To the HONOURABLE the Knights, citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House now assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
The humble Petition of Dame Mary Hewytt widow, late wife of John Hewytt, Doctor in Divinity.  
Humbly Sheweth,  
THat Oliver late pretended Protector thirsting after Innocent Blood, did, in May 1658. by the Advice of his Council, contrary to the known fundamental laws of the Land( whereto every Free-born English-man hath an inherent Birth-right, and according to which Laws the said Bloody Tyrannical pretended Protector at his instalment swore to govern the three kingdoms) erect a High Court of Justice( or rather Injustice) to try several persons for supposed Crimes against the said pretended Protector, Whereof he appointed John Lisle Esq; President.  
That your Petitioners late husband, Doctor John Hewytt, being in June next following convened before the said Court, was by the said John Lisle, and divers others that sate with him accused of Treason without Presentment or Indictment, and contrary to the tenor of the Commission( granted them) authorizing them to proceed according to Justice, which hath always been interpnted according to the known Laws.  
That your Petitioners said husband protesting his Innocency to the death, humbly desiring to be tried by God and his country, offered to pled to any such Indictment as the Judges of the Land( who were also Commissioners in the said Commission, but refused to act) should declare to be legal, or according to any Act of Parliament; And therefore appealed to their Judgement, whether he, being an English-man, was otherwise bound to pled, there being no Act at that time in being, to constitute any High Court of Justice to try any man otherwise then by the ancient known Laws.  
That all the Judges refusing to fit and join in any such proceeding; The said John Lisle, did, notwithstanding, without Jury or Witness produced, sentence your Petitioners said husband to death, and caused him to be Executed as a traitor upon Tower-Hill, To the unspeakable grief, and irreparable loss of your desolate Petitioner and her fatherless children, and in the consequence of it, to the subversion of all Law, Justice and Liberty.  
Your Petitioner therefore humbly prayeth your Honours( out of an inflamed zeal to public Justice, Law, and the peoples Liberties) and for the future to deter others from the like horrid, bloody, arbitrary and detestable proceedings, as the effusion of Innocent Christian Blood, which cries aloud for vengeance; to order that the said John Lisle may be speedily brought to exemplary Justice, and that he may be( as a murderer) excepted from pardon in the Act of Oblivion; And that the other Commissioners who sate and acted with him,( to wit) Alderman Tichborne, Alderman Ireton, Alderman Pack, sergeant Crook, John Barkstead and John Phelpes, and the rest may be ordered to give her such due reparations for her damages sustained by the Execution of her said husband, as your Honours shall conceive fit.  
And your Petitioner shall ever Pray.