TO THE Honourable, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Commons House, now Assembled in PARLIAMENT.
The humble Petition of Arundell Penruddock, widdow, late wife of John Penruddock, Esquire, deceased.
THat Oliver Cromwell the late pretended Protector, having traiterously murdered the late King, by force broken the Parliament, and banished his Majesty out of his Dominions, the Petitioners husband, with many others of his Majesties Loyal Subjects in the year 1654. according to their bounden Duty, and Allegiance, and by virtue of his Majesties Commission, endeavoured by lawfull Arms, the suppression of the Forces of the said Oliver Cromwell, and the restitution of his Majesty to his Right and Kingdomes.
But the forces of the said Oliver Cromwell, under the command of Colonel Crook over-pouring the Petitioners Husband and his party, the Petitioners Husband and his party were taken and imprisoned.
And afterwards the said pretended Protector, did grant out a Commission of Oyer and Terminer unto John Glyn, William Steele, Serjeants at Law, and John Lisle, Esquire, and others for the tryall of the petitioners husband, and the rest of his party, although contrary to Articles made with them by Colonel Crooke, who afterwards perfidiously denyed them.
That the said pretended Commissioners, proceeding to execute that Commission, caused the petitioners Husband (amongst others) to be Arraigned at Exeter, at which try all the said, Serjeant Glyn, and the rest of the Commissioners, refused to allow the petitioners husband any Counsell although he took many particular exceptions to the Indictment, both for the matter and form.
They also declared to the people and jury that to raise forces for his Majesty, against the said pretended Protector, was Treason, within the Statute of 25. Edw. 3. and that Arms taken against him, were as against the King, within the meaning of that Statute.
Whereupon, the Petitioners Husband was by a Jury (which Sir John Coppleston, the then Sheriff) had maliciously packed and returned for that purpose) found guilty of Treason, and Judgement of death being passed upon him, by the said Commissioners, he was afterwards beheaded by the Command of the said sir John Coppleston, to the unexpressible grief and irreparable losse of the disconsolate Petitioner, and her fatherlesse Children.
That Captain James Dewy in the County of Dorset, before Conviction, seized upon the estate of the Petitioners late husband, to the value of one thousand pound, and converted the same to his own and the pretended Protectors use.
All which proceedings of the said Commissioners being against all Right, and Justice, and (as the petitioner believes) against the Consciences and Judgements of the Commissioners themselves (they being learned in the Laws) and the Commission being onely set on foot to maintain the Tyranny and Usurpation of the said pretended Protector against his Sacred Majesty.
The Petitioner in all humility, prayes that although she hath no remedy at Law by any appeale, against the said Commissioners, yet that the said Arbitrary and Malicious Judgement, given by the said Commissioners, contrary to the known Laws, may be condemned and reversed.
And to the end that the said commissioners may be made exemplary in this punishment, She humbly prayes, that the Offence of the said Commissioners may be excepted out of the General Pardon and Oblivion:
And that her said Husbands estate may be restored by the said Dewy and others, who seized the same, to the Petitioner and her Children.