chapter 76

, entitled "An Act to provide for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in England and Wales" and of other Acts of Parliament passed for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations, and of a Petition of the Inhabitant Householders of the Parliamentary Borough of Dudley, in the County of Worcester, addressed to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Council, praying for a Charter of Incorporation to the said Parliamentary Borough of Dudley.

INQUIRY has been directed to the subject Matter of such Petition.

NOTICE is therefore hereby given, that on FRIDAY, the 15th day of JULY instant, at Eleven o'clock in the forenoon, at the MECHANICS' INSTITUTE, IN DUDLEY, CAPTAIN DONNELLY, R.E., the Commissioner appointed by the Lords of Her Majesty's Privy Council for the purpose:--Will proceed upon the said Inquiry, and will then and there be prepared to hear all Persons (being Inhabitant Householders within the said Parliamentary Borough of Dudley), or their representatives, desirous of being heard before him upon the subject of the said Inquiry.

BY ORDER.

_Dated this 5th day of July, 1864._

JONAH CHILD, PORTRAIT PAINTER, AND MODELLER.

Specimens may be seen at his Residence.

"Think not, my friend, with supercilious air, I rank the Portrait as beneath thy care: Blest be the pencil, which from death can save, The semblance of the virtuous, wise, and brave; That youth and emulation, still may gaze On those inspiring forms of ancient days, And, from the force of bright example, bold, Rival their worth, "and be what they behold" Blest be the pencil! whose consoling power, Soothing soft friendship in her pensive hour, Dispels the cloud, with melancholy fraught, That absence throws upon her tender thought. Blest be the pencil! whose enchantment gives To wounded Love the food on which he lives; Rich in this gift, tho' cruel ocean bear The youth to exile from his faithful fair, He in fond dreams hangs o'er her glowing cheek, Still owns her present, and still hears her speak. Oh! Love, it was thy glory to impart Its infant being to this magic art! Inspir'd by thee, the soft Corinthian maid Her graceful lover's sleeping form portray'd; Her boding heart his near departure knew, Yet long'd to keep his image in her view: Pleased she beheld the steady shadow fall, By the clear lamp, upon the even wall; The line she trac'd with fond precision true, And drawing, doated on the form she drew; Nor, as she glow'd with no forbidden fire, Conceal'd the simple picture from her sire: His kindred fancy still to nature just, Copied her line, and form'd the mimic bust, Thus from thy power, inspiring Love, we trace The MODELL'D IMAGE, and the PENCIL'D FACE."

The publication of the following celebrated Will, led to the resuscitation of a valuable charity bequeathed to this town.

EXTRACTS FROM THE WILL OF THE LATE REV. HENRY ANTROBUS.

"In the Name of God, Amen. I, Henry Antrobus, Rector of Himley, in the County of Stafford, and now living at Dudley, in the County of Worcester, being in perfect health, and of sound mind, memory, and understanding, blessed be God for it, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.

"For my body, I desire it may be buried in the same grave with my dear mother, in the centre of the dome of St. Edmund's Church, in Dudley; on the right side of which I desire may be fixed in the wall, a small monument of marble, of an oval form, with this inscription:--"_Near this place lies interred the body of Penelope Antrobus, widow, who departed this life the 10th day of Aug. 1756_, aged 59, adding these words: "_She departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day_." On the left side I desire another for myself, and of the same size and form, with this inscription:--"_Here lies the body of the Rev. Henry Antrobus, &c._" adding these words:--"_Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief_." As for my worldly estates, which God of his undeserved goodness hath given me, I dispose thereof as follows:--

"Whereas, it was my aunt Oliver's desire, that I should _buy Land to the value of ten pounds per Annum, to pay a School Mistress FOR TEACHING FORTY POOR GIRLS_, of the Parish of Dudley, to read, sew, and knit; that they be brought to church constantly when there are prayers, and to be catechised every Friday in Lent, by the Minister of the Parish; which Land is not as yet purchased. I do hereby give, devise and bequeath MY ESTATE AT HOKEHAM, which John Whitehouse holds of me, for that purpose; and desire my executrix, hereafter mentioned, to lay out the sum of SIX HUNDREDS POUNDS, the profits whereof to make a provision _for Clothing the said Girls every year, and to buy Books for the use of the School_.

Item.--I give, devise, and bequeath MY ESTATE which William Aynsworth holds of me, in the Parish of Rowley Regis, to the intent TO CLOTHE, (according to Mr. Oliver's will, who left _One Hundred and Fifty Pounds for that purpose, to which was added Fifty Pounds more by his Wife_, which money remains in my hands, and has not, as yet, been disposed of,) SIX POOR MEN, belonging to the Parish of Dudley, upon _every 1st day of November for ever_; and if the profits of the said Estate will bear it, to add a _seventh_ then to the above-mentioned number.

"Whereas, my aunt Oliver had desired that FIFTY POUNDS might be given to erect _a GALLERY in the NEW CHURCH in Dudley_:--I desire my executrix, hereafter mentioned, to pay within twelve months after my decease, or begin the Gallery, and carry it on as far as the money will go, as soon as possible.

"I do hereby appoint and nominate the said Elizabeth Perry, sole executrix of this my last will and testament: _CHARGING HER, AS SHE MUST ANSWER IT AT THE DREADFUL DAY OF JUDGMENT, to fulfil the Will of the Rev. Thos. Oliver, my aunt, and my own, as punctually as may be_; and to have all the Charities enrolled in Chancery, as soon as possible; THAT THE POOR MAY NOT BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR RIGHTS!!! To this my last will and testament have set my hand and seal, this 30th day of December, 1762."

_Proved at London, 9th Dec. 1766, by the oath of Eliz. Antrobus, formerly Perry, widow, relict of the deceased._

ST. THOMAS'S PARISH CHURCH.

Much unkindly feeling and animosity was occasioned in the Parish when this fine Old Parish Church was doomed to be demolished, more especially when it became known that a heavy Church Rate for years to come would be levied upon the Ratepayers, partly to meet the cost of building the New Parish Church.[37]

On laying the Foundation Stone of the present St. Thomas's Church, on October 25th, 1816, the following ticket was issued:--

ADMIT THE BEARER INTO ST. THOMAS'S

CHURCH YARD,

On the 25th of OCTOBER, 1816.

N.B.--This Ticket will entitle the Purchaser to a Medal.

[Illustration: Dudley Church 1791]

As many discrepancies have often appeared in print as to the cost of the erection of the present Church of St. Thomas, Dudley, I am enabled, through the courtesy of Ephraim Ball, Esq., of Halesowen, to lay before the reading public some authentic information on this head, taken from valuable documents now in his possession, which belonged to the Churchwardens and Building Committee at that remote period. Mr. Ball's subjoined letter to the _Dudley Guardian_, in 1871, effectually sets that question for ever at rest.

We have also another very pleasant evidence of the liberality and care for the spiritual wants of the parishioners displayed at that time by the then Viscount Dudley and Ward, in erecting a new Gallery in St. Edmund's Church, to enable the church going inhabitants to obtain some sitting accommodation in public worship, during the very protracted time occupied in the erection of the New Parish Church.

_Dudley, July 10th, 1815._

MY LORD,

The Churchwardens of Dudley beg leave most respectfully to inform your Lordship that, as it is found expedient to put up a Gallery in Saint Edmund's Church, for the accommodation of the inhabitants, while the Parish Church is building; that a space on your Lordship's Chancel being the only one for such Gallery, which will become your Lordship's property hereafter; that there is no power of applying any part of the subscription money, raised for the intended New Parish Church, towards the said Gallery; and that the parishioners having contributed to the utmost of their means, for the erection of the Church--we are emboldened by your Lordship's great liberality, on all occasions to the town of Dudley, to solicit your kind assistance to enable us to complete the Gallery, according to an estimate amounting to £181, which will greatly add to the many obligations which we owe your Lordship. In behalf of the parish, we are my Lord,

Your Lordship's much obliged, And most respectful Servants, T. HILL AND EDWARD GUEST.

The Right Honourable Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward, Park Lane, London.

* * * * *

[REPLY.]

MY DEAR SIR,

I shall be at Himley, quite as soon as I intended, and take the liberty of sending the enclosed for your inspection; and beg that you will inform the inhabitants of Dudley, that I shall be happy to accommodate them with a Gallery in my Chancel, and will talk further on the business when I have the pleasure of seeing you.

I am, yours sincerely, DUDLEY AND WARD.

_London, Wednesday July 12th, 1815._

* * * * *

Dudley, October 15th, 1815.

MY LORD,

A wish having been expressed by a few, that the Gallery with which your Lordship has had the goodness and generosity to present to this parish in the Chancel of St. Edmund's, should consist of _close pews_ instead of open benches, we respectfully request your Lordship will be pleased to inform us, whether (if deemed expedient), such wish shall be complied with, no additional expense falling on your Lordship in consequence of any deviation from the original plan. And, if complied with, whether any rent for the seats ought to be paid to the Minister of St. Edmund's for the same. The children of the charity schools being about 1,000 in number, we also beg leave most respectfully to submit it to your Lordship's consideration, whether, (when the new Parish Church is completed), the said Gallery (if thought advisable), should not be converted into open benches for their accommodation.

We are, my Lord, your Lordship's Most respectful obedient Servants, T. HILL, } EDWARD GUEST, } CHURCHWARDENS.

* * * * *

[REPLY.]

To Rev. Dr. BOOKER, Dudley.

MY DEAR SIR,

I wish the Gallery to be so constructed as may best answer the wants of the inhabitants, especially the householders, while the Parish Church is being built. _If close pews_ will be most eligible for the purpose during that time, I have no objection to their being put up by the persons wanting them, under the direction of yourself and the Churchwardens, provided the pews be so formed as to be capable of being altered hereafter, as I may think proper.

I am, my dear Sir, Yours sincerely, DUDLEY AND WARD.

_Himley, November 4th, 1815._

The following correspondence is a valuable compendium to Dudley lore--

DUDLEY DURING THE LAST SIXTY YEARS.

_To the Editor of the_ DUDLEY GUARDIAN.

SIR,--In my former letters to you I have given an account of what took place and about the old Parish Church, in this I shall give some information respecting the present church, which is so great an ornament to the town. The foundation stone was laid in the year 1816, and finished building in the year 1819, at a cost of £24,000, raised partly by rates and partly by voluntary contributions. The following is a list of the donors:--

£ s. d. The Right Hon. Viscount Dudley and Ward 2000 0 0 The Rev. Luke Booker, (Vicar) 120 0 0 Edward Dixon 500 0 0 James Bourne 100 0 0 Thomas Wainwright 150 0 0 Elizabeth Wainwright 30 0 0 Whitehouse, Moore, and Guest 100 0 0 Richard Moore 100 0 0 Edward Guest 100 0 0 Cornelius Cartwright 60 0 0 Mary Cartwright 40 0 0 Thomas Hill 100 0 0 Thomas and Isaac Badger 80 0 0 W. O. Chinner 50 0 0 Edward Terry 30 0 0 John Badley, Blowers Green 100 0 0 John Badley, Surgeon 100 0 0 ---------- Total £3760 0 0 ----------

So that it will be seen that upwards of twenty thousand pounds were raised from the Parishioners by a rate levied upon them under an Act of Parliament. It would not have fallen so heavily upon the Ratepayers as it did but for the fact that the person who bought the materials of the old church never paid for them. The agreement with the purchaser was to pay for them when he fetched the last load away, but this part of the contract was never completed, for he either forgot it or wilfully neglected it. However this may be, a nice row of houses were built with the materials he did fetch away on the road that cuts off at right angles leading to Rowley from Dixons Green. The bottom part of the ovens which were in the brewhouses belonging to these buildings were laid with some of the gravestones taken from the old churchyard, and not unfrequently was to be seen upon the newly-baked loaves "Sacred to the Memory," "Departed this life," or "Here lie the remains," &c. The individual referred to was one of the leading men of the town in that day, and the least we can say is that he had a jolly bargain at the expense of the parishioners. The first Vicar of the newly built Church was the Rev. Luke Booker, the next the Rev. W. H. Cartwright, M.A., who gave up the living, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. C. Browne, D.C.L. The present Vicar is the Rev. W. R. Cosens, M.A. The magnificent organ in the church was the gift of the Right Hon. Viscount Dudley and Ward, and at his request, Mr. Richard Bourne, a very respectable inhabitant of the town, was appointed organist. Mr. Bourne was much respected by his Lordship, having been for many years his organist at the church close to his baronial mansion at Himley. His Lordship was a great patron of music, and every year at Christmas he was in the habit of having some of the best singers down from London, to spend a few weeks with him at Himley Hall. The party who generally visited him were the Messrs. Abram, Knyvett, Vaughan, Braham, and Bellamy, and during their visits a selection of sacred music was performed, and often a number of the leading families of the surrounding neighbourhood were invited to the hall to hear these celebrated vocalists. His Lordship generally selected a portion of the Messiah to be performed, and would often join in the choruses, especially "And the Glory of the Lord," and "The Hallelujah Chorus." A remarkable instance of his Lordship's benevolence occurred one occasion when these celebrities were visiting him. He observed Braham to be somewhat downcast, and asked Mr. Knyvett if he knew what was the matter with him. Mr. Knyvett did not probably tell his Lordship all he knew, but from what he did tell him he inferred that some money would be useful to Braham, and at length determined to have a private interview with him, and ask him the cause of his despondency, without Braham saying much on this rather delicate subject. His Lordship inquired if some money would be of any use to him; he replied that just at that time it would, and he immediately wrote him out a cheque for £500. His Lordship was remarkably charitable and often caused three or four oxen to be killed weekly to be distributed amongst the poor of Dudley, Sedgley, Gornal, and Himley, and the couplet written by the late Dr. Booker, as a tribute of respect to his memory, will not easily be forgotten--

"To doomsday may the name descend Dudley, and the poor man's friend."

The present Earl of Dudley has shewn much kindness towards the people of this town and district, and his noble gift of the Hospital will confer an immense benefit upon the poor of the town and neighbourhood, and may he long live to see some of the good results of this great act of benevolence.

I remain, yours truly, VERITAS.

_October 7, 1871._

Mr. Ephraim Ball's reply to "Veritas," based as his letter is upon absolute documents in the hands of Mr. Ball, at one time the property of the then Churchwardens and Building Committee, removes all doubts and conjectures about the cost of erection of our noble Parish Church, which has been beautified and adorned twice since that period.

OLD DUDLEY DURING THE LAST SIXTY YEARS.

_To the Editor of the_ DUDLEY GUARDIAN.

SIR,--In reference to the letters which have appeared in the _Dudley Guardian_ for several weeks past signed "Veritas," and "Z."--such letters containing matters which are in many instances preserved as historical records,--permit me to say that some of the statements are very vague and indefinite. We will take for instance Saint Thomas' Church, Dudley. Your correspondent states it cost the sum of £24,000, raised partly by rates and partly by voluntary contributions, also giving the list of the donors, from which your correspondent omits many old Dudley names. As there was more than one subscription list, I beg to give you a copy of one of them:--

"Dudley Parish Church of St. Thomas.

_July 21st, 1814._

"At a meeting held at the time and place aforesaid, in pursuance of public notice given on the preceding Sabbath in both churches (the Rev. Dr. Booker in the chair), the following resolutions were passed unanimously, to carry into effect the pious intentions of the inhabitants of Dudley, to erect a suitable parish church for the services of the Almighty.

First.--That a committee be appointed, and that all subscribers of forty pounds and upwards do constitute such committee.

Secondly.--That the following form be immediately submitted to the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward, the patron, for his lordship's concurrence and subscription, as well as that of the inhabitants at large.

