THE POOR MAN'S CRY. Wherein Is shown the present miserable estate of me JOHN LILBURNE, Close prisoner in the Fleet.  
ALSO An humble Petition to his Majesty's Honourable privy Council, for meantenance that I famish not.  Pro. 21.13. Who so stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also himself shall cry and not be heard.  printer's or publisher's device 
Published by a back friend of the English Popish Prelates, 1639.   

Courteous Reader:  
IT is not without the special wisdom of God, to set forth the kingdom of Antichrist under the name & title of a Beast: For look as Beasts do exercise all kind of cruelty, and no favour is to be expected from them: so it is with the inhuman Prelates, their delight is only in the blood of the Saints: and as for Pity, Compassion, Charritie etc. there is no more in them then in Dogs. I could give many instances 
* 
Witness lately their offering of two hundred pounds to one in London, to betray his friend into their bloody hands.  
It seems there is now some scarcity among these Wolves, that they will give so much money for one poor sheep.   of their beastlike doings this way: but it needs not, considering how the same is already known unto all men in all places. Besides in this short Relation, thou shalt have as much proved as I do here affirm of them: namely that they are without natural affections, inhuman, barbarous. Such as Please not God, and are contrary to all men 1 Thess, 2.15. fulfilling herein (as did judas) the Prophecies recorded of them in the Revelation, viz. to be Serpents, Scorpions, and the Spirits of Devils, making war against the Saints and to overcome them.  
The consideration of whose cruelty, is to advertise every faithful man, to look to it, that he well prepare himself; to fight with these Beasts, that so whensoever the Lord shall call him to warree this way, he may by the power of the Lamb overcome, and possess the Crown of life.  
Thy exiled friend and nameless Countryman.   

To all the people of God, that love the Lord jesus Christ in truth and sincerity, and desire the welfare and prosperity of his poor afflicted Saints & Servants.  
Dear beloved Brethren, and fellow heirs of the same Kingdom and Crown of Glory with me. I am at this present constrained to declare unto 
(a) If we will be like unto God we must have our ears open to hear the cry of the oppressed, and our hands ready to relieve them in what we are able.  you, and truly to say with the Prophet Jeremiah, in the third of his Lamentations, that I am the man that have seen & felt afflictions, by the rod of God's wrath. Also I am above measure forced to send forth unto you, and cry out aloud, to make my grievous deplorable & lamentable complant, known unto you, of the barbarous cruelty & tiranies, that Prelates and jailors have for a long time together, and still do, exercise upon me, labouring by unheard of cruelty, to take away my life privately 
(b) This hath been constantly their practice, barbarously to murder the Saints in secret: knowing their cause to be so wicked, that if it should come to be openly discovered all good men would detest it & them.  in a hole and corner, that so it might be noised abroad, not daring in regard of my unspotted innocency, to bring me again into the public view of the Kingdom, and therefore do they torture my poor weak body, with unparaleld Paganish and Heathenish cruelty. 
(c) Howsoever we cannot but grieve to hear of such cruel sufferings: yet we may herein rejoice, that we see these marked slaves of Antich. so fare to fulfil the scriptures, as that we may infallibly conclude, that they are the Locusts which came out of the bottomless pit.   
A brief Relation of part of which, you may read after these lines, in my Humble Petition to the Noble Lords for meantenance, which I sent the last week to the Wardens of the Fleet, having leave of them for a Scribe to write it, and they kept it all night, and Warden Jugram sent me this word back again: that he would deliver no Petition unless I would recant and submit. 
