A. D. 1626. 241 



ling, Kng Charles granted a'commilTion for felzing on all the French 

 effe(fl^s in the Engliili ports, by way of counter-reprifal. [Fa^dera, V. 

 xviii, p. 802.] 



1627. — A proclamation of King Charles came out, importing, that 

 the pradtice of making faltpetre in England, by digging up the floors 

 of dwelling-houfes, dove-houfes, ftables, &c, tended too much to the 

 grievance of his fubjeds : and that, notwithftanding all the trouble 

 and charge attending this method, the undertakers could never yet fur- 

 nifh this realm with one third part of the faltpetre requifite, efpecially 

 in time of war, when mofl: wanted ; the earth of itfelf not being able 

 to engender the matter whereof laltpetre is made, in many years, with- 

 out the aid of artificial means for enriching the earth : and yet the ne- 

 ceflity of the prefent times requires fo much to be made, as would fo 

 impoverifh the earth, that in a fliort time we fliould be utterly deftitute, 

 of that ineftimable treafure. Whereupon Sir John Brooke, and Tho- 

 mas Ruffell, Efq. have propofed to us, to make fuch quantities of falt- 

 petre as our realms fhall want, and alfo to fupply foreign nations there- 

 with, by a new invention of their own, of which they have given de- 

 monftrative proof, and for which we had already granted them an ex- 

 clufive patent : and as thofe patentees now want nothing but leave to 

 collect a fufficient quantity of urine for their manufacture of faltpetre, 

 at their own charge ; the king therefor commands all his fubjeds of 

 London, Weflminfter, &c. near to the place where the fliid patentees 

 have already ereded a work for the making of faltpetre, that, after no- 

 tice given to them refpedively, they carefully keep in proper veflels all 

 human urine, throughout the whole year, and alio as much of that of 

 beads as can be faved, for the patentees to carry away from time to 

 time. [^Fipdera, V. xviii. p. 813.] 



Another proclamation came out againfc eating flefli in lent, and on 

 other filli days. [Fo'c/crd, V. xviii, p. 822.] 



The king alio now iifued a comuiiflion of inquiry into nuifances in 

 and near London ; fuch as ftalls, flaughter-houi'es, brew-houfes, fmiths- 

 forges, brick kiins, coach-houfes, tallow-chandlers, links, vaults, dung- 

 hills, layftalls, garbage, broken pavements, inmates in houfes crowding 

 the fame, &c. and for redreffing of all fuch like diibrders. [Fcvdera, V. 

 xviii, p. 827.] 



He alfo commiflToned certain aldermen, &c. of London to feize all 

 foreign tobacco, not of tlie growth of Virginia or Bermudas, for his 

 benefit, agreeable to a former commiflion : alfo to buy up, for his ufe, 

 all the tobacco coming from thofe plantations, and to fell the fame • 

 again for his benefit. \Fcedcra, V. xviii, p. 831.] 



The king, notwithftanding this order, in the fame month publifhed 

 a permiffion to import 50,000 pounds of Spanifli tobacco ; but then it 

 was to be ail bought by himfelf, and again fold out to his fubjecls. He:. 



