Year: 1631

page_text: CHARLES, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, Fraunce,
Ireland, Defendor of the Faith, &c., to all to whome theis Psente shall come,
greeting.
WHERAS our late father of blessed memory, by His Lies Patent vnder
the Greate Seale of England, bearing date att West, the Sixteenth day of
July, in the sixteenth yeare of His raigne of England, &c. did, for the causes
therin contayned, give and graunt full & sole licence, priviledge, power, and.
authority, vnto our trusty and welbeloved servant and subiect, Captaine JOHN.
GILBERT, by the name of John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and.
assignes, that hee, the said John Gilbert, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, and none other, should and might by themselves, or by his servante..
deputyes, or agente, for and duering the terme of one-and-twenty yeares in
the said Lřes Patente contayned, within our Realme of England and Domi-
nion of Wales, freely and lawfully make, forme, erect, and frame one or more
engins, called "WATER PLOUGHES," in the said Lřes Patente menčoned, for the
takeing vpp of sand, gravell, shelves, and banck out of the river of Thames,
and other havens, harbors, rivers, and waters, wherewith they are choaked, for
the free passage and safety of shipps and other vessells, or any other engins or
instrumente, which they can invent for the takeing vpp of gravell, or for the
raising of water in greater quantity and to a greater height then heretofore
hath byn knowne or practized in this our realme, which said engins,
for taking vpp of gravell and for raising vpp of waters, is to bee moved or

page_text: driven either by some current or streame of water, or, for want thereof, by the
strength of men or horses, and is very necessary for drawing and drayning of
coale pitte and other mynes, and for the service of cittyes and townes, with other
further graunte, powers, priviledges, benefitte, comodityes, and advantages
in the said Lřes Patente menčoned, which said Lřes Patente, and the powers,
priviledges, authorityes, benefitte, and commodityes whatsoever thereby graunted,
and all the right, title, estate, and interest of, in, and to the same, the said
John Gilbert hath surrendred vpp.vnto our said late father, deceased, to bee
cancelled and made voide, yett to this end and purpose, and with this intencon,
that His late Maiesty would bee graciously pleased to graunt, vnder his Greate
Seale of England, newe Lřes Patente of all and singuler the premisses men-
čoned in the said former Lřes Patente, with further meanes, interest, power,
priviledge, and authority, for the setting on worke and full ymployment of the
said engine, and all other engines heerafter to bee made, or by him further to
bee invented, for the like vse and service, for and duering the terme of one-and-
twenty yeeres, vnto him, the said John Gilbert, of which surrender our said
father did accept, and gave warrant for the preparing of a booke accordingly,
which was soe pared, as by the bill therof, .signed by our said father, but
not passed the seales in regard of his death in the meane tyme, may more att
large appeare.
KNOWE YEE, that wee, accepting alsoe of the said surrender, before
menčoned, in such manner and to the same intent as our said father was
graciously pleased to doe, and therefore tending the common good and benefitt that
may redowne by vse of the said.engins to our said Realme of England and
Dominion of Wales, and the subiecte thereof, and for the better conservacon
and clensing of the river of Thames in all the navigable part thereof, as well
neere our Cittie of London or elswhere, which being a worke of importance
hath byn by our late father and vs much desired to bee effected, and for a
recompence of the industry, labour & charges ymployed and bestowed by the
said John Gilbert in inventing and pfecting the same engin and engines
devised or invented by him, and to incourage other of our subiecte in such
comendable and lawfull labours and indeavours as may tend to the good vse
and service of our said realme without iust cause of greivance to any our
subiect and in consideračon of the yearly rent or some of money heerafter in
theis sent reserved, of our especiall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere
močon, have given and graunted, and by theis sente for vs, our heires and
successors, doe give and graunt vnto the said John Gilbert and James Freese,
of London, Marchant, nominated by the said John Gilbert, their executors,

