Year: 1626

page_text: WHEREAS the comoditie of steele ys genally vseful within our realmes and
domynions, and the scarcity thereof ys greate inconveniency to the comon
wealth, as appeth by the daily inhauncing of the price, and the smale quantity
of steele brought from the parte beyonde the seas, which alsoe, for the moste
parte being vniichantable ware, hath and still doth tende to the greate losse,
grievance, and hinderance of our lovinge subiecte whoe haue occasion to worke
and vse the same; And whereas our welbeloued subiect THOMAS LETSOME,.
cittizen and chantaylor of London (with the helpe and assistance) of
our loving subiect NICHOLAS PAGE, Gentleman, hath, by his industric,
longe travelle and paines, and att his greate charge and expence, found
out and attained vnto the true and pfect waie for making of steele within
this our realme of England, which, as wee are informed, hath not beene
Leertofore founde out, knowne or putt in practice and broughte to pfeccon
within anie our realmes and domynions in that waie and by those meanes wch
the said Thomas Letsome bath invented and pfected the same; And whereas
the mills and work where the said steele is to bee brought, tempered, and.
made according to the said Invenčon are to bee erected, sett vpp, and main-
tained in and vppon the lands, grounds, and possessions of our trustie and
righte welbeloved RICHARD LORD DACRE, and hee, for the furtherance of soe.
pfitable an Invenčon and soe vsefull to the comon wealth, is contented to beare
the charge of those workes; And whereas our subiecte which haue-heertofore
hald occasion for the vse of steele, haue byn forced to furnish themselves

page_text: therewith at deer rates from forraigne parte beyonde the seas; wherewith nowe
and from henceforth they maie bee plentifully furnished and stored att home,
by the industrie and invenčon of the said Thomas Letsome, and by the charge
and assistance of the said Lord Dacre and Nicholas Page, yf the Invencon
aforesaid shall take good successe, whereof they are willing to make the
adventure, and they shalbee then able to afforde and sell the same att and
for a lesse price then steele brought as a chandize from forraigne parte hath
beene heretofore vsually sould.
KNOWE YEE therefore that wee, approving of the said Invenčon as
tending to the good and benefitt of our kingdome and comon wealth in gefall,
and of our princelie care to vpholde and sett forward all such arte and misteries
as maie bee vsefull and pfitable to vs and our people, and out of our desire to
cherish and encourage the good endeauors of such as shall bestowe their tyme,
paines, travelle and charge in inventing and pfecting thing tendinge to the
benefitt of our subiecte and domynions; and out of our princely care, grace, and
bountie, intending, as wee hould yt agreeable to justice and honor, to reward
and recompense the labors and expences of the saide Lord Dacree, Thomas
Letsome, and Nicholas Page, imploied and expended, and to bee imployed
and expended, in and aboute the said new Invenčon with such pfitt and
benefitt as maie bee answereable therevnto, and as maie encorage others by
their example in giving them a priviledge to enioye for a convenient time the
fruite of their owne labors and benefitt of their owne Invenĉon and charge,
and for diuers other good causes and consideracons us therevnto moveing of
our espiall grace, ten knowledge, and meere močon, have given and ğunted,
and by theis sente for vs, our heires and successors, doe give and ğunte vnto the
said Richard Lord Dacree Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas Page, their executors,
administrators, deputies, and assignes; full and free libtie, lycence, power,
priuiledge, authoritie, and imunitye, that they, the said Richard Lord Dacree,
Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas Page, their executors, administrators, deputies,
and assignes, or anie of them, and such other pson and psons as by them, or
anie of them, under their, or anie of their, hand and seales, shalbee in that
behalfe deputed and appointed, and none other shall or lawfullie maie, from
tyne to tyme and at all tymes duringe the tearme of yeares hereafter in and by
theis sente gunted or lymitted att their and everie of their wille and pleasures
within this our realme of England, domynion of Wales, and porte or
towne of Berwick, or anie of them, vse, excise, practice, and putt in vse the
said arte, skill, or mistery of making of steele, and all other thinge, of what
nature, name, or quality soever, which are to bee vsed to that ppose,
and in and aboute the same whereof they, the said Lord Dacree, Thomas
Letsome, and Nicholas Page, or anie of them, is or are, hath or haue

page_text: beene the firste devisor or inventor, devisors, or inventors, within this our
realme of England, the same to bee used, disposed of, and imployed as to
them or anie of them shall seeme moste convenient for their and euy or anie
of their best pfitt and advantage. And, therefore, wee doe hereby for vs,
our heires and successors, straightly charge, comand, and phibite all pson and
psons, of what estate, condicon, trade, or mistery soever (other then said
Richard Lord Dacree, Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas Page, their executors,
administrators, deputies, and assignes, that none of them, during the tearme
hereafter menconed, doe attempte, Psume, or goe about, or take in hande, by
anie waie or meanes whatsoever, directlie or indirectlie to vse, excise, imitate,
practice, or putt in vre the said arte, skill, mistery, feate, and waie of making
or practising of the making of steele by the said Thomas Letsome invented
as aforesaid, or to frame, erect, or sett vpp anie mille, workes, engins, or other
thinge or thing of what name, nature, or qualitie soeu, which are to bee vsed
to that ppose, or anie arte, skill, mistery, or waie for the making of steele
within our said realme and domynion and towne of Berwick, or anie of them.
by the waie, example, or fashion invented or devised by the said Thomas
Letsome as aforesaid, or to imitate, vse, excise, practice, putt in vre, or counter-
feite anie like invencon or devise for the making of stecle without the consente,
licence, or agreement of them, the said Lord Dacre, Thomas Letsome, and
Nicholas Page, their executors, administrators, or assignes, or some of them,
firste therevnto had and obteyned, vnder their or some of their hand and seale,
or hande and seales, vppon paine to forfeite to vs, our heires and successors, all
such steele as shalbee soc made as aforesaide; and of all such mille, engynes,
worekhouses, deuise and devises, soe to bee made, erected, or sett vpp contry
to the true meaning of theis psente, and to haue all the furnaces, instrumente,
and other thing for the making thereof by anie contry to theis our Lřes
Patent to bee pulled downe, defaced, and made vnserviceable, the one moiety
of which forfeyture wee doe hereby for vs, our heires and successors, give and
gunte vnto the said Richard Lord Dacre, Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas Page,
their executors, administrators, and assignes, and the other moyety thereof wee
will shalbee reserved to the vse of vs our heires and successors, and vppon
paine of the high displeasure of vs our heires and successors, and vpon such
further paines, penalties, and punishment, as by the lawes and statute of this our
realme of England, in anie our courte of justice, or by our highe Courte of
Starchamber, can or maie bee inflicted vppon the offenders for their contempt
and disobedience in breaking and contemning this our comaundment and
Progatiue royall. To haue, holde, excise, practice, and putt in vre, the said
lycences, libties, powers, priuiledge, authorities, and imunities before by theis

