Dud Dudley's Mettallum Martis OR IRON Made with Pit-coale Sea-coale c. And with the same Fuell to Melt and fine Imperfect Mettals and Refine perfect Mettals 〈…〉 Printed by T. M. for the Authour TO THE KINGS Most Sacred Majesty May it Please Your Majesty ALl Your Kingdoms Dominions and Territories being the happy Subjects of Your Cares are therefore the proper Objects of Your View Great Brittain O Great Brittain Your Principal Island here Humbly Presents her self unto Your Royall Presence View and Care be Pleased to interpret this her Obsequiousness to be her Duty for since Your Majesties safe Return has already Graciously dayned to View and often to review her Shipings Stores Armories Ordnance Magazins and Trade Vouchsafe Great Sir Great Brittain Your Royal Patronage and once more at some one hour or two to Grace it with Your Auspicious Aspect in this Mite with all Humility Presented By A Faithful Servant of Your Sacred Fathers And a Loyal Sufferer for Your Sacred Majesty And by Pattent-Servant Dud Dudley TO THE Honourable His Majesties Great Council The High Court of Parliament YOur Predecessors in former Ages had both serious Consultations and Considerations before they made those many Wholesom and Good Lawes for the Preservation of Wood and Timber of this Kingdome 1 Eliz. 15. 23 Eliz. 5. 27 Eliz. 19. 28 Eliz. 3. 5. in whose dayes and since in King James's Reign Ships in most Ports and Rivers of this Kingdom Thames Excepted might have been built for forty Shillings per Tunn but now they can hardly be built for treble the value wood and timber is so much decayed therefore men of War Trade of Merchants of Fishing of Navigating unto Plantations will decay if not timely prevented which is hoped will be one of Your Principallest Cares seeing our Enemies have carried Timber from England and the Iron Works have much exhausted it For the prevention of so great a Consumption almost incureable First is to put the Wholesome Laws in Execution Secondly not to permit Timber to be Exported Thirdly to animate as King James did and also Prince Henry the making of Iron in England Scotland and Wales with Pit-cole Sea-cole and Peate which if the Authour who had a Pattent for it had not been opposed after he had made much good Iron with Pit-cole it had long since by his Inventions been fully perfected The Fourth is to stop all the Exportation of Pit-cole and Sea-cole paying His Majesties Duty if the Cole be in a fit place to make Iron therewith Fifthly That the Authour or his Agents may have power to preserve many thousand Tuns of Pit-cole which are annually destroyed for ever in England Scotland and Wales which are fit to make Iron and the Authour in this Treatise hath demonstrated it being moved with pitty seeing his Native Country decaying Humbly offers but his Judgement and and leaves the grave consideration thereof to your Learned and more serious Consultations and Actings praying that you may animate good things new inventions that may bring unto His Sacred Majesty and all Loyal Subjects Safety Strength Wealth and Honour by our Ships and Men of War Fishing Navigation and Merchandizing unto Forreign Nations but more especially to and from the Territories of Great Brittain our North Indies abounding in Mines and Minerals that they that are of the Honourable Corporations of Mines Royal and Batteries or any others would lay in a Common or Joynt Stock fully to set the Mines at Work by imploying our idle and burdensom supernumerary people therein Iron Tin Lead Copper Quicksilver Silver and Gold besides many other Minerals and Marcesit's Lapis Calaminaris Antimonie Maganes c. also many Mineral Earths and Precious Stones Did I call Great Brittain our North Indies give me leave to repeat a passage till further satisfaction of King Josina of Scotland a great Phylosopher Physitian and Herbalist living before Christ 161. years at which time two venerable Phylosophers and Priests passing from Portugall to Athens their Ship and Company and Marriners all perished at Ros they only saved after refreshing and good Entertainment the King desired of them what they understood by their Science of the Nature of the Ground of Scotland after deliberate advisement said There was more Riches and Profit to be gotten within the Veins of the Earth of Scotland then above for the winning of Mines and Metals They knew this by the Influence of the Heavens This you may see in the Chronicles of Scotland My Dear Master our Sacred Martyr Charles the First of ever Blessed Memory did animate the Authour by Granting him a Pattent Anno 14 of His Reign for the making of Iron and Melting Smelting Extracting Refining and Reducing all Mines and Metals with Pit-cole Sea-cole Peat and Turf which was Extinct and Obstructed by reason of the War and had not this unnatural and unparallel'd War been His late Sacred Majesty himself had set at work many of His Mines and much good had been produced to Great Brittain before this time At present the Authour is in good hope and incessantly prayes that the Mines be set at work in his dayes by the Honourable Corporation