A NEW INVENTION FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES BY EXPLOSION AND SUFFOCATION
Year: 1723

page_text: come greeting.
WHEREAS AMBROSE GODFREY, of the Parish of Saint Paul, Covent Garden,
Chymist, hath by his petition humbly represented vnto vs that, for the good of
this kingdom and the preservation of our subiects from the great calamities
and losses which do frequently happen by fires, he hath lately been at great
trouble and charges in procuring a discovery from Germany of "A NEW
INVENTION FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES BY EXPLOSION AND SUFFOCATION," which
was found out and practised there, and was afterwards also practised in several
other parts of Europe, but was vnknown in England, and hath given a great
reward to an engineer who hath lately come over from Germany aforesaid,
from whom the Petičoner hath obtained a full discovery of the said Invention
in writing, with a description of the vessels and materials that were there
made vse of, in order to put the same in practice in this kingdom: That the
Petitioner hath since greatly improved the said Invention by the addition of a
certain mixture or chymical preparation, found out and prepared by the
Petičoner, which is a great enemy to fire, and can extinguish fires even
without water: That the materials of the said Invention do consist of
casks and oth vessells of severall formes and sizes, some of which are filled
with water only, others with water and the said chymical preparation
together, and others with the said chymical preparation mixt with other
dry matters without any water; and in each of the said vessells is a
charge of gunpowder in the contained in a tin or other box which has
a double neck, by which it is fastned to each end of the vessell; and

page_text: through one of the said necks there is fixt a fuze of wild-firo by which the said
gunpowder is to be fired and blown vp; and the said vessells so filled and
prepared as aforesaid, are (vpon occasion of any fire) to be made vse of
by firing the said fuse, and then flinging the said vessell into the place where
the fire is broke out, which, vpon the explosion of the gunpowder, blasts out
all the flame, and the water or the other ingredients which were in the vessell
are forceably driven by the gunpowder against the parts that were on fire, and
do damp and suffocate the same so effectually that any man may safely enter
the place, and with proper implements may totally extinguish the remaining
fire: That the Petičoner is the first and onely person that introduced the said
Invention into England, and in order to put the same into practice hath lately
been at further great charges in prepareing and fitting vp several of the ves-
sells aforesaid, and in building two wooden houses, and providing several
engines and contrivances to convey the said vessells into vpper roomes; and
the Petitioner hath shewed two several experiments of the said Invention of
the said two houses, which were set on fire for that purpose in the presence of
several noblemen of this kingdom and many members of the Royal Society,
and other persons of rank and distinction, who declared themselves to be
entirely satisfied of the great vse and benefit of this Invention to the publick
in preventing the calamities which frequently happen in houses and ships, &c.;
and haveing therefore humbly prayed vs, that in consideration of the great
trouble and expence which he hath been at in procuring a discovery of the
said Invention, and in improving the same, and shewing the experiments
aforesaid, and to encourage the practice of the said Invenčon for the good of
the publick, wee would be pleased to grant vnto him, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, our Royal Letters Patent & vnder vnder the Great Seal
of Great Britain, for the sole making and vending of the said casks and other
vessells, and the materials aforesaid, within England, the Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, for and during the term of fourteen yeares,
according to the Statute in that case made and provided, woe, being willing
to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the publick
vse and benefit, are gratiously pleased to gratific him in his request.
KNOW YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, of our especial grace, certain know-
ledge, and meer moĉon, have given and granted, and by these Presents, for vs,
our heires and successors, do give and grant vnto the said Ambrose Godfrey,
his executors, administrators, and assignes, especial lycence, full power, sole
priviledge and authority, that he, the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, and every of them, by himselfe or themselves, or
by his or their deputy and deputies, servants or agents, or such others as he,

