By IF. IF. RavenhUl, Esq. 31 



Parliament, that of Grievances and Courts of Justice, sat at West- 

 minster, towards night a pet ition 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 

 (Plvmpton), Sir John Coplestone (Barnstaple), and Mr. Noell 

 (Liskeard) j 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, 1 was also presented, and 

 a similar order made upon it. 



On the following day, Colonel Terrill reported from the Grand 

 Committee : — 2 



" The petition of one Mar cell us 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 jury of life and death, or never so much as tried or 



1 4 Burton's Diary, p. 253 — 257. 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. 



In 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, Tbomas, 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 

 late Highnesges's warrants." 



"Mr. Secretary is by this time in tribulation, and said ' I thought I should never have lived to see 

 this day.' " 4 Burton, 260. 



2 4 Burton's Diary, p. 255. 



