This epistle the Colonel endorsed, “My Lord of Worcester’s letter about my share in his engine.” What was the result of these negociations remains untold; but eight months later it would seem that, for some reason or other, he entered into a solemn obligation with the Colonel, in the terms following:—[E]
“I, under written, do confess and acknowledge to have received of Colonel Christopher Copley so great civilities and obligations as that I do take him into so strict bonds of kindness, as that, if at any time the adventure of my life and fortune may bestead him, I do, upon the word of a gentleman, and the faith of a Christian, engage myself not to stick thereat, but cheerfully to run the same fortune with him. And upon the same ties I vow never to deceive or delude him in thought, word, or deed; and to declare the truth at all times unto him, using neither hyperbole nor equivocation concerning my water-work; or any promise made or to be made between us; which, as I am a gentleman, a Christian, and Roman Catholic, I will even keep inviolable, and that (if I should do any thing to the contrary), I may appear a most dishonest and perjured person; I have signed these with my hand, and affixed on them my seal at Stems (?), the 18th day of November, 1656,
“Worcester.”
On the 28th of December, 1656, he wrote a short letter to Mr. Secretary Thurloe. Politicians have generally supposed that it had reference to some great state secret, which he was bargaining to disclose; while, how contrary must have been his views is now transparent, from seeing what really was the one absorbing subject of his daily meditation, arising out of his arduous endeavours to obtain assistance, and to carry out the working of his “water-commanding engine.” The letter is in every sense remarkable and interesting, both from the mistiness that has for so long a time clouded its meaning, and from the circumstances under which it was dictated. The Marquis writes:—[F]
“28th of December, 1656.
“Right Honourable,
“I do confess, that the old saying is, that proffered service is not valued, and in that respect I wonder not to have my endeavours so little set by. In a word, I am very well pleased to acquiesce, if his Highness nor your Honour think me not worthy of one quarter of an hour’s audience; yet I must needs say, that if esteemed of, I am able to do his Highness more service than any one subject of his three nations; and though, after a message by Mr. Noell, and a letter of mine delivered by my own hands to Mr. Owng, and as he told me, by him to your Honour, I cannot get a time assigned me to wait upon you. I here send you a true copy of Don Alonzo, his answer to me, and do assure you, that I have in readiness a person whom you yourself will confess Don Alonzo cannot except against: so that there only resteth needful your approbation. When your Honour shall have read this, and the copies of the Don’s letter, I have entreated and enjoined Mr. Noell to bring them me back, and in his presence I will burn them, and remain silent for the future in anything of this nature, but in all things else, your Honour’s most affectionate friend and humble servant,
“Worcester.”[G]
The noble inventor’s proceedings could have been no secret at Court, surrounded by spies of every description to report all his operations; and his principal object being one of a large and costly character, would be better known for its nature than its construction. It would also become known from the manuscript of his Century, copies of which seem to have been privately circulated, that his inventions extended to improvements in fire-arms, cannon, and general naval and military improvements. Now it is not in the least improbable that some foreign party or parties communicated with him in reference to some particular invention, but particularly his much commended novelty of a “water-commanding engine,” while the Marquis might feel it a delicate as well as an imprudent act on his part, to make arrangements with foreigners before he had confided his secret and rendered it available in his own country. That his object in desiring an interview with Cromwell, or with his haughty Secretary, bore no political cast, is next to self-evident, from their perfect indifference to his communication; while for any political ends, either would have shown some tokens of regard, and not have left the author of the slightest thread of interested intelligence craving for a few minutes’ audience. Besides, we have the inferential evidence that the communication referred to scientific inventions, rather than to political intrigues, from the context—“proffered service is not valued, and in that respect (he says) I wonder not to have my endeavours so little set by.” And what could those endeavours be, at that particular crisis more than any other, but the possible requirement of patronage from the Protector, and probably also the Parliament, before committing himself to foreigners for that aid which he rightfully considered he would soon merit from his countrymen. But he still further says, “I am able to do his Highness more service than any one subject of his three nations.” Will any one pretend to assume that such language had reference to political plottings, of which he possessed the secret knowledge to such an extent of national importance, without being either listened to, or at once seized and consigned to the dreaded chambers of that fortress, from which he had been only three years released? Admit that the language is inflated, it still would be very significant if it bore at all on the state of public affairs at home or abroad. But its true significance may be found in its counterpart in the Dedications appended to the first edition of the “Century,” printed in 1663. The promise to burn the returned copies of papers, in the presence of Mr. Noell, would seem merely another way of showing, that, come what might of the matter, he would break off all negociations with others than his countrymen. The communication can only be read as alluding to one subject, and not as introducing anything forced and irrelevant. It can only be reconciled as being wholly political, or wholly affecting his special scientific engagements. Besides, had it been otherwise, it would not have escaped the historian, or some court spy to record the wonderful discovery of a plot of frightful magnitude, with all particulars. But no plot ever came to light; and the Marquis never did Cromwell or the Commonwealth any service beyond anything accomplished by the humblest citizen. We must, therefore, for ever abandon the opinion of there being any political character attached to this supposed mysterious communication.
The Marquis of Worcester’s son and heir, Lord Herbert, married Mary, Lady Beauchamp, on the 17th of August, 1657. The following certificate on a small square piece of parchment is preserved among other family documents at Badminton House:—