the said last recited Letters Patents, as by the same amongst divers other Clauses and Articles therein mentioned, and plainly and at large it doth and may appear.

And whereas for the better execution of the said grants, powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities, and for the raising a convenient stock to be employed in the building of water-works, erecting of houses, provision of wood, mine and coal, buying of tools and payment of wages, and supply of divers other things in and about the execution of the said grants, powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities, they the said William Humphry and Christopher Shutz have heretofore granted to divers other persons, their heirs and assigns, divers parts and portions of the said grants, powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities, to them, their heirs and assigns as aforesaid, made and granted together, with all such profits and commodities as should and might arise from the

same.

And whereas the said William Humphrey and Christopher Shutz, and most of their grantees be since deceased, and all or the greatest part of the said powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities to the said William Humphrey and Christopher Shutz, their heirs and assigns, by the said two several letters patent granted as aforesaid, together with all or the greater part of the profits and commodities by the use of the same powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities arising and growing, are now by divers descents, devises, conveyances, or other lawful means descended, devised, conveyed, or come unto the persons hereinafter named, that is to say, to our right wellbeloved Cousin, William Earl of Pembroke; and to our right trusty and right well-beloved Chancellor, Robert Lord Cecil, our principal Secretary; and to our trusty and well-beloved Sir Julius Cesar, Knight, one of our Masters of Requests;

Sir James Pemberton, Knight, Alderman of our City of London; Sir William Bond and Sir James Lancaster, Knights; John Osborn, Thomas Cesar, Francis Bartye the elder, Arnold Oldsworth, *Christopher Toldervey, William Gamage, Charles Chute, Henry Tamworth, and William Bond the elder, Esquires; Henry Palmer, Francis Bartye the younger, Richard Danford and George Browne, Gentlemen, and to Richard Martin the younger, and Nathaniel Martin, of our City of London, Goldsmiths, and to Richard Collins, of our said City of London, Stationer, and to Alexander Found, of our said City of London, Embroiderer.

And whereas the said William Humphry and Christopher Shutz in their lifetimes, and the said persons so as aforesaid interested in the said power, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities, and in the profits thereof arising, their ancestors, and those whose estates they have by virtue of the said several Letters Patent, have travelled in the search, right use, working and experiment of the said Calamine Stone, and of other the said Battery Works, Ewers, Minerals, and matters metaline to their very great charge and expenses, and have brought the same to very good effect, whereby great benefit and profit have ensued, and is likely more and more to ensue to us and our said Realms, if the persons now and hereafter having interest in the powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities aforesaid, and the profits thereby arising might by our grant be incorporated and made a perpetual body politic, thereby to avoid divers and sundry inconveniences, which by the several debts of the persons above said or their assigns should else from time to time ensue.

Know ye therefore that We, earnestly minding and intending the furtherance and advancement of the right use and working of the Calamine Stone, and other the premises, are not only * Some of these may be found in the other Charter of a previous page.

well contented and pleased that the said [names before mentioned] together with such other person and persons as now have any lawful interest of or in the said grants, powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities contained and specified in the said several letters patent above remembered, according to the clauses, articles, grants and covenants in the same contained, which we for us, our heirs and successors, do by these presents ratify and confirm, and do will the same in all respects to be construed and taken beneficially in favour of the same [names before mentioned] and every other person and persons now have, or which hereafter shall have any lawful interest of or in the said grants, powers, authorities, licenses, privileges, benefits and immunities, or any of them, by or under the persons aforesaid, which have now the present interest in the same; but also for the better and more advancement of the said working of the said Calamine Stone at Battery Works and other the premises, and to prevent such inconveniences as might hereafter be a let or hindrance to the same of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion have given and granted, and by these presents for us our heirs and successors do give and grant to the afore-named that they shall be from henceforth for ever one body politic and corporate in itself, and a perpetual society of themselves, both in deed and in name by the name of Governors, Assistants and Society of the City of London of and for the Mineral and Battery Works, and them by the name of Governors, Assistants, and Society of the City of London of and for The Mineral and Battery Works, We for Us, our heirs and successors, do by these Presents constitute, ordain, incorporate, name and declare to be one body corporate and perpetual, and that by that name they shall and may have succession and continuance for ever by these Presents, and that they and their successors shall and may from time to time for ever have a Common Seal.

F

The remainder of the Charter I shall give in the most abbreviated form, both for the comfort of the reader and the saving of space.

May by their name, &c., purchase lands.

May by the same name sue and be sued.

May have two Governors, two or more Deputies, and eight or more Assistants.

Names of the present Governors [before stated].

Names of the first Deputies [before stated].

Names of the first eight Assistants [before stated]

May hold Courts in London or elsewhere in England, until otherwise appointed.

To elect two Governors, two Deputies, and eight or more Assistants, who are to continue until others are chosen, and If any die, power to choose others in their stead.

To have power to make laws, admit and increase members, and to fine and disfranchise the disobedients.

May alter and change bye-laws and make new.

Officers, &c., of the Company exempted from serving on juries.*

May admit aliens and strangers to be members.

May dismember those whom the Court shall deem unworthy to continue Members.

To keep Courts for hearing all causes arising between members, &c.

May purchase and hold lands, &c., not held in capite, to the clear yearly value of £100.

Power to inflict fines on offending members, and sue for same. May imprison any offending members in gaols, &c. May appoint one or more officers, called Serjeants, to levy fines.

* A few years ago I was present when this privilege was asserted and allowed by the Judges in the Assize Court at Swansea, to the then Manager, Mr. W. Edmond.-G. G. F.

The serjeants may arrest. But if in a city or town, Mayor or officer, upon a precept from the Court, to arrest.

The intent of this Charter to reform and supply some defects in former Patents.

Power to dig for Calamine Stone in England and Ireland, and make therewith mixed metals, &c.

Not to dig under any house, &c., without consent of owner, &c. Nor under any castle or other place belonging to the Crown without consent, and shall make satisfaction for all damages.

Four persons to arbitrate damages. If they cannot agree, the matter to be brought before His Majesty's Council, there to be decided.

All other persons forbid to use the Calamine Stone, or to dig or search for it. Forbids all persons to dig, get or mine any of the aforesaid ores, metals, &c., without license from the Company.

All other persons forbid to stop or hinder the Company or their servants, and also to use or occupy any the like engines without license, upon forfeiture of £100 for every offence, half to the Company and half to the Crown.

May hire artificers, and buy all manner of instruments, and may buy all timber except oak, elm and ash, and may chark* and use the same in and about the said works.

If the Crown thinks fit to have the other part of Ireland tried besides the English Pale, the Company to have the same prerogative as in English Pale.

The privileges granted to this Company are declared valid against all future grants, &c.

But if the Crown should think fit to resume this Grant, it may, first paying the proprietors the charges they have been at, provided it be kept for the use of the Crown, and not let to any person or persons.

* Evidence of the extent to which the use of Charcoal was applied in this manufacture, prior to the general use of native Coal.