1666.] OF THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER. 287 



Petitioner therewith, but the Petitioner hath not hitherto 

 desired the same. 



u The Petitioner humbly prayeth that your Majesty 

 will be graciously pleased, in consideration that the 

 Petitioner hath built the said house, at so great a charge, 

 to serve your Majesty, 



&quot; That you will be pleased to grant it to the Peti 

 tioner at some fee farm rent, as your Majesty shall think 

 fit. 



&quot; And the Petitioner shall pray.&quot; 



This document divulges at least one important secret 

 in regard to the Marquis of Worcester s personal history, 

 in connection with his practical mechanical pursuits. 

 We now find that he actually built suitable premises 

 as workshops at Vauxhall,* for &quot; engineers and artists 

 to work public works in.&quot; That in that &quot; operatory,&quot; 

 or laboratory, he had &quot; expended above 50,000, 

 trying experiments and conclusions of arts.&quot; And 

 that on the building alone he had laid out above 9000. 

 It is, however, only by bearing in mind the enormous 

 amount that these sums of money represent, considered in 

 reference to the value they bore two hundred years ago, 

 that we become fully alive to the princely expenditure 

 of this great scientific experimentalist, whose patron 

 age and encouragement of experimental philosophy, 

 for practical designs, is without a parallel in any other 

 age or country. 



The very next month his Lady was necessitated to 

 petition in the following terms, in regard to Worcester 

 House. )&quot; 



&quot; To the right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and 

 Temporal, now assembled in Parliament. 



* Appendix G. | Cal. State Papers, Dom Series. Ch. II. 1667. No. 33. 



