THat your Petitioners sufferings have bin so ma­ny and so extream, both for injustice and cru­elty, That it astonisheth his Understanding to consider, that amidst a Generation pre­tending so strongly to piety, righteousness, justice and good Conscience; to deliver the Captive, and to set the oppressed free; It should be his portion nevertheless, to be continually oppressed, and his life and blood thirsted after, and that without any reall cause at all, as through Gods goodness hath hitherto manifestly appeared in his wonderfull deliverances. In so much, that not­withstanding, the usuall crimes laid to his charge, have been ei­ther [Page 2] sedition, fellowship or treason; and prosecuted with the greatest violence and craft, that wicked men in power could con­trive (yea even upon tryall for his life, denying him all the privi­ledges of the Law, that was never denied before to the greatest of Traytors:) yet through an Almighty over-ruling providence of the Lord, the constant and sure Rock of his salvation, the issue ever as yet, hath been but a clear manifestation of their bloody in­ceations towards him, and of his innocency and up [...]ightness; and that their malice against him, hath not proceeded for a [...]y [...]ff [...]ce done in the least by him against the publick, but for in zeal a­gainst all tyranous practices in whom [...]oe [...]er, and his faithfull af­fections to the liberties of his native and dear Countrey; in the worst of times without any the least st [...]ggering. And though the trouble he i [...] under at present, be as causless and groundless as any of the former; yet hath it a face of danger towards him, as threatning [...]s ever, and that not onely in respe [...]t, the cruel ma [...]ice of his adversaries is still the same; but also in regard o [...] error of most mens understandings, swaying them to an over reverenc [...] e­steem of Acts of Parliame [...], though never so apparantly unjust in themselves, and contrary to the known and declared trust of the people conferred upon them; and to the known and declared fundamental [...] Laws of England con [...]ined and clear­ly expressed in the Petition of R [...]g [...], which even to parallel themselves ought to be thei [...] rule [...]guid, and which in the least they ought not to [...]io [...]te [...]neroach upon: yet in times by past, the contrary hath often been seen, whe [...]eby the lives of the most just and godly men have been too fr [...]qu [...]n [...]ly [...]ken away in Eng­land; and by which snare, he [...]de [...]ces there is an intention now to destroy him, although really without any just ground or shadow in Law or reason. Bat confidently hoping that he is un­der a supream Authority, that are not his ingaged adversaries (as most of the former were, and who against the sight of nature and reason, made themselves his Judges also) and that cannot be drawn, either to approve, or to be silent or insensible, at the fight of such snares visibly lai [...] to [...]rap the innocent and upright; or that will suffer his life to be [...]d [...]ngered upon so slight an ac­compt, as never any in England, (yea in the whole world, in any [Page 3] place that peofessed common honesty, Law or justice) ever was, he hath thence received incouragement to intreat your serious consideration, of every circumstance inducing the late Parliament to the making of these hasty and inconsiderate resolves, or votes of Parliament, (whereby, by common same and not otherwise, they voted him to pay 7000 l. fine, and to go into perpetuall banishment And to be taken as a fellon when ever he should re­turn,) and to judge impartially, whether any part thereof, or all joyned together, can make a crime, which in the eye of the Law of England can just y entitle or denominate any man a fellon, and for which death were a just punishment, The utmost they laid to his charge, being that he should be of Councel with Mr. Jesiah Primote, in a Petition that faith, Sir Arthur Haslerig had over­awed the Committee at Haberdashers Ha [...], to give a false Iudge­ment contrary to the plain evidence before them; The drawing of which Petition the said Mr. Primate freed your Petitioner from, at the very Bar [...] of the Parliament House, and avowed the Petition for his own, as also the printing of it by his own espe­ciall Order; so that all, that at most that can be laid to your Pe­titioners charge, about all that business that it may be corjectu­red, (and no more) he was voted to banishment (for that act upon which as a fellon he is now imprisoned by the Lord Maior of London, being made after his departure from London, and which he never see, nor heard of in all his life, till he red it in a New Book in Amsterdam,) could at most be nothing else, but for his being at councel with his Clyent the said Mr. Primate, or for delivering at the Parliament door some of Mr. Primates printed Petitions, before the Originall written Copy could be got read in the House; although the do­ing thereof was th [...] onely pr [...]bable means to get the original peti [...]ion publiquely read in the House, And t be practise of del [...]ering Printed Petitions at the Parliament [...]oor, before the orig [...]nal written Copy could be got publiquely read in the Parliament House, was as common and ordinary a thing, as for people to eate when they were hungry; all which had it legally in the least been indeavoured to be prosecuted against your Petitioner, as it never was (the report upon which the Parliament grounded there [...]asly Votes, being not truely but [Page 4] partially and falsely made, as by some fitting then in the House, that heard the businesse at the Committee, he hath been certen­ly informed) or had he been heard in his own defence against any charge before he was Voted against. (as he never was in the lest) yet he humbly conceives it not only falls far short, either of death, or of banishment; or such an unheard of fine as 7000 l. or of the manifold dangers and miseryes, that he and his poor family have been constantly afflicted withall, during the whole time of his being beyond the Seas; as that in all the de­clared Laws of England there will not the lest shaddow of punishment be found for so being of Councell, and so deli­vering a Printed Petition, which is the utmost of crimes that can be laid to your Petitioners Charge, or is laid to him, for which it can be immagined the said cruel Votes or Resolves of banish­ment, &c. past against him, as by the Printed proceedings of the Parliament upon the Petition and appeal of Josiah Primat of London Leather seller doth appear, a true Copy of which as it is Printed by the Parliaments Printer is here unto annexed.

