To the most Honourable Assembly of Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the House of Parliament.  
The humble Petition of the Adventurers in the Ship called the Pearl.  
Humbly showing: That She departed out of the Port of London in November 1611. and returned two years after laden with goods, to the value of 20000.li. Upon the 26. of November 1613. before the goods came to London, Morris, one of the Adventurers, was sent for before diverse of the Lords of his Majesty's Council, Who delivered that the Spanish Ambassador had made a great Complaint to his Majesty, that the Pearl had been in the East Indies, and robbed the King of Spain's Subjects, desiring therefore that the goods might be sequestered into his Majesty's Custody (as indifferent between the Ambassador, and the Adventurers, until the point of piracy was tried.  
Morris answered he never was Pirate, 
Herein the Petitioner was debarred of the benefit of the Law, as he conceives.  but a Merchant, and had paid the King many Thousands for Custom and Impost; and yet if he were, the Law of England was, that giving security, he was to possess the goods until the Law had tried the Title; but this would not be granted. But their Lordships ordered that the goods should be put into Warehouses (the weights and contents first taken by Morris) under three locks, whereof his Majesty had one key committed to Sir Lionel Cranfield and Sir Arthur Ingram; the Ambassador another key; 
The key of the Warehouse Morris had, yet the locks were broken open, the goods carried away, and sold without his privity.  and Morris a third key: and if by Law they appertained to him, God forbid (said the Earl of Northampton) but they should have them.  
Afterwards the cause was brought into the Admiral Court, and in April 1614 after several days of hearing of the same, before Sir Daniel Donn, knight; and Doctor Treuor doctors of the Laws, chief judges of the said Court (in the presence of Master Manning Proctor for the Ambassador, and Francis Fowler Solicitor for his Lordship, and of james Ireland Proctor for Morris) It was upon the 21. of the said Month of April ordered, that the goods so sequestered, should be prized, and sold by the public Officers of his Majesty's Exchequer, or by any other that were able at the full value with all Celerity that might be, and the money's arising thereof to be sequestered, and safe kept in the hands of Sir Lionel Cranfield, and Sir Arthur Ingram Knights, they giving fit caution to pay the monies to the true proprietors.  
But upon the 23. of the said Month of April 1614 Sir Arthur Ingram came before the said judges, 
Of these goods, to the value of 2600. li. were delivered to the Spanish Ambassador, who was to give security to pay them to the Proprietors, if the suggestion of the piracy made by his Lordship was acquitted, but yet they neither have the money, nor the security.  and altogether refused, both for himself, and Sir Lionel Cranfield, to give any caution for the said monies, as they had ordered them to do: Whereupon the judges the same day ordered, that the said goods should be by Sir Lionel Cranfield and Sir Arthur Ingram, prized, and sold to such as would give most for the same; And that the monies thereof accrueing, should be deposited in safe keeping in his Majesty's Receipt at Westminster, for whom right had.  
That in April 1615. the said cause received final hearing before the Right Honourable Sir julius Caesar, Knight; Sir Daniel Donn, Knight, chief judge of the Admiral Court; Sir john Crook, Knight; and diverse others his Majesty's judges of the Admiralty of England: where the point of piracy was legally acquitted, and discharged by Proclamation.  
Since which, they have often attended the Lord Ambassador of Spain, that as he was the Author of this their misfortune, so he would be pleased to get them restitution of their said goods, or the monies they were sold for, with such damages as they have sustained for want thereof: 
That after the Piracy acquitted, so much of the goods as came to 2800. li. or thereabouts, were sold, and the monies disposed of without their consents.  from whom, they have received many fair and hopeful answers, and in truth never went from his Lordship unsatisfied with strong assurance to effect their request within some short time after: And in these hopes they have spent many Months, but yet no relief thereby, but they, their Wives and Children still suffered to languish in great misery; besides diverse others to whom they are indebted, are also like to be undone, for that the Petitioners are not able to give them satisfaction, by reason their goods are kept from them as aforesaid.  
That they have likewise diverse other ways endeavoured to have restitution of their goods, or the true value thereof, but never could obtain the same, nor certainly understand how they have been disposed.  
THerefore the humble Suit of the Complainants is, That this Honourable House will be pleased to take into their considerations these Points following, as well for the relief of the Complainants, in restitution of their goods, or the true value, with such further damages, as they have sustained for want thereof, as for the general good of the People.  
Whether the goods were sold to the full value, and according to the true intent of the Order in the Admiral Court.  
Whether the monies they were sold for, were deposited in his Majesty's Receipt at Westminster, or what is became of them.  
And whether it be not a just grievance to the Commonwealth, That upon complaint, and suggestion of piracy by any Foreign Prince's Minister, the Subjects, by strong hand, and powerful proceedings, should be kept from their goods, and the monies they were sold for, after the Point of piracy legally cleared, and acquitted by Proclamation, as the Complainants have been ever since April 1615.  
And if these, or any of them shall in the high Wisdom of this Honourable Court be found to be grievances▪  
Then, the Complainants humbly pray, that they may be relieved therein, as the justice of their cause shall require.