had to find out the Truth and that Justice may be done accordingly And let it not be said in England that the Innocent are punished and the Guilty go free But call to mind how merciful God hath been in Restrring your Majesty Even so in pity Restore your poor distressed Subject And he shall ever pray c. JAMES PERCY This Petition was presented into his Majesties Sacred Hand the 15 th of December 1680. To lose such an Opportunity as offered on Thursday last and now to trouble so good a King so oft doubles your Petitioner's sorrows And that which adds to your Petitioner's misery is that he cannot dispose of his Witnesses till a positive Order be had for which he humbly prays Note these three following Presidents 1. THe Lord of Newport begg'd the Percies Land of the King for the Duke of Monmouth when the Duke was in France but at the Duke's return Percy the Claimant waited upon the Duke to know his pleasure and told him That my Solicitor had betrayed me for the Percies Lands were begg'd without the Claimant's consent or knowledge Then the Duke replied Mr. Percy you shall have a fair Tryal at Law And moreover he did promise he would not stand upon Priviledge but when Percy was ready for a Tryal then Trumpt up Priviledge And Mr. Ross the Duke's Agent said the Duke could not set aside his Priviledge But the Duke said if Percy proves himself Heir I have no Right and forthwith sold his Interest for an inconsiderable Sum of Money II. The Lord Ogle that married the Lady Elizabeth Percy would have assumed the name of Percy and put in a Bill to be made an Act to settle the Lands upon him by Act of Parliament III. And it is reported that the Lord of Essex desired that some of those Lands might be settled upon him by Act of Parliament By this account the Lands are yet unsettled Ergo then great reason it is that the true Heir-Male of the Percies Bill should be made an Act of Parliament to settle the Name Title and Estate together again according to the first settlement confirmed by his Ancestors Now your poor distressed and oppressed Petitioner humbly and freely offers for the obtaining of Justice and for the full satisfaction to the Kings most Excellent Majesty and the Right Honourable Lords Spiritual and Temporal and those Honourable and Worthy Members of the House of Commons in Parliament assembled if it be required and thought convenient he being very unwilling to offer any thing that might give the least offence but rather submit to their grave and mature Wisdoms these Proposals following James Percy the Claimant and Plaintiff will pay into the hands of any Trustees that shall be appointed to receive the Money in Trust for Mr. John Blakeston's Costs provided he likewise lay down the 90 l. taken by surprize out of Court before the Tryal was ended And Mr. Vtting's Cost likewise shall be paid for what Sir John Coppleston claims provided likewise that Sir John Coppleston pay the 10 l. down which he got when he ventured the Breach of Priviledge of Parliament provided the whole Merits of the Cause may have a fair Hearing and Determination before the Lords And if the Plaintiff and Claimant James Percy doth not prove himself to be the right true and next Heir-Male in Bloud of the Percies of Northumberland then let them take all the Money and the Plaintiff will freely acquit his Claim for ever and remain till death a Loyal Subiect and James Percy Although his Witnesses be dispers'd a Weeks time will bring them to Town again upon the sight of an Order For the Claimant James Percy by Birth ought to enjoy the Place Seat and Priviledge of his Ancestors Earls of Northumberland but now he dares not appear till an Order be had Therefore he most humbly prays That a fair Hearing may be had and that a true decision of his just Cause and Claim may be made according to Justice so that the Innocent may be preserved and that the fraudulent practices not just may march off with shame For Heroick Actions glorifies God Honours the King and makes all the people shout for joy God hath been pleased to make a true decision himself which may be a president for he sent the Claimant from his Mothers Womb with a Crescent into the World which is Gods Ensign of Truth and the very Badge belonging to the Percies Earls of Northumberland In witness to this Truth I have set to my Hand and Seal this 3d. of January 1680 1. JAMES PERCY To the KINGS most Excellent Majesty The Humble Petition of JAMES PERCY SHEWETH THat it is a great grief to your Petitioner's Soul to