you with an other Letter but I am soe little sattisfyed with yours
in what I required conscerninge my monyes that I cannot thinke a
survilous paper an equal ballance for soe waighty and iust a debt:
I confesse I have hard of a new way to pay ould debts but certainly
this is the newest, I belieue your Ladiship is one of the first that
euer tryd it: itt may bee _al a mode_, but truely I doe not like
the fashion, though itt may bee others doe: To answare your Letter,
first for your Religion I medle not with itt It conscerns not mee;
if I have, certainely I have done rather an hon^r to itt then an
iniury: for I belieu'd soe well of your Religion that itt tought noe
man to distroy his faith, Hon^r, and Christianety; which my Lord
hath done in his engagement to mee I onely speake of him--I pray you
Maddam lett mee aske, what is hon^r if broken? tis easely answared
noe hon^r, what is itt to pretend a faith in Jesus Christ, to be
call'd a Christian, and to breake that faith, and likewise forfitt
that Christianety, he's noe Christian and whereas you say I wronge
the memory of the late Kinge (I know not upon what grounds) Maddam
you doe mee wronge, I serve the memory of that Royall Martyr, equall
to any hee that lives: I pray you did his Ma^{tie} euer engage
his faith, hon^r, and Christianety, to pay any debts, where in he
fail'd; Maddam vnder fauour I must say you doe his incomparable
ashes iniury. You likewise tell mee noe gallant pearson wilbeleiue
but that my Lord will pay mee when hee hath itt, tis a large extent,
and for ought I know may reach to Dooms day; tis small sattisfaction
to expect a certaine debt att such an vncertaine payment. Maddam you
haue the priueledge of a Woeman in speakinge of my Loyalty, noe man
can, nor dare tax itt, for my publishinge any thinge that conscernes
your Lord, tis his owne actions that causeth mee to report those
truths: You say my Lord hath spent more in his Ma^{ties} seruice
than any Protestant, I dare say there has beine ten thousand loyall
faithfull Protestants hath spent as much: where of I am one, for
wee have spent, and lost all wee had to our proportions, tis as
much as hee (the widowes mite will make itt good) and in soe doinge
wee did but our dutyes, and wee ought not to obraide the King with
itt, tis vnhandsome to expect Sallery for a lawfull duty. Your
Ladyship saith that I reported my Lord gaue mee counterfitt plates,
I confesse hee gaue mee some plates, and forced them upon mee, hee
likewise borrowed them of mee againe, resoluinge to returne them
within too dayes, but he hath not restored them to this day, I heare
since that my Lord hath sould them: I hope hee will confesse that
noe man of Hon^r did euer such an action before, allthough he was
ready to starue, and for his giuinge mee false plate, I must deny
itt for I neuer said itt, but this I did say, that when I was at his
Lordsp's house he showed mee some plates, that was not the same that
hee had formerly giuen mee for the first was beaten, and the latter
was cast, if that was counterfitt, I sayd itt, and that ile iustify.
for your friuolous paper, I dare say your reconcil'd iudgment doth
repent the sendinge of itt, I have shewed it to diuers of your
religion, and they condemne you for itt, likewise the paper, nor can
the Kinge of Englande giue you thanks for itt. But his royall Mother
beinge a Roman Catholique, my hon^r and admiration of her doth
silence my penn in answeringe that scandalous paper.
Your Ladiships humble Servant
RICH. HASTINGS.
Paris Ape 3
Directed,
Forr the Right Hon^{ble} the Marchioness
of Worcester these
humbly
Jesus + Mi^~a September 6 1670
NOBLE MADAM--
The Grace of the Holy-ghost be with you.
