To the honourable the House of Commons assembled in Parliament. The humble Petition and Remonstrance of Captain Francis Freeman of Marleborough, in the County of Wiltes, in the behalf of himself and his poor distressed Family.  
Humbly sheweth,  
THat whereas yout Petitioner hath been faithful in the State service ever since the beginning of these troubles, as is well known to many Members of this honourable house, by means whereof, he hath suffered many great and grievous losses, to his utter undoing, unless your Honours have a compassionate and tender care towards him, in this his sad and deplorable condition, being much indebted, and a prisoner at this present time, in Scalding-Alley in the Poultry, London, where he expects every day to go to the Counter, and there is an Out-lary taken forth this last term against his Surety for another Debt, whose Creditor exacts the full interest for all this time, notwithstanding your Petitioner hath lost the principal, and all that he had, not having any thing left wherewithal to give satisfaction, nor any thing for himself& family to subsist withall, your Petitioner having been a man of great trading, a Tanner by profession, and also dealt much in wooding, kept between six and sevenscore poor people at work in that Trade; and being plundered and spoyled almost of all that he had, when the Town was taken, and the rest spent and consumed since by the merciless cruelty and oppression of the Enemy: your Petitioner being in personal action, his wife was always the more cruelly oppressed and burdened by quartering of Souldiers, what by the ill carriage of some Officers in the town, and the malignant spirits of some others, she commonly quartered double the number of any Magistrate in the Town: for when the King was there in person with his Army, shee quartered sixscore, and never a Magistrate in the Town quartered above 40 or 50. at the most, insomuch, that she hath made a very hard shift to keep her poor children from starving, and now at present is constrained to work as hard for her living, as any poor woman whatsoever, which is a most sad condition, consideri●g how she formerly lived;  
I shall further earnestly desire your Honours, that you will be pleased to red over these ensuing particulars.  
1. Your Petitioner commanded a Company at the fight at Marlborough when the town was taken, and by a wonderful providence escaped from the hands of those cruel and bloodthirsty Enemies, who( by the instigation of the Lady Seimor) threatened to hang him at his door, which did evidently appear by her answer to your Petitioners wife, when she came an humble Petitioner unto her in her husbands behalf( supposing he had been a prisoner at that time) she  told her, that he was a ●raytor to the King, and she would see him hanged at his door, for an example to others; and that there was not such a Rogue in the Country. And it may further app●are by the pursuit of their malice, for the Lord Seimor sent an express to the Magistrates of the town, that if your Petitioner did at any time come thither, that they should take him prisoner, and bring him to Oxford dead or alive, or else they must expect no favour from his Majesty, or to this effect.  
2. Your Petitioner exercised two Companies under Sir Edward Hungerford, for which your Petitioner received but 12. l. and 3 s. so that there is somewhat remaining due to your Petitioner, as is well known to Sir Edward.  
3. Sir William Waller hearing of your Petitioners abilities in the exercise of a Foot Company, took your Petitioner along with him in that service, and gave your Petitioner a Commission at Shepstow, bearing date the 9. day of April, 1643. as may appear by his Commission, for which time he never received but 3. l. yet continued in that service, till after the rout at Rundway-hill, as may appear by an attestation under Sir William Wallers hand.  
