A NEW INVENČON, WAIE OR MEANES TO MAKE SEPACON BY TAKINGE OF THE SEACOND SCUME OF ALL SUCH METTALLS OF TINNE, LEADE AND COPPER APTEE THEDROSSE IS TAKEN, AND PRESERVING AS WELL THE IMPURE METTALL AS THE PURE
Year: 1630

page_text: CHARLES, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and
Ireland, Defendor of the Faith, &c. to all to whome these Presente shall come,
greetinge..
WHEREAS wee have beene informed by the humble petičon of our trustie
and welbeloved servant DAVID RAMSEYE, Esquire, on the behalfe of himselfe
and his parteners, that by severall Letters Patente vnder the Greate Scale of
England, severall grante and demises have bin heretofore made of all our
mines of copper, tinne, and leade, within this our Realme of England (except-
ing onely our mynes royall), and that greate inconveniences and Piudice doth
and I may thereby arise to vs and our crowne in regard the severall patente for
want of experience to make a seperacon of the mettalls of the saide mynes doe
dayly cast awaie, and lose much of those mynes which conteyne in them gould
or silver, and doe not distinguish which are mynes royall and which are
not, and hath allsoe enformed vs that hee, the saide David Ramseye, and his
associates, have found out and perfected "A NEW INVENČON, WAIE OR MEANES TO
MAKE SEPACON BY TAKINGE OF THE SEACOND SCUME OF ALL SUCH METTALLS OF TINNE,
LEADE AND COPPER APTEE THE DROSSE IS TAKEN, AND PRESERVING AS WELL THE
IMPURE METTALL AS THE PURE," which shalbec soe done by them without
preiudicing any of our subiects, patentes, or others whatsoever whome it may
concerne, and is an Invencon not haveing bin heretofore put in practise within
this Kingdome or Dominion of Wales, and hath therevppon humbly besought
vs to graunte him a priveledge and licence for the sole vseinge of the said
Inventon, waic, or meanes, soe by him or them newly invented and perfected.

page_text: for a certeine tearme of yeares, with power to reccave the oares of mynes
alreadie found, and to search for other mynes royall, as wee shall please to
limitt and appointe.
KNOWE YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, taking into our princely considera-
Con, as well the benefitt that may redound vnto vs and our dominions by the
said Invenčon, as allsoe the desire wee have to encourage and further the good
endeavours and industrie of such of our welbeloved subiecte as shall any waic
imploye themselves and theire studies for the benefitt of the commonwealth, of
our especial grace, certeine knowledge, and meere močon, and of our
prerogative royall, have given and graunted, and by theise psente, for vs, our
heires, and successors, doc give and graunt vnto the saide David Ramseye
full and free licence, libertie, power, priviledge and authoritie, with and vnder
the limitačons and provisions herein-after expressed, that hee, the said David
Ramseye, his executors, administrators, and assignes, by him or themselves, or
by his or theire sufficient deputye or deputyes, servants, factors, or workemen,
shall or lawfully may, at all tymes and from tyme to tyme duringe the tearme
of fowretecné yeares hereafter, in theise psente lymited and appoynted, vse or
exercise, practise, and put in vre, within our Realme of England and Dominion
of Wales, the said Invenčon, waie, or meanes for the seperating of the mettalls
of gould or silver from the other impure mettalls, by takeinge of the seacond
scumme of all such mettalle of leade, tinne, and copper, after the drosse is
taken of, and preservinge as well the impure mettalle as the pure, and to
that purpose to frame, make, crect, sett vp, and vse all such engines,
devises, and instruments as they or any of them, theire or any of theire
executors, administrators, or assignes, deputies, factors, or servants shall
thinke most meete. And to the intent that the said David Ramseye, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, shall and may have, take, and enioye
such benefit and profit as shall or may arise and come by the practiseinge
and puttinge in vre of the said Invenčon, waic, or meanes for the sepatinge
of the mettall of gold and silver from other mettalle as aforesaid, duringe
the tearme hereafter expressed, our will and pleasure is and wee doc, by
theis Presente, for vs, our heires and successors, of our certeine knowledge and
meere mocon, and of our suprcame powre and royall prerogative, straightly
charge, prohibite, and commaund all and singuler person and persons of what
estate, degree, or condicon soever they or any of them.bec or shalbe, that
none of them, (other then the said David Ramseye, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, and his and theire deputyes; factors, or servants, shall,
duringe the tearme hereafter menconed, presume or goe aboute directly or
indirectly within our saide Realme of England and our Dominion of Wales,