We, whose names are hereunder written, do hereby undertake and promise to subscribe the several sums of money set opposite to our respective names; the same to be applied in taking down and rebuilding the Church of St. Thomas, in Dudley, and for defraying other expenses incident thereto. Which sums we do hereby severally agree to pay into the hands of the Treasurer hereafter to be appointed, by ten equal successive quarterly payments, the first quarterly payment to be made on the 25th of January, 1815.

Each subscriber of twenty pounds and upwards to be entitled to sittings to the amount of one-half of his subscription; the value of such sittings to be fixed by the Commissioners appointed under the Act of Parliament: the other half of the subscription to be a sacred gift applied towards the erection of the church.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. £ s. d.

L. Booker, vicar, who, by a plan he means to adopt and hopes to realize, trusts this sum will be augmented to not less than £200[38] 120 0 0

The following additional Donations were subsequently added:--

The Right Hon. Viscount Dudley and Ward 2000 0 0 Edward Dixon 500 0 0 Elizabeth Wainwright 30 0 0 Mary Cartwright 40 0 0 Thomas and Isaac Badger 80 0 0 W. O. Chinner 50 0 0 Edward Terry 30 0 0 John Badley, Blowers Green 100 0 0 John Badley, Surgeon, Dudley 100 0 0 Thomas Hawkes 150 0 0 James Bourne (his services gratis as Solicitor) 100 0 0 Cornelius Cartwright 60 0 0 Whitehurst, Moore, and Guest 100 0 0 Richard Moore 70 0 0 Edward Guest 70 0 0 Thomas Onions 80 0 0 Richard Powell 80 0 0 Thomas Bunn 50 0 0 Richard Salisbury 100 0 0 Thomas Wainwright 150 0 0 Timothy Hill 80 0 0 John Jesson 40 0 0 Francis Downing 50 0 0 Thomas Caddick 60 0 0 R. G. Shaw 60 0 0 Joseph Haden 50 0 0 Thomas Davis 50 0 0 Joseph Cox 50 0 0 Richard Lakin 40 0 0 R. W. Hawkes 100 0 0

As regards the church costing £24,000, your correspondent is quite in error, as will be seen by the following extracts from two letters. On the 18th of January, 1818, the Bishop of Worcester writes as under, from Hartlebury Castle, "and desires to know what further sum, beyond what has been expended or is in hand, is requisite for completing the new church at Dudley, in order that he may judge whether, consistently with other urgent claims on him for pecuniary aid, he can subscribe any sum of importance to the undertaking."

The following statement was sent to the Bishop:--

£ s. d. Church Contract 10,670 0 0 Bells 500 0 0 Organ 800 0 0 Extra expenses 1,000 0 0 Act of Parliament, &c. 460 0 0 ------------ £13,430 0 0 ------------ Raised by subscription £7,100 0 0 Expected deficiency 200 0 0

6,900 0 0 6,900 0 0 Parish rate till Midsummer 1,900 0 0 Unprovided except by Rate and Brief 4,630 0 0 ------------ £13,430 0 0 ------------

It also appears that the Churchwardens applied and obtained leave to get a brief at the Sessions in October, 1817, but being too late in the year they could not get it signed by the Lord Chancellor, therefore they could not receive any sum from it before 1820, and then not more than £200 to £300.

A few other particulars regarding St. Thomas's Church may be interesting to your readers. Mr. Brooks, of London, was the architect, and Daniel Evans, London, the builder. The following is a statement how the builder was to be paid:--

£ s. d. On laying foundation stone 500 0 0 When the several walls are built level with the second plinth 500 0 0 When the walls are built up to the gallery, and the timbers of the gallery put on and the tower of Church built level with bell ringers' floor 1,500 0 0 When walls are built up to raising plates, the window frames fixed in, and the tower level with the bell loft 1,000 0 0 When the roof is wholly put on, and the gutters laid, the battlements and upper roof put on, the roof wholly finished, and the tower level with the base of the pinnacles 1,500 0 0 When the pinnacles are finished, the ground floor joists and small joists of the gallery are laid, and the ribs for ceilings are finished 1,000 0 0 When the second coat of plastering is put on, floors of gallery and ground floors are laid, and gallery fronts are fixed up, and staircases erected 1,000 0 0 When the whole of the said buildings and erections are completely finished 1,500 0 0 And when Architect shall have certified that the whole of the work is finished to his satisfaction 1,400 0 0 Six months after completion 200 0 0 ------------ £10,100 0 0

The builder of the organ was Mr. Thomas Elliot, of London, and cost, with fixing, &c., complete, £1025. The order was given for the organ in 1817, and some parties were not satisfied at the position in which it was to be placed. Viscount Dudley and Ward was written to early in 1818, asking if he would allow it to be placed in the Chancel gallery which would prevent great inconvenience in going into and coming out of the Church. The reply of Viscount Dudley and Ward to Dr. Booker was:--

"I beg leave to repeat to you that my mind is unaltered and unalterable with respect to the situation of the organ, and that I shall not, by any means give my consent to its being placed in the Chancel gallery." Dated Himley, February 5th, 1818.

After this letter from Viscount Dudley and Ward, Mr. Brooks and Mr. Elliot were consulted. The result was Mr. Elliot informed Dr. Booker that he would construct the movements of the organ so as to leave a handsome entrance through the middle of the organ, and if the plan was carried out Mr. Elliot considered the organ would have a grand appearance.

The organ being made for the situation it now occupies, and the protest of the Viscount Dudley and Ward against it being put elsewhere, it is to be hoped a fixed determination will be made against any party or parties wishing it moved from its present situation--In fact, I have no hesitation in saying it will spoil the appearance of the church.

The magnificent Altar Window, painted by Blackler of London, was commenced in 1818 and finally completed and placed in the church in Sept., 1821. The original estimate for this splendid window was 500 guineas, and which Mr. Blackler, in a letter, states was but a moderate calculation for the work. Mr. Brooks, however, assured him that such a sum would be considered far too high, he therefore undertook to execute the window for one hundred guineas less than his first estimate, and the expense of fitting up and completing the window in the church was to be fifty guineas extra. The window is a masterpiece, and the Dudley people may well be proud that they obtained the same at so small a cost.

The bells, clock, and palisading cost (after allowing for old bells) £1120 0 0 Other sundries about 400 0 0 ---------- £1520 0 0 ----------

Your correspondent will see by the above items that the Church did not cost £24,000. Your correspondent also states that a leading man of the town of that day had a jolly bargain at the expense of the parishioners, having bought the materials of the old church, which he was to pay for when he fetched the last load away. This I presume he has stated on hearsay, not from any foundation on fact. The person referred to could well afford to pay for anything he contracted for, and I do not think the Dudley people at the time would allow him to go scot free, or would they make such a foolish bargain as stated. I also see the party hinted at gave £50 towards the new Church.

In conclusion allow me to say Dr. Booker at the time worked hard for the building of the new Church. He was a good sound churchman, also an author of several works on various subjects, his name to the present day is an household word, and Saint Thomas' Church remains a monument to him as first Vicar.

I may mention that Dr. Booker's history of Dudley Castle is the most authentic work upon the subject that has yet been issued, and is now become very scarce and valuable.

I am, sir, your obedient servant, EPHRAIM BALL.

_Dudley, October 23rd, 1871._

The late Mr. Mainwaring of Dudley, an old St. Thomas's Chorister for a many years, gave us an amusing story of a marriage at the New Parish Church. "Soon after the New Parish Church was opened, Mr. Bourne, the Organist, and I went into the Parish Church to have a little practice upon the organ, after Mr. Bourne had played a voluntary, Mr. Richard Stanley, the Beadle, came to us and said, that the Vicar, Dr. Booker, wished us to give over for a time, as a parish wedding was about to take place; not exactly understanding what this meant, we determined to go and see it. As soon as we had reached the Chancel, we were informed by Mr. Bond, the Parish Clerk, that a certain sum of money was to be given to the young man by the parish authorities. As we had no Board of Guardians in those days, the parties in charge of the parish funds did pretty much as they liked with them, in this instance, and for certain reasons, they offered the young man about to be married five pounds. When we arrived near the altar rails we observed several young men and women in the pews, and there was an abundance of sly winking and laughing going on. At last, the Doctor entered from the vestry, and all the people became orderly and quiet. The service commenced and all went on smooth as a marriage bell, when the Doctor came to that part of the service where he said to the man, 'Wilt thou take this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy state of matrimony,' &c., &c. Here Mr. Bond, the Clerk, stepped forward, and told the man to answer 'I will!' He replied, 'I'll have the money first.' The Doctor was indignant at this proceeding, and said, 'What money do you mean sir?' The man said, 'Why the money they have promised me if I will marry this young woman, and I'll have it before I answers, I will!!' Upon this the Clerk went up to the Doctor and explained the matter to him, Mr. Bond also told the man that it was all right, the money was at his house ready counted, and after he was married he could go with him and have it. The man said, 'I don't care where it is, I'll have it now and in my pocket _before I am married_.' Upon this Dr. Booker told Mr. Bond to go and fetch it; the service being delayed until he came back. When Mr. Bond returned, he put the money into the man's hands and after he counted it and put it into his pocket, he said to the Doctor, 'You can go on now, it's all right!' and the service was completed, and the man, woman, and money, were all united in this (let us hope), blissful celebration."

At the earlier part of the late Dr. Browne's ministry among us, he met with a singular amount of innocency and ignorance at the baptismal font. A man and woman, well-known characters at Gornal Wood, thought they should like to have their next child christened at Dudley by Dr. Browne. In due course the child was brought to the font, and the portly Doctor, already equipped, enquired in his usual clear and musical voice, "Was this child born in wedlock?" "Noa, it worn't," says the man, "it wur born in Gornall Udd!" It is needless to say that the child got the spiritual induction, and the Doctor a homely sample of ignorance amongst the colliers in the Black Country.

* * * * *

This subjoined Bill is a curiosity in its way, shewing the way we did in the Army, long, long ago.

THE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,

TO R. MOORE, DR.

1804. Mar. 26. Paid for a Lock mending 0 1 4 May 27. Ditto ditto 0 0 6 Sep. 10. Ditto 0 1 0 " Flints 0 1 0 Oct. Ditto 0 1 0 Paid for Drink at Droitwich, by order of Major Wainwright 1 8 6 Paid for Sick Men at Worcester 1 6 6 Paid for Mending Locks 0 4 6 Ditto 0 0 8 ------ £3 5 0 ------

Examined, J. PAYTON, W. HARRISON, EDWD. DIXON, THOS. MOORE.

A NARRATIVE OF THE REJOICINGS AT THE CORONATION OF KING GEORGE THE FOURTH, WITH A SEQUEL, BY AN EYE WITNESS.

On Thursday, the 19th July, 1820, the day appointed for the Coronation of His Majesty King George the Fourth, the inhabitants of Dudley entered into a subscription for the purpose of furnishing the poor people with a dinner, and also to regale the children of the different Sunday schools and schools of industry in the said parish, to the number of four or five thousand. This was a most delightful sight; they paraded the different streets in a very orderly manner indeed. Four sheep were roasted in the Market Place and distributed, with a large quantity of ale, to the populace. There assembled a very considerable number of people, the principal street being utterly crowded from one end to the other. An advertisement had been distributed announcing a display of fireworks which would take place in the course of the evening; this caused a great number of people to remain in the town during the whole of the day. The shops were ordered not to be opened during the day, and the mandate was obeyed, save and except the public houses, where most of the lower orders of people resorted to after having been plentifully regaled by the inhabitants. The old saying is much would have more, and it is difficult to satisfy such people, or even keep them peaceable and quiet, when a little elevated. The Himley and Enville troop of Yeomanry met on the morning of that day at Himley, and after partaking of some refreshment, proceeded to Wolverhampton, where they paraded the town and partook of a considerable quantity of wine, which, to many not being in the habit of drinking, must have had considerable effect, and was very distinguishable by one drawing his sword and threatened to cut a man down for crying the Queen. This act very much irritated the populace, and it was asserted that if they (the Yeomanry) had not filed off as they did, they would have been very roughly handled. They then bent their course to Dudley, where they arrived about three o'clock, not very sober; and after going through their exercise and firing, repaired to the hotel (Dudley Arms) to dinner in some of the lower apartments. The gentlemen of the town with the Dudley Cavalry occupied the assembly room. Things were going very peaceably in the town till between eight and nine o'clock, when the Yeomanry became very refractory, and proceeded to violence among themselves; the windows were thrown open, and one of them jumped upon the table which stood under the window facing the street, and held out a white handkerchief, and cried out "the Queen, my lads," which immediately caused a shout from the surrounding multitude. This was followed by the Cavalry commencing a battle royal. The tables, bottles, glasses, and furniture went to rack; the remains of the bottles and glasses, in part, were thrown through the window on the heads of the populace, which they took as a gross insult. The boys procured some squibs and threw into the room, and the noise became very loud, which soon reached the ears of the gentlemen above, some of whom came into the street very drunk, and began to assault several persons who had committed no offence whatever. The young men and apprentices had been parading the street in a very sober and quiet manner, not offering to give offence to any person or persons, but having in the course of the day worn white favours in their bosoms, they excited the indignation of some very hot-headed persons who were possessed of more money than wisdom, and to shew over and above loyalty, would go any lengths to serve the cause they had espoused. At the time these scuffles were taking place, the young shop men and apprentices, as before stated, were coming through the throng. Messrs. Clymer and Stokes were arm-in-arm, and Clymer was robbed and assaulted by one of the gentlemen who could hardly articulate; Stokes said "I would never suffer myself to be insulted in that manner, knock his red nob off," which was noticed by a person near and one of the party. This appeared a favourable opportunity for these gentlemen to show their loyalty to the world at large, by prosecuting these young men, who had done no harm to any one individual. Several of the runners were sent out to take any of the young men into custody, which they soon effected; some were confined for the night, and others bailed out till morning, when a Bench of Magistrates would sit to judge the case. On the morrow, those who were not apprehended on the preceding night, and who were seen wearing white favours, were sent for by the Magistrates, which summons was immediately obeyed. The examination took place, not by the magistrates only, but by some unknown gentlemen, whose word, had it been as strictly scrutinized as these unfortunate young men, they would e'er this have crossed the briny ocean; but their time is not yet come, when it does I have no doubt they will cut a very conspicuous figure. The young men were ordered to find bail or they were committed. Some had no bail, or would not get any one to give bail for them. What was the consequence; they were sent to prison to the Workhouse in Dudley, and were to be removed to Worcester Gaol on the morrow morning, but about nine o'clock at night the prison door was thrown open and the prisoners ordered to go about their business. These very men had confessed they broke the windows at the hotel; this is a most strange business to release the guilty and punish the innocent. This appears to be Dudley law. Stokes was not apprehended till Monday following, when he attended at the Public Office; as soon as he appeared in the room one of the Magistrates asked his father who had put that plaster on his son's head, and whether it was a real or an artificial scar. It is proper to remark here that on the Coronation night, when one of the young men was being taken to the hotel, the Constable used him very roughly, on which Stokes cried out "don't use him so bad, he will go gently with you without such rash behaviour." At this moment came up Payton the Constable and struck Stokes with his stick or club on the head and broke a hole in his hat, he again lifted his staff and gave him a violent blow which cut his head; this took place in consequence of his interceding for a friend, to one who had neither pity nor mercy. As soon as the Magistrate received an answer he took his hat and left the room, and did not return. Spurrier, the Attorney, was employed on the occasion, who immediately rose and addressed the other Magistrates, saying that Mr. Stokes's son had been served with a warrant, and was there ready to answer to any charge. If that is the case, said one of the magistrates, it ought to be heard, and immediately asked the prosecutor if he had any objections to its being gone into. He first said no, then said he had nothing against him. Spurrier then replied to the Magistrates, the warrant then in course must be discharged--the Magistrate answered assuredly so; then the matter ended as was generally supposed, but, a few days previous to the Sessions a fresh warrant was obtained, under the same charges, and Stokes was taken into custody on Friday, bail was taken for his appearance next morning at ten o'clock, which was punctually attended to; his father attended with him, met the Magistrate in the street, who shook hands with him, and said, why there is a warrant against your son, yes the father said, it is very strange he should be brought up to answer the same charges which were contained in the former warrant, he replied, pity but he had kept better company, and walked off. He was then sent after by one of the Constables, who brought word he would not hear it till four o'clock in the afternoon; the Lawyer for the Plantiff sent a Constable after Stokes, and put him into confinement till the case would be heard, which took place about five o'clock; his father was bound for him to appear at Sessions. In that part of this narrative which relates to the disturbance between the Himley and Enville Cavalry in the Hotel, it will be proper to remark what succeeded; the broken glasses, &c., that were thrown upon the heads of the people in the street, caused an immediate retaliation by the populace throwing stones, brick-bats, or anything they could lay their hands upon, and thought themselves justified, the assailants broke two or three dozen panes of glass; it has been said that the Riot Act was read, but that is very much doubted. To prevent further damage, someone, more wise than the rest, ordered the gas-lights and fireworks to be immediately lighted, which was done with all possible speed, and had the desired effect. The High Constable was, I believe, the person who furnished the fireworks, and his shop was generally furnished with those kind of articles, and exhibited for sale which is contrary to, and in violation of, the established laws of the land. It having been evidently reported that the young men had dined together at the Saracen's Head, on that day, for a widely different purpose than really was the case, the fact is that sometime previous to the Coronation a wager was laid among the young men that the Queen would be crowned with the King; not being able to decide the wager then, it was agreed to dine together on that day, and whoever lost to pay for the same. The party broke up at a very early hour perfectly sober, and conducted themselves with the greatest propriety during the whole of the evening. Had there been no Cavalry at Dudley that day there would have been no disturbance; when the first commotion took place several of the Cavalry came into the street and proceeded to draw their swords and strike several persons in the throng, who gave them the answer to it without delay, and forced them to go back more rapid than they came. One of the Cavalry fired and wounded a man in the face in a most shocking manner. The young man (one of the Himley Cavalry), who had excited the attention of the populace by holding out his handkerchief and crying "the Queen my lads," was brought to a Court Martial soon after, but not discharged; great numbers are ready to attest the statements herein contained, if it should be found necessary.

