A TRUE NARRATIVE OF The undue, and greatly injurious Proceed of one Edward Bullock, late Petitioner unto the Parliament of ENGLAND.  
Against one William Standen, Esq.  
Humbly Presented unto The Parliament of ENGLAND, By WILLIAM BALL, Esq.  
LONDON, Prined in the Year, 1652.   

A true Narrative of the undue, and greatly injurious Proceed of one Edward Bullock, late Petitioner unto the Parliament of England, against one William Standen, Esq.  
ONe Edward Bullock in November, 1650. exhibited his Petition to the Parliament of England, setting forth, that one Thomas Bullock his Uncle, had Mortgaged the Manors of Arberfeld, and Barkham in the County of Berks, unto one Edmund Standen for 4000l. with Power of Redemption: And that by corrupt, and foul Practices between the said Edmund Standen, and the Lord Keeper Egerton, the said Mortgage was Ratified, on the behalf of the said Edmond Standen, without Paying any farther consideration for the said Manors: And Prayed that the whole Proceed touching the said unjust Decree, And the corrupt Pratices in obtaining thereof, might be Referred to a Committee to Examine.  
Whereupon the Parliament by their Order, the 7. of November 1650. did refer the said Petition unto the Honourable Committee for Indemnity, to Examine with Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records, and to consider the length of Time, and how far forth the matter was fit for Relief, and to give their Opinions therein, and report it unto the House.  
At the Hearing of the said cause before the said Committee, on Thursday the 20 of Macch, 1650. the said Edward Bullock made no Proof at all either of any Mortgage, or corrupt Decree upon any Bill for Redemption, much less made he any show of Proof or Corruption in obtaining the same Decree; The Council of the said Edward then ingeniously confessing, that they had mistaken their case in the said Petition, and did then insist upon a pretended Title at Law, by virtue of a certain Conveyance, made by the said Thomas Bullock, before the Sale of the said Lands, made unto the aforesaid Edmund Standen; And also pretending that the said Lands were undersold; although the said Petitioner, and his Council very well knew, as it was then by Council made appear, on the behalf of Standen the Defendant, that the said Precedent conveyance, was adjudged fraudulent, and within the Relief of the Statute of 29. Eliz. (as being made with Power of Revocation, and with full intent to defraud any Purchaser from him the said Thomas Bullock; as by several Decrees exemplified under the Great Seal it doth, and may appear) and it was so Resolved by the Judges of England upon solemn Debate, and remaineth so reported in Sir Edward Cook his third Book, in Twines case (Standen and Bullock) and great reason there was, for the Judges gave Resolution on the case mentioned; for he, or they who make a Deed of Conveyance for Lands with power of Revocation, do when they Bargain, and sell such Lands Implicitly, though not Explicitly revoke such former Act and Deed; in regard the virtue of a Precedent Revocable Act, is determinable by the virtue of a subsequent Absolute Act. Now let any indifferent Rational man judge whether the said Edward Bullock, were not most Impudent to set forth in his Petition a Mortgage, and corrupt Decree, and afterwards to plead a Pretended fraudulent Title, and that after threescore years, and upwards? But Bullock suggested the matter of Mortgage, and corrupt Decree in his Petition, craftily knowing or believing, that otherways his Petition would not have been Read, and Referred by the Parliament: however of what ill consequence it may prove, that any should be permitted to venture so audaciously to abuse the Parliament with matter of untruth, I submit it unto their Grave censures; as also whether it be consonant to Religion, or Reason, that the Lord Keeper Egerton should be scandalised with corrupt and foul practices, to the Dishonour of his Family, and posterity; & that Owners, & Proprietors of Lands should be damnified, or molested by false and clamorous Petitions.  
At the Hearing aforesaid, Standen the Defendant made it appear before the said Committee, that Thomas Bullock in the Petition mentioned had sold the said Manors, and Lands outright unto Edmund Standen, Esq. for 4000l. by Deed of Bargain and Sale acknowledged, and Enrolled the 12. day of June, in the 31. year of Q. Elizabeth, with Fines, and Recoveries, and release of Interest with warranty; 
* It was made appear at the Hearing, by Bill, and Answer, Exemplified under the Great Seal of Queen Elizabeth, That Bullock did acknowledge Edmund Standen to have been the best Chapman he could meet withal, upon valuaable consideration for the said Lands.  Also that the said Thomas Bullock had a Deed of Defeasance of the Manors, and Lands set forth in the Petition, for, and during the Term of his natural life, yielding, and paying unto the aforesaid Edmund Standen, his Heirs or Assigns, but 150l. yearly; also that the wife of the said Thomas had Right, and did for Divers years enjoy Right of Dower; moreover that four Leases at the time of the sale of the aforesaid Manors, and Lands, were in being upon undervalue. Bullock the Petitioner, at the said Hearing, by certain Depositions taken in the Country, since the exhibiting of his Petition (most of the Deponents ☞ being of his own Kindred, or name) made appear only Heresayes, as that such an one had heard say, that the Manors and Lands were Mortgaged by Thomas Bullock aforesaid, unto the aforesaid Edmund Standen; that such, and such had heard say, that the Lands were worth 800l. per ann. yearly Rent; that they had heard say, that the woods were worth, says one 7. another 8. another 9000l. for not any two of them agree in any one thing of their Heare-sayes, as by the said Depositions it doth and may appear. Now whether Depositions ☞ of heare-sayes, aught to be Balanced with Deeds, and Records, I leave it to the judgement of All truly Rational, and understanding men.  
However; I have here inserted a true Copy taken out of the Book of the Clerk of the Honourable Committee for Indemnity, by which may appear the Resolutions, and Results of that Committee touching Bullocks Petition, etc.  

