The petition of Margaret Cary, relict of Thomas Cary Esquire, one of the Grooms of the Chamber to the King on the behalf of herself and her daughters, begs for a grant to compound with offenders by engrossering and transporting of wool, wool fells, fuller’s earth, lead, leather, corn and grain, she to receive a Privy Seal for two fourth-parts of the fines and compositions. Her reasons for desiring this grant are that her husband’s expense in prosecuting like cases has reaped no benefit of his grant of seven-eighths of forfeited bonds for the like offences. She urges the usefulness of the scheme and the existence of similar grants.[37] Footnote 37: _S.P.D._ cccvi., 27, 1635. Mistress Dorothy Seymour petitions for a grant of the fines imposed on those who export raw hides contrary to the Proclamation and thereby make coaches, boots, etc., dearer. The reference to the Petition states: “It is His Majesty’s gratious pleasure that the petitioner cause impoundr. to be given to the Attorney General touching the offences above mencioned ... and as proffyt shall arise to His Majesty ... he will give her such part as shall fully satisfy her pains and good endeavours.”[38] Footnote 38: _S.P.D._ cccxlvi., 2, Feb. 1st, 1637. The projecting of patents and monopolies was the favourite pursuit of fashionable people of both sexes. Ben Johnson satirises the Projectress in the person of Lady Tailebush, of whom the Projector, Meercraft says: ... “She and I now Are on a Project, for the fact, and venting Of a new kind of fucus (paint for Ladies) To serve the Kingdom; wherein she herself Hath travel’d specially, by the way of service Unto her sex, and hopes to get the monopoly, As the Reward of her Invention.”[39] Footnote 39: Jonson, (Ben.) _The Devil is an Ass_, Act III., Scene iv. When Eitherside assures her mistress: “I do hear You ha’ cause madam, your suit goes on.” Lady Tailebush replies: “Yes faith, there’s life in’t now. It is referr’d If we once see it under the seals, wench, then, Have with ’em, for the great caroch, six horses And the two coachmen, with my Ambler bare, And my three women; we will live i’ faith, The examples o’ the Town, and govern it. I’ll lead the fashion still.”...[40] Footnote 40: (_Ibid._), Act IV., Scene ii. From the women who begged for monopolies which if granted must have involved much worry and labour if they were to be made profitable, we pass naturally to women who actually owned and managed businesses requiring a considerable amount of capital. They not infrequently acted as pawn-brokers and moneylenders. Thus, complaint is made that Elizabeth Pennell had stolen “two glazier’s vices with the screws and appurtenances” and pawned them to one Ellianor Troughton, wife of Samuel Troughton broker.[41] Footnote 41: _Middlesex Co. Rec. Sess. Books_, p. 18, 1690.