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proportion of the profit reserved by the Patent which she had granted to Thurland & Hoechstetter in 1564.

On the 18 July 159, a very interesting letter was written to Mr. Secretary Cecil, then Governor of the Mines Royal Co. from Keswick, by Marcus Stembergerus, Ric. Ledes, and Emanuel Hechstetter, about their Copper works there, the last paragraph of which is as follows:-"We certify this, lest we "might be supected of fraudulend dealing, and refer ourselves "and our causes to you and the Company, and beseech you "to consider our hindrances and losses (as Germans) of our 66 own stock laid down in these mines."—G. G. F.

XIII.

GEORGE NEDHAM* TO SIR FRANCIS

[Headed.]

WALSINGHAM, KNT.

MARCH, 1582, COVERING ONE OF A.D. 1581.

Offers made by Jochim Gaunse for makeing of Copper, vitriall, and coppris, and Smeltinge of Copper and Leade

ures.

1. Wheras Mr. Stembarger, at his laste beinge in London, made his propos❜tion to the Company that for everie quintall of rough copper he made (being cxij li.), he must have vij. kebullst of copper ure gotten in Gode's gifte myne,‡ everie kebull whereof is in waite clv. li. at the least, w'ch after a cxij li. to the hundreth, amounts to xc iiij xx vli.§ of ure, and for all manner of charges of fireworke and smeltars' wages to bring the same xc iiij xx v li. of ure into rough copper, he offreth to do it for xiiij s. iiij d.

* I find that he was one of the original Partners of the M. R., in 1580, as will be shewn a few pages further on.

↑ The buckets in which the ore was raised from the mines.

Again specially named at p. 28, para. ix., and which was one of the

chief pits of Calbeck.

§ This is as though we should say, Ten hundred-weight, four score and five pounds.-G. G. F,

2. Mr. Jochim doeth offer to bringe fully so much copper out of the like quantity of ure, and to beare all manner of fireworke, smelters' wages, and the Queene's parte likewyse therin comprehended, for ix s. iiij d., w'ch is lesse then Mr. Stembarger's offer, by vs. in a quintall: so as by his order of rosteinge and smelting, putting to, the charges of gettinge, shawdring and carrieing the ure, the quintall of rough shall not stande vs. in above xxvjs.: and by his order of workeinge he will make as much copper or more then Mr. Stembarger doeth.

3. And further, the said Jochim doubteth not but after he hath rosted and smolton iij. or iiij. saies of o'r Copp' ure, in the great works,* after such manner as he hath devised since his comeing from Keswick, to attaine to such farther knowledg of the nature of all o'r copper ures in Cumberlande and Westmoreland that he shalbe able to kill all the corrupt humors that be in them, and therby to bringe out more copper then heretofore hath byn: and w'th lesser charge then is above written.

4. And further, he will take out of the ure either vitriall or coppris, as the tyme and occasion of sale therof shall serve, w'ch will not onely be soulde to the great bennifltt of the Companie, but also by takeinge the said vitriall of coppris from the ure before it come in to the first smeltinge, it doeth in the first smeltinge very much helpe and save the Copper from wasting and causeth the ure sooner to smelt: in w'ch rostes both of vitriall, copper, and coppris makeinge he will use nothing but peate, whereas Mr. Stembarger and his Father have used much woode.

5. After copper ure be rosted and redie to smelting (w'ch roste is done in one fire,) then must the vitrall or coppris, or w'ch of them shalbe thought moste mete, be taken from the ure, before it come to the smeltinge, first w'ch is done by letting water passe through the ures: of w'ch water * Doubtless pointing to those just completed and at work at Neath.

the coppris or vitriall must be made; and that water doth not onely drawe the vitrial and coppris from the ure, but also divers other hurtfull humors, being by nature enemyes to the Copper; as arsenick, sulpher, antimony, allome, and ironn; w'ch, being taken away as aforesaid, maketh the ure w'thin iiij dayes, by once rosting and once smelting to yeeld black copper and copper-stone,* w'ch Mr. Stembarger nor his Father coulde do under xvj. rostings and xvj. weekes' time.