page_text: administrators, and assignes, full, free, and absolute licence, priviledge, power,
and authority, that they, the said John Gilbert and James Freese, and their
executors, administrators, and assignes, and none other shall or may by them-
selves, or their deputyes, servante, workmen, or agente, att all tymes and
from tyme to tyme for and duering the terme of yeares hereafter, in and by theis
Psente menčoned within this our Realme of England, and Dominion of Wales,
make, found, erect, forme, and frame such and as many engins or instrumente,
tearmed or called water ploughes, or by what other name or names they shall
thinck meete, and as they have byn or shall bee att any tyme heerafter by
bin or them invented or found out, or brought to pfeccon for the takeing
vpp of sand, gravell, shelves, and banck out of the river of Thames, and
other havens, harbours, rivers, or waters within our Realme of England,
and Dominion of Wales, wherewith the streames or channells thereof are
streightned or choaked, that shipps and other vessells may have the more free
passage and safety, and alsoe the said other engins or instrumente for the
raising and drawing of waters, pitte, and grounde as aforesaid for other the
good and necessary vses aforesaid; and that they, the said John Gilbert and
James Freese, their executors, administrators, and assignes, by themselves or
their or either of their deputyes, servante, agente, or workmen, shall and may
lawfully and freely for their benefitte, advantage, commodityes, and profitte, and
att their wills and pleasures within this our Realnie of England, and Dominion
of Wales graunt and dispose of the said engines or instrumente to any pson
or psons that shall bee desirous and willing to make vse of the same.
for that the forming, makeing, and vseing of the said water ploughes, or
ther engines invented or to bee invented by the said John Gilbert and
James Freese, wilbee very chargeable to the said John Gilbert and James
Freese, their executors, deputyes, agente, and assignes, and the pticuler
benefitt thereof will bee small vnlesse some meanes bee pvided for the ymploy-
ment and setting the same on work, and for the vtterance and putting to
sale of the gravell, sand, and earth to bee taken out of the said river of
Thames, and other rivers or waters by the meanes thereof, our will and
pleasure is, and wee doe further give and graunt for vs; our heires and suc-
cessors, full power and authority vnto them, the said John Gilbert and James
Freese, their executors, administrators, and assignes, that they and their
deputyes vppon any our waste soile or ground, as well in or ncere our
said river of Thames as in or ncere any other havens or waters within
our said Realine aforesaid, shall and may lawfully cast vppon land, and
lay all such sand and gravell. as shall bee raised and taken vpp by near es
And

page_text: of the said engine or otherwise, and shall or may lawfully make or build
wharfes and places for the saveing and safe keeping of the said sand and
gravell from tyme to tyme duering the terme heerafter in theis sente men-
nčoned, soe as noc piudice bee thereby done to any our loving subiecte in
their pticuler estates, and to take and convert to their owne vses and to their
best commodity and profitt all the said sand and gravell soc to bee taken vpp
out of the said river of Thames, or out of any of the said havens, rivers, har-
bours or waters within this our Realme of England and Dominion of Wales.
And to the end that they, the said John Gilbert and James Freese, their
exécutors, administrators and assignes may have and enioy the whole benefitt
of their said engines and Invenčons, wee doc heerby streightly. charge and
comaund all and every person and persons of what estate, degree, quality,
or condičon soever (other then the said John Gilbert and James Freese,
their executors, administrators, deputyes and assignes,) that they or any of them
shall not, within this our Realme of England and Dominion of Wales, or anie
part thereof, for and duering the terme of yeares heerafter menconed, make,
forme, or frame any such engins or instrumente as heerin-before are menconed,
nor shall imitate or resemble the same, or make any other like thervnto, nor
shall vse, exercise or ymploy any such engins, or instrumente whatsoever
to any such end or purpose, nor any engine or engines invented, framed
or devised by the said John Gilbert and James Freese, or either of them,
and that all and every pson or psons of, what estate, degree, quallity, or
condicon soever hee or they is or are, shall in any sorte digg, or take, or
dispose of any sand or gravell to bee clensed or avoyded out of the said river
of Thames, or any of the said havens, harbors, rivers or waters by the
meanes or vse of the said engins, before menconed, or any of them, without
the liberty, licence, warrant, authority or consent of them, the said John
Gilbert and James Freese, their executors, administrators, deputies, or assignes,
first had and obtayned vnder the handes and seales of them, the said John
Gilbert and James Freese, their executors, administrators, or assignes, for the
digging, or otherwise for the takeing the same vpp as aforesaid, vppon payne of
the losse and forfeiture of all and every such engine, instrument, and thing
soe to bee newly devised, formed, erected, vsed, or ymployed contrary to the
true meaning of theis Psente, as alsoe the said sand and gravell soe to beo
raised, digged and taken without such warrant, licence, liberty and authority
as aforesaid; to have, hold, vse, exercise, take and enioy all and every the said
licence, libertyes, powers, priviledges, Pheminences, freedomes, authorityes,
profitte, comodityes and all other the pmisses vnto them, the said John Gilbert