ANCIENT DUDLEY SOUP KITCHEN.

In the earlier part of this book I have had occasion to refer to the commencement of the present Dudley Soup Kitchen, which I consider is well supported by the town, and does an immense amount of real good, in distributing such large quantities of excellent soup amongst the poor and indigent classes in bad winter weather; since that was printed I have been favoured with the following particulars of the old Soup Kitchen, established in 1799. The establishment of this Soup Kitchen and Relief to the poor commenced in November of that year, in consequence of much stagnation in the then local trades of the town, and great distress amongst the poor. A Subscription List was opened by a few leading individuals, resident in the town, which was heartily supported by all classes in the town from the peer to the peasant.

£ s. d. Lord Dudley 63 0 0 Edward Dixon 50 0 0 Edward Hancox 35 0 0 D. and R. Parsons 42 0 0 J. and B. Hodgetts 42 0 0 Whitehouse, Moore, and Guest 42 0 0 James Cartwright 21 0 0 James Wainwright 21 0 0 James Bourne 21 0 0 Edward Cockshutt 15 15 0 Charles Roberts 15 15 0 Joseph Hill 12 12 0 Richard Parkes 15 15 0 Luke Booker 10 10 0 G. and B. Parker 52 10 0 Samuel and William Bennett 42 0 0 John Simpson 31 10 0 Jos. Amphlett 25 0 0 Exors Abiathar Hawkes 25 0 0 John Twamley 10 10 0 Thomas Wainwright 10 10 0 William Perry 10 10 0 William Penn 10 10 0 John Bolton 10 10 0 John Hateley 10 10 0 Leah Parkes 10 10 0 Southall & Co. 10 10 0 John and Edward Davies 10 10 0 &c., &c.

This handsome commencement was quickly followed by 82 other subscribers of smaller amounts, making a grand total of £804 17s. raised by the good people of Dudley in those hard times, for the sustenance and relief of their poorer brethren.

On November 19th, 1800, the accounts were duly examined and audited, when the sum of £781 16s. 4d. had been expended during the year, amongst the poor and helpless in the parish.

_Signed_, S. BENNITT, B. HODGETTS. JOS. HATELEY, EDWARD DIXON. RICHARD MOORE, EDWARD HANCOX. B. HUGHES, J. WAINWRIGHT.

* * * * *

In January, 1813, it is recorded that this town and district was at this time visited with great depression in trade, and much sickness and distress prevailed amongst the working classes. A very handsome subscription was at once started, with most encouraging results, for the sum of £870 11s. 9d. was (before the end of March) raised for the relief of the Poor by 171 subscribers, giving another evidence of the good will and care of the rich for their poorer neighbours.

1816. This year was one of the most disastrous in our annals; an awful wet harvest followed close upon the war, which had just then successfully terminated, with the finances of the country in a very disordered state, casting a settled gloom and distrust all over the land.

The parish of Dudley unhappily shared in these hard times, for we find that on November 30th, 1816, a Public Meeting was held at the Public Office. Mr. Edward Guest occupied the chair. At this meeting a Committee was appointed to collect subscriptions for a Soup Kitchen and relief of the necessitous poor, when the appeal was equally successful, for the sum of £831 2s. 0d. was speedily subscribed by 162 contributors, and judiciously given amongst the poor.

July 29th, 1817. At a meeting of the subscribers to the Soup Charity held this day, it was resolved,--That the accounts produced by Mr. Guest appear so highly satisfactory that he be requested to accept our best thanks for his services. Resolved,--That the thanks of the Society be also voted to Mr. Gordon, for his kind and active services. Resolved,--That as a reward for Mrs. Stilyard's particular attention in the management and superintending in the making of soup, the sum of two guineas be presented to her for the same. Resolved,--That the balance, after discharging the small debts, to remain in the hands of Messrs. Dixon, Dalton & Co., the Treasurers appointed.

LUKE BOOKER, THOMAS FEHR. THOS. BADGER, RICHD. LAKIN. TIMOTHY HILL, RICHD. BOND.

* * * * *

There are varied scenes near the neighbourhood of the town of Dudley, where antiquity and picturesque beauty, art, and nature present themselves in every wondrous form. The secrets and wonders of former worlds are to be found in our Limestone and Silurian formations, which are daily worked by the active miner; the very extensive employment of manufactures and commerce are well worth an inspection by the stranger who may visit our ancient town; for these mixed sources of contemplation are adequately fitted to engage the attention of the curious, and the searcher for scientific truth, and to fill the mind of the moralist, the poet, the politician, and the philanthropist with sentiments akin to reverence and thankfulness.

* * * * *

My labours being now ended, I trust that this memento of many humorous and stirring events, in the social and political life of this ancient borough, may prove a source of amusement and happy reflection to the aged, and lessons of instruction to the young, and the comparative strangers in our midst; bearing in mind that we now live and move under very altered conditions of both social and moral life, leading us to feel thankful that we are now living in the age of national progression.

* * * * *

I have studiously avoided commenting upon the various charities in this town, because an abler pen than mine has recently undertaken that most necessary illustration of the "Charities of Dudley," which I feel assured could not be in safer hands than our highly esteemed Town Clerk of Dudley, Edward M. Warmington, Esq., Solicitor. Let us hope that these learned "Articles on the Charities of Dudley" may shortly be collected and printed in a volume for local preservation. I have, finally, greatly to thank many ladies and gentlemen, in and around Dudley, for their courtesy and kindness, in furnishing me with copies of many additional paragraphs which appear in this book.

C. F. G. C.

=Finis.=

[Illustration]

[Illustration: DUDLEY CASTLE _FROM THE NORTH-EAST, 1810_]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The Lecturer cannot sufficiently express the delight he experienced, when, at the termination of the lecture, he was informed, that the gentleman who first applied the principle here noticed to practical purposes was at that time in the lecture room. Under the management of our able and ingenious townsman, MR. RICHARDSON, "the Dudley Gas Works" consume in the furnaces this singular species of fuel; _gas tar_ being used with the _water_ to effect its decomposition; after three years' experience MR. RICHARDSON bears testimony to the importance of the discovery.

[2] Formerly a banker, but at time of the Procession a bankrupt, on an extensive scale, in the neighbourhood.

[3] "A low prelusive strain, to nature true." SOUTHEY.

[4] "A sudden storm, with terrible ding dong, Swept through the streets and wash'd the crowd along." TOM THUMB THE GREAT.

[5] Thus fear and interest will prevail with some; For all have not the gift of martyrdom. DRYDEN.

[6] An apt conjunction of lawn and black satin, we entitle a Bishop. TALE OF A TUB.

[7] He is a main scholard, Latins it hugely, and talks his own mother tongue as well as one of your varsity Doctors. DON QUIXOTE.

[8] Video meliora, proboque. OVID.

[9] Cantabit vacuus. JUV.

[10] Post ingentia facta Decorum in tomplum receptus. HOR.

[11] Raro antecedentem scelestum, Deseruit pede, pœna, claudo. HOR.

[12] ----The wind sallied forth, And in anger or merriment, out of the north From the peak of the crag blew his rev'rence away. WORDSWORTH.

[13] Such was the wight: th' apparel on his back, Tho' coarse, was rev'rend; and tho' bare was black. POPE.

[14] The Poet glanceth at copper tokens, which these disinterested tradesmen had issued in great abundance, solely with an eye to the public good, and which by reason of their being, as was said, recently counterfeited, were in no very high repute at the time of the procession.

[15] He was once thought to be a great Presbyterian, if not worse.

[16] Hark ye, Sir, a word in your ear. You are a coxcomb by all the rules of physiogonomy. But let that be a secret between you and me. ADDISON'S DRUMMER.

[17] I know a lady in Venice would have walk'd barefoot to Palestine, for a touch of his nether lip. SHAKESPEARE.

[18] He carries fate and physic in his eye. CRABBE.

[19] Good morrow, Benedick: why what's the matter, That you have such a February face, So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness? SHAKS.

[20] Oh! I thought I should faint, when I saw him, dear mother, Feel my pulse with one hand, with a watch in the other; No token of death that is heard in the night Could ever have put me so much in affright: Thinks I--'tis all over--my sentence is past, And now he is counting how long I may last. NEW BATH GUIDE.

[21] Procul discordibus armis. VIRG.

[22] They were all of opinion 'tis proper to cheer, The stomach and bowels as well as the ear. NEW BATH GUIDE.

[23] Vivitur ex rapto. OVID.

[24] Thence from cups to civil broils. MILTON.

[25] The Vicar's live stock is said to be of the starveling family, like the nags in the Epigram:

"Thy nags (the leanest things alive) So very hard thou lov'st to drive; I heard thy anxious coachman say, It cost thee more in whips than hay."

[26] Intus et in cute novi. PERS.

[27] Our author's little anachronism, in wishing the ladies to be mothers first, and wives afterwards, it is hoped will be pardoned as an unavoidable sacrifice to the rhyme.

[28] Had not the pious Doctor given us his word that the Epigram was totally unnoticed by him till Monday morning, we might have been inclined to suspect that the following lines of Pope were descriptive of the manner in which he spent his Sunday evening hours.

"Swearing and supperless the hero sate * * * * * Then gnaw'd his pen, then dash'd it on the ground, Thinking from thought to thought, a vast profound Plung'd far his sense, but found no bottom there, Yet wrote and flounder'd on in mere despair."

[29] This vaunted concern for the glory of the church, we would charitably hope, is real, and not like that of Rebel, in the Comedy of the Committee-man curried by Sam. Sheppard. I laugh (says Rebel) to think when I counterfeit a whining passion, and talk of God and goodness, walk with a sad and mortified countenance, how I'm admired among the brethren, and styled a man of God.

And thus I cloke my naked villany With old odd ends stolen forth of holy writ, And seem a saint when most I play the Devil. SHAKSPEARE.

[30] Like will to like,--says the Proverb. A lizard's body lean and long, A fish's head a serpent's tongue. CAMELEON.

[31] Who more fit to unkennel the fox, than the honest terrier who is part of him. HICKERINGILL.

[32] Feliciter is sapit, qui periculo alieno sapit. PLAUT.

[33] Of these I am told that our respected fellow-townsman, Mr. Lester, retires owing to illness, but will continue to evince his interest and good wishes by nominating his late colleagues, with some others, for your approval.

[34] The Circular issued by the Vicar and Warden, dated August 20th.

[35] This note was received through the Post on Sunday morning in an unstamped envelope.

[36] This large increase in the number of electors arose from the fact that the Borough of Dudley was included in the Act of 1873, which gave a large increase of voters to many boroughs in the country, by embracing in their boundaries large adjacent populous villages.

[37] The reason why this account of the building of the Parish Church does not appear at the beginning of this Book, arose from the inability to obtain a copy of these documents until the work was nearly printed off.--EDITOR.

[38] We have seen this item in Dr. Booker's handwriting.

Dud Dudley's

_Metallum Martis_:

OR,

IRON

MADE WITH

Pit-coale,

Sea-coale,

&c.

And with the same Fuell to Melt and Fine Imperfect Mettals, and Refine perfect Mettals.

LONDON, Printed by T. M. for the Authour. 1665.

N.B.--This Work is an exact reprint from the original, and the errors in spelling and the peculiar Grammar of the Author have been faithfully followed.

Dud Dudley's Metallum Martis.

TO THE PUBLIC.

This Work "_Metallum Martis_," first printed in the year 1665, and written by "_Dud Dudley_," a member of the ancient and honourable family of the Lords of Dudley, is most curious in its composition and most valuable to the antiquarian, and all engaged in the manufacture of iron and steel, and all their varied products, showing the indefatigable efforts of this enterprising artificer in metals, "_Dud Dudley_," to make iron by the liberal use of coal, so abundant in this neighbourhood. The noble forests of timber in England were fast disappearing from our hills and valleys to meet the demand of household fuel; but the increased demand, yearly becoming greater, for the purpose of smelting iron ore with charcoal, became a matter of very serious consideration to all classes, for the King and Parliament were loudly called upon to prevent the total destruction of our noble forests. Acts of Parliament were ultimately passed for that object, for Symon Sturtevant, in his "Metallica," says "That there was then in the 12th year of King James in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, 800 furnaces, forges, or iron mills _making iron with charcole_." Dud Dudley says "Now what loads of wood or charcole is spent in Great Britain and Ireland annually? In one furnace, that makes 15 tuns per week of pig iron for 40 weeks: I shall give you the table, and leave you to judge of the rest of the furnaces."

| Charcole | Wood +------------+----------- 15 tun per week spends | 30 loads | 60 loads For 40 weeks it spends | 1200 loads | 2400 loads

Also for one forge that makes _three tuns of bar iron weekly_ for 50 weeks.

| Charcole | Wood +------------+----------- For making 3 tuns per week of | | bar iron | 9 loads | 18 loads Per annum | 450 loads | 900 loads

"Yet," he says, "by this barring of iron _alone_ with pit-cole, by his invention 30,000 loads of wood have been preserved for the general good, which otherwayes must have been had and consumed."