page_text: or cyther of them, to vse, practise, or put in vre any of the said new waies,
meanes, or courses for the seperatinge of mettalls as aforesaid, which have
bine invented, practised, or brought to perfeccon by the said David Ramseye,
or his said associates or any of them as aforesaid, or to frame, make, erecte,
or vse any of the said engines, instruments, or devises, or the like, by the
example of the said David, or his servants or workemen, to the purposes
aforesaide, or any of them, to make, counterfeite the same waies or meanes, or
any of them, not formerly practised or put in vre within our said realme or
dominion, for or to the purpose aforesaid, vpon peine of forfeiture of all such
engines, instruments, or devises as shalbe soe made, erected, framed, or vsed
contraric to the true intent and meaninge of theise Presents, and vpon such
further paines, penalties, and imprisonments as by the lawes and statutes of
this our Realme of England, or by our prerogative royall can or may be in-
flicted vpon the said offendors for theire contempte and disobedience of our royall
commaund in that behalfe. And wee doe further by theise Presents for vs, our
heires and successors, give and graunte vnto the said David Ramseye, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, and his and theire deputyes, factors,
servants, and workemen, and every of them, full and free powre, libertie, licence,
and authoritie that they, or any of them, shall and maie, from tyme to tyme
and at all convenient times duringe the tearme hereafter in these Presents
graunted, with the assistance of a constable or other officer, enter into any
house or houses, and other place or places, within our said realme and domi-
nion, or any of them, or any parte of them, or any of them as well within
liberties as without, where they or any of them shall knowe or have iust cause
to suspecte any such engines, instruments, or devises to bee made, framed,
erected, or vsed, or any of the meanes or waies aforesaid practised, or other
thinge done contrarie to the true meaninge of theise Presents, and there to
trye and search by all lawfull waies and meanes for all such engines, instru-
ments, devises, or other thinges soc made, framed, erected, vsed, or donn
contraric to the tenor hereof, and findinge any such to seize the same as for-
feited to the vse of vs, our heires and successors, and to deface and pull downe
the saide engines, instruments, and devises soe made, erected, or vsed; the one
moytic whereof (soe farre as in vs lyeth), wee doe by theise Presents, for vs,
our heires and successors, give and graunte vnto the saide David Ramseye,
his executors, administrators, and assignes; and the other moytie thereof
wee will bec reserved to the vse of vs, our heires and successors. And if in the
execucon thereof they or any of them shall finde anic opposicon or resistance,
that they or some one of them doe certifie the same into the Courte of the
Exchequer, of vs, our heires or successors, vnder theire or some or one of

page_text: their hand in writeinge, to the end the offendors therein may receive con-
digne punishment for theire offences. Vnto which Court of Exchequer wee
doe herebie for vs, our heires and successors, give full power and authority,
vpon such certificate as aforesaid and due proofe thereof made, to inflicte such
punishment vpon the offendors by fine, imprisonment, or otherwise as theire
offences shall deserve, and to the said Courte shalbe thought meete; to have and
to hould the said licences, priviledges, powers and authorities, and all other the
premisses before, in, and by theise Presents given and graunted, or menconed to
bee given and graunted as aforesaid, and every parte and parcell of them, vnto
the said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, and assignes, from the
daie of the date of theise Presents for and duringe and vnto the full end and
tearme of fowretcenc yeares from thence next ensuinge, & fully to bec
compleate and ended, yeldinge and payinge therefore; and the said David
Ramseye, for himselfe, his executors, administrators, and assignes, doth cove-
nant, promise, and graunte to and with vs, our heires and successors, to
yelde and paic to vs, our heires and successors, for the same from and after
the firste yeare of the saide one full cleare third parte of all such benefit and
profitt as shalbe, duringe and within the residue of the said tearme after
the end of the said first yeare, raised or made by reason of the said new
Invenĉon, or new waie or meanes for extractinge and seperateing of the
mettalic, as aforesaid, such third parte to bee answered and paid vnto vs,
our heires and successors, vpon a iust and true accompte, accordinge to the
course of our Exchequer, and the moneys therevpon appearinge to bec due to
bee paid at the receipte of the Exchequer of vs, our heires and successors,
halfe-yearelic. And because wee are desirous to further the said David Ram-
seye, his exccutors and assignes, (soe farr as we maie without preiudice to others)
in the more ample practise of this new Invencon, and to the intent that they
maie, be admitted the more spedily to make tryall of theire skill and art
therein, our desire is that they may vse and exercise the same vpon the oares
and mettalls now found and digged, and hereafter to bee found and digged in the
mynes alreadie by vs graunted, or hereafter to bee graunted to other persons;
wee have therefore thought good by theise Presents to declare our royall will
and pleasure herein, and to recommend the same new. Invenčon to all such of
our loveinge subiecte to whom it shall or may apperteyne, that they doe and
will, from tyme to tyme duringe, the tearme aforesaid, permitt and suffer the
said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and his and
theire deputies, factors, and servants, to make experiment of theire said new
Invenčon, and practise the same in any of the mynes belonging to them
respectively, and to deliver him and them such oares and mettalle from tyme to

