TO THE RIGHT honourable the Lords& Commons Assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of mayor Hercules Langrish and Olymphas his Wife( of the Right Honourable Family du Plesseys in France) in behalf of themselves, and of their sons captain Hercules and Cornet Lucullus.  
Most Humbly Sheweth  
THat your Petitioners have at several times furnished great sums and used their best endeavours, for the good of this state, to their exceeding great prejudice; and that the said mayor, and his two sons( waving all other employments though very honourable and Lucrative) have served the Parliament as Commanders in this war, for the just defence of our Religion and Liberties, from the first undertaking thereof, and according, to the uttermost of their care, skill, and ability, have performed their duties, and observed all just, and reasonable commands, with all possible diligence, fidelity, and alacrity; Howbeit your Petitioner being in bristol at the unhappy surrender thereof( though he exposed himself there, to more pains then his weak condition( occasioned by hurts received at Round-downe) could bear, and to much more danger then his charge called him unto; yet many scandalous aspersions, both in print, and otherwise, have been raised and cast upon him, not onely by some who detain most unjustly your Petitioners Lands, and Goods and by such as he hath executed his superiors orders on, but by several other malevolent, and ill affencted persons, who( to cover their own demerits, for which they should have been questioned before a council of war in the West, but were not, by reason of their s●●ita●● d 〈…〉 same, and payment of such moneys, as they owe your Petitioner) have most unworthily combined, and by way of recrimination, endeavoured to stain his reputation, with most egregious calumnies, and by such detractions to bring Him, and His under the odium, obloquy, and disesteem of the State, the sad consequence whereof hath occasioned in these evil times wherein men are more prove to believe evil reports then good, not onely his disgrace though most undeservedly, but also a delay of pay both for himself and whole troope ever since the 14 of March 1642, the damage whereof cheisly falleth upon your Petitioner,( who hath not onely disbursed of what should have paid his debts, supplied his own occasions, and sustained his family, but borrowed of his friends( at the earnest entreaty of his superior officers and upon their promises to repay it in a short time) money for the maintenance of himself and troope for thirteen weekes complete of the said time, and furnished, it afterwards, with all such supplies and accommodations, as he could by any faire and honest means procure, for the better enabling him, to do such services as have been imposed on him, by them, wherein your Petitioner hath been always most successful when he was left to his own ways, and stratagems, as at ●herborne, Portland, Abbots-bury, Malmesberry &c. But not unto us, to God be the glory of all, yet notwithstanding have they not paid, or caused to be repaid any part thereof. but some of them have rather instigated your Petitioners Creditors( though more properly theirs, or the States then his) to use extremity against him, so that he hath been necessitated to pay some, and is much importuned for the rest, by such a● are indeed necessitous, and is much threatened by others, nay to be cast in prison suddenly for it, all which your Petitioner, hath often and by divers means intimated, to the Right Honourable the earl of Essex, the Committee for the safety, and the council of war, whom he hath often attended, and petitioned for redress of these and other grievances( more fully expressed in the Relation annexed) of all which, ●n respect sometimes of his Honours more serious affairs, and his advocates absence, M. Walkers and M. Prinns refusal of a trial, when it was offered them, in Dec. 1643, and their not prosecuting since, or by means of some other obstructions unknown to your Petitioner, he hath as yet reaped no benefit thereby, to His and His Families utter ruin, if not speedily prevented, b● the Clemency of this H●nourable Court, for these delays, non-performances, and procr●stinations, have forced him so to overracke his cre●it, that it can extend no further, either for the dising●gement, and recovery of his lands, and goods here, and in France, or so much as for the present sustenance of himself or any of his, who are ten in number, and must all perish if not speedily supplied, they being at present deprived, and dispossessed of all means of subsistence, by potent enemies, and incenced adversaries, both here, and in France, who menace aloud all their destructions.  
