A NEW ENGINE OR MILL FOR GRINDING ALL SORTS OF WOOD DRY, FOR THE VSE OF Drine
Year: 1714

page_text: ANNE, by the grace of God, &c., to all to whom these Presents snall come
greeting.
WHEREAS our trusty and welbeloved subiect JoHN WILKS, of the City of
London, Dyer, hath by his humble petition represented vnto vs, that he has by
great study, pains, and expence, invented and bronght to perfection "A NEW
ENGINE OR MILL FOR GRINDING ALL SORTS OF WOOD DRY, FOR THE VSE OF Drine;"
which has never yet been practised, and will be an extraordinary improvement
and advantage to the art and mystery of dying, and the cloathing trade in
generall, in regard that, by the present method vsed, the wood for the purposes
aforesaid is always ground wett to prevent its firing in the operation, whereby
the strength of the wood is in a great measure exhausted, and it being worked
vp with lime to raise the colour it proves a great deceipt and vncertainty to the
dyers in the vse of it, all which inconveniences will be effectually prevented by
this Invention, and haveing, therefore humbly prayed vs to grant him our
Royal Letters Patents for the sole vse of his said Invention for the term of
fourteen yeares.
KNOW YEE, that wee, being willing to give encouragement to all arts and
inventions which may be of publick vse and benefitt, 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 Wilks, his executors, administrators, and assignes, especial lycence, full
power, sole priviledge, and authority, that he the said John Wilks, his execu-
tors, administrators, and assignes, and every of them, by himselfe and them-

page_text: selves, or by his or their deputy and deputies, servants, or agents, or such
others as he the said John Wilks, 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 Kingdome of Great Britain called
England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, his said
new invented engine or mill for grinding all sorts of wood dry for the vse of
dying, as is above described, in such manner as to him, the said John Wilks,
bis executors, administrators, and assignes, or any of them shall in their
discretions seem meet; and that he the said John Wilks, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, shall and may have and enioy the whole profit,
benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to time comcing, growing, accru-
ing, and arising 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 Wilks, his executors, administrators, and assignes
for and during and vnto the full end and term of fourteen yeares from the day
of the day of the date of these Presents next and immediately ensuing, and
fully to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute in this case made and
pvided. And to the end that the said John Wilks, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, and every of them, may have and enioy the full benefit
and the sole vse and exercise of the said Invention, according to our gratious
intention 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, quality, degree, name, or condition 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 aforesaid, 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 practise the said
Invention or any part of the same so attained vnto by the said John Wilks, as
aforesaid, nor shall 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 John
Wilks, his executors, administrators, or assignes, in writing vnder his or their
hand and seales first had and obtained in that bebalfe, vpon such paines 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

page_text: Wilks, 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 justices,
of the peace, mayors, sheriffes, 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 term hereby granted, in any wise molest, trouble, or hinder
the said John Wilks, 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 any thing relating thereto :
Provided always, and these our Letters Patents are and shall be vpon this
condičon, that if, at any time during the said term hereby granted, it shall be
made appeare to vs, our heires or successors, or any six or more of our or
theire Privy Councill, that this our grant is contrary to law, or prejudiciall 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 Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, or not invented and found out by the said
John Wilks, as aforesaid, then, vpon significačon and declaračon 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 Patents shall forthwith cease,
determine, and be vtterly void to all intents and purposes, any thing herein-
before contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding: Provided also,
that these our Letters Patents, or any thing herein contained, shall not
extend or be construed to extend to give priviledge to the said John Wilks,
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 Kingdom of Great Britain called England,
our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-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 Wilks, 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 inventions by them invented and found out according to the true
intent and meaning of the same respective Letters Patents and of these
Presents. And lastly, wee do by these Prosents, for vs, our heires and
•

page_text: successors, grant vnto the said John Wilks, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, that these our Letters Patents, or the inrollment or exemplification
thereof, shall be in and by all things good, firme, valid, sufficient, and 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 John Wilks, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, as well Courts 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,
notwithstanding the not full and certain describing the nature or quality of the
said Invention or of the materialls thereto conducing and belonging.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse ourselfe at Westminster, the Second day