page_text: tyme as he or they shall reasonable requier, hee and they paying such reason-
able rates for the same as shalbe requisite, and soc as the owners of such
mynes be not any waie interrupted in theire owne constant workes alreadie,
setled, nor theire mynes or mettalle taken from them without theire consent.
And further, of our more especiall grace, certeine knowledge, and meere
mocon, and to the end that the said David Ramseye, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assignes, maie have the better encouragement to proceede in soe
good a worke, wee have given and graunted, and by theis Presente, for vs,
our heires and successors, doo give and graunte vnto the said David Ramseye,
his executors and assignes, full and free licence, power, priviledge and authoritie,
that hee, the said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, and assignes, by
himselfe or themselves, or by his or theire sufficient deputies, servante, and
workemen, shall or lawfully maic, at all times and from tyme to tyme durcinge the
tearme of one and twentie yeares hereafter menconed, at his and theire owne
proper charges, digg, and search in all and every place and places, as well within
liberties as without, within our counties of Yorke and Somersett, and such
partes of our country of Devon, where noe tinn work are or have bin for all
and singuler mynes and minerall workes of silver and gold, or lead holdinge
silver, or mixed with silver and all other our mynes royall whatsoever, as alsoe
to digg open, rost, melt, stampe, wash, drayne, or convey waters, or otherwise
worke for all and all manner of mynes or oares of gold, silver, lead, holding or
mixed with silver or any of them within the places aforesaid, and to trye out
and convert the said oares, and extract the gold and silver thereout by the
waie and meanes aforesaid, and the litharge thereof to reduce and melt into
pige of leade, sheet of lead, or any other manufactors whatsoever to his and
theire most profit and commoditie, and to set vp, erect, and prepare any house
or houses, edifices, building, mills, and workes for the vse and service of the
said mynes and minerall workes, as well within any of our owne mannors,
lande, or possessions, as alsoe within the grounde, lande, or possessions of
every or any of our subiecte, sett, lyinge, and beinge within every or any the
places aforesaid or any parte thereof, without any lett or perturbance of vs, our
heires or successors, or of any other person or persons whatsoever, soe that the
said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, or assignes, or his or theire
deputyes, factors, or workemen, shall not digg, open, or worke for any the
said mynes or oares aforesaid, vnder any the castles, forts, fortresses, or other
houses of accesse of vs, our heires or successors, or within any the land or
dwelling houses of or belonging to any of our subiccts, without the good will
and consent of such as have power to licence them soe to doe, and soc as the
said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, and assignes, doc firste

page_text: give contentment to the owners of such lande and howses, and doe not marke
or digg within any of the counties and places aforesaide, but within the
compasse of one myle in length, where hee or they shall set on theire worke,
and in open feilde and grounde fit to be searched for that purpose; and if it
shall happen, vpon the discovery of any the myne or mynes aforesaid within
the bound or lymitte before menconed, tho veyne or veynes shalbe found to
runn or extend into any other grounde adiacent and being without the lymitte
aforesaid, hec, the said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, and
assignes, and every of them, theire, and every of theire deputyes, servants,
agente, factors, and workemen, shall and lawfully may followe and worke
after the same veyne and veynes into all other places, excepte such mynes as
shalbe opened or discovered by others in such ground, into which such veyne
or veynes as aforesaid shall runn before discovery thereof made by the said
David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, deputyes, factors, or assignes,
to have and to hould the said mynes of gold and silver, and the benifit
and profit therevpon ariseing, and all the said power, priviledges, and licences,
last before in and by theise Presents given and graunted or menconed to bec
given and graunted as aforesaid with theire and every of theire appertenances
to the said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators and assignes, from
the date of theise Presente for and dureing and vnto the full end and tearme
of twentie-and-one yeares from thence next ensueing and fully to be compleate
and ended, yeldinge and payinge therefore vnto vs, our heires and successors,
after the first two yeares of the said tearme of twenty-and-one yeares,
the tenth parte of all the gold, silver, copper, and lead extracted and to
bec extracted and refined which shall proceede or come of the said mynes
during the residue of the tearme aforesaid, to bee paid and delivered into the
receipte of the Exchequer of vs, our heires and successors at Westminster
in manner and forme hereafter in theise Presente expressed. And to the end as
well the said tenth parte as the third part, before, in, and by theise Presente
reserved, maie the more plainely appeare, and from time to time be set forth and
satisfied to vs, our heires and successors, our will and pleasure is, and the said
David Ramseye for himselfe, his executors, administrators and assignes, doth
by theise psente covenante, promise and agree to and with vs, our heires and
successors that hee, the said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators or
assignes, shall and will, twice in every yeare during the severall tearmes afore-
said respectively, that is to say, in the tearmes of Saint Michaell and Easter
yeild and make a true accompte vppon oath before one or more of the Barons
of the Exchequer of vs, our heires and successors, of all the profitt by vertue
of theise Presente, to be had, raysed, and received, and shall and will, within

