[A stupendious Water-work.] The present article concludes the Marquis of Worcester’s own observations on his Water-commanding Engine. His engagements in hydraulic engineering, as we have already seen, commenced about, or before, 1628; but we have later and more satisfactory evidence of his having had the invention, which is here indicated, absolutely at work, under the management of his engineer Kaltoff, at Vauxhall. Hitherto we have confined our notice of any express date to the period of the passing of the Act in 1663, securing to him the profits in his invention for 99 years. We are, however, now prepared to show that, during the reign of Charles the First, in and before 1647, the Marquis was occupied on the mechanical arrangements of his engine, when one William Lambert, a brass-founder, was engaged under him at Vauxhall, in providing material “founded in brass,” expressly for “water-work.” This evidence, being afforded under circumstances very different from any attempt to establish the present statement, is all the more trustworthy, coming as a mere evidence of personal employment in the Marquis’s service, while soliciting from Charles the Second, after his restoration, to be reinstated at Vauxhall, in accordance with an order from the late king.
We shall now give entire the exceedingly interesting and important petition and royal order, from the original in the State Paper Office:—[U]
“To the King’s most excellent Majesty,
“The humble Petition of William Lambert.
“Humbly sheweth,
“That your Petitioner was founder to his late Majesty of blessed memory in Ffoxhall under the Marquis of Worcester, for gun and waterwork or any other thing founded in brass; and in the late unhappy war, your Petitioner was dispossessed of his employment, and left to the value of £2,000. and driven to exile by that usurpers authority.
“That your Majesty was graciously pleased at Brussels to grant your petitioner the place of founder for your Majesty’s works at Ffoxhall, upon your Majesty’s happy restoration, whereupon your Petr. depended; and deserted the King of Spain’s service; yet, nevertheless, the house was disposed to one Mr. Calthoofe, now deceased.
“Your Petitioner most humbly prayeth, That your sacred Majesty would be graciously pleased to confer upon your Petitioner some part of your Majesty’s house at Ffoxhall, to make a Founding-house for your Majesty’s use and service.
“And your Petitioner (as in duty bound) shall pray, &c.”
The following is the grant above named:—