Wherefore your Petitioners having suffered much both here, and there a long time in many respects, for service done th●s State, and your Petitioner being desirous to undeceave the world concerning the premises, especially ●he members of this honourable Court( by the equity of whose justice he is ambitious to stand or fall) being, confident that they will be as prove to vindicate the innocent, and relieve the op●●●●●●● 〈…〉 
 Most humbly pray  
That some present money may be allotted your Petitioner, for their and their Families subsistence, and satisfaction of their most necessitous and importunate creditors and that a Committee may be nominated, and appointed, as well to examine their losses, as the manner of his and their demeanours, in all services since their first undertaking thereof, as also for the examination of the matters in the annexed, and of all such grievances, and articles, as your Petitioners shall exhibit to the said Committee and that likewise and order may be made for the auditing their accounts, that upon report thereof made by the Committee to this honourable Court, your Petitioners may be in some measure satisfied for all their losses, repaired in point of honour, and receive their Disbursements and arrears, or otherwise have the public Faith for some, and an Ordinance for the rest, to raise it out of notorious Malignants, and Delinquents Estates, as they have or shall discover in, or within sixty miles of London, being confident to bring in great profit thereby, to the State, or at lest-wise out of one half therof, and the other half with the remainder of the first,( if any shall be) to be disposed, and disbursed on Horse and arms, for the Defence of Hampshiere, Surrey, and Suss●x, by the direction of the Committees for the southern Association, and that the judicature may be referred to one of the Committees for Sequestration, either in London or Westminster, for what is and shall be discovered therein, and for the rest, to the C●mmittees in the respective Counties, as shal seem best to this honourable Court, that they may go on cheerfully in the said Service, the which they desire to advance to the utmost of their Lives and Fortunes, and for that end and purpose( being by all or any of these ways and overtures satisfied) and your Petitioner vindicated in his Honour) will raise a hundred Horse and men, to add to those so raised, and hazard therewithal their Lives and Fortunes freely and faithfully in the Parliaments service, which otherways they are utterly disabled to do, for the present; however noe sufferings, or discouragements shall ever alienate their affections from so just and pious a Cause, but they shall, and will actuate in Defence and furtherance thereof, in all ways, and conditions be they never so dangerous, that this honourable Court shall appoint, and for proof hereof, the said captain is gone as a Voluntiere to his Excellency, Sir Thomas Fairefa●x, under whose Counmand he still remaines, being unwilling to omit any opportunity, whereby he may manifest his devotion to the Cause, and as for the mayor and Cornet they shall continually wrestle with God, by their prayers, for blessings on the Parliament, and fight in defence, and for the advancement thereof, when they shall, by their Orders, be designed thereunto.  
And they shall ever pray &c.   

To the Right Honourable the Lords& Commons A more full Relation of greiuances and demeanours, or rather representation thereof, made by mayor Hercules Langrish, both for himself, a●d his Wife Olimphas as also for his sons captain Hercules, and Cornet Lucullus, and likewise of their most humble requests and offers.  
Sheweth  
THat the said mayor( hath ever since the age of twenty yeares) had such a just and well-grounded disesteem of Popery, and the main pillar thereof( Prelacy) that no allurements, or promises( either of profit or honour) made unto him h●re or in France, could so far prevail with him, as to incite him to concur with any, for the increase and advancement thereof, but such spiritual comfort,& soule-consolation, did he about that age reap, by his conversation with Presbyterians there, that he at that age resolved( by Gods blessed assistance) to live, and die in defence of the Protestant Religion, as it is established dependant, under the Presbyterian Government, and about the age of three and twenty yeares married( for his better and more contented establishment therein,) Olympas du Pl●sseys his now consort, who had been educated always according to the government and discipline thereof, and was so well instructed therein, and in the worship and doctrines thereof, that no persuasion could divert her from it, and accordingly they have both lived ever since, notwithstanding many very considerable, and earnest temptations, and suggestions to the contrary; but the glory of God, and the good of his church having ever been the chiefest directories for their thoughts, and actions, have not onely incited them, to expend much of their fortunes for the advancement thereof in foreign parts, but the said mayor often to hazard his life in defence thereof, yet was still most elaborate and vigilant to lay hold on all opportunities, to serve this his native country, as well in all civill respects, and relations; as also for the propagation, and settlement thereof, in this kingdom; whereby he hath attracted on himself, and his, not onely the implacable malice of Papists and their younger brothers the Prelatists, but also of Separatists, and schismatics, who have laboured, and combined to ruin him for it, in his repute, by traducing and aspersing him most unjustly, whereas otherwise, he might now have been Master of a faire estate, and in very honourable employments, either here or in other parts, but the said mayor, as well as his Wife, aiming more at the glory of God, and this countries good, 〈…〉 tending to the dishonour of the first, and prejudice of the latter, and have so freely sacrificed their fortunes in defence of them, that they have not onely diminished their estates thereby eight thousand pounds, but the said mayor hath often exposed his person so freely in defence thereof, that he hath almost lost the use of his limbs, with his place at Court of Carver in Ordinary to the queens Majesty, and that since the beginning of these warres as the said mayor offers to justify, and to manifest unto all the world, that both he, and his sons have ever since the first undertaking thereof, demeaned themselves most obedientially, carefully, and conscientiously in al employments, and encounters; nay successfully, and to the Parliaments great profit and advantage in all services, for the execution whereof, they were left