A NEW SORT OF TABLE TO BE PLAID ON WITH BALLS TO FALL INTO SMALL HOLLOWES IN THE SAME TABLE, MADE SOE MATHEMATICALL AND EQUALLY PLACED AND INLAID WITH CHANCES OF DICE AS MAY PREVENT ALL CHEATING THEREAT
Year: 1692

page_text: WILLIAM
MARY, Dy
grace
WHOLIC these
presents shall come, greeting.
WHEREAS THOMAS NEALE, Esquire, hath, by his humble peticon, repre-
sented vnto vs that, after much study, enquiry, and cost, he hath found out
and invented "A NEW SORT OF TABLE TO BE PLAID ON WITH BALLS TO FALL INTO
SMALL HOLLOWES IN THE SAME TABLE, MADE SOE MATHEMATICALL AND EQUALLY
PLACED AND INLAID WITH CHANCES OF DICE AS MAY PREVENT ALL CHEATING
THEREAT," and haveing observed that the dice cōmonly made for some yeares
past were cutt very vnequall, and that the spotts being filled with wax, such
dice might be easily loaded, and consequently be made false, he hath, with
much industry, great cost and care, invented "A NEW SORT OF DICE KNOWNE
BY THE NAME OF MATHEMATICKS, CUTT PERFECTLY SQUARE BY A MOLD, WITH SPOTTS
STAINED (INSTEAD OF HOLES FILLED WITH WAX) ON THEM, TO PREVENT DECEIPTS AT
PLAY" which said Inventions have not heretofore been knowne or practised
by any of our subiects, and hath prayed vs to grant him our Letters Patents
for the sole vse thereof.
KNOW YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, being willing to cherish and
encourage all laudable endeavours and designes of our subiects as have by their
industry found out vsefull and profitable arts, misteries, and inventions, and
that the said Thomas Neale may accordingly reape some fruite and benefitt
of his labour and charge in and concerning the premisses, of our especiall
grace, certaine knowledge, and meer motion; have given and granted, and
by these presents doe give and grant, vnto the said Thomas Neale, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, especiall lycence, power, priviledge,

page_text: and authority, that he and they, by him and themselves, and by his and
their deputies, servants, agents, and workmen, and such others onely as he,
the said Thomas Neale, his executors; administrators, and assignes, shall agree
with, shall and may from time to time and at all times hereafter durcing
the space of fourteen yeares next ensueing the date of these presents,
at his and their owne, proper costs and charges, erect, vse, teach, exercise,
and put in practice the said new Inventions soe by him contrived and
found out as aforesaid, in anyplace or places within our kingdome of
England, dominion of Wales, and towne of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and alsoe
shall and may receive, take, and enioy all the benefitts, profitts, comodities, and
advantages of and by the said new Inventions, or either of them, to be had,
made, acquired, or gotten to his and their own proper benefitt, vse, and vses;
to have, hold, vse, exercise, and enioy the said lycence, powers, priviledges,
and authorities, and all other the premisses by these presents granted or
mentioned to be granted vnto the said Thomas Neale, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, for and dureing and vnto the full end and terme of
fourteen yeares from the day of the date of these presents next ensueing,
and fully to be compleate and ended, according to the statute in that case
made and provided. And to the end the said Thomas Neale, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, may the better enioy the full and whole benefitt
and the sole vse and exercise of the said new Inventions, wee doc by these
presents, for vs, our heires and successors, streightly charge, require, and
comand all and every person and persons, bodies politique and corporate, of
what quality, degree, name, or condičon soever they be, within our said king-
dome of England, dominion of Wales, and towne of Berwick-vpon-Tweed,
that neither they nor any of them, dureing the said terme of fourteen yeares
hereby granted, either directly or indirectly doe vse, exercise, or put in prac-
tice the said new Inventions, or either of them, nor shall counterfeite, imitate,
or resemble the said new Inventons, or any of them, so by the said Thomas
Neale invented and found out as aforesaid, nor doc nor doe nor shall make
any addition thereto or substraccon therefrom, whereby to pretend themselves
the inventers or devisors thereof, without the lycence, consent, or agreement
of the said Thomas Neale, his executors, administrators, or assignes, in
writeing vnder his or their hands and seales first had and obteined in that
behalfe, vnder such paines and penalties as can or may be inflicted on the
offender or offenders therein for the contempt of this our royall comand, and
further to be answerable to the said Thomas Neale, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, according to the vtmost rigour of the law, for his and
their damages thereby susteyned. And further wee doe, by these our Letters

