A NEW INVENCON, SKILL, OR WAY FOR THE WYNNING AND DRAYNING OP MANY GROUND WHICH ARE DAYLIE AND DESPE- RATELIE SURROUNDED WITHIN OUR KINGDOME OF ENGLAND AND DOMINION OF WALES
Year: 1621

page_text: England, Scotland
ice, an
JAMES, by the grace of God,
Ireland, Defendor of the Faith, &c., to all to whome theise psente shall come,
greeting.
WHEREAS wee are given to vnderstand that our welbeloved subiect HuGu
MIDDLETON, Cittizen and Goldsmith of London, hath to his very great charge
maynteyned many strangers and others, and bestowed much of his tyme to
invent a new way, and by his industrie, greate charge, paynes, and long
experience, hath devised and found out "A NEW INVENCON, SKILL, OR WAY FOR
THE WYNNING AND DRAYNING OP MANY GROUND WHICH ARE DAYLIE AND DESPE-
RATELIE SURROUNDED WITHIN OUR KINGDOME OF ENGLAND AND DOMINION OF WALES,"
and is now in very great hope to bringe the same to good effect, the same not
being heretofore knowne, experimented, or vsed within our said realme or domi-
nion, whereby much benefitt, which as yet is lost, will certenly be brought both
to vs in particular and to our coñon wealth in generall, and hath offered to
publish and practise his skill amongest our loving subiecte, and hath therevppon
made and exhibited his most humble suite and peticion vnto vs, according to
our accustomed goodnes, for the furtherance of so pffittable and necessary a
worke, and for his better incouragement in this kind of imployment, to graunt
vnto him our tres patente for the space of fowerteene yeares, both to enable
him in the said worke, and alsoe to phibite and restraine all others, without
his lycense, from pforming or vndertakeing the same after his manner,
whereby the said Hugh Middleton may reape some fruite of his owne labors

page_text: and industries therein, as is fitt, and recompence himselfe of the cost, charges,
and expences which he hath susteyned or shall susteyne or be att about the
said devices or invenčons, and the making and putting in vre thereof,
KNOWE YEE, that wee, tendring the weale of this our kingdom and the
benefitt of our subiecte, and out of our princely care to nourish all arte, inven-
cions, and studdies whereof there may be any necessary or pffitable vse within
our dominions, and out of our desire to cherish and encourage the industries and
paynes of all other our loving subiecte in the like laudable indeavors, and to
recompence the labors and expences of the said Hugh Middleton disbursed
and to be susteyned as aforesaid, and for the good opinion wee have conceived
of the said Hugh Middleton, for that worthy worke of his in bringing the
New River to our cittie of London, and his care and industrie in busines of
like nature tending to the publicke good, and for other good consideracions vs
herevnto moving, of our especiall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere mocion,
have given and graunted, and by theise psents for vs, our heires and successors,
doe give and graunt, full, free, and absolute licence, libertie, power, and autho-
ritie vnto the said Hughe Middleton, his deputies, substitutes, and assignes,
that they and every of them, their and every of their executors, administrators,
and assignes, deputies, substitute, servante, workemen, and agente, and
none other, shall and may att all and every time and tymes, and froin tyme
to tyme during the terme of fowerteene years next ensuing the date hereof,
att their and every of their liberties and pleasures, within this our realme-of
England and dominion of Wales, and the port and towne of Barwicke, or
any of them, vse, exercise, practise, and putt in vre the the said art, skill,
mistery, knowledge, feate, and way which hath bene or shalbe first
invented and made knowne within our said realme and dominion, by the
meanes and industrie or att the pper coste and charges of the said Hugh
Middleton, for the wynning or drayning of any grounde surrounded or
overflowen with water, and to that end and purpose to provide, make, erect,
build, and sett vpp such and so many engines, instrumente, or devises as by
the said Hugh Middleton, his deputies and assigns, and his and their executors,
administrators, deputies, servante, and assignes, or any of them, have. byn or
during the said terme shalbe first invented and devised, and the same to vtter,
sell, or otherwise dispose of att their or any of their will and pleasure, and
for his and their best benefitt and advantage: Wherefore also our will and
pleasure is, and by theise psente for vs, our heires and successors, wee doo
straightlie charge and comaund and phibit all and every of our joving
subiecte and all and every other pson and psons whatsoever of what estate,
degree, or condicon soever, that none of them, other then the said Hugh

