To the most honourable the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled: The humble Declaration and Petition of Major Geo. Wither.  
THough a prayer of this length, is not usually preferred to your Honours, let it nevertheless appear, for this once, excusable, in regard, the hardship of bearing, what occasions this tediousness, to exercise your patience in hearing, may perhaps, merit the more compassion.  
Your said Petitioner, having long and patiently waited when the Publike-Affaires, would afford leisure to redress his private-grievances; and, then, perceiving his many sufferings, to be almost past remedy; his family nigh destroyed; his life declining to the grave, and his just expectations every day further off then before; he began to consider, that, charity to himself, being the rule of regulating his love to others, ought not to be infringed; that works of justice and mercy, should at no time be neglected, or seem impertinent; that, a general-well-being is not possible where particulars and Individuals, (whereof a Generality consisteth) are needlessly exposed to destruction; and, that, no man is bound, silently, to suffer in, or for, that commonwealth, which is so unequal in her Distributions, as not to administer, equally, deserved rewards and punishments, to her own Members; much less, when she will find Times to hear; Bread to feed; and bowels to compassionate her malicious destroyer's; and, yet, hath neither Leisure, nor Food, nor pity for them, who thought nothing too precious, to be hazarded for her Preservation: And, your said Petitioner thereupon intended to express his Grievances, publicly, at large, and in such manner, as an unsufferable Oppression, joined with Desperation of relief, might seem to require. But, having somewhat renewed his lost hopes, by discovering symptoms of your removing those Obstructions, of justice and mercy, which of late, eclipsed the honour of the Parliament, frustrated the endeavours of her best affected Members, and oppressed her most faithful Servants; he hath now changed his purpose; and humbly offers unto this high Court, an occasion of performing an Act of Justice, and a Work of Mercy, by imploring your favourable answer to his following Declaration and Petition; conceiving, it shall be a thing acceptable to God, honourable to the Parliament, and an Omen of a general mercy to this kingdom. Motives, to procure his humble Suit, he could allege too many, to be here added; and, some of them are such, that, out of reverence to the honour of this Nation, he will not openly mention them, whilst he hath any hopes of redress: And, yet, lest the concealing of all, may render him, and his necessities, inconsiderable, till his destruction be irrecoverable, he humbly offers these that follow:  
1. That, your said Petitioner hath not only given public testimonies of his love to this commonwealth, many years before this Parliament, or Army, appeared against her Oppressors; and hath continued constant to this Parliament, ever since it began, notwithstanding many provocations, occasioned by malignant Members: But, was the first also, (though without any particular encouragement) who, in those, parts where he lived, contributed his goods, and engaged his person, for the public-safety: And, that, he having frequent solicitations, and large offers from the contrary Party, did nevertheless proceed, and disburse, voluntarily, out of his own estate and credit, above 700. l. in your greatest need; for which, he must pay interest, until the principal is discharged; and, for part of which money (the same having already been owing above four years, he is now a Prisoner in the gatehouse, to his great charge and disgrace, who was never a Prisoner for any debt of his own.  
2. That, in the beginning of this war, he was by special Order, plundered by the King's Forces; and that, the honourable House of Commons, being certified, by an inventory testifying, under the hands of sixteen persons, that this Petitioners damages (as hath been since also averred by several Oaths) amounted to above 2000 l. did thereupon, by their Order, of the 19 of February, 1642. charitably, authorize your said Petitioners repair the said damages, out of the estates of his Plunderers, and other Delinquents.  
3. That, your said Petitioner, with humble thankfulness, and with due respect to the honour of the Parliament, endeavoured to execute the said Order; But, so discountenanced was he therein, Delinquents, so impudently befriended, and the said Order so slighted; that, he could not, thereby, recover half so much as the Interest of his principal damages, (as by accounts upon Oath, and by Inventories of the particulars apprized, by sworn Apprizers; it doth, and may appear) and, that, instead of the repair intended by the said Order, he is engaged into so many troubles and suits, by seeking to execute the same; that, he who had never before one Suit in Law, hath now five suits, unjustly occasioned, merely, by the said Order, to his intolerable charge and vexation.  
4. That, by being plundered as aforesaid, he hath now been deprived almost five years, both of his Stock, and of an employment: wherey he cleared, and might probably have cleared, for sixteen years then to come, above 400. l. per annum, toward his maintenance, and the advance of his Estate, over and above all Rents and charges: And, that, by losing the said stock and employment, in your Service; and by the Oppressions sustained in seeking relief, by means of the foresaid Order, this Petitioner, hath not only lost so much yearly profit; but, hath been thereby, compelled also, to borrow almost half so much, to maintain his Family, and to pay Taxes, House-rent, and Duties, during most part of the said time.  
5. That, there is likewise due to this Petitioner (as appears by his accounts stated in Febr. 1646.) above 1681. l. for arrears, besides other just demands, amounting to 523. l. more than was certified by the Accomptants; all which ought to have been paid unto him above three years now past, and most part of it above four years since, as will appear by debentures, and Warrants issued upon them by the late general Essex, and the Committee of Safety▪ according to the allowances and payments, then made to others. And there is now justly due to this Petitioner, above 4150. l. for Arrears, and Disbursements, with 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 (and as well, if not better proved, then most other men's losses) all which he is the more hopeful to receive, because if it 〈…〉 wittingly, demanded more than is due, he will ask no favour.  
