Selected quad for the lemma: parliament_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
parliament_n	honourable_a	house_n	petition_n	3,157	5	9.0634	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92975	The severall humble petitions of D. Bastwicke. M. Burton. M. Prynne. and of Nath. VVickins, servant to the said Mr. Prynne. To the Honourable House of Parliament. Whereto is added the humble petitions of severall friends of the said Mr. Prynne, and the acknowledgmeut [sic] prescrib'd to be made by Calvin Bruen, and the rest, in the Cathedrall Church of Chester, and town-hall thereof, for visiting the said Mr. Prynne.	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.	1641 (1641)	Wing S2765; Thomason E207_4; ESTC R209836	16,501	49

The severall Humble PETITIONS OF D. BASTWICKE M. BURTON M. PRYNNE And of NATH VVICKINS Servant to the said Mr PRYNNE To the Honourable house of PARLIAMENT Whereto is added the humble petitions of severall Friends of the said Mr PRYNNE and the acknowledgment prescrib'd to be made by Calvin Bruen and the rest in the Cathedrall Church of Chester and Town-Hall thereof for visiting the said Mr. PRYNNE Printed in the Yeere 1641. All flesh is Grass the best men vanity This but a shadow here before thine eye Of him whose wondrous changes clearly show That GOD not men swayes all things here below TO THE HONOVRABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house of Parliament The humble Petition of VVilliam Prynne late exile and close Prisoner in the I le of Jersey In all humblenesse sheweth THat your Petitioner though not conscientious to himselfe of any voluntary or apparant offence against the Lawes of the Realme to which he ever studied to conforme himselfe through the malicious practises and persecutions of some Prelates and Church-men especially the now Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Peter Heylin Doctor in Divinity whose errors and Innovations contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and extravagancies in the high Commission and other Ecclesiasticall Courts your Petitioner for his owne reliefe being there unjustly profecuted had to his weake power oppugned hath within eight yeeres last past undergone two heavy Censures in the Starre-Chamber Court The first upon an Information there exhibited against your Petitioner by M. No● deceased then Attourney Generall for some misconstrued passages inoffensive in themselves and in your Petitioners true intention being for the most part the words of other approved Authors comprised in a Booke stiled Histriomastix written by the petitioner against common Interludes and licensed for the presse by M. Thomas Buckner houshold Chaplaine to the then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury authorized by the State to license Bookes and by him exactly perused and approved both in the written and printed Copy before its publication and so confessed in the information for which authorized Booke and passages your Petitioner before the hearing of the cause was not onely imprisoned in the Tower of London without Baile of Manuprise for a whole yeares space denyed accesse to his Counsell convenient time to examine witnesses and make Breviats to instruct his Counsell the information being Generall and reciting no particular Clauses of the Booke excepted against this exhibits the onely meanes of his defence Illegally suppressed some of his Counsell Tampered with to make no justification contrary to your Petitioners instructions and desire whereby his cause was miscarried But also at the hearing by reason of those malicions and perverse glosses on the said passages which the said Heylin had collected and presented to his Majesties learned Counsell who repeated his Instructions onely your Petitioner was fined 3000 l. to his Majesty expelled the University of Oxford and Lyncolnes inne degraded from his profession of the Law wherein he never offended Set in the Pillory in the Pallace-yard at Westminster where he lost one of his Eares And two dayes after on the Pillory in Cheape-side where hee lost the other eare and had his said Lycensed Bookes there publikely burnt before his face by the Hang-man in a most disgracefull manner and adjudged after to remaine a prisoner during his life That after the said censure to defame and injure your Petitioner the more he was charged wrongfully in the Decree as censured for Perjury though not taxed for it by the Court and betweene his suff'rings in the Pillory the Bookes of his Studie twice surveyed and restored to him by order from the Lords before any fine estreated by a warrant out of the High Commission signed by the said Arch-bishop others were seised by on Crosse a messenger who carried them to his house with which your Petitioner charging the said Arch-bishop upon occasion in the open Court of Star-chamber he there publikely disavowed the same though your Petitioner can yet produce it under his owne hand promising withall that the Bookes should be restored forthwith which notwithstanding were all still detained by his meanes till they were extended and sold for your Petitioners Fyne Who shortly after by an Order out of the said Court sent to the Tower to be executed was there shut up close Prisoner and Doctor Reeves sent thither to search his Chamber for the Pamphlet which the said Arch-bishop would wrongfully have Fathered upon your Petitioner whose friends have beene unjustly prosecuted in the Exchequer and elsewhere sundry