of the Mines Royal for he verily believeth the time to be near when the Omnipotent God before he Judge the World in Fire will shew His Omnipotency unto the Nations by revealing of the wonderful and incredible things of Nature of which the Learned do believe very many to be in the Mineral Kingdome by working of Mines and Fusion of Metals gotten by honest labour under ground profitable to Man and Acceptable with God I might here speak somewhat of Superiour Planets producing Metal Saturn Lead Iupiter Tin Mars Iron but these abound in Great Brittain so do the Inferiour Planets produce Venus Copper Mercury Quicksilver Luna Silver If God permit me health and leasure from Sutes and Troubles not onely to write of them but also the manner of the Melting Extracting Refining and Reducing of them with Pit-cole Sea-cole Peat c. In the interim to let you know that Great Brittain abounds with Copper Mines much neglected yet of great use for Ordnance at Land and also at Seas and for the making of Brass with our Lapis Calaminaris so much Exported by the Dutch which doth hinder our manufactories of Brass and causes the Dutch and Swedes to raise the price of Copper and Brass ever since our small loss at Sea by the Dutch Mercury Quicksilver is not wanting but few Artists have made any Experiment of that Mine in this Kingdome Luna Silver doth abound in Great Brittain especially a very Rich Vein Rake or Fibrey thereof was wrought at Binny-Hills near Lithgo in Scotland in the Authors dayes some part of which he hath is malleable Silver in the Oare or Mine yet neglected And so are many of our richest Mines in England and Wales c. the cause is conceived to be the want of a general and joynt-stock for the imploying our idle people in getting and working
of the Copper and Silver Mines Of the Planet Sol Gold I may not be silent whose Golden Glorious Pure Sulphurious Percing Spirit communicating his virtue Mineral unto all things in the Mineral Kingdom as well as to the Animal and Vegetable Kingdom whose pure influence producing Gold caused the poor indigent people of Scotland which the Author did see Anno 37 at Shortlough six men to dig and carry with wheele-barrows the common Earth or Mould unto Rivolets remote out of which those men did wash Gold-grains as good as is in the sand of the Rivers in which Rivers many have gotten Gold and seen Grains of Sol near one ounce weight both in the Low-lands and in the High-lands also he hath seen Gold gotten in England but not so plentifull as in Scotland For Sir James Hope An. 1654. brought from Scotland Baggs of Gold Grains unto Cromwell some of which Grains were very large and as fine as any Gold in the world that is in Mines thus I came to see the Baggs taking a view of the Low-lands and High-lands of Scotland Anno 37 in which year I spent the whole Summer in opening of Mines and making of discoveries was at Sir James Hopes Lead Hills near which I got Gold and he coming to London imployed Captain David Acheson a Refiner whom I met with in Scotland Anno 37 to find me out when I came unto Sir Iames Hope dwelling in White Hall he produced the Baggs unto me and poured the Gold out upon a board in which was one large piece of Gold which had to it adjoyning a large piece of white spar very transparent which Cap. David Acheson yet living at Edenburgh saw but I would never Act with Sir Iames Hope hoping of these times to see good things acted for I believe God is about to reveal many of his secrets unto his Israel in this latter Age which made me not to Answer the Letter of Sir Iames Hope as followeth Edinburgh 26. June 1654. Sir If I had found the opportunity before my parting I purposed to have been a sutor to you and I perswade my self you are so kinde and generously disposed that you would have answered my desire and therefore also even at this distance adventure to offer it And it is that you would confer upon me one breviate of your journey through the North of Scotland as to the discovery of Minnerals upon some account and at first view this may seem as unreasonable of me desired as improbable that you should grant it but the circumstance of time and persons and substance of the things considered I am not altogether out of hope of it onely I shall say if you condescend to me in this though it be more in satisfaction to my curiosity then for any designe I have upon the matter yet you shall singularly oblige me to indeavour and be ready as opportunity shall offer to expresse my thankfulnesse in what way you will prescribe that is in the power of your very affectionate brother and Servant Iames Hope This Sir James Hope was a Judge at the City of Edinburgh and by Cromwel made Lord Marshall of Scotland My hope now is that the Honourable and ingenious Corporation of the Mines Royall will set the Mines at work that my Inventions in which I have spent much time and charge in melting smelting extracting refining and reducing of Mines and Mettals with Pitcoal Sea-coal and Peats and have made with the same Fuell many hundred Tuns of good Merchantable Iron into cast works and Bars may by the