“_Terrick._ Dust moind, Rafe, owt o’ th’ treyal at Staffurt o’ Johnny Mutchil for makkin Rafy Shay’s patten ware? “_Leigh._ Oi just remember, bu oi wur ony a big lad at th’ teyme. It had bin mitch tawkt abaht, and when, it wur oer, they aw toud’n wat th’ judge sed to th’ mesters--‘Gooa whomm, potters, an mak wot soourts o’ pots yoa loiken.’ An when they coomn to Boslem, aw th’ bells i’ Hoositon, an Stooke, an th’ tahn, wurn ringin loike hey-go-mad, aw th’ dey.” The kind of ware just described was sometimes known as “bitstone ware,” from “bits” of stone being used to separate the pieces in the oven. This was, of course, prior to the use of “stilts,” “triangles,” or “cockspurs.” In 1744, Edward Heylyn, in the parish of Bow, in the county of Middlesex, merchant, and Thomas Frye, of the parish of West Ham, in the county of Essex, painter, took out a patent, and early in the following year enrolled their specification, for the making of china and porcelain ware. This specification, which is deeply interesting, is as follows:-- “Whereas His most Excellent Majesty King George the Second, by His Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Sixth day of December, in the eighteenth year of His reign, reciting that whereas we, the said Edward Heylyn and Thomas Frye, had, by our Petition, humbly represented unto His said Majesty that we had, at a considerable expence of time and money in trying experiments, applyed ourselves to find out a method for the improvement of the English earthenware, and had at last invented and brought to perfection “A NEW METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CERTAIN MATERIAL, WHEREBY A WARE MIGHT BE MADE OF THE SAME NATURE OR KIND, AND EQUAL TO, IF NOT EXCEEDING IN GOODNESS AND BEAUTY, CHINA OR PORCELAIN WARE IMPORTED FROM ABROAD;” which Invention we, the Petitioners, apprehended would be of vast advantage to the kingdom, as it would not only save large sums of money that were yearly paid to the Chinese and Saxons, but also imploy large numbers of men, women, and children; and that as many and as great benefits would arise therefrom to this nation, as from the woolen or iron manufactories, in proportion to the numbers of people that would be employed therein, His Majesty did therefore, of His especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer motion, give and grant unto us, the said Edward Heylyn and Thomas Frye, our extors, admors, & assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole priviledge & authority, to make, use, exercise, and vend our said Invention in that part of Great Britain called England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, to hold to us, the said Edward Heylyn and Thomas Frye, our extors, admors, and assigns, for the term of fourteen years from the date of the said recited Letters Patent. In which said Letters Patent there is contained a provisoe,