whole House had been invited by the Protector, followed by a concert, vocal and instrumental, in the part of the Palace called the Cockpit.[1] [Footnote 1: Commons Journals of dates given, and of Feb. 18; Carlyle, III. 204-211; Godwin, IV. 331-333; _Merc. Pol._ No. 349 (Feb. 12-19, 1656-7); Whitlocke, IV. 286; Parl. Hist. III. 1490.] Three days after the great dinner in Whitehall, i.e. on Monday, Feb. 23, 1656-7, there was an incident in the House which turned all the future proceedings of this Second Parliament of the Protectorate into a new channel. It is thus entered in the Journals:-- " ... Sir Christopher Pack [Ex-Mayor of London, knighted by Cromwell, Sept. 25, 1655, and now one of the members for the City] presented a Paper to the House, declaring it was somewhat come to his hand tending to the Settlement of the Nation and of Liberty and Property, and prayed it might be received and read; and, it being much controverted whether the same should be read without farther opening [preliminary explanation] thereof, the Question being propounded _That this Paper, offered by Sir Christopher Pack, be further opened by him before it is read,_ and the Question being put _That this Question be now put,_ it passed in the Negative. The Question being propounded _That this Paper, offered by Sir Christopher Pack, be now read,_ and the Question being put _That that Question be now put,_ the House was divided. The Noes went forth:--Colonel Sydenham, Mr. Robinson, Tellers for the Noes--with the Noes 54; Sir Charles Wolseley, Colonel Fitzjames, Tellers for the Yeas--with the Yeas 144. So it passed in the Affirmative. And, the main Question being put, it was Resolved _That this Paper, offered by Sir Christopher Pack, be now read._ The said Paper was read accordingly, and was entitled 'The Humble Address and Remonstrance of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, now assembled in the Parliament of this Commonwealth.'"[1] [Footnote 1: Commons Journals of date.]