APPENDIX J
Reading edition
APPENDIX J
ERECTION OF PLATING-MILLS AT ERITH BY CAPT. JOHN MARTIN
1624
State Papers Domestic, Jac. I, Vol. CLXXX, 71
King Henry the eight being resolved to have his armorye alwayes stronge and richly furnished wt thirtie or fowertie thousand armes to be in Rediness to serve all the necessities of th times (how suddaine so evr) caused a batterie mill to be built at Detford nere Grenewch for the batteringe of plaetes for all sorts of armes but dyed before the bsiness was perfected.
In the time of Queen Elizabeth Captain John Martin and myself resolvinge on endeavors to the furtheringe so good a worke resolved yt I should go to Inspurge wch is uppon the Germaine Alpes and into Lukland likewise to bring over into England seven or eight plaeters, the beste that might be found (wch was donne to owr very great chardges) and im ediately ther uppo fallinge to worke in a batterie mill wch we likewise erected nere unto Erith in Kent and in yt place wrought as many plates of all sorts as served very nere for twentie thousand armors and targets never having the misterie of plaeting mills in England before. All wch plaeters formerly brought over are now dead save one, and he of so cunninge and obstinate a disposition that he would nevr yet be brought to teach any Englishman the true misterie of plaeting unto this day.
The beste plaetes that have been formerly knowen to be in Christendome have been made of Inspurg stuff wch place hath continually served Milan Naples and other nations, and latelie England also, wch place beinge so remote and in the Emperor his owne countrie, it is not possible that wth any conveniencey any stronge plaetes can be now bought from thence as formerly we have had. But if his Matie will be plesed to have his armorie continually furnished wth thirtie or fortie thousand armes or more to what number he shall be beste plesid as hath been the course and resolution of his Roiall pdecessors, yt may now be done wth Englishe Irone, by a misterie yet unknown, either to smolten plaetes or armour and to be of such strength and lightnes, for the ease and pservation of the life of the souldier as none can be better found in any nation in Christendome from the pistole to the musket.
It hath been observed in all antient histories and in the rule of our later moderne wars, that the goodness strength and lightness of armes hath been so great an incoradgement unto the souldier as hath made him stand faste in the time of great and strong chardges of the enemye, and to give valiant and couradgeous chardges, and assaults when they have been assured of the strength and goodness of theyre armes.
The raetes for Plaetes and armors exactly examined for the prices the strength and lightness considered are thus reduced.
The chardge of a tun of Armor plaetes £18 0 0
Two chaldron of coles wt. carriage will be1 12 0
The workmen for battering this tun of plaetes will have uppon every hundred 4/-4 0 0
Reparation weekly for the mill12 0
A clarke’s wages weekly12 0
Extraordinary chardges toe & froe for carridges10 0
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These particular chardges come to£25 6 0
The true chardge of all such sorts of armor as they will stand you in wt. their severall pportions and such apporveable goodness as we never heretofore have had.
Sixe hundred of iron will make five hundred of plaetes wch. will be a skore of ordinary curatts of pistoll proofs wch. cometh toe wth pouldrons5 10 0
The Armourers may make them wt due shape black nayle and lether them for7 10 0
These twentie armours will yeild26 0 0
So in these twentie armours is clerely gained the sum of13 0 0
Fower hundred of plates will make 20 paier of curatts wt out pouldrons3 12 0
The Armorers may pportion them, black lether & naile them for6 0 0
These 20 paire of curatts will yeld20 0 0
In these 20 paire of curatts is clerely gained10 8 0
The chardge of 20 lance armours.
Sixteen hundred of plaetes will make twentie lance armours wch come to14 8 0
The Armourers may finishe them upp for fourtie shillings the armour wch comes to40 0 0
These 20 launce armours will yeld fower pounds a piece wch amounteth unto80 0 0
So yt in these 20 launce armours is clerely gained25 12 0
Five hundred of plaetes will make twentie proof targetts wch will come to4 10 0
The armourers may finishe them lether them and blacke them with all other chardges for12 0 0
Thes targets will yeld (24s.[147]) the piece26 0 0
In these targetts may be cleared9 10 0
Twelve hundred of plaetes will make 20 paire of stronge curatts with stronge capps wch will stand in10 16 0
The Armourers may finishe them for (30s.) the paire wch amounteth unto30 0 0
These 20 paier of stronge curatts wt their capps will yeld 4 li. the paier wch cometh toe80 0 0
So that by these 20 paier of stronge curatts will be clerely gayned39 10[148] 0
With fower plaeters may be wrought up in one weeke 3700 weight of plates. The pfitt of wch weekly, as by the particulars may appear will be98 14 0
And if these fower plaeters be emploied the whole year (abating one month in the year for idle dayes) it amounteth unto per ann4737 li. 12 0