The great esteeme and honour w^{ch} I have euer had for your Ladys^p
hath all waise made mee prompt and willing to serve you to the
best of my power, without the bias of selfe interest, as your selfe
can witnesse; And because I feare that at present, your Honour hath
noe one, that in the greate concernes, which you have in hand,
will tell you the truth, as it often happens to persons of greate
quality: I have thought it the part of my Priestly function, and
fidelity towards yo^r Ho^r: (haveing first in my poore prayers,
humbly commended it to Alm: God) to represent unto you, that w^{ch}
all your friends know to bee true, as well as myselfe, and would be
willing that your Ladys^p should know it likewise.
Alm: God hath Madam put you into a happy, and flourishing condition,
fitt and able to serue God, and to doe much good to your selfe and
others; and your Ladys^p makes yourselfe unhappy, by seeming not to
be contented with your condition but troubling your spiritts with
many thoughts of attayning to greater dignityes and riches.
Madam all those that wish you well, are greeued to see your Ladys^p
to bee allready soe much disturbed & weakened in your iudgment &
in danger to loose the right use of your reason, if you doe not
tymely endeauour to preuent it, by ceasing to goe on with such high
designes, as you are vppon, which I declare to you, in the faith
of a Priest to bee true: The cause of your present distemper, and
of the aforesayd danger, is doubtlesse, that your thoughts and
imagination are very much fixed on the title of Plantagenet, and of
disposing yourselfe for that greate dignity by getting of greate
sums of money from the king, to pay your deceased Lords debts, and
enriching your selfe by the great Machine and the like. Now Madam
how vnproper such undertakings are for your L. and how vnpossible
for you to effect them, or any one of them, all your friends can
tell you if they please to discover the trueth to you.
The ill effects that flow from hence are many: as the danger of
looseing your health and iudgment by such violent application of
your fancies in such high designes and ambitious desires; the
probability of offending Alm: God and preiudising your owne soule
thereby: the advantage you may thereby give to those who desire to
make a prey of your fortune, and to rayse themselves by ruining of
you: the spending greate sums of money in rich and sumptuous things
w^{ch} are not suteable to the gravity of your Ladys^p and present
condition of Widdow-hoode and mourning for your deceased Lord.
Although it bee certine, that it is a greate temptation which
you are now vnder, and very dangerous and hurtfull both to your
temporall and eternall happynesse; yet I confesse that the Devil,
to make his suggestion the more preualent, doth make vse of some
motives that seeme plausible, as of paying your Lords debts, of
founding of monasterys, and the like, and that your Ladys^p hath
the Kings favour to carry on your designes. But Madam it is certine
that the King is offended with your comeing to the Court, and much
more with your pretention to the title of Plantaginet; and it is
dangerous to provoke him any farther: And for paying of Debts and
founding of Monasteryes, wee all know that your L. can neuer bee in
a better condition to doe it, than now you are; and as you are not
bound to doe such things, so they are not expected from you; but wee
all applaud your pious inclinations herein, of w^{ch} you will not
loose the merit with Alm: God but our apprehensions are, least you
should by your Ladys^{ps} inordinate designes bring your selfe into
such a condition, as not to bee able to helpe your friends nor your
selfe.
Bee pleased Madam now to give mee leave to suggest some waie how
the approaching dangers may bee prevented, by changing the objects
of your affections, and insteede of temporall, to seeke after
eternall riches, and honors, which your age doth assure you are not
far off; for w^{ch} you may dispose yourselfe, before death comes,
by retiring into the countrey for some time, from the distractions
of the Court, where you may haue the advice and directions of some
learned Priest, in whose vertue you may wholey confide, and bee
guided by him, for your internall quiet & security. Many places may
soone be found out, that are fitt for that purpose: At Hammersmith
Mrs. Bedingfield a very vertuous & discreete person, and of your
Ladys^{ps} acquaintance, hath lately taken a faire house & garden, &
hath but a small family. In some such place your Ho^r might likewise
haue the aduice of some well experienced Doctor, for the health of
your person, and the benefitt of good ayre and of quietnesse, would
much conduce to your health: And soe by Alm. Gods blessing, you may
recouer from that most pernicious distemper of bodey and mind, vnto
w^{ch} every one seese you to bee very neere approching, and may
live many yeares with your owne fortune & dignity in greate honour
and happynesse & bee the author of many good workes of piety &
Charity to the glory of God & eternall saluation of your owne soule.