This early pioneer of our _now_ immense coal and iron trade was no mean uneducated inventor, for our "Dud Dudley" was the natural son of Lord Dudley, of Dudley Castle. In the pedigree of the family his mother is described as 'Elizabeth, daughter of William Tomlinson, of Dudley, concubine of Edward, Lord Dudley.' His eldest brother is referred to as 'Robert Dudley, Squire, of Netherton Hall,' and we are told that all the children, though born out of wedlock, held a good position in the neighbourhood, and were regarded with respect. Dud is frequently alluded to in the 'History of Staffordshire,' by Plot, who always described him as the 'Worshipful Dud Dudley.' He was held in great respect and esteem by all contemporaries, except rival ironmasters and political opponents. He was the special favourite of the Earl, his father, who appointed him manager of his ironworks. From Baliol College, Oxford, he was sent for by the Earl, in 1619, to take charge of an iron furnace and two forges in the Pensnett Chase. It was here that, finding difficulty on account of the exhaustion of the Woodlands, in producing large quantities of iron by the old process, that he commenced experiments for carrying out a method of manufacture which had been unsuccessfully attempted by Simon Sturtevant, John Rouenzon, and others. After patient efforts, Dud Dudley succeeded in making iron with pit coal, and he carried on the manufacture not only at Pensnett, but also at Cradley, from whence, having obtained a patent of James I., he was enabled to send up to the Tower, by the King's command, a quantity of new iron for trial. After experiments had been made with it, and its qualities fairly tested, it was pronounced 'good merchantable iron.' It is appropriate that the locality where this great problem was practically solved by Dud Dudley, should be visited by the members of the Iron and Steel Institute, and it may not be an uninteresting fact to mention that it was near the spot at Cradley where Dud Dudley's works stood, that the late lamented Noah Hingley, Esq., J.P., commenced his remarkable career. There, we understand, it was that he began life as a working chain maker; there he afterwards rented a few chain shops, and, making progress, ultimately opened an iron-work, and became one of the largest employers of labour in South Staffordshire. The works at Cradley, which were under the management of Dud Dudley, were swept away by a flood about two months after they had been in operation. Notwithstanding the great loss he had sustained, he repaired his furnaces and forges, and, according to his own account, 'went on with his invention cheerfully, and made annually great store of iron, good and merchantable, and sold it unto divers men, at £12 per ton.' He adds: 'I also made all sorts of cast-iron wares, as brewing cisterns, pots, mortars, &c., better and cheaper than any yet made in these nations with charcoal.' He further states that he was able to make 5 or 7 tons of iron a week, and to sell his pig iron at £4 per ton, and his bar iron £12 per ton, whilst his charcoal iron cost in pigs £6 or £7, and in bars £15 or £18. He met, however, with strong opposition, and was at length ousted from his works at Cradley. With his wonted energy, however, he set up a pit-coal furnace at Himley, which is also situate near Dudley. Subsequently he erected large furnaces at the adjoining village of Sedgley, but these were scarcely finished when we learn that 'a mob of rioters, instigated by the charcoal ironmasters, broke in upon them, cut in pieces the new bellows, destroyed the machinery, and laid the results of that deep-laid ingenuity and persevering industry in ruins, and from that time forward Dudley was allowed no rest nor peace. He was attacked by mobs, worried by lawsuits, and eventually overwhelmed with debts.' To disengage his involved affairs, he married his grand-daughter and heiress, Frances, to Humble Ward, the only son of William Ward (jeweller to the Queen of Charles I.), who was descended from an ancient family of that name in Norfolk, by which means the estates came into the possession of the present noble family."

It is well known to the antiquarian and searcher after "curiosities" that _the basement foundations_ of Dud Dudley's iron works can be distinctly traced, laying betwixt Dudley and Pensnett, only two miles apart, and the four ancient forges not far from the inventors dwelling, known as Greens-forge, Swine-forge, Heath-forge, and Cradeley-forge, were known to put in practice his invention early in 1600, and continued making iron with coal after his death.

This persecuted and ill-requited gentleman, like many other inventors of great and distinguished renown, "lived before his time;" his prophetic soul saw the dawn of other days; and the incentives which men of science and wealth put into the development of iron making, culled from the genius this man foreshadowed, has resulted in such marvellous proportions as to pass man's understanding, and make the coal and iron trade the foremost industry in the land. That this ingenious and scientific son of Tubal Cain was a persecuted, misrepresented, and illused man, amidst all the blessings he was trying to shower upon his fellow men, cannot be denied; and we now leave the forerunner of the Black Country's wealth and greatness to tell the story of his own doings, in his own language.

_Dudley, 1881._

TO THE =Kings Most Sacred Majesty=.

_May it Please Your Majesty_,

_All Your Kingdoms, Dominions, and Territories, being the happy Subjects of Your Cares, are therefore the proper Objects of Your View:_ Great Brittain, O Great Brittain, _Your Principal Island, here Humbly Presents her self unto Your Royall Presence, View and Care; be Pleased, to interpret this her Obsequiousness, to be her Duty; for since Your Majesties safe Return, has already Graciously dayned, to View, and often to review her Shipings, Stores, Armories, Ordnance, Magazines, and Trade; Vouchsafe, Great Sir,_ Great Brittain _Your Royal Patronage, and once more, at some one hour, or two, to Grace it with Your Auspicious Aspect, in this Mite, with all Humility Presented, By,_

A Faithful Servant, of your Sacred Fathers; and a Loyal Sufferer, for your Sacred Majesty; And by Pattent-Servant, _Dud Dudley_.

TO THE =honourable, his Majesties Great Council=, _The High Court of Parliament_.

Your Predecessors in former Ages, had both serious Consultations, and Considerations, before they made those many Wholesome and Good Lawes, for the Preservation of Wood, and Timber, of this Kingdome, 1 _Eliz._ 15. 23 _Eliz._ 5. 27 _Eliz._ 19. 28 _Eliz._ 3. 5. in whose dayes, and since in King _James's_ Reign, Ships in most Ports and Rivers of this Kingdom, (_Thames_ Excepted) might have been built, for forty Shillings _per_ Tunn; but now they can hardly be built for treble the value, wood and timber is so much decayed; therefore men of War, Trade of Merchants, of Fishing, of Navigating, unto Plantations will decay, if not timely prevented, which is hoped will be one of Your Principallest Cares, seeing our Enemies have carried Timber from _England_, and the Iron Works have much exhausted it; For the prevention of so great a Consumption, almost incureable: First is to put the Wholesome Laws in Execution; Secondly, not to permit Timber to be Exported. Thirdly, to animate, as King _James_ did, and also Prince _Henry_, the making of Iron in _England_, _Scotland_, and _Wales_ with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, and Peate; which if the Authour (who had a Pattent for it) had not been opposed, after he had made much good Iron with Pit-cole, it had long since, by his Inventions, been fully perfected. The Fourth is, to stop all the Exportation of Pit-cole, and Sea-cole (paying His Majesties Duty) if the Cole be in a fit place, to make Iron therewith. Fifthly, That the Authour, or his Agents may have power to preserve many thousand Tuns of Pit-cole, which are annually destroyed, for ever in _England_, _Scotland_, and _Wales_, which are fit to make Iron; and the Authour in this Treatise hath demonstrated it, being moved with pitty, seeing his Native Country decaying, Humbly offers but his Judgement, and leaves the grave consideration thereof, to your Learned, and more serious Consultations and Actings, praying that you may animate good things, and new inventions, that may bring unto His Sacred Majesty, and all Loyal Subjects, Safety, Strength, Wealth, and Honour by our Ships, and Men of War, Fishing, Navigation, and Merchandizing, unto Foreign Nations; but more especially, to and from the Territories of _Great Brittain_, our _North Indies_ abounding in _Mines_ and _Minerals_, that they that are of the Honourable Corporations of _Mines Royal_, and _Batteries_, or any others, would lay in a Common, or Joynt Stock, fully to set the _Mines_ at Work, by imploying our idle, and burdensom supernumerary people therein, _Iron_, _Tin_, _Lead_, _Copper_, _Quicksilver_, _Silver_ and _Gold_, besides many other _Minerals_, and _Marcesit's_, _Lapis Calaminaris_, _Antimonie_, _Maganes_, &c. also many _Mineral Earths_ and _Precious Stones_: Did I call _Great Brittain_ our _North Indies_? give me leave to repeat a passage till further satisfaction, of King _Josina_ of _Scotland_, a great Phylosopher, Physitian, and Herbalist, living before Christ, 161 years, at which time, two venerable Phylosophers and Priests passing from _Portugall_ to _Athens_, their Ship and Company, and Marriners, all perished at _Ros_, they only saved; after refreshing, and good Entertainment, the King desired of them what they understood by their Science of the Nature of the Ground of _Scotland_; after deliberate advisement, said, _There was more Riches and Profit to be gotten within the Veins of the Earth of_ Scotland, _then above, for the winning of Mines and Metals; They knew this by the Influence of the Heavens_: This you may see in the Chronicles of _Scotland_.

My Dear Master, our Sacred Martyr, _Charles_ the First of ever Blessed Memory, did animate the Authour by Granting him a Pattent, _Anno_ 14 of his Reign, for the making of Iron, and Melting, Smelting, Extracting, Refining, and Reducing all Mines and Metals with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf, which was Extinct, and Obstructed by reason of the War; and had not this unnatural and unparallel'd War been, His late Sacred Majesty himself had set at work many of His Mines, and much good had been produced to _Great Brittain_ before this time.

At present, the Authour is in good hope, and incessantly prayes, that the Mines be set at Work in his dayes, by the Honourable Corporation of the Mines Royal, for he verily believeth the time to be near, when the Omnipotent God, before he Judge the World in Fire, will shew His Omnipotency unto the _Nations_, by revealing of the wonderful and incredible things of Nature, of which the Learned do believe very many to be, in the Mineral Kingdome, by working of Mines and Fusion of Metals, gotten by honest labour under ground, profitable to Man, and Acceptable with God.

I might here speak somewhat of Superiour Planets producing Metal, _Saturn_, Lead: _Iupiter_, Tin: _Mars_, Iron: but these abound in _Great Brittain_, so do the Inferiour Planets produce _Venus_, Copper: _Mercury_, Quicksilver: _Luna_, Silver.

If God permit me health and leasure from Sutes and Troubles, not onely to write of them, but also the manner of the Melting, Extracting, Refining, and Reducing of them with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, &c. In the interim to let you know that _Great Brittain_ abounds with _Copper Mines_, much neglected, yet of great use for Ordnance, at Land, and also at Seas, and for the making of Brass, with our _Lapis Calaminaris_, so much Exported by the _Dutch_, which doth hinder our manufactories of Brass, and causes the _Dutch_ and _Swedes_ to raise the price of Copper and Brass ever since our small loss at Sea by the _Dutch_. _Mercury_, Quicksilver is not wanting, but few Artists have made any Experiment of that Mine in this Kingdome.

_Luna_, Silver doth abound in _Great Britain_, especially a very Rich Vein, Rake, or Fibrey thereof was wrought at _Binnyhills_ near _Lithgo_ in _Scotland_, in the Authors dayes, some part of which he hath, is malleable Silver in the Oare or Mine, yet neglected. And so are many of our richest Mines in _England_ and _Wales_, &c. the cause is conceived to be the want of a general and joynt-stock for the imploying our idle people in getting, and working of the Copper, and Silver Mines. Of the Planet _Sol_, Gold: I may not be silent, whose Golden, Glorious, Pure, Sulphurious, Percing, Spirit, communicating his virtue Mineral unto all things in the Mineral Kingdom, as well as to the Animal and Vegetable Kingdom, whose pure influence producing Gold, caused the poor indigent people of _Scotland_, which the Author did see, _Anno_ 37, at _Shortlough_, six men to dig and carry with wheele-barrows, the common Earth or Mould unto Rivolets remote, out of which those men did wash Gold-grains, as good as in the sand of the Rivers, in which Rivers many have gotten Gold, and seen grains of _Sol_, near one ounce weight, both in the _Low-lands_, and in the _High-lands_; also he hath seen Gold gotten in _England_, but not so plentiful as in _Scotland_: For Sir _James Hope_, _An._ 1654, brought from _Scotland_, Baggs of Gold Grains unto _Cromwell_, some of which Grains were very large, and as fine as any Gold in the world, that is in Mines; thus I came to see the Baggs, taking a view of the _Low-lands_ and _High-lands_ of _Scotland_, _Anno_ 37, in which year, I spent the whole Summer (in opening of Mines, and making of discoveries) was at Sir _James Hopes_ Lead Hills, near which I got Gold, and he coming to _London_, imployed Captain _David Acheson_, a Refiner, whom I met with in _Scotland_, _Anno_ 37, to find me out; when I came unto Sir _James Hope_, dwelling in _White Hall_, he produced the Baggs unto me, and poured the Gold out upon a board, in which was one large piece of Gold, which had to it adjoyning a large piece of white spar very transparent, which Cap. _David Acheson_ yet living at _Edenburgh_ saw; but I would never Act with Sir _James Hope_, hoping of these times to see good things acted, for I believe God is about to reveal many of his secrets, unto his Israel in this latter Age, which made me not to Answer the Letter of Sir _James Hope_, as followeth.

Edinburgh 26. June 1654.

Sir, _If I had found the opportunity before my parting, I purposed to have been a sutor to you, and I perswade myself you are so kinde and generously disposed, that you would have answered my desire, and therefore also even at this distance adventure to offer it: And it is that you would confer upon me one breviate of your journey through the North of_ Scotland; _as to the discovery of Minerals upon some account, and at first view, this may seem as unreasonable of me desired, as improbable that you should grant it, but the circumstance of time and persons and substance of the things considered, I am not altogether out of hope of it; onely, I shall say, if you condescend to me in this, though it be more in satisfaction, to my curiosity, then for any designe I have upon the matter; yet you shall singularly oblige me to indeavour and be ready as opportunity shall offor, to expresse my thankfulnesse, in what way you will prescribe, that is in the power of_;

your very affectionate brother and Servant, _James Hope_.

_This Sir_ James Hope, _was a Judge at the City of_ Edinburgh, _and by_ Cromwell _made Lord Marshall of_ Scotland.

My hope now is, that the Honourable and ingenious Corporation of the Mines Royall, will set the Mines at work, that my Inventions, in which I have spent much time and charge, in melting, smelting, extracting, refining and reducing of Mines and Mettals with Pitcoal, Seacoal and Peats; and have made with the same Fuell many hundred Tuns of good Merchantable Iron, into cast works and Bars; may by the inventioner be enjoyed according to the Act of Parliament, 21. _Jacob._ Seeing the Authour can make it appear he hath been much obstructed by lawsuits and the Wars hitherto: Desires that his Talent of Undoubted truths (may not be buried) for the general good, but be brought to light, after all the sad Sufferings of the Authour, whereby he may add unto his new Inventions, what he conceives fit to be done: That not onely this so exhausted Kingdome may enjoy the benefit thereof, but also _Scotland_ and _Wales_ which abound with Coals, Iron, Stone and Mines of all sorts, minerals and precious Stones, &c.

Yet from _England's_ Granery, _Scotland_ making no Iron, and other Territories, have their thorow supply, not onely of Iron, but of Iron manufactories many, so hath _Wales_; yet might _Scotland_ and _Wales_ not onely supply themselves, but supply His Sacred Majesties other Territories with Iron and Iron Wares and Steel also, by Iron and Steel made with Pit-coale, Sea-coale and Peat; and thereby be helpfull unto themselves and _England_, and all Plantations of his Majesties, on this side and beyond the line.

To the Reader, especially of _England, Scotland and Wales_.