yeares for his Fine aforesaid And your Petitioner further saith that about Easter was three yeares during his imprisonment in the Tower by meanes of the said Arch-bishop a new information was exhibited in the said Court against your Petitioner and others with certaine Bookes thereto annexed Denying the Prelats Iurisdiction over other Ministers to bee Iure-divino Charging them with many errours and Innovations in Religion Vsurpation upon his Majesties Prerogative and Subjects liberty abuses and extortions in the high Commission And other Ecclesiasticall Courts suppressing Preaching And painefull Ministers without a cause Lycensing Popish Arminian and other Erroneous Bookes Against the Sabboth setting up Altars Images And Crucifixes Removing and Rayling in Communion Tables and Bowing down to them Altering the Booke of Common Prayer the Bookes for the Gunpowder Treason and late Fast in some Materiall passages in favour of Popery and Papists Which thing though very notorious and oft complained against by this Honourable house in former and late Parliaments were yet reputed Scandalous And though neither of the said Bookes was particularly charged on your Petitioner in the said information nor any witnesse produced to prove him either Authour or disperser of any of them yet by denying your Petitioner liberty to draw up his owne Answer though once a Barister at Law when as his Assigned Counsell refused to doe it by close Imprisoning your Petitioner and his Servant by debarring him Pen Inke and Paper whereby to Answer or Instruct his Counsell searching his chamber and taking away part of his Answer there found denying him Accesse to his Counsell and conference with his Co-defendants even at Counsell though joyntly charged with him Rejecting the Crosse Bill exhibited by him for his defence threatning Master Holt one of your Petitioners Assigned Counsell sent by the then Lord Keeper to the Tower to draw up your Petitioners Answer and commanding him not to signe it after it was engrossed Whereupon he refused to subscribe it contrary to his promise to your Petitioner and by refusing to accept your Petitioners Answers to the said Information signed with his owne and Master Tomlins the other of his Counsells hands though tendred by your Petitioner both at the Star chamber Office and in the open Court at the hearing the said Information for default of Answer though two Answers were thereto tendred by your Petitioner was taken Pro confesso against

your Petitioner and he thereupon Fyn'd five thousand pounds to his Majesty Pillored Stigmatized on both cheekes Mutilated and dismembred in a most Barbarous manner and the small remainder of his Eares left after his first execution cut off to the hazard of his hearing and life Adjudged to perpetuall close imprisonment in the Goale of Carnarvan castle in North-wales a Nasty Dog-hole farre remote from your Petitioners Friends Which sentence was undu'ly drawn up and executed upon your Petitioner as his Attourneys Clearke informed him before it was entred into the Booke or your Petitioner could get any Copie of it to except against the same as he had just cause That immediately after the Execution of the same sentence your Petitioner sent to the said Arch-bishop to desire him to release or Baile his servant who was detained close prisoner for ten weekes space in the messengers hands and oft examined and solicited by faire promises and threatnings causlessely to accuse your Petitioner against whom they wanted evidence that so he might attend him during his soares which the said ArchBishop out of his Grace and Charity utterly refused saying that hee intended to proceed against his said servant in the High Commission where he hath ever since vexed censured and banded him from Prison to Prison onely for refusing to accuse and betray your Petitioner That after the said heavy sentence your Petitioner by an order in the said Court by way of addition to the said Censure was inhibited the use of Pen inke and Paper and all Bookes except the Bible and the Booke of Common-Prayer and some few Bookes for private Devotion and before his wounds were perfectly cured he was by order removed from the Tower to Carnarvan and some of his friends in Chester who visited him there in his passage in the presence of his Conductors who had no order to restraine any person from resorting to him were for this very cause sent for by a Messenger to appeare before the Lords of the Privy Counsell and likewise cited into the High Commission at Yorke where they were imprisoned and fined to the ruine of their estates enjoyned to make a publike Recantation in the Cathedrall Church and in the Towne-Hall of Chester The said Commissioners further decreeing that three pictures of your petitioners found in Chester should bee publikely burnt at the high Crosse there which was done accordingly That your Petitioner since his said sentence hath bin publikely reviled at and libelled against both by the high Commissioners at York and in sundry Churches both at Chester and else where in diverse licensed printed books compiled by the said Heylin and published by the Arch-Bishops privity or cōmand that sundry of his friends houses studies Bookes and writings have bin violently broken up ransacked and taken away and themselves prosecuted in the high Commission out of malice for the relation they had to your Petitioner That after your Petitioner had continued some ten weekes space close prisoner in Carnarvan