4. Your Petitioner( by the approbation of a council of war) had another Commission under Sir William Waller, in the Regiment of Col. Alexand●r Popham, as may appear by his Commission, bearing date the 29. day of August, 1643. and after that disaster at Warminster, your Petitioner was sent down by his Colonel, Colonel Rogers, and some others, to pool, having the charge of the Western arms committed to his custody, and so to raise his Company in those parts. And your Petitioner for the advancement of the State service, sold his horse to buy provision to lay a Ship-board for himself and souldiers. He also bought a Chest of Granadoe shells, and fire arrows, and other materials thereunto belonging, at his own proper charge. And your Petitioner listed Souldiers as soon as he came ●hithe●, supposing he should not stay long before he were in action: but yet he stayed so long, as he had scarce either money or credit, but made bold with Col. Bingham to borrow some of him, which your Petitioner thinks is not yet paid, and your Petitioner was fain to put his Souldiers into Col. Binghams Regiment for their victuals, whereof your Petitioner lost two of them against Abbotsbury house. And afterwards your Petitioner received Orders to embark the arms, and carry them to Lime, but by his Orders he was to put in at Weymouth for a Convoy( because the Dunkirkes were very busy on that cost) which was accordingly don●: he landed the arms, and stayed 5 weekes and odd dayes for a Convoy, and then your Petitioner embarked the arms again, and carried them to Lim●, where he stayed 13 weeks, and could not have money from the Committee to bear his charges, but was constrained to borrnw 5.l. of Col. Celie, which your Petitioner thinks is not yet paid neither, and when Col wielding came to the relief of Taunton, your Petitioner went thither, and delivered up his account to the Committee, but could get no money of them, notwithstanding your Petitioner was in extreme want, and had in that time the offer of a Majors place by two several colonels, but could not be quit of his charge, now all the money your Petitioner received in all this service, was but 33.l. 1. s. 7.d.  
5. Your Petitioner raised a Company under the Command of colonel Robert black, and was in Taunton the last siege, and afterwards marched with the general with a hundred men in his Company, into the West, to block up Exon, where he laid in garrison at Poultimore house, about fortnight, till such time he was commanded against Dunster Castle, where he continued till it was reduced, and since your Petitioner have waited on the Committee, till the 20. of February last past: which were at that time( according to your honours order) disbanded; for which service, your Petitioner never received but ●●. 3.l. and 10. s. whereof 6. weekes pay disbanding money,( according to the new establishment) was part.  
6. Your Petitioner hath set forward his company for the service of Ireland, whose Lieutenant and ensign goes with them, and were lately wi h colonel Townsends Regiment, for which your Petitioner earnestly desires in their behalf, that their arrears for this last service, may be speedily paid for their better advance and further encouragement.  
7. Your Petitioner at the beginning of these troubles, was worth 1000.l. and upwards; but all his stock is plundered, spoyled, and spent, having at that time 200 l. stock, going in his Trade of Tanning, he had 14. or 15. Tun of wood, to the value of 300 l. or thereabouts, he had 23. acres of very good corn, to the value of 70.l. or thereabouts, he had his House very well furnish●d with all manner of household-stuff fit for a man of his calling, whereby he lived as happily( in respect of outward means, as most men in the town.  
8 Your Petitioner lost a debt of 53. pounds and 10. shillings, by one that was very well able to pay it, but that he was plundered of all that ever he had carried prisoner to Oxford, where he was bitterly used, and there starved to death.  
.9 Your Petitioner lost two very good Geldings, worth 20.l. and upwards so that there is nothing left for himself, his wife and seven Children to subsist withall, but onely his Land, which if it were sold, it would not pay his debts nothing near, and of all the service your Petitioner hath been in, he never received any advance money: nor never plundered any man the worth of one penny, but always laboured for the preservation of the country.  
May it therefore please your Honours seriously to consider the premises; and to take these things into your grave considerations: speedily to take some course that your Petitioner may have his arrears paid, that his debts may be satisfied, and he not be enforced to spend the residue of his dayes in a loathsome prison, and his family utterly ruined: but that your honours will take some course for his enlargement, and protect him and his sureties, from all actions and suits that are, or may be commenced or brought against them, till such time your honours do make payment, which he hopes will not be long, and that according to your honours, Declarations, and engagements at the beginning of this present Parliament, your Petitioner may have reparations in some measure, answerable to his losses and sufferings, that he may have something to begin the world again, for the maintenance of himself, and Family, that so the enemies of the state( who are your Petitioners enemies also) may have no longer cause to insult over them, and rejoice at their poverty and misery, and your Petitioner doth humbly desire that his Lieutenant and ensign may be paid, their Arriers for this last service, for their better accommodation in the States Service fo● Ireland, and if so be your Honours shall think of any employment for your Petitioner, in the State Service wherein he may serve your Honours; he shall be ready to engage himself and Fortunes.  
And your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c.  Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body, Heb. 13. v. 3.