TwO ENGINES OR MACHINES, VIST., ONE & WATER ENGINE FOR RAISING OR FORCING WATER VP INTO ANY TOWN OF GENTLEMAN'S SEAT, WHICH MAY PROPERLY BE CALLED A FLOATING WATER ENGINE, TO BE PLACED OR FITTED VON A BARGE IN THE RIVER OF THAMES, OR ANY OTHER LARGE RIVER, WITHOUT HINDRING THE NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER, AND IS MOVEABLE AT PLEASURE,
Year: 1724

page_text: come, greeting.
WHEREAS our trusty and welbeloved RICHARD DUNNING, of Sampford
Courtney, in our County of Devon, Esquire, hath by his petition humbly repre-
sented vnto vs, that after much labour, time, and expence, he hath invented, found
out, and brought to perfection "TwO ENGINES OR MACHINES, VIST., ONE & WATER
ENGINE FOR RAISING OR FORCING WATER VP INTO ANY TOWN OF GENTLEMAN'S SEAT,
WHICH MAY PROPERLY BE CALLED A FLOATING WATER ENGINE, TO BE PLACED OR FITTED
VON A BARGE IN THE RIVER OF THAMES, OR ANY OTHER LARGE RIVER, WITHOUT
HINDRING THE NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER, AND IS MOVEABLE AT PLEASURE, AND WHICH
WILL BE WROUGHT BY THE FORCE OF THE COMING IN OR GOING OUT OF THE TIDE, OR
WITH THE CURRENT OF ANY OTHER RIVER WHERE NO TIDE IS, AND WILL FORCE THE
WATER FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM ABOUT ONE FOOT VNDER THE SURFACE
OF THE WATER, BY WHICH MEANS THE WATER WILL BE CLEARER AND FINER
THAN AT THE SIDES OR NEAR THE BOTTOM, WHICH THE PETIČONER HUMBLY PRESUMES
WILL BE OF GREAT ADVANTAGE AND SERVICE TO THE PUBLICE; THE OTHER & ROWING
ENGINE, WHICH, WHEN PIXED ON BOARD OF ANY SHIP, WILL FORCE SHIPS OF ANY
BURTHEN WHATSOEVER AGAINST WINDES AND TIDES (IF NOT EXCESSIVE VIOLENT)
OUT OF OR INTO ANY BAYS OR HARBOURS, AND ALSO SAVE SHIPS FROX
STRANDED ON A LEEWARD SHORE, OR SHIPWRECKED IN STORMES AT SEA, WHEN BY
STRESS OF WEATHER SHIPS HAVE LOST THEIR MASTS, SAILES, OR RUDDERS, AND WILL
ALSO FORCE A SHIP SIXTY MILES A DAY IN A PERFECT CALE AT BEA, BY WHICH
MEANES MANY SHIPS AND MEN'S LIVES WILL BE PRESERVED; THAT THE SAID
ENGINE WILL LIKEWISE ENABLE & SHIP OF SMALLER FORCE TO BEAT AND TAKE A
SHIP OF THE GREATEST FORCE, BY AVOIDING THE ENEMY'S SIDE GUNNS, AND AT THE