trouble your Sacred Majesty so often in looking after his Just Right yet cannot help it by reason his Opponents are of so great Power Policy and Force That notwithstanding his Petition to the Right Honourable House of Lords presented the day after his Hearing should have been had the Opponents got that Writ of Error dismiss'd the House well knowing the Errors would have been confirmed against them That thereby they have an opportunity to take out Execution against your Petitioner and so to stop his further publick appearing That if that Writ be not recall'd into the Lords House again your Petitioner can in no wise expect a fair Hearing nor a just decision of his Cause Therefore your oppressed Petitioner most humbly prays That your Majesty would be graciously pleased to see Justice done herein and that a new Day may be appointed according to the Prayer of that Petition that is now before the House of Lords or that your Sacred Majesty will be graciously pleased to call your Loyal Subject by your Royal Writ of Summons to take the Place and Seat of his Ancestors Earls of Northumberland he having proved his legitimate Descent and Pedigree at several Tryals at Law This Petition was presented into his Sacred Majesties hand Jan. 3. 1681. All great and dubious matters the Children of Israel presented and laid open before Moses Even so the Claimant hath done to his Majesty all along knowing that in the King solely lyes the creation and preservation of Honour and Nobility But the King referred the Cause to the Lords to hear and determine and now the two Writs of Error are dismiss'd the Lords House without hearing the said Cause Now the Claimant James Percy finding himself over-powered is forc'd to Appeal and humbly prays for Justice As Prerogative belongs to the King so Property and Right belongs to his People FINIS To the KING' 's Most Excellent Majesty The Humble Petition of JAMES PERCY SHEWETH THat Your Petitioner most Humbly Beseecheth and Earnestly Prayeth Your Majesties Pardon for that Omission on the Ninth of December last which was in truth altogether the Neglect of his Attorny as his Printed Petition sets forth That Your Petitioner Humbly presents these two Books that your Most Excellent Majesty may see the real
THE CASE OF JAMES PERCY The true Heir-Male and Claimant to the Earldom of Northumberland To the Honourable Knights Citizens and Burgesses And to the Committee of Grievances in PARLIAMENT Assembled The Humble Petition of JAMES PERCY Cozen and next Heir-Male to JOSCELIN PERCY the late and Eleventh EARL of NORTHUMBERLAND Deceased SHEWETH THAT your Petitioner was the Son of Henry Percy who was the Son of Henry Percy who was the Son of Sir Ingleram Percy who was the third Son of Henry Percy Fifth Earl of Northumberland By which Descent your Petitioner is Entitled to the Earldom of Northumberland and to several Baronies Honours Manors and Lands which to the Earldom and Baronies have been and still are annexed your Petitioner having proved his Pedigree questions not but by your Assistance to make appear they are or should be his Right and Just Inheritance as Cozen and Heir-Male to Joscelin late Earl afore-mentioned And therefore ought to fit in Parliament and enjoy the Place Seat and Preheminence of his Ancestors with the Dignities to him so descended and do of Right belong And therefore prays his Bill may be be made an Act to settle the Title and Estate together again that Property and Right may be had according to Justice That at his first coming to Claim your Petitioner petitioned the Kings most Excellent Majesty who was graciously pleased to say God forbid We should hinder an Heir but that he should have the benefit of the Law That your Petitioner applyed himself to the Lords in Parliament where he then could not prove his Great Grandfather which forc'd his Councel to tell their Lordships That the Claimants Cause lay not before them but ought to be Tryed at the Common Law first and when the Cause had went through the Inferiour Courts to prove his Pedigree and if the Law could not end it then the Cause ought to come before their Lordships again to Hear Debate and to Determine And at that time his potent Adversaries did publish in the Gazette that your Petitioner was an Impostor and at their Courts did declare to all the Tenants that the Claimants name was not Percy but that he was a Bastard and that Henry Percy whom he declared was his Father they could prove was never Married Yet they have made all the Waste