Inventioner be enjoyed according to the Act of Parliament 21. Jacob. Seeing the Authour can make it appear he hath been much obstructed by lawsuits and the Wars hitherto Desires that his Talent of Undoubted truths may not be buried for the general good but be brought to light after all the sad Sufferings of the Authour whereby he may add unto his new Inventions what he conceives fit to be done That not onely this so exhausted Kingdome may enjoy the benefit thereof but also Scotland and Wales which abound with Coals Iron Stone and Mines of all sorts minerals and precious Stones c. Yet from England's Granery Scotland making no Iron and other Territories have their thorow supply not onely of Iron but of Iron manufactories many so hath Wales yet might Scotland and Wales not onely supply themselves but supply His Sacred Majesties other Territories with Iron and Iron Wares and Steel also by Iron and Steel made with Pit-coale Sea-coale and Peat and thereby be helpfull unto themselves and England and all Plantations of his Majesties on this side and beyond the line To the Reader especially of England Scotland and Wales THe injury and prejudice done unto me to this Island my native Country for the making of Iron in cast works and bars with Pitcoal Seacoal Peat and Turff and with the like feuell to melt extract refine and reduce all Mines and mettals moved me in the negligence of better Wits and Pens to apologise for it in this ensuing Treatise and believe me Reader t was no private or politick designe in my Invention but meer zeal becomming an honest man Patriae parentibus amicis that Engaged me after many others failed in these Inventions for the general good and preservation of Wood and Timber which Eque pauperibus locupletibus eque Eque neglectis pueris senibusque nocébit Therefore it concerns His sacred Majesty his high Court of Parliament all his Counsels Mariners Merchants Royall and Loyall Subjects the destruction of Wood and Timber to lay it to heart and helping hands upon fit occasions in these so laudable Inventions of making Iron melting of mines and refyning of them with Pitcole Seacole Peat and Turf for the preservation of Wood and Timber for maintenance of Navigation men of War the Fishing and Merchants Trade which is the greatest strength of Great Brittain and all other his Majesties Kingdomes and Territories whose defence and offence next under God consists by his sacred Majesties assisting care and view of his men of War Ships experienced marrinours merchants Ordnance of Copper Bras and Iron Armories Steels and Iron of all sorts both of bars squares and cast works and which ought and may be suplyed from Scotland and Wales by Iron Copper and Brasse and made there with Pitcole Seacole and Peat and which abound there and in England also In Cornwall Devonshire Sommerset Glocester Stafford Darby York Lancaster Westmerland Cumberland are many Copper mines so is there in Pembrook Carmarthin Merionith and Denbyshires also there are very many rich Coper mines in very many places in Scotland at Sterling at Dumfad and many other places well known unto the Authour Dud Dudley Dud Dudley's Mettallum Martis THat Great Brittain with her Men of Warr Fleets and Shiping have had in all Ages and in these latter Ages as great Success at Seas as any people whatsoever in the Universe cannot modestly be denied in 88 overthrowing
Author why he was so confident that Iron in quantity could not be made by their new Inventions I found it a difficult thing to disswade the Partners from their way so confident were they to perform the making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole to profit that they desired me to come again a second time into the Forrest to see it Effected But at that time I saw their failings also Yet nevertheless Captain Buck and his Partners Erected new Works at the City of Bristow in which they did fail as much as in their former Inventions but Major Wildman more barbarous to me then a Wildman although a Minister bought the Authors Estate near 200l per Annum intending to compell from the Author his Inventions of making of Iron with Pit-cole but afterwards passed my Estate unto two Barbarous Brokers of London that pulled down the Authors two Mantion-Houses sold 500 Timber-Trees off his Land and to this day are his Houses unrepaired Anno 1655. Captain Buck and his Partners wearied of their Invention desisting An. 1656. Captain John Copley from Cromwell obtained another Pattent for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole He and his Partners set up their Works at the Cole-Works near Bristow and endeavour'd by Engeneers assistance to get his Bellows to be blown at or near the Pits of Cole with which Engines the Work could not be performed But the Author coming to see the said Works and after many Discourses with Captain Copley his former Acquaintance told him plainly if his Bellows could have been blown by those Engines yet I feared he could not make Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole he seemed discontented whereupon and without those Engines I made his Bellows