page_text: the said Ambrose Godfrey, 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 make,.vse,
exercise, and vend the said casks and other vessells and materials for the
extinguishing fires in houses and ships, within that part of our Kingdom of
Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
vpon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, the said Ambrose Godfrey, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, or any of them, shall in their discretions
seem meet; and that he, the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, shall and lawfully may have and enioy the whole profit,
benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, accrewing,
and ariseing by reason of the said Invention, for and during the term of
years 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 Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, for and during and vnto the full end and terme of fourteen yeares
from the date of these Presents next and immediately ensueing, and fully to
be compleat and ended, according to the Statuto in such case made and
provided. And to the end that the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors,
administrators, 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 said part of our 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 direcly or indirectly, do make,
vse, or put in practice the said Invention, or any part of the same, so attained
vnto by the said Ambrose Godfrey as aforesaid, nor 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 himself or them-
selves the inventor or inventors, devisor or devisors thereof, without the lycence,
consent, or agreement of the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, administrators,
or assignes, in writing vnder his or their hand and seals first had and obtained
in that bebalfe, vpon such pains and penalties as can or may be iustly inflicted
on such offenders for their contempt of this our royal command, and further
to be answerable to the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, administrators,

page_text: and assignes, according to law, for his and their damages thereby occasioned.
And moreover, wee do by these Presents, for vs, our hoires and successors,
will and command all and singular the justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs,
bayliffs, constables, headboroughs, and all other officers and ministers what-
soever of vs, 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 any wise molest, trouble, or hinder the said Ambrose Godfrey, his
executors, administrators, or assignes, or any of them, or his or their deputies,
servants, or agente, in or about the duc and lawfull vse or exercise of the
aforesaid Invention or any thing relating thereto: Provided always, and these
our Letters Patonts 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 Council, that this our grant
is contrary to law, or preiudicial or inconvenient to our subiects in general, or
that the said Invention is not a new invention as to the publick vso and exercise
thereof in that said part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our
Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed aforesaid, or not first
introduced into England by the said Ambrose Godfrey as aforesaid, then vpon
signification or declaration thereof to be made by vs, our heires or successors,
vnder 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, vnder their hande, these our
Letters Patents shall forthwith cease, determine, and be vtterly void, to all
intent and purposes, any thing herein-before contained to the contrary thereof
in any wise notwithstanding: Provided also, that these our Letters Patents or
any thing herein contained shall not extend or bo construed to extend to give
priviledge vnto the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, administrators, or
assignes, 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 subiects
whatsoever, and publickly vsed or exercised in that said part of our Kingdom
of Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-
vpon-Tweed, vnto whom like Letters Patents or priviledges have been already
granted for the sole vse, exercise, and benefit thereof, it being our will and
pleasure that the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, and all and every other person and persons to whom like Letters
Patent or priviledges have been already granted as aforesaid, shall distinctly
yse and practice their several Inventions by them invented and found out
according to the true intent and meaning of the same respective Letters
Patents and of these Presents: Provided likewise, nevertheless, and these our
Letters Patents are vpon this express condition, that if the said Ambrose God

page_text: frey, 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, privi-
ledge, and authority of the sole vse 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 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 vnder pretence of carrying on the said liberty or priviledge hereby
granted, or shall by him or themselves, or his or their agents or servante,
receive any summe or summs of money whatsoever of any number of persons
exceeding in the whole the number of five for such or the like intent or pur-
poses, or shall presume to act as a corporate body, or shall divide the benefit of
these our Letters Patente, or the liberty and priviledges hereby by vs 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
our reign, intituled An Act for the better securing certain Powers and Privi-
ledges intended to be granted by His Maiestie by Two Charters, for Assurance
of Ships and Merchandizes at Sea, and for lending Money vpon Bottomry, and
for restraining severall extravagant and vnwarrantable Practices therein men-
tioned, if these our Letters Patents had not been granted, 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 represen-
tatives, 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 bo
intitled to in right of such their testator or intestate), that then and in any
of the said cases these our Letters Patents, and all liberties, priviledges, and
advantages whatsoever hereby granted, shall vtterly cease, deter, and become
void, any thing herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise not-
withstanding. And lastly; wee wee do by these Presents, for vs, our heirs and
successors, grant vnto the said Ambrose Godfrey, 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 effectual
in the law, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and shall be taken,

page_text: construed, and adiudged in the most favourable and beneficial sense, for the
best advantage of the said Ambrose Godfrey, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, as well in all Courts of Record as elsewhere, and by all and singular
the officers and ministers whatsoever of vs, our heires and successors, in that
said part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed aforesaid, and amongst all and every
tho subiects of vs, our heires and successors, whatsoever and wheresoever, not-
withstanding the not full and certain describing the natur or quality of the
said Invention, or of the materials thereto conducing and belonging.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse William Archbishop of Canterbury, &c., at
Westminster, the Twelfth day of November.
Ru Weitt of Drive Soot