A NEW INVENTION FOR THE GREAT IMPROVEMENT OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CALLED HARPSICHORDS AND SPINNETTS, AND TAKING AWAY MANY DEFECTS AND IMPERFECTIONS THEREIN
Year: 1745

page_text: GEORGE THE SECOND, by the grace of God, and so forth, to all to whom
these presents shall come, greeting.
WHEREAS ROGER PLENIUS, of the Parish of St George, Hanover Square,'
in the Liberty of Westminster, Harpsichord Maker, has by his petition
humbly represented unto us that he hath, by long study, application, and
great expence, found out and brought to perfection "A NEW INVENTION FOR
THE GREAT IMPROVEMENT OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CALLED HARPSICHORDS AND
SPINNETTS, AND TAKING AWAY MANY DEFECTS AND IMPERFECTIONS THEREIN;" which
new Invention, and particularly a stop in the said instruments which imitates
the Welch harp, is contrived in the following manner (to witt):-There
are long square holes made quite through the bridge that lyes next to the
tuning pegs, in which holes are placed little barrs (which the petitioner calls
matadors), made of lead, brass, tin, ivory, and wood, at the upper end of one
of the flatt sides of which are glewed small pieces of wood, and on the bottom
of those small pieces of wood little bits of buckskin or other leather, which
bits of wood, thus lined at bottom with leather, being by the weight of little
bars press't down on the strings close to the pins that bear the strings on
the said bridge, produce a sound like that of a Welch harp; these mattadors
also pass thro' a sett of under socket holes, and come to rest on a thin board
hat lyes under the wrest board wherein the tuning pegs stands, which thin
board, having a spindle glewed under it with pivots at each end fixt in
pivot holes on each side of the said instrument, is moved to give liberty to

page_text: the afore-mentioned matadors (at other times suspended by a steal spring)
to descend on the strings, and perform the office of the harp stop, by means
of a lever screwed to the left side of a harpsichord, and joyned by a wire or
otherwise to one end of the said spindle, which is pulled down by a string,
one end whereof is fastned to the hither end of the said lever, and the other!
to a treadle lying on the ground under the said instruments, which treadle
the foot pulling down, whenever the harp stop is to be used the fingers
need never be removed from the upper row of the keys they were before
playing on. And for the cutting the quills used in the said instruments to
an equal length, you take a piece of brass or other metal, about four or
five inches long, three quarters of an inch broad, and half an inch thick;
on one side thereof is a grove to receive the flatt part of the jack where the
quill projects; about an inch and an half from the top are two long perpen-
dicular holes to receive the cloaths that are glewed on each side of the jacks,
between which long holes even with their bottom is a little hole for the quill
that is fastned to the tongue of the jack to enter in at when it is to be cut to
its true length; and that is performed by a small steel chizell fixt fast on the
lower side of the said little hole, and a square piece of brass, to the upper side
of which is joyned a bar, and at the top is an ivory button to push it down
with upon the quill that lyes immediately above the fixt steel chizell, thero
being a worm spring fixed to the inside that rests on the square piece of brass
to bring it back again after it has done its office; and to prevent the keys in
the said instruments from rattling, that part of each key where the center of
motion is to be is hollowed out wider than the pin it is to move on, the
bottom of which hole is closed by a piece of thin leather with a small hole
in the middle of it, just fitt for the pin it rests on. To the upper part of
the key, where the said pin comes through, there is glewed a little frame, in
the middle whereof is a long hole, lined on each side with silk twist, so that
the pin on which the key moves touches only those two soft substances at
top and bottom. The broad ends of the keys, where the fingers are applyed
in playing, are also perpendicularly perforated, on the under side of which
are glewed little frames, having long holes in them, also lined on each side
with silk twist, which holes are put over upright pins fastned in the hither
part of the key frame, at the bottom of which pins, close to the said frame
Jye round pieces of soft cloth, to prevent the keys and jacks being over
powered and strained by a heavy hand, and to prevent the tongues stitching
to the sides of the jacks by closing the tops of the jacks, making them thereby
more firm and solid, so that their sides can never touch the tongues, thoug
squeezed ever so hard in taking them out of their stops and socket holes, o

