A NEW INVENTOR FOR SWIMMING, TO PRESERVE PEOPLE'S LIVES IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK AT SEA, THE OVERSETTING AND SITTINKING OF BOATS, AND IN CASE OF THE CRAMP AND OTHER ACCIDENTS IN SWIM- KING FOR PLEASURE, BEING A PORTABLE MACHINE OF SMALL BULK AND WEIGHT, BEAUTIFULL TO THE EYE, CONVENIENT TO THE BODY, AND VERY EASILY PUT ON IN A MOMENT, WITHOUT THE HELP OF ANOTHER, NOT LYABLE TO HURT BY ACCIDENT, BUT VERY DURABLE, AND BEING FIXED ON THE BODY INPALIBLY PRESERVES IT FROM DROWNING BY KEEPING THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS & SUFFICIENT HEIGHT ABOVE WATER WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SINKING VEDER IT, AND GIVES AN AGILITY OF SWIDDING MUCH FASTER AND LONGER THAN ANY OTHER WAY
Year: 1722

page_text: GEORGE, by the grace of God, &c., to all to whom these Presentt shall
come greeting.
WHEREAS our trusty and welbeloved BENIAMIN HABAKKUK JACKSON,
Gentleman, hath by his petition humbly represented vnto vs, that he has
by his own proper study and at great expence, found out, contrived, and
brought to perfection for publick vse, "A NEW INVENTOR FOR SWIMMING, TO
PRESERVE PEOPLE'S LIVES IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK AT SEA, THE OVERSETTING AND
SITTINKING OF BOATS, AND IN CASE OF THE CRAMP AND OTHER ACCIDENTS IN SWIM-
KING FOR PLEASURE, BEING A PORTABLE MACHINE OF SMALL BULK AND WEIGHT,
BEAUTIFULL TO THE EYE, CONVENIENT TO THE BODY, AND VERY EASILY PUT ON IN A
MOMENT, WITHOUT THE HELP OF ANOTHER, NOT LYABLE TO HURT BY ACCIDENT, BUT
VERY DURABLE, AND BEING FIXED ON THE BODY INPALIBLY PRESERVES IT FROM
DROWNING BY KEEPING THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS & SUFFICIENT HEIGHT ABOVE
WATER WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SINKING VEDER IT, AND GIVES AN AGILITY OF
SWIDDING MUCH FASTER AND LONGER THAN ANY OTHER WAY;" all which has been
found to full satisfaction by many personal tryals of sundry gentlemen and
others in the river of Thames, in the presence of the nobility and gentry and
multitudes of other spectators with vniversal approbačons, being effectual to
answer the ende proposed, whereby it is sufficiently evident that if the many
British men-of-war and merchant ships that have formerly been lost had
been furnished with these swimmers, according to their full complements of
men on boart, the lives of all those that so perished might have been saved.

page_text: And whereas by the vse of them for the future by our subiects the future the
like misfortunes might be intirely prevented, the petičoner hath humbly prayed
vs to grant him our Royal Letters Patent for the sole priviledge and vse of
the said new Inventon for swiming, with whatsoever belonged or appertained
thereunto, and in whatsoever variety of workmanship or materials the said
machines may be composed in every part and branch of the same, or by what-
soever names they may be called, for the term of fourteen years, according
to the Statuto in that behalfe, wce, being willing to give encouragement to
all arte and invenčons which may be for the publick vse and benefit, are
gratiously pleased to gratifie him in his request.
KNOW YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, of our especial grace, certain know-
ledge, and meer močon, have given and granted, and by these Presents,
for vs, our heirs and successors, do give and grant vnto the said Beniamin
Habakkuk Jackson, his executors, administrators, and assignes, especial lycence,
full power, sole priviledge and authority, that he, the said Beniamin Habakkuk
Jackson, his executors, administrators, and assignes, and every of them, by
himselfe or themselves or by his or their deputy and deputies, servants or
agent, or such others as he, the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, 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 years herein
expressed, shall and lawfully may make, vse, exercise, and vend his said new
invented machine for swimming or swimmers, as above described, within that
part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, and in our Plantačons in America, in such
manner as to him, the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, or any of them, shall in their discretions seem
meet, and that he, the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors,
administrators, 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 Invenčon for and during the term
of years herein menčoned, to have, hold, exercise, and enioy the said lycence,
powers, priviledges and advantages herein-before granted or menconed to be
granted vnto the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors, admi-
nistrators, and assignes, for and during and vnto 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 Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson,
bis 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,