page_text: SAME TIME RAKING THE ENEMY FORE AND AFT WITH HER GUNNS AT PLEASURE,"
which he hopes will be not only of great and singular service and benefit to
our ships of force in warr time, &c., but likewise to all our trading subiecte in
the preservacon of their ships and lives, and that the said machines or engins
are intirely new, found out, contrived, and invented by the peticoner, and and
no other person or persons to his knowledge or belief; and having humbly
prayed vs to grant to him, his executors, administrators, and assignes, our
Royal Letters Patent for the term of fourteen yeares, according to the statute
in such case made and provided, as well for securing his property in the said
invenĉons as for his greater encouragement and enabling him the better to
carry on, promote, and improve the great vsefullness thereof, as to vs should
seem meet, wee being to give encouragement to all arts and invenĉons that
may be for the publick vse and benefit, are gratiously pleased to gratify him in
his request.
KNOW YEE THEREFORE, that wee of our especial grace, certain know-
ledge, and meer močon, have given and granted, and by these presents for vs,
our heires and successors, do give and grant vnto the said Richard Dunning,
his executors, administrators, and assignes, our especial lycence, full power, sole
priviledge and authority, that he, the said Richard Dunning, his executors, admi-
nistrators, and assignes, and every of them, by himselfe or themselves, or by his
or their deputy and deputies, servants, or agente, or such others as he, the said
Richard Dunning, 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 years herein expressed, shall and lawfully may make, vse, and exercise his
said Invenĉon of two engines or machines, viz, one water engine for raising
or forcing of water vp into any town or gentleman's seat, called a floating
water engine, and the other a rowing engine, which, when fixed on board
of any ship, will force ships of any burthen whatsoever against winds and
tides (if not excessive violent) out of or into any bays and harbours, and
other vsefull purposes, to be wrought as above described, within England,
Wales, and town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, the
said Richard Dunning, his executors, administrators, and assignes, or any of
them, shall in their discrecons seem meet, and that he, the said Richard
Dunning, his executors, administrators, and assignes, shall and lawfully may
have and enioy the whole profitt, benefitt, comodity, and advantage from
time to time comeing, growing, accrewing, and ariseing by reason of the
said Invenčon, for and during the term of yeares herein menconed, to have,
hold, exercise, and enioy the said lycence, powers, priviledges, and advantages
herein-before granted, or menčoned to be granted, vnto the said Richard
Dunning, his executors, administrators, and assignes, for and during and vnto

page_text: the full end and terme of fourteen yeares from the date of these present{
next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended according
to the statute in such case made and provided; and to the end that the said
Richard Dunning, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and every of
them, may have and enjoy the full benefitt, and the sole vse and exercise of
the said Invencon, according to our gratious intenčon before declared, wee do
by these presents, for vs, our heires and successors, require and strictly com-
mand all and every person and persons, bodies politick and corporate, and all
other our subiects whatsoever, of what estate, quality, degree, name, or
condičon soever they be, within that said part of our kingdom of Great Britain
called England, our dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed
aforesaid, that neither they, or any of them, at any time during the continu-
ance of the said term of fourteen yeares hereby granted, either directly or
indirectly, do make, vse, or put in practice the said Invenčon, or any part of
the same, so attained vato by the said Richard Dunning as aforesaid, nor in
anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor shall make, or cause to
be made, any addition thereunto or substracčon from the same, whereby to
pretend himselfe or themselves the inventor or inventors, devisor or devisors
thereof, without the lycence, consent, or agreement of the said Richard
Dunning, his executors, administrators, or assignes, in writing vnder his or
their hand and seales first had and obtained in that behalf, vpon such pains
and penalties as can or may be iustly inflicted on such offenders for their
contempt of this our royall command, and further to be answerable to the
said Richard Duning, 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 the instices of the peace, mayors, sherriffs, bayliffs, con-
stables, 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. term
hereby granted, in anywise molest, trouble, or hinder the said Richard
Dunning, his executors, administrators or assignes, or any of them, or his
or their deputies, servante, or agents, in or about the due and lawfull vse on
exercise of the aforesaid Invention, or anything relating thereto.. Provided
always, and these our Letters Patente are and shall be vpon this condition,
that if at any time during the said term hereby granted it shall be mnde
appear to vs, our heires or successors or successors, or any six or more of our
or their privy council, that this our grant is contrary to law, or preiudicial or
inconvenient to our subiecte in generall, or that the said Invenčon is not a
new invenčon as to the publick vse and exercise thereof; in that said part of our

