aforesaid money – and Patent the invention. William Butcher wrote
me a letter to Thomas Joy, in London. T. J. is a carpenter, six
foot four in height, and plays quoits well. He lives in Chelsea,
London, by the church. I got leave from the shop, to be took on
again when I come back. I am a good workman. Not a Teetotaller;
but never drunk. When the Christmas holidays were over, I went up
to London by the Parliamentary Train, and hired a lodging for a
week with Thomas Joy. He is married. He has one son gone to sea.
Thomas Joy delivered (from a book he had) that the first step to be
took, in Patenting the invention, was to prepare a petition unto
Queen Victoria. William Butcher had delivered similar, and drawn
it up. Note. William is a ready writer. A declaration before a
Master in Chancery was to be added to it. That, we likewise drew
up. After a deal of trouble I found out a Master, in Southampton
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Dickens, Charles – Reprinted Pieces
Buildings, Chancery Lane, nigh Temple Bar, where I made the
declaration, and paid eighteen-pence. I was told to take the
declaration and petition to the Home Office, in Whitehall, where I
left it to be signed by the Home Secretary (after I had found the
office out), and where I paid two pound, two, and sixpence. In six
days he signed it, and I was told to take it to the Attorney-
General’s chambers, and leave it there for a report. I did so, and
paid four pound, four. Note. Nobody all through, ever thankful
for their money, but all uncivil.
My lodging at Thomas Joy’s was now hired for another week, whereof
five days were gone. The Attorney-General made what they called a
Report-of-course (my invention being, as William Butcher had
delivered before starting, unopposed), and I was sent back with it
to the Home Office. They made a Copy of it, which was called a
Warrant. For this warrant, I paid seven pound, thirteen, and six.
It was sent to the Queen, to sign. The Queen sent it back, signed.
The Home Secretary signed it again. The gentleman throwed it at me
when I called, and said, ‘Now take it to the Patent Office in
Lincoln’s Inn.’ I was then in my third week at Thomas Joy’s living
very sparing, on account of fees. I found myself losing heart.
At the Patent Office in Lincoln’s Inn, they made ‘a draft of the
Queen’s bill,’ of my invention, and a ‘docket of the bill.’ I paid
five pound, ten, and six, for this. They ‘engrossed two copies of
the bill; one for the Signet Office, and one for the Privy-Seal
Office.’ I paid one pound, seven, and six, for this. Stamp duty
over and above, three pound. The Engrossing Clerk of the same
office engrossed the Queen’s bill for signature. I paid him one
pound, one. Stamp-duty, again, one pound, ten. I was next to take
the Queen’s bill to the Attorney-General again, and get it signed
again. I took it, and paid five pound more. I fetched it away,
and took it to the Home Secretary again. He sent it to the Queen
again. She signed it again. I paid seven pound, thirteen, and
six, more, for this. I had been over a month at Thomas Joy’s. I
was quite wore out, patience and pocket.
Thomas Joy delivered all this, as it went on, to William Butcher.
William Butcher delivered it again to three Birmingham Parlours,
from which it got to all the other Parlours, and was took, as I
have been told since, right through all the shops in the North of
England. Note. William Butcher delivered, at his Parlour, in a
speech, that it was a Patent way of making Chartists.
But I hadn’t nigh done yet. The Queen’s bill was to be took to the
Signet Office in Somerset House, Strand – where the stamp shop is.
The Clerk of the Signet made ‘a Signet bill for the Lord Keeper of
the Privy Seal.’ I paid him four pound, seven. The Clerk of the
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal made ‘a Privy-Seal bill for the Lord