Petitions to the House of Lords: 1610

Wylliam Palmer and Jeames Boyle. HL/PO/JO/10/1/7 (1610)

26 Junii 1610.

To the Right Honorable Thomas Lord Elsmer Lord High Chaun
celor of Englande.

The humble peticion of Wylliam Palmer and of
Jeames Boyle.

Wherein they shewe that your Lordships suppliants, beinge subjects borne,
having for these twentie yeares laste paste, lyved in due
obedience to his majestie, and to her late majestie decessed, in Flushinge,
and Middleburrowe in the partes beyonde the seas, and there
havinge had three sonnes by there severall wyffes both straingers
borne, and thereby, there children by the lawes of this realme,
not capable of inherritances of landes, which maye discende unto
them, Your Lordships suppliants wyllinge to seeke reliefe in this case are hum-
ble suitors to his majestie, and to the high courte of parliament, for the
naturalysinge of there foresayd three children, which beinge vea-
rie chargeable, and your Lordships suppliants (being marchants) havinge
receaved great losses, as well by sea, as by pyratts whereby
there estate is greatlie impoverished, humblie beseache your honor
that Your Lordshipp wowld be pleased, that there three children might passe,
for two fees to Your Lordshipp, and through the upper howse, Your Lordships suppliants
havinge fownde that favor with Mr Speaker and the officers of
the lower howse, and your Lordships suppliants, according to their dueties,
wyll praye for Your Lordshipp, in health and honor longe to contynue.

Your Honors suppliants byll is now delyvered into the upper howse, they
humblie beseache Your Honor to have comisseracion of their humble peti-
tion.

Henry Stephens, John Dunster and John Hitchcocke. HL/PO/JO/10/13/4 (1610)

To the Right honorabell Thomas Lorde Ellesmere
Lord Chauncellor of Englande:

The humble Peticion of Henry Stephens John
Dunster and John Hitchcocke:

Your suppliantes beinge under arrest by authorytie of his Majesties high Courte of Parliament
for procuringe tharrest of Mathewe Hill who pretendeth himselfe to be servant to the
Right honorabell the Lorde Stafforde, for the clearinge of themselves from any offence
by them wittinglie commytted against the dignytie and pryveledge of the saide
Courte therein: Humbly shewe,

First the saide Henrye Stephens and John Dunstarr two of the suppliantes aboute halfe
a yeare synce caused the saide Mathewe Hill to be arrested att their suyte for a debt
longe synce due unto them, and yet unsatisfied, And lefte the proceedinges thereuppon
to the saide John Hitchcocke their attorney, not knowinge what hath bene synce
donne therein, nor beinge pryvie to the arrest aforesaide nor gyvinge anye direccion
for the same.

And the said John Hitchcocke saith that he fyndinge error in the former proceedinges caused
the saide Hill unknowen, to his clientes to be arrested agayne at their suite, before the
begyninge of this terme, not knowinge that he was priviledged or belonged to any
man priviledged in eyther howse of Parliament.

For as unto that he further sheweth that the saide Hill is and for the space of dyverse
yeares hath bene a mercer at Marleborough in the Countie of Wiltes, and there
allwayes lyved followinge his trade not beinge knowen to anye his nearest neighbors
to belonge to the saide Lorde Stafford, nor ever attendinge on him:

Uppon his arrest the saide Hill pretended, that he belonged to the Lord Stafford, whereuppon
your suppliant gave order, That if coulde bringe anye testymoniall thereof he shoulde
presentlye be dischardged, but he coulde not bringe anye:

Your suppliantes therefore humblie praye that your Lordshipp woulde
be pleased to dischardge them of their saide arrest
beinge taken by your Lordshipps Serjeant at Mace and
they shall ever praie for your Lordshipps happiest preservacion.

Stephen Proctor, knight, prisoner in the Tower. HL/PO/JO/10/13/4 (1610)

To the right honorable the Lords Spiritual and temporall
of the Higher Howse of Parliament

The humble peticion of Stephen Proctor knight prisoner in the Tower.

Most humbly sheweth. Whear there is a bill preferred unto their Honrable Lordshipps from the lower howse of parliament for
very many heinous offences supposed to be committed by the peticioner and therby to lay vearie greavous disgraces and
perpetuall infamies upon him and his posteritie and whereas allso, upon his humble peticion unto the said lower
howse to be herd by his councell at the committee there, yt would not please them to admitt him thereunto to speake
anie thing in answere or defence of anie misdemeanor supposed to bee by him committed as by a speciall
order of the 22th of June last maie appeare Now forasmuch as by the justice of the realme which belongeth
to every subject by as part of his birth right (God be blessed for yt) few or none have ben condemned and
punished in so high a nature uppon unles relacions without oath legall triall or hearing of the
defendant to pleade and prove for himselfe in his lawfull and just defence what he maie.

Therefore that yt will please ther honorable Lordshipps to have consideracion, of the peti-
cioners long and chargeable imprisonment and the greivous disgraces damage
and affliccions hereby herein already susteined to the utter subvercion of his estate
and credit without the greate and woonted clemency of ther honorable Lordshipps
be herein towardes the peticioner extended that he would be by their honorable
Lordshipps admitted to be herd by himselfe and his councell to speake unto the
pointes of the said bill wherwith he is charged before hee be therby utterly
concluded with he most humbly beggeth in such sort as to their gr grave
wisdomes and the justice of that most honorable house shall be thought
meete and he shall daily pray etc

The Silkdyers of the City of London. HL/PO/JO/10/14/2/3319 (1610)

To the right honorable the Lordes Spirituall
and Temporall of the most honorable
upper Howse of Parliament.

The humble peticion of the Silkdyers
of the City of London.

That whereas your saide Suppliantes doe understand that there is a certaine Bill
passed in this Parliament towching dying of silke.

They humbly beseech your honors before the same passe any further to vowchsauf
to heare what your Suppliantes can say in that busines by theire lerned counsell.
And they doubt not but to make it manifestly appeare to be no such matter
for the Comon wealth as is pretended, but sowght for by private men for
particuler profite. Especially silkemen of London, under whome your Suppliantes are
poore laboring men and by thies meanes shalbe driven to greater servitude,
for they doubt not, but some of your Honors remember the dyvers sutes that have
ben for this purpose, And your suppliantes have ben often ready ere this to
speake by their counsell but have still ben prevented.

And they shall according to theire bounden dewties dayly pray to God
for your Honors good and prosperous estates long to continue.