Thursday the 20. of March, 1650.  
Committee for Indemnity, Bullock against Standen.  
Council, and Evidence heard on both sides, upon Debate.  
Question put; That it doth appear to this Committee, that there was a Mortgage of the Lands in Question.  
Resolved, etc. in the Negative.  
Question, that there hath been any Evidence given touching the obtaining of a corrupt Decree as is Complained of.  
Resolved, etc. in the Negative.  
Ordered, that the rest of the matter of fact upon the Evidence be drawn up, and reported to the House.  
Ordered, that it be referred to Mr. Richard Darley, Mr. Moyle, Mr. Luke Robinson, and Col. Peter Temple, or any two of them, to examine the Case when it is drawn up to be Reported, and present it to the Committee.  
 
Vera Copia, etc.   
After this Hearing, and the Resolutions and Orders of the aforesaid Committee; the Petitioner Bullock, and his Complices did for a while acquiesse; But being of turbulent spirits, he and they move the said Committee (consisting notwithstanding of different Persons, as often it did) that the Report depending might be examined, and presented to the Committee, etc. Albeit on their parts, there was no matter of fact upon Evidence to be drawn up, but only matter of hearsays by Depositions, the matter of fact upon the Evidence of Deeds, and Records being only made appear by Standen the Defendant: yet the Committee for Indemnity then sitting, thought fit (as it seems) to add some other Gentlemen to the former, to Examine the Case, when it is drawn up to be Reported, and Present it, etc. whereupon two of those Gentlemen issued forth a Summons, in these words following; viz.  

9 of April, 1652.  
In pursuance of an Order of Reference from the Committee for Indemnity bearing Date the second of April Instant, made in the cause between Edward Bullock Petitioner, and William Standen Defendant; we do appoint to meet on Wednesday next the 14. of April instant at two a Clock in the afternoon, in the Rooms called the Queen's Court at Westminster, to peruse and examine the Report made by the said Committee; and hereof both Parties are to take notice, and attend us themselves or some for them accordingly.  
This was Signed, 

Jo: Carew.  
Francis Allein.     
Two Gentlemen added, as aforesaid, sat according to the Summons; And after some rather talking, than Arguments used by both Parties, viz. the Petitioner and Defendant by their Council, the Report was by those Gentlemen (who were present at that time called for to be read, and examined; The Report had been drawn up only by the Clerk of the Honourable Committee for Indemnity, who either by mistake or by compliance, inserted the hearsays taken in the Depositions on Bullock the Petitioners behalse, (touching the values of the aforesaid Lands, and woods) as matter of fact upon Evidence; which thing was different from the Order of the Committee, which saith, that the rest of the matter ☞ of fact upon the Evidence be drawn up, and Reported unto the House: The Order saith not; That the rest of the matter of Heare-sayes upon the Evidence be drawn up, and reported to the House, certainly there is great difference between matter of Fact, and matter of hearsays: Moreover the aforesaid Clerk had omitted divers things, either of purpose, or neglect which ought to have been inserted on the behalf of the Defendant; and said, when it was accordingly urged by the Defendants Council, that he desired to compare the Report with his Book; 
It is an hard and unheard of matter, that a Clerks Book should be in Nature of a Record, or warranty for matter of Title, etc.  The Gentlemen of the Committee, or sub-Committee aforesaid, perceiving that the matter would require some debate, and time, adjourned; And soon after the Committee for Indemnity, was dissolved by Vote of Parliament.  
This is a true Narrative of the late Petitioner Bullock his proceed, who in his Petition set Forth only a Mortgage and Corrupt Decree; But at the Hearing he insisted upon a Title, adjudged Fraudulent, and Null by all the judges of the Land, & in almost all the Courts of judicature in Westminster (in which William Bullock the Petitioners Father became most notoriously vexatious to Ed: Standen the Purchaser, and to William Standen his Son, by forgery, subornation of witnesses, Riots, and such like Pratices, which for their Infamy, and in jury, can hardly be paralleled in many Ages, as by several Records, & exemplifications under the Great Seals of Q. Eliz. and K. James, it doth and may appear) and last at the hearing, or Auditing of the Report, the Petitioner did insist upon the values of the Lands in the Petition mentioned according to some Depositions of Hear-sayes of his own Kindred, and name, lately taken; whereas the contrary (if Requisite) can be made appear; viz. That the Manors, & Lands in that Petition mentioned are not worth above 600l. per an. after above 60. years' improvement; and if the said Lands were well wooded, then were they of the less yearly Profit; However they that shall consider that Bullock had, and enjoyed a Defeasance of the Manors, and Lands for his natural life, (who might by course of years have lived a long time) that his wife had and enjoyed Right of Dower for a long continuance; that four Leases were in being upon undervalue, as aforesaid, That the said Lands were situate, and being in the Forest of Windsor, may indifferently conclude that 4000l. was in the 31. Eliz. a valuable consideration. Admitting notwithstanding, that the Lands were worth more; if all that have purchased Lands at an undervalue, should by such devices, as these of Bullock, be molested and troubled; not any freeborn Person of this Land can be secure of his Estate. For as much as the Manors and Lands in the Petition mentioned are claimed, and held by, from, and under me (the Author hereof) during the term of my natural life (being Cousin, and heir of William Standen late of Arberfeld, Esq. Deceased) as by Deeds, and Records it doth, and may appear; I have therefore Published this Narrative, to undeceive all, and such whom this may any way concern.  
May 31. 1652. WILLIAM BALL.