And all this for no other Crime or Offence , so much as Alledged against him , save only , That he did ( In the way of his Trade ) cause to be Re-printed , and sell a certain Book , Intituled ,

An Appeal from the Countrey to the City , for the Preservation of His Majesties Person , Liberty , Property , and the Protestant Religion .

In which Book , the Onely Words excepted against , and charged as Criminal in the Information brought against Your Petitioner , and upon which he receiv'd this Unparallel'd Judgment , are these , [ Speaking concerning Electing of Members to serve in Parliament . ]

And as these were all the Words charged , as by the Information appears ; And that Your Petitioner did onely Re-print it from and by a Printed Copy then commonly Sold about Town , Publish'd ( as hath been offered to the Lord Chief-Justice Scroggs , to be proved ) by Thompson , commonly called , The Popish Printer : So after all this Hardship to Your Petitioner , the said Thompson , who first set it abroad , was never in the least Question'd or Prosecuted for the same .

And as Your Humble Suppliant with all Gratitude acknowledges the abundant Charity and Kindness of the Honourable House of Commons , in the late Ever-Honour'd Parliament , towards him , in Repeating on his behalf the Addresses and Requests of that Honourable House , to His Majesty , That He would Graciously be pleased to Remit Your Petitioner's Fine . So nothing in all Your Petitioner's Troubles has more sensibly afflicted him , than that he should be so Unhappy , as to be misrepresented to His Majesty , by some ill Men , ( speaking either out of Malice , or meerly on false unjust Reports ) as a Person of Disloyal or Seditious Principles , Your Petitioner being really and sincerely a most Dutiful and Affectionate Honorer of His Majesties Person and Government ; Both which he prays Almighty God , long to preserve and continue . And as to the Expressions alledged to be spoken , That Thousands would stand by him , &c. No such words were ever utter'd by Your Petitioner ; And one of the Witnesses that testified against him at his Tryal , has since Publickly and Freely acknowledged before divers Witnesses , That he there swore falsly , and ask'd Your Petitioner pardon for the same .

Wherefore , since Your Petitioner's Misery is so Unsupportable , and the Occasion thereof , no other than as aforesaid ; And for that in the Resolutions of the late House of Commons , the said Proceedings against Your Petitioner as to such Excessive Fine , were declared Partial , Arbitrary and Illegal ; And because Your Petitioner can never hope for Liberty , but must certainly perish in this Loathsom Confinement , and his Numerous Family Beg their Bread , unless His Majesty , at the Intercession of You His most Great and Wise Councel , shall be Graciously pleased to Remit that Disproportionate Fine , which 't is impossible for Your Petitioner ever to Raise .

And since Your Petitioner has been thus Ruin'd , and remains still under such Severity , And that the late Parliament were pleased to have Your Petitioner under Nomination for Printing Their VOTES , [ Though Your Petitioner did not then get any thing thereby , but Others went wholly away with the Profit ] Your Petitioner humbly begs , That this Honourable House would take him into Their Pious Consideration , and Allow him Now the Priviledge of Printing the Votes of this Present Parliament at Oxford , or of the sole Reprinting them at London , from time to time , or such Share therein ( to support himself and Family from Perishing ) as the Compassion and Wisdom of this Honourable House shall deem meet .

In which Your Petitioner assures himself he shall not , because Confin'd , be Postpon'd for the Importunities of others , who , enjoying Liberty , cannot pretend so much Equity in their Requests , though they may have Opportunities of making greater Interests : For he is confident the Justice of so wise a Senate , will charitably extend their Favors not meerly to those that stand Next , or are most Importunate , but to such as have the most Need of them .

Or should it be said , That Your Petitioner , because in Prison , cannot so well manage that Affair for the Service of the House , and the Publick . Your Petitioner hopes , there will not appear any weight in that Objection , since 't is well known , That Your Petitioner has , for divers Weeks together , during this Rigid Confinement , Publish'd ( though with very little Encouragement of Advantage , by reason of the Swarms of Papers daily Emitted ) his Intelligence , and divers other Sheets , tending to Unvail the Designs of the Papists , Advance the Protestant Interest , and Vindicate the Justice and Loyalty of the Last Parliament ; And also has given the World , a true Account of more PETITIONS , ADDRESSES and APPLICATIONS for the Sitting of this present Parliament , than any Pretender to Intelligence whatsoever ; And therefore does not doubt , but by his Servants and Agents , he may as well either at Oxford or London , dispatch the VOTES , where there is a certain Prospect of Profit , as he did those other things , where there has been very little private Advantage : But besides , Your Petitioner being an Evidence against Sir William Scroggs , who stands Impeached of Treason , and other High Crimes and Misdemeanors in Parliament , ought , and may , ( as he humbly conceives ) on an Habeas Corpus ( if the Honourable House judge his Testimony material ) be brought down , and allowed de Die in Diem , to Attend as long as You shall Sit , or till that Charge be Try'd .

Your Poor Petitioner is not insensible of Your manifold weighty Affairs , which much deter'd him from interrupting You with this his private Concern ; But hopes the Dismal Circumstances he is under , and the Afflicting Complaints of his Poor Wife and Children , may Excuse the Vnusual Boldness of it , and prevail with so Christian an Assembly , to take Pity on Him and Them , so far as 't is Just and Reasonable .