To the Right Honourable, The LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in Parliament.  
The humble Petition of Richard Pight, Clerk of the Irons in the Mint, in the Tower of London.  
Humbly sheweth,  
THat your Petitioner was entrusted in the public service for King and Parliament, in the year 1642. and hath ever since with great industry and faithfulness discharged the Trust reposed in him, as will appear by the testimony of several persons of Quality and Integrity, and by his giving a just and true account to the late Council of State, of all such Irons committed to his Charge.  
That your Petitioner by the malice of one Violet, hath suffered unjustly much trouble and disgrace, being abetted by some that are have been your Petitioners persecutors, and are offenders and confederates with the said Violet, who is to be tried the next Term upon an Indictment for Misprision of Treason.  
That your Petitioner was authorised in his said Office, Clerk to the Irons of the said Mint, 1649. as by his patent granted by the late Parliament, as also by Indenture of the Mint, confirmed by Act of Parliament will more fully appear.  
And your Patitioner is bound to prosecute them, it being contrary to Law that any offenders should swear against the prosecutor, until after the trial, for they care not what they sweaar to save themselves.  
Yet so it is( may it please your Honours) that one M. Swallow( a great companion of, and instigated by the foresaid Violet) endeavours to displace your Petitioner of his said Office, pretending Right to the same, upon a patent granted formerly by King James, without giving your Petitioner leave by due course of Law to make his Right, Integrity, and faithfulness manifest in the same, the said Patent of M. Swallow being( a● is humbly conceived) voided in Law; he being for his unfaithfulness in the said Office and Service displaced, and your Petitioner vested in his room: which your Petitioner is ready and willing to prove, when and after what manner your Honours shall please to Order.  
That your Petitioner was impowred by Order of the Council in 1649. for the searching, finding and prosecuting of false coiners. Also that in the convention of 1656. before the Honourable the Lord Widdrington, Order was given to a Committee to prepare an Act for redress and punishing of false coiners, a draft whereof is ready to be produced by your Petitioner.  
That divers persons are so notoriously insolent and bold, as( under pretence of making Farthings) to stamp Silver money and foreign coin, there being no Law established to prohibit their Presses.  
That several Offenders and ill-affected persons make it their practise to get false money into their hands, and by boiling the same, put such a gloss thereon, that it passes for currant, to the great prejudice and dishonour of the Nation.  
That your Petitioner hath not received one penny for hisbursements, in prosecution of above eighty Offenders within these four years last past, as by a Schedule annexed appears; or salary since 1651. there being due to your Petitioner 500 l. and upwards, as by his accounts will appear, and in Salary for his Office in the Mint 100 l. by which your Petitioners Estate in public employments is much exhausted.  
From such suits as which shall be commenced against him by any prosecution of offenders in the annexed Schedule or their confedertes, who have been prosecuted by your Petitioner in behalf of the Common-wealth which daily seeketh his ruin, and is in danger of his life.  
The Premises considered, your Petitioner humbly supplicates your Honours, to confirm your Petitioner in his said Office of the Mint, and re-imburse your Petitioner of such disbursements and Salary as shall justly appear due unto him, And that your Honours will empower your Petitioner for prosecution of false coiners, &c. and grant such Protection and indemnity to your Petitioner therein, as to your Honours shall appear most equitable.  
And your Petitioner( as in duty bound) shall ever pray, &c. Richard Pight.