By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 31 
Parliament, that of Grievances and Courts of Justice, sat at West- 
minster, towards night a petition was preferred on behalf of “ one 
Rivers, and one Foyle, and 70 persons sold into slavery in the 
Barbadoes by the Major Generals.” 
The petition concerned several members, viz., Captain Hatsell 
(Plympton), Sir John Coplestone (Barnstaple), and Mr. Noell 
(Liskeard) ; therefore the committee thought fit to proceed no 
farther in it, but report it to the House. At the same time the 
petition of another exile, Rowland Thomas,' was also presented, and 
a similar order made upon it. 
On the following day, Colonel Terrill reported from the Grand 
Committee :—? 
“The petition of one Marcellus Rivers and Oxenbridge Foyle as well as on 
the behalf of themselves as of three score and ten more freeborn people of this 
nation now in slavery in the Barbadoes; setting forth most unchristian and 
barbarous usage of them. 
To the Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, assembled in 
_ Parliament, the representatives of the freeborn people of England. 
_ The hmble petition of Marcellus Rivers and Oxenbridge Foyle, as well on 
the behalf of themselves as of three score and ten more freeborn people of this 
nation now in slavery, 
Humbly sheweth 
That your distressed petitioners and the others, became prisoners at Exeter 
and Ilchester in the West upon pretence of Salisbury rising, in the end of the 
year 1654, although many of them never saw Salisbury, nor bore arms in their 
lives. Your petitioners, and divers of the others, were picked up as they 
travelled upon their lawful occasions. 
Afterwards upon an indictment preferred against your petitioner Rivers, igno- 
ramus was found; your petitioner Foyle never being indicted ; and all the rest 
were either quitted by the j jury of life and death, or never so much as tried or 
14 Burton’s Diary, p. 253257. His price was £100, and that might have 
redeemed him. He was barbarously used, and made his escape. He dares not 
_ appear abroad lest he be re-delivered to captivity. 
Barkstead (Governor of the Tower,) writes to Thurloe on the subject. (Th. 
St. P., vol. vii., p. 639) :— 

“Tower March 25th, 1659. 
Tn obedience to your commands I have here inclosed sent you the copies of the warrant of com- 
‘mitment, and the other for the delivery to Mr. Noell, for transportation, neither of which being 
under your hand. Colonel Gardiner, ‘Rowland, Thomas, Somerset Fox, Francis Fox, Thomas 
Saunders, were delivered on board the ship Edward and John of London the last of May, 1655 
Colonel Gray and Mr. Jackson being then sicke, were not sent, and afterwards were released by his 
t late Highnesses’s warrants.” 
nd 

_ ‘Mr. Secretary is by this time in tribulation, and said ‘I thought I should never have lived to see 
_ thisday. ”’ 4 Burton, 260, 
© 24 Burton’s Diary, p. 258. 