page_text: according to our gracious intenčon, herein-before declared, wee do by these
Presents, for vs, our heirs 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, or degree, name or condičon
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, and in
our Plantačons in America; 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 practice the said Invencon
so attained voto by the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, as aforesaid, nor.
in any wise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor shall make or cause
to be made any addition therevnto 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 Beniamin-
Habakkuk Jackson, his executors, administrators, or assignes, in writing vnder
his or their hande and seales first had and obtained in that behalf, 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
Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors, administrators, and assignes,
according to law, for his and their damages thereby occasioned. And
moreover, wee do by these Presente, for vs, our heirs and successors, will
and command all and singular the justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs,
bayliffs, constables, headboroughs, and all other officers and ministers
whatscever 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
Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors, administrators, or assignes, or
any of them, their or any of their deputies, servante, or agente in or.
about the due and lawfull vse or exercise of the aforesaid Invention or any.
thing relating thereto: Provided always, and these our Letters Patente 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 heirs or successors, or.
any six or more of our or their Privy Council, that this our grant is con-
trary to law or preiudicial 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 in that said part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England,
our Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, or in our Plan-
tačons in America, and not invented and found out by the said Beniamin
Habakkuk Jackson, as aforesaid, then vpon signification or declaration thereof

page_text: 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 Council, or any six or
more of them vnder their hande, these our Letters Patente shall forthwith
cease, determine, and be vtterly voyd to all intente and purposes, anything
herein-before contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding: Provided
also, that these our Letters Patente, or anything herein contained, shall not
extend or be construed to extend to give priviledge vnto the said Beniamin
Habakkuk Jackson, his executors, administrators, or assignes, or any of them,
to vsc or imitate any Invention or work whatsoever, which hath heretofore
been found out or invented by any other of our subiecte whatsoover, 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, or
in our Plantačons in America, vnto whom like Letters Patent or priviledges
have been already granted, for the sole vse, exercise, and benefit thereof, it
being our will and pleasure that the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his
executors, administrators, 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 vse and practice their severall Inven-
tions by them invented and found out, according to the true intent and
meaning of the same respective Letters Patente and of these Presente: Pro-
vided likewise, nevertheless, and theso our Letters Patents are vpon this
express condition, that if the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors
or administrators, or any person or persons which shall or may at any time or
times hereafter during the continuance of 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 vso and benefit of the said Invenčon hereby granted, shall make
any transferr or assignement, 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 publick subscripčons, to be made by number of persons exceeding
the number of five, in order to the raiseing any sume or sumes 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 servant receive any summe
or sumes of money whatsoever of any number of persons exceeding in the
whole the number of five, for such or the like intent 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 vs granted, into
any number of shares exceeding the number of five, or shall commit or do

page_text: or presume to be committed or done, any act, matter, or thing whatsoever
during such time as such person 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
reigne, entituled (An Act for the better securing certain Powers and Priviledges
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 re-
straining severall extravagant and vnwarrantable Practices therein menconed),
if these our Letters Patente 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 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 intituled 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, determine, and become void,
anything herein-before contained to the contrary thereof in any wise not-
withstanding. And lastly, wee do by these Presente, for vs, our heires and
successors, grant vnto the said Beniamin Habakkuk Jackson, his executors,
administrators, and assignes, that these our Letters Patente, or the inrollment
or exemplificačon 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 adiudged in the most favourable
and beneficial! sense for the best advantage of the said Beniamin Habakkuk
Jackson, his executors, administrators, and assignes, as well in all Courte of
Record as elsewhere, and by all and singular the officers and ministers what-
soever of vs, our heires and successors, in that part of our said Kingdom of
Great Britain called England, our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
vpon-Tweed, and in our Plantačons in America, and amongst all and
every the subiects of vs, our heires and successors, whatsoever and whereso-
ever, notwithstanding the not full and certain describing the nature or quality
of the said Invention, or of the materials thereto conduceing and belonging.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse our selfe at Westminster, the Eleventh day