To the High Court of Parliament of the commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.  
The humble Petition of the Prisoners for Debt in the Upper-bench Prison.  
Showeth:  
THat your Petitioners should be as truly sensible of the late gracious Acts of Parliament, and Ordinances made for their relief and Liberty (were they duly executed) as some of them are of their sixteen years' imprisonment. many of your Petitioners having taken their Oaths as poor, in October 1652 and others before the 20. of October 1653.  
Since that, many others of your Petitioners have been committed, not being capable of the benefit of the said Acts, and Ordinances, for obtaining their Liberties, though poor.  
That such of your Petitioners as have taken their oaths as poor, in the year 1652. and before the 20. of October 1653. have ever since been obstructed of their Liberties, by r●ason of their great necessity and want of money, to prosecute their liberties, by suing forth Writs of habeas corpus (which have been denied) and after them Writs of scire facias to summon their Creditors, to show cause in the Upper-Bench Court at a certain day, why your Petitioners should not be freed from imprisonment (having taken their oaths as poor) according to the said Acts and Ordinances as aforesaid, and after the return of the said scire facias, Writs of Supersedeas to free your Petitioners from imprisonment absolutely, but the charge thereof is so great, that your Petitioners have not been able to undergo the same.  
That your Petitioners have likewise by Petition made their addresses several times since the beginning of August last, for relief and Liberty, to the Judges appointed for relief of Creditors, and poor Prisoners, London, &c. (many of them having spent five pounds apiece and upwards) though with much difficulty borrowed of their friends, in orders of summons, and serving them upon their Creditors in remote countries, councillors, Clerks, and Solicitors fees, Waiters wages, and other expenses, too heavy and great for your Petitioners to disburse, not having the same: some have been ten, some twenty times before them, and not yet discharged, though very poor; so that all your Petitioners endeavours have proved in vain: and also many other of your Petitioners have delivered to the said Judges, particulars of their Estates upon oath, yet still detained in Prison.  
That in effect all Prisoners for debt in this Commonwealth (being capable of the benefit of the said Acts and Ordinances) (except your Petitioners and some others, in and near the City of London) are by force and virtue thereof, already freed and discharged from imprisonment.  
And forasmuch as your Petitioners humbly conceive the said Judges are not as yet fully empowered to examine and determine all Causes whatsoever, upon Judgements and Executions, though illegally obtained, in differences between Creditors and Prisoners.  
Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray, that the said Judges may forthwith be empowered to examine, hear, and determine all Causes and differences whatsoever, between Creditors and Prisoners, (the said differences to be delivered to the said Judges in writing) to be adjudged and determined without pleading of counsel, in regard both chargeable and impertinent, and hath been prejudicial to many poor men's Liberties. And some obdurate Adversaries have bestowed 30 l in counsel, purposely to keep poor men in Prison. And that all Prisoners for Debt upon taking their oaths as poor, and others upon delivery of particulars of their Estates to the said Judges upon their oaths, may be forthwith freed and discharged from imprisonment. And that in the mean time, your Petitioners may be allowed Writs of habeas corpus, gratis, according to the said late Acts and Ordinances, upon their own security by Bond, to enable them to complete their Liberties, and be serviceable to the Common wealth, and the preservation of their Families.  
And your Petitioners shall pray, &c.