ENGINE OR INSTRUMENT CALLED OR TERMED A WATER PLOUGH, FOR THE TAKING VPP OF SAND, GRAVELL, SHELUES, OR BANCKES OUT OF THE RIVER OF THAMES AND OTHER HAVENS, HARBORS, RIVERS, OR WATERS, WHEREWITH THEY ARE CHOAKED, FOR THE FREER PASSAGE AND SAFETYE OF SHIPPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1618

page_text: JAMES, by the Grace of God, &c., to all to whom these sente shall come,
greeting.
JOHN GILBERT, JUL. CESAR.
Vacant le Lře Paten unacum
irrotulamen eadem peo qd infra-
noiai Jokes Gylbert Septimo die
Novembris anno R. R. Caroli
quinto coram eodem Duo Rego
in Cancella sua psonalit con-
stitui pure sponte 't absolute sur-
sum reddidit in manus dici Di
Regis Lřas Paten dici ac tot jus
tillin' intesse suü in ejusdem
content ac humilit peciit qd irro-
tulamen eadem cancellarent.
Ideo ad instanciam fai Jolis
Gylbert vacant cancellant 't
omino dampnant. [These Let
ters Patent are void, together with
the inrolment of the same, because
the within-named John Gilbert,
on the 7th day of November, in
the fifth year of the reign of King
Charles, before the same Lord the
King in His Chancery personally
appearing, freely, willingly, and
absolutely surrendered into the
hands of the said Lord the King
the aforesaid Letters Patent, and
all his right, title, and interest
in them contained, and humbly
prayed that the inrolment of the
same might be cancelled. There-
fore, at the instance of the afore
said John Gylbert, they are
vacated, cancelled, and altogether
annulled.].
WHEREAS our welbeloved subiect JoHN
GILBERT, through his greate industrie, trauaile,
and charge in forraigne kingdomes and countries,
hath attayned, inuented, and founde out a "taino
"NEW ENGINE OR INSTRUMENT CALLED OR TERMED
A WATER PLOUGH, FOR THE TAKING VPP OF SAND,
GRAVELL, SHELUES, OR BANCKES OUT OF THE RIVER
OF THAMES AND OTHER HAVENS, HARBORS, RIVERS, OR
WATERS, WHEREWITH THEY ARE CHOAKED, FOR THE
FREER PASSAGE AND SAFETYE OF SHIPPS AND OTHER
VESSELS: " And whereas our said subiect hath
at his like industrie, travaile, and charges invented
another "ENGINE OR INSTRUMENT FOR THE RAYSING
OF WATERS IN A GREATER QUANTITIE, AND TO A
GREATER HEIGHT THEN HERETOFORE HATH BIN
KNOWNE OR PRACTISED IN THESE OUR REALMES,
WHICH SAID ENGIN FOR RAYSING OF WATERS IS TO
BE MOUED AND DRIVEN EITHER BY SOME CURRENT
OR STREAME OF WATER, OR FOR WANT THEREOF, BY
STRENGTH OF HORSES, AND IS VERIE NECESSARYE FOR
THE DRAWING AND DRAYNING OF COALE PITTS AND
OTHER MYNES" And whereas it is supposed that
the said severall engines are the pper inuencon
of the said John Gilbert, and are likely to pue
of good and necessary vse for the service and
benefitt of this our realme.

page_text: KNOW YEE THEREFORE that wee, tendring the comon good and
benefitt that may redounde hereby to our said realme and subiects, and
intending to reward and recompence the industrie, trauell, and charges of the
said John Gilbert, bestowed and expended in and about the inuestigacon
and fynding out of the said inuencions, engines, or instruments aboue mencoed,
and the better to incourage other of our subiects in such lawfull and comend-
able labours and indeauors as may-tend to good vse and seruice in this Our
Realme, without iust cause of greiuance to anic our subiects at the humble
Peticon of the said John Gilbert, and in consideracon of the yerelic rent in
and by these sente reserued, and payable to vs, our heires and successors, of
our especiall grace, Etaine knowledge, and meere mocion, haue giuen and
graunted, and by these sents for vs, our heires and successors, doe giue
and graunte full and sole license, power, priuiledge, and authoritie vnto the
said John Gilbert, bis executors, administrators, and assignes, that he the said
John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assigns, onely and none
other, by him or themselues, or by his or there deputies, seruants, workemen,
or agents, at all tymes, and from tynie to tyme, for and during the terme of
yeres hereafter in and by these psents. graunted, shall and may within this
our realme of England and dominion of Wales freelie and lawfullie make,
forme, erecte, and frame the said engine or instrument called a Water Plough,
or by what other name the same shalbee called, or soe many of the same as
he shall think mcete, for taking vpp of sandes, grauell, shelues, or bankes,
out of tho said river of Thames, and other hauens, harbors, or riuers,
wherewith they are hindered or choked; and also the said other engine or
instrument to be moued or driuen by some current of water, or in default
thereof, by the strength and labor of horses, for the raysing of waters and
drawing and drayning of colepitts and other mynes herein-before mencioned;
and the same engines and instrumt, so to be made, formed, and framed, shall
and may lawfullie and solye excise, vse, and ymploye to and for the intents
and purposes aforesaid, within our said realme of England and dominion of
Wales, and in cuerie part thereof, to and for his and there most benefitt,
profitt, and aduantage; and the said sandes, grauell, bankes, or shelues, by
the vse and helpe of the said water plough, so to be taken vpp as aforesaid,
to land and lay on shore, or otherwise to dispose of at his and there will and
pleasure, and for his and there best benifitt and aduantage; and that he, the
said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assignes, by him or. them-
selues, or his or there deputyes, seruants, workemen, or agents, after the same
several engines and instruments, or either of them, shalbee by him or
them made, formed, and framed as aforesaid, shall and may lawfullie for his
and there benifitt, and at his and their wills and pleasures, within this our