(d) That is, turn Papist and see he might be sure to have liberty enough, and preferment also.  I answered him back again, that if any of my adversaries would show me wherein I had broken any of my Sovereign's Laws, I would submit without any conditions, to all that they would desire of me. Or if they see that I am erroneous in my judgement, I would dispute it with them, and if they could groundedly, by the authority of the word of God, show and prove, that I hold one error. I will be bound publicly to recant, in every City of the Kingdom. And I said to my Keeper at several times, and so I do still, I desire no favour at his hands, nor any Bishop in the Kingdom, for if I be an offender, I desire the extremity of the law may be inflicted upon me to the utmost, for I had rather (I profess unto you) choose to morrow to die at Tyburn or 
(e) It is no marvel that the Scotsmen will have no Bishops among them. Considering that it is better, that aman were put to the cruelest death that could be devised, then to be under their hands.  Smithfield, then to be still enduring of my Constant Extraordinary bodily pains and torments, which have been so great, that I do assure you many times, they have almost distracted me of my senses. And if they will not do this, then seeing my own estate is spent, and all my kindred hath from the beginning left me: 
(f) God's people when they suffered under the pagans, had this favour shown them: that their friends might come freely to them: & supply their wants. But the Prelates for cruelty are far worse than the Heathens, for when they once get a man into their prison, they will not suffer any body to visit him, but rather do seek by some secret way to murder him.  & my weak condition is so exceeding chargeable unto me, standing me in more in one week now, then would keep me five weeks if I were well, And also seeing that any that will take compassion of my low estate, are not suffered to come at me, to relieve me, I desired the Warden (having none at all to do it for me besides him) that he according to his place & office, would truly make my miserable condition known to to the LORDS, that I may have a competant allowance from them to sustain nature, that so I may not perish in this deplorable & weak condition, and this (said I) he being my chief Keeper, he is bound to do it, at his & your peril be it, for I know if my innocent blood should this night by cruelty be taken away, the Lord would raise up some, that will require of you & him, a strict account how it was shed: & though you keep me so close, that there be but few at my death, yet you know not what great troops may come to my burial: 
(g) Who shall accompany thy body to the grave I know not: But this I know Angels shall accompany thy soul to Heaven. But as for that blood s●cker Laud: I verily believe (except he repent) the Devil will accompany him to hell torment.  remember but the late great multitude 
(h) Such a company would follow Laud and his crew If they knew when the king & state would hang them at Tyburn.  that came to the Fleet, & attended M, Burton & M. Prinne out of the City, and if any thing but good follow upon this, you & he are the sole cause of it, therefore as you will answer it before King and State, look to it, for I am my Soveaignes' faithful and liege subject 
(i) Let it be observe that it was never ye seen (nor I hope shall be) that there was any man of his profession justly tainted for a Traitor to the King & country, whereas the Prelates in all ages since the Devil erected them have beme proved the most notorious traitors that ever were in the world, & might iusttice take place, it would be proved that they who are now alive are notorious ones.  yea one as faithful to his Crown as any whatsoever that breaths in all his Dominions, for if it can be proved that ever I broke any of his laws, I will submit unto, and suffer whatsoever authority will lay upon me: therefore be not you & he the Bishop's Agents to take away my life in my close imprisonment, for you use me worse & more tiranically, then ever any traitor in England was used, yea worse than the Gunpowder traitors were used. I have read a great part of the Book of Martyrs, with some Histories of the like kind: and I will meantaine it, that such an unparaleld Act of cruelty and barbarous tryanny, as have been exercised upon me, is not to be found in them all. Yea wicked bloody Bonner 
(k) Seeing their wick ednes is come to such a height, & fullness, and they do go beyond in cruelty the crelst Tyrants that ever were: My hope is that their destruction & ruin is at hand. and that he will cause the land to spew them out, and so s●nd them packing to their own place. Amen Amen.  himself, never did the like to any of the Saints as have been done unto me, for while they lived, he would either suffer their friends to come at them, to relieve them, or else he would allow them meantenance to preserve life in them, but neither of these can I enjoy, also he would dispute with them himself, and send for others likewise to do it, and use all means to win them to himself, but none of these have I yet found, though I have often desired it: and promised to recant, if it could be showed that I held any errors. Again he would take away their lines, 
(l) Without doubt the Prelates would do so too, but are restrained: Now it is humlby desired, that they who think it not fit that the Bishops should have their will in taking our lines away: that they suffer them not in the mean time to use us worse.  if they broke any of the laws or would not submit unto them, but though I have not broken any of the King's laws, and have offered so fair as I have done, and have desired & longed to meet with death, yet can I not be rid of my misery, but you keep me in a tormenting 