page_text: by replacing them; the little cloths which serve to stop the sound of the
strings when the fingers retire from the keys are by the petitioner's invention
so improved that they never stir from their places, being glewed fast with
notches on each side of the jacks, and therefore always touch and deaden the
sound of their respective strings equally; there also bills of vellum glewed
behind the top of the jacks to prevent their tongues from flying too far back
when the quills on playing return under the strings, and that all the strings of
the said instruments are layed in right horizontal lines from the bridges that
rest on the belly, to the tail pins, where, fastned by loops, as well as between
the said bridges and the other bridges on the rest board, notwithstanding
every string has the same angle which is required by lateral pressure for
prodecing its true sound contrived with great circumspection between two
pins upon its bridge almost together, so that the strings having no pressure
downwards, the belly is at full liberty to vibrate more equally than the belly
of other harpsichords; by this means the sound of the said instruments is
much meliorated, and their strings (especially the octave ones) are kept
longer in tune than by any other method yet found out; and in regard that
the petitioner is the first and sole inventor thereof, and that the same hath
not hitherto been used in Great Britain save by the petitioner, he there-
fore humbly prayed that in regard to his great industry and expences in
inventing and perfecting the said Invention, consisting of the said particulars,
and the advantage that by means thereof will accrue to the publick, we would
grant him our Letters Patent for the sole use and benefit of the said Inven-
tion, for the term of fourteen years, according to the statute in such case
made and provided, we are pleased to gratify him in his request.
KNOW YE THEREFORE, that we, of our especial grace, certain know-
ledge, and meer motion, have given and granted, and by these presents, for
us, our heirs and successors, do give and grant unto the said Roger Plenius,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, our especial licence, full power, sole
priviledge and authority, that he, the said Roger Plenius, bis executors,.
admiñrs, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and themselves, or by
his and their deputy or deputys, servants or agents, or such others as he,
the said Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, shall at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter
during the term of years herein expressed, shall and lawfully may make, use,
exercise, and vend his said Invention within that part of our kingdom of
Great Britain called England, our dominion of Wales, and town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, the said Roger Plenius, his
executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of them, shall in their discretions

page_text: soem meet; and that he, the said Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators,
and assigns, shall and lawfully may have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit,
commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, accruing, and
arising by reason of the said Invention, for and during the term of years
herein mentioned, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers,
priviledges, and advantages herein-before granted or mentioned to be granted
unto the said Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, for
and during and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the date of
these presents 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 Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, and assigns,
and every of them, may have and enjoy the full benefit and the sole use and
exercise of the said Invention according to our gracious intention herein-
before declared, we do by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors,
require and strictly command all and every person and persons, bodies politick
and corporate, and all other our subjects whatsoever, of what estate, quality,
degree, name, or condition soever they be, within that said part of our kingdom
of Great Britain called England, our dominion of Wales, aud town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, that neither they nor any of them, at any time
during the continuance of the said term of fourteen years hereby granted,
either directly or indirectly, do make, use, or put in practice the said Inven-
tion, or any part of the same, so attained unto by the said Roger Plenius,
as aforesaid; nor in anywise 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 himself or themselves the inventor or inventors,
devisor or devisors, thereof, without the licence, consent, or agreement of the
said Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, or assigns, in writing, under
his or their hands and seals first had and obtained in that behalf, upon such
pains and penalties as can or may be justly inflicted on such offenders for their
contempt of this our royal command, and further to be answerable to the said
Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, according to law,
for his and their damages thereby occasioned. And, morcover, we do by these
presents, for us, our heirs and successors, will and command all and singular
the justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bayliffes, constables, headboroughs,
and all other officers and ministers whatsoever of us, our heirs 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 Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or
any of them, or his or their deputies, servants, or agents, in or about the due