to be blown feisibly as by the Note under his hand appears the first Note followeth 1656. December 30. Memorandum The day and year above-written I John Copley of London Gent. Do acknowledge that after the Expence of diverse Hundred Pounds to Engineers for the making of my Bellows to blow for the making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole near Bristow and near the Forrest of Kings-wood that Dud Dudley Esq did perform the blowing of the said Bellows at the Works or Pits abovesaid a very feisible and plausible way that one man may blow them with pleasure the space of an hour or two And this I do acknowledge to be performed with a very small charge and without any money paid to him for the same Invention John Copley Captain John Copley thus failing in his Inventions An. 1657. he went into Ireland and all men now desisting from the Inventions of making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole The Author Anno 1660. being 61. years of Age and moved with pitty and seeing no man able to perform the Mastery of making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole immediately upon his Sacred Majesties happy Restauration the same day he Landed Petitioned that he might be restored to his place and his Pattent obstructed revived for the making of Iron with Pit-cole Sea-cole Peat and Turf into cast Works and Bars and for the Melting Extracting Refining and Reducing of all Mines Mettals and Minerals with Pit-cole Sea-cole Peat and Turf which said Laudable Invention the Author was and is unwilling should fall to the ground and dye with him neither is the Mistery or Mastery of the Invention Effected and Perfected by any man known unto the Authour as yet either in England Scotland or Wales all which three abound with Pit-cole or Sea-cole and do overmuch furnish other Kingdomes many with Pit-cole and Sea-cole when they might make far better use of it themselves especially Scotland and Wales both for the making of Iron into cast Works and Bars and also for the making of Steel and Melting Extracting and Refining of Lead Tin Iron Gold Copper Quicksilver and Silver with Pit-cole and Sea-cole I shall not trouble you with the Petition or my reasons and desires that were annexed unto it for the making of Iron and Melting of Mines c. with Pit-cole c. they are over long to relate only the Reference to them is thus after my first Petition was lost I Petitioned again At the Court at Whiteh 22. of June 1663. His Majesty is graciously pleased to refer the consideration of this Petition to Master Atturney and Solicitor General or to either of them together with the Petitioners Reasons and Desires hereunto annexed and they or either of them are to inform and certifie His Majesty what they or either of them in their Judgements respectively conceive fit for His Majesty to do concerning the Petitioners Humble Request and then His Majesty will declare his further pleasure Robert Mason Master of Requests After Master Atturney and Sollicitor General would do nothing upon the Reference the Author Petitioned His Sacred Majesty sitting at the Council-Board for the Renewing of his Pattent for making of Iron and Melting of Mines with Pit-cole Sea-cole often obstructed the reference to that Petition followeth At the Court at Whitehall July 25. 1660. Upon reading of a Petition this day at the Board being the same in terminis with this above-written which His Majesty was graciously pleased by a Reference under the hand of Doctor Mason one of the Masters of the Requests to refer to the consideration of Master Atturney and Master Solicitor General together with the Petitioners Reasons and Desires thereunto annexed to the Consideration of the Lords and others Commissioners for the Treasury who upon Examination of the particulars are to give such order thereupon as they shall find most proper for His Majesties Service Sir Edward Walker was Clark to the Council and Garter King at Armes The Author during the Lords Commissioners their time could get no Order upon his Reference But his Petition was left with the now Right Honourable the Lord Treasurer to take or grant further order therein but the Author hath gotten hitherto no order Therefore compelling necessity doth constrain having prosecuted his Petition hitherto him to desist from his Inventions in which he hath taken more pains care and charge then any man to perfect his new Invention in these Kingdomes Although the Author hath not as yet so fully perfected or raised his invention to the quantity of Charcole Iron Furnances yet the Authors quantity being but seven Tuns per week at the most together with the quality of his Iron made with Pit-cole and Sea-cole hath the most eminent Triplicity of Iron of all that can be desired in any new Invention 1. More Sufficient 2. More Cheap 3. More Excellent Upon which triplicity the Authour might enlarge himself but shall not be tedious only give me leave to mention that there be three sorts of Cast Iron 1. The first sort is Gray Iron 2. The second sort is called Motley Iron of which one part of the Sowes or Piggs is gray the other part is white intermixt 3. The third sort is called white Iron this is almost as white as Bell-Mettle but in the Furnace
