All grants of fines, penalties, and forfeitures before judgment granted, or mentioned to be granted, by letters patents, privy seals, signet, sign manual, or otherwise All patents for new inventions not put in practice within 3 years next after the date of the said grants And the several grants of incorporation made unto Hatband-makers Gutstring-makers Comb-makers Tobacco-pipe-makers Butchers and Horners. And his Majesty doth further require and command that there shall be a proceeding against the said patentees by quo warranto or scire facias to recall the said grants and patents, unless they will voluntarily surrender and yield up the same: and also all proclamations, warrants, or letters of assistance obtained from his Majesty or the lords and others of his Privy Council for execution thereof, from henceforth utterly to cease and be determined, and are hereby absolutely revoked and recalled. And his Majesty doth further expressly charge and command, all and singular the patentees, grantees, or others any ways interested or claiming under the aforenamed grants, licenses, or commissions, or any of them and their deputies, that they or any of them do not at any time hereafter presume to put in use or execution any of the said grants, commissions, or licenses, or any thing therein contained, or any proclamations, warrants, or letters of assistance obtained in that behalf, upon pain of his Majesty's indignation, and to be proceeded against as contemners of his Majesty's royal commands, whereof he will require a strict account. Given at our Manor of York the 9th of April in the 15th year of our reign, 1639. S1 SIMON STURTEVANT'S METALLICA, OR THE TREATISE OF METALLICA, BRIEFLY COMPREHENDING THE DOCTRINE OF DIVERS NEW METALLICAL INVENTIONS, BUT ESPECIALLY HOW TO ANNEAL, MELT, AND WORK ALL KINDS OF METAL ORES, IRONS, AND STEELS WITH SEACOAL, PIT-COAL, EARTH-COAL, AND BRUSH FUEL. IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY GEORGE ELD. CUM PRIVILEGIO ANNO 1612, MAY 22. The Preface to the Reader. Gentle Reader, I am not ignorant how they that are willing to apprehend and assist new businesses are desirous to be satisfied in these points. First, concerning the perfect and exact knowledge of that invention, wherein they are to deal and negotiate, for as the common proverb saith-"Ignoti nulla cupido." The second is touching the worth and goodness of the business, and how the benefit thereof may be raised. The third is the ability of the inventioner to effect and perform his project propounded. The fourth is concerning the manner of contracting and bargaining; in all which I will endeavor to give the best satisfaction that I may, out of the precepts and grounds of this present Treatise of Metallica. And therefore concerning the first point. The transcript of his Majesty's most gracious grant and privilege doth evidently show and inform the reader, that amongst many other inventions granted for one and thirty years, myself, my executors, deputies, and assigns, may only make, practice, and put in use, within any of his Majesty's realms and dominions, the working, melting, and effecting of iron, steel, and other metals with sea-coal and pit-coal; the principal end of which invention is, that the wood and timber of our country might be saved, maintained, and preserved from the great consumption and waste of our common furnaces and iron-mills, which, as they are now ordinarily built and framed, can burn, spend, and consume no other fuel 1 N. B. This appendix, as well as all which follow, is taken from the reproductions by the Great Seal Patent Office, 1857. . . . Here, however, as elsewhere, I have modernized the spelling. than charcoal, the which device, if it may be effected accordingly (as I make no doubt but by God's blessing I shall), will prove to be the most profitable business and invention that ever was known or invented in England these many years. For (to speak nothing of the great benefit and profit which may be raised and made by twenty other inventions comprised and comprehended under the patent), the yearly value of this metal business alone will amount unto 330 thousand pounds per annum, after the second and third year, as appeareth by this calculation. A calculation showing how the metal invention or art, which maketh all kinds of metals or metallic substance with pit-coal or seacoal, will be worth per annum 330 thousand pounds immediately after the first two years, which are the allotted times for trials and conformities without any charges (except the charges of trials) to the patentees, partners, assistants, and dealers. There are planted already in England and Wales eight hundred mills for the making of iron, for there are four hundred mills in Surrey, Kent, and Sussex, as the townsmen of Haslemore have testified and numbered unto me; there are also 200 mills in Wales, and 20 in Nottinghamshire, as the author hath been credibly informed. Now we may well suppose that all England, Scotland, and Ireland (besides the forenamed shires) will make up the number of 180 mills more, being in all 800 mills. Moreover, one mill alone spendeth yearly in charcoal 500 pounds and more, as divers clerks and workmen in the iron business have credibly testified, which in pit-coal will be done with the charges of 30 or 40 pounds after the inventioner's manner and invention, or at