(m) When these Tormentors feel hell torments, than they will know what it is to torment others,  condition, full of extremity and bodiliepaine, that I can neither get ease sitting nor lying, being unable to go without great misery, being always as it were in the pangs of death, & yet cannot meet with it. But said I to M. john Murry & M. Morgan a Papist, tell the Warden from me, that unless the Bishopps, by the law of the land, and the word 
(a) They can show as much word of God for what they do; as they do show mercy and goodness in their actions: and that is in both none at all.  of God, will show me my offence, I will never submit, nor recant, in the least, while breath is in my body, and therefore it is but in vain to h●pe for it, for if he and I should live together as long as Methusalah did, which was almost a thousand years, yet he should never get me to go against the sweet peace of a good conscience, or recant that which I am persuaded is a truth, yea if he should exercise all the cruelty in the world upon me, though he should lock me in an Iron chest, that I could neither stir hand nor foot, and feed me with channel water, and with bread made of saw dust, he might well take away my life and being from the earth, but he should never make me go, against my conscience, for I am kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, and Crown of glory that is so rich in my eyes, that I dare not deny Christ, nor his truth, though all the cruelty in the world should be inflicted upon me, lest he deny me before his father, which is in heaven: Yet most miserable it is, that I should perish by cruelty, in my close condition, being a faithful subject to the King, & never broke any of his laws. And let my tormentors look to it, as they will answer it, for I have heard that the Honourable Lords, 
(b) Howsoever the Bishops do cause the Godly to be cruelly used in Preson. Yet I am persuaded that neither the King nor the Temporal Lords of his majesties council, do know of it. For it is not possible if they did that they would suffer it, considering how much it is against nature to exercise cruelty upon any creature: much less on man who carries God's own image.  which have been made acquainted with my cruel usage, protested they would not believe, that the Warden dealt so with me: this with much more that then I said, with some prisoners taking notice of my condition, but especially Sr. Richard Gravenner, a worshipful Knight, 
(c) I do not marvel that the knight would not receive it for atruth. For the truth is: such is their cruelty showed to such as are against their places, that unless it were seen with the eyes, one would scarce believe it. For this I do affirm & will make it good: that no Rogue in any jail of the Land, is so basely & barbarously handled. Not that the Keeper's desire to use them so, but are charged secretly by the Bb. so to do, & threatened to lose their places if they show favour to them.  who sent to the Warden about it, which I think put him in some fear, that he durst not well deny my reasonable request, in delivering my petition, so he sent a scribe to me, to draw it oner a gain, and to leave out the most of it, especially about my lying in Irons in my sickness, which I would not leave out, 
(d) This shows that their cruelty is exercised only by the Bishop's means.  only I omitted this clause, who suffers for his conscience sake, which was most accepted against, and the old women that tends me, delivered the petition again to him upon tuesday last, tobedelivered it to the Lords the next day, but he put me of with delays, that neither upon wednesday at night, nor yet upon thursday could I not in the least know, what was done in it, until this present Frydaie morning, that my keeper after many sendings for him, before he would come at me, told me the Warden had delivered it to the Clerk of the counsel, but it was not yet answered, yea but (said I) was it delivered to the Lords, and read before them or no, for it may be delivered to the Clerk of the counsel, and yet never come to their ears, or hands, that I know not saith he, I pray you then tell the Warden, that I desire to know of him, whither it were delivered to the Lords, yea, or no, or whither he will deliver it, which if he refuse to do, I having none to do any thing about it for me, as he, and you very well know, for all my kindred hath left me, in regard the Bishop of Canterbury, 
(a) Was there ever such a Tiran● heard o●: that seeks to undo whole families, for the mallace which he bears to some particular persons. If there were nothing else to stir up the hearts of people against him this were enough.  in revenge, hath fallen upon my Father, about his outward estate, having now for a long time together, been in suit, for all his land, which suit hath cost him many a thousand pound, and hath been heard before the King, and Nobles, and all the judges of the land, and the Bishop 
(b) I know not how that Judge did answer the Caterpillar I should say Can kerbury: But if I had heard him speak it. I should have set my eyes upon him, and said unto him as Paul did to his Brother E●imas the sorcerer, O full of all suttilty, and all mischief, thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord.  in private, hath spoken to the judges of the Circuit, against my Father, for my sake, which one of them told my eldest Brother of, and this hath bred me a sore affliction, from all my kindred, but especially from my Father 
(c) This is on of their common practices: to set the father against the son, the King against the Subject. But Christ will set himself against them one day. , which hath made him write to my youngest Brother, here in London, to beware of me, and my steps, for I have been the greatest grief unto him, that ever came to him, so that I have no friend left that I know of, to follow it for me.  