imaginable cutting down Woods pulling down Castles over-working of Lead-Mines and Coal-Mines and not only so but it cast the Petitioner out of Favour in the World that His most Excellent Majesty was pleased to give the Title one way and the Land several ways which hath not only multiplied Enemies but by their Power Policy and Priviledge hath put off your Petitioner near Eleven Years Therefore your Petitioner renders this following Account that his Just Cause may be known what hard usage he hath found at Law That the first Tryal was in the year 1674. against Mr. John Clerke the chief Agent for scandalous words who shelter'd under Priviledge a long time and before the Tryal they offer'd to Own him and to assist the Claimant James Percy with their Books Pedigree and Records but would not be bound to perform Then the Plaintiff perceived it to be a baffle for a longer delay and there were no good Faith in them then said the Plaintiff Currat Lex I will have the Tryal if it be but to wash the dirt off which the Gazette and your evil practices have thrown upon me And at the Tryal the Attorney would suffer a Non-suit without the consent of his Client at which the Lord Chief Justice Hales seemed not to be satisfied but stood up and said That James Percy the Claimant and Plaintiff had proved himself a true Percy legitimate by Father and Mother Grandfather and Grandmother and of the Bloud and Family of the Percies of Northumberland and did verily believe that the Plaintiff was Cozen and next Heir-Male to Joscelin the late and 11th Earl of Northumberland only he was afraid he had taken his Descent a little too low And the Jury at a Treat which Mr. Clerke the Defendant gave them said to Mr. Clerke You are beholden to Mr. Percy for suffering a Non-suit for truly we must have given a Verdict for the Plaintiff his Cause was proved so clear and the Damages was laid in the Declaration 10000 l. The second Tryal was upon an Ejectment for Cannington and Rodoway Lands in Somersetshire which Lands of right fell to the Heirs-Males of the Percies after the Heirs-Males of the Rogers was extinct Doubtless it was by mis-information his Majesty was mistaken in his Gifts And at that Tryal the Pedigree was fully proved up to the Plaintiffs Great-Grandfather Sir Ingleram Percy youngest Son of Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland by the Oath of Mr. Henry Champion who was Steward to the Earls of Northumberland and declared at that Tryal that he found in the Books and Records of the Percies that Sir Ingleram Percy was married and had Sons and Daughters so that a Verdict ought to have been had for the Plaintiffs Pedigree at that Tryal also And Sir John Coppleston did not only shelter under Priviledge but when the Writs of Error were put into the House of Lords he then sued the Plaintiff in the Court of Kings-Bench and got Cost and broke the Priviledge of Parliament The third Tryal was against one Mr. Wright for the like scandalous words where your Petitioner proved his Legitimacy again and not the Tythe of his Witnesses were examined for the Lord Chief Justice Rainsford stood up and said Gentlemen of the Jury we need not trouble the Court to examine more of the Plaintiffs Witnesses by reason his Pedigree was fully proved before at a former Tryal at the Bar of this Court And when the Jury brought in but 300 l. Damages the Lord Chief Justice was angry and told them they had undervalued the Plaintiffs Cause the Judgment exemplified under the Seal of the Court makes appear the same That the fourth Tryal against John Blakeston Esq who was likewise an Agent for the Lady Elizabeth Percy and kept her Courts and did declare the like scandalous words and gave it in all his Charges to the Jury and Tenants to take special notice thereof And at the Tryal on Monday the 11th of November 1678. the words were proved The Declaration was allowed after some debate upon a nice word which was amended But the Councel for the Defendant started up an Attainder in the Case which the Plaintiffs Councel was not prepared at that time to remove that Objection but the Tryal was put by at that time and the Jury was withdrawn as the Plaintiffs printed Book declares more at large But the second part of that Tryal was upon the 6th of February 1678. a new Jury upon the motion of the Defendants Councel did appear and the Plaintiffs Councel did clear that point concerning the Attainder by reason the Plaintiffs Councel made appear to the Court that James Percy was descended from the Body of
