To the Supreme Authority of England, the Commons in Parliament assembled. The humble Petition of many freeborn people. Together with a Copy of the Order of the Commitment of five of the Petitioners, viz. M●. Th●mas Prince, and Mr. Samuel Chidley in the Gatehouse. Capt. Tailor, Mr. William Larner, and Mr. Jves in Newgate. As also some Observations upon the said Order.  
Shows,  
THat as the ground of the late war between the King and you, was a contention whether he or you should exercise the supreme power over us, so its vain to expect a settlement of peace amongst us, until that point be clearly and justly determined, that there can be no liberty in any Nation where the Law giving power is not solely in the people or their Representatives.  
That upon your Invitation, the people have hazarded their lives, consumed their estates, lost their trades, and weltered in blood to preserve that your just authority, and therein their own freedoms.  
That notwithstanding, for attributing the supreme authority of this Nation to this Honourable House, which alone represents the people, we have been accounted the offscouring of the land, we have had our Petitions burned, our persons imprisoned, and many o●her ways abused.  
That when the ears of the chosen deliverers were stopped, the Law of Nature enjoined us to address ourselves to the Army, from whom we had reason to expect relief, according to their many promises and engagements.  
That those promises seeming to be wholly forgotten by the ruling part of the Army; it pleased God to raise up the spirits of some Agents therein, to consider of an agreement of the people upon grounds of common right; & to offer it to the General Council of the army for their concurrence; the matter whereof (seriously debate being had thereupon) was so far from being dis-allowed, that a necessity of ending this Parliament at the day prefixed therein, wae concluded; the providing for a constant succession of Parliaments thought necessary, that the people should be more equally represented was confessed; and a certain rule to be set between the people and their representative was judged fit, and the supreme authority of this nation acknowledged by that Council to be where the Agreement placeth it: And particularly Lieutenant General Cromwell, and Commissary General Jreton declared, that in case they did not Act for the settlement of those freedoms, yet they would never oppose.  
That those Agents in further discharge of their duty to their Country; did not long since present unto this Honourable House the said Agreement, with a petition relating thereunto.  
That the same Agreement, with another Petition, was lately offered to the General, by a worthy Commander, and divers Officers of the Army, at the first general Rendezvouz near Ware: and all that was done in a further prosecution, was a peaceable proposing of the same Petition, to the Soldiery, for their concurrence: and we wonder that we should now be reputed mutinous, to offer a Petition to the Soldiery when it was esteemed formerly good service to draw them to an engagement.  
That notwithstanding all this clear open and legal dealing, in those our friends, for the performance of their solemn engagements, both they and we, who adhered to them, are reproached and slandered with imputations of plotting and designing not only the King's death, in a base murderous way; and of imbruting the nation in blood, but of strange endeavours to level all men's estates, and subvert all Government and although the scandals are but the same which the open enemies formerly cast upon yourselves, yet our just endeavours for freedom, are so ill resented by this means, that some of us are imprisoned, and others threatened to be proceeded against as persons disaffected to this Honourable House, whereas the true object of our enemy's malice is, that authorit●e of yours, which we labour to preserve. Yet such is our sad condition, as our actions and intentions are in like manner misapprehended by you, though we doubt not but the Agreement duly weighed, will demonstrate all such reproaches to be only the invention of wicked men to exasperated you against us.  
And therefore we beseech you in your bowels of compassion to an oppressed people, to review and debate impartially the particulars of that Agreement of the people, wherein many thousands have already concurred: And to suffer us by your countenance, to use our Native Liberty, in moving the people for an happy union amongst themselves, in settling those foundations of Common freedom; that thereby this honourable house, may with more assurance of the people's assistance, proceed forthwith (without attending for the assent and concurrence of any other) to deliver them from all kind of tyranny and oppression.  
And that you would be pleased to account of the sufferings of our dear fellow Commoners Co. Ayers, Ca Bray, and others at the several Rendezvouz of the Army, only for their just and peaceable persuance of Freedom.  
And especially that you will make inquisition for the blood of that Soldier, viz. Richard Arnall of Col. lilburn's Regiment, which was shot to death near Ware.  
And we further desire, that without prejudice against our persons, it might be laid to heart, that the large effusion of blood, and the many spoils made in the late War, cannot be justified upon any other ground, than the settlement of those freedoms contained in the Agreement, and in your just endeavours to clear and secure those you may expect the blessing of peace and prosperity,  
And your petitioners shall pray.   