page_text: Middleton, his executors, administrators, substitute, factors, servante, worke-
men, assigns, or agente, shall during the said terme of fowerteene yeares
attempt, Psume, goe about, or take in hand, any manner of way, directlie or
indirectlie, to vse, exercise, practise, or putt in vre the said art, skill, mistery;
knowledge, feate, or way, which hath bene or shalbe first invented and made
knowen within this our realme of England and dominion of Wales by the
meanes and industrie or att the pper cost and charges of the said Hughe
Middleton as aforesaid, within our said realme of England,. dominion of
Wales, or port or towne of. Barwick, or any of them, for the wynning or
drayning of any grounde surrounded or overflowen with water, or to make,
imitate, vse, exercise, practise, put in vre, or counterfeit by the paterne,
example, or fashion of the said engines, instrumente, or devises which have
bene or shalbe first invented and made knowen within our said realme of
England and dominion of Wales, by the meanes and industric or att the
pper cost and charges of the said Hugh Middleton for the purposes aforesaid
any other like engines, instrumente, or devises whatsoever, during the said
terme of fowerteene yeares, without the license, consent, or agreement of the
said Hugh Middleton, his executors, administrators, or assignes, or some of
them, vppon paine of our indignacion and displeasure, and of such further
paines, penalties, and imprisonment as by the lawes and statute of this
realme can or may be inflicted vppon the offendors, as contemners of our
royall comaund, and further, vppon payne of forfeiture of all such engines,
instrument and devises as shalbe devised, made, framed, or vsed within our
said realme and dominion and the said port and towne of Barwick, or any of
them, contrary to the true intent and meaning of theise sente, and to have
the same whollie defaced, overthrowen, destroyed, and pulled downe; and to
the intent the said Hughe Middleton, his executors, administrators and
assignes, may have.and enioye the full benefitt of all and every the licences,
liberties, powers, and authorities aforesaid, wee doe by theise psente, for vs,
our heires and successors, graunt vnto him and them and every of them that
it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Hugh Middleton, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, and every of them, att all tymes hereafter during
the said terme of fowerteene yeares, with a constable or other officer of the
pish or place respectivelie, at all tymes convenient, to enter and goe into
any house or houses, lande, grounde, or other place or places, to search and
see if any sort or kinde of engins or instrumente be or shalbe made,
devised, erected, sett vpp, or vsed within our said realme and dominions,
or any of them, contrary to the tenor thereof, and also seise and make con-
fiscate and to take and carry away all and every such engins and instrumente

page_text: soe found or to be found to be made or vsed, and the same and every of them
whollie to deface and' pull downe; to have, hold, vse, excise, practise, and putt
in vre and enioy all and every the said lycenses, libties, powers, priviledges,
iniunities and authorities, and 'all and singuler other the pmisses and thing?
herein-before menconed to be hereby given and graunted, and every of them, vnto
the said Hugh Middleton, his executors, administrators, and assignes, from the
date hereof for, during, and vntill the full end and terme of fowerteene yeares
from thence'next ensuing and fully to be complete and ended; Provided alwaies,
that if the foresaid invencions hereby mencioned to be privileged, and by the
said Hugh Middleton, his executors, administrators, or assigns, to be puttin
vre and practise, have bene knowne and put in practise before the date of
theise sente within our said kingdome and dominions or any of them, other-
wise then by the meanes or industry or att the pper cost and charges of the
said Hugh Middleton, that theise our Lies Patente (so farre forthi as to the
said Invencions so knowen and putt in practise) shalbe void and of none effect,
and in the residue, notwithstanding, good and sufficient in lawe, anything herein
likewise conteyned to the contrary notwithstanding; provided also, that theise
Psente, or anything herein conteyned, shall not extend to give priviledge to
the said Hugh Middleton, his executors, administrators; or assigns, or practise
or vse any engyn or invencion, for which any priviledge hath ben heretofore
graunted by vs or any our predecessors to any other pson or psons: And,
lastlic, wee doe hereby, for vs, our heires and successors, straightlie 'charge and
comaund all and singuler justices of peace, mayors, sheriffe, bayliffe, constables,
headboroughes, and other officers of and within all and every cittie, borough,
towne, or place, and all other our ministers and subject whatsoever within
our realines and dominions, and every of them, from tyme to tyme during the
terme aforesaid to be ayding and assisting vnto the said Hugh Middleton, liis
executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, and to his and their.
deputies and servaunte, in the due execution of all and singuler the misses,
according to the true meaning of theise psente, as they tender our pleasure,
and will avoid the contrary, at their perill. Although expresse mencion, &c..
In witnes whereof &e Witnes our solfo at Westminster, the second
day of July.
Pbře de priuato sigillo, &c.