is least fined and the most Terrestrial of the three the Motley Iron is somewhat more fined but the Gray Iron 1. Is most fined and more sufficient to make Bar-Iron with and tough Iron to make Ordnance or any Cast-Vessels being it is more fined in the Furnace and more malliable and tough then the other two sorts before mentioned and of this sort is the Iron made with Pit-cole Sea-cole for the most part and therefore more sufficiently to be preferred 2. More cheaper Iron there cannot be made for the Author did fell pigg or cast Iron made with Pit-cole at four pounds per Tun many Tuns in the twentieth year of King James with good profit of late Charcole Pig-iron hath been sold at six pounds per Tun yea at seven pounds per Tun hath much been sold of late years Also the Author did sell Bar-iron Good and Merchantable at twelve pounds per Tun and under but since Bar-iron hath been sold for the most part ever since at 15l 16l 17l and 18l per Tun by Charcole Iron-Masters 3. More Excellent for diverse Reasons and principally being the meanes whereby the Wood and Timber of this Island almost exhausted may be timely preserved yet and vegetate and grow again unto his former wonted cheapness for the maintenance of Navigation which is the greatest Strength of Great Brittain whose Defence and Offence for all the Territories that belong unto it next under God and his Vice-Gerent our Sacred Majesties Cares consists most of Shiping Men of War Experienced Mariners Ordnances Ammunition and Stores the Ordnance made therewith will be more gray and tough therefore more serviceable at Sea and Land and the Bar-iron will wall rivet and hold better then most commonly Charcole Iron 2. More Excellent not onely in respect the Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole will preserve Wood and Timber of Great Brittain so greatly consumed by Iron-Works of late But also in respect this my Invention will preserve many Millions of Tuns of Small-cole in Great Brittain which will be lost in time to come as formerly they were for within ten miles of Dudley Castle is annually consumed four or five thousand Tuns at least of small Pit-cole and have been so consumed time out of mind under ground fit to have made Pit-iron with which coles are and unless Iron be made therewith will be for ever totally and annually lost if four or five thousand Tun of Cole be consumed within ten miles compass what Coles is thus consumed in all England Scotland and Wales which is no good Husbandry for Great Brittain hinc ille lacrime that our Timber is exhausted Must I be still opposed and never enjoy my Inventions nor Great Brittain the Benefit Must my Pattent be obstructed in Peace as it was extinct by the Wars And must not my Pattent be Revived for the making of Iron with Pit-cole Sea-cole Peat and Turf but find Enemies still to oppose it How many thousand Tuns of Iron might have been made but since my first Invention An. Jacob. 18th by my means with Pit-cole and Sea-cole lost if I had not had Enemies and had not wood and timber been preserved But most men will aver that it doth concern the Author to Demonstrate the great losse mentioned formerly of Pit-cole annually It is thus There is at least within ten miles of the Castle of Dudley twelve or fourteen Cole-Works some in Worcester and some of them in Stafford-shire now in work and twice as many in that Circute not in work each of which Works get two thousand Tun of Cole yearly some get three four or five thousand Tun of Coles yearly and the uppermost or top measures of Coles are ten eleven and some twelve yards thick the Coles Ascending Basseting or as the Colliers term it Cropping up even unto the superfices of the Earth and there the Colliers formerly got the Coles but where the Coles is deep and but little Earth upon the measures of Coles there the Colliers rid off the Earth and dig the Coles under their feet these Works are called Foot-rids But of these Works there are now but few some of these small Coles in these open Works the poor people did carry away but paid nothing for them in former times termed the Brain Carriages But now the Colliers working more in the deep of these Works they are constrained to sink Pits some of which Pits are from eight unto twenty yards deep and some are near twenty fathome deep which fathome contains two yards In these Pits after you have made or hit the uppermost measures of Cole and sink or digged thorow them the Colliers getting the nethermost part of the Coles first about two yards in height or more and when they have wrought the Crutes or Staules as some Colliers call them as broad and as far in under the ground as they think fit they throw the small Coles fit to make Iron out of their way on heaps to raise them up so high to stand upon that they may with the working of their Picks or Maundrills over their heads and at the one end of the Coles so far in as their Tool will permit and so high as their working cometh unto