"Humbly sheweth
"That your Petitioner had the ill fortune to publishe a booke written by one Zachary Crofton for which hee hath suffered imprisonment but by your Majesty's gracious clemency is at present inlarged under bail.
"That your Petitioner is and ever hath been a loyal subject to your Majesty and hath severall tymes adventured his life and fortune towards your Majesty's restoration particularly in Sir George Booth's buisnes.
"That your Peticioner was not privy to the wryting of the said booke, and by reason of a long sicknes was not able to read the same many weekes after it was printed but in order to a small support for his wife and six small children in the way of his trade did ignorantly suffer the same to be printed in his name.
"Your Peticioner being senceable that hee hath deserved your Majestie's displeasure for this his great crime most humbly submitteth to your mercy and implores your Majestie's most gracious pardon.
"And hee as bound in duty shall pray
"RALPH SMITH."[184]
Whether Crofton received any specific punishment for writing these books, and when he was liberated from prison, does not at present appear. He was a Nonconformist divine, born and chiefly educated at Dublin. Being a zealous Royalist during the Commonwealth, and refusing the engagement, he was deprived. He afterwards obtained the living of St. Botolph, Aldgate, London. He was ejected for nonconformity, and died in 1672.
222.
A Phenix, or, The Solemn League and Covenant. Whereunto is annexed I. The Form and manner of his Majestie's Coronation in Scotland. With a sermon then preached on that occasion by Robert Douglas of Edenburgh. II. A Declaration of the King's Majesty to all his loving subjects of the Kingdomes of Scotland &c. in the yeare 1650. III. The great danger of Covenant-breaking &c., being the substance of a sermon preached by Edm. Calamy the 14 of Jan. 1645 before the then Lord Mayor of the City of London, Sir Thomas Adams together with the Sheriffs, Aldermen and Common-Councell of the said City: being the day of their taking the Solemn League and Covenant at Michael Basenshaw, London. Edinburgh. Printed in the year of Covenant-breaking.