_The injury and prejudice done unto me & to this Island, my native Country for the making of Iron, in cast works and bars with Pitcoal, Seacoal, Peat and Turff, and with the like feuell, to melt, extract, refine and reduce all Mines and mettals, moved me in the negligence of better Wits and Pens to apologise for it: in this ensuing Treatise, and believe me Reader, twas no private, or politick designe in my Invention, but meer zeal, becomming an honest man_, Patriæ, parentibus and amicis; _that Engaged me (after many others failed) in these Inventions, for the general good and preservation of Wood and Timber, which_,

Eque pauperibus, locupletibus eque, Eque neglectis pueris senibusq; nocébit;

_Therefore it concerns His Sacred Majesty, his high Court of Parliament, all his Counsels, Mariners, Merchants, Royall and Loyall Subjects (the destruction of Wood and Timber) to lay it to heart, and helping hands, upon fit occasions, in these so laudable Inventions of making Iron & melting of mines and refyning of them with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat and Turf; for the preservation of Wood and Timber for maintenance of Navigation, men of War, the Fishing and Merchants' Trade, which is the greatest strength of Great Brittain, and all other his Majesties Kingdomes and Territories, whose defence and offence next under God, consists by his sacred Majesties assisting care, and view of his men of War, Ships, experienced marrinours, merchants, Ordinance of Copper, Bras and Iron Armories, Steels and Irons of all sorts; both of bars, squares, and cast works and which ought and may be suplyed from_ Scotland _and_ Wales _by Iron, Copper and Brasse, and made there, with Pitcole, Seacole and Peat; and which abound there and in_ England, _also_. _In_ Cornwall, Devonshire, Sommerset, Glocester, Stafford, Darby, York, Lancaster, Westmerland, Cumberand; _are many Copper Mines: so is there in_ Pembrook, Carmarthin, Merionith _and_ Denbyshires, _also there are very many rich Coper mines in very many places in_ Scotland, _at_ Sterling, _at_ Dumfad _and many other places well known, unto the Authour_,

Dud Dudley.

[Illustration]

Dud Dudley's Metallum Martis.

That _Great Brittain_ with her Men of Warr, Fleets and Shiping, have had in all Ages, and in these latter Ages, as great Success at Seas as any people whatsoever in the Universe, cannot modestly be denied in 88, overthrowing that Invincible Armado so long a preparing, and since other Navies also; and whose Armadoes, Navies, Armes, and Men, have been a Terrour to other Nations; nay her own Grand Magazins, are the very Granary from whence all His Sacred Majesties Kingdomes, Dominions, and Territories both in the _East_ and _West-Indies_, on this side and beyond the Line, they have their whole and thorow supply of Shiping, Men, Armes, Food and Rayment, and more then can be, from any Kingdom of the Christian World.

Now if Wood and Timber should decay still, and fail, the greatest Strength of _Great Brittain_, her Ships, Mariners, Merchants, Fishings, and His Majesties Navies, and Men of War, for our Defence, and Offence would fail us, which before, and since 88 made his Sacred Majestyes Prodecessors, Queen _Elizabeth_, and her Great Council, the then Parliament, to make Lawes for the preservation of _Wood_ and _Timber_, especially near any Navigable River; _1 Eliz. 15._ _27 Eliz. 19._ _28 Eliz. 3. 5._ _23 Eliz. 5._ All which Laws, and others, for the Preservation of Wood and Timber are still in force, but not duly Executed; also King _James_ His Sacred Majesties Grand-father, and _Prince Henry_ for the Preservation of Wood and Timber in this Island, did in the _9th_ Year of His Reign, Grant His Letters Pattents of Priviledge unto _Simon Sturtevant_, Esq.; for 31 years, for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole for the preservation of Wood and Timber of _Great Brittain_ so greatly then consumed by Ironworks; This Invention was by King _James's_ command to be at large put in Print, which Book did contain near a quire of paper in quarto, called _Simon Sturtevant_ His _Metallica_. _Anno. 1612. May 22._ Printed by _George Eld, Cum Privllegio_.

After _Simon Sturtevant_ could not perform his making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, according unto his Engagement, King _James_, and Prince _Henry_, caused him to render up his Pattent, and a new Pattent was Granted unto _John Rovenson_, Esq. who also was Enjoyned to write a Book of his Inventions, called, _Rovenson's Mettallica_. Printed for _Thomas Thorp, Cum Privilegio_: _May 15, An. 1613_.

After _John Rovenson_, Esq. had often failed with his Inventions, and great undertakings, _Gombleton_, Esq. a Servant of Queen _Ann's_, undertook (by Pattent) to perform the Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole, and Sea-cole; but he being as confident of his Invention as others, did Erect his works at _Lambeth_, which the Author view'd; and _Gumbleton_ failing, the Learned and Ingenious Doctor _Iorden_ of _Baths_, the Authors Acquaintance, and sundry others obtained Patteuts for the making of Iron, and melting of Mines with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, for the preservation of Wood and Timber all which Inventions and endeavours to Effect and Perfect the said Works, have been by many heretofore well known, to have worthily attempted the said Invention, though with fruitless success.

Having seen many of their failings, I held it my Duty to endeavour, if it were possible to Effect and Perfect so laudable, and beneficial, and also so much desired Inventions, as the making of Iron into cast Works and Bars; and also the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing all sorts of Mines, Minerals and Metals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, and Turf, for the preservation of wood and timber, so much exhausted by Iron Works of late.

Having former knowledge and delight in Iron Works of my Fathers, when I was but a Youth; afterwards at 20 years Old, was I fetched from _Oxford_, then of _Bayliol_ Colledge, _Anno 1619_, to look and manage 3 Iron Works of my Fathers, 1 Furnace, and 2 Forges, in the Chase of _Pensnet_, in _Worcester-shire_, but Wood and Charcole, growing then scant, and Pit-coles, in great quantities abounding near the Furnace, did induce me to alter my Furnace, and to attempt by my new Invention, the making of Iron with Pit-cole, assuring my self in my Invention, the loss to me could not be greater then others, nor so great, although my success should prove fruitless; But I found such success at first tryal animated me, for at my tryal or blast, I made iron to profit with Pitcole, and found _Facere est addere Inventioni_.

After I had made a second blast and tryal, the fesibility of making Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, I found by my new Invention, the quality to be good and profitable, but the quantity did not exceed above 3 Tuns _per_ week: After I had brought my Invention unto some perfection, and profitable, doubted not in the future to have advanced my Invention, to make quantity also.

Immediately after my second tryal, I wrote unto my Father what I had done, and withall, desired him to obtain a Pattent for it from King _James_ of Blessed Memory; the Answer to which Letter I shall insert, only to shew the forwardness of King _James_, in this his much animating the Inventor, as he did both _Simon Sturtevant_, _John Rovenson_, Doctor _Iordanie_ and others; The Letter follows;

Son _Dudley_,

_The Kings Majesty being at_ New-Market, _I sent_ Parkes _thither on Saturday to some Friends of mine, to move the Kings Majesty for my Pattent, which be coming on Sunday Morning, in the Afternoon His Majesty sent a Warrant to Master Atturney to dispatch my Pattent, for the which I am infinitely bound unto His Majesty, that it pleased Him of His Great Grace and Favour to dispatch it so soon; I have been this night with Master Atturney, who will make hast for me; God Bless you, and Commend me unto all my Friends_:

Your Loving Father, _Edward Dudley_.

_March 10._ 1619.

This _Richard Parkes_, à Parks-house Esq; in the Letter before mentioned, was the Authors Brother in Law, which did about 1 year after the _Pattent_ was granted, carry for the Author much good Merchantable Iron unto the _Tower_, by King _Iames's_ command to be tryed by all Artists, and they did very well approve of the Iron, and the said _Parkshouse_ had a fowling Gun there made of Pit-cole Iron, with his name gilt upon the Gun, which gun was taken from him by Colonel _Levison_ Governour of _Dudley_ Castle, and never restored.

The said _Richard Parkshouse's_ son my Nephew, _Edward Parkshouse_, the 5th. of _January_ 1664, pressed me much to put Pen unto Paper, to shew what I have done in the invention of making of Iron with Pit-coale and Seacoal, not unknown unto this Country, and to my brother _Folliott_, Esq; and my Nephew _Parkshouse_ Esq; and to my Kinsman Master _Francis Dingley_, to whom I intend to leave the Secrets of my Inventions, notwithstanding all my sad sufferings from time to time this forty Years in the invention, my Sufferings in the War, and my Estate sold for my Loyalty; and also my sad sufferings and obstructions since his Sacred Majesties happy Restauration many wayes; and also upon sundry and many references, at the Authors very great charge, pains, and time spent of Foure years in his aged dayes, for the general good, by his inventions for the preservation of Great _Brittain's_ Wood and Timber.

Now let me shew some Reasons that induced me to undertake these Inventions, after the many failings of others, well knowing that withing Ten miles of _Dudley_ Castle there to be neer 20000. Smiths of all sorts, and many Iron works at that time, within that Circle decayed for want of Wood (yet formerly a mighty Woodland Country.)

Secondly, The Lord _Dudley's_ Woods and Works decayed, but Pitcoal and Iron, Stone or Mines abounding, upon his Lands, but of little Use.

Thirdly, Because most of the Coale Mines in these parts, as well as upon the Lord _Dudley's_ lands, are Coals, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve yards thick; the top or the uppermost Cole, or vein, gotten upon the superficies of this Globe or Earth, in open works.

Fourthly, Under this great thickness of Coal, is very many sorts of Iron, Stone, Mines, in the Earth Clay or Stone earth, like bats in all four yards thick; also under these Iron mines is severall yards thick of Coals, but of these in an other place more convenient.

Fifthly, Knowing that when the Colliers are forced to sinck Pits for getting of ten yards thick of Cole one third Part of the Coles or more, that be gotten under the ground, being small are of little or of no use in that inland Country nor is it worth the drawing out of the Pits, unlesse it might be made use of by making of Iron therewith into cast works or Bars.

Sixthly, Then knowing that if there could be any use made of the smal-coale that are of little Use, then would they be drawn out of the Pits, which coles produceth often times great prejudice unto the Owners of the works and the work it self, and also unto the Colliers, who casting of the smalcoles together, which compelling necessity enforcing the Colliers so to do, for two causes; one is to raise them to cut down the ten yards thicknesse of coles drawing onely the bigger sort of cole, not regarding the lesser or small cole, which will bring no money; saying, _He that liveth longest let him fetch fire further_: Next, these Colliers must cast these coles, and sleek or drosse out of their wayes, which sulphurious small cole and crouded moyst sleek heat naturally, and kindles in the middle of those great heaps; often fals the cole-works on Fire, and flaming out of the Pits, and continue burning like _Ætna_ in _Cicily_, or _Hecla_ in the _Indies_.

Yet when these loose Sulphurious compost of cole and sleek, being consumed in processe of time, the Fire decayes, yet notwithstanding the Fire hath continued in some Pits many years; yet colliers have gotten coles again, in those same Pits, the Fire not penitrating the solid and firme wall of coles, because _Pabulum ignis est Aer_, the Ayre could not penetrate, but passe by it in the loose cole and sleek; for comming into those pits afterwards, I have beheld the very blows of Pikes or tools that got the coles there formerly. Also from these Sulphurious heaps, mixed with Iron, Stone (for out of many of the same pits is gotten much Iron, Stone, Mines); the Fires heating vast qualities of Water, passing thorow these Soughs or Adits, becometh as hot as the Bath at _Bathe_, and more healing and sovereign even for old Ulcers and Sores; because many of these Baths doe proceed not onely from common Sulphur and vitriol of _Mars_, but also from _Solar_ sulphur in this Iron stone; I hope, _Filii Artis_, will excuse my digesion from the making of Iron with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat or Turff, and the melting of mines and mettals and refining of the same, with the like fuell: the first Pattent being granted by King _James_ for 31, Years in the 19th year of his Reign upon just and true information, that the Authour had the year before made many Tuns of Iron with Pitcole at a Furnace or Iron-work, in the Chase of _Pensnet_, in the County of _Worcester_, besides cast Iron Works of sundry sorts with Pitcoles; and also at two Forges or Iron Mills, called, _Cradly Forges_, fined the said Iron into Merchantable good Bar Iron; But the year following, the grant or Pattent for making of Iron with Pitcole or Seacole, There was so great a Flood, by rain, to this day, called the great _May-day-Flood_, that it not onely ruinated the Authours Iron works, and inventions; but also many other mens Iron works: and at a market Town called _Sturbridge_ in _Commitate Wigorniæ_, although the Authour sent with speed to preserve the people from drowning; one resolute man was carried from the Bridge there in the day time, and the nether part of the Town was so deep in Water that the people had much ado to preserve their lives in the uppermost rooms in their Houses.

My Yron works and inventions thus demolished, to the joy of many Iron masters, whose works scaped the Flood and who had often disparaged the Authours Inventions, because the Authour sold good Iron cheaper then they could afford it; and which induced many of the Iron masters to complain unto King _Iames_, averring that the iron was not Merchantable; As soon as the Author had repaired his works and inventions (to his no small charge) they so far prevailed with King _Iames_, that the Authour was commanded with all speed possible, to send all sorts of Bar iron up to the Tower of _London_, fit for making of Musquets, Carbines and Iron for great Bolts, fit for Shipping, which Iron being so tryed by Artists and Smiths, that the iron masters and Iron-mongers were all silenced until 21th of King _Iames_: At the then Parliament, all Monopolies were made _Null_, and diverse of the Iron masters endeavouring to bring the invention of making Iron with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat and Turff, within the compasse of a _Monopoly_; but the Lord _Dudley_ and the Authour did prevaile; yet the Pattent was limited to continue but Fourteen years; after which Act the Authour went on with his invention cheerfully, and made annually great store of Iron, good and merchantable, and sold it unto diverse men yet living at Twelve pounds _per_ Tun; I also made all sorts of cast iron Wares, as Brewing-Cysterns, Pots, Morters, and better and cheaper than any yet were made in these Nations, with _Charcoles_; Some of which are extant to be seen by any man (at the Authors House in the City of _Worcester_) that desire to be satisfied of the truth in the Invention.

Afterwards, The Author was outed of his works and inventions before mentioned by the Iron-masters and others wrongfully, over long to relate: yet being unwilling his Inventions (having undergone much charge and pains therein) should fall to the ground, and be buried in him, made him to set forward his Invention again, at a Furnace called, _Himley Furnace_ in the County of _Stafford_, where he made much Iron with Pit-cole, but wanting a Forge to make it into bars, was constrained for want of Stock to sell the Pig-Iron unto the Charcole Iron-masters, who did him much prejudice, not onely in detaining his stock, but also disparaging the Iron; _Himley_ Furnace being Rented out unto Charcole Iron-Masters.

The Authour Erected a new large Furnace on purpose, 27 foot square, all of stone for his new Invention, at a place called _Hasco Bridge_, in the parish of _Sedgley_, and County of _Stafford_; the Bellows of which Furnace were larger then ordinary Bellows are, in which work he made 7 Tuns of Iron _per_ week, the greatest quantity of Pit-cole-Iron that ever yet was made in _Great Brittain_; near which Furnace, the Author discovered many new Cole-mines 10 yards thick, and Iron-mine under it, according to other Cole-works; which Cole-works being brought unto perfection, the Author was by force thrown out of them, and the Bellows of his new Furnace and Invention, by riotous persons cut in pieces, to his no small prejudice, and loss of his Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, &c. So that being with Law-Suites, and Riots, wearied and disabled to prosecute his Art and Invention at present, even untill the first Pattent was extinct: Notwithstanding the Author his sad Sufferings, Imprisonments wrongfully for several thousand pound in the _Counter_ in _London_, yet did obtaine a new Pattent, dated the 2_d_ of _May_, _Anno_ 14. _Caroli Primi_ of ever Blessed Memory, not only for the making of Iron into cast-works, and bars, but also for the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing of all Mines, Minerals and Mettals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, and Turf, for the preservation of Wood and Timber of this Island; into which Pattent, the Author, for the better support and management of his Invention, so much opposed formerly at the Court, at the Parliament, and at the Law, took in _David Ramsey_, Esquire, Resident at the Court; Sir _George Horsey_, at the Parliament; _Roger Foulke_, Esquire, a Counsellour of the _Temple_, and an Ingenious Man; and also an Iron Master, my Neighbour, and one who did well know my former Sufferings, and what I had done in the Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole, &c.