page_text: twentie daies after such accompt and accompte to be made, well and truely
paie into the receipte of the Exchequer to the vse of vs, our heires and
successors, all such somes of mony and profitt as shall from tyme to tyme
vpon such accompte appeare to bec due vnto vs, our heires and successors; and
further that lice, the saide David Ramseye, his executors, administrators and
assigns, shall and will beare all the chardges of workeing the mynes aforesaid
dureing the said tearme, and thereof discharge and free vs, our heires and
successors, and our tenth part aforesaid; and that the said David Ramseye,
his executors, administrators and assignes shall allowe reasonable recompence,
amende and allowance vnto, all and every owner and owners, farmor and
farmors, possessor and possessors of the lande and grounde aforesaid for theire
damage and losse to bee susteyned in or vpon the same grounde or soyle where
any such losse shall happen to bee donne by reason of the said mynes and minerall
workes over and above the parte hereby to vs reserved. And in case the said
David Ramseye, his executors, administrators and assignes, and the said owner
and owners, possessor and possessors of the said lande and grounde, cannot agree
amongst themselues for the said damage and losse, then the two justices
of peace next adioyning to the said lande and grounde, not being parties to the
said busines, shall assesse and rate the recompence of and for the same as they
shall thinke in theire conscience to bee iust, reasonable, and sufficient, willing
and commaunding all maiors, sheriff?, justices of peace, bayliffe, constables,
and all other our officers and ministers, and the officers and ministers of any
other lord or lorde, to whome it shall or may apperteine, to bee ayding and
assisting to the said David Ramseye, his executors, administrators, deputies,
and assignes, in the execucon of the premises, as they tender our pleasure, and
will avoyde our indignacon and displeasure in doeing the contraric. And our
further will and pleasure is, and the said David Ramseye, for himself, bis
executors, administrators, and assignes, doth by theise Presente covenant,
promise, and agree to and with vs, our heires and successors, that hee or they
shall once in every six months, durcing the said tearmes hereby graunted, bring
and deliver, or cause to be brought and delivered into the mynt of vs, our
leires and successors, in our Towre of London or elsewhere, within this our
Realme of England, all the gold and silver which shalbe found in the said
mynes, or any of them, they reaceiving vpon the deliverie thereof such price in
readic mony as gold or silver of the like finenes and goodnes is worth, and as
shalbe then vsually given for the same. And, lastly, wee will and by theise
Presente, for vs, our heires and successors, doe graunt that these our Letters
Patent, or the enrollment thereof, shalbe and shalbe taken, adiudged, and
construed to firme, good, effectuall, and available in the lawe to bee pleaded

page_text: against vs, our heires and successors, aswell in anie of our Court of Record. as
elswhere, within this Realme of England and Dominion of Wales, notwith-
standing the not true or certeine recyting of the townes, villages, hamblette,
place or places in which the said mynes are and notwithstandinge any graunt
made by our said late Father, or the late Queene Elizabeth to Thomas Thurland,
Clerke, and Daniell Haighsteter als Hechsteter, theire heires and assignies, or
to the governour, assistante, and Societie of the Cittie of London of and for
mynes royall, or any matter or thing whatsoover conteyned in any the said
graunto or graunte; and notwithstandinge the not recitall or not nameing of
any the said graunte or graunte, or agreement, or demise of record, or not of
record made by vs or by aney other of our progenitors or predecessors to any
other person or persons, bodies politique or corporate, whatsoever; and not-
withstanding any indentures, agcemente, or covenante made with our late
Father or Queene Elizabeth by the said Thomas Thurland and Daniel Haigh-
steter ats Hechsteter, or by the said governours, assistante, and Socyetic of
the Citic of London of and for mynes royall, or by any other person or persons
whatsoever; and notwithstanding any statute or statutes, or any defect or
defects in the not right nameing the natures, kindes, quantities and qualities of
the premisses, or any parte thereof, or any other thing whatsoever to the
contrarie thereof in any wise notwithstanding, although expresse mencon, &c.
In witnes, &c. Witnes our selfe at Westminster, the Eleventh day of
November.