A NEW INVENTION FOR THE GREAT IMPROVEMENT OF AND MELIORATING THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CALLED HARPSI- CHORDS; LYRICHORDS, WHICH ARE HARPSICHORDS STRUNG WITH CATGUT; AND SPIN- METTS
Year: 1741

page_text: GEORGE THE SECOND, by the grace of God, of Great Brittain, France,
and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c., to our right trusty and
welbeloved Councellor Philip Lord Hardwicke, Baron of Hardwicke, our
Chancellor of Great Brittain, greeting. Wee will and command that under
our Great Seal of Great Brittain remaining in your custody you cause these
our Letters to be made forth Patents, in form following:-
GEORGE THE SECOND, by the grace of God, &c., to all to whom these
presents shall come, greeting.
WHEREAS ROGER PLEUNIUS, of the Parish of St. George, Hanover Square,
in the Liberty of Westminster, Harpsichord Maker, hath, by his petition,
humbly represented that he hath, by long study, application, and great expence,
found out and brought to perfection, "A NEW INVENTION FOR THE GREAT
IMPROVEMENT OF AND MELIORATING THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CALLED HARPSI-
CHORDS; LYRICHORDS, WHICH ARE HARPSICHORDS STRUNG WITH CATGUT; AND SPIN-
METTS;" which new Invention consists in the following particulars (to wit):-
A set of bended levers, by the petitioner called pully levers, with their weights,
swivells, and sliders, fixt by means of pointed pins or screws in upright cheeks
or standards, which machine or set of levers, with its appurtenances, being
applyed and fixt to an harpsichord or lyrichord, keep the said musicall
instruments constantly in tune. Also a set of pleetrums wherewith to strike the
strings of the said instruments, instead of quills, which pleetrums, being made of
ivory, tortoiseshell, or other materialls, are incerted in the tongues of the jacks,
and fastned with pins having shoulders behind, and springs made of hogs' bristles
under their forepast, with regulating screws behind the said tongues. These

page_text: plectrums are both more durable than quills, and are not lyable, like them,
to receive any alteration from the various effects of the weather, and greatly
meliorate the sound of the strings. Also a new set of stops, which are sockett
holes, wherein the jacks move, made of metall, which hinders either their
swelling or shrinking through the influence of moist or dry weather, and
thereby occasion the said jacks to perform their office with much more truth
and exactness than they possibly can do in those made of wood. Besides, by
this means the plectrums, which are fixt in the tongues of the jacks in the
room of the quills, are made to touch the strings of the said instruments with
the utmost equality and exactness. Also, the keys that move the said jacks
are square tubes, made hollow by means of four thin laths being glewed
together like small organ pipes, the better to prevent their warping, and
thereby do make their motion more true and accurate when touched by the
fingers, and are far superior and preferable to any keys hitherto used. Also,
by this Invention the octave strings are kept in tune full as long as the unison
strings, by means of iron or other metall pegs or screws, which are fixt in
the body of the harpsichord, and appear through the belly thereof, and to
which the said octave strings are at one end, and fastned to the tops of the
said pegs or screws. Which particulars have for these many years been greatly
wanted for the improvement of string instruments that are are touched or played
on by keys, the invention of which has been time out of mind a desideratum
by all the curious lovers of musick, that in regard the petitioner is the first
and sole inventor thereof, and that the same have not hitherto been used in
Great Brittain save by the petitioner, and those to whom he has communi-
cated the same, he therefore humbly prays, that in regard to his great industry
and expence in inventing and perfecting the said Invention, consisting of
the particulars aforesaid, and the advantage that by means thereof will
accrue to the publick, our Letters Patent for the sole use and benefit of the
said Invention may be granted to him for the term of fourteen years, accord-
ing to the statute in such case made and provided, wee, being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions that may be for the publick good,
are pleased to gratify the petitioner in his request.
KNOW YE THEREFORE, that we, of our speciall grace, certain
knowledge, and meen motion, have given and granted, and by these presents,
for us, our heirs and successors, do give and grant unto the said Roger
Pleunius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, our special licence, full
power, sole priviledge and authority, that he, the said Roger Pleunius, his
executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and
themselves, and by his or their deputy or deputys, servants or agents, or

page_text: such others as he, the said Roger Pleunius, his executors, administrators, or
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 Brittain called England, our dominion of Wales, and town of
Berwicke-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, the said Roger Pleunius, his
executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of them, shall in their discretions
seem meet; and that he, the said Roger Pleunius, his exécutors, administrators,
and assigns, shall and lawfully may have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit,
commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, accrewing, 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
Baid Roger Pleunius, 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 Pleunius, 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, wee 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, and town of Ber-
wick-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 immediately do make, use, or put in practice the said In-
vention or any part of the same so attained unto by the said Roger Pleunius
as aforesaid, nor in anywise counterfeit, immitate, 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 Pleunius, his executors, administrators, and 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 royall command, and further to be answerable
to the said Roger Pleunius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, accord-
ing to law, for his and their damages thereby occasioned; and moreover wce

page_text: do by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, will and command all
and singular the justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffes, 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 Pleunius, his executors, administrators, or
assigns, or any of them, or his or their deputies, servants, or agents, in or
about the due and lawfull use or exercise of the aforesaid Invention, or any-
thing 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 Councill, that this our grant is contrary
to law, or prejudiciall or inconvenient to our subjects in generall, 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 Berwicke-upon-Tweed aforesaid, or not in-
vented and found out by the said Roger Pleunius as aforesaid, then, upon
signification or declaration thereof, to be made by us, our heirs and
successors, under or their signet or privy seal, or by the lords and
others of our or their Privy Councill, 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 hercin-before
contained to the contrary thereof in auywise notwithstanding: Provided
also, that these our Letters Patent, or anything herein contained, shall not
extend or be construed to extend to give priviledge unto the said Roger
Pleunius, his executors, administrators, or assigns, or any of them, to use or
immitate any invention or work whatsoever which hath heretofore been found
out or invented by any other of our subjects whatsoever, and publickly used
and 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
Pleunius, his executors, administrators, and assigns, and all and every other
person or persons to whom like Letters Patent or priviledges have been already
granted as aforesaid, shall distinctly use and practice their severall 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 Pleunius, his executors or administrators, or any per-

page_text: son 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 transferr or assignment, 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 pub-
lick 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 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 the reign
of our late royall father King George the First, entitled 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 extra-
vagant and unwarrantable practices therein mentioned, 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 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 entitl'd
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 what-
soever hereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, any-
thing herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstand-
ing. And, lastly, wee do by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors,
grant unto the said Roger Pleunius, bis executors, administrators, and assigns,
that these our Letters or the enrollment or exemplification thereof, shall
be in and by all things good, firm, valid, sufficient, and effectuall in the law,
according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and shall be taken,

page_text: construed, and adjudged in the most favourable and beneficiall sense for the
best advantage of the said Roger Pleunius, 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 Brittain called England, our dominion of
Wales, and town of Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, and amongst all and
every the subjects of us, our heirs and successors, whatsoever and where-
soever, notwithstanding the not full and certain describing the nature or
quality of the said Invention, or of the materialls thereto conducing and
belonging.