Grant of A Patent to Make Iron with Coal, 9 Oct
| Artifact Summary | |
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| Artifact type | |
| Creator/author | |
| Date | 1589 |
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| Abstract | |
Entry
1589 .
[Lansdowne MSS., No. 59, Art. 73,ff. 196-99 b. ]
Elizabeth [etc.] to all to whome it shall apperteyne greetinge. Whereas wee are crediblye gyven to understande that inmany and sundrye places in this our Realme of Englande there bee erected divers and sundrie Mylles for the makinge of Steele and Iron, the which no doubte be of greate momente and of no smale benifytt to this our said Realme of Englande yf they may bee used in their righte kinde and Order. And whereas also many of our trustye and welbeloued subiectes, of a comendable mynde seekinge meanes to woorke publique benifytt of this our said realme, haue to their greate costes and charges endevored them selves for the erectinge of PATENTS AND MONOPOLIES the same, and yet contrarye to their well disposed myndes have encurred the pennaltie of our lawes and statutes by the fellinge, hewinge and cuttinge downe many and sundry tymber trees, And in convertinge them to Coale for the making of Iron and Steele and for the meltinge of Leade, Aswell to the great hinderance of our shippinge, Thee cheeffest fortresse and strengthening of this our said Realme,As also to the vtter decay and distruction of other woodes, wherby our Navye is not onlye lyke To decaye in contynewaunce of tyme, But also throughe the excessyve spoylinge and consuminge of Tymber and other woodes for Cole, the makinge of Iron Steele and Leade shall lykewyse surcease, to the greate detryment of this our said Realme and the vndoinge of many our lovinge subiectes.
Knowe yee therfore that wee, of our Princelye mynde and care that wee haue for the benifytt of our lovinge subiectes and preservacion of this our realme, Forecastinge the greate hurte and Inconvenience that maye befall this our saide realme by the Excessive spoyle of tymber and other woodes which are converted into Coale for the makinge of Iron Steele and Leade, And therewithall beinge desyrous how to prevente and remedye the same, And yet neverthelesse to mayntayne the makinge of Iron Steele and Leade, Beeinge crediblye gyven to understande that our faithfull and lovinge subiect Thomas Proctor of Warssell in the county of Yorke Esquire, havinge spente muche tyme in the said Arte, Hath by his practise industrye and indevor to his greate coste and charges Founde out a rare waye and meanes by vsinge of Earthcoale Seacoale Turffe Peate or some of them To make as much Iron Steele or leade with one Loade of woodcoale As hath been hertofore and is now vsuallye maide with Fower loades of woodcoale, So that by this good and industrius meanes in every Fower loades of woodcoale There shalbe for ever heareafter three Loades saved, which, consideringe the greate quantytie of Iron Steele and Leade that is maide within our saide realme, Will not onlye bee a marvilous sparinge of woode and tymmber in this our sayde realme, Wherbye our Navye may be the better maynteigned to the inestimable benifytt of our posterytie, But be a meane also for the contynewance of Iron steele and leade within this our said realme, which otherwyse (within processe of tyme) for wante of woodcoale were lyke to decaye. And consideringe with our selves that everye industrius Act which shall tende to the benifytt of our Common wealthe is not to be commended onlye but to be rewarded, And beinge desyrous aswell to gratyfye the labor and travell, as also to recompence the greate coste and chardges which our sayde lovinge subiectes [sic] hath bestowed in the findinge out of this secret, And also for the better incouragemente of others our lovinge subiectes to imploye their tyme in like workes commodeous for this our saide Realme, Haue of our meare mocion, especiall grace, and certen science, gyven leaue and graunted And by this our present lettres patentes Do gyve leave and graunte to our trusty and welbeloued subiectes Thomas Proctor and William Peterson onlye and to their lawfull assigne and Assignes and everye of them, To effectuate exercyse and vse the said meanes and way to make Iron steele or Leade By vsinge of Earthcoale Seacoale Turffe Peate or some of them which to him or them shall seeme for that purpose most fytt and necessarye, at such tyme and tymes and in suche place or places within this our said realme as to them or any of them shall seeme convenient, Duringe the terme of seaven yeares next and imediatlye in- suinge the date of theis presentes, Yeldinge and payinge to vs our heires and Successors duringe the said tearme of seaven yeares the some of ij s. vj d. of currant money of this our saide realme For everye tonn of Iron so hereafter to be maide, and vj s. viij d. of lyke currant money for every tonne of Steele so heareafter to be maide into barres or gaddes, and sixpence of lyke currant money for every Tonne or foddre of lead so herafter to be maide in this our said realme By the said Thomas Proctor and William Peterson or eather of them their assigne or assignes Or any other person or persons to whome the said Thomas Proctor and William Peterson or any of them Shall, by vertue of theis our lettres Patentes, give leaue or lycence to make exercyse vse or effectuate the same, To be paid yerelye duringe the saide tearme to our Receavor generall for the tyme beinge of every shyer within this our said realme wherin the same Iron shalbe so made, Or into the receipt of PATENTS AND MONOPOLIES our Excheqour yerelye at the feast of St. Mychaell tharchaungell and thanunciacion of our Ladye or wythin fortye dayes after the same feastes .