hee was about three yeares since by a warrant from the Lords of the Counsell made in the summer vacation to which the said Arch-Bishops hand was first subscrib'd ordered by way of Exile to be imbarqued and transported with all privacy into one of the Castles in the I le of Iersey and his conductors thereby charged not to admit any person whatsoever but themselves onely to speake with your Petitioner in his passage Whereupon after some injuries there received by M. Griffith the Kings Atturney in those parts who endeavoured to sieze upon the furniture of his chamber for his owne use your Petitioner was imbarqued among Papists in a bruised ship-wrackt vessell full of leakes and after fourteene weekes voyage in the Winter season through dangerous stormes and seas which spoyled most of his stuffe and bedding and threatning often ship-wrack to him he arrived at the said I le and was conveyed close prisoner into Mount Orgatile castle there where the Lieutenant Governour by an other extrajudiciall Order to which the said Arch-Bishops name was first ordered to keepe your Petitioner close prisoner in a chamber fuffer none but his keepers to speake with him to intercept all letters to him to permit him neither pen Inke nor paper either to write to his friends for necessaries or to petition for reliefe and to permit him no Booke but the Bible and those aforenamed bookes without giving any order for his diet there so that being deprived of his calling and estate exiled and shut up close prisoner among strangers remote from all his friends denyed all addresse to him by person or letters he had certainely perished in his almost three yeeres close imprisonment there had not the extraordinary providence and goodnesse of God which he shall ever adore and the noble charity of those under whose custody he did remaine furnished him with such dyet and necessaries as preserved him both in health and life in this his close imprisonment and exile May it therefore please this Honourable House to take these your petitioners almost eight yeeres tragicall grievances of new and dangerous example into your most sad and just considerations that so they may not become presidents to the prejudice of posterity to grant him liberty to send for and examine all necessary witnesses to order all Clerks Registers and other officers of the Star-Chamber or elsewhere speedily and freely to grant him the copies of such orders decrees and writings as his cause shall require to release him upon Bale being now but a prisoner onely upon an extrajudiciall order of the Lords and not by Vertue of any sentence or decree in Court To grant him liberty to plead and prosecute his owne cause since counsell hath so often failed him and to give him such satisfaction and reliefe as the Justice and equity of his cause shall merit And your Petitioner shall ever pray for your safeties WILLIAM PRYNNE Man's dayes are vaine and as a flower they fade Heere 's one proclames whereon man's life is stay'd His sufferings Changes Comforts in strict thrall Shews GOD alone preserues and Gouernes all TO THE HONOURABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house of Parliament The humble Petition of Iohn Bastwicke Doctor in Physicke lately retained close Prisoner and exile in the Iland of Sylly Most humbly sheweth THat your Petitioner having about six yeares since set out a Booke in Latine called Elenchus Religionis Papisticae with an Addition thereunto called Elagellum Pontificis Episcoporum Latialium being thereunto provoked by one Richard Short a Papist that maintained the Popes supremacy the Masse and Papall Religion In which Booke your Petitioner for preventing all misinterpretations of his pious and good intentions therein in his Epistle to the Reader fully declared himselfe that your Petitioner ment nothing against such Bishops as acknowledged their Authority from Kings and Emperours yet because your Petitioner the better ever to show the Papall usurpation of other Princes therein onely

maintained by way of Argument as other Orthodox writers of that Subject usually have done a parity of the said Bishop of Rome or all other Bishops or Presbitters by the word of God denying his and their supremacy over other Ministers to be by the Divine institution Thereupon a Pursevant by Authority from the high Commission Court came into your Petitioners house at Colchester in Essex in his absence And the said Pursevant assisted with the then Bayliffes and Constables of Colchester aforesaid Ransaked his said house together with his Chests and Truncks and with great violence broke open your Petitioners Study which was in his Apothecaries house and took and carried away divers of your Petitioners Bookes Writings Letters and what else the Pursevant pleased without making of restitution of them to your Petitioner And then your Petitioner was prosecuted in the said high Commission Court principally for his said Booke where after a long and charitable prosecution he was the 12. of February 1634 fined 1000li. to the King excommunicated debarred to practice Physicke the chiefest meanes of his lively-hood his said Booke ordered to be burnt That he should pay cost of suit and be imprisoned till he should make a recantation the which heavy censure was onely for the said Booke wherein your Petitioner maintained the prerogative of a King against the Papacy Whereas one Thomas Chawney of Essex lately wrote a Booke in maintenance of the Papall Religion and in