Yet nevertheless, I still endeavoured not to bury my Tallent, took in two Partners into my inventions, Walter Stevens of Bristow Linnen Draper, and John Ston of the same City Merchant, after the Authour had begun to Erect a new work for the Inventions aforesaid, near Bristow, Anno 51, and there we three Partners had in stock near 700l. but they not only cunningly drew me into Bond, entered upon my Stock and Work, unto this day detained it, but also did unjustly enter Staple Actions in Bristow of great value against me, because I was of the Kings Party; unto the great prejudice of my Inventions and Proceedings, my Pattent being then almost extinct: for which, and my Stock, am I forced to Sue them in Chancery.
In the interim of my proceedings, Cromwell, and the then Parliament, granted a Pattent, and an Act of Parliament unto Captain Buck of Hampton Road, for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole; Cromwell, and many of his Officers were Partners, as Major Wildman and others; many Doctors of Physick, and Merchants, who set up diverse and sundry Works, and Furnaces at a vast charge, in the Forrest of Dean, and after they had spent much in their Invention and Experiments, which was done in spacious Wind-Furnaces, and also in Potts of Glass-house Clay; and failing afterwards, got unto them an Ingenious Glass-Maker, Master Edward Dagney an Italian then living in Bristow, who after he had made many Potts, for that purpose went with them into the Forrest of Dean, and built for the said Captain Buck and his Partners, a new Furnace, and made therein many and sundry Experiments and Tryals for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, &c. But he failing, and his Potts being all broken, he did return to Bristow frustrate of his Expectation; but further promising to come again, and make more Experiments; at which time Master John Williams, Master Dagneys, Master of the Glass-House was then drawn in to be a Partner for 300l. deposited, and most of it spent, the said Williams and Dagney hearing that the Authour had knowledge in the making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, &c. they from Cap. Buck, and the other Partners importuned the Author, who was at that time in great danger by the Parliament, (being a Colonel of the Kings Party) to go along with them into the Forrest of Dean, which at that time durst not deny; Coming thither, I observed their manner of working, and found it impossible, that the said Edward Dagney by his Invention should make any Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, in Pots to profit: I continued with them till all their Potts and Inventions failed; at every Dinner and Supper, Captain Buck, Captain Robins, Doctor Ivie, Doctor Fowler and others, would aske the Author why he was so confident that Iron in quantity could not be made by their new Inventions? I found it a difficult thing to disswade the Partners from their way, so confident were they to perform the making of iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole to profit; that they desired me to come again a second time into the Forrest to see it Effected; But at that time, I saw their failings also.
Yet nevertheless Captain Buck, and his Partners Erected new Works at the City of Bristow, in which they did fail as much as in their former Inventions; but Major Wildman, more barbarous to me then a Wildman, although a Minister bought the Authors Estate, near 200l. per Annum, intending to compell from the Author his Inventions of making of Iron with Pit-cole; but afterwards passed my Estate unto two Barbarous Brokers of London, that pulled down the Authors two Mantion Houses; sold 500 Timber Trees off his Land, and to this day are his Houses unrepaired.
Anno 1665. Captain Buck and his Partners wearied of their Invention, desisting, An. 1656. Captain John Copley from Cromwell obtained another Pattent for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole; He and his Partners set up their Works, at the Cole-Works near Bristow, and endeavour’d by Engeneers assistance to get his Bellows to be blown, at, or near the Pits of Cole, with which Engines the Work could not be performed: But the Author coming to see the said Works, and after many Discourses with Captain Copley, his former Acquaintance, told him plainly, if his Bellows could have been blown by those Engines, yet I feared he could not make Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole; he seemed discontented; whereupon, and without those Engines I made his Bellows to be blown feisibly, as by the Note under his hand appears (the first Note) followeth;
1656. December 30.
Memorandum, The day and year above-written, I John Copley of London, Gent. Do acknowledge, that after the Expence of diverse Hundred Pounds to Engineers, for the making of my Bellows to blow, for the making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole near Bristow, and near the Forrest of Kings-wood; that Dud Dudley Esq. did perform the blowing of the said Bellows at the Works or Pits abovesaid; a very feisible and plausable way, that one man may blow them with pleasure the space of an hour or two; and this I do acknouledge to be performed with a very small charge, and without any money paid to him for the same Invention:
John Copley.
Captain John Copley thus failing in his Inventions, An. 1657, he went into Ireland, and all men now desisting from the Inventions of making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole: The Author, Anno 1660. being 61. years of Age, and moved with pitty, and seeing no man able to perform the Mastery of making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, immediately upon his Sacred Majesties happy Restauration, the same day he Landed, Petitioned that he might be restored to his place, and his Pattent obstructed, revived for the making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf, into cast Works and Bars, and for the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing of all Mines, Mettals and Minerals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf; which said Laudable Invention, the Author was and is unwilling should fall to the ground and dye with him, neither is the Mistery, or Mastery of the Invention Effected and Perfected by any man known unto the Authour, as yet, either in England, Scotland or Wales; all which three abound with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, and do over-much furnish other Kingdomes many with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, when they might make far better use of it themselves, especially Scotland and Wales, both for the making of Iron into cast Works and Bars; and also for the making of Steel, and Melting, Extracting, and Refining of Lead, Tin, Iron, Gold, Copper, Quicksilver, and Silver, with Pit-cole, and Sea-cole.
I shall not trouble you with the Petition, or my reasons and desires that were annexed unto it, for the making of Iron, and Melting of Mines, &c. with Pit-cole, &c. they are over long to relate, only the Reference to them is thus; (after my first Petition was lost, I Petitioned again.)
At the Court at Whiteh. 22. of June 1663.