page_text: realue of England and dominion of Wales, graunte or dispose of the
same to anie pson or psons that shalbee desirous or willing to haue or vso
the same for anie the intonts and purposes aforesaid; and to the ende that the
said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assignes, may haue and
enioye the full and sole benifitt and comoditie of the making, forming, framing,
vsing, and disposing of the said seuerall engins or instruments by him
deuised and inuented as aforesaid within our said realme of England and
dominion of Wales, for the terme of yeres by those psents graunited. As
recompence which wee intende the said John Gilbert, for his labor, industrie,
and charge, expended and imployed in and about the attaynement of the
Pmisses, our will and pleasure is, and wee doe by these sents, and in fauor
of the said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assigns, for. vs,
our heires and successors, straitely charge, require, and comaunde, all and
cuerie pson and psons of whatsoeuer estate, degree, or condicon he or they bee
other then the said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, or assigns, that
they or anie of them shall not or doe not within this our realme of
England and dominion of Wales, or in any parte thereof, for and during
the terine of yeres hereafter in and by these psente granted, make, erecte,
forme, or frame the said seuerall engins or instruments herein-before-
mencioned, or either of them, nor shall counterfeite, imitate, or resemble the
same or either of them, in all or any the parts or members of the same, nor
shall vsc, exercise, or employe, for any the vses, intents, and purposes:
aforesaid, any such engins, instruments, or deuises whatsoever made or to be
made in resemblanco or imitacon of the said engins and instruments of the
said John Gilbert, herein-before mencioned, without the licence and consent.
of the said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assignes; in that
behalfe first had and obteyned in writing vnder his or there bandes and seales,
vppon payne of the losse and forfeiture of all and eucrie such engins,
instruments, and deuices as shalbee soe made, erected, framed, vsed, or
imployed contrarie to the true intent and meaning of these sents, and also:
vppon such further paynes, penalties, fynes, and imprisonments as by the
Jawes and statutes of this our realme, or otherwise by our Progatiue royall,
can or may be inflicted vppon eueric such offender or offenders for his or
there contempt, disobedience, or neglect of our royall pleasure and comande-
ment in that behalfe; to haue; hold, vse, excise, and enioye all and cuerie
the said licenses, powers, priuiledges, and authorities, benifitts, pfitts, and
other the misses, vnto the said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators,
and assignes, from the date of these sente, for and during the terme, and
vnto the full ende and terme of one-and-twentic yeres from thence next

