TO HIS GRACE, THE High-Born Prince, JAMES, Duke of York.
I Have Petitioned your Royal Brother, our Gracious KING, to be Admitted to speak a few words: And in the like Nature, Petitioned your Grace; but was not Heard.
Therefore, I have made bold to Print; and prays your Patient Perusal, and to Act for Justice.
☞ Justice will stop my Pen, and turn my Complaints into Prayers and Thankfulness.
Potent Adversary's Practises, prevents my Opportunities: For I had purposed, by God's Assistance, and Your Gracious Acceptance, to have Presented the Book my self; and hop'd to obtain'd the Honor, to Kist Your Graces Hand.
This is a further Addition of what hath been done since the former Additions was added to this Printed Book; and something of Moment, which was formerly left out.
1. A Petition to the KING, and House of Lords.
2. A Petition to the House of Commons.
3. A Letter to a Gentleman, that did pretend he could prevail much with the Countess.
4. A Letter to the Lord Ogle: With other Arguments and Reasons.
To the KING's most Excellent Majesty, and the Right Honorable, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal.
The Humble Petition of James Percy, Cousin, and next Heir-Male to Josceline Percy, late Earl of Northumberland.
THat Your Petitioner put in his Claym, as Heir to the Title, Honors, Lands, &c. of the Percies, as Rightfully and Legitimately Descended of the Antient and Noble House, Nine Years ago; and still continueth the same, in hopes that he may have Justice done him.
And therefore Humbly prayes Your Majesty, and Your Lordships, to hear and determine his Right, having proved himself a True Percy at Law.
This Petition to the King, and House of Lords, was Presented the 17th. of October, 1679. Mr. Walker the Clark said, That nothing of Private Concerns would be received that Day.
To the Right Honourable, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, in Parliament Assembled.
The Humble Petition of James Percy, Cousin, and next Heir-Male to Josceline Percy, late Earl of Northumberland.
THat Your Petitioner having Nine Years claimed, and industriously prosecuted his Right to the Honors, Lands, &c. of the House of Northumberland; and not yet been able to obtain a Definitive Sentence, by reason of the Potency of his Adversaries, and the Lord Ogle, (as your Petioner is informed) indeavouring to carry away the said Honor, upon his Marriage with the Lady Elizabeth Percy
Your Petitioner humbly prayes the Benefit of his Brith-Right, and an English-Man, to be heard to his Claim, before any Conclusive Bar by Act of Parliament.
This Petition to the House of Commons would have been Presented the same Day; but one of the Clarks said, It was not proper to deliver it, till the Speaker was Chosen.
As the Claymant feared, the other Proroguement would have done him Harm; so this last Prorogation tends to his Advantage: For he hath now time to go for Ireland, to Inform, Incourage, [Page 3]and Direct his Eldest Son, Anthony Percy, to stand up to maintain the Claim of his Father; Who declares, if any thing should happen otherwise than well, or that he should Dye, he is the next Heir apparent; and if his Issue fail, then to his Second Brother, Henry Percy; and if his Issue fails, then to John Percy, the Youngest Son, and his Issue: And if it shall please God, the Claymant, his Sons, and Grand-Children should all Dye; yet there are Percies enough, which was the Children of Robert Percy, Second Brother of Henry Percy, the Children of Sir Ingleram Percy, and Grand-Children of Henry Percy, Fi [...] Earl of Northumberland: Which Henry and Robert, was sent out of the North in Hampers, with two Sisters, to the Lady Vaux, in Queen Elizabeths Days: And this the Claymant hath done, to prevent the Title, and the Estate of the Perices, from being Smugled any more, as at this day.
Moreover, if His Majesty will not give the Claymant Maintenance, nor appoint him a Match; yet it gives the Claymant opportunity to recruit again. As he intended to Print no more; so by God's Assistance, he shall never give over his Claim.
The 15th. Day, the Claymant carryed his False Pedigree, and the True Pedigree, to Sir William Dugdel again, and he did promise to stand up for Justice.
This to a Gentleman, that did pretend to prevail much with the Countess.
I Have Received my Lost Son; He is found, and return'd again: All Praises be rendred to the Almighty God; who, in his good time, can send me Peacè also: For He is Greater, than they that oppose me. We intend to visit Branford, the Latter End of the next week, to see if you can perform your Promise to me: And, in the mean time, if you please to present this inclosed Book, with my most Humble Service, to the Countess Dowager of Northumberland; and tell her Honor, I would not have presumed to have given her this Trouble, but only that Truth might be known, and to obtain a right Understanding.
Moreover, if her Honor will be graciously pleased to hear me speak, I could Propound that, which would silence all our Differences.
For I am like my Cousin Henry Hot Spur, who chose to lose his Life, rather than to yeild to that, which would abate his Honor and Resolution.
But when I find Justice founded upon the Basis of Reason, then I shall, by God's Assistance, be found like a Jonathan to David. In the mean time, I remain
I Lodge at Mr. Curtis his House, in Windsor-Conrt in Mugwell-Street, near Cripplegate.
I Write not as an Harbinger, to prepare Provisions, but as an Herauld, to proclaim Peace to the Countess, if she please. For their Act of Parliament shall never pass Both Houses, without Justice be absolutely Buried alive in this our Nation; Ezek. 46. Vers. 18. Moreover, the Scripture saith, Curse ye him, that removeth his Neighbor's Land-Mark.
A Letter left at Suffolk-House, for the Lord Ogle, near Charing-Cross.
EVer since the year, 1670. I have applyed myself not only in Person, but by Letters and Friends; as the Printed Lines sets forth: And with two of my Youngest Sons, did upon the 24th of June, 1679. wait for an Answer; But found Things not Performed, as was expected.
Now, My Lord, by your Marrying my Cousin, the Lady Elizabeth Percy, you are become concerned: And since I can no ways come to the Speech of her Grand-Mother, be pleased, that I may speak with you, of Differences past, and to prevent Differences to come. God direct you, even as he did King Solomon, and young Daniel, to do, Act, and stand up for Justice: For which, I have, and shall leave no stone unturn'd, till I find it. According to this inclosed Print, I am.
And Mr. Gee did declare to the Claymant, under White-Hall-Wall; That if they had thought, he had had an Estate to have Supported the Title withal, they would have Owned him long ago. If he had not been call'd from his Merchandizing, by God's Blessing, he might have obtained such an Estate of his own, as would have preserved a Percy from a Nevel's Lot. For when Henry Percy, Fourth Earl of Northumberland return'd, then was he Created Marquess Mountague.
Mr. Champion, that kept all the Records, confest, that there was above 4000 l. per [...]annum, to attend the Title, before old Mr. Rogers dyed; and then Canington, and Rodaway Lands, return'd to the Percies again. And the Agents now hath no other way, but to endeavour the Lands may be setled by Act of Parliament upon the Lord Ogle, in the Name of Percy.
The true and real Intent of the Claymant, is to satisfy King and Parliament; so as Fraud may be prevented, and a Royal Writ of Summons may be had, to call him to that Seat and Place of his Ancestors, Earls of Northumberland.