Page [unnumbered]
To his Highness the Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland, &c.
The humble petition of Capt. John Bernard now prisoner in Newgate, LONDON,
THat Collonel Wenthrop being under some dangerous delusion and temptation, hath with others continued a Conspiracy to destroy your Petitioner ever since December 1651. and did Justifie three false witnesses the 13. of this instant August in open Court: and whispered with the Magistrates upon the Bench, and so surprised both Magistrates, and Jurors; that they would not suffer all the persons who were in Col. Wenthrops family when the pretended Robbery was committed to bee sent for, and examined; nor would they suffer the three false witnesses to bee kept at a distance from each other, and examined a part, whereby your innocent Petitioner hath sentence of death pronounced upon him, and hath his just Rights and Priviledges apparently taken from him by the aforesaid proceedings, contrary to Law, which your Highness hath bound your self by oath to maintain and preserve.
In tender Consideration of the premises and for the reasons following, viz.
1. Collonel Wenthrop hath made your Petitioner odious unto your Highness, designedly to prevent your Highnesses promised hearing of him, and your Petitioner face to face, upon a Christian-like charge presented by Doctor Wells, against the said Collonel and others, for most apparent partiality and injustice: before the pretended Robbery was committed.
2. Before sentence was passed, your Petitioner importuned the Court to suspend the same at present, and to re-examine the said witnesses; your Petitioner having found out the ground of their malice against him, and also four persons of Col. Wenthrop's family, who were in the house the same night that the Robbery, was said to be committed, whose Information upon oath wilfully clear the truth for your Petititioners Vindica∣tion.
May it therefore please your Highness to grant your Petitioner a Reprieve, and to call Collonel Wenthrop and the persons which were in his house the 15 of May last before your Highness; and examine them against your Petitioner face to face, that truth may be brought to light, and that your Petitioners innocent blood may not be brought upon your Highnesses head, through want of your Highnesses mainteining the Just Rights, and Priviledges of your Petitioner according to your Oath; your inferiour Magistrates having greatly failed; and your Petioner desires no mercy but the extremity of Justice from your Highness, if in the spirit of meekness he doth not make all this good before your Highness.
And your Petitioner shall ever pray, &c. John Bernard.