Therefore in regard the Warden deals so with me, I shall be forced to proclaim abroad & make the Kingdom ring 
(d) The Kingdom rings enough already with the Prelate's cruelty, for they are minded by all sorts of people good & had, a most bloody generation: insomuch as the nation is weary of them: & desire to he rid of them, as of their sorest & greatest plague, , with his and the Prelaes' cruelty towards me, seeing they still do, as formerly they have done; by all means possible, that my Just and murnefull complaint, might not come unto the Honourable Lords 
(a) This hath been their constant practice: to keep from the King and State their secret & bloody acts: for they well know that if it should be known how many they make away in Prison, by hard usage: they would smart for it.  ears, and therefore I must be constrained to condeavour to get one delivered whether he will or no, and make him it may be, smart for his unwarrantable cruelty, that he inhumanly hath exercised upon me, not only since I came into your custody, but also before: who kept me close prisoner, well nigh four months together, before my cruel public suffering, and would not suffer me to take the air, the space of one hour: though I have often sent to him and desired it. For which close imprisonment, he himself told me, he had no order from the Lords, 
(b) He means the Temporal Lords. for doubtless he knew that it was the Prelate's desire, that he should use him as Cruelly as could be: beside I do believe, that were it not to give them content, no keeper in the Land would show so much inhumanity & barberousnes as some do.  neither would he show me any, but said all my punishment was little enough for me: because I was so refractory and stubborn, when before his face I desired to know wherein, & this I will depose upon my oath before King & State. For (he) I verily believe kept me up at the Bishop's private instagation, 
(c) Thou mayst be sure of that. for is there any basensse used towards God's people: but they are chief causers of it.  but coloured it over with another pretence: because I was not able to procure two Alderman's fellows, according to his demand, of two thousand proved bond, for my safe imprisonment, when he had me under many locks, & I being as peaceable a prisoner as any in the Fleet.  
This and much more of his cruelty exerised upon me from time to time, as I am able larglie to particular, which I think he will not be able to answer, & therefore he dares nor let my miserable estate be made known unto the Lords, for fear he himself smart sound for it, being a main cause of it.  
But tell him from me, that I am almost murdered with cruelty, my strength being gone and my life even at death's door. therefore I do protest in the presence of God, if I have not speedy redress one way or another, I will proclaim aloud his & the Prelate's wickedness & barbarous tyranny. 
(d) And know this for thy comfort that many thousands of us, do cry aloud in thy behalf; & for many other sufferers with thee, unto the Lord, that he would avenge himself on his enemies. And I believe God's wrath is not fare from them.  & I doubt not but to make him and them smart for it: seeing he will not according to his place (the Lords having sent to him & my Doctor: to know how it is with me) make them truly acquainted how submissive I am to any reasonable demand, as I declared to his face when I was last before him, but seeks by cruelty to take away my life: hoping in regard of my great weakness and pain, that I will suddenly die, and there willbe an end of me. And then may say 
[a] This hath been anciently their practice when they murdered the Saints in prison by barbarous usage; to devise notorious lies for their excuse, but the Lord who sees their wickedness will bring them forth one day for it, to their shame before men and Angels.  I died of long sickness and weakness, and so colour over their tyranny and cruelty, for he dares not let his and the Bishop's cruelty be known, but seeks by all means to hide it from the Noble Lords 
(b) No doubt the noble Lords & Peers do know a great deal of their treachery, & villainy: yet not half of it, for it is one of their special employments to keep from the King and state the knowledge of their base actions, and hence it is that they strive so much to suppress all books that are written in the discovery of their actions, for they well known, should the land know what they do it would spew them out.  & Peers of the Land, whom I know have more Humanity, Nobility and mercy in their heroical breast: then for nothing & without any just offence, to take away a poor young man's life in a corner. Now the very speaking of these things (to some of my compassionate friends, that came up to my lodging to see me, who would receive no wrong of my Keeper) hath struck him to the very heart, and made him look so pail as if he would have fallen down dead at my bed side, & it so affrighted him: that now he will not let any come to me, but hath refused to let many come at me, that have desired to communicate to my necessities, neither can I now scarce get himself to come up to me. But (saith he) that which you set your hand too, (before Sr. John Banks) hath undone you, well if it have (said I) yet I am sure there is nothing in it, either against the King or his laws Its true I accused the Bishops of High Treason, 
