34 Records of the Rising in the West, A.D. 1655. 
Sir Arthur Hazelrigge, on the contrary, affirmed 
‘it was regular, and challenged all the Long Robe to answer him. If any 
one offered him a petition at the door against a member should he not present 
it?’ And then he went on at length to the King’s case, and petitions in general 
when” ; 
Sir Walter Earle called him to order, 
‘tas wandering but he agreed with Sir Arthur as to tke presentment.” 
Others spoke on this point, and the Speaker said 
‘¢no grand or privilege Committee could receive any original petition against 
a member of the house, without committing a gross breach of privilege. 
Then Mr. Secretary Thurloe lamented 
“that he had ever seen the day when such petitions should be encouraged and 
gave some account of Rowland Thomas but none of Rivers. 
Mr. Knightly said 
“the complaint was not by Rivers but on behalf of several others, aged 
gentlemen, that had been taken up in their way and sold* He would have 
all petitions read as they came in. 
Captain Hatsell said 
‘¢he was at Plymouth when those persons were shipped. He never saw any 
go with more cheerfulness. There were two old men anda minister. The 
last mentioned heard his (Hatsell’s) name, and told him he did not wish to go. 
Whereupon he ventured to release him and another also for the same reason, and 
they went to their own homes. He gave bills of exchange at the rate of £4 10s. 
per man for their passage. The master of the ship told him Rivers pretended 
madness; and he was much troubled with him, and told him if he could make 
friends when he came over to pay his passage cost, he might be released.” 
Sir Henry Vane 
‘¢It is not a business of the Cavaliers but of the liberty of freeborn England. 
To be used in this barbarous manner, put under hatches in darkness during 
the voyage and then sold for £100 this was Thomas’s case. 
All tyranny including that of the late king and those who would tread in his 
steps (as Cavaliers) was loathsome. 
The object of the Major Generals, z.e., to keep down the Cavaliers, was good, 
but of dangerous precedent. 
Do not that which is bonum but boné. (Lauer. II. 7.)” 

* This reminds us of the kidnapping of Mr. Harrison in August, 1660, and his exportation to the 
neighbourhood of Smyrna; where he was sold as a slave. Fortunately he escaped after 2 years 
and returned to England—but too late to prevent the judicial murder of the Perrys; one of the 
strangest and saddest stories in our criminal literature. 