the most with 50 pounds, where carriage is far and chargeable. So that the invention in the 800 iron-mills will save and gaindeclaro the owners of those mills 320 thousand pounds yearly, over and above the ordinary and annual gains, as it appeareth by this proportion. One mill alone saveth yearly } 400 li Ergo 800 mills save Again, the said metallic invention, being put and converted to lead, tin, copper, brass, and glass-metal, and all the several minerals of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, will questionless clear yearly, by means of fuel, above ten thousand pounds more, over and besides the ordinary gains in the said business. So that yearly iron revenues, added unto these other metallic revenues, do amount unto 330 thousand pounds, as was said before. Now out of these metallic gains of 330 thousand pounds yearly, the owners of the mills, hearths, and furnaces may have and receive liberal rates, and allowed and allotted unto them over and besides their ordinary gains, only in lieu of conforming their furnaces, refineries, and chafferies to this invention of pit-coal and earth-coal. And also the king's most excellent Majesty, the prince his Highness, the Duke of York, the Lord Viscount Rochester, and other parties interested in the patent may, by their composition and agreement with the owners and ironmasters, yearly receive, by way of rents and licenses, the residue of that gain which remaineth over and above that which was allotted and allowed to the ironmasters, for applying of this invention to their ordinary way of making of iron, as more fully shall be specified, shown, and proved in the appendix of this treatise, which I am now preparing for the printer and the press with all convenient speed. This may suffice, therefore, to give the reader satisfaction concerning the two first points, for the knowledge and worth of the businesses and concerning the manner how certain yearly annuities may be raised to the dealers and assistants. Now to persuade the third point, that the author is able to effect the work undertaken in as ample manner as he propoundeth, we plead and allege as followeth. First, the inventioner, by his study, industry, and practice, hath already brought to pass and published divers projects, and new devices, and new projects, as well literal as mechanical, very beneficial to the commonwealth. His literary inventions do appear and are known partly by his printed treatise of Dibere Adam, which is a scholastical engine automaton, and partly in divers other manuscripts which he hath to show. His new mechanics already performed are to be seen in the inventions which he called by the names of press-wares, wood pleits, balance, engine, baramyha, and Hubla, of all which in private speech he is ready more largely to confer, and to manifest their truth and goodness at his workhouses at Islington 1 Sam. 17, 34. and Highbury. To conclude, therefore, he doubteth not but (by God's blessing and assistance, semblably with success), to effect his invention of iron-works, as also all his other metallic devices and inventions here contained in the patent or privilege of Metallica. Thus David from the bear reasoneth and lion to Goliath the giant. Secondly, the consideration of things in the like nature with it, are good inducements to persuade well of this project for brick-making, brewing, dyeing, casting of brass-works, and were (not many years since) done altogether with the fuel of wood and charcoal, instead whereof sea-coal is now used as effectually and to as good a use and purpose. Again (that which is somewhat nearer the mark) the blacksmith long agone forged all his iron with charcoal (as in some places where they are cheap they continue this course still), but these many years small sea-coal hath and doth serve the turn as well and sufficiently. Add hereunto, that very lately, by a wind furnace, green glass for windows is made as well by pit-coal at Winchester House in Southwark as it is done in other places with much waste and consuming of infinite store of billets and other wood fuel. Thirdly, the inventioner hath already experimented and made trial of the chief particular means and instruments of divers cheap ways of making irons in real and substantial models to himself (though in small things according as his means would give him leave). And this of his credit and honesty he avoucheth and protesteth, wherefore he more confidently presumeth to work the same effects in grander instruments and means of trial, after that he hath received allowance of the dealers and assistants for it. Fourthly, there can be no doubt of performing the matter propounded, if the inventioner can but make or cause sea-coal to become as serviceable for metallic purposes as wood and charcoal are, the art and skill whereof consisteth chiefly in three points. The first is to bring earth-coal to that equality of heat that wood or charcoal hath, that is to say, that it make neither hotter nor colder fire than the wood. or charcoal doth. The second means is so to order and prepare pitcoal that all malignant properties which are averse to the nature of metallic substances may be extracted from it, or at least destroyed in it. The third means is the addition and infusion of those deficient properties which, as they are in charcoal, so ought they to be found in pit-coal. |