page_text: and lawful use or exercise of the aforesaid Invention or anything relating
thereto: Provided always, and these our Letters Patent are and shall be upon
this condition, that if at any time during the said term hereby granted it shall
be made appear to us, our heirs or successors, or any six or more of our or
their Privy Council, that this our grant is contrary to law, or prejudicial or
inconvenient to our subjects in general, or that the said Invention is not a
new invention as to the publick use and exercise thereof in that said part of
our kingdom of Great Britain called England, our dominion of Wales, and
town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, or not invented and found out by
the said Roger Plenius as aforesaid, then, upon signification or declaration
thereof to be made by us, our heirs or successors, under our or their signet
or privy seal, or by the lords and others of our or their Privy Council, or
any six or more of them, under their hands, these our Letters Patent shall
forthwith cease, determine, and be utterly void, to all intents and purposes;
anything herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise not-
withstanding; provided also, that these our Letters Patent, or anything
herein contained, shall not extend or to construed to extend to give priviledge
unto the said Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or any
of them, to use or imitate any invention or work whatsoever which hath
heretofore been found out or invented by any other of our subjects whatsoever,
and publickly used or exercised in that said part of our kingdom of Great
Britain called England, our dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed aforesaid, unto whom like Letters Patent or priviledges have been
already granted for the sole use, exercise, and benefit thereof, it being
our will and pleasure that the said Roger Plenius, his executors, admi-
flors and assigns, and all and every other person and persons to whom like
Letters Patents or priviledges have been already granted as aforesaid, shall
distinctly use and practice their several inventions by them invented and found
out, according to the true intent and meaning of the same respective Letters
Patent and of these presents; provided likewise, nevertheless, and these our
Letters Patent are upon this express condition, that if the said Roger Plenius,
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 use and benefit of the said Invention hereby granted,
shall make any transferr or assignment, or any pretended transfer 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

page_text: persons exceeding the number of five, or shall open, or cause to be opened,
any book or books for publick subscriptions to be made by any number of
persons exceeding the number of five, in order to the raising any sum or sums
of money under pretence of carrying on the said liberty or priviledge hereby
granted, or shall by him or themselves, or his or their agents or servants,
receive any sum or sums of money whatsoever of any number of persons
exceeding in the whole the number of five for such or the like intents or
purposes, or shall presume to act as a corporate body, or shall divide the
benefit of these our Letters Patent, or the liberty and priviledges hereby by us
granted into any number of shares exceeding the number of five, or shall
committ 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
titlo either in law or equity in or to the said premisses which will be contrary to
the intent and meaning of a certain Act of Parliament made in the sixth year
of the reign of our late royal father King George the First, intituled (An Act for
the better securing certain powers and priviledges intended to be granted by His
Majesty by two charters for assurance of ships and merchandizes at sea, and
for lending money upon bottomry, and for restraining several extravagant and
unwarrantable practices therein mentioned), or in case the said power, privi-
ledge, or authority shall at any time hereafter become vested in or in trust for
more than the number of five persons, or their representatives, 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 intitled to in
right of such their testator or intestate), that then and in any of the said
cases these our Letters Patent, and all liberty and advantages whatsoever
hereby granted shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, anything herein-
before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. And lastly,
we do by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, grant unto tho said
Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, that these our Letters
Patent, or the inrollment or exemplification thereof, shall be in and by all
things good, firm, valid, sufficient, and effectual in the law, according to the
true intent and meaning thereof, and shall be taken, construed, and adjudged
in the most favourable and beneficial sense, for the best advantage of the said
Roger Plenius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, as well in all our
courts of record as elsewhere, and by all and singular the officers and ministers
whatsoever of us, our heirs 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 us, our heirs

page_text: and successors, whatsoever and wheresoever, notwithstanding the not full and
certain describing the nature or quality of the said Invention, or of the
materials thereto conducing and belonging.
In witness, &c. Witnessed by the King at Westminster, the Tenth day