THE STRUGGLE FOR MANUFACTURES 493 



Between 15 14 and 15 19 there was an interchange of letters 

 between the Pope and Henry VIII. in reference to a cargo of 

 alum consigned by the Apostolic Chamber to a merchant in 

 London, but during the same period we find a statement of 

 money owing to the king for Turkish alum. 



Later on, in 1545, Henry took over a large quantity of alum 

 from the farmers of the Pope's works, paying for it in lead, of 

 which he had a large quantity on his hands, possibly a result 

 of the spoliation of the monasteries. The transaction was 

 thought to be a good one, as the king's subjects must have 

 alum to dye with, and the king might set his own price, whereas 

 it was difficult to get ready money for the lead. 



The reign of Elizabeth is remarkable in many respects, 

 perhaps not least so in regard to the definite line of policy 

 pursued to encourage the planting of new industries. Among 

 the industries sought to be introduced was the manufacture of 

 alum. 



In 1562 a patent was granted to William Kendall, of Laun- 

 ceston, Cornwall, gentleman, conferring upon him for twenty 

 years the sole right of making alum within the counties of 

 Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex, and 

 Surrey, he having by " his great travaile and charges founde 

 out in sundrye partes of this our Realme certaine alume ewer in 

 greate habundance and plentye, and by longe studye and prac- 

 tise devised the waye and feate to make thereof good and perfect 

 alume to the greate commodite of us and this our Realme of 

 England, as it is conceaved and hoped." 



Another patent covering the same industry was issued in 

 1564 to Cornelius de Vos, " marchaunte and our liege made 

 subject," he having found " sondrye mynes and owres of allome 

 coperas and other mineralles within certayne partes of this 

 Realme of England and dominions of the same and specially 

 within our Isle of Wighte in the County of Southampton, 

 which he entendeth at his own proper costes and charges to 

 work and trye out to the benefitt of us our Realme and subjectes." 

 The grant extends to the whole Kingdom, and covers copperas 

 as well as alum. 



De Vos himself did very little to develop the industry, but he 

 very soon assigned his patent to James Blount, Lord Mountjoy, 

 who entered into the matter with energy. 



