The humble Petition and information of joseph Hunscot Stationer, to both the Honourable Houses of Parliament now assembled, against divers scandalous Libels, and treasonous Pamphlets against Kingly Government, and Parliament Proceed; as may appear by the very Books herewith presented.  
Most humbly showing:  
THat your Petitioner was for a long time employed in printing those things that were commanded to be printed by both Houses of Parliament, for their vindication and satisfaction of the People, and was faithful therein; and upon command of the Honourable House of Commons, did print several things for them to be sent down into the Country, which amounted unto near forty pounds, which your Petitioner is not yet paid for. And that notwithstanding your Petitioner hath been very forwards in all voluntary Contributions and Taxes with Moneys, Horse and Men, having ever since the first of these unhappy differences had three Servants and his own Son in the Service, voluntary upon his own charges for the most part, for want of their pay, losing thereby his Trade and Servants, and moreover hazarded his own life in the Cause, for at the beginning of these troubles your Petitioner went down to the Army at Coventry, from whence returning, he had like to have been surprised by three Troops of the King's Horse, which were coming from Nottingham for Oxford, your Petitioner, with some others, having used their best endeavour to escape them (they being routed at Brackley, and some of them taken that very evening) your said Petitioner, with seven others only in his company, fell into the hands of fourteen of the said Troopers, who were well horsed and provided, your Petitioner (being in this strait) with two more of his said company, adventured to fight with them, and in a short time (through God's blessing) disarmed them all, and carried them prisoners to Northampton, from whence they were sent to London, (they being the first that in that kind were brought up to London:) And your Petitioner is confident to affirm, That had the Country and the Officers in chief in Banbury been wise, faithful and courageous, neither Oxford nor Banbury had been taken, as shortly after they were. That in the mean time one John Wright, by some friends, got to be nominated Printer for the Lords House, and one Husband's Printer for the House of Commons, although neither of them are Printers, (Wright being a Bookseller, and Husbands but a Paper Stationer,) which said Husbands hath since reprinted those Copies appertaining to your Petitioner, which cost him above 100 l. without his consent, or giving him any satisfaction. That your Petitioner hoping that restitution would have been made to him long before this time, desisted to make known his said grievance. Your Petitioner further shows, That he hath been put upon all services of trouble ever since in searches and apprehending wicked and pernicious persons, that molest the State in printing and venting most malicious, false, and traitorous Books or Libels, against both the Honourable Houses of Parliament, not sparing the principallest men on both Houses, taxing them by name to be Traitors, and all perjured persons that do not put out all the Clergy of the Land, and calls and incites all people to rise as one man to call the Parliament to question, and striking at the very fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, crying down the Government by Kings, and also against the Honourable House of Lords, and only to stick to the Commons of England, and many inveterate speeches against the Nation of the Scots, as much as in them lies, to make a breach between them and us, which God of his mercy prevent; That your Petitioner for his reward herein is most shamefully reviled, slandered, and reproached, by these Libelers in all their Libels, and also the Company of Stationers are called Thiefs, Robbers, setting-doggs, the Bishop's old Rogues, and the persecutors of the Saints, with divers other base names, and in the open streets reviled at by these Saints, Anabaptists and Sectaries, being notorious impudent persons, as may be judged by their Writings, abusing those that be Saints indeed, all the godly Ministers in the Kingdom, and the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, that sit there by your Command and Authority, although your Petitioner did never do any thing but by your Warrants and Commands, having a Command from the Commons to search for scandalous Books, and having found some selling them in the streets, your Petitioner particularly examining one woman of whom she had them, she (not knowing who your Petitioner was) confessed she had them of one Lilburne in Newgate, and her name being demanded, with her place of abode, she refused to tell the same, but at that instant one passing by, acquainted your Petitioner that she was one Brownes daughter, that did ordinarily sell such Books, whereupon your Petitioner and others repairing to his House, found great store of them, and took the said Brownes words to meet your Petitioner and the rest at the Committee of Examinations in the afternoon, but he failed, and kept out of the way for half a year, (there being divers Warrants out for him:) Your Petitioner and the rest than went to Lilburnes Chamber to search for the said scandalous Books, but at that time found none. But immediately after there came forth another base Book, supposed to be made by Lilburne and his fellows, Entitled, England's Birthright, wherein, besides the former scandalous passages against the King, Parliament, and Assembly, a most false, scandalous, and felonious charge, is against your Petitioner and others, being eminent Members of the Company, for searching the said Lilburnes House, charging them with taking away his Linen, but your Petitioner and the rest, in regard no body will own the said Book, are left remediless for vindicating themselves by Law. That shortly after the Committee of Examinations being informed that the said Brown and his daughter did frequently sell the said Books, a Warrant issued out from them for the said Brown and his daughter to your Petitioner and others, whereupon they repaired thither, but the said Browne was denied at his House (being in a Garden, and having three or four several doors) but setting a strict watch about his House, after entrance thereinto, the said Browne was discovered and apprehended, and also divers scandalous Books and Pamphlets were then and there found; but