defence of the Church of Rome and averres it to be a true Church the which Booke is dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury and was and is patronized and defended by the said Archbishop and the said Chawney never troubled for it After which censure declared as aforesaid all the Bishops that were then present denyed openly that they held their jurisdiction from his Majesty and affirmed that they had it from God onely and the Archbishop of Canterbury among many other Erroneous sayings uttered by him maintained the said Chawneys Booke and maintained that the Church of Rome was a true Church and that it erred not in fundamentals and he and other the said Bishops there defamed the holy Scriptures and abused reverend Master Calvin In regard whereof and for the vindicating of your Petitioners innocency in the matters for which he was most unjustly censured as aforesaid your Petitioner published in Print another Booke in Latine Intituled Apologeticus ad Presules Anglicanos expressing the truth of his proceedings and speeces of his said censure For which last mentioned Booke and his Booke called the Lettany not then in Print an information was exhibited against him and others in the Starre-chamber to which your Petitioners answer being drawn engrossed was onely subscribed by himselfe because he could get no counsell to set their hands to it your Petitioner tendred the said answer first at the Star-chamber Office and after in open Court at the Star-chamber Bar but it would not be accepted for want of counsellors hands to it contrary to former Presidents But the Court of Star-chamber tooke the said information Pro confesso and censured Your Petitioner 5000 li. fine to the King to stand in the Pillory and to loose both his eares and to be close prisoner in Lancaster castle in Cornewall all which hath beene executed upon him with great extremity to the perill of his life After all which extremity your Petitioner by what order he knoweth it not it being no part of his censure in Star-chamber was transported from the said castle To the Iland of Sylly a place so barren that it affords not ordinary necessaries where he hath beene in close duration for three yeares or more and not suffered to have any of his friends come at him his very Wife being prohibited by the Lords of the counsels order under paine of imprisonment not to set her foot upon any part of the said Iland to enquire of his wellfare So that your Petitioner hath beene exiled from his wife and divers small children 3. years and more besides the great straights and miseries which he hath sustained during the said time All which is contrary to the law of God and man and the Liberties of a free Subject and to the utter undoing of your Petitioner his Wife and children May it therefore please this Honourable Assembly to take these pressing grievances of your Petitioner into your considerations and to afford him such reliefe therein as in your grave Wisdomes shall seeme Consonant to Justice and equity and to assigne him for Counsell Master Atkins Master Ludbore Master Tomlins Master Curdon and Master Randall to assist him in this his complaint and to order that your Petitioner may take out Gratis such Copies of the said Censures Warrants and Orders and other the proceedings in the said severall Courts as shall or may any way concerne this his sad yet most just complaint with warrant from this Honourable house to bring in his witnesse And your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray for your prosperities IOHN BASTWICKE TO THE HONOVRABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house of Parliament The humble Petition of Henry Burton late exile and close Prisoner in Castle Cornet in the I le of Garnsey In all humblenesse sheweth THat whereas your Petitioner on the 5 of Novemb. 1636 did preach two Sermons in his owne Parish Church in S. Mathew Friday street London for the which hee was in December then next following summoned to appeare before D. Ducke one of the Commissioners for causes Ecclesiasticall at Cheswicke in the County of Middlesex where with the Register of the High Commission Coutt the said D. Ducke tendred to the Petitioner the Oath Ex Officio to answer to certaine Articles there presented which Oath the Petitioner refusing to take did then and there appeale from the said Court unto the Kings Majesty which appeale the said D. Ducke did admit and the said Register by D. Ducks direction did then and there enter in writing Loe here the shadow of a man set free From death from graue dost ask how this could bee Doubt not The vertue of CHRISTS death hath done it And powerfull prayers of his Redeem'd ones won it Notwithstanding which said appeale a speciall High Commission Court was shortly after called at London consisting of 4 or 5 Doctors where the said Commissioners proceeded illegally to suspend the Petitioner in his absence by meanes whereof as of the threatnings of the said Commissioners he was enforced to keepe his house untill a Sergeant at Armes with divers Pursevants and other armed Officers assisted by Alderman Abell then Sheriffe of London beset the Petitioners House at 11 of the Clocke at night and violently broke open his dores with Iron Crowes and the like and surprised him in his house he making no resistance at all where having first searched his study and taking away such bookes as they pleased they carried your Petitioner to prison whence the next day being the second of Febr.

