272 LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1665. 



former encumbrances), by which means not only the 

 Petitioner s other creditors will be defeated of their 

 respective debts, but the small remainder of your 

 Petitioner s (once considerable) now shattered estate 

 will by your Majesty (to pay a debt to your Majesty) 

 be swallowed up, and your Petitioner and his other 

 creditors wholly deprived thereof. 



&quot; The Petitioner therefore most humbly prays, that in 

 regard your Majesty s name is made use of against your 

 Petitioner, and since that this debt (being subsequent 

 in time to other encumbrances) could not affect your 

 Petitioner s estate, but by your Majesty s prerogative, 

 your Majesty will be graciously pleased to supersede 

 the said Mr. Hall s prosecution, and order him some 

 other satisfaction ; the Petitioner being absolutely dis 

 abled by those vast sums in his late Majesty s service 

 expended as aforesaid. 



u And your Petitioner shall ever pray.&quot; 



&quot; At the Court of Oxford, Nov. 24th, 1665. 



&quot; His Majesty is graciously pleased to refer the con 

 sideration of this petition to Mr. Attorney, or Mr. Soli 

 citor-General, to consider how far his Majesty may fitly 

 gratify the honourable Petitioner, of whose condition he 

 hath a just sense, but sees not what he can do in this 

 particular for his satisfaction, till he receive Mr. Attor 

 ney s or Mr. Solicitor s opinion upon it. 



&quot; ARLINGTON.&quot; 



Agreeable to the preceding reference the following 

 report was made : 



&quot; MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, 



&quot; The Petitioner hath been pleased to show me 

 the sign-manual of your royal father, acknowledging 

 95,000 to be due to him, for so much advanced by his 

 father and himself in his late Majesty s service. 



