ACcordingly as we by our free Election, have betrusted and conferred our own naturall and inherent power up­on you, to be come Agitators in our behalfs for the good of the Army, the Parliament and Kingdome, and so consequently, for the safety, freedome, and liberty of every free man of England: We doe desire, that you would like faithfull servants unto us discharge your trust and utmost indeavours for and towards the effectuall reliefe and speedy delive­rance of the unjustly imprisoned and op­pressed of the Land; And in Order thereunto, [Page 2] we here offer a Petition unto your just and spee­dy concurrence with us in the premisses, on and in the behalfe of Leiutenant Colonell Iohn Lilburne, Richard Overton (this Kingdomes and Armies Appellant) his Wife, Brother, and others unjustly by Prerogative pleasure, contrary to the GREAT CHARTER of England, and the Pe­tition of Right imprisoned in and about the City of London, the which we have prepared, and is sub­scribed by us, to be presented to His Excellency, earnestly desiring, that as it is your duty, so you would not faile, to become Petitioners with us in the premisses, and so joyntly with us implore His Excellencies concurrence with his Army and Councell therein, for the present safetie and deli­verance of the said unjustly imprisoned freemen of England.

The Petition followeth.

THat whereas we the Officers and Souldiers of this Army, (raised by the great Authority of this Kingdome, for the just freedome both of Parliament and people) have in, and ever since our late solemn engagement to and with each other, to and with the Parliament and Kingdome in our se­verall papers, given very large hopes to the op­pressed of the Kingdome, of impartiall justice and Freedome; And having in a most speciall man­ner by our Councel of Agitators in their letter to the Seamen given our most solemn Assurance, upon the faith of honest men and Souldiers, that (whatever may be suggested by any) we have no other aimes, but [Page 4] that justice might act in all its parts, and to all its ends, as relating to all estates and persons in the Kingdome, that the yoakes of oppression might be taken off the necks of all, and Justice equally distributed to all, and the Rights of any (though now detained from them) re­stored & setled upon them; elswhere in the said Papers expressing our resolution to go on in the prosecution of so good a worke; till we see oppression and oppressours from us and the Kingdome removed, a firme and hap­py Peace setled, and this poore Kingdome from ruine and distruction delivered: And in our last Declara­tion giving further assurance and confirmation, that it is our chiefe ayme to settle peace with truth and righteousnesse through the Kingdome, that none may be oppressed in his just freedome and liberties.

So that by these & the like professions, promises, & expressions of ours in this time of publike calamity and distresse, we have Administred to the helplesse and destitute, a just cause of Appeale and Addresse unto us, as a sure Refuge, to fly to for succour and reli [...]fe against the mercilesse devouring Oppressour.

Whereupon many of the distressed, destitute, op­pressed Commons from severall parts of this Kingdome, out of their good opinion of the since­rity and uprightnesse of our professions and inten­tions, have been encouraged to make their sad com­playnts and Addresses unto this Army, by whom as also by your Excellency they have been entertained with great acceptation and Commiseration: And a­mongst the rest we finde, and in especiall manner take notice of a certaine Appeale from and against [Page 5] certaine Gentlemen, residing at Westminster surpri­zing, usurping, and abusing the place▪ name, power, and Authority of Parliament unto the Body of the people, and chiefly to the Body of this Army, by Richard O­verton, who as by his Appeale & otherwise publik­ly and certainly appeareth) hath by some Preroga­tive men of this Kingdome been most barbarously and inhumanely abused, for no other cause, then for his strict observation and just vindication of the free Commoners Rights, according to the Great Cha­rter of England, himselfe being throwne into the Goale of Newgate, his wife into Bridewell (both dragged through the streetes headlong, through the dirt and mire) his Brother into Maiden-lane Prison, his house plundered and rifl [...]d, and his Children exposed to the streetes, and yet for above these 12. moneths space, the said Appellant conti­nuing in the said mercilesse durance, cruel and unna­turall divorse, cannot obtaine any justice either for himselfe, his wife, or his brother, notwithstanding all the ordinary & formall waies & means that ei­ther by himself or his friends could be used, himself not only appealing, complayning, and petitioning to the Parliament of England; but also many thousands of the Gentlemen and yeomen of the Connties of Bucking­hamshire, and Hartfordshire in his, and in the behalfe of Lieutenant Colonel [...]hn Lilburne, &c. yet through the obstruction of the said factious confede­rate, traiterous Party in the House could obtaine no manner of reliefe or redresse, in somuch, that in pur­suance of his and their naturall safety and freedome, [Page 6] and of just determination of his cause, he was [...] the just (although [...] ordinary [...]) way of Appeale unto the represented body of the people, and in especiall to y [...]ur Excellency and the Body of this Army, no other vi­sible formall power for reliefe and protection appearing in the land, therein resigning, submitting, offering, and casting his person and cause (as much as in him lyeth) into the verge of our solemn Engagement for deliverance and protection from the foresaid oppressours and tyrants, still surprising and usurping the place, name, and Authority of the supreame Au­th [...]rity of this Kingdome: That so in point of Common li­berty (wherein every free Commoners right is concerned) he may be preserved from the unjust tryall and censure of his, this Armies and the Kingdomes open and dec [...]a [...]ed e­nemies, and suffer no longer nor any further Oppression by them.

And further, whereas according to, and in pursuance of the particular mentioned under the fifth head of the repre­sentations of the Army, we did earnestly desire that Leiueten­ant Colonel John Li [...]burne, the said Richard Overton, with others in their condition imprisoned in and about the City of London, should be put into a speedy, regular and equitable way of tryall, or if the necessity of setling the generall affaires of the Kingdom could not admit their present tryall, that then they might have present liberty upon reasonable security. &c.

Neverthelesse, no more justice or freedome can be ob­tained for them, then if such a desire of your Excellency, and this Army never had been proposed

Wherefore we your Officers and Souldiers being deeply sensible and intelligent, how insufferable & distructive, such Anti-parliamentary illegal procee­dings & Commitments are to the Lawes, Rights, & Li­berties of the freemen of England how contradictory, derogatory, & contemptory such delayes & d [...]nyals of ju­stice [Page 7] to the reasonable and just desires of the said Coun­ti [...]s, & to the proposall of this Army are, we cannot but in equity (as in duty we are bound to our own Solemne engagement, and do hereby in pu [...]suance thereof, own the said Appellant, to be with us num­bred under the verge, power, and protection of this Ar­my, to be together and equally with us saved and defended from the further violence, oppression and injustice of the said usurpers and abusers of the places, name and authority of Parliament, ours and this King­domes open and declared enemies as well as his; resol­ving, as much as in us lyeth, to make good our foresaid professions and promises of justice and right, to the said Appellant equally as to our selves, in be­halfe of the Kingdom & of that common cause of freedome and liberty, wherein the said Appellaent is engaged for the generall safety rights and immu­nities of the Commons of England with the losse of his owne.

And we do hereby represent our further Resolu­tions, to conferre the utmost of our endeavours for his, his wives, his Brothers (together with Leiue­tenant Colonel Iohn Lilburne and others impri­soned in the same condition in and about London) present release and Assumption into the power, custody, and protection of this Army for the ends and purpo­ses aforesaid, both for a just and free Parliamentary tryall and judgment, and representations according to Law.

Wherefore we humbly beseech your Excellen­cy, that you would be pleased to concurre with us, [Page 8] and with our Councell of Agitators who have [...]ready most justly (concurred therein) for the more orderly effecting thereof, and representation of the ame to the free Legall Parliament of Eng­land▪ which was fo [...]d to fly to this Army for re­fuge, that so no dssatisfaction may be administred either one waies or other.