648 A, D. 1690. 



lords and gentlemen of worth were deeply concerned. Yet for want ofa 

 iufficient ftock of money for carrying on fo expenfive a work, it lan- 

 guiflied and went retrograde until the year 1 698, when a new conftitution 

 was eftablifhed, by indenture, in a pompous manner; the duke of Leeds 

 being thereby eftablhhed governor of this company, and Sir Humphry 

 Mackworth deputy-governor, both during life, with a felect committee 

 of managers or diredors ; and a new capital ftock of L2o,oco was railed, 

 for paying off debts before contracted, and for vigoroufly carrying on 

 the mines ; and five years were hereby added to the laid twenty-two years 

 and an half of their grant. Sir Humphry Mackworth's propolal and 

 plan were accepted ; and he undertook to difpofe of the 4,008 lliares by 

 a lottery for Li 25,000, confifling of 25,000 tickets, at L5, whereof 2,500 

 were to be fortunate ; with abundance of wild, perplexed, and romantic, 

 articles, which, however, drew in many perfons of worth and character. 

 Sir Humphry Mackworth brought into this new conftitution, his own 

 lands, coal-pits, and mines, near Neath in Glamorganfhire, where 

 wharfs and warehoufes, refining-houfes and mills, were ereded, and 

 much lead ore was railed, from whence quantities of filver were extrad- 

 ed, and alio litharge of lead, which is ufed by apothecaries, furgeons, 

 and painters ; but chiefly by potters for glazing their earthen ware, 

 and by the makers of fine glafs, and of red-lead, into which litharge 

 is eafily transformed. Thus they went on, at a vaft expenfe, till next 

 century, till when we fliall leave them, after only obferving, that it is 

 fomewhat ftrange, fo many fagacious perfons as Sir Humphry Mack- 

 worth drew into this projed, did not entertain any fufpicion of his 

 vafi:ly pompous out-fet, and of his propofal of one twelfth part of the 

 clear profit of the mines to be difpofed of to fuch charitable ufes as he 

 fliould dired, previous to their knowing any thing certain whether 

 there would be any profit at all from a mere embryo projed. By fuch 

 means, and likewife by his charity-propofal, many clergymen's widows, 

 and orphans, were engaged therein. 



1 69 1. — After the Englifh Eafl;-India company's very great expenfe of 

 money and men in their war with the great mogul, they at length ob- 

 tained peace with him, and the refi:itution of their former privileges, in 

 the year 1691 ; when they likewife re-ellabliflied their revolted fadory 

 at Bombay, and quieted the ifle of St. Helena. Neverthelefs, the above 

 great expenfe, the inceflant clamours of the interlopers, and of the 

 friends of thofe put to death at St. Helena, jointly confpired to bring 

 that company into great difcredit ; infomuch, that printed papers were 

 handed about, difplaying their crimes and mifcarriages, doubtlels not 

 without exaggerations : propofals alfo were publilhed for diflblving this, 

 and ereding a new company. And fo far was the houfe of commons 

 influenced thereby, as in this fame year to addrefs King William to dif- 

 lolve the company, agreeable to the power referved by the crown in 