endeavours of Your Petitioner and the first Book was Prepared for the Right Honourable Lords Spiritual and Temporal to inform their Lordships And the second Book is prepared to make his Complaints known to the House of Commons so that They may Intercede in his Just Cause with Your Royal Majesty and the Right Honourable Lords in Parliament Therefore Your Majesties Loyal Subject and Petitioner most Humbly Prays That Your Royal Majesty will be Graciously pleased Patiently to Read and Seriously consider the Printed Complaints and do Your Poor distressed Petitioner Justice in restoring him by Your own Princely Power Prerogative and Clemency He having at Law fully proved his Pedigree And therefore hath prepared a Bill that it may be made an Act of Parliament and most Humbly Prays Your Majesties Royal Assent thereunto And that Your Majesties Royal Writ of Summons may forthwith call Your Loyal Subject from the House of Prison to the House of Peers And there to take the Place and Seat of his Ancestors Earls of Northumberland When King Pharao took Joseph out of the Dungion Then God fil'd Pharao's Barns with his Blessings To which God Annex long Life and a Prosperous Reign And Your Petitioner shall Pray JAMES PERCY This Petition was presented into his Sacred Majesties Hand Jan. the 17th 1681. And did indeavour to present the two Books mentioned in the Petition But a Gentleman stepping betwixt the King and my self pusht me away so that I could not Present the Complaint prepared for the House of Lords against the day of Hearing Nor this Complaint which is prepared for the House of Commons my Opponants are great and Numerous which forces the Claimant to Pray for Justice An Affidavit made by JAMES PERCY Claimant to the Earldom of NORTHUMBERLAND WHereas Mr. James Hooton did undertake the Carrying in two Writs of Error in Parliament between James Percy Plaintiff and John Blackeston Esq Defendant for Scandalous Words and in Ejectments for Lands Robert Vtting Gent. Lessee of the Plaintiff and Sir John Copleston Defendant And the aforesaid Mr. Hooton did receive Writings of Percy the Claimant long before the day of Hearing before the Lords And did promise to fix all the Claimants Breviats so as they might be ready for some Lords and for the Council But when the Claimant should have been prepared for his Counsel then Mr. Hooton could not be found till the very Morning the Hearing should have been had then he meeting the Deponent James Percy at Fetter-lane-end in Fleet-street and said whither are you going Percy told him I am a going to make my Complaint against You for keeping my Writings and not making my Breviats ready for my Council And when James Percy had made his complaint in Parliament and offered to make Oath before their Lordships to Confirm the truth And when the Lords Commanded to withdraw then Mr. James Hootons Man came into the Lobby and there delivered the Writings to the Deponent upon the 9th of December 1678. Moreover the said Hooton said some time before that he was offered a Hundred Guinneys to betray the said Deponents Case And on the 7th of January 1681. The said Hooton came to the Deponants Chamber and desired to see those Writings that belonged to those Writs of Errors and did Write something out of them saying He had not kept a Copy of them which he ought to have done but said He had enough now to do his business and further said there was one sheet wanting Which shews how careful he was of his Claimants Cause And yet threatens he will Sue the Claimant for Defaming him in his Practise JAMES PERCY Jur ' 18. die January 1680. coram me Magistro Canc ' John Hoskyns The Deponant Humbly Prays for speedy Justice and that he may be forthwith called from the Prison of Kings-Bench into Parliament to take the Place of his Ancestors Earls of Northumberland according to his Birth-right and that the two Writs of Error may be Re-manded back and the Execution stopt For his Witnesses continue still in Town Hoping by your Mature Wisdoms to obtain an Order for a new day of Hearing for which he Prays as by his Petition all along appears An Affidavit made by JAMES PERCY Claimant to the Earldom of NORTHUMBERLAND WHereas Adlard Welby Gent. is Attourny for John Blackston Esq Def. this Deponent James Percy on the 21 h. instant went to Mr. Welby and offer'd an Agreement And whereas Cost of 70 odd l. is demanded of me the Plaintif the Deponent demanded 90 l. which was but tendred into Court upon my Lord Chief