〈◊〉 Honourable,  
I Am your Cousin, (though a Prisoner) descended from the Body of 〈◊〉 Percy 5th. Earl of Northumberland; By which Descent I am Cousin and next Heir-male to Josceline Percy your Father the late and 11th. Earl of Northumberland, Deceased. A Prison is a Grave for Men alive; But when Naboth was stoned to death, than Ahab took postession of the Vinyard, 1 Kings. 21.18. And walking in the Garden among the Beds of Pleasure, than God sent his Prophet Elias, to tell Ahab of his Transgression, (notwithstanding he was a King.) Ezekiel 46.18. When Belshazzar what quaffing in the Gold and Silver Vessels of the Temple, than appeared the Handwriting upon the Wall, Dan. 5. When your late Husband the Lord Ogle went about to assume the name of Percy, and to have the Percies Lands settled upon him by Act of Parliament, than God called him to Account; Therefore let Your Ladyship to Justice speedily, and submit to Truth in Time, for fear God calls You to Account also. I believe Your Servants and Agents have rendered Me to You to be a Monster, and not a Man; Be not too subject to Believe Them, but see with your own Eyes, and hear with your own Ears; and admit Me into Your preserice, for I have something to offer 〈◊〉 will add Fame to Your Honour, and Rank You with those Two Worthy Women of our Family, the Lady Agnes Percy, who preserved the Percies Name, and the Lady Lucy, that settled the Estate upon the Heirs Males of the Percies for ever; And for ever that Estate must attend the Title; And the Fines can never be recovered but by the true Heir-Male of the Percies Mr. Gee can inform You (if he pleases,) how I was at Petworth in the Year 1654. And then, and there made my Claim as I do now; And before Mr. Clark's Trial, Your Agents, with their Council, would have owned Me to be the next Heir, and would have assisted Me for the Title with their Books, Pedigree and Records: And also how I met with Mr. Champion and Mr. Gee at Doctor Lampley's House, and there made out my Pedigree clear, only I could not find out my Great Grandfather's Name; First, it was a very hard Name; And Secondly, Mr. Champion kept it secret till he was forced to declare upon his Oath, that Sir Ingelram Percy was Married, and had Sons and Daughters, at Sir John Coppleston's Trial for Cannington and Rodaway Lands in Somersetshire. Thirdly, The Heralds had altogether neglected the Collateral Line of the Percies. Now all my Aim is really to beget a right understanding, so that I may remain,  
Your Ladyship's Real, Cordial, and Faithful Kinsman, and most Humble Servant, JAMES PERCY.  
What I have to declare to your Ladyship is not convenient to be oommitted to writing, but assure yourself it really tends to your present Welfare, and future Peace and Prosperity.  
An Answer will find me in the Kings-Bench-Rules, at the Written Table at Captain Dancer's House in Lombardstreet, near the Bowling-green, in the Borough of Southwark.  
This Letter was presented the day of the date hereof, and the claimant hath printed it, that the world may see that a true Percy is not ashamed of his Innocent and Just Cause, nor afraid of his Potent Opponents; For he whom I trust in, is grower than they, 5 Eccles. ver. 8.  
☞ NOw in these our days there is no Prophet God, Michaia, Elijah, nor Interpreters of Dreams, like Joseph and Daniel, that dares presume to speak to Kings as they did in those days.  
Therefore James Percy, the true Heir male of the Percies, Earls of Northumberland, humbly makes bold with the Prophet Ezekiel, cap. 46. ver. 18. Moreover the Prince shall not take of the People's Inheritance by oppression, but he shall give his Son's Inheritance out of his own Possession, that my People be not scattered every man from his Possession.  