All which said Patentees, Articled the 11_th_ of _Iune_ following, the Grant not only to pay the Authour all the charges of passing the Pattent laid down by him, but also to lay in for a common and joynt-stock each man of the four, one hundred pounds, and so from time to time, what more stock any three of the Pattentees should think fit to be laid in for the making of Iron into cast works and bars, and likewise for the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing of all Mines, Minerals, and Metals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf, which Articles are yet extant.

Now let me without offence insert the opposition we all had, by means of powerfull Iron-Masters, with Sir _Philibeard Vernat_, a _Dutch_ Man, and Captain _Whitmore_, who pretended much unto his late Sacred Majesty, but performed not their undertaking, which caused the Author, and his Partners thus to Petition.

_To the King's Most Excellent Majesty_:

The Humble Petition of Sir _George Horsey_ Knight; _David Ramsey_, _Roger Foulke_, and _Dud Dudley_, Esquires:

Humbly Sheweth,

_That whereas Your Petitioners being called before the Right Honourable, the Lord Keeper by your Majesties Appointment, touching the making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf, for which they have Your Majesties Pattent; and seeing that Sir_ Philibeard Vernat, _and Captain_ Whitmore, _who are not Inventors, have obtained a Pattent also for the same; yet before their Pattent Granted_, Sir Philibeard _was ordered at Council-board, according to his Great Undertaking, to perfect his Great Undertaking and Invention within Two Years, and there hath been near Three Years passed, and yet have made little or no Iron: still he Opposeth Your Petitioners, and doth neither benefit himself, but hinders Your Majesty, and the Kingdom_.

The reference unto the Petition followeth; At the Court at _Greenwich, May 20, 1638_. His Majesty is pleased to refer this Petition to Master Atturney, and Master Solicitor General, to call the Petitioners before them, and to compose the differences between them; (if they can) or otherwise, to certifie his Majesty their opinions therein:

_Sir Sidney Mountegue was then_ _Master of the Requests_.

But Sir _Philibeard Vernat_ and Captain _Whitmore_ never appeared any more for their Invention.

Not long after the Wars came on, and caused my partners to desist, since which they are all dead, but the Author, and his Estate (for his Loyalty unto his late Sacred Majesty) and Master, (as by the Additional Act of Parliament may appear) was totally sold.

Yet nevertheless, I still endeavoured not to bury my Tallent, took in two Partners into my inventions, _Walter Stevens_ of _Bristow_ Linnen Draper, and _John Ston_ of the same City Merchant, after the Authour had begun to Erect a new work for the Inventions aforesaid, near _Bristow_, _Anno_ 51, and there we three Partners had in stock near 700l. but they not only cunningly drew me into Bond, entered upon my Stock and Work, unto this day detained it, but also did unjustly enter Staple Actions in _Bristow_ of great value against me, because I was of the Kings Party; unto the great prejudice of my Inventions and Proceedings, my Pattent being then almost extinct: for which, and my Stock, am I forced to Sue them in Chancery.

In the interim of my proceedings, _Cromwell_, and the then Parliament, granted a Pattent, and an Act of Parliament unto Captain _Buck_ of _Hampton Road_, for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole; _Cromwell_, and many of his Officers were Partners, as Major _Wildman_ and others; many Doctors of Physick, and Merchants, who set up diverse and sundry Works, and Furnaces at a vast charge, in the Forrest of _Dean_, and after they had spent much in their Invention and Experiments, which was done in spacious Wind-Furnaces, and also in Potts of Glass-house Clay; and failing afterwards, got unto them an Ingenious Glass-Maker, Master _Edward Dagney_ an _Italian_ then living in _Bristow_, who after he had made many Potts, for that purpose went with them into the Forrest of _Dean_, and built for the said Captain _Buck_ and his Partners, a new Furnace, and made therein many and sundry Experiments and Tryals for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, &c. But he failing, and his Potts being all broken, he did return to _Bristow_ frustrate of his Expectation; but further promising to come again, and make more Experiments; at which time Master _John Williams_, Master _Dagneys_, Master of the Glass-House was then drawn in to be a Partner for 300_l._ deposited, and most of it spent, the said _Williams_ and _Dagney_ hearing that the Authour had knowledge in the making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, &c. they from Cap. Buck, and the other Partners importuned the Author, who was at that time in great danger by the Parliament, (being a Colonel of the Kings Party) to go along with them into the Forrest of _Dean_, which at that time durst not deny; Coming thither, I observed their manner of working, and found it impossible, that the said _Edward Dagney_ by his Invention should make any Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, in Pots to profit: I continued with them till all their Potts and Inventions failed; at every Dinner and Supper, Captain _Buck_, Captain _Robins_, Doctor _Ivie_, Doctor _Fowler_ and others, would aske the Author why he was so confident that Iron in quantity could not be made by their new Inventions? I found it a difficult thing to disswade the Partners from their way, so confident were they to perform the making of iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole to profit; that they desired me to come again a second time into the Forrest to see it Effected; But at that time, I saw their failings also.

Yet nevertheless Captain _Buck_, and his Partners Erected new Works at the City of _Bristow_, in which they did fail as much as in their former Inventions; but Major _Wildman_, more barbarous to me then a Wildman, although a Minister bought the Authors Estate, near 200_l._ _per Annum_, intending to compell from the Author his Inventions of making of Iron with Pit-cole; but afterwards passed my Estate unto two Barbarous Brokers of _London_, that pulled down the Authors two Mantion Houses; sold 500 Timber Trees off his Land, and to this day are his Houses unrepaired.

_Anno_ 1665. Captain _Buck_ and his Partners wearied of their Invention, desisting, _An._ 1656. Captain _John Copley_ from _Cromwell_ obtained another Pattent for the making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole; He and his Partners set up their Works, at the Cole-Works near _Bristow_, and endeavour'd by Engeneers assistance to get his Bellows to be blown, at, or near the Pits of Cole, with which Engines the Work could not be performed: But the Author coming to see the said Works, and after many Discourses with Captain _Copley_, his former Acquaintance, told him plainly, if his Bellows could have been blown by those Engines, yet I feared he could not make Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole; he seemed discontented; whereupon, and without those Engines I made his Bellows to be blown feisibly, as by the Note under his hand appears (the first Note) followeth;

1656. _December_ 30.

Memorandum, _The day and year above-written, I_ John Copley _of_ London, _Gent. Do acknowledge, that after the Expence of diverse Hundred Pounds to Engineers, for the making of my Bellows to blow, for the making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole near_ Bristow, _and near the Forrest of_ Kings-wood; _that_ Dud Dudley _Esq. did perform the blowing of the said Bellows at the Works or Pits abovesaid; a very feisible and plausable way, that one man may blow them with pleasure the space of an hour or two; and this I do acknouledge to be performed with a very small charge, and without any money paid to him for the same Invention_:

John Copley.

Captain _John Copley_ thus failing in his Inventions, _An._ 1657, he went into _Ireland_, and all men now desisting from the Inventions of making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole: The Author, _Anno_ 1660. being 61. years of Age, and moved with pitty, and seeing no man able to perform the Mastery of making of Iron with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, immediately upon his Sacred Majesties happy Restauration, the same day he Landed, Petitioned that he might be restored to his place, and his Pattent obstructed, revived for the making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf, into cast Works and Bars, and for the Melting, Extracting, Refining and Reducing of all Mines, Mettals and Minerals, with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat and Turf; which said Laudable Invention, the Author was and is unwilling should fall to the ground and dye with him, neither is the Mistery, or Mastery of the Invention Effected and Perfected by any man known unto the Authour, as yet, either in _England_, _Scotland_ or _Wales_; all which three abound with Pit-cole or Sea-cole, and do over-much furnish other Kingdomes many with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, when they might make far better use of it themselves, especially _Scotland_ and _Wales_, both for the making of Iron into cast Works and Bars; and also for the making of Steel, and Melting, Extracting, and Refining of Lead, Tin, Iron, Gold, Copper, Quicksilver, and Silver, with Pit-cole, and Sea-cole.

I shall not trouble you with the Petition, or my reasons and desires that were annexed unto it, for the making of Iron, and Melting of Mines, &c. with Pit-cole, &c. they are over long to relate, only the Reference to them is thus; (after my first Petition was lost, I Petitioned again.)

_At the Court at_ Whiteh. 22. of _June_ 1663.

His Majesty is graciously pleased to refer the consideration of this Petition to Master Atturney, and Solicitor General, or to either of them, together with the Petitioners Reasons and Desires hereunto annexed; and they, or either of them, are to inform, and certifie His Majesty, what they, or either of them in their Judgements respectively conceive fit for His Majesty to do concerning the Petitioners Humble Request, and then His Majesty will declare his further pleasure.

Robert Mason, _Master of Requests_.

After Master Atturney, and Sollicitor General would do nothing upon the Reference; the Author Petitioned His Sacred Majesty sitting at the Council-Board, for the Renewing of his Pattent, for making of Iron, and Melting, of Mines with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, often obstructed; the reference to that Petition followeth.

_At the Court at_ Whitehall, _July_ 25. 1660.

Upon reading of a Petition this day at the Board, being the same in terminis with this above-written, which his Majesty was graciously pleased by a Reference under the hand of Doctor _Mason_, one of the Masters of the Requests, to refer to the consideration of Master Atturney, and Master Solicitor General, together with the Petitioners Reasons and Desires thereunto annexed, to the Consideration of the Lords, and others Commissioners for the Treasury, who upon Examination of the

## particulars, are to give such order thereupon, as they shall

find most proper for His Majesties Service.

_Sir_ Edward Walker _was_ _Clark to the Council, and_ _Garter King at Armes_.

The Author, during the Lords Commissioners their time, could get no Order upon his Reference; But his Petition was left, with the now Right Honourable, the Lord Treasurer, to take or grant further order therein, but the Author hath gotten hitherto no order.

Therefore compelling necessity doth constrain (having prosecuted his Petition hitherto) him to desist from his Inventions, in which he hath taken more pains, care and charge, then any man, to perfect his new Invention in these Kingdomes.

Although the Author had not as yet so fully perfected or raised his invention, to the quantity of Charcole Iron Furnaces, yet the Authors quantity being but seven Tuns _per_ week at the most, together with the quality of his Iron made with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, hath the most eminent Triplicity of Iron of all that can be desired in any new Invention.

1. More Sufficient. 2. More Cheap. 3. More excellent.

Upon which triplicity, the Authour might enlarge himself, but shall not be tedious, only give me leave to mention that there be three sorts of Cast Iron;

1. The first sort is Gray Iron.

2. The second sort is called Motley Iron, of which one part of the Sowes or Piggs is gray, the other part is white intermixt.

3. The third sort is called white Iron, this is almost as white as Bell-Mettle, but in the Furnace is least fined, and the most Terrestrial; of the three, the Motley Iron is somewhat more fined, but the Gray Iron, is most fined, and more sufficient to make Bar-Iron with, and tough Iron to make Ordnance, or any Cast Vessels, being it is more fined in the Furnace, and more malliable and tough, then the other two sorts before mentioned; and of this sort, is the Iron made with Pit-cole, Sea-cole for the most part, and therefore more sufficiently to be preferred.

2. More cheaper Iron there cannot be made, for the Author did sell pigg or cast Iron made with Pit-cole at four pounds _per_ Tun, many Tuns in the twentieth year of King _James_, with good profit; of late Charcole Pig-iron hath been sold at six pounds _per_ Tun, yea at seven pounds _per_ Tun hath much been sold.

Also the Authour did sell Bar-iron Good and Merchantable, at twelve pounds _per_ Tun, and under, but since Bar-iron hath been sold for the most part ever since at 15_l._ 16_l._ 17_l._ and 18_l._ _per_ Tun, by Charcole Iron-Masters.

3. More excellent for diverse Reasons, and principally, being the meanes whereby the Wood and Timber of this Island almost exhausted, may be timely preserved yet, and vegetate and grow again unto his former wonted cheapness, for the maintenance of Navigation, which is the greatest Strength of _Great Brittain_, whose Defence and Offence for all the Territories that belong unto it, next under God and his Vice-Gerent, our Sacred Majesties Cares, consists most of Shiping, Men of War, Experienced Mariners, Ordnances, Ammunition, and Stores, the Ordnance made therewith will be more gray and tough, therefore more serviceable at Sea and Land, and the Bar-iron will wall, rivet, and hold better then most commonly Charcole Iron.

2. More Excellent, not onely in respect the Invention of making of Iron with Pit-cole and Sea-cole will preserve Wood and Timber of _Great Brittain_ so greatly consumed by Iron-Works of late.

But also in respect, this my Invention will preserve many Millions of Tuns of Small-cole in _Great Brittain_, which will be lost in time to come, as formerly they were, for within ten miles of _Dudley Castle_, is annually consumed four or five thousand Tuns at least of small Pit-cole, and have been so consumed time out of mind under ground, fit to have it made Pit-iron with; which coles are and (unless Iron be made therewith) will be for ever totally and annually lost; if four or five thousand Tun of Cole be consumed within ten miles compass, what Coles is thus consumed in all _England_, _Scotland_, and _Wales_? which is no good Husbandry for _Great Brittain, hinc ille lacrime_, that our Timber is exhausted.

Must I still be opposed, and never enjoy my Inventions, nor _Great Brittain_ the Benefit?

Must my Pattent be obstructed in Peace, as it was extinct by the Wars?

And must not my Pattent be Revived for the making of Iron with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, and Turf, but find Enemies still to oppose it?

How many thousand Tuns of Iron might have been made but since my first Invention, _An. Jacob._ 18_th_ by my means with Pit-cole, and Sea-cole (lost) if I had not had Enemies; and had not wood and timber been preserved?

But most men will aver, that it doth concern the Author to Demonstrate the great losse mentioned formerly of Pit-cole annually;

_It is thus_,

There is at least within ten miles of the Castle of _Dudley_, twelve or fourteen Cole-Works, some in _Worcester_, and some of them in _Stafford-shire_ (now in work, and twice as many in that Circute not in work) each of which Works get two thousand Tun of Cole yearly, some get three, four or five thousand Tun of Coles yearly: and the uppermost or top measures of Coles are ten, eleven, and some twelve yards thick; the Coles Ascending, Basseting, or as the Colliers term it, Cropping up even unto the superfices of the Earth, and there the Colliers formerly got the Coles; but where the Coles is deep and but little Earth upon the measures of Coles, there the Colliers rid off the Earth, and dig the Coles under their feet; these Works are called Foot-rids.

But of these Works there are now but few, some of these small Coles in these open Works, the poor people did carry away, but paid nothing for them in former times, termed the Brain Carriages.

But now the Colliers working more in the deep of these Works, they are constrained to sink Pits, some of which Pits are from eight unto twenty yards deep, and some are near twenty fathome deep, which fathome contains two yards.

In these Pits, after you have made or hit the uppermost measures of Cole, and sink or digged thorow them, the Colliers getting the nethermost part of the Coles first, about two yards in height or more, and when they have wrought the Crutes or Staules, (as some Colliers call them) as broad and as far in under the ground, as they think fit, they throw the small Coles (fit to make Iron) out of their way on heaps to raise them up so high, to stand upon, that they may, with the working of their Picks or Maundrills over their heads, and at the one end of the Coles so far in as their Tool will permit, and so high as their working cometh unto a parting in the measure of Cole, the which Coles, to the parting by his self clogging and pondrous weight, fall often many Tuns of coles, many yards high down at once; with which fall and the Colliers breaking of the said Cole, many small coles do so abound of no use, and fit for no sale; that in getting of twenty thousand Tun of Pit-cole, one half near is small cole, not drawn out of the Pits, but destroyed, left, and lost; which small cole, with the sleck thrown moyst together, (heat the sooner) and by means of its sulphurousness fire in the Pits, to no small prejudice unto the Owners of the Works, and the Workmen, besides _Great Brittains_ Loss; which Cole might have made many thousand Tuns of Iron, and also have preserved this Islands Woods and Timber: I might here give you the names, and partly the nature of every measure, or parting of each cole lying upon each other; the three uppermost measures are called the white measures for his white Arcenical, Salsuginos and Sulphurious substance which is in that Cole; the next measure, is the shoulder-cole, the toe-cole, the foot-cole, the yard-cole, the sliper-cole, the sawyer-cole, and the frisly-cole, these last three coles are the best for the making of Iron, yet other coles may be made use of.

