144 



SIR HUGH MYDDKLTOX'S 



TAUT II- 



a very great and spacious quantity of land in Bra ding Haven, in 

 the Isle of Wight, out of the bowells of the sea, and with hankes 

 and pyles and most strange defensible and chargeable mountains, 

 fortifying the same against the violence and fury of the waves. 

 3. For finding out, with a fortunate and prosperous skill, exceeding 

 industry, and noe small charge, in the county of Cardigan, a royal 

 and rych myne, from whence he hath extracted many, silver plates 

 which have been coyned in the Tower of London for current money 

 of England." 1 



The King, however, did more than confer the title- 

 he added to it a solid benefit in confirming the lease 

 made to Sir Hugh by the Governor and Company of 

 Mines Royal, " as a recompense for his industry in 

 bringing a new river into London," 2 waiving all claim 

 to royalty upon the silver produced, although the Crown 

 was entitled, according to the then interpretation of the 

 law, 3 to a royalty on all gold and silver found in the 

 lands of a subject ; and it is certain that the lessee 4 who 

 succeeded Sir Hugh did pay such royalty into the State 

 Exchequer. It also appears from documents preserved 

 amongst the State Papers, that large offers of royalty 

 were actually made to the King at the very time that 

 this handsome concession was granted to Sir Hugh. 5 



The discovery of silver in the Welsh mountains doubt- 

 less caused no small talk at the time, and, as in Australia 

 and California now, there were many attempts made by 

 lawless persons to encroach upon the diggings. On this, 

 a royal proclamation was published, warning such persons 



1 Harleian MS., No. 1507, Art, 40. 

 (British Museum.) 



2 ' Domestic Calendar of State Pa- 

 pers,' Feb. Stt, 1625. Vol. clxxxiv. 15. 



3 Sir S. R. Meyricke. Introduc- 

 tion to the * History of Cardiganshire,' 

 pp. ccx. ; 12-14. 



4 Subsequent to 1636, Thomas 

 Bushell (who purchased the lease) 

 paid 1000Z. per annum to the King ; 

 and some years after, in 1647, we 

 find him agreeing to pay 2;~OOZ. per 

 annum to the Parliament. As a 



curious fact, we may here add that, 

 under date Die Sabbati, 14 August, 

 1641, Parliament granted an order or 

 license to Thomas Bushell to dig turf 

 on the King's wastes within the limits 

 of Cardiganshire, for the purpose of 

 smelting and refining the lead ores, 

 &c., his predecessor (Myddelton) hav- 

 ing used up almost all the wood grow- 

 ing in the neighbourhood of the 

 mines. 



5 Proposals by William Gomeldon, 

 Feb., 1625. 



