To the honourable the Commons in Parliament assembled; The humble Petition and Remonstrance of Edmond Rolph, Prisoner in the Gatehouse, WESTMINSTER:  
Showeth,  
THat in judgement and Conscience he hath adventured his life for the Preservation of the honour and just Power of Parliaments, with the Freedoms, Liberties and Properties of the freeborn People of this Nation.  
That as heretofore, so at present, all the endeavours of wicked and malicious men, are bent and employed to wound and destroy both the Parliaments honour, and the people's Liberties, by subtle designments and scandalous aspersions, thereby to render both the Parliament, Army, and all godly people adhering to them, odious in the eyes of the Nation.  
That in order to the end aforesaid, one Osbourn and Dowcet hath lately made a false and scandalous suggestion, bruting it abroad that there was a design to poison the King; and because it was necessary that they should father the design upon some body, they have laid it upon the whole Army in general, and upon your Petitioner in particular; using all means, by colour of the said suggestion, to exasperate the People to resist the Authority of Parliament, and to weaken their power by the destruction of that Army, which by the blessing of God hath been your protection to this day, maugre the malice of your adversaries.  
That by means of the said Suggestion, your Petitioner hath been by a party of the Lords imprisoned and sentenced contrary to Law, without hearing, yea without legal Crime or legal Accuser; having not only his life end angered by his cruel usage, in the time of his bodily distemper, but also his name and credit destroyed by having that scandalous imputation of a traitor cast upon him.  
That this House hath declared it to be a heinous Crime, against the Law of Nature, against the Rules of Justice that innocent men should be charged with so high an Offence as Treason in the face of the highest Judicatory of the Kingdom, without Witness, without Evidence, without all possibility of legal reparation: 1 part Book Decl. pag. 201.  
That by the Law of the Kingdom no person ought to be imprisoned, indicted, arraigned, or condemned for any Treason or Treasons, without the testimony of two Lawful Accusers, as appears by the Statute of 5 & 6 of Edw. 6. Chap. 11. as was largely proved at the open Bar at the Assize and general Goal-delivery held at Winchester for the County of Southampton, by Mr Maynard Counsellor at Law, and a Member of this honourable House.  
That contrary to this and many other good Laws, providing against this evil, your Petitioner hath not only been detained in prison without any legal Warrant, but hath also been indicted contrary to Law, (the said Indictment being drawn up here by the King's council, and by the said Lords transmitted to be found at Winchester by the Grand-Jury,) and yet your Petitioner kept Prisoner in the Gatehouse.  
That in order thereunto, Osbourn and Dowcet were by the Lords sent to Winchester to give Evidence to the Grand-Jury upon the said Indictment; which they accordingly did on the 28 of August, 1648.  
That notwithstanding the said Indictment did consist of four several heads of Treason, wherein the whole Army as well as Your Petitioner was accused, yet the said Osbourn and Dowcet gave nothing material in evidence, whereon an Indictment could be grounded; so that upon the examination of the whole matter, the Grand Jury returned an Ignoramus upon the said Bill of Indictment, as by a Certificate from the Clerk of the Assize more plainly appeareth.  
That Your Petitioner, notwithstanding he is clear in the eye of the Law, and in the consciences of all honest men, yet he is still a Prisoner to the will of the Lords, and left without a possibility of legal reparation, both for his illegal imprisonment, besides his great charges and damages in his estate and credit sustained, being left without all possibility of vindication or reparation, unless this honourable House be pleased (as in like cases heretofore) to take him into consideration, and as a manifestation of their just sense, of their own, and the army's honour, and Your Petitioners unparalleled sufferings, find some expedient both for the enlargement, vindication and reparation of Your Petitioner; The Judges being both corrupt, and so nearly concerned; the Lords so powerful; and Osbourn and Dowcet so beggarly; that it is impossible Your Petitioner should ever be repaired in his estate or credit, without Your Justice be exercised in the obtaining thereof.  
The premises considered, may it please Your honours, (seeing that both Your own, and the army's honour hath been blemished by the said scandalous information,) That therefore some publication may be made by the Authority and Approbation of this House, of the proceedings in relation to this business, to the end that Your, and the army's honour may be vindicated, and Your Petitioners name and credit so far as may be repaired; and that some legal way may be taken for the freedom and reparation of Your Petitioner, who is greatly impoverished by the said Imprisonment, it having cost him nigh 120 l. of his estate since the time of his restraint, besides the great damage received in his name and credit, which is altogether unrepairable.  
And forasmuch as the Judges are appointed to sit with the Lords as their Assistants in point of Law, and aught to inform them by what rule they are to proceed, being sworn thereunto, and yet have, contrary to Law and their Oaths, connived at the apparent subversion of the fundamental Laws of this Nation, by suffering such illegal Warrants to pass from time to time from the Lords upon such illegal Accusations; That therefore this House would be pleased to call the said Judges to an Account for these their undue proceedings; and out of their estates (who ought to have prevented Your Petitioners sufferings & damages) to allow him such legal repairations as to Your honours shall seem meet and couvenient.  
And he shall pray, &c.