Secondly, The Lord Dudley’s Woods and Works decayed, but Pitcoal and Iron, Stone or Mines abounding, upon his Lands, but of little Use.
Thirdly, Because most of the Coale Mines in these parts, as well as upon the Lord Dudley’s lands, are Coals, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve yards thick; the top or the uppermost Cole, or vein, gotten upon the superficies of this Globe or Earth, in open works.
Fourthly, Under this great thickness of Coal, is very many sorts of Iron, Stone, Mines, in the Earth Clay or Stone earth, like bats in all four yards thick; also under these Iron mines is severall yards thick of Coals, but of these in an other place more convenient.
Fifthly, Knowing that when the Colliers are forced to sinck Pits for getting of ten yards thick of Cole one third Part of the Coles or more, that be gotten under the ground, being small are of little or of no use in that inland Country nor is it worth the drawing out of the Pits, unlesse it might be made use of by making of Iron therewith into cast works or Bars.
Sixthly, Then knowing that if there could be any use made of the smal-coale that are of little Use, then would they be drawn out of the Pits, which coles produceth often times great prejudice unto the Owners of the works and the work it self, and also unto the Colliers, who casting of the smalcoles together, which compelling necessity enforcing the Colliers so to do, for two causes; one is to raise them to cut down the ten yards thicknesse of coles drawing onely the bigger sort of cole, not regarding the lesser or small cole, which will bring no money; saying, He that liveth longest let him fetch fire further: Next, these Colliers must cast these coles, and sleek or drosse out of their wayes, which sulphurious small cole and crouded moyst sleek heat naturally, and kindles in the middle of those great heaps; often fals the cole-works on Fire, and flaming out of the Pits, and continue burning like Ætna in Cicily, or Hecla in the Indies.
Yet when these loose Sulphurious compost of cole and sleek, being consumed in processe of time, the Fire decayes, yet notwithstanding the Fire hath continued in some Pits many years; yet colliers have gotten coles again, in those same Pits, the Fire not penitrating the solid and firme wall of coles, because Pabulum ignis est Aer, the Ayre could not penetrate, but passe by it in the loose cole and sleek; for comming into those pits afterwards, I have beheld the very blows of Pikes or tools that got the coles there formerly. Also from these Sulphurious heaps, mixed with Iron, Stone (for out of many of the same pits is gotten much Iron, Stone, Mines); the Fires heating vast qualities of Water, passing thorow these Soughs or Adits, becometh as hot as the Bath at Bathe, and more healing and sovereign even for old Ulcers and Sores; because many of these Baths doe proceed not onely from common Sulphur and vitriol of Mars, but also from Solar sulphur in this Iron stone; I hope, Filii Artis, will excuse my digesion from the making of Iron with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat or Turff, and the melting of mines and mettals and refining of the same, with the like fuell: the first Pattent being granted by King James for 31, Years in the 19th year of his Reign upon just and true information, that the Authour had the year before made many Tuns of Iron with Pitcole at a Furnace or Iron-work, in the Chase of Pensnet, in the County of Worcester, besides cast Iron Works of sundry sorts with Pitcoles; and also at two Forges or Iron Mills, called, Cradly Forges, fined the said Iron into Merchantable good Bar Iron; But the year following, the grant or Pattent for making of Iron with Pitcole or Seacole, There was so great a Flood, by rain, to this day, called the great May-day-Flood, that it not onely ruinated the Authours Iron works, and inventions; but also many other mens Iron works: and at a market Town called Sturbridge in Commitate Wigorniæ, although the Authour sent with speed to preserve the people from drowning; one resolute man was carried from the Bridge there in the day time, and the nether part of the Town was so deep in Water that the people had much ado to preserve their lives in the uppermost rooms in their Houses.
