BUSHELL, Thomas.
(1594 – 1674)
Bushell was educated at Baliol College, Oxford. He was afterwards in the service of Lord Chancellor Bacon, on whose disgrace he retired into Oxfordshire, to reside on his estate. He was strongly attached to the royal cause, and had the honour to entertain Charles I. and his queen at his seat at Road Enstone, near Woodstock, in 1636, when he submitted his celebrated water-works to them with much pageantry, and many speeches and songs took place. Dr. Plot gives a long description of the place. For his services to the king he was made Master of the Royal mines in Wales. In this new appointment he, by permission, established a mint at Aboresky in conjunction with Lord Godolphin, and coined money, which he sent to his sovereign at Oxford. Their mine yielded at one time one hundred pounds worth a week of silver, besides half as much lead.
Biographical references: Gough, The Superlative Prodigall, 1932. • Internet search.
1. English, 1641.
[Contained within an ornate box:] A | Iust and True | Remonstrance | Of | His Majesties | Mines-Royall | In The | Principality | Of | Wales. | Presented | By Thomas Bushell Esquire, Farmer of the | said Mines-Royall to his Majestie. | [ornament] | Printed at London by E.G. 1641. | ¶ Cum privilegio.
4°: A-D4 E3; 18l.; [1]-36 p. Page size: 180 x 135 mm. Very rare.
Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [2]-[8], "Most high and might Soveraigne, | ..."; 9, "The declaration of learned Law- | yers what a Mine-Royall | is, according to former | presidents."; 10-12, "To the Kings most excellent | Majestie."; 13-14, "To the Kings most excellent | Maiesty."; 15-16, "To the most illustrious | Prince Charles."; 17-19, "To our dread Soveraigne Lord | The Kings most Excellent | Majesty."; [20], Blank.; 21-24, "A | Certificate from the Miners..."; 25-26, "To The | Right Honovrable | the Lords and others of His | Maiesties most Honourable | Privy Councell."; 27-29, "Die Sabbati | 14. Aug. 1641."; 30, "A letter from the L. Keeper."; 31-34, "A letter to Mr. Bushell..."; 35-36, "An answer to Mr. Broadwaies | Letter."
Bibliographical references: Gough, The Superlative Prodigall, 1932.
2. English, 1649.
The Case of Thomas Bushell, of Enston in the county of Oxon, esquire. Truly stated. Together with his progress in minerals, and the desires of severall merchants and others that are willing and ready to advance so good a work for the benefit of the nation. Humbly tendered to the serious consideration of the honourable House of commons, and all other persons in authority, wheter civill or martiall, that are desirous to advance the trade of the nation, supply the necessities of the poor, by discovering the hidden treasures of the earth, preserve the lives of many porre creatures from untimely death (who now are destroyed in their prime for potty follonios) which might otherwise be made serviceable to the commonwealth. London: Printed in the year 1649.
Broadsheet. Very rare.
Bibliographical references: Gough, The Superlative Prodigall, 1932.
3. English, 1656.
A table, setting forth the maner of that great philosopher the Lord Chanelor Bacons searching for mettals by making addits through the lowest level of hills or mountains, and conveying aire into the innermost parts of their center by pipe and bellows; as well by art to mollifie the hardest stone, without the tedious way and inestamable charge of sinking aery shafts; and is now intended tobe put in practice by his meniall servant Thomas Bushell, on Hingston-Downe, according to his Lordships command, and the approbation of that great mineralist, Sir Francis Godolphine; with the demonstrative reasons of each particular to the lords of the fee, and proprietors of Hingston-Downe, is as followth; [London, 1656?].
Broadsheet. Page size: 480 x 355 mm. Very rare.
Bibliographical references: Gough, The Superlative Prodigall, 1932.
4. English, 1659.
Mr Bushell's | Abridgement | Of the Lord Chancellor | Bacons | Philosophical Theory | In | Mineral Prosecutions. | [rule] | The Impressa of Mr. Bushell's Golden Medal, of which see | immediately before that Lord's Atlantis. | [ornament] | [rule] | London, Printed in the Year 1659.
