CHANGING AND CONVERTING SKINS OF PARCHMENT AND VELLUM INTO LEATHER, AND OP MAKING SUCH LEATHER WATER-PROOF
Year: 1800

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HITCHCOCK, of the Parish of Saint Andrew, "Holborn," in the 'County "of
Middlesex, Gentlemán, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, in 'and
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of September, in 'the fortieth year of
His reign, for Himself, "His heirs, and successors, did give and grant unto me,
the said James Hitchcock, His especial licence; full power, sole privilege, 'and
authority, that I, the said James Hitchcock, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputy or deputies, servants,
or agents, or such others as I, the said 'James Hitchcock, 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, exercise, 'and 'vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; my Invention "of
"CHANGING AND CONVERTING SKINS OF PARCHMENT AND VELLUM INTO LEATHER, AND
OP MAKING SUCH LEATHER WATER-PROOF;" in which said Letters 'Patent there is
contained a proviso, obliging me, the said James Hitchcock, in and by-nñ
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the samē
is to be performed, and to cause 'the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within one calendar month next and immediately after

page_text: the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Janies Hitchcock, do describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as follows (that is to
say) :-
First, soak the skins of parchment or vellum in water for twenty-four
hours, then take them out of the water and rince them well. Having thus
prepared them, take any number of skins not exceeding fifty, and immerse
them in the following solution: -To twenty gallons of water add one pound
and an half of white copperas bruised very fine in a mortar, one ounce of
sal armoniac, and one pound of cream of tartar, let them remain for twenty-
four hours, often stirring them well about, then strain it off into another tub
or vessel, and mix therewith one pint of spirits of marine salt, one pound of
spirits of nitre, and ten pounds of oil of vitriol. The skins put into this
solution should be constantly rubbed, washed, or stirred about until they have
discharged all the lime, which will be generally done if properly attended to
in the course of twenty-four hours, more or less, when the skins treated thus
should become soft and pliable, and free from lime; then they must be taken
out of the solution and immersed in clear river water, letting them remain
therein for twelve hours to extract the remaining particles of the acids; then
they are to be rinced out as dry as possible without tearing the skins, and put
into the following decoction:-Take twenty pounds of oak bark, five pounds
of elm bark, three pounds of lignum vitæ chips, three pounds of sarsafras, and
seven pounds of shumack, put them into a large copper and add twenty gallons
of water, boil the whole gently for twenty-four hours, then strain off the
residue and let it cool until blood warm, then dip the skins therein regularly
one after the other for about five minutes, after which put them into tan pits
with a weak solution of oak bark only, or with shumack, and let them remain
until they are sufficiently strong or tanned, which will generally be accom-
plished in four or five days, more or less. To make the parchment or vellum
leather thus prepared water-proof, it must be soaked for five or six days in
nut or linseed oil, then taken out and wrung as dry as possible, after which it
must (being first stretched on a board or other flat surface) be spread, with a
wooden or metal tube made for the purpose, or brushed over several times
with the following composition:-Take one pound of red lead, one pound of
litherage, one pound of copperas, one pound of sugar of lead, one pound of
osin, and one pound of bees-wax, and one pound of pitch, put them into
seven gallons of linseed, nut, or fish oil, and boil them in an iron or earthen

page_text: ot until it becomes the consistence of treacle, which when cold may be spread
with an iron or wooden instrument upon the surface of the leather, or brushed
on when warm, or spread when cold, for three or four times, which will be
sufficient, then suffer it to dry for three or four days, and it will be fit for use.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hitchcock, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand and eight hundred.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
WV
JAMES HITCHCOCK. (L.S.)
HEARTWELL,
Public Office.