6. ●hat, instead of what was graciously promised to such as had eminently suffered, and of what was charitably intended, by the honourable House of Commons, to this Petitioner, he hath been many ways injuriously oppressed, yea publicly, and falsely scandalised and misrepresented to the said House, to the occasioning of his being fined in 500 l. and of his confinement, to this day (being now almost a year and a half) by the unjust Report of one then sitting in the said House of Commons, and by the concurrence of others, (of whom some are now departed the kingdom) who did then condemn the innocent, and justify the offender, contrary to evidence; and to the disabling of your said Petitioner, to defend himself, who was not only thereupon disgracefully fined, & confined, as aforesaid, for having honestly discharged his duty; but, so impoverished also, that of above twenty horses (which he kept constantly, before his engagement for the public) he hath, now, none; of eighteen household servants, he hath but one, which he is likewise unable to maintain; and, instead of many dishes at a meal, is fain to make many meals of one dish; which, at this present, also, he can hardly provide: yet, these are not the worst requitals of his known faithfulness; as will appear hereafter more at large, if there be cause.  
7. That, your said Petitioner, having had for many years past, as aforesaid, neither stock nor employment, whereby to maintain his Family, or defend himself, against his powerful scandalisers and oppressors, was forced (after he had borrowed, until he was ashamed to borrow more) first, to sell, at low prizes, much of his most necessary goods; and afterward, that, which he would not have left, for ten times the value; even Jewels and Plate, given as testimonies of their respect, by the Queen of Bohemia, the late Duchess of Richmond, and other honourable persons; and yet, had perhaps perished, if God had not moved a charitable Member of the House of Commons, to support him, hitherto, beyond hope.  
8. Lastly, that, your said Petitioner, hath been imprisoned so long, for what the State owes; and suffered so much, by them, against whom the State ought to protect him; that, if he be not speedily relieved, he perceives no possibility of feeding his Family, one month longer; much less, of paying his Creditors, or avoiding the inconveniences, whereto he shall be shortly liable, by not answering or prosecuting, according to the chargeable Formalities of Law and Chancery; and, whereby, he hath already suffered above 150. l. damage, through want of wherewith, to prosecute his right, and defend himself, as the said Formalities, require. In a word, he is totally ruined, merely by his engagements for you, and by Petitioning and attending, now above four years, without redress: his estate is so confused; his necessities are so many; his credit so impaired, by being clamor'd on, for trusting to the public-faith, other men's goods, as well as his own; and, his friends have hitherto been so few, or so unable: that, he knows not which way to turn himself; nor, by what, he may fully illustrate, his present condition, except by the distractions and confusions of this kingdom, which, are epitomised in his: For, these lines contain not the tithe, of what, he can, and will further allege, as motives of your commiseration, if there be cause.  
In consideration, therefore, of what is already expressed; and in regard your said Petitioner hath now been wheeled about, in, and by References, and Committees, nigh four years, as aforesaid, without other effect, save increase of scandals, cost and troubles, which are likely to outlast the nigh expired term of his life; and, whereby he is now disabled to toil any longer in those Labyrinths, which have made wiser men giddy, and some of them mad, both to the public scandal, and their own destruction; he humbly beseecheth your Honours, to set a period to his troubles; and not to expose him to those desperate courses, or expressions, which others have imprudently fallen upon, in less-sufferable extremities, to the dishonour of the Parliament, to the loss of the people's affections thereunto, the prolonging of the general calamity, and to the hazarding of all our happiness. Be pleased, for preventing the ruin of his innocent children; the making of him a scorn to his Foes; a shame to the Nation; and a burden to this commonwealth, (whereto he might perhaps, be some way as serviceable, as many others, who have better thrived, by her undoing) to vouchsafe him, some part of those great sums, whereof others have shared: yea, for your own honour's sake, be pleased, according to the ancient Justice, and Clemency, of English Parliaments, and the many Religious Protestations made at the beginning of this, to take, his necessities and faithfulness, into your speedy and serious consideration; and vouchsafe, that the money due to him for his repairs, Disbursements, and his Arrears (the price of his blood) may be forthwith paid; or, at least, so much thereof, as may discharge his engagements for the public; being about 1400. l. and so much more, also, as may, once again, put him into some employment, for his subsistence, before, that, which he hath in hope, be quite wasted, by usury, or his life, by time. And, be likewise pleased, to grant, that, the payment of the remainder, may be secured by an Ordinance, with interest for the same, until the principal shall be discharged; or else, that in lieu of such Interest, some employment, (if he be thought worthy or capable of any, in this kingdom) may be conferred upon him, whereby, without charge to the State, his Family may be fed, and his children educated, the mean while, by his own labours. Herein, your wisdom shall do an act of Justice, and a work of Mercy; which, as this Petitioner is persuaded, shall be improved to a blessing; redound as much to your honour, as, a free bounty, of greater sums, conferred; give good contentment to all the well-affected, who shall hear thereof; enable this Petitioner, to perform some future service, not altogether unworthy the desired favour; and make the whole kingdom hopeful, that, those are, or, shall, suddenly (according to the general desire) be purged out of both Houses, who have been the obstructers of Justice, and the prolongers of our present miseries. Howsoever it shall succeed, your said Petitioner will endeavour to rest contented with God's good pleasure; to wait his leisure, as patiently as he can; and, to pray for this Parliament, as in duty he is bound.