Justice Scrogs's promise that the Lord of Essex would not insist upon Priviledge and that the Deponent JAMES PERCY should have a fair Tryal the Money was not intended for the L. of Essex really but it ought to have been remanded back again to the Plaintiff JAMES PERCY for that 90 l. costs pretended for Mr. Clark was Sued for by Capt. Biggerstaff that married the Relict of Mr. Clark And that 90 l. Costs ought to have been set aside upon their own Demurrer therefore Mr. Welby Reply'd I must complain in Court The Writs of Error ought to have been heard debated and determined by the Right Honourable Lords in Parliament But it was blown over as by the Printed Complaint prepared to present to the Honourable House of Commons appears But it is hoped the Writs of Error may be Re-manded back into Parliament to have a fair Hearing Or if the Plaintiff and Deponent be forced to pay the 70 odd Pounds Cost then the 90 l. ought to be Refunded to the Deponent JAMES PERCY Jurat 22. die Jan. 1680. John Hoskins IT is very hard for a man to be kept out of Possession and his Opponents mannage all their Suits at Law against him with his own Estate and that will not serve their turns but they covet to get from the Claimant by Fraud so that they may totally Ruine and disable him from prosecuting his Birth-right JAMES PERCY the true and lawful Heir-male to the Percy 's Earls of Northumberland hath found more Injustice and Hardships here in England than the Children of Israel found in Egypt when they made Brick and were forc'd to gather their own Straw to burn them When Joseph's good Works were forgot then his Brethren suffer'd But now the PERCY' 's good deeds are forgot their lawful Successor suffers in Prison And therefore earnestly prays for a speedy Deliverance My great Pains and Charge in Printing is really intended rightly to inform the world thereby to remove Oppression and to revive justice To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty The Humble Petition of JAMES PERCY Sheweth THat Your Petitioners Opponents have obtain'd their Desires for your Petitioner is in Prison That Your Majesty was Graciously pleased to say God forbid that We should hinder an Heir but that he should have the Benefit of the Law And to that end Sir John Berkenhead was sent by Your Majesty to the Attourny General That Your
Petitioner hath proved his Legitimacy and Pedegree at four several Tryals at Law whereof one is exemplified under the Great Seal of Your Majesties Court of Kings-Bench where Your Petitioner is now a Prisoner upon that Writ of Error the Lord Chief Justice Scroggs so wilfully gave the Cause away after Your Petitioner had fully proved his Pedegree and to be Descended from the Body of Henry Percy fifth Earl of Northumberland and Cousin and next Heir-Male to Josceline Percy late and eleventh Earl deceased Therefore He most Humbly Prays that Your Most Excellent Majesty would be Graciously pleased to Order the Lord Chancellour forthwith to call by Your Majesties Royal Writ of Summons Your Petitioner from the House of Prison to the House of Peers to take the Place and Seat of his Ancestors Earls of Northumberland as it is his Birth-right and Title proved at Law God in his Justice and Mercy restor'd Your Majesty to Your Crown and Kingdoms even so let Your Majesty in Equity and Pity Restore Your poor Distressed Subject And Your Petitioner shall ever Pray c. JAMES PERCY THis Petition was offer'd to His Majesty the 24th of January 1680 1. and His Majesty was pleas'd to say He would not receive it But said You may go where You please Which Saying was taken for an Answer to that Petition presented the 17 of January Wherein it was to be understood the Petitioner had prepared his Complaints for the House of Commons It is to be noted That the Gentlemen who attended the King said Yonder is the E. of Northumberland with a Petition why should Your Majesty trouble Your self with it had You not one the other day reject it I have found His Most Excellent Majesty hath been inclinable to Justice all along but still is obstructed by one means or other But the plain Truth is His Majesty would not be seen to give and ungive at his own pleasure His Majesty being mistaken in his Guilts Therefore was Graciously pleased the Lords should Hear and Determine the said Cause And to that purpose did come down to the Bar in the House of Lords to hear the Cause Himself but was disappointed as by the Petitions and Affiidavits appear But the said Cause having been continued