[c] So much hath been from time to time offered to be proved, in the chiefest Courts of the Land, yea if some parliament had stood they would have been ere this time censured & executed for Traitors, & this they know well enough, insomuch as a Parliament; to them, is as Drake was to the Spaniard.  & mentioned the Parliament laws of the Land for proof of it. Also their public renouncing of the King and State, in the Censure of Noble Doctor Bastwick, in the High Commission Court. And I offered upon my life to make it good, and this I spoke. also before many Prisoners through the grates of my window, desiring them bear witness of this: and much more which I then spoke, and now again to you my Brethren; understanding well what I say, and I will affirm it: that all the Bishops in England that had a hand in the Censuring of Dr. Bastwick in the High Commission Court, are Traitors to the King & State, as I will prove by several Acts of Parliamet, upon pain of losing my head; if I may have a legal proceeding against them. Therefore make it known: 
(a) It is made known to the whole nation, and proved clearly in many Books, as the Abreviate Zion's Plea, etc. Besides the people generally take them no otherwise.  for he that conceals Treason, (by the laws of the Land) is guilty of punishment, as well as the Traitor himself, therefore look to it, for I am able to prove what I say. But as for my Petition, I am out of all hopes of any relief by it, in regard it is not yet, neither do I think it will ever be delivered to the Lords by the Warden. And also I do verily think it will be found, that he and the Bishops as I have accused them before mavy witnesses: even the same day fell sick, and as I have formerly said, they have conspired together, by tyrannical cruelty, of set purpose to take away my life and blood, which is almost spent already that so I might not live to make (their Pagan like wickedness and barbarous tirnanie) known. And therefore was I laid in Irones for a long time together, even in my sickness, in which I laid night and day, with my hands and feet fast in the Fetters, my Boots & stockens being on my legs for many nights together, Without (I verily think,) the least order from the Honourable, Lords, they hoping by this means, to put an end to my days, which they have almost done. For as I then told my Doctor, the coldness of my Irones, they being very straight upon the wrists of my Arms, which struck an ague so to my heart, that I thought I should have died in a sudden fit of pain. when none was with me, and I verily think it had killed me ere this, if I had not followed my Doctors advise, in being at charges to get a wider made, which sent for to the Smiths, my Keeper delaying to do it for me, though I much desired it of him: that so I might have wrapped  enough about it, to keep away the piercing cold, which proceeded from the coldness of the Irones. 
(b) It is a thing which the Prelates do much labour about, namely to persuade the King and his Council that the Puritants in writings against their cruelty do greatly disgrace the Government of the Land. But if the thing were truly considered; that which hath made the English nation Contemptible in the eyes of the world, is the inhuman practices of Bishops, for where shall a man hear of so vile and bloody a practice as this.   
O ye Heavens and earth, that is to say: you true Churches & Christian Common wealths, (as you are called) stand amazed and wonder: at the barbarous and savage cruelty, (of bloody Bishops & jailors) exercised upon me, a poor weak and young stripling, without any just cause at all, only because I love the Lord jesus Christ & am a faithful subject to my Prince, 
(a) Were thou not a faithful subject to thy Prince, the Prelates would never hate thee, for what Priest or jesuit have they ever so handled.  & Country, and will not suffer (as much as in me lies) to be ruinated by Ambitious, Treacheros popish Prelates. For if my strength of body (which is now exceeding weak) would serve, and a fit opportunity, I could write a large & Lamentable complaint unto you, that one would hardly believe: 
(b) Yes? many would believe it. For it is certain, & I here report it of knowledge; that in all the Popish countries where I have been, there is not that cruelty now exercised by Bis. any where, as there is in England. The Prelates in Poland, Spain, France, are not half so vile. Much less sin as those do against knowledge and conscience.  that ever such barbarous cruelty should (be in England) upon a poor weak and innocent young man. Now this may make your spirits within you to fail: in remembrance of your great sin & want of courage, 
(c) It is just with God, that he should keep these Canaanites amongst us: as pricks in our side, in regard we show not ourselves more zealous of his glory in the relief of our Brethren.  in looking to me in my great & sore sickness, that you laboured not for some redress for me; who have suffered all that I have done, for the glory of God, and your good and welfare, to free you from bloody tyrannical Lordly Prelates. Oh therefore remember what the Angel of the Lord said, judgs' 5. Curse ye Meroze with a bitter curse, because the inhabiants thereof came not out to the help of the Lord against the mighty. And the spirit of God in Jeremiah 48. saith, Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently & carelessly. Now you being the Lords people, you are bound to do his work: and to second those that do it, 
