The Hartlib Papers

Sir

I confesse your Loue, kindnes, and bounty hath soe farre outstript my pore power of requitall, & is gotten soe farre before that I confesse againe I allmost dispaire ever to overtake you with those those expressions of gratitude which yett I doe, & ever must & will acknowledge doe lye vpon mee, & in which neverthelesse as God shall put any power in my hand I will endeavour to show att least a willingnes of requitall & make vp the rest with my harty prayers to God for a blessing vpon your you, & yours, & all your most worthy & faythfull endeavours for his glory & the good of his people

for soe mutch as I pretend to in relation to a perpetuall motion, 'tis onely thus mutch

I humbly conceaue I haue found out and instrument or engine that without the helpe of wind or water, man, or beast (except the helpe of a man to sett itt first goeing, & looke to itt while itt doth goe) shall moue of itts own strength to proportion you please for great, or smal workes, & that night & day for dayes weekes monthes or yeares without seasing of it selfe till either it bee stopt on purpose or some of the materialls breake, or slip

The vses to which this is appliable are turning of grind stones winnowing of Corne, churning of butter, or the like for smale ones, And for great ones (the greater the better) drayning of waters, Iron mills, Corne mils, sugar mils, oyle mils & alsoe for the mooving of carriages of all sorts either about home, or the high wayes, to sutch proportions as may abate of the present charge, & advance trafique verry mutch But (as I tolde you) I haue not acted as yett & therefore can vndertake nothing till some tryall bee made, which in a smale one may bee done for about some 6 - 7^£ or some sutch thing [left margin:] had I beene in a capacitye to spare soe mutch my selfe from my imediate nessesaryes I had made this experiment long since, & am now willing soe to doe vpon encouragement

Sir I am

                        your most faythfull thankefull freind

December the               ever willing & ready to serue you

25^th - 1648                              Dymock

                To his mutch honored

                and most approved good

                freind mr Sammuell

                Hartlib

                     present

                            these