A PECULIER WAY AND MEANES FOR MAKEING IRON WITH SEACOLES AND PITTCOLES, NOT YETT FOUND OUT BY ANY OTHER
Year: 1627

page_text: CHARLES, DY
come greetinge.
grace of God, &c., to
psent sman
WHEREAS divers psonnes have heretofore vndertaken by meltinge iron
oare with seacolle and pittcoles, to make the same into castworkes and barrs
with seacoles and pittcoles in fornaces with bellowes, of as good condiĉon and
quality as any iron hath beene heretofore made with charrcoles, and vppon
confidence of their owne abilities and knowledge have, about six yeeres since
and vpwarde, obteyned severall Lřes Pattente of priviledge for the sole
makcing of iron with seacoles and pittcoles, but fayling in their experimente
and conclusions, have in all this time effected nothinge for the benefitt and
comfort of the commonwealth, soe as the great expence and waste of timber and
wood converted into charcoles and consumed vppon iron work is noe way
diminished, nor the price of iron att all abated, but rather much inhaunced; and
for that noethinge hath in soe longe tyme beene effected or brought to passe
for makeinge iron with seacoles and pittcoles, we conceive it not any way.
agreeable to reason that all others should by vertue and cullour of the said
Pattente, or any of them, be debarred or hindred from findinge out and putting
in practice such newe Invenčons, wayes, and misteries for makeing good iron
with seacoles and pittcoles as have not yett beene put in practise, nor effected
by any other: Therefor, and forasmuch as WILLIAM ASTELL, Gent, haveing.
found out "A PECULIER WAY AND MEANES FOR MAKEING IRON WITH SEACOLES AND
PITTCOLES, NOT YETT FOUND OUT BY ANY OTHER," hath beene an humble suitor to vs
for our Lřes Pattent of priviledge to be graunted to him and twoe other.

page_text: whom he shall nomynate for their said mistery and way of makeing iron with
seacoles and pittcoles with furnaces and fineries, within our Kingdome of Eng-
land and Dominion of Wales, for fourteene yeeres, and for our gracious
intenčon to his humble request, the said William Astell and his associate have
tendered vnto vs a yeerely rent of foure hundred pounde, to commence within
one yeere and a halfe after the date of our Lřes Pattente of priviledge to them
to be graunted concerninge the misses, which creacon of rent, as it sur-
mount, all former condicons in graunt of the same nature, soe it intimate
and ratifies a stronge and solide assurance in the said William Astell and his
coadiutors for reall and essenciall pformance of what they vndertake, whereby
timber and wood wilbe very much served and increased, beinge many
pvisions for our royall navye and shippinge, and our subiecte in generall
more plentifully served with those materyalle for many necessary vses and
purposes.
NOWE KNOWE YE, THEREFORE, that we, holdinge it consonant to
wisedome and iustice that the authors of such ingenious and commendable
invenĉons should be cherished, and in some pporčon incouraged by the fruite
of their travelle and expence for the causes aforesaid, and other good con-
sideračons vs herevnto moveing, of our especiall grace, certaine knowledge,
and meere močon, have given and graunted, and for vs, our heires and suc-
cessors, doe give and graunte to the said William Astell, and to John Copley,
and Francis Crofte, Gent, psonnes nominated by the said William Astell,
their executors, administrators, and assignes, full and free liberty, lycence,
priviledge, power and authority, that they, and every of them, by him
or themselves, or his or their deputies, factors, servant, or workemen, att
his or their pper charges, shall and may att all and every time and tymes,
and from time to time dureinge the tearme of fourteene yeeres next ensueinge
the date hereof, vse, exercise, and putt in practise, within this our Realme
of England and Dominion of Wales, att his and their libertye and pleasure,
their said peculier mistery, arte, way, and meanes, for melting of iron oare,
and for makeing the same into. cast workes and barrs with seacoles and pitt-
coles in furnaces and fyneries with bellowes, and alsoe to make, erect, and sett
vpp in any place or places within our said Realme and Dominion of Wales, or
eyther of them, any furnace or furnaces; finerie or fineries, engine or ongines,
whatsoever, concerning their saide misterie, way, art, or meanes for melting of
iron oare with seacoles or pittcoles, and for makeinge the same 'into castwork?
and barrs, as aforesaid, and the same iron soe cast and made to vtter and sell
in grosse, or by retayle, or otherwise, to doe away att his and their free will
and pleasure, and to his and their best commodity and pffitt. And further to the