(d) ●● they who have bravely fought against the Bish. had been followed my mind gives me they had been down ere this time, I do not mean any fight with carnal Weapons, but professing openly and boldly the truth, and suffering cheerfully for it.  to the utmost of your power. But how you have failed in doing this duty of love to me, judge ye, for I am now in Paul's condition when he first answered before Nero, had none to stand by him, but all forsook him. Ah my Brethren if at the last there be any courage in you for Christ and his truth, or any bowels of mercy and compassion in you towards me, his faithful and innocent servant that suffers for his truth, I humbly beseech & entreat you to look with love and a favourable eye upon my low estate, and suffer me not to lose my life in a hole and corner, and so perish in my deplorable condition. Which if you do not look the better to me, to make me some speedy help, otherwise I am like shortly to lose my life, for I do protest in the presence of my God from my very soul, that I am daily afraid, that I shall privately be murdered, 
(a) There be many that do think so too; and have an eye at thy condition. Now if things fall not out well; we do not doubt but justice will yet take place amongst us, if not the Lord will right the poor man's case.  by secret cruel practices from William Laud the great Prelate and traitor of Canterbury, & james Jugram the cruel tinannicall corrupt Machavillion warden of the Freete. And therefore once more for our Christ his sake I earnestly desire you, that some of you would by all fair & peaceable means, labour for some redress for me, by taking this my following petition, to deliver to the King, 
(b) Oh, that it would please his Majesty but to here once the case of his poor subjects, and to take information what they suffer at the hands of the Prelates. I am persuaded, were he rightly possessed of their doings, he would be so fare from putting forth his little singer to estathem in Scotland, as that he would soon with both hands cast them out of England.  or to the Lords, and acquaint them if it be possible truly and throughly with my deplorable misery and lamentable condition, and to the shame of England, & all true hearted English men, I am like for my innocence to be murdered in my close, cruel imprisonment, having to my knowledge, never broken any of my Sovereign's laws; or disobeied any, that are in lawful authority, which if it can be proved against me, I promise to submit, to whatsoever they will desire of me. I know they have used much means, that my petitions should not have audience, therefore I pray you, be not repulsed at the first denial, but let your importunity give them no rest, and I doubt not, but to have redress, to the confusion of my capicall enemies the Prelates, which if you out of base, & fearful cowardliness refuse 
(c) The cowardliness and fainthartednesse of our nation, is that which hath made the Prelates to domineer so over us, now what slave would not take authority upon him, if his Mr. give way to it.  to do, it it is your great sin, for saith the spirit of God. Cursed is he that is afraid of the face of man: and I know, If I perish in this my forsaken condition, my innocent blood will lie heavy upon your heads, who have neglected your duty towards me, In this particular, all that I desire at the King, 
(d) I hope if the King and counsel be made acquainted with it, they will see to it as that the blood of this young man may not lie upon the Land.  & Nobles hands is, but the one of these 3. things, which yet in England was never denied to any traitor.  
First, If I be an offender, and deserved death, I refuse not to die, but desire that it may be inflicted upon me, in a legal way to the utmost, without any mercy at all. 
(a) Were a man a murderer a Trayter a Witch, etc. What could the magistrate do more than proceed by law: Now consider the cruelty of the Prelates, who seek to have the people o● God proceeded against in a more cruel way.   
Secondly, If not this, then that my friends that would take compassion on me, might be suffered with freedom to come at me, to relieve me. 
(b) It is such a cruelty, as was never heard of in the world to be practised by any Tyrants but the Prelates. namely, to shut men up in noisome Dungeons, & forbidden all people to bring them any relief. It were unmerciful to shut up any bruit beast & not give it food, for a man would rather kill it out of the way, then tiranise over it in such a sort.   
Thirdly, if this neither, then seeing I am at extraordinary charges, in regard of my sickness, and weakness; and my estate is spent, my humble desire is, that they would allow me a competent allowance, to sustain nature, & preserve life. 
(c) No doubt if either the King or the Council, understand what is here desired, but they will grant it, for unless they be Bishops, an English man is merciful by nature.  It may be the answer to my petition, may by the cunning of the subtle fox of Lambeth, who hitherto hath stopped and intercepted all means, that have been used for my redress, both to the King, and Nobles. Therefore I earnestly desire of you, that so me of you would daily come to my pitiful Purgatory & inquire how 'tis with me, & whether I be devoured in the flames thereof or no, for the Bishop's tyrannical cruelty, and inveterate hatred against me, and my jailors doggedness, and savageness is such, that I do assure you upon the word of a true and faithful soldier of Jesus Christ, that I fear, if you neglect me, as you have done, and do not look well after me, in having a daily vigilant eye, to the fleet, I shall shortly by one means or other, have my life taken from me, in a corner, therefore as you love my Master Christ, have brotherly care of me, his faithful servant.  