6. And wheras, in o'r first vitriall that was made he drew xxli. of Copper out of the ure to make a C. of vitriall; he can nowe make the vitriall in as great quantity as we can utter it, and as good as his first vitriall was, and will take but xli. of copper to the cxij li. of vitriall: and as for ye charge of makeing therof w'th other circumstance, is to be declared by word and not by writing.t

7. And yf we cannot have utteraunce of so much vitriall as we can make, then may we make of that substaunce coppris, w'thout takeing any copper from the ure, and the same copperris w'ch we shall make for dyeing of cloth will excell in goodness both that w'ch is made here in England by the Lord Mountjoye his preveledg, or any other coppris comeinge from beyonde the seas, the chardges of makinge therof is also to be declared by mouth.†

8. For vent of this coppris ther wilbe great quantitie used in Cumberland, Westmorelande, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Lancanshire onely for dying, who are constrained to transeporte it from London thether. And likewise ther wilbe much soulde into the North parte of Scotlande, who have often *Copper-stone is the German version for what in England is called Regulus.

† Copper Manufacturers of the present day are often said to keep close the secrets of the Trade; if so, it appears to be an old practice amongst them, being often repeated as a request for attention.

Lord Mountjoy was one of the original partners of the Mines Royal, see p. further on; but this refers also to his Grant from the Queen.

tymes both come and sent to Keswick to buye coppris; and, makeing more quantitie then we can utter there, we may send to London and other parts of England, or into Fraunce, Spaine, and other Countryes, who have it brought them from Lubeck, Dandzick, & Andwerpe, being a longer viadge and greater charges.

9. And wheras, the riche Copper ure gotten in the mynes of Calbeck being enfected w'th such corruptions, that hetherto Mr. Danyell or his Sonn coulde never smelt them alone as they came from the myne, but were forced to myngle them w'th rosted stone of the first smelting of Gode's gifte ure. Mr. Jochim at his being at Keswick, in ij fires, that is with once rostinge and once smeltinge it, as it came from the myne, w'thout myngling, did bring it into black copper and copperstone.

10. And in like manner, the rich leade myne at Calbeck, w'ch houldeth good quantity of silver, and hath cost the Company great sommes of mony, lieth now unwrought, being a myne whereout great proffitt myght be yearely gotten by the silver and the leade; w'ch ures neither Mr. Danniell nor his Sonn, Mr. Stembarger, hitherto could smelt to preserve the leade and bring the silver from it, but by such wast of the ure and silver that their doeinges were rather o losse than proffitt. Mr. Jochim hath made divers smale sayes therof, whereby he doubted not to smelt it in such sort as the most part of the leade shalbe preserved, and the silver brought out to great gaynes.

And Further, GEORGE NEDHAM declareth his knowledg and opineon to the Right Honorable S'r Fraunces Walsingham, cons'ninge these Articles of Jochim Gaunse, for makeing of Copper, vitriall, and coppris; and the smelting of Copper and Leade ures in form following:* In Cumberland, which has of late years fallen from this richness to almost nil. See this also mentioned at p. 25, ante.

This evidently means Son-in-law,

For his offer made in the seconde Article I knowe it to be trewe, and in my notes geven your Honnor vij monthes paste, I did offer to make the great C. of rough Copper for 27s. 8d.

For his offer in the iij Articles, by such experience as I have gotten by conference w'th him* in the knowledg in the nature of our ures, that I dare assure my self he is able to performe his p'mise & especially by bringing more copper out of the ure then Mr. Stemberger nowe doth.

For the iiij Article, I can my self make vitriall in such order as we made at o'r being at Keswick; but not so good cheape as Mr. Jochim can now do it, nor to save the xli of copper in the C. of vitriall as Mr. Jochim can do.

For coppris makeing, I have no p'fect skill, but must learne it of Mr. Jochim, which I am verie desirous to do, being a comoditie w'ch I knowe will yelde us great p'fitt for the Co.

For his offer made in the ixth Article, I knowe he can do it, for I myself at my laste being at Keswick, did smelt the Copper ure gotten in * Calbeck myne alone, w'thout putting any thinge to it, and in v fires & viij dayes did make good rough copper therof.

Your Honor's most Humble to comaund,

[Endorsed.]

XIV.

GEORGE NEDHAM.

A description of the Doeinges of Jochim Ganse and George Nedham, at the Copper Mynes by Keswicke, in Cumberland, A.D. 1581.

Right Honourable,-As soone as Mr. Jochim & I came to Keswicke, the firste thinge we did take in hande, was to searche out both the nature and the number of the hurtfull humors that were naturally bred in oure Copper ures gotten

* This tends to shew that Needham was an English copper smelter, who was getting all he could out of the German Jochim.-G. G. F.

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