A discovery OF certain English wants, which are royally supplied in this treatise by H. PLATT of Lincolnes inn esquire.  
Nunc Tuba nunc lituus cecinit Taratantararaucus  
Taurus & infesto, iam pede pulsat humum.  Ovid. 
Printed at London by P. S. for William Ponsonby. 1595.   

A supply of certain english wants.  
whereas in my late apology published Anno 93. as also sithence in my book entitled the jewel house of Art and nature printed Anno 94. I haue amongst many other conceited experiments tending to several aswell profitable as delightful uses, made likewise a public offer of sundry new & rare inventions, such as if they were brought into some general, and common use, would procure great love and security to the rich, sufficient maintenance and relief to the poor, some credit to the Author, and no small benefit to the whole realm of England: I am now forced even by the bond of charity as a christian, and in the tender love, and affection, which I owe unto my native country as a true, and natural Englishman( seeing in these vnthankeful and wretched times, I see it is not sufficient to propound the best, and most royal offers howsoever exemplified, and made autentique even by often & manifold experience herself, the true, and undoubted mother of all credit in this kind, unless by a manuel demonstration likewise the means of execution, which is the life of al inventions, be associated, & joined thereunto) I say I am enforced both as a scholar first to devise, and then as a politician to bring into public use, that which hitherto hath so long attended upon dew deserved favours, until it is trampled under the proud foot of every base mechanical workman, whose absurd ear can endure no other music, then that which is forced from the anvil with the gross hand, and hammer of an ordinary vulcanist.  
Now therefore I see it is time, and high time to let the world, and all posterity to understand, that if our english Artists( whereof sundry in my knowledge are of such rare and singular conceit, as they were able, yea, and would also be found willing if the stipend of honor, and merit were now propounded, fully to discover a world of new inventions, whereof no Polidore hath as yet taken any note or notice) were sufficiently employed in the fullness, and height of their spirits, that they would bring forth so many, so rich, and so inestimable buds, and blossoms of skill, as neither any civil policy that hath been hitherto shut up in printed books, nor any religious charity that hath been so often, and so divinely sounded in at our deaf ears, could yet produce or show any comparable effects unto them.  
And that I( being the boldest, though the meanest of many thousands to take so weighty a task in hand) may in some measure maintain so hard a Paradox, and discharge the credit of the rest in this point, I will yet once again acquaint you with some few, and those ancient inventions of mine, which if you will at this time hear with patience, and censure with equity, & further with your favours, I hope to give you such a true, & lively taste of the fruits of art, that I shal make your stomacks even long, & mourn to be better satisfied with that secret food which these silent Philosophers & Inginers haue reserved unto themselves, & will hardly offer unto their country, until their first ambassadors return with the reward of virtue in their hands.  
And because I will herein proceed in the most acceptable maner that I may, I will seek to wring nothing out of your coffers, for I know they haue too many bolts, bars, and locks vpon them: It is but your countenance, your commendable labours, and examples which are in authority that I require, it is but that which now you loose, & without me you cannot save, nay they are but the very crumbs that fall from dives table wherewith I will undertake to relieve poor Lazarus, who neither as yet with the saltish drops of his body, is able by his labour, nor yet by the bleeding tears of his soul is able by his misery to procure sufficient maintenance the one way, or compassion the other way, to relieve himself, and his distressed family.  
Suppose then that whatsoever might be saved in fuel, and fire by some such art as I would discover & make manifest in most plain and naked terms, were speedily, and cheerfully gathered, and brought into a common treasury, which cannot be less then the one half of all that which now is spent in brewing throughout the whole realm of England: suppose also that hereunto were added the one third of al other fires which may also be saved in al such shires where any seacoale is usually burnt, at the rate of 8. s. the chawdren or upward, what a yearly sum, and mass of treasure would this amount unto throughout this populous iceland? nay what an infinite number of poor, and sillie wretches might be profitably employed in the composition of so many colebals, as would be necessary in so great an expense of fewell as cannot otherwise bee avoided? Hereunto I may also further add the full half or moiety of all such fuel, as is daily, and grosselie spent in all the peterworkes of this realm, which by a third invention( allowing the petermen their usual coals, vessels, and furnasses) might well be saved, and is now most vainly, & absurdly wasted and consumed. Where in me thinks such a sottish and stiff-necked people might be forced by some authority to compound, because this violence should concern their own good, and now their stubbornes worketh a wilful wasting both of great store of wood, & seacoale that might be serviceable for as good or better use?  