page_text: kingdom of Great Britain called England, our dominion of Wales, or town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, or not invented and found out by the said
Richard Dunning, as aforesaid, then, vpon signification or declaration thereof
to be made by vs, our heires or successors, vnder our or their signet or privy
seal, 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 Patente shall forthwith cease,
determine, and be vtterly void to all intents and purposes, anything herein-
before contained to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding. Provided also
that these our Letters Patents or anything herein contained shall not extend
or be construed to extend to give priviledge vnto the said Richard Dunning,
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 in that said part of our kingdom of Great Britain called England,
our dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, vnto whom
like Letters Patent or priviledges have been already granted, for the
sole vse, exercise and and benefitt thereof, it being our will and pleasure that
the said Richard Dunning, his executors, administrators, and assignes,
and all and every other person and persons to whom like Letters Patents or
priviledges have been already granted as aforesaid, shall distinctly vse and
practise their severall invenĉons by them invented and found out according to
the true intent and meaning of the same respective Letters Patents and of
these presente. Provided likewise nevertheless, and these our Letters Patente
are vpon this express condičon, that if the said Richard Dunning, his executors,
or administrators, or any person or persons which shall or may at any time or
times hereafter, during the continuance of this grant, have or claim any right,
title, or interest in law or equity, of, in, or to the power, priviledge, and
authority of the sole vse and benefitt of the said Invention hereby granted,
shall make any transferr or assignment, or any pretended transferr or assign-
ment, of the said liberty and priviledge, or any share or shares of the benefit or
profit thereof, or shall declare any trust thereof to or for any number of
persons exceeding the number of five, or shall open or cause to be opened
any book or books for publick subscripcons to be made by any number of
persons exceeding the number of five, in order to the raising any sume or
summes of money vnder pretence of carrying on the said liberty or priviledge
hereby granted, or shall by him or themselves, or his or their agent or
or servants, receive any sume or sumes of money whatsoever of any number of
persons exceeding in the whole the number of five, for such or the like intente
or purposes, or shall presume to act as a corporate body, or shall divide the
bnefitt of these our Letters Patents or the liberty and priviledges hereby by

page_text: vs granted into any number of shares exceeding the number of five, or shall
comitt or do, or procure to be committed or done, any act, matter, or thing
whatsoever during such time as such person or persons shall have any right or
title, either in law or equity, in or to the said premisses, which will be contrary
to the true intent and meaning of a certain Act of Parliament, made in the
sixth year of our reign, intituled (an Act for the better securing certain powers
and priviledges intended to be granted by His Majestie by two charters for
assurance of ships and merchandizes at sea, and for lending money vpon
bottomry, and for restraining severall extravagant and vnwarrantable practices
therein menconed), if these our Letters Patente had not been granted; or in
case the said power, priviledge, or authority shall at any time hereafter become
vested in or in trust for more than the number of five persons or their repre-
sentatives at any one time (reckoning executors or administrators as and for
the single person whom they represent as to such interest as they are or shall
be intituled to in right of such their testator or intestate), that then and in any
of the said cases, these our Letters Patents, and all liberties, priviledges, and
advantages whatsoever hereby granted, shall vtterly cease, determine, and
become void, anything herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise
notwithstanding. And lastly, wee do by these psents, for vs, our heires and
successors, grant vnto the said Richard Dunning, his executors, administrators,
and assignes, that these our Letters Patente, or the inrollment or exempli-
ficačon thereof, shall be in and by all things good, firm, valid, sufficient, aud
effectuall in the law, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and
shall be taken, construed, and adiudged in the most favourable and beneficiall
sense for the best advantage of the said Richard Dunning, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, as well in all our courte of record as elswhere,
and by all and singular the officers and ministers whatsoever of vs, our heires
and successors, in that part of our said kingdom of Great Britain called
England, our dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid,
and amongst all and every the subjects of vs, our heires and successors, what-
soever and wheresoever, notwithstanding the not full and certain describing the
nature or quality of the said Invenčon or of the materialls thereto conducing
and belonging.