35
EDMUND JENTILL TO LORD BURGHLEY.
[MS. Lansd. 77, Art. 59.]
October 1st, 1594.
In all humilitie (right honorable) have I presumed, uponthe reportes by my poore wief of your most favorable andgratious meaninge towardes my relief and release in this mydistressed estate, by letter to solicite your lordship and toconfesse my fault unto your honor, to lay before you suchefrutes of my studdies as maye at least attenuate the offence,and move compassion in your honors mynd for my delivery.My cryme is counterfetinge of Forren coyne not currant inthis realme; urged therunto, I doe protest, not through anyevitious or lascivious kind of lyvinge, but through meere andextreame want of mayntenance to susteyne my wief in herlong contynued child-birth sicknes, the relief of' myself andchildren, huyinge of bookes, paying of debtes and triall ofconclusions mathematicall and serviceable for my countryesgood; the frutes and finall endes wherof, not suche as arecommon or triviall, but rare and to great use in anie state orcomonwelth, not fytt for vulgar knowledge, I heere mostehumbly offer in redemption of my great amisse and faultcomitted, to bee performed within some smale tyme after myrelease and some mayntenance with the recovery of myhelth.
First an instrument, wherby the distance to anything, to-gether with the height and breadth therof, at one stacion orstandinge only, shal bee obteyned.
The second, a perpetuall motion of sufficient force to dryvea myll.
The third a payer of compasses, which shall describe allsortes of figures geometricall and spiral lynes, and maye, fortheir excellencye, bee termed the Euclidean Compas.
Howe serviceable theis three are, and espetially the twofirst, for all kynd of services as well at sea as land in warrand peace, it is needles to dilate, when half a wourd dothmake your honor knowe as muche. Only this I crave in re-garde heerof your honorable and moste favorable meanes,either by warrant from your lordship and my honorable goodmaster Sir Thomas Henage, unto the Lord Maior for mylibertie (beinge as muche as he requireth), or otherwise toacquaynt her moste gratious Majestie with theis my offers towdiome they are wholy dedicated, and of whose moste excel-lent mercye and clemencye (in regarde of my soone deliverye)my soule is well confirmed through your honors mediacion,
i) 2