380 A, D. 1634. 



Patents were given for iwo exclufive projeds, viz. ift, * anew in- 



* vented engine for ploughing of land without horfes or oxen, for 



* which L20 was to be paid yearly into the exchequer ;' and, 2dly, ' for 



* an engine for getting up ihips and goods funk in the fea.' [Fo'dera, 

 F. xix, /». 569, 571.] 



King Charles gave a grant to Sir Sanders Duncomb, fetting forth, 



* that whereas the flreets of our cities of London and Weftminfter, 



* and their fuburbs, are of late fo much encumbered with the unne- 

 ' ceilary multitude of coaches, that many of our fubjedls are thereby 



* expofed to great danger, and the necellliry ufe of carts and carriages 

 ' for provifions tiiereby much hifidered ; and Sir Sanders Duncomb's 

 ' petition reprefenting, that in many parts beyond fea, people are much 



* carried in chairs that are covered, whereby few coaches are ufed 

 '' amongfl: them : wherefor, we have granted to him the fole privilege 

 ' to ufe, let, and hire a number of the faid covered chairs for fourteen 

 ' years.' F^dera, V. xix, p. 572.] This is the origin of fedan chairs 

 in London *. 



John Day, citizen and fworn-broker of London, had, for three years 

 paft, printed and publifhed weekly bills of the prices of all comm.odi- 

 ties in the principal cities of Chriftendom, ' which (fays the king's 



* grant this year to him) has never yet been brought here to that per- 

 ' fedion anfwerable to other parts beyond fea ; by which negled with- 

 ' in our city of London, being one of the mother cities for trade in all 



* Chriftendom, our faid city is much difgraced, and our merchants hin- 

 ' dered in their commerce and correfpondence : wherefor, we grant 



* unto the faid John Day the fole privilege of vending the faid weekly 

 ' bills for fourteen years/ 



We mufl here do this king and his privy council the juflice to re- 

 mark, that in this patent, and alfo in fome few former ones, there is a 

 provifo, that if at any time, during the faid term of fourteen years, it 

 ihall appear that fuch grant is contrary to law, or mifchievous to the 

 ftate, or generally inconvenient, then, upon fignification made by us 

 under our fignet or privy feal, or by fix or more of our privy council 

 under their hands, of fuch prejudice, &c. this our prefent grant IhaU 

 be void. This precaution was probably owing to many of this king's 

 exclufive grants having been declared by trials at common law to be il- 

 legal monopolies, which the king was therefor obliged to revoke and 

 make void. 



The Dutch took the fmall ifland of Curacoa from Spain, by which 

 means, being but eight leagues from the coafi: of Terra Firma, they 

 have ever fince driven a great illicit trade with the Spaniards there : 

 and though it be not fertile, that diligent people, however, have culti- 



* Accordinjr to Wilfon, the biographer of Kinf; James, fedan chairs were intro^Iuced in Britain by 

 Cjat duke of Buckingham, l^rnot's Hiji. of EJ'miur^i, p. 598]. M. 3 



