Year: 1709

page_text: ANNE, by the grace of God, &c., to all to whom these presents shall come,
greeting.
WHEREAS SAMUEL SCHMETTAN, Gentleman, hath by his petition humbly
represented vnto vs, that by long study and great expence, and by taking
particular notice of the manner of makeing salt at Sheilde, near Newcastle-
vpon-Tine, and other places, by boyling it with coales, he hath found out
a better method in boyling thereof, by which meanes it may be made
at lesse charge and afforded at lower rates than formerly, and consequently
may occasion the setling a salt trade with forreign parts to the preiudice of
France, and to the advantage to our subiects in general; and having (as
he, the said Samuel Schmettan, humbly conceived) acquired so much expe-
rience in the management of salt works, and making of salt of salt water, as to
be able to shew such a method in boyling it as will answer the ende above men-
tioned, and in time bring it to greater perfection, the said Samuel Schmettan
humbly proposes to make the first tryal at his own expence, and, least his
labour for the publick good should prove a detriment to him, hath humbly
besought vs to grant him our Letters Patents for the sole vse and exercise
of the said new invented method in making salt for the term of fourteen
yeares.
KNOW YEE THEREFORE, that wee, being willing to give encourage-
ment to all arts and inventions which may be of publick vse and benefit, of
our especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer motion, have given and
granted, and by these presents for vs, our heires and successors, do give and
grant vnto the said Samuel Schmettan, his 'executors, administrators, and

page_text: assignes, especial lycence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that he,
the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and
every of them, by himselfe and themselves, or by his or their deputy and
deputies, servants or agents, or such others as he the said Samuel Schmettan,
his executors, administrators, or assignes, shall at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of yeares
herein expressed, shall and lawfully may exercise, work, vse, and enioy, within
that part of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, our dominion of
Wales, and town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the said new-invented method in
making of salt, in such manner as to him, the said Samuel Schmetton, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, or any of them, shall in their dis-
creations seem meet; and that he, yo sa Samuel Schmettan, his exec", adm",
and assignes, shall and may have and enjoy the sole profit, benefit, comodity,
and advantage, from time coming, growing, accruing, and ariseing by reason
of the said Invention for and during the full term of yeares herein mentioned,
to have, hold, exercise, and enioy the said licence, powers, privileges, and
advantages herein-before granted, or mentioned to be granted, vnto the said
Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators, and assignes, for and during
and vnto the full end and terme of fourteen yeares from the date of these presents
next and imediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended according
to the statute in this case made and provided; and to the end that the said
Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and every of
them, may have and enioy the full benefit and the sole vse and exercise of
the said new-invented method in making salt, according to our gracious
intention herein-before declared, wee do by these presents for vs, our heires
and successors, require and strictly comand all and every person and persons,
bodies politick, and corporate, and all other our subiects whatsoever, of what
estate, quality or degree, name, or condičon soever they be, within England,
Wales, and town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, that neither they nor any of them
at any time dureing the continuance of the said terme of fourteen yeares
hereby granted, either directly or indirectly do make, vse, or put in practice the
said Invention, or any part of the same, soe attained vnto by the said Samuel
Schmettan as aforesaid, nor shall in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble
the same, nor shall make or cause to be made any addition thereunto or sub-
straction from the same, whereby to pretend himselfe or themselves the inventor
or inventors, devisor or devisors thereof, without the licence, consent, or agree-
ment of the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators, or assignes,
in writing vnder his or their hande and seales first had and obtained in that
behalfe, vpon such paines and penalties as can or may be iustly inflicted on

page_text: such offenders for their contempt of this our royal comand, and further, to be
answerable to the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators, and
assignes according to law for his and their damages thereby occasioned; and
moreover, wee do by these presents for vs, our heires and successors, will and
command all and singular our iustices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bayliffs,
constables, headboroughs, and all other officers and ministers whatsoever of
vs, our heires and successors, for the time being, that they or any of them do
not nor shall, at any time hereafter during the said terme hereby granted, in
anywise molest, trouble, or hinder the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors,"
administrators, or assignes, or any of them, or his or their deputies, servants,
or agents, in or about the due and lawfull making, vse, or exercise of the
aforesaid Invention, or anything relateing thereto: Provided always, and these
our Letters Patents are and shall be vpon this condition, that the nature of
the salt be not altered by the said new-invented method in making the same;
provided also, that if, at any time during the terme hereby granted, it shall be
made appeare to vs, our heires or successors, or any six or more of our or
their Privy Councill, that this our grant is contrary to law, or prejudicial or
inconvenient to our subiects in general, or that the said Invention is not a
new invention as to the publick vse and exercise thereof within England, and
not invented and found out by the said Samuel Schmettan as aforesaid, then
vpon significačon and declaration thereof, to be made by vs, our heires or
successors, vnder our or their signet or privy seale, or by the lorde and others
of our or their Privy Council, or any six or more of them vnder their hande,
these our Letters Patents shall forthwith cease, determine, and be vtterly
void, to all intents and purposes, anything herein-before contained to the con-
trary in any wise notwithstanding: Provided also, that these our Letters
Patents, or anything herein contained, shall not extend or be construed to
extend to give privilege vnto the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors,
administrators, or assignes, or any of them, to vse or imitate any Invention
or work whatsoever which hath heretofore been found out or invented by
any other of our subiects whatsoever, and publickly vsed or exercised within
England, vnto whom like Letters Patents or privilege have been already
granted for the sole vse, exercise, and benefit thereof, it being our will and
pleasure that the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, and all and every other person and persons to whom like Letters
Patents or privileges have been already granted as aforesaid, shall distinctly
vse and practise their several inventions by them invented and found out,
according to the true intent and meaning of the same Letters Patents and
of these presents. And lastly, wee do by these presents, for vs, our heires and

page_text: successors, grant vnto the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, that these our Letters Patents, or the inrolment thereof,.
shall be in and by all things good, firm, valid, sufficient, and effectual in the
law, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and shall be taken,
construed, and adiudged in the most favourable and beneficial sense for the
best advantage of the said Samuel Schmettan, his executors, administrators,
and assignes, as well in all courts of record as elsewhere, and by all and
singular the officers and ministers whatsoever of vs, our heires and successors,
in England, and other our dominions whatsoever, and amongst all and every
the subiects of vs, our heires and successors, whatsoever and wheresoever, not-
withstanding the not full and certain describing the nature or quality of the
said Invention or of the materials thereto conducing and belonging.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse ourselfe at Westminster, the Twelfth day
of July.
By Writt of Privy Seale.