A FLOATING ENGINE OR MACHINE FOR GRINDING CORN AND BOLTING THE FLOWER BY FORCE OF WATER IN ANY OF OUR RIVERS
Year: 1717

page_text: GEORGE the grace of God, &c., to all to whom theso Iresents snau
como greeting.
WHEREAS our trusty and welbeloved subiect JOHN THOMPSON, of the City
of London, Merchant, hath by his petition humbly represented vnto vs that he
hath been at extraordinary chargo in procuring and bringing from beyond the
scas a model of an Invention, different from any ever before vsed in England,
which is "A FLOATING ENGINE OR MACHINE FOR GRINDING CORN AND BOLTING THE
FLOWER BY FORCE OF WATER IN ANY OF OUR RIVERS ;" and will be of great vse
and benefitt to our subiecte in generall, and in regard he hath been at great
paines and expences in bringing the said vsefull Invention into this kingdom,
haveing humbly prayed vs to grant vnto him, his executors, administrators,
and assignes, our Letters Patents vnder the Great Seal of Great Britain, for
the sole vse and benefitt of the said Invention, within England, Wales, and
Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, for the term of fourteen yeares according to
the Statute in such cases made and provided.
KNOW YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, being willing to give encouragement
to all arts and inventions which may be of publick vse and benefit, of our
especiall 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 John Thompson, his executors, administrators, and assignes;
especiall lycence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that he, the said
John Thompson, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and every of
them, by himselfe and themselves, or by his and their deputy and deputies,

page_text: servants or agents, or such others as he, the said John Thompson, his execu-
tors, 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-vpon-Tweed, the said Invention as is above described, in
such manner as to him, the said John Thompson, his executors, administra-
tors, and assignes, or any of them, shall in their discretions seem meet, and
that he, the sd John Thompson, his executors, adñis, & assignes, shall and may
have and enioy the whole benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to
time comeing, growing, accrewing, 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 lycence, powers, priviledges, and advantages herein-
before granted or mentioned to be granted vnto the said John Thompson, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, for and during and vnto the full end
and term of fourteen yeares from the date of these Presents next and imme-
diately ensucing, and fully to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute
in such case made and provided. And to the end that the said John Thomp-
son, 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 Invention
according to our gratious intenčon herein-before declared, wee do by these
Presents, for vs, our heires and successors, require and strictly command all
and every person and persons, bodies politick and corporate, and all other our
subiects whatsoever, of what estate, qality, or degree, name or condicon
soever they be, within that part of our said Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed afore-
said, that neither they or any of them at any time during the continuance of
the said term of fourteen yeares hereby granted, either directly or indirectly
do make, vse, or put in practice the said Invention or any part of the samo
so attained vnto by the said John Thompson as aforesaid, nor shall in any
wise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor shall make or cause to
be made any addition thereunto or substraction 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 John Thomp-
son, bis executors, administrators, or assignes, in writing vnder his or their
haude and seales, first had and obtained in that behalfe, 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 John
Thompson, his executors, administrators, and assignes, according to law, for

page_text: 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 justices 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 here-
after during the said term hereby granted, in anywise molest, trouble, or
hinder the said John Thompson, his executors 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 any thing relating
thereto: Provided always and these our Letters Patents are, and shall be
vpon this condition, that if at any time during the said term hereby granted,
it shall be made appear 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 pre-
iudiciall or inconvenient to our subiects in generall, or that the said Invention
is not a new Invention as to the publick vse and exercise thereof, within that
part of our said Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our Dominion of
Wales, and Towne of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, or not introduced into
this kingdom by the said John Thompson as aforesaid, then vpon significačori
and 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
Councill, or any six or more of them, vnder their hande, these our Letters
Patent shall forthwith cease, determine, and be vtterly void to all intents
and purposes, any thing herein-before contained to the contrary in anywise
notwithstanding: Provided alsoe, that these our Letters Patents or any thing
herein contained shall not extend or be construed to extend to give privilege
vnto the said John Thompson, 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 that part of our said Kingdom of
Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
pon-Tweed aforesaid, vnto whom like Letters Patents or priviledges have
been already granted for the sole vse, exercise, and benefitt thereof, it being
our will and pleasure that the said John Thompson, his executors, adminis-
trators, 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 practice their severall Inventions by them invented and
found out according to the true intent and meaning of the same respective
Letters Patents, and of these Psents. And, lastly, wee do by these Presents
for vs, our heires and successors, grant vnto the said John Thompson, his

page_text: executors, administrators, and assignes, that these our Letters Patents, or the
inrollment or exemplificañon thereof, shall be in and by all thing good, firm,
valid, sufficient, and effectuall in the law according to the true intent and
meaning hereof, and shall be taken, construed, and adiudged in the most
favourable and beneficiall sense for the best advantage of the said John
Thompson, his executors, administrators, and assignes, as well in all Courte
of Record as elsewhere, and by all and singular the officers and ministers
whatsoever of vs, our heires and successors, within that part of our said
Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed aforesaid, and amongst all and every the
subiects of vs, our heires and successors, whatsoever and wheresoever, not-
withstanding the not full and certaine describeing the nature or quality of the
said Invention, or of the materials thereto conducing and belonging.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse ourselfe, at Westminster, the Eighth day