36 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 



that untymely death through sicknes and ymprisonment 

 growinge by grief of mynd in sorrowe of my faulte prevent 

 not these my good endevors ; besides the edition of my workes 

 of perspective and fortification, such as hetherto hath not 

 byn scene the like the attaynment unto the knowledge wher- 

 of, hath byn cause of my greatest wantes, and want the only 

 cause of my offence comitted. Thus, cravinge pardon for my 

 teadious boldnes proceedinge from a troubled contrite harte, 

 prayinge for your lordship's helth in all honor and happynes, 

 I moste humblye ceace 



Your honor's poore and distressed supliant, 



EDM. JENTILL. 



To the right honorable his singuler good lord 

 The lord high t /treasurer of England. 



INVENTIONS BY EDMUND JENTILL. 



[MS. Lansd. 113. Art. 4.] 



Inventions founde of late by Edmunde Jentill for the forte- 



fyinge of Her Majestie's Navye and the benefitt of this 



countrey. 



A device whereby twoe menne maye be sufficient to waye 

 the waytiest anker in her Majestie's navye with greater ex- 

 pedition then it is nowe done with the nomber nowe used. 



The like device is founde, for the hoystinge of the mayne 

 yarde with the like expedition. 



A perpetuall motion is allso founde out of sufficient force 

 to drive a mill in any standinge water, or quike springe, which 

 maie alsoe be converted to sundrie other uses comodious for 

 all estates, which have hetherto byn supposed to be unprac- 

 tyzable. 



A device wonderfull strange is alsoe founde out whereby 

 a vessell of burden maie easilye and safely by guided both 

 against the winde and tide *. 



* Nothing is more easy than to picture the results of supposititious inventions 

 on paper ; a remarkable instance may be seen in the " Famous Historic of Friar 

 Bacon," edited by W. J. Thorns, p. 24-5 : " Art oftentimes doth those things 

 that are impossible to armes, which I will make good in some few examples. I 

 will speak onely of things performed by art and nature, wherein shall be nothing 

 magical : and first by the figuration of art, there may be made instruments of 

 navigation without men to rowe in them, as great ships to brooke the sea, only 

 with one man to steere them, and they shall sayle far more swiftly than if they 

 were full of men : also chariots that shall move with an unspeakable force, with- 