page_text: end this our pleasure may take the better effect, and that the said William
Astell, John Copley, and Francis Crofte, their executors, administrators, and
assignes, may the more fully enjoy the benefitt of this our graunt, we will, and
for vs, our heires and successors, doe straightly charge and comaund, and
inhibite, and doe alsoe of our more especiall grace, certaine knowledge,
and meere močon, for vs, our heires and successors, graunt to the said
William Astell, John Copley, and Francis Crofte, their heires, executors, and
assignes, that noe psonne or psonnes whatsoever borne within any our realmes
or dominions, nor any other psonne or psonnes whatsoever, cyther denizens or
strangers borne in any forraine realme or countrey whatsoever, of what estate,
degree, or condicon he or they be, or shalbe, other then the said William
Astell, John Copley, and Francis Crofte, their executors, administrators, or
assignes, or such as shalbe by them, or some of them, sett on, worke, or
authorized, shall or may, at any time or times duringe the said terme of foure-
teene yecres hereby graunted, or menconed, or intended to be graunted,
practise, exercise, put in vre, or any way counterfeite their said mistery, art,
way, or meanes for melting of iron oare, and for the makeinge the same into
castwork or barrs with seacoles or pittcoles in furnaces and fineries with
bellowes, or any furnace or furnaces, fynerie or fyneries, engine or engines.
concerning the same, within this our Realme of England or Dominion of
Wales, or any place or places in them or eyther of them, vppon paine of for-
fiture to vs, our heires and successors, of the oare and iron soe to be melted
or made contrary to the true intent and meaninge of theis psente, and to have
the said furnaces, fyneries, engines, and devises, vtterly pulled downe and
defaced, and alsoe vppon paine of our high indignacon and displeasure, and
such further penalties, punishmente, and imprisonment, as by any lawes or
statute of this our realme cann or may be inflicted or imposed yppon the
offenders for their disobedience in contemning our royall commandement.
Moreover, we doc by theis our Lřes Pattente, for vs, our heires and successors,
give and graunt full power, liberty, and authority, to the said William Astell,
John Copley, and Francis Crofte, their executors, administrators, and assignes,
that they, or any of them, by himselfe or themselves, or by his or their
deputies, factors, servante, or assignes, shall and may att all tyme and
tymes convenient, and from tyme to tyme dureinge the said tearme of
foureteene yeeres, with the assistance of a constable or some other officer,
enter into all place and places convenient, where he, or they, or any
of them, shall have iust cause to suspect any such oare, iron, engine, or
instrumente, melted or vsed contrary to the true meaning hereof, to be or
remaine within this our Realme of England and Dominion of Wales, or eyther

page_text: of them, as well within liberties as without, and there carefully and diligently
to trye and search by all lawful wayes and meanes for all such oare, iron, fur-
naces, fyneries, engines, and instrumente, as by any psonne or psonnes whatso-
ever shall duringe or within the said tearme afore graunted be melted, made,
erected, sett vpp, or vsed contrary to the intenčon and true meaning of theis
our Lies Patente, and findeinge any such to seize the oare and iron soe
melted and made to the vse of vs, our heires and successors, and to deface
and pull downe the said furnaces, fyneries, engines, and instrumente 500
erected and vsed.
And further, that the said William Astell, John Copley, and Francis Crofte,
their executors, administrators, and assignes, doe carefully and diligently
endeavour themselves, that the intent and true meancing of theis our Lies
Pattent be diligently observed, and if in the execuĉon thereof their or any of
them, their factors, deputies, or assignes, shall finde any resistance, that he or
they or some of them doe certifie the same into the Court Exchequer of
vs, our heires and successors, to the end the offendors therein may receive
condigne punishment for the same their offences, vnto which said Court of
Exchequer we doe hereby for vs, our heires and successors, give power and
authority, vppon such certificate as aforesaid, and due pofe thereof to inflict such
punishment and imprisonment, or eyther of them, vppon the offendors as their
offences shall deserve, and as by the said Court shalbe thought meete. To
have, hold, exercise, and enioy the said licences, liberties, priviledges, powers,
and authorities, and all other the pmisses before by theis sente menconed, to
be given and graunted, and every of them vnto the said William Astell, John
Copley, and Francis Crofte, their executors, administrators, and assignes, from
the day of the date of theis psente for and dureinge the tearme and to the full
end and terme of foureteene yeeres from thence next ensueing, and fully to be
compleate and ended, yeeldinge and paying, and the said William Astell, John
Copley, and Francis Crofte, for themselves, their executors, administrators, aud
assignes, doe coveñnt, pmise, and graunt to and with vs, our heires and su-
cessors, by theis psente, to yeeld and to pay therefore to vs, our heires and
successors, from the Feast of Saint Michaell the Archangell which shalbe in
the yeere of our Lord God One thowsand six hundred twenty and nyue,
durcing the residue of the said terme of foureteene yeeres then to come and
vnexpired, the yeerely rent of foure hundred pounde of lawfull money of
England, att the receipt of the Exchequer of vs, our heires and successors at
Westi, att twoe vsuall tearmes or feast of the yeere; that is to say, att the
Feast of the Annunciačou of our Blessed Virgin Mary and of Saint Michaeli
Tharchangell, by even and equall porcons to be payed; the first payment

