218 LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1656-7. 



mine delivered by my own hands to Mr. Owng, and as 

 he told me, by him to your Honour, I cannot get a 

 time assigned me to wait upon you. I here send you 

 a true copy of Don Alonzo, his answer to me, and do 

 assure you, that I have in readiness a person whom you 

 yourself will confess Don Alonzo cannot except against : 

 so that there only resteth needful your approbation. 

 When your Honour shall have read this, and the copies 

 of the Don s letter, I have entreated and enjoined Mr. 

 Noell to bring them me back, and in his presence I will 

 burn them, and remain silent for the future in anything 

 of this nature, but in all things else, your Honour s 

 most affectionate friend and humble servant, 



&quot; WORCESTER.&quot;* 



The noble inventor s proceedings could have been no 

 secret at Court, surrounded by spies of every description 

 to report all his operations ; and his principal object 

 being one of a large and costly character, would be 

 better known for its nature than its construction. It 

 would also become known from the manuscript of his 

 Century, copies of which seem to have been privately 

 circulated, that his inventions extended to improvements 

 in fire-arms, cannon, and general naval and military 

 improvements. Now it is not in the least improbable 

 that some foreign party or parties communicated with 

 him in reference to some particular invention, but 

 particularly his much commended novelty of a u water- 

 commanding engine,&quot; while the Marquis might feel it 

 a delicate as well as an imprudent act on his part, to 

 make arrangements with foreigners before he had con 

 fided his secret and rendered it available in his own 



* This letter is dated 28th of December, but might be mistaken for 18th. See 

 Thurloc s Papers. 