a parting in the measure of Cole the which Coles to the parting by his self clogging and pondrous weight fall often many Tuns of coles many yards high down at once with which fall and the Colliers breaking of the said Cole many small coles do so abound of no use and fit for no sale that in getting of twenty thousand Tun of Pit-cole one half near is small cole not drawn out of the Pits but destroyed left and lost which small cole with the sleck thrown moyst together heat the sooner and by means of its sulphurousness fire in the Pits to no small prejudice unto the Owners of the Works and the Workmen besides Great Brittains Loss which Cole might have made many thousand Tuns of Iron and also have preserved this Islands Woods and Timber I might here give you the names and partly the nature of every measure parting of each cole lying on upon each other the three uppermost measures are called the white measures for his white Arcenical Salsuginos and Sulphurious substance which is in that Cole the next measure is the shoulder-cole the toe-cole the foot-cole the yard-cole the sliper-cole the sawyer-cole and the frisly cole these last three coles are the best for the making of Iron yet other coles may be made use of I might give you other names of coles but desire not prolixity yet must I tell you of a supernumerary number of Smiths within ten miles of these Cole-Works near twenty thousand yet God of his Infinite goodness if we will but take notice of his goodness unto this Nation hath made this Country a very Granaris for the supplying these Men with Iron Cole and Lime made with cole which hath much supplyed these men with Corn also of late and from these men
a great part not only of this Island but also of his Majesties other Kingdomes and Territories with Iron wares have their supply and wood in these parts almost exhausted although it were of late a mighty wood-land Country Now if the Coles and Iron-stone so abounding were made right use of we need not want Iron as we do for very many measures of iron-stone are placed together under the great ten yards thickness of cole and upon another thickness of coles two yards thick not yet mentioned called the bottom-cole or the heathen cole as if God had decreed the time when and how these Smiths should be supplyed and this Island also with Iron and most especially that this cole and iron-stone should give the first and just occasion for the invention of the making of iron with pit-cole no place being so fit for the invention to be perfected in then this Country for the general good whose Woods did formerly abound in Forrests Chases Parks and Woods but exhausted in these parts Now for the names of the iron-stone the first measure is called the Black-row-graines lying in very hard and black Earth The second measure is the Dun-row-graines lying in dun earth or clay The third measure is called the white row grains lying in very white Earth or Clay under these three measure are sundry other measures and are called first the Rider Stone secondly the Cloud Stone thirdly the bottom Stone fourthly the Cannock or Cannotstone which last may wel be so caled although all the other measures be very good yet this Stone is so Sulphurous and Terrestrial not fit to make Iron because the Iron thereof made is very Redshare which is that if a workman should Draw or Forge out a Share mould fit for a Plough in that red heat it would crack and not be fit for the Use of the Husbandmans Plough or Share I may take occasion here to speak of the Nature of Coldshare Iron which is so brittle if made of the grain Oare or Iron stone would be almost as brittle as some Regulus Antimony made with Iron for which one small blow over an Anvil you may break the biggest Bar that is if it be perfect coldshare Iron nay the Plough-man often breaks his Share point off if it be made of coldshare Iron But perfect tough malliable Iron will not break feisibly in hot-heat or cold as coldshare wil or red hot as Sulphurious veneriated redshare Iron will but yet tough enough when it is cold All which aforesaid qualities of Iron the Authour very well knoweth how to mend their Natures by finning or setting the finery lesse transhaw more borrow which are terms of art and by altering and pitching the works and plates the fore spirit-plat the tuiron bottome back and breast or fore-plate by the altering of which much may be done if the work be set transhaw and transiring from the blast the Iron is more coldshare lesse Fined more to the Masters profit lesse profitable to him that makes it into manufactorage and lesse profitable to him that useth it but the Iron made in a Burrow work becometh more tough and serviceable yet the nature of all Iron stone is to be considered both in the Furnace and in the finery that the Sulphurious Arceniall and Veneriating qualities which are oftentimes in Iron stone be made to separate in both the works from the fixed and fixing bodies of Iron whose fiery quality is such that he will sooner self calfine than separate from any Sulphurious veneriated quality No man I hope need to be offended