To the Honourable the Commons of ENGLAND in Parliament assembled. The humble Petition of many well-affected Citizens, and other the freeborn People of ENGLAND,  
Showeth,  
THat as Your Petitioners conceive it to be far beneath the Authority and Honour of this House to be the Executors of the Law; so likewise we apprehend it to be contrary to the clear fundamental laws of England, for the Lords (in criminal Cases) to exercise any jurisdiction over Commoners.  
That we collect from the Common and Statute Law, that no freeman ought to be taken, and imprisoned, passed upon, censured or condemned, but by the lawful judgement of his Equals, and whatsoever judgement shall be otherwise given is to be holden for nought.  
That nevertheless Sir John Maynard, Sir John Gayre, Alderman Bunce, Alderman Langham, Alderman Adam's, Com. Copley, Master John Wildman, and many other Commoners have been and are imprisoned, and the Lords have assumed to themselves a jurisdiction over Sir John Maynard, and many other Commoners.  
Your Petitioners therefore most humbly pray, That no Commoner be henceforth imprisoned during pleasure; but only until the time of a legal trial. That the Lords do not henceforth exercise any jurisdiction over Commoners in matters criminal; but that Sir John Maynard, and all other Commoners may enjoy our Ancient freedom of indifferent trials by our Equals: And that all Cases elsewhere determinable (according to the Declaration of this Honourable House) be left to the ordinary courts of Justice unto which they legally appertain.  
And we shall daily pray, &c.