that to looke on it the usuall way it seemed a compleat and perfect C but turned one side of it and it appeared a Popes head and then turned another way and there appeared an Armie of men or Souldiers And we require you to declare by vertue of your Oath to your best knowledge and beliefe who or what was meant by the Popes head in the said Letter or seale and who or what by the Army of men or Souldiers And who by the C And whether by the C was ment the Lords Grace of Canterbury and by the Popes head that his Grace was meant And that by the Army of men or Souldiers was meant that his Grace would be the cause of Wars in this Kingdome about Religion or some other like meaning or device which is likewise recited in his Censure in like terms That your Petitioners Father was ordered to satisfie 22 pound 13 shillings 4 pence for Fees due to the Messenger who first seised him at 6 sh 8 d. the day for the 10. weeks he detained him Close Prisoner when his Father had nothing to doe with him he being another mans Servant That after your Petitioner had lyen almost two yeares in the Counter he was by the High Commissioners ordered to be sent to Wisbich Castie in the I le of Elie there to remain a close Prisoner But by a Generall Warrant from the Archbishop and some other Lords he was removed to the Gate-house and thence after a short abode there removed to the White Lion in Southwarke where he lay almost a yeare and was then from thence forced out by the disordered Rout that brake open that Prison which tumult being appeased he there voluntarily rendred himselfe againe and thence by a Warrant from the Lord Chiefe Justice Bramston he was transmitted to Newgate where he lay above 23 weeks and had lyen there longer had not he by his Counsell moved his Majesties Judges of the Kings Bench for a Habeas Corpus to be Bailed upon which he was without any Warrant remanded to the White Lion instead of being Bailed whereupon he moved the second time for a Habeas Corpus on which when he was brought to the Barre he could not be Bailed till after 4 Motions and 2 Rules made in the Cause That your Petitioner during his said Imprisonments hath had his Chambers divers times searched his Trunks and Boxes broken open his licenced Books and lawfull papers taken away and never yet could have them returned That your Petitioner hath made severall humble addresses by petition to the Counsell Table the High Commission Court and Arch-Bishop for Reliefe in his inlargement or support with maintenance but could not obtaine their Gracious Answers especially the Arch-Bishop in regard he had vowed as his owne Houshold Servants reported that your Petitioner should never be released as long as he breathed without he would either submit to confesse such things as should be required of him as what his Mr. did and what he bade him to doe or to take the Oath Ex Officio Alwhich Illegall Imprisonments of purpose to inforce him to betray and accuse his Innocent Mr. against the Laws of God and the Realme he humbly submits to the grave Consideration of this Honourable House desiring such Recompence for his said false Imprisonments and Injuries as to your wisdomes shall seem most meet And he as in duty bound shall ever pray c. NATHANAEL WICKINS TO THE HONOVRABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament The humble Petition of Peter Iuice of the City of Chester Stationer Sheweth THAt your Petitioner though every way conformable to the Laws of this Realm and Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and of a peaceable disposition about 3 yeares since for visiting Mr. Prynne in his passage through Chester to the Castle of Carnarvan by the consent of his Keeper was by the meanes and direction of the Bishop of Chester Arested by the Servant of Roger Blanchard Pursuivant for the High-Commissioners at Yorke to appeare before them upon Chester Chaire Evening who forced him to enter into Bond with Sureties to appeare at the Court at Bishops-Thorpe on that day which he did accordingly And on the same day your Petitioners Wife was Arrested and carryed out of his House by night by a Warrant from the said Commissioners to appeare at Bishop-Thorpe the next day being 80. miles from Chester for which two Arests he was inforced to pay sixe pound to Blanchard That your Petitioner upon his Appearance was enforced to take an Oath to Answere sundry originals and three papers of Additionall Articles to his great vexation and expence being kept at Yorke in the said Pursulvants house for the space of eight weeks during which time he was constrained