page_text: ensuing, fullie to be compleate and ended, yeilding and paying therefore
vnto vs, our cires and successors, the yerclic rent or some of six poundes
thirteene shillings and eight pence of lawfull money of England, at the
receipt of the exchequer of vs, our heires and successors, at Westin, at the
Feasts of the Birth of our Lord and the Nativitie of Saint John the Baptist
by cuen and equall porcons. And for the better execucion and accomplishment
of this our graunte and gracious intente and meaning to the said John
Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assignes, wee doe by these psents,
for vs, our heires and successors, giue and graunte vnto the said John Gilbert,
his executors, administrators, and assignes, and to eucrie of them, full power
and authoritie that he and they, and his and there deputies, seruants, and
agents, shall and may lawfullie from tyme to tyme, during the tearme hereby
graunted, with the assistance of a constable, tithingman, headborough, or
other lawful officer of anie place or places whatsoeuer. respectively within our
said realme of England and dominion of Wales, aswell within liberties as
without, at his and their wills and pleasures, at fitt and conuenient. tyme or
tymes, goe and enter into anie house, shopp, workehouse, or yard, or other
place or places whatsoever which shalbee pbably suspected, and there to
search and see if any engins, instruments, or deuises shalbee made, formed,
framed, vsed, or imployed in resemblance or imitation of the said engins or
instruments herein-before mencued and inuented by the said John Gilbert as
aforesaid, contrarie to the true meaning of these Psents, and the same soe
founde in the name of vs, our heires and successors, to seise, take, and carrie
awaye; the one moyetie of which said misses, soe forfeyted as aforesaid, wee
doe by these psents giue and graunte to the said John Gilbert, his executors,
administrators, and assigns, to his and there owne per vse and benefitt,
without any accompte or other thing to bee yeilded, rendered, or paied to vs,
our heires or successors for the same, other then the rent herein-before
reserued, and the other moyetie thereof to bee from tyme to tyme to the vse
and benifitt of vs, our heires and successors; and of our further especiall
grace, Etaine knowledge, and meere mocion, wee doc for vs, our heires and
successors, straitely charge and comaunde as well all and euerie our justices of
peace, mayors, sheriffes, constables, bayliff's, headboroughes, and others our
officers and ministers within our said realme of England and dominion of
Wales, that they and eueric of them shall from tyme to tyme, during the terme
of yeares hereby graunted, be ayding, fauoring, and assisting vnto the said
John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and euerie of them
and to his and there deputies, seruants, workemen, and agents, in and abou
the due execucion of all and singuler the pmisses, according to the true intent

page_text: and meaning of these psente; and these our Lřes Pattents, or the inrolment
thereof, shalbee to them and éuerie of them a sufficient warrant and discharge i
in that behalfe without any further or other warrant from vs, our heires and
successors, to be bad or obteyned in that behalf. And further, of our like
especiall grace,
taine knowledge, and meere mocion, wee doe for vs, our heires
and successors, grant vnto the said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators,
and assignes, that these psents, or the inrollment of the same, shalbee in and
by all things good, firme, effectuall, and of validitie in the lawe to all the
intents and purposes aforesaid, and shalbee adiudged most strong against vs,
our heires and successors, and inost auailable for the benifitt of the said John
Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and assignes, in all our courts' of justice
in our said realme of England and dominion of Wales, or elsewhere, for and
during the terme hereby granted, and without anie other or further con-
firmacons, licenses, or tolleracons, to be from vs, our heires or successors,
peured, sued for, or obteyned in that behalfe, notwithstanding the not
discribing, or not pfect or pticuler describing of the said seuerall engins or
instruments herein-before mencioned, or the manners, formes, or fashion of
there vse or woreking; and notwithstanding anie other defect or vnetentic
whatsocuer in these our Lies Pattents, or anie act, statute, ordinance,
puision or restriction to the contrarie in anywise notwithstanding. Pro-
uided alwayes that these psents, or anie thing therein conteyned, shall not
extende to barr, restraine, impeach, or Piudice a late graunte by vs made to
Robert Crompe, for, touching, and concerning the sole making and practise
of an engin by him inuented for raising of waters for seruice of townes,
castles, or houses, and for the drawing and drayning of coalepitts and other
mynes, nor shall extende to restrayne anie pson or psons of or from the
making or vsing of any engine, instrument, or inuencion touching the
Puisses formerlie founde out, or in knowne vse or practise within this our
realme or dominion of Wales, anything herein conteyned to the contraric
in anywise notwithstanding. Prouided alsoe, that if the said yearely rent, or
some of six poundes thirteene shillings and eight pence herein-before reserued,
shall happen to be behinde and vnpaied in parte or in all by the space of
fortie dayes next after either of the said feasts in the which the same ought to
be paied as aforesaid, that then this our Psent graunte shalbee vtterlie voydo
and of none effect to all intents and purposes, anything berein conteyned to
the contrarye in anywise notwithstanding. And moreouer, wee of our like
especiall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere mocion, doe for vs, our heires
and successors, 'giue and graunte vnto the said John Gilbert, his executors
and assignes, one n.oyetie of all such treasure trove, plate, jewells, and other

page_text: matters and things of vallue, as he or they shall take ypp by the vse and
meanes of the said water plough, out of any rivers, havens, or harbors as afore-
said, after he or they shall haue made appeare in the Court of Exchequer of
vs, our heires or successors, vppon his or their oath, the full quantye-and
vallewe of the same, and shall haue brought vnto. vs, our heires or successors,
the other moyetie thereof; to haue and to holde the said moyetye to him
and them thereby intended, during the said terme to his and theire owne vse,
benifitt, and behoofe, without anie accompte or other thing to bee therefore
rendered or made to vs, our heires or successors, although expresse
mencon, &c.
In witnes, &c. Witnes our self at Westiu the Sixteenth day of July, and
theis our Lies shalbe your sufficient warrant and discharge in this
behalfc.