Upon all which considerations your Petioner humbly intreats that his Life, and good Name, his Wife, his inocent and smal Babes, Parents and relations with the Liberties, and Freedomes of ENGLAND, and the preservation of a good Conscience to your selves may be more preicous in your esteeme, then to be hazarded upon so groundless, yet cruel and bloudy Votes, or any thing depending thereupon, of a most unjust Parliament; And that in tender regard to the preservation of his innocent life and bloud, you will be pleased to declare the said Votes and all things whatsoever depending thereupon, to be null and void, as indeed they are in Law in themselves, to free your Petitioner from his present infamous and burthensome im [...]risonment; to cause Sir Arthur Haslerig to restore him his estate, which by force of the foresaid unjust Votes, or something thereupon depending he hath most unjustly, cruelly, and covetously taken away from him, his poor wife, and children; and added it to his vast and hastily got­ten estate, in these late woful and miser [...]ble ruining times. Also that you w [...]ll please to order, from first to last, a legal re-hearing of the Cause, which occasioned your Petitioners assisting, in com­plaint against Sir Arthur Haslerig, and the Members of the Com­mittee [Page 5] of Haberdashers Hall, and that his Uncle Mr. George Lil­ [...], and the other Tenants to Mr. Primate, may be put in the same condition and possession of the Colliery of Harroton (being the thing in question) that they were before Sir Arthur Haslerig by his will and pleasure, without all shadow of Law or Ordinance of Parliament, by force and violence dispossessed them, that so the said Collery may not by Sir Arthur Haslerig's cunning and power­ful interest be sold for a Delinquents; whereas indeed and in truth it is nothing less, but really and truly is the real proprieties of persons alwayes well-affected to the Commonwealth of Eng­land; at which hearing, if you please to grant it, he doubts not but to make it evidently to appear that his assisting in the ma­naging of the said complaints, were not without great compu [...]sive and just cause, and that Sir Arthur Haslerig, and the Members of that Committee, may be left free to the Law to seek for their le­gal remedy there for any wrong they conceive your Petitioner hath done them, and that he may not be abridged of the like li­berty [...]gainst them, And all others whatsoever, that he apprehends hath dealt with him contrary to Law and Justice. These things he humbly prayeth may be speedily effected, according to the pressing exi­gency of the occasion, and that you will not be with held from affording him this Justice and this your just protection, through any suggestions touching his turbulency of spirit, which his powerful Adversaries most u [...]justly have been alwayes r [...]ady to cast upon him neither consi­dering his sufferings nor provocations, sufficient to distract the wisest of men, which never yet transported him unjustly or illegally to violate any m [...]ns peace or safety. And therefore he doth with confidence in al h [...]mility aver, that for this 20 years together he never begun a quar­rel or contest with any man in the world that he can remember, but was alw [...]yes forced and compelled for his own preservation, to take up the Buck [...]ers of De [...]nce in all contests he hath ever been ingaged in, from the f [...]rst day of his publike and extraordinary cruel sufferings, to this hour, and yet hath alwayes been an earnest Professor of a just, ra­tional and moderate accommodation in all his troubles, or contests; which being hitherto constantly refused by his potent Adversaries; the powerfull protection and goodnesse of the Lord Jehovah, his own innocency, and his co [...]stant adhearing to the Good Old fundamental Laws of England the badges of Freedom as they are truly called [Page 6] in the late Parliaments Declaration of the 17 of March 1648. hath almayes hitherto, with Honour and safety, brought him off: and unto those, that commonly accuse him to be a trouble of England, he can truly, and uprightly, and with a good and clear conscience a [...]swer them as honest Elisha did wicked Ahab; when he taxed him for a troublar of Israel, unto which he answered; I have not trou­bled Israel, but thou and thy Fathers House, in that you have for­saken the Commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Bi­alim. and that you will not be hindred through any suspitions of his com­pliance with Charls Stuart, or his Party [...]a poysonous ingredent that his adversaries have alwayes in readinesse to cast into his Dish, though they know it as false as Hell, and beleive not themselves in this there machavilian report) your Petitioner p ofession as in the presence of the Lord his preserver, before whom he knows he must render a strict accompt of the secretest and closest of his actions that he returned in­to his native Country with no worse resolution to the true and Vni­versal wellfair thereof. then he engaged at the first in the late Parlia­ments quarrel against the late King; and with a serious resolution to live privately and civilly upon his own, without intermedling in any other affairs; and that what liberty soever he hath taken of dis­couse, or company with any opposite party beyond the Seas, yet he never in the least stagered in his fidelity to the cause of liberty and freedom that he first engaged in; and would chuse rather to dye then to do any thing so directly opposite to his conscience and understanding, and the true wellfaire of the Land of his nativity.

Your petitioner cannot but believe the impulsions of God are strong within and amongst you, earnestly and vehemently pressing you to do in this case to your Petitioner, as you would be done unto in the like condition. Oh dear Christians quence not that good Spirit; and his Deliverance cannot be far of; and honor and indear your selves at the first beginning in the eyes of the honest people of England, as the late Parliament or house of Commons did at their first begining in Anno 1640. who in the very first days of their fitting made [...] i [...] earnest, zealous hearty work to fetch home the exciled, and to [...] [...]r the Captive, and set the oppressed free, which in the day of [...] distresse in the late wars with the King was as a sure and un­ [...]erable sheild and buckler unto them.