To the Right Honble:Honourable the Lords Comissrs.Commissioners of his Maties:Majesties Treasury

The humble Petiction of Iacob Wallis

Humbly Sheweth

That Your Petr.Petitioner having by great Thought and Application and at his own Charges attained to the art of making Hooks and Chains for Watches farr exceeding all made by any other person before or since, being wrought by a Hand Wedge Press, invented solely by Your Petr.Petitioner but in no respect like unto those used in Coinage either in form or working, and used by him and his Apprentices only in making the said Hooks and Chains And the same being so generally received and approved of for their Curiosity and Vse by Persons of Quality back in England and Foreign parts, whither they have been exported Your Petr.Petitioner received Encouragement therein, and did thereupon comfortably subsist himself and Family.

That by two severall Acts of Parliament made in the 7th. and 8th, and 8th and 9th. years of his now Maties:Majesties reigne (both subsequent to Your Petrs.Petitioners said Invention) It is (in effect) prohibited to any person whatsoever (other than the Officers of his Maties:Majesties Mints) to have in their Custody any Press or other Tools therein named that might be used for Coinage And it is therein directed to bring all such Tools into his Maties:Majesties Mint under very great Penaltyes (Except such as Your Lopps:Lordshipps should permit and give leave to be used).

That upon Notice of the said Acts of Parliamt.Parliament And in obedience thereunto And for avoiding all Occasion of Offence, and not that Your Petr.Petitioner had any Apprehension that his said Press or Engine was any way practicable for Coinage, Your Petr.Petitioner did voluntarily carry the same into the Mint, where the same being viewed by the Officers of the Mint and found unfit for Coinage was redelivered back to Your Petr.Petitioner upon his giving Bond with Security to redeliver into the Mint the said Press when demanded.

But now so it is May it please Your Lordpps:Lordshipps that Your Petrs.Petitioners said Engine is now lately called in and delivered to the Mint upon the occasion of some Petition of one Daniel Critchlow lately presented to Your Lordpps:Lordshipps whereby Your Petr.Petitioner is now wholly deprived of the use thereof for the carrying on his said honest Calling for the Maintenance of himself and Family and Imployment of his Servants.

Wherefore Your Lopps:Lordshipps Petr.Petitioner humbly lays himself at Your Lordpps:Lordshipps feet And in as much as his said Press or Engine was Invented and Vsed before either of the said Acts of Parliamt.Parliament were in being, and was his own Invention and therefore justly (as Your Petr.Petitioner humbly conceives) intitled to have the sole Vse and benefit thereof, And therefore humbly hopes that he shall not suffer by so profitable an Invention by being deemed a President for Evill designed people And for that also as the said Engine hath been found by the Officers of the Mint to be Impracticable for Coinage, and was therefore delivered out with permission to Work therewith, Your Petr.Petitioner humbly prayeth that Your Lordpps:Lordshipps will be pleased to Order his said Press or Engine to be restored to him And upon Your Petrs.Petitioners giving such Security as Your Lopps:Lordshipps shall require to be pleased to Authorize or permit him (in such sort as Your Lordpps:Lordshipps shall think fit) to Vse the same according to the Power and Authority given Your Lordpps:Lordshipps by the said Actrs of Parliament. And that Your Petr.Petitioner may have Your Lordpps:Lordshipps Iudgment as to a Patent for the sole Vse and benefit thereof; Where Your Petr.Petitioner humbly submits himself to Your Lordpps:Lordshipps

And he shall pray &c.