LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 35 



EDMUND JENTILL TO LORD BURGHLEY. 



[MS. Lansd. 77, Art. 59.] 



October 1st, 1594. 



In all humilitie (right honorable) have I presumed, upon 

 the reportes by my poore wief of your most favorable and 

 gratious meaninge towardes my relief and release in this my 

 distressed estate, by letter to solicite your lordship and to 

 confesse my fault unto your honor, to lay before you suche 

 frutes of my studdies as maye at least attenuate the offence, 

 and move compassion in your honors mynd for my delivery. 

 My cryme is counterfetinge of Forren coyne not currant in 

 this realme ; urged therunto, I doe protest, not through anye 

 vitious or lascivious kind of lyvinge, but through meere and 

 extreame want of mayntenance to susteyne my wief in her 

 long contynued child-birth sicknes, the relief of myself and 

 children, buyinge of bookes, paying of debtes and triall of 

 conclusions mathematicall and serviceable for my countryes 

 good ; the frutes and finall endes wherof, not suche as are 

 common or triviall, but rare and to great use in anie state or 

 comonwelth, not fytt for vulgar knowledge, I heere moste 

 humbly offer in redemption of my great amisse and fault 

 comitted, to bee performed within some smale tyme after my 

 release and some mayntenance with the recovery of my 

 helth. 



First an instrument, wherby the distance to anything, to- 

 gether with the height and breadth therof, at one stacion or 

 standinge only, shal bee obteyned. 



The second, a perpetuall motion of sufficient force to dryve , 



a myll. 



The third a payer of compasses, which shall describe all 

 sortes of figures geometricall and spiral lynes, and maye, for 

 their excellencye, bee termed the Euclidean Compas. 



Howe serviceable theis three are, and espetially the two 

 first, for all kynd of services as well at sea as land in warr 

 and peace, it is needles to dilate, when half a wourd doth 

 make your honor knowe as muche. Only this I crave in re- 

 garde heerof your honorable and moste favorable meanes, 

 either by warrant from your lordship and my honorable good 

 master Sir Thomas Henage, unto the Lord Maior for my 

 libertie (beinge as muche as he requireth), or otherwise to 

 acquaynt her moste gratious Majestic with theis my offers to 

 whome they are wholy dedicated, and of whose moste excel- 

 lent mercye and clemencye (in regarde of my soone deliverye) 

 my soule is well confirmed through your honors mediacion, 



D 2 