at any terms of Art it hath been alwayes lawfull for Authours of new Arts and Inventions at their own pleasures to give name to their new Inventions and Arts every Tradesman is allowed it in his mystery But the Authour hath as much as he could avoided the terms of Art that Simon Sturtenant and others have used which are very many onely the Author hath given you the common names and terms for the most part which are so common among Forge-men and Founders as is nothing more common but kept secret amongst them and a mystery not yet known but unto very few Owners of Iron-works nay I have not yet troubled your memory with any of the Founder terms of but making his harth as the Timpe stones the Wind-wall stones the Fuiron stones the Botton-stone the Back-stones and the Boshes in the making and picking of which harth is much of the Mystery I must confesse there is given unto some Phylosophers filii Artis some few terms how the Sulphurious Arsenicall Bituminos Antimoniall Venerial and other poysonous qualities either in the Pit-cole sea-cole or the Iron-stone may be in part at the Furnace separated and not permitted to incorporate in the Iron and if it be incorporated yet by Fining at the Forge to fetch it out also to melt extract refine and reduce all mines mettals and minerals unto their species with Pit-cole Sea-cole Peat and Turff by wayes not yet in use which the Authour will make known hereafter if God permit him health time and space or leave his knowledg unto his Brother Aylmore Folliott Esq his Nephew Parkshouse Esquire and to his Kinsman Master Francis Dingley to declare unto this latter Age of the World in which God is pleased to manifest many of his Secrets Qui vult secreta scire secreta secrete sciat custodire Having suffered much ever since the Year 1618. unto this present for the general good as by the preceding discourse appears for the making of Iron with Pitcole Seacole Peat and Turff for the preservation of Wood Timber of Great Brittain so much exhausted for future prevention of which Is first to permit the Authour to enjoy His Pattent and fully to perfect his said Inventions obstructed in the Reign both of King James and in the Reign of his Sacred Majesty King Charls the First of ever Blessed Memory and lately since his most Sacred Majesties happy Restauration who desires nothing but to be animated with the Patent revived according unto the Statute of 21. Iacob for Inventors Secondly to impower the Authour or any other Agents to take care that no Pit-cole or Seacole be any wayes wilfully destroyed under ground Thirdly To put all former good Laws in Execution and to make others for the preservation of Wood and Timber of these Nations especially neer Navigagable River or Seas Fourthly Seeing there goeth out of England Scotland and Wales many thousand Tuns Annually of Pitcole and Sea-coles to furnish France and also the Smiths thereof Spaine Portugal and Flanders and especially the Smiths thereof the Low-Countries and the Smiths thereof besides the Hollanders carries great quanties of our Coles unto Foreigne parts without which those Countries cannot subsist Now the Authors desire is that where there is a conveniency of Iron stone or Ewre the Coles may not be transported paying His Sacred Majesties Duty untill Order from His Majesty or his Privy Council Fifthly That no Pitcole
be Exported seeing that Wood fuell and Timber is decayed for Buildings and instead thereof Brickmaking formerly spending Wood but now coles is much in use also is Glasse now made with cole but formerly were there many Thousand Loads of Wood fuell spent in the making thereof and the Glass Invention with Pitcole was first effected near the Authours Dwelling Sixthly Making of Steel Brewings making of Coppras Allum Salt casting of Brasse and Copper Dyings and many other Works were not many years since done altogether with the Fuell of Wood and Charcole instead whereof Pitcole and Seacole is now used as Effectually and to a far better Use and Purpose besides the preservation of Wood and Timber Seventhly That which is somewhat neerer the mark and Invention the Blacksmith forged all his Iron with Charcole and in some places where they are cheap they continue this course still but small Pitcole and Seacole and also Peat and Turff hath and doth serve the turn as well and sufficiently as Charcole Eighthly That which is nearest and my perfect Invention and neer the Authours Dwelling called Greens-lodge there are four Forges namely Greens-forge Swin-forge Heath-forge and Cradley-forge Which Four Forges have Barred all or most part of their Iron with Pitcole ever since the Authours first Invention 1618. which hath preserved much Wood In these Four besides many other Forges do the like yet the Author hath had no benefit thereby to this present Yet by this Barring of Iron with Pit-cole 30000 loads of Wood and more have been preserved for the general good which otherwayes must have been had and consumed Symon Sturtevant in his Mettallica in the Epistle to the Reader saith That there was then Anno 12. Jacobi in England Scotland Ireland