I shall not need (I hope) in this my exceeding great weakness, having gone already beyond my present strength, in a half blind condition, to write these lines myself, without Ink unto you, being above measure pressed in my spirit to do it, inregard I am so exceeding tormented with bodily Pain, especially in my head by reason of my long closeness, and the cruelty that I under went in the day of my public suffering, that my soul is not able to contain itself, in silence any longer, least I become guilty of my own blood. To lay down any more arguments unto you; but desire you to read two late printed books, the one is called The Beast is Wounded. Or the Scots News, and put forth by johu Bastwicks' Younger Brother, 
[a] It is pity that young Bastwick puts not forth more books, but it may be he hopes their ruin is at hand, & in that regard thinks it not necessary to write.  & the other is Called A Light for the ignorant. And in them you shall find your duty punctually laid down how to detest the wicked Lordly Bb. as the Devil himself whose officers they are, & with all lawful power, to keep, & assist those that groan under their tyranny, & in a lawful & right way seek deliverance from them. So remembering my brotherly love unto you, and returning my humblest thankes unto you for your love already manifested unto me; and bestowed upon me, for which the Lord hath a recompense in store. My soul now lying a bleeding before my God, 
(b) That which gives us case to think that their cursed Kingdom is coming down: It is in regard of the many effectual prayers which are daily put up to God against them, and it is observed how the Lord doth in a special manner now move the hearts of his Children this way to seek him, as if he meant to prepare away by their prayers for to bring in his judgements upon the Kingdom of the Beast.  earnestly, and uncessantlie crying unto him with many tears proceeding from a too too much burdened and wounded spirit, and his Zion, and the downfall of all God's enemies, which he for his mercy's sake hasten and accomplish.  
Now unto jehovah, the Lord of Hosts, and our faithful and powerful God, I commit and commend you, & rest.  
From the Fleet, my refining furnace, in which though my soul thrive in Godliness: yet my body and blood is almost spent. This present Friday, being one of the Bishop's Idoll-days, commonly called, St. Thomas-day. December 20. Anno. 1638. Your faithful & courraigious Brother, in great tribulation for the purity of the truth of Christ, and public bearing witness thereto, JOHN LILBURNE. Etatis suae 22.  
The  Petition follows.   

To the Right Honourable, the Lords, and others, of his Majesty's most Honourable privy Council.  
The humble Petition of JOHN LILBURNE Close prisoner in the Common Jail in the Fleet.  
Humbly showeth, that your Petitioner hath been about ten months close prisoner, the greatest part whereof hath been in the wards of the Fleet, where he hath been so closely kept, that no friends have been suffered to come at him, to relief him; to speak with him. And also for a great time together, hath lain in letters of Iron, upon both hands and legs, and so it hath pleased God, inregard of the exceeding greatness of his sore punishment, and misery which he hath lain under, to bring bodily weakness upon him, and a heavy and dangerous sickness, which he hath laid many months together, which hath brought him many times even to death's door, which yet with weakness and patience, he hath undergone, though he rather hath desired to have chosen present death, then to have felt the constant bitterness, of those bodily torments, & pains; which in this miserable condition, he hath groaned under.  
Now forasmuch as your petitioner hath in all humble manner besought his Majesty, and your Honours, for a little liberty to take some air for the preservation of his life, but no answer could he receive, being now out of all hopes, to obtain his humble, and reasonable request, yet remains as close as ever, in which regard he hath continued very weak, and in exceeding much bodily pain and misery: being forced in this his weakness, to keep the coldness of his Irons from his Tender flesh, to lie for a long time together in his bed, in stockings and boots, which sickness in regard of the greatness, and long continuance of it, and being forced to a constant course of Physic, and to keep a diet of Physical things, to keep life in his body which hath been extraordinary chargeable to him, and hath exhausted and spent all his estate, and being from the first beginning unto this day forsaken by his kindred and friends and left to the world.  
He is therefore forced in regard of want of means, to keep life & substain nature in this his sickness. To Petition most humbly to your honours, that out of compassion to him, in his great distress, who suffers for his conscience sake) in which he is like to perish, to grant him a competent allowance, to preserve life, that he may not dye for want of food. And as in duty bound shall ever pray.   
FINIS.