to send down severall Commissions for the Examination of his Wife being unable to Travell and dangerously sick by meanes of the fright she took by the Pursuivants Arresting her and carrying her away in the night Your Petitioners House Shoppe and Study being three times searched in the meane time by a Warrant from the Lords And though nothing offensive was then found or proved against him but only his visiting Mr. Prynne in his passage through Chester and that with the leave of his Conductours Yet your Petitioner was by the said Commissioners fined 300. pound to his Majesty Imprisoned in the Pursuivants House to whom he payed 6. sh 8. d. a day besides his diet untill such time as he should enter into Bond with Sureties to make such a publique acknowledgement of his pretended offence in visiting Mr. Prynne both in the Cathedrall and Common Hall of Chester as the said Commissioners should prescribe your Petitioner being enforced to pay divers great and unwarrantable Fees both to the Pursuivants Registers Proctors and other Officers of the said Court to the value of 50. pound at the least And though nothing was proved against his Wife yet they forced him to pay the Charges of the Court and Costs of Suit for her That your Petitioner by reason of his said great Oppressions and Expences and through the perswasion of the said Bishop of Chester and his Chancellour was most against his Judgement and Conscience induced to make an unjust Acknowledgement in the said Cathedrall before a great Assembly where the said Bishop being then present and his Chapleyn Mr. Thomas Cordell preaching a Sermon for that purpose wherein he bitterly inveighed against Mr. Prynne and his Fellow-sufferers comparing them to Corah Dathan and Abiram And because your Petitioner changed one word of the Acknowledgement saying ignorantly for wickedly hee was injoyned by the Bishop the same day at Evening to make a new Acknowledgement in the said Church before another Great Assembly and after that to make the first Acknowledgement in the Common Hall of Chester before the Maior and Aldermen and all comers in And enforced him to pay 4 pound to Blanchard for being present to see his

Acknowledgement made After which your Petitioner was constrained to pay 30. pound to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Sugar-loaves to his Servant Mr. Holford for Composition of his said Fine of 30. pound so that by reason of all the premisses your Petitioner hath expended at least the summe of 100. pound and suffered damages to the value of 200. pound in his Trade and Reputation May it please this Honourable House to take these your Petitioners Grievances together with the jurisdiction of the said High-Commission Court into your just and Honourable Considerations and to afford your Petitioner such Reliefe for his losses and damages as the Justice and Equity of this Cause shall require And your Petitioner shall ever pray c. PETER JUICE TO THE HONOVRABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house of Parliament THE HVMBLE PETITION OF PETER LEIGH of the City of CHESTER Grocer and RICHARD GOLBORNE of CHESTER aforesaid Gentleman Sheweth THAT your Petitioners though peaceable and conformable to the Lawes of the Realme and Doctrine and Discipline by Law established in the Church of England were about three yeares since with William Trafford Deceased Arrested by Roger Blanckhard chiefe Pursuivant for the High Commission at Yorke for Visiting Mr. William Prynne in his Journy to Carnarvan Castle which they conceived they might Lawfully doe being his friends and there being no order to the contrary who upon their said Arrest tooke of each of your Petitioners 3 pound a peece for his sees and severall Bonds of your Petitioners for the appearance at the said High-Commission at Yorke within a short time after which they did accordingly and were committed to the said Blanchards custody until such time as they entred into Bonds to stand to the Order of the same Court And upon your Petitioners appearance divers Articles were exhibited against them in the said Court and the visiting of the said William Prynne they confessed but denyed all miscariages or misdemeanors charged against them and averred that they accompanied him onely in the presence of his Keepers And your Petitioners and the said Deceased were to their great charge forced to attend at Yorke one of them above a Month and the other 3 weekes after they had Answeres to the same Articles before Sentence and at last they were constrained to pay great summes of money for Fees and