4°: A4 A2 A2 B4 (last blank) A4 A2 B2 A2 B2 A4 B2 B2 B4 A-E4 F2 A-C4 D2 (not always in this order); ??l.; [16], 1-14, 1-8, 1-4, 1-12, 1-4, 1-8, 1-12, 9-16, 1-40 (i.e., 44), 1-27 p., illus.
Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [6 pgs], "To the Reader."; [4 pgs], Dedication.; [3 pgs], "Contents."; [1 pg], Blank.; 1-14, "Mr. Bushel's Letter."; 1-8, "Mr. Bushel's Mineral Overtures."; 1-4, "A Table setting forth the manner of that great Philosopher the Lord Chancelor Bacons Searching for Mettals."; 1-12, "To his Highness the Lord Protector."; 1-4, "Finding of the mineral grand jury at Chewton."; 1-8, "Mr. Bushels Petition to the late King."; 1-12, "Mr. Bushell's Invitation by Letter to Condemned men for Petty-felonies, to work in the Mines..."; 9-14, "The late King's Letter of Invitation to Mr. Bushell, ..."; [15]-16, "The Impressa of Mr. Bufhell's golden Medall." [1-2], Title page, "New | Atlantis. | A Work unfished. | [rule] | Written by the Right Honorable, Francis, | Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban. | [rule] | [ornament] | London, | Printed by Tho: Newcomb, 1659."; [3], "To the Reader."; 4-8, 5-40 (i.e., 44), Text. 1-27, "Post-Script."
Very rare. Contains also the "New Atlantis" written by Francis Bacon, with a separate title page dated 1659.
Bibliographical references: Gibson, Francis Bacon, a Bibliography of his Works, 1950: no. 214. • Gough, The Superlative Prodigall, 1932. • Wing: B304.
5. English, 1660.
An Excerpt | By | Mr. Bushell | Of His Late | Abridgement | Of The | Lord Chancellor | Bacons | Philosophical | Theory in Mineral Presecutions. | [rule] | Published for the Satisfaction of his Noble Friends, that impor- | unately desired it. | [rule] | London, | Printed by Tho. Leach, in the Year, 1660.
8°: [4], 54 (i.e., 52), [14], 9-40, [1] p., illus.
Contents: [2 pgs/=A1], Title page, verso portrait.; [2 pgs/=A2], "Dread Soveraign."; [1]-6/=A3r-B1v, "My Lord and Gentle-man."; 7-9/=B2r-B3r, "Mr Bvshel's | Letter | To the Right Honourable the | Lord Fairfax | Touching his | Articles of VVar."-dated 18 April 1659.; 9-10/B3r-B3v, Other letters.; 11-14/=B4r-C1v, "To the Right Honourable | William Lenthal | Speaker to the | Parliament."; 14-22/=C1v-D1v, "Mr Bushel's Mineral Overtures."-dated 4 July 1641, illustrated on page 22 with "A table..."; 23-54 (i.e., 52)/=D2r-G4v, Text of more letters.; [7 pgs], "The Case of the Mine Royal judged to be the most | learned Lawyers under their hands."; [1 pg], Blank.; [2 pgs], "Die Sabbati 14. Aug. 1641."; [4 pgs/=†1r-†2v], "The Miners Contemplative Prayer..."; 9-16/=*1r-*4v, "An Abridgement of my Lord Bacon's | Atlantis."; [1 pg], "The Impressa of Mr. Golden Medal." with an illustration of the medal and at the bottom of the page "Finis."; [1 pg], Blank.; 17-36/=G3r-I4v, "Post-script to the Judious Reader."; 37-38/=X1r-X1v, "A Sonnet..."; 39-40/=K2r-K2v, "A Sonnet Sung...", ending "Finis."
Very rare. This very curious book contains a portrait and impression of Mr. Bushell's "Golden Medal." In the Bookworm (1869), is a very interesting notice of these tracts, which leaves no doubt in the mind of the writer of the article that Bushell "was the canal through which ran the fortunes of Lord Bacon to be sunk in unprofitable mining schemes." The article is illustrated by an engraving of the Golden Medal.
Bibliographical references: UNKNOWN, "?????", The Book-worm: an illustrated literary and bibliographical review, 4 (1869), ??-??. [Something about Thomas Bushell's tracts is contained in an article.]. • Gough, The Superlative Prodigall, 1932. • LKG: XII 5.
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