My Yron works and inventions thus demolished, to the joy of many Iron masters, whose works scaped the Flood and who had often disparaged the Authours Inventions, because the Authour sold good Iron cheaper then they could afford it; and which induced many of the Iron masters to complain unto King Iames, averring that the iron was not Merchantable; As soon as the Author had repaired his works and inventions (to his no small charge) they so far prevailed with King Iames, that the Authour was commanded with all speed possible, to send all sorts of Bar iron up to the Tower of London, fit for making of Musquets, Carbines and Iron for great Bolts, fit for Shipping, which Iron being so tryed by Artists and Smiths, that the iron masters and Iron-mongers were all silenced until 21th of King Iames: At the then Parliament, all Monopolies were made Null, and diverse of the Iron masters endeavouring to bring the invention of making Iron with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat and Turff, within the compasse of a Monopoly; but the Lord Dudley and the Authour did prevaile; yet the Pattent was limited to continue but Fourteen years; after which Act the Authour went on with his invention cheerfully, and made annually great store of Iron, good and merchantable, and sold it unto diverse men yet living at Twelve pounds per Tun; I also made all sorts of cast iron Wares, as Brewing-Cysterns, Pots, Morters, and better and cheaper than any yet were made in these Nations, with Charcoles; Some of which are extant to be seen by any man (at the Authors House in the City of Worcester) that desire to be satisfied of the truth in the Invention.
Afterwards, The Author was outed of his works and inventions before mentioned by the Iron-masters and others wrongfully, over long to relate: yet being unwilling his Inventions (having undergone much charge and pains therein) should fall to the ground, and be buried in him, made him to set forward his Invention again, at a Furnace called, Himley Furnace in the County of Stafford, where he made much Iron with Pit-cole, but wanting a Forge to make it into bars, was constrained for want of Stock to sell the Pig-Iron unto the Charcole Iron-masters, who did him much prejudice, not onely in detaining his stock, but also disparaging the Iron; Himley Furnace being Rented out unto Charcole Iron-Masters.
The Authour Erected a new large Furnace on purpose, 27 foot square, all of stone for his new Invention, at a place called Hasco Bridge, in the parish of Sedgley, and County of Stafford; the Bellows of which Furnace were larger then ordinary Bellows are, in which work he made 7 Tuns of Iron per week, the greatest quantity of Pit-cole-Iron that ever yet was made in Great Brittain; near which Furnace, the Author discovered many new Cole-mines 10 yards thick, and Iron-mine under it, according to other Cole-works; which Cole-works being brought unto perfection, the Author was by force thrown out of them, and the Bellows of his new Furnace and Invention, by riotous persons cut in pieces, to his no small prejudice, and loss of his Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, &c. So that being with Law-Suites, and Riots, wearied and disabled to prosecute his Art and Invention at present, even untill the first Pattent was extinct: Notwithstanding the Author his sad Sufferings, Imprisonments wrongfully for several thousand pound in the Counter in London, yet did obtaine a new Pattent, dated the 2d of May, Anno 14. Caroli Primi of ever Blessed Memory, not only for the making of Iron into cast-works, and bars, but also for the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing of all Mines, Minerals and Mettals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, and Turf, for the preservation of Wood and Timber of this Island; into which Pattent, the Author, for the better support and management of his Invention, so much opposed formerly at the Court, at the Parliament, and at the Law, took in David Ramsey, Esquire, Resident at the Court; Sir George Horsey, at the Parliament; Roger Foulke, Esquire, a Counsellour of the Temple, and an Ingenious Man; and also an Iron Master, my Neighbour, and one who did well know my former Sufferings, and what I had done in the Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole, &c.
All which said Patentees, Articled the 11th of Iune following, the Grant not only to pay the Authour all the charges of passing the Pattent laid down by him, but also to lay in for a common and joynt-stock each man of the four, one hundred pounds, and so from time to time, what more stock any three of the Pattentees should think fit to be laid in for the making of Iron into cast works and bars, and likewise for the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing of all Mines, Minerals, and Metals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf, which Articles are yet extant.