to their own ways, nay had the Majors advices, and directions been followed, by his superior Officers in divers places, many more towns and Castles had been taken, and tho●e losses and dishonours which have befallen our forces had been prevented and avoided, es●ecially at Wells, the devices, and the day of the fight( or rather flight) at Roun●-downe, where the mayor, was left as dead( and the Cornet unhorsed, and very much bruised yet got off most miraculously) but afterwards the mayor was brought again to life, by one Fox-crofts means, and by him was conduced to bristol, where he exposed himself, all the time of the siege to more pains, and danger, then either his weak, and crippled state of body could bear, or his charge, and orders required him to do, and although he was noe ways culpable of the Surrender thereof, or conscious so much as of the smallest crime, or neglect committed there or elsewhere at any time, but did his utmost in Defence thereof then, as at all other times) till he was by the counsel of war commanded of his post, and sent as hostage with captain Ipsly to the Enemy,) yet many vile aspersions, and loud untruths, both in Print, and otherwise, have been raised, and cast upon the mayor, by malignant and ill deserving men, not onely to keep from light their own demerits, and themselves from condign punishment for the same, but also to exempt themselves from payment of such moneys as they owe, and are by many ways indebted to the mayor, as also for Plate and other things, put into some of their hands, to satisfy him, and the Forces, that were under his Command in Docester-shiere; for service there done by them, and all this likewise to bring him, into the ill opinion, and hatred both of the Parliament, as also of all other men; but especially of the earl of Essex whom he often most earnestly petitioned, and attended, ever since his coming from bristol, as also the counsel of war, and the Committee of safety, for redress of these grievances, of all which( in respect sometimes of his Honours more important employments, his Advocates absence, Master Walkers and Master Prinn refusal of a trial, when i● was offered in Dec. 1643, and their not prosecuting since, the Majors extreem 〈◇〉 long sickness, and lameness occasioned by reason of his hurts received at Round-downe, and the Committee for the safeties not sitting of late, or by some other obstructions unknown to the mayor, he hath as yet received no benefit thereby, the ill effects whereof have occasioned a delay of the pay for himself and Troun due ever since the 14. of March 1642, the damage whereof chiefly, nay almost totally, falleth upon the mayor,( who hath disbursed at several times, and for several services, and borrowed of his friends( at the earnest entreaty of his superior Officers, and of some Committee men, and upon their vows, and Protestations, to repay all in a short time) money for the payment of his Troupe, for 13 weekes complete of the time, he and they remain unpayed, and all for the better enabling him and them, to perform such services, as have been imposed on him by some of them, since that time, yet have none of them payed, or caused to be repaid any part thereof, but( after many discouragements, indignities, and open injuries received from some of them, not to be so long digested were they not Parliament men, or dependant thereon and offered by them, in a time, that all men do pass as well by evil reports as good) the mayor hath been necessitated, to pay some part thereof, and is much importuned for the rest, nay menaced with imprisonment for some part thereof, by such as neither can or will forbear it, any longer, and as for those moneys the mayor hath disbursed of his own, and should have received again in London two yeares since, by bill of exchange, he hath received no part thereo●, though there was an Order made in Parliament, for payment ●hereof to his assigns, about that time, the detention whereof hath not onely occasioned him, to lye long under a black cloud of infamy and reproach,( whereunto ●he best men are now most subject) but also to suffer much in his credit, Person, Estate, and Family, not having had any moneys( since his return from bristol to ●ustaine it, or himself in his sickness, with his son the Cornet( who hath ●een likewise very sick and much incommodated in his health ever since his hurts ●eceived at Round down) but what he hath borrowed, and must suddenly repay, ●r suffer for it, so that they have not onely suffered much penury, infamy and mi●erie thereby, but the mayor hath been disabled to prosecute such as do most un●ustly detain from him his Lands, and goods, in this kingdom and city, but that which is most prejudicial, and onerous to the mayor, his wife, and all his, 〈◇〉, that the non payment of five hundred pounds to a French man about a year since, ●he having long before that time disbursed thrice as much for the Parliament, all ●he majors wives Lands, and goods in France to the value of six thousand pounds ●t least, are by him, and others ceased on most unjustly, or upon a just examination it ●ill appear, that there is nothing due unto them, yet his said wife is not only dispo●●●ssed and deprived thereof, but also of one of their daughters, who was taken ●●om her, by violence, and is put into a Nunnerie by force, not being above twelve ●earess of age, and so had been another of their daughters, of thirteen yeares, had ●ot his said wife brought her away, through by-ways, to the great hazard of ●●eir lives, both by Sea, and Land; and all this, that the mayor his wife, and other ●●ildren, may for ever be frustrated of their said Lands, and goods, which otherwise would be unpossible for to effect, and at whose instigation al this hath been done may ●ot be onely easily conjectured, but evidently manifested—  
If it would please this Honourable House to commemorate, what hath been ●●scovered at several times by the mayor to Master Pim, Master Hamden, and 〈…〉 ●●●municated at Westm●nster on the Fourth of January, 1641 and on the seventh thereof at Grocers-Hall, all which( though the obliged effects of his bound duty) yet have so incensed, many now in France, as well as here against the said mayor, that they do not onely, threaten to murder him, but to ruin: If his, so that no means will be left unessayed for the effecting thereof by causing the said lands, and goods, to be sold for little, or by settling them upon the Nunnery, the which will be so, if not speedily prevented by the Clemenccie of this Court, in supplying their wants. protecting still the Majors person, and vouchsafing their Letters of recommendation to the queen Regent for the releasement of their said daughter.  