Thus dear Madam I have ventured to declare a great trueth to you,
w^{ch} was before a secrett only to your selfe. I know that I run
the hazerd of incurring your displeasure, if your Ladys^p should not
reade the candor of my intentions, w^{ch} in my Letter I intend
towards you: but my assurance of haveing herein performed a duty
w^{ch} I owe to my God, and the hope I have that you will take it
well as I intend it, have encouraged mee to doe it, and to subscribe
myselfe
Honored Madam
Your humb. Ser. in C. J.
WALT. TRAVERS.
_The Lord Marquesse of Worcester's ejaculatory and extemporary
thanksgiving Prayer, when first with his corporal eyes, he did
see finished a perfect trial of his Water-commanding Engine,
delightful and useful to whomsoever hath in recommendation
either knowledge, profit, or pleasure._
Oh! infinitely omnipotent God! whose mercies are fathomlesse, and
whose knowledge is immense, and inexhaustible; next to my creation
and redemption I render thee most humble thanks from the very
bottom of my heart and bowels, for thy vouchsafing me, (the meanest
in understanding,) an insight in soe great a secret of nature,
beneficent to all mankind, as this my water commanding engine.
Suffer me not to be puffed upp, O Lord, by the knowing of it, and
many more rare and unheard off, yea unparalleled inventions, tryals,
and experiments.--But humble my haughty heart, by the true knowledge
of myne own ignorant, weake, and unworthy nature: proane to all
euill, O most mercifull Father my creator, most compassionatting
Sonne my redeemer, and Holyest of Spiritts, the sanctifier, three
diuine persons, and one God, grant me a further concurring grace
with fortitude to take hould of thy goodnesse, to the end that
whatever I doe, unanimously and courageously to serve my king and
country, to disabuse, rectifie, and convert my vndeserved, yet
wilfully incredulous enemyes, to reimburse thankfully my creditors,
to reimmunerate my benefactors, to reinhearten my distressed family,
and with complacence to gratifie my suffering and confiding friends,
may, voyde of vanity or selfe ends, be only directed to thy honour
and glory everlastingly. Amen.
A
CENTURY
OF THE
NAMES AND SCANTLINGS
OF SUCH
INVENTIONS,
As at present I can call to mind to have tried and perfected,
which (my former Notes being lost) I have, at the instance of a
powerful Friend, endeavoured now in the Year 1655, to set these
down in such a way, as may sufficiently instruct me to put any
of them in practice.
----_Artis et Naturæ proles._
TO
THE KING'S
MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
SIR,
"Scire meum nihil est, nisi me scire hoc sciat alter," saith the
poet, and I most justly in order to your Majesty, whose satisfaction
is my happiness, and whom to serve is my only aim, placing therein
my "summum bonum" in this world: be therefore pleased to cast your
gracious eye over this summary collection, and then to pick and
choose. I confess, I made it but for the superficial satisfaction of
a friend's curiosity, according as it is set down; and if it might
now serve to give aim to your Majesty how to make use of my poor
endeavours, it would crown my thoughts, who am neither covetous nor
ambitious, but of deserving your Majesty's favour, upon my own cost
and charges, yet, according to the old English proverb, "It is a
poor dog not worth whistling after." Let but your Majesty approve,
and I will effectually perform to the height of my undertaking:
vouchsafe but to command, and with my life and fortune I shall
cheerfully obey, and maugre envy, ignorance and malice, ever appear
Your Majesty's
Passionately-devoted, or otherwise disinterested
Subject and Servant,
WORCESTER.
TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
THE
LORDS SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL;
AND TO
THE KNIGHTS, CITIZENS, AND BURGESSES
OF THE
HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS:
NOW ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
Be not startled if I address to all, and every of you, this Century
of Summary Heads of Wonderful Things, even after the dedication
of them to his most excellent Majesty, since it is with his
most gracious and particular consent, as well as indeed no ways
derogating from my duty to his sacred self, but rather in further
order unto it, since your Lordships, who are his great Council, and
you, Gentlemen, his whole kingdom's Representatives (most worthily
welcome unto him) may fitly receive into your wise and serious
considerations, what doth or may publicly concern both his Majesty
and his tenderly-beloved people.
Pardon me, if I say, (my Lords and Gentlemen) that it is jointly
your parts to digest to his hand, these ensuing particulars, fitting
them to his palate, and ordering how to reduce them into practice,
in a way useful and beneficial, both to his Majesty and his kingdom.
Neither do I esteem it less proper for me to present them to you in
order to his Majesty's service, than it is to give into the hands of
a faithful and provident steward, whatsoever dainties and provisions
are intended for the master's diet; the knowing and faithful steward
being best able to make use thereof to his master's contentment, and
greatest profit, keeping for the morrow whatever should be overplus
or needless for the present day, or at least to save something
else in lieu thereof. In a word, (my Lords and Gentlemen,) I humbly
conceive, this simile not improper, since you are his Majesty's
provident stewards, into whose hands I commit myself, with all
properties fit to obey you; that is to say, with a heart harbouring
no ambition, but an endless aim to serve my King and Country: and
if my endeavours prove effectual, (as I am confident they will,)
his Majesty shall not only become rich, but his people likewise,
as treasurers unto him; and his peerless Majesty, our King, shall
become both beloved at home, and feared abroad; deeming the riches
of a King to consist in the plenty enjoyed by his people.
And the way to render him to be feared abroad, is to content his
people at home, who then with heart and hand are ready to assist
him; and whatsoever God blesseth me with to contribute towards the
increase of his revenues, in any considerable way, I desire it may
be imployed to the use of his people; that is, for the taking off
such taxes or burthens from them as they chiefly groan under,
and by a temporary necessity only imposed on them; which being
thus supplied, will certainly best content the King, and satisfy
his people; which, I dare say, is the continual tend of all your
indefatigable pains, and the perfect demonstrations of your zeal
to his Majesty, and an evidence that the kingdom's trust is justly
and deservedly reposed in you. And if ever Parliament acquitted
themselves thereof, it is this of yours, composed of most deserving
and qualified persons; qualified, I say, with your affection to your
Prince, and with a tenderness to his people; with a bountiful heart
towards him, yet a frugality in their behalfs.
Go on therefore chearfully (my Lords and Gentlemen) and not only our
gracious King, but the King of Kings will reward you, the prayers of
the people will attend you, and his Majesty will with thankful arms
embrace you. And be pleased to make use of me and my endeavours to
enrich them, not myself; such being my only request unto you, spare
me not in what your wisdoms shall find me useful, who do esteem
myself not only by the act of the Water-commanding Engine (which
so chearfully you have past) sufficiently rewarded, but likewise
with courage enabled to do ten times more for the future; and my
debts being paid, and a competency to live according to my birth
and quality settled, the rest shall I dedicate to the service of
our King and Country by your disposals: and esteem me not the more,
or rather any more, by what is past, but what's to come; professing
really from my heart, that my intentions are to outgo the six or
seven hundred thousand pounds already sacrificed, if countenanced
and encouraged by you, ingenuously confessing, that the melancholy
which hath lately seized upon me (the cause whereof none of you but
may easily guess) hath, I dare say, retarded more advantages to
the public service than modesty will permit me to utter: and now,
revived by your promising favours, I shall infallibly be enabled
thereunto in the experiments extant, and comprised under these
heads, practicable with my directions by the unparalleled workman
both for trust and skill, Caspar Kaltoff's hand, who hath been these
five and thirty years as in a school under me employed, and still
at my disposal, in a place by my great expences made fit for public
service, yet lately like to be taken from me, and consequently from
the service of King and kingdom, without the least regard of above
ten thousand pounds expended by me, and through my zeal to the
common good; my zeal, I say, a field large enough for you (my Lords
and Gentlemen) to work upon.