page_text: thereof to beginne and to be made att the Feast of thannuncion of the Blessed
Virgin Mary which shalbe in the yeere of our Lord God One thousand six
hundred and thirty: Provided alwayes, that if it shall happen the said yeercly
rent before by theis psente reserved to be behinde or vnpaid in parte or
in the whole by the space of forty dayes next after any of the feast or
dayes of payment aforesaid, wherein the same ought to be paid by and
accordinge to the true meancing of theis psente, that then and from thence-
forth this sent grant and all thing therein, contayned to be voide and of
none effect, anything therein conteyned to the contrary notwithstanding.
And we doe alsoe by theis psente, for vs, our heirs and successors, will
and comaund all and singuler mayors, justices of peace, sheriffe, bayliffe,
constables, headborrowes, and other ministers, officers, and subiecte what-
soever of vs, our heires and successors, that they and every of them be
from time to time dureinge the terme aforesaid ayding and assisting to
the said William Astell, John Copley, and Francis Croft, their executore,
administratore, deputies and assignes, servante and workemen, in all thing? in
and about the accomplishment of our pleasure expressed in theis our Letters
Pattente, and in the exercise and execuĉon of the same, or any article or
clause herein conteyned; and that they nor any of them doe any way hinder
molest, interrupt, or lett the said William Astell, John Copley, or Francis
Croft, their executors, administrators, deputies, assignes, servante, workemen,
or chapmen, or any of them in or concerning the Pmisses as they tender our
displeasure and will avoide the contrary att theire pille, and theis Psente or the
inrollment thereof shalbe their sufficient warrant and discharge in that behalfe.
Provided alwayes, and our pleasure is, that if the said William Astell, John
Copley, and Francis Crofte, their executors, administrators, deputies, or
assignes, or any of them shall, by such newe Invencon, way, arte, or meanes,
first and before any other make good and pfect iron by furnace, forge, or finerie,
with seacoles or pittcoles, then they and none other during the tearme afore to
them graunted, shall have the sole makeing of iron by that newe Inventon,
way, or meanes, soe by them first found out and practized, and that this our
grant shall not extend to the piudice of any other by vertue of any former
Pattent to make iron by any other way or meanes, except by that newe
Invencon, art, way, or meanes which the saide William Astell, John Copley,
& Francis Crofte, their executors, administrators, deputies, assignes, servante,
or workemen shall first finde out, practize, and bringe to pfecčon: Provided
alsoc that, if it shall appeare to vs, our heires or successors, or to the Privie
Councell of vs, our heires or successors, att any tyme hereafter that this our
Psent grant or priviledge is or shalbe inconvenyent for the coñonwealth, then

page_text: vpon significačon of the pleasure of vs, our heires or successors, vnder our or
their signe manuell, signett, or privie seale, or vppon significacon vnder the
hand of any six or more of the Privic Councell of vs, our heires or successors
for the tyme being these psente, and every grante, clause, article, and thinge
therein conteyned shall cease, determine, and be vtterly voide, and of none
effect, any thinge before in these psente conteyned to the contrary notwith-
standinge, although expresse mencon, &c.