The result was a warrant for a patent.
“St. Michel’s Invenc̃on.
“Whereas Major Alexander Mercht aꝉs St. Michaell has by his long travailes, study, paines, & charges found out an invenc̃on or way for to keep ye water that is in ponds wherein people wash their horses & in other ponds wholsome sweet & with little or noe mudd in ye botome as also a way for ye moulding, grinding or rubbing of bricks in any forme or shape wtsoever fit for the internall & externall ornamt of any buildings within any of these Our Dominions. And whereas the sd. Alex. Marchant aꝉs St. Michael hath humbly besought us yt Wee would bee graciously pleased to grant unto him Our Lr̃es Patents of licence & priviledge for ye sole use & benefit of his severall Invenc̃ons for ye terme of 14 yeares according to ye statute in such case made & provided. Our &c: containing our Grant, licence or priviledge unto ye sd Alexander Merchant aꝉs St. Michael of ye sole use & benefit of his sd s̃rall invenc̃ons within these Our Realmes & Dominions for ye terme of 14 yeares according to ye statute in yt behalfe made with such powers clauses & provisoes as are usually incerted in grants of like nature.
“Snd. &c. ye 7th of July, 1665.
“To Our Attorney Genr̃all.
ARLINGTON.”
Not contented with curing smoky chimneys, purifying water, and moulding bricks, St. Michel proposed in 1667 to raise submerged ships, and to prevent others from being submerged.
“Propositions dedicated to the King by Alex. Marchant, Sieur de St. Michel sur Couanon les Bauges, in Anjou, Captain and Major of English troops in Italy and Flanders, offering to show that he can draw up all submerged ships; can prevent others from being submerged; has discovered King Solomon’s gold and silver mines, much vaster than those discovered by Columbus, and now much fuller than they were in that King’s time. He wishes to satisfy His Majesty on his first proposition, lest the other should be deemed unworthy an audience.”—Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1667, pp. 252–3.
What a curious comment upon this statement of the discovery of gold and silver mines is to be found in the following extract from the “Diary”:—