The treasures buried under these heads, both for war, peace, and
pleasure, being inexhaustible; I beseech you pardon me if I say so;
it seems a vanity, but comprehends a truth; since no good spring but
becomes the more plentiful by how much more it is drawn; and the
spinner to weave his web is never stinted, but further inforced.
The more then that you shall be pleased to make use of my
Inventions, the more inventive shall you ever find me, one invention
begetting still another, and more and more improving my ability to
serve my King and you; and as to my heartiness therein there needs
no addition, nor to my readiness a spur. And therefore (my Lords
and Gentlemen) be pleased to begin, and desist not from commanding
me, till I flag in my obedience and endeavours to serve my King and
Country:
For certainly you'l find me breathless first t'expire,
Before my hands grow weary, or my legs do tire.
Yet abstracting from any interest of my own, but as a fellow-subject
and compatriot will I ever labour in the vineyard, most heartily and
readily obeying the least summons from you, by putting faithfully in
execution, what your judgments shall think fit to pitch upon amongst
this Century of Experiments, perhaps dearly purchased by me, but now
frankly and gratis offered to you. Since my heart (methinks) cannot
be satisfied in serving my King and Country, if it should cost them
any thing: as I confess when I had the honour to be near so obliging
a master as his late Majesty of happy memory, who never refused me
his ear to any reasonable motion: and as for unreasonable ones, or
such as were not fitting for him to grant, I would rather to have
died a thousand deaths, than ever to have made any one unto him.
Yet whatever I was so happy as to obtain for any deserving person,
my pains, breath and interest imployed therein satisfied me not,
unless I likewise satisfied the fees; but that was in my golden age.
And even now, though my ability and means are shortened, the world
knows why my heart remains still the same; and be you pleased (my
Lords and Gentlemen) to rest most assured, that the very complacency
that I shall take in the executing your commands, shall be unto me a
sufficient and an abundantly-satisfactory reward.
Vouchsafe therefore to dispose freely of me, and whatever lieth
in my power to perform; first, in order to his Majesty's service;
secondly, for the good and advantage of the Kingdom; thirdly, to
all your satisfactions, for particular profit and pleasure to your
individual selves, professing that in all and each of the three
respects I will ever demean myself as it best becomes,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Your most passionately bent fellow subject in his Majesty's
service, com-patriot for the public good and advantage, and a
most humble Servant to all and every of you,
WORCESTER.
CONTENTS.
No. Page.
1. Seals abundantly significant 1
2. Private and particular to each Owner 5
3. A one line Cypher _ib._
4. Reduced to a Point 7
5. Varied significantly to all the 24 Letters 8
6. A mute and perfect Discourse by Colours 9
7. To hold the same by Night _ib._
8. To level Cannons by Night 12
9. A Ship-destroying Engine _ib._
10. How to be fastened from aloof and under
Water 13
11. How to prevent both 14
12. An unsinkable Ship _ib._
13. False destroying Decks 15
14. Multiplied Strength in little Room 16
15. A Boat driving against Wind and Tide _ib._
16. A Sea-sailing Fort 17
17. A pleasant floating Garden 18
18. An Hour-glass Fountain 20
19. A Coach-saving Engine 21
20. A Balance Water-work 22
21. A Bucket Fountain 23
22. An ebbing and flowing River 24
23. An ebbing and flowing Castle Clock 25
24. A Strength-increasing Spring 26
25. A double drawing Engine for Weights 27
26. A to and fro Lever _ib._