page_text: Psente, given and ğunted vnto the said Richard Lord Dacre, Thomas
Letsome, and Nicholas Page, their executors, administrators, deputies, and
assignes, and every of them for and during and vnto the full ende and tearme
of fourteene yeares next ensuing after the date of theis sente, fully to bec
compleate and ended, yeilding and payinge-yearlie, and the said Richard Lord
Dacre, Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas Page, for themselues, their executors,
administrators, and assignes, soe counte, pmise, and gunte to and with vs, our
heires and successors, by theis. Psente; to yield and paie yearlie to vs, our
heires and successors, for the same the yearly rente or some of thirteene
'pound six shillinge and eight pence of lawful monie of England, att the
receipte of the Exchequer of vs, our heires and successors, att the vsuall feast
of Saincte Michaell Tharchangell, and the Annunciacon of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, by even and equall porcons to bee paide duringe the saide tearme of
fourteeyne yeares, the firste payment thereof to begin att the feaste of Saincte
Michaell Tharchangell next ensuing after the date of theis psente, and for
the more due and better exccucon of this our pleasure, wee doe by theis sente
for vs, our heires and successors, give and gunte full power and authority
vnto the saide Richard Lord Dacre, Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas Page, their
executors, administrators, deputies, and assignes, and everic or anie of them, att
all time and tymes convenient during the said tearme of fourteene yeares, with
the assistance of a constable, tithingman, hedborrowe, or other lawfull officer of
anie place or places whatsoeů respectiuly within our said realme of England,
domynion of Wales, and towne or porte of Berwick, aswell within libties
as withoute, att their and every or anie of their wille and pleasures, as occasion
shall require, and att fitt and convenient tyme and tymes, to goe.and enter
into any house or other place or places whatsoever, which shalbe pbably
suspected, and there carefully and diligently by all carefull waies and meanes
to search for all such engines, devises, or instrumente, belonging vnto or
conning the putting of the said invencon before mentioned in practice as
shalbee made, Ppared, counterfeited, or imitated, vsed, or putt in practice
by anie pson or psons, other then the said Lord Dacre, Thomas Letsome,
and Nicholas Page, their executors, administrators, deputies, or assignes, or
anie of them, contry to the tenor of theis our Lřes Patente; and if anie such
engines, instrumente, or devises, shalbee soe founde to arreste, seize, and carry
awaic the same to the vses aforesaide, and alsoe to deface, breake, and make
vnvsefull all and all manner of engines, instrumente, devises, or anie other
manner or other thinge whatsoever Ppared or made ready for the pposes
aforesaide as they or anie of them shall thinke meete; and yf in the execucon
thereof they shall finde anie resistance, that then they shall give notice and

page_text: Stefy the same vnto the justices or judges of some of our courte of justico
to thende that the offenders therein maie receive condigne punishment for
their offences; and further wee doe by theis psente, for vs, our heires and
successors, straightlie charge and comaund all maiors, shereiffe, justices of
peace, bailiffe, constables, officers, and ministers whatsoever to whome yt
shall or maie appteine, and all our louing subiecte from time to time
during the said terme of fowerteene yeares to bee helping, ayding, and
assistinge to the said Richard Lord Dacrc, Thomas Letsome, and Nicholas
Page, their exccutors, administrators, deputies, servante, agente, and assignes, in
all matters and thinges concning the accomplishment of this our psent graunte,
and not anie waies to hinder, molest, or interrupte them or any of them therein.
as they tender our pleasure, and will avoyd our displeasure att their perille. And
our will and pleasure ys, and wee doe by theis sente, for vs, our heires and
successors, ğunte, that theis our Lřes Patente, or the inrollment or exempli-
ficacon thereof, shalbee in all thing firm, good, availeable, and effectuall in
lawe, and shalbec taken, construed, and adiudged in all our Courte and elswhere,
moste favorably and beneficially to and for the said Richard Lord Dacre,
Thonias Letsome, and Richard Page, their executors, administrators, and
assignes, notwithstanding the not exact and pfect and menconing or not
menconing, or not discribing of the Invencon, arte, or misterie before
menconed, or of the tenty of the forme to bee vsed in the pforming or
putting in execuĉon of the same Invenčon or anic other the pmisses, and
notwithstanding anie defect whatsoeu in theis psente. Although expresse
menčon, &c.
In wines whereor, &c.
Aprill.
Wimes our scife at Westin, the eight date of
P bře de priuato sigillo, &c.