the said Browne then made an escape from the Constable, so that his daughter only was apprehended, and being brought before Sir John Wollaston, she was committed to the Marshal, and from thence to be carried up to the Committee of Examinations, where she being brought, the matters charged against her for breach of the Ordinance of Parliament was fully proved against her, and thereupon she was recommanded to the Marshal. That in a short time after your Petitioner casually at Doctor's Commons espied the said Browne, and having a Warrant for him, apprehended him, and carried him before the Committee of Examinations, who thereupon was committed to the custody of one Lewis a Messenger, and your Petitioner, with the Master and Wardens, and others of the Chief of the Company, having waited several days for a hearing, the said Browne (by what means your Petitioner knows not) so prevailed, that his said contempt never came to a hearing, and the said Browne shortly after obtaining his liberty, hath threatened your Petitioner, and the rest that were with him, to sue them for false imprisonment, & moreover they threatened to knock out your Petitioners brains if he came any more to search his house. The Petitioner further shows, That being employed upon a Warrant from the Speaker of the House of Commons, for the seizing of a Press in Goodman's Fields, which printed the Book called England's Birthright: That your Petitioner, with the Master and Wardens of the Company, endeavouring to put in execution the said Warrant, they were kept out by force, until at last the doors of the house being by authority forced open, those that were at work got out at a window with a rope into a Garden, and so escaped; But the said Press was seized upon, which printed that and divers other Books, as was at large proved before both Houses of Parliament at Larners examination by divers honest men; and no parties in it, as Larner in his scandalous Libel taxes the Parliament. Not long after this, there came another base Book out, Entitled, The last warning to London, threatening the City; they had not long to consider if they did not comply with them, and in it enveyed against the Scottish Nation, and by consequence laboured to make the people of the City fall out with that Army, which deserves praise for their faithfulness, and to breed jealousies between the Army and the City, that God hath so prospered, and an endeavour to keep off Government, under pretence of Liberty of Conscience, that so they may do what they list, and broach any damnable opinion; and in that Book goes further, absolutely denying Kingly Government, and the Lords, House, wishing the people to mark diligently the Lords but to stand to the Commons, to be ruled only by them; and one of these Books being brought to the Lord Mayor of London, he immediately sent for the Warden, Master Miller, and your Petitioner, and desired them to find out the Author and Venture of the said Libel, the which accordingly they endeavoured, and upon enquiry found that Larner was a chief venture of them, and repairing to his house, found the said Larner, with a parcel of the said Books; whereupon the said Larner was charged with a Constable, and carried before the Lord Mayor, who found him, as the Lords did after, being Jesuited, would answer to no question, the Lord Mayor sent him up to the Committee of Examinations, where he was examined, and proof made against him, he was then committed to the Marshals keeping, (there being in the Book high Treason.) In the mean while the Honourable House of Peers sent for him, but he had learned so much of Lilbornes' Language, that he appealed to the Commons, but the said House examined Witnesses against him ●he refusing to take the Oath, was committed. There was also a sheet of paper published called Every man's case, or a brotherly support to Master Larner, wherein he taxes the Parliament to deal contrary to the Law of God, Nature, Nations, and the Law of this Kingdom, as he saith, was proved lately in Colonel Lilbornes' Case, he there compares the Lords to Pilate, chargeth the House of Commons for breach of trust, in delivering up Larner to be tried by the Lords, with many other things, wherein the liberty of the Parliament is entrenched upon by mean persons both of state and life, and this was delivered by Larner himself to the Keeper, and thereupon it was thought fit that the Warden of the Company and your Petitioner should search the said Larners Chamber in the Prison, whither they repaired, and there they found divers written papers of his own hand writing, touching his Examination and proceed before the Lord Mayor, the Lords and Commons, the which about a week after came forth in print, called, A true relation of all the remarkable passages and illegal proceed of some satanical, Doeg-like accusers of their Brethren, against William Larner a freeman of England. The which, as the former, are very scandalous and malicious, especially against both Houses of Parliament, and the Stationers, which said sheet is now reprinted again with Additions of a new to Master Larner, with directions for better satisfaction of the Natives Freedom of this Land, willing them to read a Book called England's Birthright, and another Book called A word to the wise, in all which Books you may perceive the spirits of these men, if they had power in their hands, and might live still as they do, loosely and lawless.  
Therefore your Petitioner most humbly craves the liberty of a Freeman of England, to have justice upon these scandalous persons, and some course, as in your wisdoms, to stop unlicensed printing in corners, and the rather because all their scandalous Libels are stuffed with disgraces of both Houses of Parliament, and of your Petitioner and the Stationers, for executing our Commands, Ordinances, and Warrants, your Petitioner never having one penny thereby, and yet in their Libels they affirm him to have 500 l. a year, when as in truth he hath hitherto gone upon his own charge. And he further prays, That some speedy course may be taken with these libelers, that he may be free from danger of his life: And that some present order may be taken, that his moneys so long owing to him by the Parliament for printing of Books, may be paid him, and some satisfaction from the said Husbands, and a consideration had of his fidelity, good service, and large expenses, for these five or six years.  
And he shall ever pray, etc.  
FINIS.