I might give you other names of coles, but desire not prolixity, yet must I tell you of a supernumerary number of Smiths within ten miles of these Cole-Works near twenty thousand; yet God of his Infinite goodness (if we will but take notice of his goodness unto this Nation) hath made this Country a very Granary for the supplying these Men with Iron, Cole, and Lime made with cole, which hath much supplyed these men with Corn also of late, and from these men, a great part not only of this Island, but also of his Majesties other Kingdomes and Territories with Iron wares have their supply, and wood in these parts almost exhausted, although it were of late a mighty wood-land Country.

Now if the Coles and Iron-stone so abounding were made right use of, we need not want Iron as we do; for very many measures of iron-stone are placed together under the great ten yards thickness of cole, and upon another thickness of coles two yards thick, not yet mentioned, called the bottom cole, or the heathen cole, as if God had decreed the time when, and how these Smiths should be supplyed, and this Island also with Iron, and most especially, that this coal and iron-stone, should give the first, and just occasion for the invention of the making of iron with pit-cole, no place being so fit for the invention to be perfected in, then this Country, for the general good; whose Woods did formerly abound in Forrests, Chases, Parks and Woods, but exhausted in these parts.

Now for the names of the iron-stone, the first measure is called the Black-row-graines, lying in very hard and black Earth.

The second measure is the Dun-row-graines, lying in dun earth or clay.

The third measure is called the white row grains, lying in very white Earth or Clay; under these three measure are sundry other measures, and are called, first, the Rider Stone; secondly, the Cloud Stone; thirdly, the bottom Stone; fourthly, the Cannock or Cannotstone, which last may wel be so caled (although all the other measures be very good) yet this Stone is so Sulphurous and Terrestrial, not fit to make Iron; because the Iron thereof made is very Redshare, which is that if a workman should Draw or Forge out a Share mould fit for a Plough in that red heat, it would crack and not be fit for the Use of the Husbandmans Plough or Share. I may take occasion here to speak of the Nature of Coldshare Iron, which is so brittle if made of the grain Oare or Iron stone would be almost as brittle as some _Regulus Antimonii_ made Iron, for with one small blow over an Anvil you may break the biggest Bar that is, if it be perfect coldshare Iron; nay the Plough-man often breaks his Share point off if it be made of coldshare Iron. But perfect tough malliable Iron will not break feisibly in hot-heat or cold, as coldshare wil, or red hot as Sulphurious veneriated redshare iron will; but yet tough enough when it is cold: All which aforesaid qualities of Iron the Authour very well knoweth how to mend their Natures, by finning or setting the finery, lesse transhaw, more borrow which are terms of art, and by altering and pitching the works, and plates, the fore spirit-plat, the tuiron, bottome, back and breast or fore-plate, by the altering of which much may be done, if the work be set transhaw and transiring from the blast, the Iron is more coldshare lesse Fined, more to the Masters profit; lesse profitable to him that makes it into manufactorage, and less profitable to him that useth it; but the Iron made in a Burrow work, becometh more tough and serviceable; yet the nature of all Iron stone, is to be considered, both in the Furnace, and in the finery, that the Sulphurious Arceniall and Veneriating qualities which are often-times in Iron stone be made to separate, in both the works from the fixed and fixing bodies of Iron, whose fiery quality is such, that he will sooner self calfine than separate from any Sulphurious veneriated quality.

No man, I hope, need to be offended at any terms of Art, it hath been alwayes lawfull for Authours of new Arts and Inventions, at their own pleasures, to give name to their new Inventions and Arts, every Tradesman is allowed it in his mystery.

But the Authour hath as much as he could avoided the terms of Art that _Simon Sturtenante_ and others have used, which are very many: onely the Author hath given you the common names and terms (for the most part) which are so common among Forge-men and Founders, as is nothing more common; but kept secret amongst them and a mystery not yet known, but unto very few Owners of Iron-works; nay I have not yet troubled your memory with any of the Founder terms, of but making his harth as the Timpe stones, the Wind-wall stones, the Furion stones, the Botton-stone, the Back-stones and the Boshes, in the making and pitching of which harth, is much of the Mystery.

I must confesse, there is given unto some Phylosophers, _etc filii Artis_, some few terms how the Sulphurious Arsenicall, Bituminos, Antimoniall, Venerial, and other poysonous qualities, either in the Pit-cole, Sea-cole, or the Iron-stone, may be in part at the Furnace separated, and not permitted to incorporate in the Iron, and if it be incorporated, yet by Fining at the Forge, to fetch it out; also to melt extract, refine, and reduce all mines mettals and minerals, unto their species with Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, and Turff, by wayes not yet in use, which the Authour will make known, hereafter, if God permit him health, time and space, or leave his knowledge unto his Brother _Aylmore Folliott_, Esq; his Nephew _Parkshouse_, Esq; and to his Kinsman Master _Francis Dingley_, to declare unto this latter Age of the World, in which God is pleased to manifest many of his Secrets; _Qui vult secreta scire, secreta secrete sciat custodire_.

Having suffered much, ever since the Year 1618 unto this present, for the general good, as by the preceding discourse appears for the making of Iron with Pitcole, Seacole, Peat, and Turff; for the preservation of Wood & Timber of Great _Brittain_ so much exhausted, for future prevention of which,

Is first, to permit the Authour to enjoy His Pattent, and fully to perfect his said Inventions (obstructed in the Reign both of King _James_ and in the Reign of his Sacred Majesty King _Charls_ the First, of ever Blessed Memory; and lately since his most Sacred Majesties happy Restauration) who desires nothing but to be animated with the Patent revived according unto the Statute of 21. _Iacob._ for Inventors.

Secondly, to impower the Authour or any other Agents to take care that no Pit-cole, or Seacole be any wayes wilfully destroyed under ground.

Thirdly, To put all former good Laws in Execution, and to make others for the preservation of Wood and Timber of these Nations, especially neer Navigagable River or Seas.

Fourthly, Seeing there goeth out of _England_, _Scotland_, and _Wales_, many thousand Tuns Annually of Pitcole and Seacoles to furnish _France_, and also the Smiths thereof _Spaine_, _Portugal_ and _Flanders_, and especially the Smiths thereof; the _Low-Countries_ and the Smiths thereof, besides the _Hollanders_ carries great quanties of our Coles unto Foreigne parts, without which those Countries cannot subsist: Now the Authors desire is, that where there is a conveniency of Iron stone or Ewre, the Coles may not be transported (paying His Sacred Majesties Duty) until Order, from His Majesty or his Privy Council.

Fifthly, That no Pitcole be Exported, seeing that Wood fuell and Timber is decayed for Buildings, and instead thereof Brickmaking (formerly spending Wood, but now coles) is much in use; also is Glasse now made with cole, but formerly were there many Thousand Loads of Wood fuell spent in the making thereof, and the Glass Invention with Pitcole was first effected near the Authours Dwelling.

Sixthly, Making of Steel, Brewings, making of Coppras, Allum, Salt, casting of Brasse and Copper, Dyings, and many other Works were not many years since done altogether with the Fuell of Wood and Charcole; instead whereof, Pitcole, and Seacole is now used as Effectually, and to a far better Use and Purpose; besides the preservation of Wood and Timber.

Seventhly, That which is somewhat neerer the mark and Invention; the Blacksmith forged all his Iron with Charcole, and in some places where they are cheap, they continue this course still, but small Pitcole and Seacole, and also Peat and Turff hath and doth serve the turn as well and sufficiently as Charcole.

Eighthly, That which is nearest, and my perfect Invention, and neer the Authours Dwelling, called _Greens-lodge_, there are four Forges, namely, _Greens-forge_, _Swin-forge_, _Heath-forge_ and _Cradley-forge_.

Which Four Forges have Barred all or most part of their Iron with Pitcole ever since the Authours first Invention, 1618. which hath preserved much Wood: In these Four, besides many other Forges do the like; yet the Author hath had no benefit thereby to this present.

Yet by this Barring of Iron with Pitcole 30000 loads of Wood and more have been preserved for the general good, which otherwayes must have been had and consumed.

_Symon Sturtevant_, in his _Metallica_, in the Epistle to the Reader, saith, _That there was then_ Anno 12. Jacobi _in_ England, Scotland, Ireland _and_ Wales 800 _Furnaces, Forges, or Iron Mills making Iron with Charcole_: Now we may suppose at least 300 of these to be Furnaces, and 500 to be Forges; and each Furnace making fifteen Tun _per_ week of Pig or cast Iron, and work or blow but Forty week _per Annum_, but some Furnaces make Twenty Tuns of Pig Iron _per_ Week, and two Loads of Charcole or there about, go to the making of a Tun of Pig Iron: And two Loads (or two cords) of Wood, at the least, go to the making of a load of Charcole.

Now what Loads of Wood or Charcole is spent in great _Brittain_ and _Ireland Annually_? but in one Furnace, that makes Fifteen Tun _per_ Week of Pig-Iron for Forty weeks: I shall give you the Table, and leave you to judge of the rest of the Furnaces.

15. Tun per week | _Charcole_, _Wood_, spends of | 30 loads 60 loads.

_Per Annum_ 40 weeks| 1200 2400 loads. spends |

Also for one Forge that make Three Tuns of Bar Iron weekly for Fifty weeks, but some Forges make double my Proportion, and spend to Fine and Bar out each Tun three Loads of Coles: To each Tun.

Charcole Wood 3 Tun _per_ week | 9 Loads | 18 loads _Per Annum_ | 450 loads | 900 loads

By these Examples, may you see, the vast quantities of Charcole, or Wood, that the 300 Furnacis spend weekly, or yearly, and the 500. Forges workings all the year, spend little lesse then the Furnaces: It being impossible, after this rate for great _Brittain_ or _Ireland_, to supply these her works with Charcole in Fining of Iron at the Fineries, yet the Forges that need but half the Charcole may be permitted to use Charcole, and may be supplyed with under Woods.

Let us but look back unto the making of Iron, by our Ancestors, in foot blasts, or bloomenies, that was by men treading of the Bellows, by which way they could make but one little lump or bloom of Iron in a day, not 100 weight, and that not fusible, nor fined, or malliable, until it were long burned and wrought under Hammers, and whose first slag, sinder or scorius, doth contain in it as much, or more Iron, then in that day the workman or bloomer got out, which Slag, Scorius, or Sinder is by our Founders at Furnaces wrought again, and found to contain much Yron and easier of Fusion than any Yron stone or Mine of Yron whatsoever of which slag and Sinders, there is in many Countryes Millions of Tuns and Oaks growing upon them, very old and rotten.

The next invention was to set up the Bloomeries that went by water, for the ease of the men treading the bellows, which being bigger, and the waterwheel causing a greater blast, did not onely make a greater quantity of iron, but also extracted more iron out of the slag or sinder, and left them more poorer of iron then the foot-blasts, so that the Founders cannot melt them again, as they do the foot blast sinders to profit: Yet these Bloomeries by water (not altogether out of use) do make in one day but two hundred pound weight of iron, or there abouts neither is it fusible, or malliable, but is unfined untill it be much burned, and wrought a second time in fire.

But some of the now going Furnaces with Charcole, do make two or three Tun of Pigg or cast iron in 24 hours.

Therefore _I_ do not wholly compute the vast quantities of charcoles and wood spent in these voragious works, which quantity of cast iron, with pit-cole and Sea-cole, at one Furnace _I_ desire not, but am contented with half the proportion, which once _I_ attained unto before my Bellows were riotously cut, that is one Tun in 24 hours; we need not a greater quantity, if the like quantity were made in Furnaces in _Scotland_, and _Wales_, which abounds with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, as well as _England_; and our supernumery Smiths, Founders, and Forgemen, and other Tradesmen might be there imployed, thereby to furnish His Majesties Plantations, as well, if not better then _England_, where Coles are far cheaper then in _England_.

Although vast quantities of Coles do abound near the Authors dwelling, yet twenty thousand Smiths or Naylors at the least dwelling near these parts, and taking of Prentices, have made their Trade so bad, that many of them are ready to starve and steal; so that it is wished there were some courses taken to mend their Trade, imploy them in other parts, or permit them, not to take so many Prentices, all which have great occasions to use Pit-cole, and had not these parts abounded with cole, it would have been a great deal worse with them then it is; but of the cole there is, nor will be any want, nor of iron-stone.

The manner of the cole-veins, or measures in these parts, and also of the measures of iron-stone, or mines, how they lye, be, or increase, some veins lye circuler, some sami-circuler, some ovall, some works almost in a direct line, and some works parts of a Circle; as by the Circle, it being onely for a small Example to judge the rest of the Mines by may appear.

_FINIS._

DUDLEY HIGH SCHOOL,

WELLINGTON ROAD.

This SCHOOL, so successfully carried on for many years, provides a First-class

ENGLISH AND COMMERCIAL EDUCATION

FOR

BOYS OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES.

Pupils also Prepared for the various Preliminary and University Local Examinations.

JAS. NAPIER, _Head Master_.

E. HOLLIER, DUDLEY,

HAS FOR SALE A LARGE SELECTION OF Silurian Trilobites, Crinoids, CORALS, SHELLS, &C., _From the Wenlock Shale and Limestone, &c., in the neighbourhood of Dudley_.

E. H. will be pleased to show (when convenient) to any party who may be interested in their inspection, one of the finest collections of Trilobites, &c., in the kingdom, together with other rare Fossil specimens.

OFFICE, STONE STREET; PRIVATE RESIDENCE, KING EDMUND PLACE DUDLEY.

BEVERAGES FOR ALL SEASONS.

Montserrat Montserrat Montserrat Montserrat Montserrat Montserrat Montserrat Montserrat Aromatic Clove Jargonelle Peppermint Pineapple Quinine Raspberry Sarsaparilla

LIME-FRUIT JUICE. Entirely free of Alcohol.

LIMETTA, or PURE LIME-JUICE CORDIAL, made from Montserrat Lime-Fruit Juice.

LIME-FRUIT JUICE. Entirely free of Alcohol.

LIMETTA, or PURE LIME-JUICE CORDIAL, made from Montserrat Lime-Fruit Juice.

Entirely free of Alcohol. Made from Montserrat Lime-fruit Juice.

LIMETTA, or PURE LIME-JUICE CORDIAL. Entirely free of Alcohol.

Made from Montserrat Lime-Fruit Juice.

Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials. Lime Juice Cordials.

SOLE CONSIGNEES:

EVANS, SONS, & CO., LIVERPOOL;

EVAN'S, LESCHER, & WEBB, LONDON;

H. SUDGEN, EVANS, & CO., MONTREAL, CANADA, NEW YORK, AND BOSTON, U.S.A.

AGNES M. LUKIS, LATE JOHN LUKIS, Letterpress, Copperplate & Lithographic PRINTER, _Bookbinder, Machine Ruler, Stationer, &c., &c._,

16, STONE STREET, DUDLEY.

ESTABLISHED 1846.

ESTABLISHED 1770.

WM. HOLLAND & SON, BUILDERS, CONTRACTORS, AND Timber Merchants, _Upper King Street, DUDLEY_.

A STOCK OF SLATES, TILES, SANITARY PIPES, WITH ALL BUILDING MATERIALS, ALWAYS ON HAND.