All this being presupposed, and warranted to be true, and that these secrets when they shal be put in practise, shalbe found real, and substantial in all their proofs, & trials, then let us consider advisedly of all those questions or objections, that do presently arise concerning the same.  
The first and principal( as I suppose) will be concerning the authority of such as shalbe thought fit assessors of so new, and weighty a charge. Herein I must needs confess that I can show no president, but I think in steede of authority to command, these few reasons may serve to persuade al such as shalbe unwilling to contribute in so great a work of charity. First their own safety, and security which in these late yeares of dearth hath been a little touched, & more feared, and we haue an old proverb that hunger breaketh through ston walls. Secondly a sufficient employment of all such poor as are willing to work, and all excuse of idleness removed from lazy and loitering rogues. Thirdly the easiness of the charge or rather the gain that shall hereby grow unto the rich, for my purpose is that every contributor should onely give the moiety of that which he shal save, and to retain the other moiety to himself, so that he shall give with the one hand, and yet receive with the other. Fourthly the avoiding of many petty charges, which shalbe royally supplied in this. Fiftly the manifestation of a true and a charitable faith in relieving the extreme wants, and miseries of their poor, & needy neighbors. sixthly, & lastly the great encouragement of the Author who means as a principal Actor to come in for an enitia pars as the Lawyer termeth it, and by his good success in this kind willbe ready both himself to propound and discover, some farther matter of skill then as yet he thinketh meet to publish, and also draw in others of his own consort, that shall most royally both enrich and beautify this little island with their admirable, and most profitable inventions.  
Then we are to consider how this charge shall be equally imposed, & who shall be exempted in this charge. I think herein we shall not need to use any exact geometrical or arithmetical proportion, but the same discretion that hath been always used in other taxes may likewise serve in this: only my desire is that all the poorer sort should scape skotfree. But here will also arise an other doubt how all these persons shalbe assessed that be of good ability, and dwell either in such shires where they haue no use of seacoale, and thereby can make no benefit of my fire, or dwell in corporate capitains or else where, and so being served of a common Brewer, haue no need of my saving vessel.  
Hereby it doth manifestly appear that thirdly wise men do call their purses to a more strict account then they do their consciences, & though they care not how many sins they daily commit, yet they keep a perfect book of debtor and Creditor for every penny which they spend. Well yet to give these frugal men also some contentment. As concerning the first they cannot choose but reap thus much benefit by the fire, that the more wood that shall bee spared in other shires by reason of this new kind of firing they are also like to haue their usual wood, or coal the cheaper, and likewise their own store to last the longer. And this may also be some reason to satisfy all those, who( either vpon some pretence for a time, or vpon a wilful stomach perhaps longer) will contribute nothing to this fire, because they happily will allege that they mean not at any time to use the same in their own houses. But there is yet another reason, and that is the freeing of al such shires from al their idle vagabonds, who then instead of sending them to the place where they were born according to the statute, may now convey them( bee it spoken under correction, and with all reverence to al good laws, and magistrates) into these exercising shires, where they shal find sufficient employment for them.  
Touching the second sort of Recusantes, it may be, yea and it is very probable and likely, that these vessels may also serve for diuers other necessary uses, besides brewing, whereof some are not as yet meet to be disclosed. But suppose there were no other, yet some reasonable contribution on their parts,( either in respect of the fire, or in respect of some of the former reasons, which do also fall into the same mood and figure, or in respect of the best reasons whereof these present times afford to too many though in good discretion I forbear to urge them) is both to be wished, and expected.  
Yet if this public good cannot bee wrought in this public manner, without bringing in of a daungerous president to the ouerboldning of all good wits that would from time to time show themselves pregnant in this kind, then I submit myself to the direction of those who being in higher place, of riper iudgement and greater experience then myself, will happily find 〈◇〉 some better course therein then either my shallow 〈…〉 conceive, or my slender pen is able to describe.  
