A GUTT STRAININGS, UPON AN ENTIRE NEW CONSTRUCTION, FOR MAKING ELASTIC SADDLES, WHICH WOULD BE OF VERY GREAT EASE AND ADVAN- TAGE IN RIDING, BOTH TO THE RIDER AND THE HORSE, AND THEREBY WOULD BE OF VERY GREAT PUBLIC UTILITY, AS WELL TO THE ARMY AS PRIVATE PERSONS
Year: 1784

page_text: MAXF
TO ALL PEOPLE TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS MAXFIELD, of the City of Bath, in the County of Somerset, Sadler,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of June now last past, in the twenty-fourth
year of His Majesty's reign, after reciting that I, the said Thomas Maxfield,
had, by my Petition, humbly represented that I had, after much labour, study,
and expence, invented "A GUTT STRAININGS, UPON AN ENTIRE NEW CONSTRUCTION,
FOR MAKING ELASTIC SADDLES, WHICH WOULD BE OF VERY GREAT EASE AND ADVAN-
TAGE IN RIDING, BOTH TO THE RIDER AND THE HORSE, AND THEREBY WOULD BE OF
VERY GREAT PUBLIC UTILITY, AS WELL TO THE ARMY AS PRIVATE PERSONS," that I
was the first Inventor thereof, and that the same had never been made or prac-
tised by any person or persons whomsoever, to the best of my knowledge or
belief, and that I had humbly prayed that His Majesty would be graciously
pleased to grant unto me, my heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, His
Majesty's Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, for
the sole use, benefit, and advantage of my said Invention, within that part.
of Great Britain called England, the Dominion of Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, for the term of fourteen years, according to the Statute
in that case made and provided; and that His said Majesty, being willing to

page_text: give encouragement to all arts and inventions which might be for the public
good, was graciously pleased to condescend to my said request, did give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Maxfield, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, His especial lycence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that I,
the said Thomas Maxfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my or their deputy or deputies,
servants or agents, or such others as I, the said Thomas Maxfield, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, and vend
my said Invention within that part of Great Britain called His Majesty's
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as
to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of them should seem
meet, and that I, the said Thomas Maxfield, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should and lawfully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit,
commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, accruing, and
arising by reason of the said Invention, for and during the term of years
therein mentioned, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers,
priviledges, and advantages therein-before granted or mentioned- to be granted
unto me, the said Thomas Maxfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
for and during and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the late
of the said 'Letters Patent, according to the Statuté 'in that case made and
provided, prohibiting all other person and persons from using and putting in
practice the said Invention during the said term, and containing all the usual
provisoes and conditions in such cases used and accustomed; and it is by the
said Letters Patent expressly provided that if I, the said Thomas Maxfield,
should not particularly describe and ascertain my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in the High Court of
Chancery, within four calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties
and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine,
and become void, anything therein contained to the contrary thereof in anywise
notwithstanding (as in and by the said in part recited Letters Patent, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Maxfield; In pursuance of the
said Letters Patent, and in compliance with the proviso for that jiurpose therein
contained, and of the said Statute in that case made and provided, do by this
my Instrument in writing, under my hand aid scal, specify and declare that

page_text: my said Invention consists of the following particulars, and is to be performed
in manner herein-after mentioned (that is to say):-
These gutt strainings, being used in the place where webb is used in
straining the saddle-tree, and being of an elastic nature, it expands and con-
tracts itself with every motion of the weight on it, by which means it very
much cases and softens that shock that consequently attends both rider and
horse, especially on a hard trot, the tree keeping its regular position as justly
and fairly as any other saddle whatever. The gutt I manufactor for that
purpose, using lime, salt, allum, and lees, and when dryed, I varnish, sizc, oil,
or paint it, in order to preserve and keep its proper quality. I form the
straining on a frame or saddle-tree, much in the shape that the webb lies on
a saddle when strained. It consists of thirty-six, or forty, or more lengths of
strong gutt in each, and work across the head or narrow part, with small
gutt-like darning, the hinder or seat part divided and worked across cach
division, with small gutt knotted from string to string, which always keeps the
work in its first formation. In making the saddles, they are to be nailed to
the head of the saddle-tree, and then strained through holes in proper divisions
in the hinder part of the tree and nailed, the cross straining and other work
following the same, as in other saddles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Maxfield, have, to this my Speci-
fication, subscribed and set my hand and seal, this Second day of
September, in the twenty-fourth year of the reign of our said
Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of Great
Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c., and
in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.
-
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Second day of September, in
the year above-mentioned, the said Thomas Maxfield came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above men-
tioned. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to the
tenor of the Statute made in the sixth year of the reign of their Majesties
King William and Queen Mary of England, and so forth.
Inrolled the Ninth day of September, in the year above written.