and Wales 800 Furnaces Forges or Iron Mills making Iron with Char-cole Now we may suppose at least 300 of these to be Furnaces and 500 to be Forges and each Furnace making fifteen Tun per week of Pig or cast Iron and work or blow but Forty weeks per Annum but some Furnaces make Twenty Tuns of Pig Iron per Week and two Loads of Charcole or there about go to the making of a Tun of Pig Iron And two Loads or two cords of Wood at the least go to the making of a load of Charcole Now what Loads of Wood or Char-cole is spent in great Brittain and Ireland Annually but in one Furnace that makes Fifteen Tun per Week of Pig-Iron for Forty weeks I shall give you the Table and leave you to judge of the rest of the Furnaces  Charcole Wood 15. Tun per week spends of 30 loads 60 loads Per Annum 40 weeks spends 1200 2400 loads Also for one Forge that make Three Tuns of Bar Iron weekly for Fifty weeks but some Forges make double my Proportion and spend to Fine and Bar out each Tun three Loads of Coles To each Tun.  Charcole Wood 3 Tun per week 9 Loads 18 loads Per Annum 450 loads 900 loads By these Examples may you see the vast quanties of Charcole or Wood that the 300 Furnacis spend weekly or yearly and the 500. Forges workings all the year spend little lesse then the Furnaces It being impossible after this rate for great Brittains or Ireland to supply these her works with Charcole in Fining of Iron at the Fineries may be permitted to use Charcole and may be supplyed with under Woods Let us but look back unto the making of Iron by our Ancestors in foot blasts or bloomenies that was by men treading of the Bellows by which way they could make but one little lump or bloom of Iron in a day not 100 weight and that not fusible nor fined or malliable untill it were long burned and wrought under Hammers and whose first slag sinder or scorius doth contain in it as much or more Iron then in that day the workman or bloomer got out which Slag Scorius or Sinder is by our Founders at Furnaces wrought again and found to contain much Yron and easier of Fusion than any Yron stone or Mine of Yron whatsoever of which slag and Sinders there is in many Countryes Millions of Tuns and Oaks growing upon them very old and rotten The next invention was to set up the Bloomeries that went by water for the ease of the men treading the bellows which being bigger and the waterwheel causing a greater blast did not onely make a greater quantity of iron but also extracted more iron out of the slag or sinder and left them more poorer of iron then the foot-blasts so that the Founders cannot melt them again as they do the foot-blast sinders to profit Yet these Bloomeries by water not altogether out of use do make in one day but two hundred pound weight of iron or there abouts neither is it feisible or malliable but is unfined untill it be much burned and wrought a second time in fire But some of the now going Furnaces with Charcole do make two or three Tun of Pigg or cast iron in 24 hours Therefore I do not wholly compute the vast quantities of charcoles and wood spent in these voragious works which quantity of cast iron with pit-cole and Sea-cole at one Furnace I desire not but am contented with half the proportion which once I attained unto before my Bellows were riotously cut that is one Tun in 24 hours we need not a greater quantity if the like quantity were made in Furnaces in Scotland and Wales which abounds with Pit-cole and Sea-cole as well as England and our supernumery Smiths Founders and Forgemen and other Tradesmen might be there imployed thereby to furnish His Majesties Plantations as well if not better then England where Coles are far cheaper then in England Although vast quantities of Coles do abound near the Authors dwelling yet twenty thousand Smiths or Naylors at the least dwelling near these parts and taking of Prentices have made their Trade so bad that many of them are ready to starve and steal so that it is wished there were some courses taken to mend their Trade imploy them in other parts or permit them not to take so many Prentices all which have great occasions to use Pit-cole and had not these parts abounded with cole it would have been a great deal worse with them then it is but of the cole there is nor will be any want nor of iron-stone The manner of the cole-veins or measures in these parts and also of the measures of iron-stone or mines how they lye be or increase some veins lye circuler some sami-circuler some ovall some works almost in a direct line and some works parts of a Circle as by the Circle it being onely for a small Example to judge the rest of the Mines by may appear FINIS ΛΛ East Λ West ΛΛΛ North. Time not permitting me to give you a Larger Mapp conclude c. A Two Gutters out of which issueth Water as hot as that at Bath B The way from Himley to Dudley and from Dudley to Burmicham C Dudley Castle O Coles ten yards thick o Iron-stone four yards thick o Coles two yards thick The Scale for Cole and Stone per yard By the white innermost Circle you may conceive the Scale under to be over in Diameter a mile and a half