91.
The Heads of severall Petitions and complaints made against, 1.—Sir John Connyers, Lieutenant Generall of the Horse in the Northerne expedition. 2.—Dr. Heywood, of St. Gyles in the Fields. 3.—The Parishioners of St. Mary Woolchurch. 4.—Dr. Fuller of St. Giles, Cripplegate. 5.—Mr. Booth, of St. Botolph's, Aldersgate, Touching the Rayles about the Communion Table, the Pictures in Glasse windowes, and weekely Lectures; and read before the Committee, October 16, 1641. London, Printed for John Thomas, 1641.
On October 23rd, 1641, the House of Commons ordered that the Stationers' Company should enquire and inform the House who printed this "scandalous pamphlet."[66] A copy exists in the British Museum Library. It is in quarto, and contains four pages.
92.
A Petition directed to the House of Lords by the inhabitants of the County of Herts. 1642.
This is contained in a tract of which there is a copy in the British Museum Library, entitled: "Two Petitions of the Knights, Gentlemen, Freeholders, and others of the Inhabitants of the County of Hertford. The one to the Right Honourable House of Peeres, the other to the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament. Delivered by at least 4000 Knights, Gentlemen, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County of Hertford, January 25, 1641. London." Printed by a perfect copy for John Wright, dwelling in the Old Bailey. 1642.
On the title page of this tract is a small woodcut representing an old man standing under a tree, from which he is lopping some branches, with a scroll over his head inscribed "noli altvm sapere."
On January 25th, 1642, the House of Commons ordered that a Committee should examine who printed this petition, and who was the author of it, and brought it to be printed. Martin Eldred, of Jesus College in Cambridge, on being brought to the bar, said that he did not compose the petition, but one Thomas Herbert, once of Trinity College, did compose it; and that he was in the company of Herbert when he composed it, and that it was composed at the Sign of the Antelope, and afterwards sold it to John Greensmith for two shillings and sixpence. John Greensmith the stationer was called in, and confessed that Eldred and Herbert brought the petition unto him, and that one Barnaby Alsop, of Bread Street, printed it; he also confessed that he had printed sundry pamphlets of these men's composing: viz.—Good News from Ireland, and Bloody News, and the Cambridge Petition, and that he had two shillings and sixpence a piece for them. It was thereupon resolved that Eldred and Greensmith should be committed prisoners to the Gatehouse, and that Herbert and Alsop should be sent for as delinquents; but shortly afterwards Eldred and Greensmith were liberated.[67]
The following is a copy of the petition complained of:—