And because these Eagles eggs be long in hatching, and seeing daily experience hath now assured me, that though many hands make light work, yet many wits for the most part conclude nothing, I am resolved( as neither expecting, nor refusing any good course that shal be offered me herein) to entertain the present time not with a theorical wit any longer, but with a practical hand, and free spirit being ready to maintain the credit of my former labours, as well by discovery of diuers secret and gentlemanly skills unto such as shall repair unto me for the same, as also by furnishing of all fellow-travelers with light and comely garments, not as a tailor or a shoemaker in the fashion, but as an artist in giuing a defensative unto them against al wet and stormy weather, so as even in a slender hat, cloak, cassock, or bases of taffata, satin, or grogeram, and other mercery stufs, & in a sweet, and cleanly boot, or show of spanish, or bonauenter or any other dry leather and vncorried, each Gentleman may be sufficiently armed at all points either on foot or horseback in the greatest shower of rain, that can happen.  
And lastly because I haue always found it in mine own experience an easier matter to devise many, and very profitable inventions, then to dispose of one of them to the good of the author himself, and because I know that there be many gentlemen in good favor that be always ready, and willing to entertain good suits, I haue thought it not amiss to let them understand, that I am also as yet well furnished for them if they come in time, and whilst my small store lasteth. For I haue referred them all unto my title of priority, and posteriority. All which suits as they are for the most part new, & fresh from the mint, so they are by their natures and quality either fit for a privilege, or for some new officers that may undertake such services of charge, as are greatly wanting though daily wished for in this realm, & in these times. And had the author himself found any favour in his first suits, he would then haue conferred those secrets freely vpon his country, which now( by reason of his further charge, and greater loss of time that is irrecoverable) he is forced to offer in this kind, neither pleasing himself, nor satisfying others, nor answering the worth of those skills which he purposeth to disclose.  

An abstract of some few of the particulars intended in this treatise.  
1 A means to prepare beef, veal, or mutton without any salt, and fit to bee laid up in storehouses for many yeares, or to furnish long voyages withall.  
2 A defensative in the highest kind of all armour, and artillery whatsoever from rusting in seven yeares after one preparation. This is a fit secret for all hir majesties armouries, and all the artillery of her ships, wherein the beauty of the armour is still preserved notwithstanding his defensative vpon it, it fuffreth no damp either of fresh, or brackish water to prevail against it, this is an inestimable secret for the sea in the opinion of sir Fr. Drake.  
3 An excellent caliver, or musket shot exceeding all bullets that are yet had in ordinary use: of these the author will be ready to make such store as shal be required.  
4 Some english secrets whereby we may be less beholding either unto spain, or France in some of their best commodities.  
5 A candle of much less price then our ordinary candles, each of them lasting 120 hours at the least. It is suddenly made.  
6 A new kind of malting, wherein the one half of our usual fire will be saved.  
7 A cheap, and multiplied pitch serviceable only for ships and other vessels.  
8 A certain & speedy way for thuning of any breach.  
10 The art Spagiricall which shall bee delivered in a most familiar, and speedy maner for the drawing of all oils out of gums, seeds, flowers, and aromatical bodies, and of all waters, spirits and salts out of vegetables with all necessary circumstances belonging thereunto.  
10 An excellent oily composition defending all iron works from rust, and canker, wherewith I did furnish sir Francis Drake in this last voyage.  
11 A pump not weighing twenty pound in weight, & yet sufficient to deliver five tons of water in one hour. It is an excellent engine to water all those houses that are near the river of Thames, or any other river in England, as also for all ships of war.  
12 A haviour to keep either boot, show or buskin made of dry leather, both black in wearing, and defensible against all rain, due, or moisture, whereof there hath been already a sufficient trial had by diuers gentlemen, and others, this is to be had of the Author in several kindes.  Temporizare optimum.   

All those that are desirous to haue any conference with the publisher hereof may bee advertised of his abode by William Ponsonby stationer in Paules churchyard.  
FINIS.