27. A most easy level Draught 28
28. A portable Bridge _ib._
29. A moveable Fortification 29
30. A rising Bulwark 30
31. An approaching Blind 31
32. An universal Character 32
33. A Needle Alphabet 38
34. A knotted String Alphabet _ib._
35. A Fringe Alphabet 40
36. A Bracelet Alphabet _ib._
37. A pinked Glove Alphabet 40
38. A Sieve Alphabet 41
39. A Lanthorn Alphabet _ib._
40. An Alphabet by the Smell _ib._
41. Ditto Taste _ib._
42. Ditto Touch 42
43. A variation of all and each of these 43
44. A Key-Pistol _ib._
45. A most conceited Tinder-box 44
46. An artificial Bird 45
47. An Hour Water Ball _ib._
48. A screwed ascent of Stairs 46
49. A Tobacco-tongs engine 48
50. A Pocket-ladder 48
51. A Rule of Gradation 49
52. A mystical jangling of Bells _ib._
53. An hollowing of a Water Screw 51
54. A transparent Water Screw _ib._
55. A double Water Screw 52
56. An advantageous change of Centres 53
57. A constant Water-flowing and ebbing motion 55
58. An often discharging Pistol 57
59. An especial way for Carabines 58
60. A Flask Charger _ib._
61. A way for Musquets 59
62. A way for a Harquebus, a Crock _ib._
63. For Sakers and Minyons _ib._
64. For the biggest Cannon 60
65. For a whole side of Ship-musquets _ib._
66. For guarding several Avenues to a Town 61
67. For Musquetoons on Horseback 62
68. A Fire Water work _ib._
69. A triangle Key 64
70. A Rose Key 65
71. A square Key with a turning Screw _ib._
72. An Escutcheon for all Locks _ib._
73. A transmittible Gallery 67
74. A conceited Door 68
75. A Discourse woven on Tape or Ribbon _ib._
76. To write in the dark 69
77. A flying Man 69
78. A continually going Watch 76
79. A total locking of Cabinet Boxes 77
80. Light Pistol Barrels 78
81. A Comb conveyance for Letters _ib._
82. A Knife, Spoon, or Fork conveyance 79
83. A Rasping Mill _ib._
84. An Arithmetical Instrument _ib._
85. An untoothsome Pear 80
86. An imprisoning Chair 81
87. A Candle Mould 82
88. A Coining Engine 84
88. A Brazen Head 85
89. Primero Gloves 89
90. A Dicing Box _ib._
91. An artificial Ring-horse 90
92. A Gravel Engine 93
93. A Ship raising Engine 94
94. A pocket Engine to open any Door 95
95. A double Cross Bow _ib._
96. A way for Sea Banks 96
97. A perspective Instrument 98
98. A semi-omnipotent Engine 99
99. A most admirable way to raise Weights _ib._
100. A stupendous Water-work 100
THE
MARQUIS OF WORCESTER'S
CENTURY OF INVENTIONS,
EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED.
No. I.
Several sorts of seals, some showing by screws, others by gauges,
fastening or unfastening all the marks at once: others, by
additional points and imaginary places, proportionable to ordinary
escutcheons and seals at arms, each way palpably and punctually
setting down (yet private from all others, but the owner, and by his
assent) the day of the month, the day of the week, the month of the
year, the year of our Lord, the names of the witnesses, and the
individual place where any thing was sealed, though in ten thousand
several places, together with the very number of lines contained in
a contract, whereby falsification may be discovered, and manifestly
proved, being upon good grounds suspected.
Upon any of these seals a man may keep accounts of receipts and
disbursements, from one farthing to an hundred millions, punctually
showing each pound, shilling, penny, or farthing.
By these seals, likewise, any letter, though written but in English,
may be read and understood in eight several languages; and in
English itself, to clear contrary and different sense, unknown to
any but the correspondent, and not to be read or understood by
him neither, if opened before it arrive unto him; so that neither
threats, nor hopes of reward, can make him reveal the secret, the
letter having been intercepted, and first opened by the enemy.
NOTE.