Now forasmuch as your Petitioners have been so far from disserving this state that they have chosen rather then so, to suffer a long time in their persons, credits and estates, and that the mayor hath thought it to be more conducing to the advantage thereof, to suffer for a time, in his reputation, being sick and weak, then to make more breaches therein, by questioning such as had means to avail it; or to make sport at Oxford, and forasmuch likewise as some of his calumniators, fearing that the truth of the premises( notwithstanding these there endeavours to the contrary) would be brought to light: to prevent it, have not onely most ungratefullie and unworthilie traduced the Maior to damnify him in all the ways and particulars above specified, but set on some of their servants and followers to murder him in the Streets at night and still threaten to effect it.  
That your Petitioners, their sons, and whole Family, may not be utterly ruined by your longer detention of the moneys due unto them, and that the World may be undeceaved in the Premises and know the faithfulness care, and worth, of the mayor and his, and his sons demeanours in all services, and the demerits of his traducers, and accusers, and what sums are due unto him from them, as well as from the State, and likewise that they may be brought to condign punishment for th● same, and to pay the mayor, all that is justly oweing unto him by them, and that he may receive again all those moneys he so spontaniously disbursed, and borrowed fo● them, and the State, and so freely employed for it and them, often to the grea● hazard of his life, as also that his sons, may receive such sums as are due unto them and the rather, because they have brought in, for the use of the State considerable sum●● that they have taken from the Enemy, whereof they have had no share, nor the mayor neither, of the great sums made of Prisoners Estates, taken in bristol, Por●land, &c. 
 They most humbly pray,  
That a Committee may be appoynted to examine all the Premises, and the Aud●tors, to take the Majors, and his sons accounts, and that he may not only be vind●cated in his Honour but reimbursed such moneys as he hath borrowed, and laid o● of his own, and his wives for the public Service, and that they and their Fami●● may be eased of the extraordinary pressures they now lye under, and the rather because the mayor, and the said Cornet sustained great losses at Edge-Hill, whilst th●● were fighting there, and at bristol whilst the mayor was in Hostage, in all to the ●…ue of eight hundred pounds, and likewise, for that, the said captain hath suffered great losses, when he was in the West with the earl of Essex, and hath no less then the said mayor disbursed great sums in recruting often, all which, have so impoverished, the mayor and his sons, that they can do the State little service for the present, wanting convenient Equipage so to do, to their extreme grief, and therefore that they may go on with the Service, the which they desire to advance, to the uttermost of their lives, and Fortunes, most earnestly pray again, that if present money cannot be had suddenly, to satisfy them the whole of their due, at leastwise some considerable sum, may be forthwith given them, to supply their present urgent occasions, and that an Ordinance may be granted, for the raising of the rest out of Papists, Malignants, and Delinquents Estates, already discovered by the mayor, or that shall hereafter be discovered by him, or them, in London, or within sixty miles thereof; as shall seem best to this Honourable Court, and that the judicature thereof may be referred as is specified in the annexed Petition, and out of the whole the mayor will furnish a hundred Horse, for the States service, and he, and his sons will adventure their Lives therewithal, and live, and die in Defence thereof, and take the public Faith for the value of the said Horse, or serve the Parliament in any other way, or condition as shall seem best to this Honourable Court; And for as much as Master Pim of the black-Bull in Bishopgate-streete, hath most illegally, and( before an account given by him to the Ma●or, of what was due unto him, for billiting him, his Officers and Troupers,) and ●uring the Maiors great sickness and lameness) ceased on his Horses, Clothes, arms, and whole equipage, and hath since disposed of some,( at far underva●ues,) and detaineth still the rest, notwithstanding the mayor hath given him his ●otes, for more money, then can be due unto him, in all, his humble supplicttion ●herefore is, that some speedy course may be taken to compel the said Pim to bring ●n his accounts, that he may receive what is justly due unto him, and that he may be ●njoyned forthwith to restore to the mayor his whole equipage that on all occasi●ns, he may be provided to hazard his Life, the more advantageously in defence of Gods and his Countries cause,  
And they shall ever pray, &c.