page_text: and James Freese, their executors, administrators and assignes, from the date
of theise our Letters Patente, for and duering the terme and vnto the full end
and terme of one-and-twenty yeeres from thence next ensuing, fully to bee
compleate and ended, yeelding and paying therfore vnto vs, our heires and
successors the yearly rent or some of sixe poundes, thirteene shillinge, and foure
pence of lawfull money of England att the receipt of the Exchequer of vs, our
heires and successors, att Westñi, vppon the feast dayes of Saint Michaell the
Archangell, and the Añunciacon of our Blessed Virgin Mary, or within fourteene
dayes next after either of the said feast dayes by even and equall porcons, the
first payment thereof to begin att the Feast of the Añunciacon of the Blessed
Virgin Mary next ensuing the date heerof. And moreover, wee doe freely give
and graunt vnto the said John Gilbert and James Freese, their executors,
administrators and assignes, full and absolute power and authority that they and
every of them, their deputies, servante, and agente, shall and may, from tyme
to tyme duering the said terme of one-and-twenty yeares, with the assistance of
the constables, tithingmen, headboroughes, borsholders, or other lawfull officers
of any place or places whatsoever respectively within our Realme of England
and Dominion of Wales, aswell within libertyes as without, att their wills and
pleasures enter into any house, shopp, workehouse, yard, or other place or places
that may bee pbably suspected, and there search and see if any such engins, in-
strument, or devises bee there made, formed, framed, vsed, ymployed, or to be
ymployed, and the same soe found, in the name of vs, our heires and successors,
to scise, take, and carry away, the one moitie of which pmisses soc to bec
forfeited wee doc reserve to vs, our heires and successors; and the other
moity therof wee doe will, and graunt vnto them, the said John Gilbert and
James Freese, their heires, executors, administrators, and assignes, to their
owne proper vse and behoofe, without any accompt or other thing to bee
yeelded to vs, our heires or successors, for the same. And our will and pleasure
is, and wee doe heerby streightly charge and commaund all and every, our
justices of the peace, maiors, sheriffe, bailiffe, customers, comptrollers,
searchers, wayters, constables, headboroughes, boreholders, and all other
ministers and officers within our said realme and dominion of wales, that they
and every of them, shall, from tyme to tyme duering the said terme of one-and-
twenty yeares, bee ready, aiding, favouring, and assisting vnto them, the said
John Gilbert and James Freese, their executors, administrators, assignes,
deputyes, servante, workemen, and agente, in and aboute the due execucon of
all and singuler the misses, according to the true intent and meaning of
theis sente, as they and every of them will answere for their neglect thereof.

page_text: And theis our Lřes Patente, or the inrollment thereof, shall bee to them
and every of them a sufficient warrant and discharge in that bebalfe,
without anie further or other warrant' from vs, our heires or successors, to
bee had and obtayned in that behalfe. And our further will and pleasure
is that theis our Lies Patente, or the inrollment thereof, shall in and by
all thing bee good, firme, and effectuall, and of force in lawe to all
intent and purposes, and shall bee taken, construed, deemed and adiudged
to bee moste strong and availeable against vs, our heires and successors,
for the moste benefitt and advantage to them, the said John Gilbert and
James Freese, their executors, administrators, and assignes, in all our
court of justice and elsewhere, within our said Realme of England and
Dominion of Wales, duering the said terme of yeares heerin by vs graunted,
without any further licence, confirmacon, or tolleracon, to bee from vs, our
heires and successors, peured, sued for, or obtayned in that behalfe, notwith-
standing the not discribeing pticulerly of the said engines or instrumente, or
of any thing therein-before menconed, or the names, formes, fashions, of the
vse, working, or ymployment in or of the misses and notwithstanding any
other defect or defectf whatsoever in theis sente contayned, or any act.
statute, or ordinance, provision, or restriccon, to the contrary in any wise
notwithstanding, provided alwayes, that theis psente or anie thing heerin con-
tayned shall not extend to barr, restrayne, ympeach, or piudice a late graunt by
our late father made to Robert Crump, for, touching or condning the sole
makeing and practise of an engine by him invented for the raiseing of
waters for the service of townes, castles, or houses, or for the drayning of
coale pitte or other mynes. And our further will and pleasure is, and for vs,
our heires and successors, wee doe heerby give and graunt vnto the said John
Gilbert and James Freese, their executors, administrators, and assignes, the
one moity of all such treasure trove, plate, jewells, and other matters and
thing of value as they or their deputies or servant shall take vpp, by the vso
and meanes of any of the said engines or instrumente, out of any the rivers,
havens, harbors, crecke, or waters aforesaid, after that they shall have made
to appeare in the said Courte of Exchequer of vs, our heires and successors,
vpon their oathe and oathes, the full quantity or value of the same, and shall
have brought vnto vs, our heires and successors, the other moity thereof into
the receipt of our said Exchequer, to have and to hold the said moity vnto
them, the said John Gilbert and James Freese, their heires, executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, to them and their only vse, benefitt, and behoofe, without
any other accompt, matter, thing, or profitt, to bee therof yeelded, rendred,

page_text: or made to vs, our heires or successors; provided alsoe that if the said rent or
yeerly some heerin-before reserved shall happen to bee behinde or vnpaid by
the space of forty dayes next after either of the said feast dayes, in which the
same ought to bee paid as aforesaid, that then the said John Gilbert and James
Freese, their executors, administrators, and assignes, shall forfeite and pay
vnto vs, our heires and successors, five markes of lawfull money of England
(ñoie pene) for every three monethes after, in which the same shall bee soe
behinde and vnpaid as aforesaid; although expresse mencon, &c.
WILTICS
July, &c.
YY
es our Sene att Canbury, ne Eighth day of
P bře de privato sigillo.