A METHOD FOR THE SECURING THE PROPERTY OF ALL PERSONS WHO MIGHT BECOME PURCHASORS OF SHARES OF TICKETS IN THE PRESENT AND FUTURE STATE LOTTERIES SO SOLD AND DISPOSED or
Year: 1777

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WILLIAM.
NICHOLSON, of the Bank Buildings, Cornhill, London, Broker and Lottery
Office Keeper, sendeth greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the
Fourteenth day of July, in the seventeenth year of His Majesty's reign,
reciting that the said William Nicholson had, by his Petition, humbly repre-
sented to His Majesty that he, the said William Nicholson, taking into
consideration the many frauds practised in the selling shares of tickets in the
State lotteries for several years past, notwithstanding the laws in being to
prevent the same, has found out and invented "A METHOD FOR THE SECURING
THE PROPERTY OF ALL PERSONS WHO MIGHT BECOME PURCHASORS OF SHARES OF
TICKETS IN THE PRESENT AND FUTURE STATE LOTTERIES SO SOLD AND DISPOSED
or," and that in regard he (the said William Nicholson) was the first and true
Inventor thereof, and that no other person or persons had ever used or
practised the same, to the best of his knowledge and belief, he (the said
William Nicholson) therefore most humbly prayed His said Majesty to grant
unto him, the said William Nicholson, and His said Majesty did accordingly
give and grant unto the said William Nicholson, his exors, admors, and
assigns, His special license, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that he,
the said William Nicholson, his exors, adiñors, and assigns, and every of

page_text: them, by himself and themselves, or by his or their deputy or deputies,
servants or agents, or such others as he, the said William Nicholson, his
exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of fourteen years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend
his said Invention within that part of Great Britain called England, the
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as
to him, the said William Nicholson, his exors, adiñors, and assigns, or any of
them, should in their discretion seem meet, and that he, the said William
Nicholson, his exors, adññiors, and assigns, should and lawfully might have
and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to
time coming, growing, accrueing, and arising by reason of the said Invention,
for and during the said term of fourteen years; in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso obliging the said William Nicholson, by an
instrument in writing under his hand and seal, to cause a particular description,
and to ascertain the nature of bis said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within four calendar months next after the date of
the said Letters Patent, as in and by the said in part recited Letters Patent,
relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large' appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, the said
William Nicholson doth hereby describe and ascertain the nature of his said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is and shall be performed, as
follows, that is to say:
I
That he, the said William Nicholson, shall and will indorse, or cause to be
written and indorsed, upon all and every the original State lottery ticket and
tickets which he shall or may purchase, or divide into shares to be sold, the
true number of shares into which every such ticket or tickets shall be divided,
in the words or to the effect following; that is to say, "This ticket is divided
into the undermentioned share, by William Nicholson, for the benefit of-the
respective proprietors thereof;" and then also to specify thereon the exact
number of shares into which every such ticket shall be or has been divided;
and that the purchasor and purchasors of all and every share or shares in all
and every such State lottery ticket or tickets, which shall be divided into shares
and sold by the said William Nicholson, shall be at liberty to see and inspect
every such original State lottery ticket or tickets which shall be so divided into
shares, in order and to the end that the purchasor or purchasors of any and
every share or shares of and in all and every such ticket or tickets, may be
satisfied and assured that the original and real State lottery ticket or tickets so

page_text: divided into shares is or are in the actual custody, power, or possession of the
said William Nicholson, and so that it may thereby appear the number of
shares into which every such lottery ticket or tickets hath been or shall be
divided. And the said William Nicholson, in further satisfaction and security
to the public, hath bound himself, his heirs, exors, and admors, to the public,
by a certain bond or obligation under his hand and seal, dated the First day
of August, One thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, to the holders and
bearers of any share or shares of any ticket or tickets purchased of him in the
present State lottery, or in any other State lottery or lotteries, for the term of
fourteen years, in the penal sum of ten thousand pounds, duly and truly to
perform the several matters and things in this Specification contained, and
hath deposited the said bond or obligation in the hands of an indifferent
person, for the benefit of all and every person and persons who are or shall
have any interest or concern in the event.
In witness whereof, the said William Nicholson hath hereunto set his
hand and seal, the Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven.
WILL (L.s.) NICHOLSON.
Scaled and delivered (being first duly
stampt) in the presence of
SAM TOULMIN,
Walbrook, London.