is mentioned by Andrew Yarranton, in his book, England's Improvement by Sea and Land, published in 1698. He therein tells us, he himself saw dug up, near the walls of the city of Worcester, the hearth of one of the Roman foot blasts, which was seven feet deep in the ground, and by its side was an earthen vessel, containing about a peck of Roman coins.

The foot blast, here mentioned, was the ironmaking furnace of former days; it was an open hearth, upon which was placed alternately charcoal and ironstone, to which fire being applied, it was urged by men treading upon bellows. This operation was very slow and imperfect; unless the ore was very rich, not more than one cwt. of iron could be extracted in a day. The ironstone did not melt, but was found at the bottom of the hearth in a large lump or bloom, which was afterwards taken out and beaten under massive hammers, previous to its being worked into the required shape and form. The scoria, which was thrown on one side, contained more than one half iron, and these were the cinders, which, being found deep under ground (in some instances with oak trees of large proportions growing upon them), in after ages greatly enriched the proprietors of the soil; for, upon the introduction of the blast furnace, they were eagerly sought after, to work over again, as it was discovered they would make iron better for many purposes, and with less charcoal than ironstone did.

It would be difficult to attempt to form an accurate estimate of the extent of the iron trade, under this mode of manufacture, owing to the absence of authentic records. There is, however, a document quoted by Rudder, in his History of Gloucestershire, from which we learn that, in the tenth year of Edward I., 1282, there were in the Forest of

Dean 72 forges, called moveable forges; these probably could be carried from place to place, and hence their name. They paid annually to the King 7s. Henry II. granted to the Abbey of Flaxley two oaks out of the above forest every seven days, for the maintenance of a forge there. In the fourth year of Henry III., 1220, it was found by inquisition that the monks of Flaxley had a forge for making iron. The same year the itinerant Judges ordered that none should have a forge in the said Forest, without special license from the King.

Although the quantity of iron produced at this period must have been very small, yet our forefathers attained to great skill in working it with the hammer. We all know to what a state of perfection the manufacture of defensive armour was brought, and who can compare the beautiful specimens of medieval iron work still to be found in and about our churches, with the coarse, cold, clumsy cast-iron ornaments of the present day? The former are both simple and effective, but the latter are essentially incapable of a fine line or shadow, and easily distinguishable from the wrought and hammered work of other days.

Up to the middle of the sixteenth century there were few improvements made in the slow and tedious method of ironmaking; but, when at length those great and happy changes in the former political and social system took place, of which the Reformation was the cause, and an industrial and commercial spirit began to prevail, we find the iron trade assuming an importance in the country heretofore unknown; and to the early days of Elizabeth, or perhaps even to the reign of Edward VI., may be assigned the discovery of the blast furnace. The effect was soon felt in the country by the alarming decrease of timber, so that Acts of Parlia

ment were passed "forbidding timber to be felled to make coals for burning iron," and the employment of timber trees of a given size was prohibited within certain districts; but an exception was made for the county of Sussex, the Weald of Kent, and some parishes in Surrey, then great ironmaking counties. At the time of which we are speaking the iron trade was the staple manufacture of the county of Sussex, and there, in the parish of Buxted, in the year 1547, Peter Baud, a Frenchman, cast the first iron cannon ever so made in England. Thomas Johnson, "covenant servant" to Peter, succeeded and exceeded his master, casting them cleaner and better. He died about 1600. Fuller, from whose book, Worthies of England, this notice of Sussex is taken, joins Evelyn in lamenting the decrease of timber; but still, with faith and hope for the future, he adds"It is to be hoped that a way may be found out to char sea coal in such manner as to render it useful for the making of iron. All things are not found out in one age as reserved for future discovery, and that perchance may be easy for the next, which seems impossible to this generation."

Towards the close of the reign of Elizabeth blast furnaces. had been erected of sufficient size to produce from two to three tons per day, or fifteen to twenty-one tons per week; such results, however, were only confined to works situated near an abundant stream of water, where water wheels of considerable magnitude could be used to work the bellows. The ironmasters now considered their own period as that of the highest pitch of advancement, and they looked with complacence and satisfaction upon the many improvements newly introduced. The business seemed only limited to the supply of wood. The scarcity soon became very serious. Petitions were presented and laws enacted against increas

ing the number of ironworks. It soon became highly probable that many works must be shut up for ever, and the trade in this country cease.

Under such unfavourable circumstances the discovery, or rather the practicability, of making iron with pit coal, we find announced by Simon Sturtevant, Esq., in the year 1612, who obtained a patent for the exclusive manufacture of iron with pit coal, for thirty-one years. The patentee did not succeed, and the patent was surrendered. In 1613, John Rovenson obtained a patent, who likewise failed, as did also two other adventurers, by name Gambleton and Jordans. In the year 1619, Dud Dudley, then a youth of 20 years of age, was called home from Balliol College, Oxford, to manage some iron works belonging to his father, Edward Lord Dudley, in the chase of Pensnett, near Dudley; but wood and charcoal becoming very scarce, and pit coal abounding, he was induced to attempt to make iron with it. He was successful, and a patent was granted him by King James. Dud Dudley had great hardships and difficulties to contend with. Rival manufacturers sought to deprive him of the benefit of his invention-riotous persons cut the bellows which blew his furnace-a great flood swept away his works one May Day-his property was confiscated because of his undeviating allegiance to the Crown during Cromwell's tyrannical usurpation, and being imprisoned on occasion of law suits and losses, he was compelled to desist from the prosecution of his invention, although he tells us he had been able to make iron "more sufficient, more cheap, and more excellent." Dud Dudley lived to a good old age, and now lies buried in the Church of S. Helen, Worcester, where a monument was erected in memory of himself and wife A.D. 1672.

The next attempt to make iron with pit coal was at Wednesbury. Mr. Blewstone, a German, so contrived a furnace that only the flame of the coal fire should come to the ironstone, but nevertheless it failed, although many were of opinion that he would succeed. The following is the reason given for this plan not answering :-"The sulphureous, vitriolic steams that issue from the pyrites, which frequently, if not always, accompanies pit coal, ascending with the flame poisoned the ore."

This account of Mr. Blewstone's attempt to make iron with pit coal, at Wednesbury, is taken from Dr. Plot's History of Staffordshire, as well as the following interesting particulars relating to the manufacture of iron in 1686

"Iron ore they have from Wednesbury and Darlaston, but chiefly from Rushall. They have also some from Walsall, but not so good. Of the iron made of these they make the best wares, either mediately or immediately, the best iron of all being made out of the filings and pareings of the locksmiths, which they make up into balls with water, and dry them by the fire into hard balls; then they put it into the fire and melt it by blast, licking it up with a rod of iron as they do glass at the glass-houses, and then beat it into a bar, which they use chiefly for keys and other fine works.

“When they have gotten the ore, before it is fit for the furnace, they burn or calcine it upon the open ground with small charcoal, wood, or sea coal, to make it break into small pieces, which will be done in three days, and this they call annealing it, or fitting it for the furnace. In the meanwhile they also heat their furnace for a week's time with charcoal without blowing it, which they call seasoning it, and then they bring the ore to the furnace thus prepared and throw it in with charcoal in baskets, alternately, namely, a