Die Martis. November, 1647.  
Resolved, that Thomas Prince, Cheesemonger, and Samuel Chi●●ey be forthwith committed prisoners to the prison of the Gatehouse, there to remain prisoners during the pleasure of this House, for seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecuting of a former Petition and paper annexed, styled an agreement of the people, formerly adjudged by this house, to be destructive to the being of Parliaments, and fundamental government of this kingdom.  
Hen. El. Cl. Par. Dom. Com.   

By virtue of an Order of the House of Commons, these are to require you to receive from the Sergeant at arms his deputy or deputies, the bodies of Thomas Prince, Cheese monger, and Samuel Chidley into the prison of the Gate house Westminster, and them safely to detain as your prisoners, until the pleasure of the house be signified to you to the contrary, and for so doing this shall be your Warrant.  
William Lenthall, Speaker. Dated 23. Novemb. 1647.  
To the Keeper of the prison of the Gate house of Westminster.    

O men of England that love your freedom▪ I beseech you observe the injustice, arbitrarynesse, and tyranny of this your Parliament, who have invited you, and caused your dear friends to expend their blood upon pretences to deliver you from injustice and arbitrary powers. S●e their Rmon. of May 26. 1642.  
1. Observe their palpable injustice in styling an humble, rational and just petition (presented in a peaceble manner) a seditous and contemptuous, avowing a former petition, these men declared formerly, that they ought to receive petitions, though against things established by law, and now when a petition strikes at their corrupt interest, its seditious because its against a vote of theirs, and what damnable endeavours here are to deceive you Commons, they represent these men's petition as a contempt of them when they rendered them the highest honour in their petition.  
2 Observe their injustice in committing these your brethren without laying any crime to their charge, by the law, sedition nor faction is no crime, for no man knows what is sedition or faction, but they put unknown reproachful terms upon their just petition to deceive you, and let me inform you, that these treacherous dissemblers that put these infamous terms upon the petition, durst not suffer this petition to be printed with their votes concerning it, for when they ordered the votes should be printed, an honest member moved that the pe●ition itself might be printed with them, that the people might see the reason of such votes, and these Hypocrites opposed it with rage and fury, will ye be always thus abused O ye commons.  
3. Observe the falsehood and lies in their vote. First, these petitioners did not avow any former petition or paper annexed, as this vote say they did. 2ly. The House did never adjudge the Agreement to be destructive to the being of Parliaments, etc. but only the petition of the Agents of the Army, they never durst debate the Agreement, lest they should be forced by the strength of reason to consent to it, they shut their eyes and will not see, for many of the greatest opposers have confessed its just, but they love not the light because their deeds are evil. But seeing it was never▪ debated in one particular, could a judgement be passed upon it, and have you not a wise, faithful Parliament, that would not debate the particulars of such great concernment to settle a peace.  
4. Observe how these men exercise an absolute tyranny over you, ruling by their crooked wills, and damnable lusts, they commit your fellow Commoners to prisons amongst Thiefs and Murderers, only for begging for their fredoms, and this during their pleasure, that is, till their base malicious humours be satisfied. According to law and justice, imprisonment is only for safe custody of persons, until the appointed day of trial in the ordinary Courts of justice, and it was the Council table and High Commission that ruled by their lusts, which imprisoned men during their pleasure, and yet these Apostates dare in the face of the sun proclaim their wickedness and arbitrariness, by committing men during their lust. Certainly their consciences tell them that these faithful, honest petitioner did not offend, for if they had known any offence, they would have been ready to have proceeded against them, or reserved them for trial which they intent not. O ye Commons of England! can you still bear it? to see your freedoms undermined, and your brethren abused, and precedents made daily for enslaving you to the wills and lusts of tyrants, when will you show yourselves English men? O now! now is the opportunity. O! that you might see even in this your days the things that belong to your peace and freedom, before they be hid from your eyes.  
Vale.