and Servant, James Hope.
This Sir James Hope, was a Judge at the City of Edinburgh, and by Cromwell made Lord Marshall of Scotland.
My hope now is, that the Honourable and ingenious Corporation of the Mines Royall, will set the Mines at work, that my Inventions, in which I have spent much time and charge, in melting, smelting, extracting, refining and reducing of Mines and Mettals with Pitcoal, Seacoal and Peats; and have made with the same Fuell many hundred Tuns of good Merchantable Iron, into cast works and Bars; may by the inventioner be enjoyed according to the Act of Parliament, 21. Jacob. Seeing the Authour can make it appear he hath been much obstructed by lawsuits and the Wars hitherto: Desires that his Talent of Undoubted truths (may not be buried) for the general good, but be brought to light, after all the sad Sufferings of the Authour, whereby he may add unto his new Inventions, what he conceives fit to be done: That not onely this so exhausted Kingdome may enjoy the benefit thereof, but also Scotland and Wales which abound with Coals, Iron, Stone and Mines of all sorts, minerals and precious Stones, &c.
Yet from England’s Granery, Scotland making no Iron, and other Territories, have their thorow supply, not onely of Iron, but of Iron manufactories many, so hath Wales; yet might Scotland and Wales not onely supply themselves, but supply His Sacred Majesties other Territories with Iron and Iron Wares and Steel also, by Iron and Steel made with Pit-coale, Sea-coale and Peat; and thereby be helpfull unto themselves and England, and all Plantations of his Majesties, on this side and beyond the line.
To the
Reader,
especially of England, Scotland and Wales.
The injury and prejudice done unto me & to this Island, my native Country for the making of Iron, in cast works and bars with Pitcoal, Seacoal, Peat and Turff, and with the like feuell, to melt, extract, refine and reduce all Mines and mettals, moved me in the negligence of better Wits and Pens to apologise for it: in this ensuing Treatise, and believe me Reader, twas no private, or politick designe in my Invention, but meer zeal, becomming an honest man, Patriæ, parentibus and amicis; that Engaged me (after many others failed) in these Inventions, for the general good and preservation of Wood and Timber, which,
Eque pauperibus, locupletibus eque,
Eque neglectis pueris senibusq; nocébit;
Therefore it concerns His Sacred Majesty, his high Court of Parliament, all his Counsels, Mariners, Merchants, Royall and Loyall Subjects (the destruction of Wood and Timber) to lay it to heart, and helping hands, upon fit occasions, in these so laudable Inventions of making Iron & melting of mines and refyning of them with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat and Turf; for the preservation of Wood and Timber for maintenance of Navigation, men of War, the Fishing and Merchants’ Trade, which is the greatest strength of Great Brittain, and all other his Majesties Kingdomes and Territories, whose defence and offence next under God, consists by his sacred Majesties assisting care, and view of his men of War, Ships, experienced marrinours, merchants, Ordinance of Copper, Bras and Iron Armories, Steels and Irons of all sorts; both of bars, squares, and cast works and which ought and may be suplyed from Scotland and Wales by Iron, Copper and Brasse, and made there, with Pitcole, Seacole and Peat; and which abound there and in England, also. In Cornwall, Devonshire, Sommerset, Glocester, Stafford, Darby, York, Lancaster, Westmerland, Cumberand; are many Copper Mines: so is there in Pembrook, Carmarthin, Merionith and Denbyshires, also there are very many rich Coper mines in very many places in Scotland, at Sterling, at Dumfad and many other places well known, unto the Authour,
Dud Dudley.