a long time at such a vast Charge and then to be slightly blown over without a fair Hearing all the World much admires For the clearing up of the Pedigree would have confirm'd the Errors Therefore Your Petitioner Appeals to the Honourable House of Commons And most Humbly and Earnestly prays your Assistance to enquire the Reason why and how the Writts of Errors came to be dismist And that they may be Re-manded back that a fair Hearing may be had according to the Prayer of the Petitions Or that You will be pleased to cause the Heralds to enquire into the Truth of the Claimants Pedigree And that He may be call'd from the Kings Bench Prison to the House of Peers to take the Place and Seat of his Ancestors Earls of Northumberland And Your Petitioner shall ever Pray c. JAMES PERCY Right Honourable I Am your Cousin though a Prisoner descended from the Body of Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland By which Descent I am Cousin and next Heir-male to Josceline Percy your Father the late and 11th Earl of Northumberland Deceased A Prison is a Grave for Men alive But when Naboth was ston'd to death then Ahab took possession of the Vinyard 1 Kings 21.18 And walking in the Garden among the Beds of Pleasure then God sent his Prophet Elias to tell Ahab of his Transgression notwithstanding he was a King Ezekiel 46.18 When Belshazzar was quaffing in the Gold and Silver Vessels of the Temple then appear'd the Hand-writing upon the Wall Dan. 5. When your late Husband the Lord Ogle went about to assume the name of Percy and to have the Percies Lands settled upon him by Act of Parliament then God call'd him to Accompt Therefore let Your Ladiship do Justice speedily and submit to Truth in Time for fear God calls You to Accompt also I believe Your Servants and Agents have rendred Me to You to be a Monster and not a Man Be not too subject to Believe Them but see with your own Eys and hear with your own Ears and admit Me into Your presence for I have somthing to offer that will add Fame to Your Honour and Rank You with those Two Worthy Women of our Family the Lady Agnes Percy who preserved the Percies Name and the Lady Lucy that settled her Estate upon the Heirs Males of the Percies for ever And for ever that Estate must attend the Title And the Fines can never be recover'd but by the true Heir-Male of the Percies Mr. Gee can inform You if he pleases how I was at Petworth in the Year 1654. And then and there made my Claim as I do now And before Mr. Clark's Tryal Your Agents with their Councel would have own'd Me to be the next Heir and would have assisted Me for the Title with their Books Pedigree and Records And also how I met with Mr. Champian and Mr. Gee at Doctor Lampley's House and there made out my Pedigree clear only I could not find out my Great Grand-fathers Name First it was a very hard Name And Secondly Mr. Champian kept it secret till he was forc'd to declare upon his Oath that Sir Ingelram Percy was Married and had Sons and Daughters at Sir John Coppleston's Tryal for Cannington and Rodaway Lands in Somersetshire Thirdly The Heralds had altogether neglected the Collateral Line of the Percies Now all my Aim is really to beget a right understanding so that I may remain Your Ladiships Real Cordial and Faithful Kinsman and most Humble Servant JAMES PERCY What I have to declare to your Ladyship is not convenient to be committed to writing but assure your self it really tends to your present Welfare and future Peace and Prosperity An Answer will find me in the Kings-Bench-Rules at the Written Table at Captain Dancer 's House in Lombard-street near the Bowling-green in the Borough of Southwark This Letter was presented the day of the date hereof and the Claymant hath printed it that the world may see that a true Percy is not ashamed of his Innocent and Just Cause nor affraid of his Potent Opponents For be whom I trust in is greater than they 5 Eccles ver 8. NOw in these our days there is no Prophet Gad Michaia Elijah nor Interpreters ☞ of Dreams like Joseph and Daniel that dares presume to speak to Kings as they did in those days Therefore James Percy the true Heir male of the Percies Earls of Northumberland humbly makes hold with the Prophet Ezekiel cap. 46. ver 18. Moreover the Prince shall not take of the Peoples Inheritance by oppression but he shall give his Sons Inheritance out of his own Possession that my People be not scattered every man from his Possession The King 's Most Excellent Majestie 's Gracious