costs of Suit on both sides Doctor Matershed the Kings Advocate and the Proctors against them receiving great summes of money of them which with the Pursuivants Fees amounted to aboue sixty pound And your Petitioner Peter Leigh was fined 200 li. to the Kings Majesty and your other Petitioner 300 li. and the said William Trafford 150 li. and for the same cause and not any witnesse examined against any of them were enjoyned to make an acknowledgement which before they would not do in regard the same was against their consciences and the Lawes of this Realme as they beleeved They were forced to flee into other Countries and leave their Wives and Children Trades and Professions And in their absence the Pursuivants of the said Court came to their Houses with Warrants or intimations which they caused to be published in your Petitioners Parish Churches in Chester aforesaid and did so affright their Wives that they being with Child did soone after miscarry And your Petitioners and William Trafford using all meanes for their freedome could not prevaile but their fines were Estreated and their Bonds returned into the Exchequer as forfeited whereupon at last that they might have some accesse and favour to and with the Arch-Bishop of Canturbury who as they were informed had onely power to relieve them They payd Doctor Merricke one of the Advocates of the High-Commission Court at Canterbury that they might have accesse to his Lordship 35 li. at severall times They presented his Lordship also with two Butts of the best Sacke and gave one Mr. Holford one of his Attendants 12 li. and other Gratuities to other of his Servants to the value of 20 li. more All which were bestowed on the said Arch-Bishop and his Servants by the advice and direction of the said Doctor Merricke and after the acceptance thereof the said Arch Bishop was content to take and did take for your Petitioners and the said Traffords fines 240 li. more which they payd accordingly and were forced to pay 40 li. more for fees in London and at Yorke concerning the said businesse by which said expence troubles and neglect of their owne Occasions your Petitioners for their parts have beene damnified above 1000 li. and their estates almost thereby wholly mined They being enforced to flee and wander into strange Countries for about foure moneths together your Petitioner Peter Leigh then being a Tradesman who dealt for above 4000 li. per annum and then much indebted had his Shop shut up for above 3 moneths together for feare of having his goods seized for his forfited Bond and fine aforesaid And your Petitioner Golborne thereby was so ruined in his Estate that he for a long time after with his Wife and Children lived upon the Benevolence of his Friends and now is constrained to live in Service being disabled for want of moneyes to goe on in that course wherein formerly he was imployed May it therfore please this Honourable Assemblie to take your Petitioners distressed estate into your grave Considerations and to weigh their pretended Offences and their severe and heavie punishments together and to afford them such Reliefe for the great wrongs done unto them and their Estates and Families by the Commissioners and Officers of the said High Commission who have so rent and torne them in their Estates as aforesaid and by those who are the Authours of their Grievances and Oppressions who have made a prey of them by taking such Gratuities and summes of money of them as aforesaid when they or some of them were the Incendiaries of their Troubles and Vexations and the Authors and procurers of their so heavie punishments as in your grave Wisdomes shall seem convenient That so other his Majesties Subjects for the time future may not be so grievously oppressed at mans pleasure And your Petitioners shall pray c. PETER LEIGH RICHARD GOLBORNE TO THE HONOVRABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament The humble Petition of Calvin Bruen of the City of Chester Sheweth THAT your Petitioner though every way conformable to the Laws of this Realm and Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and of a peaceable disposition about 3 yeares since was Arrested by Robert Blanchard Pursuivant for the High-Commissioners at Yorke who took of him for his Arrest 3 pounds and a Bond for his appearance at Yorke the 28. of September 1637. being the Faire time at Chester on which day your Petitioner received a Copie of a Warrant from the Lords of his Majesties privie Counsell for his appearance before them with speed The which Copie your Petitioner shewed to the