Hardly had the king's return been effected when, amidst the innumerable petitions which instantly greeted him, is one from Sir Hugh Middleton, Bart., for "the place of Overseer and Receiver of Profits of His Majestie's Iron Works in the Forest of Dean." {42c} He strengthened his application with the timely remark that the appointment for which he sought was held by Major John Wade, "put in by Cromwell; an officer of which Wade, in July last (1659), robbed him of horses, arms, &c., kept him four months in close imprisonment for adhering to His Maty, & has several times ransacked his house." A contemporary petition, to much the same end, but from a different quarter, was presented by Sir Edward Massey. He stated, truly enough, that "he had formerly held the works for which he now applied, but they and all his stock were taken from him by the Rump Parliament for his loyalty." But he suppressed saying, how they were formerly voted to him by the House of Commons for defeating the staunch royalist Sir John Winter, to whom they previously belonged. Sir John, himself, was a third, and reasonable applicant for the restoration of his patent for the same, which was as justly restored him; the other, but unsuccessful candidate, being Sir Baynham Throckmorton. In an elaborate return, {43} addressed to the Barons of the Exchequer, and dated the 12th April, 1662, the question is mooted, "What advantages will yearly accrue to His Maty by his furnace and forge, if taken into his owne hands?" The answer is worked out in the following manner:-- "Imprimis.--Fower Long Coards of Wood will make two Loads of Coles wch two Loads of Coales will make one Tunne of Sowe Iron. "Charges to make a Tunn of Sow Iron. _li._ _s._ _d._ For cutting and 00 14 00 coarding of Four Long Coards genrlly will cost For Coaleing at 00 07 00 3s 6d per loade For carrying it 00 07 00 to the Furnace, genrlly For Mine and 00 05 00 Oar For Cinders 00 03 00 To the Founder 00 02 06 or Caster 01 18 06 "Price of a Tun of Sow Iron. "Which Tune of Sow Iron will yield coib annis, although now debased by the late mispending of the Stock, but wil bee brought up agn to 6li 10. "What Quantity the Furnace will cast yearly. "The Furnace may wth the Expence of 100li to pr serve & pcure a greater ppcon of water, cast Were Thirty Tunn p weeke, but to reduce it to a greater certainty we will compute at 26 Tunne p weeke, wch at 6li 10s 6d p Tunn amounts to 1248 Tunn p An., wch at 6li 10s Od p Tunn amounts to 8112li. But the Charges to be deducted at 1li 18s 6d p Tunn amounts to 2402li 8s deducting wch out of the generall pfitt there remains 709li 12s Od.