[No person to make iron, steel or lead with sea coal, etc., during the next seven years without licence of the patentees, on pain of forfeiture of ten pounds, one half to the Crown and one half to the patentees, and on pain of such other penalties as may be imposed.] Provyded alwayes that theis our present letters patentes be not anywayes preiudiciall or hurtfull to any person or persons for the making of Iron steele or Leade by any such vsuall devise or meanes as they or any of them haue heretofore commonlye vsed, or which they by their industrie have invented heretofore put vsually in practyse : Any thinge in theis our lettres patentes conteyned to the contrarye notwithstandinge.
Andwheras our said lovinge subiectes [sic] Thomas Proctor hath founde out this secret of makinge of Iron with Seacoale Turffe and Peate, Tendinge as well to an uniuersall benifytt of our whole realme in sparing of wood and Timmber, as also to vs in yeldinge in imposicion of vjs. viijd. the Tonne of Steele And ijs. vjd. Iron and vjd. Leade, is in theis our present lettres patentes streightted and tyed to a certaine iust proporcion and rate of three partes at the least of Seacoale Turffe or Peate And but one parte woodcoale and no more to be expended about the premisses : Forasmuche as wee are credibly geven to vnderstande by our said lovinge subiectes that all Seacoale is not of lyke goodnes nor all Iron stoane of lyke quallytie to bee cast blowne or wrought, And therfore in some place Iron may be made very well with Seaccale onlye without any woodcoale at all, To our greate benefytt, And in some other places cannot be performed but with a mixture of sea coale turffe or peate and some quantytie of woodcoale : And further that in divers places of our said realme vsuall springe wood or fier wood may be very well spared for the benifytt of the owners, which keepe the same for that purpose onlye : Our will and pleasure is that in such places only and no other our said lovinge subiectes, vsinge and takinge the best or most parte of seacoale Turffe or Peate, shall not be tyed or apporcioned to three partes of Seacoale Turffe or peate, or in about the premisses, But shall neverthelesse vse their best and dutyfull endevor in makinge of Iron as afforesaid ; Any thinge herin before conteigned to the contrarye therof notwithstandinge. [The patentees to deliver twice yearly a certificate of the number of tons of iron, steel and lead made, on penalty of ten shillings for every ton omitted.]
[The patent may be revoked by the Privy Council if at any time it appear prejudicial.] Although expresse mencion of the true yerelye value or certayntie of the premisses or of any of them, or of any other gyftes or grauntes by vs or any of our progenitors vnto the said Thomas Proctor and William Peterson before this tyme maide, in theis presentes is not maide, or any statute, Act, ordinance, provicion, or restrainte therof to the contrarye maide, had, ordened or provided, or any other th]inge, cawse, or matter what- soever notwithstandinge. In wytnes wherof wee have caused theis our lettres to be maide patentes. Witnes our selfe, Westminster, the ixth day of October in the one and thirty yere of our Raygne.
Per breve de priuato sigillo etc. Powle.
This is a trewe Coppy of the lettres pattentes gravntid to Thomas Proctor and William Peterson. Examined out of Mr Petersons lettres pattents fyrst gravnted and ther Orrigenall gravnt, which doth remayne in Mr Petersons hande. Before vs : Ryc. Topclyffe, Gawin Smith, Thomas Proct[or], William Peterson.
[Endorsed.] A trewe Coppye of the fyrst lettres pattentes gravnted to Mr Thomas Procter and Mr William Petersonn. For making of Iron without spoyle of woode.
PATENTS AND MONOPOLIES
