An excellent letter written by a Prisoner, to a worthy Member of the House of Commons, to give further evidence to the premises.  
Noble Sir,  
IN the beginning of these troubles, I suffered a hard imprisonment under the Commissioners of Array (half a year) for refusing to submit to their usurped authority, afterwards for the same I was driven in Exile, and my means all that time possessed by them, and so I lived as a banished man from my Country for two years, until the Reducement thereof to the obedience of Parliament. I was sent hither to give in a charge against some with us, whom the Parliament had declared Traitors, yet again put into the highest places of trust and command in our Country by Mr. B. contrary to his oath and trust, upon the Houses receiving our charge, I expected that Mr. B. and others complained of, should have put in their answers, but in stead thereof, I was put to answer Interrogatories against myself, tending to the betraying the trust reposed in me. To which interrogatories, I desired time to advise to answer, there●● on I was committed by the House of Commons unheard, nor never so much as called to their bar, (a thing which the Heathen Romans abhorred to do) upon the bare (though false) report of Mr. L. made to the house, viz. That I contemptiously refused to answer, it never being my intention to do any thing in contempt of the House. Here I have lain nine months to my ruin, and the ruin of my wife and children, whilst the common enemies of the Kingdom (of whom we complain) are continued in their authorities, contrary to law, you have by the Act made for the abolishing of the Star Chamber, confirmed Magna Charta and the Petition of Right, and amongst others the 4. chap. of the Statute of the 34. of Ed. 1. By which Statute it is granted, That all men of this Kingdom shall have their Laws, Liberties, and Free customs, as they have used the same, when they had them at the best. And if any Statutes have been made or custom brought in to the contrary thereof, the same to be void and frustrats for evermore. And that this custom of committing men to prison, for refusing to answer Interrogatories this way, is contrary to Law, and the liberty we have of old enjoyed, is clear and manifest.  
Sir you know that by Magna Charta, chap. the 29. No man is to be imprisoned but by the judgement of his Peers and Equals, or by the law of the Land, which is expounded by the Statute of the 25. of Ed. 3. chap. 4. To be by indictment or grese●●ment of good and lawful men (not of infamous persons) or by writ original of the Common Law. And no man may be put to answer, without presentment before justices, or matter of Record, according to the old Law of England, See the 28. of Ed. 3. chap. 3. and the 37. of Ed. 3. chap. 18. Touching long imprisonment, as it is most unjustly and wickedly practised at this day. The Law hath ever held the same so odious; that it hath provided, if the prisoner be not speedily and timely brought to his trial or freed, he may have gratis, (without any fee) without delay or denial, the Writ De Odio et Atia, for bayling him out of prison, though convict of murder, Magna Charta chap. 26.  
But alas we have but the shadow of it, we by the subtlety of Lawyers, are only free men in name, the English man's freedom is now become worse than the Turkish slavery, how many of us lie and languish in your murdering prisons● to the provoking of the God of justice unto wrath against you) & our wives & children thereby exposed to all want & misery; whose loud cries and tears (doubtless) will draw down vengeance from the just hand of Heaven upon you (if not speedily prevented by administration of justice.) We have often with all earnestness, petitioned and solicited for liberty, yet can 〈◊〉 not since the first Session of this Parliament get one Ordinance passed for it, whereas Traitors and Murderers of their brethren can have (since the surrender of Oxford) many score of Ordinances psssed for their liberty, peace and welfare.  
The just God of Heaven and Earth be judge between you and us (that are not freed) yea many of us are still imprisoned without any legal charge brought against us yet can we have no benefit of these laws, which are not denied to these enemies, murderers and destroyers of their native Country. O where 〈◊〉 justice●t May not those royal: Plunderers 〈◊〉 well justify all their Robberies and Depredations, as either our House of Commons, or the House of peers these kinds of Imprisonments, and commitments: Nay, is it not the greatest injustice, when done under the colour of Justice? Sir I assure you, it were less grievious unto us to die at once, then thus to be enslaved and famished in your cruel Prison houses, where 〈…〉 to all misery, contempt, obloquy and 〈◊〉 of the worst of men and thereby the hearts of our wives and aged Parents are broken with sorrow and grief. Sir, be pleased also to consider, how by these and the like do, the affections of many thousands of the people is estranged from you, who have formerly adventured all to ●●hol dyon in your autho●… And if this course be continued, we shall not, 〈◊〉 not think 〈◊〉 say less, then that the Parliament (and not the Prerogative) makes us a bondage and miserable people. And some already do not spare to say that the Parliament is now become the burden of the Kingdom: If you intent to enslave us still, deal plainly with us and let us know it. You were entrusted by the people for their good, and not for the continuation of their Thraldom. We have not been failing on our parts, and by the blessing of God, have so far brought the common enemy of the Kingdom under your power, that there is none that dare to stand up against you, but some few in holds, so as there is now no let nor other excuse left, why the course of justice in a free currant should be any longer obstructed and hindered. The recovery whereof was the very end and cause of all our fightings. Let us then have justice, which without showing yourselves to be most unjust men, you cannot any longer deny unto us. Let not Manchester, B. and some other achan's amongst you, be denied justice, If they be wrongfully accused, they ought to be vindicated, if they be guilty of the accusations against them, you cannot be guiltless in not doing justice upon them, let neither their wealth, nor honour, nor their eminent places, serve them for a covering, or be any Sanctuary unto them, God is no respecter of persons in judgement) and are not you placed here betwixt God and us, to do justice. But if you have respect of persons, you dishonour God, commit sin, and stand convinced as transgressors of the Law. James 2.9. The Lord also farther saith, That ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement. Thou shalt not respect the Person of the poor, nor honour the Person of the mighty, but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour, Levit. 19 15. For whosoever they be that pervert justice and judgement, are accursed of God, see Deut. 27.19.  
If therefore you would be accounted, and numbered amongst the Sons of wisdom, and not amongst those that are under this course, do justice freely, speedily and impartially, let it never be said of our highest court of Judicatory, as was some times of Rome's Senate Dat venial, corvis vexat censura columbos. Why should your friends perish in your abominable Gaoles, (Hell's Soul destroying houses) whiles that yours, and the kingdom's professed Enemies, the capital transgressors of the Laws are suffered freely to walk London streets, to enjoy their liberties with their ill got wealth, and to be so much honoured and trusted, as to sit and vote amongst you in you Council, as Thorp the Lawyer doth, who endeavoured, counselled, & by threaten atrempted to have had Hull delivered up to the King, which when he could not effect, neither by threats nor by treachery, he then caused Sir john Hotham to be proclaimed Traitor by two Heralds at arms, for keeping the town for the Parliament and Kingdom's use Oh the misery of these times!  
Behold, the whole Kingdom cries aloud for Justice, the spoilt for reparations, and we your poor enslaved Prisoners illegally committed, and unjustly detained in your several prisons, (Groaning under this Egyptian Servitude do cry out for justice and their just liberty and enlargement, according to law and justice.  
Wherefore noble Sir, if by your means and mediation, we (after so long expectation and delay) may obtain these our just desires, millions and multitudes will have cause to bless God for you and eternize your name to all posterity, as one of the chief means, of restoring our ancient Birthright & liberty, of which number (though the least and unworthiest) he is and will be one, neither unthankful nor forgetful of so noble a favour for the general, nor of what shall be most freely and nobly accomplished by you for the gaining of his liberty in particular who is a free man in bonds, etc.  
28. of the 17: Month.  
FINIS.