page_text: Patents, for vs, our heires and successors, will, authorize, require, and comand,
all and singular justices of the peace, mayors, sherriff's, bayliffs, constables, head-
boroughs, and all other officers and ministers whatsoever of vs, our beires and
successors, now and for the time being whome it may concerne, that they
and every of them respectively be from time to time dureing the terme hereby
granted, in their respective offices, and according to their and every of their
best skills and endeavours, aiding, helping, and assisting vnto the said Thomas
Neale, his executors, administrators, and assignes, deputies, agents, and servants,
in and by all things in and about the accomplishment of our royall will and
pleasure herein-before declared, and in the execution of the severall powers
and priviledges thereby granted; and moreover wee doe by these presents, for
vs, our heires and successors, will and comand that our said respective
officers and ministers before menconed, or any of them, doe not nor shall at
any time hereafter dureing the terme hereby granted, in any wise molest,
trouble, or hinder the said Thomas Neale, his executors, administrators, or
assignes, deputies, agents, or servants, in or about the vsc or exercise of the
aforesaid Inventions, or either of them, or any thing relateing thereto: Pro-
vided always, and these our Letters Patent are and shall be vpon this condi-
čon, that if at any time dureing the said terme of fourteen yeares 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 preiudiciall or inconvenient to our subiects in generall, or that the
Inventions before mentioned are not new inventions as to the publicke vse and
exercise of the same, and not invented and found out by the said Thomas
Neale as aforesaid, then, vpon signification and declaračon of such preiudico
or inconveniency, to be made by vs, our heires or successors, vnder our or
their signet or privy seale, or by the lords or others of our or their Privy
Council, or any six or more of them, vnder their hands, these our Letters
Patents shall forthwith cease, determine, and be vtterly void to all intents
and purposes, any thing herein-before conteined to the contrary notwithstand-
ing; provided alsoe, that these our Letters Patents, or any thing herein con-
teyned, shall not extend or be construed to extend to give priviledge vnto
the said Thomas Neale, bis executors, administrators, or assignes, to imitate
any invention or worke whatsoever which hath been heretofore invented and
found out by any other of our subiects whatsoever, and publiquely exercised
within our kingdome or dominion aforesaid, to whome wee have already
granted our like Letters Patents of Priviledge for the sole exercise and benefitt
thereof, it being our will and pleasure that the said Thomas Neale, his
executors, administrators, or assignes, to imitate any invention and assignes,

page_text: and all and singular other person to whome wee have already granted our
like Letters Patents, shall distinctly vse and practise their severall inventions
by them respectively found out, according to the true meaning of such our
Letters Patents and of these presents. And lastly, wee doe hereby, for vs, our
heires and successors, grant vnto the said Thomas Neale, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, that these our Letters Patents, or the enrollment
thereof, shall be and continue in and by all things good, valid, firme, and effec-
tuall in the lay, according to the true meaneing of the same, notwithstanding
the not full and certaine describeing or mentioning of the said Inventions, or
either of them, or of the materialls, wayes, or meanes of makcing, vscing, or
exerciseing of the same, or of the certaine vse or benefitt thereof, or any other
defect, incertainty, or imperfeccon in these presents, or any other matter,
cause, or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse ourselves at Westminster, the (Seventeenth
day of February.
day of February.
By Writt of Privy Seale.