212 LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1654. 



A year later, being on the 29th of August, 1653, 

 Colonel Eous reports from the Committee of Petitions, 

 u The most humble Petition of Edward Somerset, Earl 

 of Worcester, now prisoner in the Tower. 



&quot; As also, the humble Petition of Margaret, Countess 

 of Worcester ; which were both read.&quot; 



Followed, on the 3rd of October, by repetitions of the 

 same report, when it was &quot; Eesolved that this Petition 

 be laid aside.&quot; 



While, on the 5th of October, 1654, one year later, 

 after other business, the Earl s petition was again read, 

 and it was thereon &quot; Eesolved, That the Earl of Wor 

 cester have his liberty for the present upon bail, until 

 the Parliament take further order. And that the 

 Lieutenant of the Tower do take sufficient bail : And 

 that a Warrant do issue under Mr. Speaker s hand, to 

 that purpose.&quot; 67 



In Burton s highly valuable and interesting Diary of 

 Oliver Cromwell s Parliament, when noticing the fore 

 going business in respect to the Marquis s petition, it is 

 added : &quot; The Petitioner was alleged to be a papist, in 

 arms in England, who had headed a party in Ireland, 

 making a most dishonourable peace there, and had done 

 many other disservices, for which he was excepted 

 from all mercy and pardon ; his whole estate ordered 

 to be sold, and all such to be banished. Yet, it was 

 urged, he was an old man, had lain long in prison, and 

 the small-pox then raging under the same roof where 

 he lay. And he had not, as was said, done any actions 

 of hostility, but only as a soldier ; and in that capacity 

 had always shown civilities to the English prisoners 

 and protestants. It was, therefore, ordered, that he 

 should be bailed out of prison. 3 



522 



57 Jo. H. C. Vol. vii. pp. 309, 373. 22 Burton. 