〈…〉 to that purpofe His Majesty ordered 〈…〉 willing to go to the Attorney General, to 〈…〉 which the Claumants Solicitor, Mr. Thomas 〈◊〉 Attorney, General said, He could not sign percy's 〈…〉 for the Countess of Northumberland. And the 〈…〉 dethize the Claimant in his Procceding, and to 〈…〉 on and been sheltered under Privilege, which hath 〈…〉  
And from that time Mr. Swain (the Glaymant 〈…〉 two sticks● for whilst James Percy was prosecuting 〈…〉 Ejectments in the North, the Solicitor had contrlyed the 〈…〉 were begged, disposed and scattered before the claimant, 〈…〉 Co-warrant, with other Writings, was lost, which cost a considerable 〈…〉 then arrested his Client James Percy in three several Suits at Law, wh●… continued three years; But the Solicitor Swain was overthrown in all the 3 Actions; more 〈◊〉 the claimant James Percy was those travels poisoned at Newcastle, arrested at York in two Actions of 20000 l. each A 〈◊〉 than durst not proceed at Law, but let the Actions fall, and 〈◊〉 40 s. Cost, a poor 〈◊〉 for a night and two days Imprisonment, and maintaining my two Men and three Horses, besides the Charge of spunging Bums; And the Actions were in the Lord of Essex, and Mr. Clark, and others Names: And to fill up the measure of malice, they published in the English Gazette, and the French Gazette, That the claimant was an Impostor; And Mr. Blackston said in all these Courts, That the claimant's Name was not Percy, but declared him to be a Bastard; with many more scandalous wordr, which were proved at that Trial before the Lord Chief Justice Scroggs, notwithstanding he discharged Mr. Blackston and Sir George Jeffreys at that Trial, took Fees on both sides, so the claimant James Percy was clearly bought and sold, and proved to his Damage 12000 l. Besides, it was the occasion of this his present Imprisonment, upon the Writs of Error that were so strangely dismissed the House of Lords without any Hearing; notwithstanding the renewing and continuing after every Prorogation, cost in all above 300 l. And now the claimant James Percy hath used all ways and means possible, (as by his Petition and public Prints appears) and cannot proceed further without the Assistance of the Honourable House of Commons. His Majesty is much troubled, and the claimant really believes that His Majesty had a cordial Desire to he●● and see the Cause determined, as by His coming up to the Bar of the House of Lords, that day the Hearing should have been had. Besides, His Majesty may perceive, I shall never leave my Claim, till Justice be done, by reason I now know it is my Right by Birth and Blood, and that the sole power of creating and preserving Honour rests in His Royal Breast, as Flowers in the Crown: And by the Coronation-Oath, the King cannot take Titles from one Peer, to give to another Peer. But as God hath in mercy restored His Majesty to His Crown and Kingdoms, even so ought the King in Justice to restore every Loyal Subject to the Birthright, Title and Inheritance of his Ancestors. It was very hard at first for the claimant to find out the Name of his great Grandfather, by reason he was in his Childhood brought up amongst his Mother's Relations; And in the troublesome times (he being a royalist) was forced to abscond and travel for many years, _____ But the Adversaries did wildernize the claimant, in hiding his great Grandfather's Christian Name from him: For Sir Ingelram Percy was the claimant James Percie's Great Grandfather, and youngest Son of Henry Percy 5th. Earl of Northumberland; and this Collateral Line was never attainted; and therefore aught to be restored according to Henry Percy the 5th. Earls Patent, and not under the Patent of the New-Creation by Queen Mary for Thomas Percy, 2d. Son of the 5th. Earl, was attainted, but Sir Ingelram Percy 3d. Son was Innocent, and so hath his Issue continued to this day: And therefore prays for speedy Justice: Justice removes oppression, Glorifies God, Honours the King, Rejoices the People, puts an end to your troubles, and ratifies Peace, for which the Petitioner prays.  
For Henry Percy, 5th. Earl, Great Great Grandfather, had Sir Ingelram Percy, Great Grandfather, who had Henry Percy Grandfather, and he had Henry Percy Father of the claimant.  
JAMES PERCY.