J. P. WHITTAKER, 187, HIGH STREET, DUDLEY, _Opposite Mr. Whitford's, Stationer_,

MANUFACTURER OF ALL KINDS OF SADDLERY, HARNESS, MILL BANDING, PURSES, BELTS, PORTMANTEAUS, TRAVELLING CASES, BAGS, And every variety of Fancy Leather Goods.

REPAIRS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION IN THE TRADE.

28 Years with the late Mr. Samuel Rudge.

JAMES SHEDDEN, ACCOUNTANT AND AUDITOR, Machinery and General Valuer, AND APPEAL UNDERTAKER.

INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN IN BOOK KEEPING AND EVERY DESCRIPTION OF STOCK-TAKING. _TRADERS' BOOKS REGULARLY POSTED IF REQUIRED._ EXECUTORS AND TRUSTEES' ACCOUNTS PARTICULARLY ATTENDED TO.

ESTABLISHED 1862.

22, WOLVERHAMPTON STREET, DUDLEY.

STEEDMAN'S SOOTHING POWDERS FOR CHILDREN CUTTING TEETH.

Prepared by _JOHN STEEDMAN, Chemist, Walworth, Surrey_.

SPECIAL CAUTION.

The value of this well-known and universally used Family Medicine has been tested in all parts of the world, and by all grades of society for upwards of fifty years. Its large and constantly increasing sale has induced =SPURIOUS IMITATIONS=, in some of which the =Outside Label= and the =Coloured Paper= enclosing the Packet, so closely resemble the =Original= as to have deceived many Purchasers.

Numerous complaints of this kind having been received, the Proprietor feels it due to the thousands of Families in which =Steedman's Soothing Powders= are daily used, to =Caution Purchasers= against these Imitations, and requests their careful attention to the =four following distinctive marks= of the Genuine Medicine.

1st.--That the words "=JOHN STEEDMAN, Chemist, Walworth, Surrey=," are =engraved= on the Government Stamp affixed to each Packet.

2nd.--Each =Single Powder= has the directions for the dose, and the words "=JOHN STEEDMAN, Chemist, Walworth, Surrey=," =printed thereon=.

3rd.--The name "STEEDMAN" is always spelt with two EE's (_and in purchasing, please pronounce the word Steedman as it is printed_.)

4th.--The Manufacture is and always has been carried on "=Solely at Walworth, Surrey=."

Sold by Chemists and Patent Medicine Vendors, in Packets 1s. 1½d., and 2s. 9d.

Sold by C. F. G. CLARK & SON, Chemists, DUDLEY.

MR. ANTHONY BROWN, R.D.S., Surgeon Dentist, 43, BULL STREET, BIRMINGHAM.

(Twelve Years with Mr. C. Sims, and Eight Years connected with the Queen's and Dental Hospitals).

ARTIFICIAL TEETH in Gold, Plating, Vulcanite, or Celluloid. STOPPING in Gold, Amalgam, or White Plastics. EXTRACTIONS with or without Anæsthetics. CHILDREN'S TEETH Regulated. SCALINGS and all other Dental Operations Performed.

43, BULL STREET, BIRMINGHAM.

HOURS OF CONSULTATION--10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Later by Appointment).

ESTABLISHED 1843·

JOHN CASWELL, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL Tobacconist and Dealer in Foreign Cigars, 28, MARKET PLACE, DUDLEY.

Agent for Wills', Cope's, Hignett's, Brankstone's, Lambert and Butler's Celebrated Tobaccos.

THE BEST AND CHEAPEST HOUSE IN THE MIDLAND DISTRICT.

ESTABLISHED OVER 125 YEARS.

General Printing & Stationery ESTABLISHMENT, MARKET PLACE (near the Fountain), DUDLEY.

DOYLAH TANFIELD, (LATE MAURICE.)

Posting Bills, Pamphlets, CIRCULARS, CARDS, INVOICES. Programmes, Catalogues, Balance Sheets, Price Lists, Cheque Books, and every description of work, on the shortest notice.

MERCANTILE BOOKS, And other Manufactured Stationery, in Stock or to Order, with the utmost despatch.

_All kinds of PLAIN and ORNAMENTAL BOOKBINDING, in the most Finished Style, and at Moderate Prices._

BEST DRAUGHT & BOTTLED INKS Always on Sale. Morrell's, Stephens', Lyons, Field's Non-Corrosive, Walkden's, Thacker's, and other-well-known makes.

CHOICE SELECTION OF BIBLES, CHURCH SERVICES, PRAYER AND HYMN BOOKS. _Crests, Monograms, Dies, Visiting & Menu Cards, in any style._

Mourning Cards of the Newest Designs Printed or Engraved to Pattern with despatch.

BOOKS & PERIODICALS IN STOCK & TO ORDER. Liberal Discount to Schools.

THE FOUNTAIN TEA ESTABLISHMENT.

JORDAN AND SON, Grocers, Tea Dealers, AND HOP MERCHANTS, AGRICULTURAL & GARDEN SEEDSMEN, MARKET PLACE, DUDLEY.

ESTABLISHED 1821.

DOVEY'S Glass & China Show Rooms, _119, HALL STREET, DUDLEY_.

A great variety of DINNER, DESSERT, TEA, BREAKFAST, and TOILET SERVICES, all of the NEWEST DESIGNS and SHAPES.

RICHLY CUT AND ENGRAVED GLASS.

HOTEL & PUBLICANS' GLASS AND STAMPED MEASURES ON HAND.

_Agent for the ROYAL CHINA WORKS, WORCESTER._

S. CRUMP, (_LATE TIMMINS_) _Cabinet Maker, Bed and Bedding Manufacturer_, 9 & 10, STONE STREET, DUDLEY.

FURNISH AT S. CRUMP'S Complete Furnishing Establishment.

BRASS, IRON AND WOOD BEDSTEADS IN GREAT VARIETY. _BED CURTAINS AND TRIMMINGS._ CARPETS, QUILTS, SHEETS, &c.

S. CRUMP wishes to call special attention to the Bedding Department, as all articles offered defy competition.

FLOCK BED AND BOLSTER from 6/6 FEATHER BED, BOLSTER, and 2 PILLOWS, 39/6 BEDSTEADS, FULL SIZE, from 8/6

Wholesale Mattress Manufacturer.

PRICES ON APPLICATION.

VENETIAN BLINDS REPAIRED, RE-TAPED, and MADE EQUAL TO NEW.

FOUNTAIN DINING ROOMS AND RESTAURANT, MARKET PLACE, DUDLEY.

_Hot Joints, Poultry, &c._, FROM 12-30.

C. W. BOURNE, Purveyor of Refreshments at Banquets, Balls, Agricultural Meetings, etc., in any part of the Country.

Established 1850.

CHEMICAL & MEDICAL DEPOT. C. H. GARE, CHEMIST, (Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.) 9, WOLVERHAMPTON STREET, DUDLEY.

IMPORTANT TO INVALIDS.

At this Establishment special attention and care are devoted to the preparation of PHYSICIANS' PRESCRIPTIONS.

IN THE DISPENSING DEPARTMENT the most scrupulous accuracy may be relied upon, all the Drugs and Chemicals being carefully tested as to purity and strength, and all preparations made in accordance with the latest edition of the British Pharmacopoeia; in short, every care is taken to ensure the faithful preparation of prescriptions.

DEPOT FOR GENUINE PATENT MEDICINES. CHEMICAL AND MEDICAL DEPOT.

JOSEPH P. HOLMES, Dispensing and Family Chemist, (BY EXAMINATION,) MARKET PLACE, OLDBURY.

Special attention is given at the above Establishment to the Preparation of PHYSICIANS' PRESCRIPTIONS and FAMILY RECIPES, which are compounded with the most scrupulous care and accuracy, and with Drugs and Chemicals of the Purest Description at a moderate price.

LIVER PILLS.

A most excellent medicine for Bilious and Liver Complaints, Indigestion, &c., &c.

7½d·, 13½d·, and 2/9 per Box.

NEURALGIA PILLS.

Strongly recommended for the cure of Neuralgia, Tic Doloreux, or Pain in the Face, Teeth, and Head, Sciatica, and for Rheumatic Affections generally.

In 6d. and 1/- Boxes.

CHERRY TOOTH PASTE.

For beautifying and preserving the Teeth and Gums, far preferable to Tooth Powder.

In Pots, 6d. and 1/- each.

MARKET PLACE, OLDBURY.

MORRIS'S POSTING ESTABLISHMENT, _King Street, Dudley_.

PATENT LIVERY STABLES, DUDLEY ARMS HOTEL.

SUPERIOR HORSES, STEADY DRIVERS, AND FASHIONABLE CARRIAGES.

Funeral Requirements of every description.

CABS AND CARS ALWAYS READY.

ESTABLISHED 58 YEARS.

JOSEPH WOODHOUSE, 114, HALL STREET, DUDLEY.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL BAKER & FLOUR DEALER.

PRICE SIXPENCE.

A New Historical account OF DUDLEY CASTLE WITH A GUIDE THROUGH THE CASTLE AND PRIORY RUINS, AND A FEW BRIEF REMARKS UPON THE Geological features of the Castle Hill.

"Every visitor to these picturesque ruins should possess himself of this unpretending Guide, which is well calculated to enable the pleasure seeker to explore, understandingly, this magnificent remnant of feudal times. The most valuable portion of the Book is the ground plan of the ruins, with its explanatory remarks. With the hints contained therein, and a taste for the beautiful in scenery, and a spice of antiquarian curiosity, the visitor may enjoy a treat in which knowledge seasons pleasure, and thereby enhances it."--_Birmingham Journal_, 1856.

BY C. F. G. CLARK, Carr Villa, Dudley.

Fourteenth Edition.--Entered at Stationers' Hall.

Sold by all Booksellers; by the Lodge Gate Keepers, and the Guide of the Keep, Mr. Thomas Harthill.

CORNELIUS BROWN, PRINTER, BOOKSELLER & STATIONER, 49, HIGH STREET, DUDLEY.

PHOTOGRAPHIC VIEWS OF DUDLEY, DUDLEY CASTLE, AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.

_Microscopic Views in Useful Articles, suitable for Presents._

MONOGRAMS, NOTE HEADS, AND EMBOSSED BALL PROGRAMMES, MENU CARDS, ETC.

_PLAIN AND FANCY STATIONERY._

EAGLE HOTEL AND DINING ROOMS, 67, HIGH STREET, DUDLEY.

SOUPS, FISH, POULTRY AND JOINTS, from 12-30 Daily.

BASS'S, AND STONE ALE, GUINNESS' STOUT.

_SUPERIOR BEDROOM ACCOMMODATION for Commercial Gentlemen, &c._

PUBLIC TEAS, CHILDREN'S TREATS, PIC NICS, &c. supplied on the shortest notice and most reasonable terms.

_MRS. M. D. ROBINSON, Proprietress._

MILES DOUGHTY'S VOICE LOZENGES.

"The invention all admired, and each how he To be the inventor missed, so easy it seemed Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought impossible." _Milton._

The Inventor, having for many years made the human voice a special subject of study, was frequently struck with the fact that there existed no remedial agent that produced a specific effect upon the vocal chords. Cayenne pepper frequently proves of advantage in affections of the throat, but its action is neither direct nor specific as far as the chordæ vocales are concerned. To give it, therefore, where clearness of tone and resonance of sound are required is simply useless. What is required is not a medicine to cure disease, but an agent to produce a certain effect upon a particular part of the body in health. To discover this was the great desideratum, and to it the most careful attention was directed.

The result of much laborious research was at length presented to the public in the form in which it is now so generally known, viz., as Doughty's Voice Lozenge.

_The following specimen Testimonial, of which an enormous number have been received, will speak for itself._

(845) From the Swedish Queen of Song, MDLL. JENNY LIND.

Clairville Cottage, Old Brompton, June 22, 1847.

Sir,--I have much pleasure in confirming, as far as my experience extends, the testimony already so general in favour of the Lozenges prepared by you.

I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, JENNY LIND. Mr. Miles Doughty.

Every Genuine Lozenge Stamped "MILES DOUGHTY'S VOICE LOZENGE."

_DOUGHTY'S VOICE LOZENGES are Sold by all Chemists, in Boxes at 6d., 1s., 2s. 6d., 5s., and 11s.; or free by post for 7d., 1s. 2d., 2s. 9d., or 5s. 4d. The 11s. size will be sent free to any Railway Station for P.O. Order for 11s. 6d._

Sole Proprietors--F. NEWBERY AND SONS, (ESTABLISHED A.D., 1746.) 1, KING EDWARD STREET, NEWGATE STREET, LONDON, ENGLAND

_Sold by Messrs. CLARK & SON, DUDLEY._

WORTH A GUINEA A BOX.

THE CELEBRATED INDIAN CERATE OR "UNIVERSAL HEAL-ALL,"

Is decidedly the best Family Remedy known to the world, for every possible purpose for which an Ointment can be used. So certainly will it cure whatever is curable, that we guarantee it never to fail, and know from long experience that all who try it will never be without it in the house. For Burns and Scalds its speedy efficacy is really untold; and for Scabby or Scurfy Heads, Broken-out Mouths, and Sore Ears (so common to infants and young children), its effects are simply marvellous. Its merits are very strikingly conspicuous in all Eruptions or Roughness of the Skin, Pimples on the Face, Scurvy, Ulcerated Legs, Sore and Inflamed Eyes, Sore Nipples, Chapped Lips and Hands, and all kinds of Cuts and Wounds; for the Tender Skin of Infants, it is far preferable to, and much more efficacious than, Fuller's Earth, or any of the Dusting Powders usually resorted to in such cases. For Soothing, Cooling, and Healing properties, it stands unequalled.

SOLD IN BOXES, 3d., 6d., and 1s.

REMARKABLE CURE OF SCURVY.--January 8th, 1873.--Mrs. Roberts, of Mount Pleasant, Kingswinford, suffered from Scurvy in the hands for two years, and was completely cured by using the Cerate.

MATILDA PLANT, of Lawley, near Wellington, found more relief after two dressings with the Cerate than anything she had had from the Doctors for Fourteen Years.

PREPARED BY C. F. G. CLARK & SON, (SUCCESSORS TO SQUIRE KNIGHT,) Chemists, Crock Market, Dudley.

Borough of Dudley.

PUBLIC BATHS, BLOWERS' GREEN ROAD.

THE LARGE SWIMMING BATHS

Are Open Daily to the Public from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

SPECIAL MORNING FOR LADIES

Every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PRICES OF ADMISSION.

1st Class Private Baths, Gentlemen 6d. Ditto ditto Ladies 6d. 2nd ditto Gentlemen 3d. Ditto ditto Ladies 3d. 1st Class Swimming Baths 6d. 2nd ditto 3d.

LANCASHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY,

With which are united the Local Companies--

THE BIRMINGHAM FIRE OFFICE, AND THE BIRMINGHAM ALLIANCE FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.

CAPITAL £3,000,000.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Insurances are granted against Loss or Damage by Fire, at moderate rates of Premium, both at home and in Foreign countries.

LIFE DEPARTMENT.

The Life Premiums charged by the Lancashire are much lower than those of many other first-class Offices, and this difference in Premium is equal to an immediate Bonus.

Copies of the Report and Statement of Accounts, presented to the Annual Meeting of the Proprietors on the 10th March, 1881, may be obtained at any of the Offices of the Company.

The progress of the Company may be seen by a comparison of the facts disclosed in the Reports for the years 1870, 1875, and 1880:

1870. 1875. 1880. LIFE INCOME £47,000 £54,012 £100,501 FIRE PREMIUMS 102,000 286,143 571,736 LIFE FUND 198,000 299,864 498,887 RESERVE FUND 56,500 216,905 405,811 INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 16,500 31,885 53,138 INVESTMENTS AND FUNDS 453,000 802,629 1,348,042

The Total Funds of the Company on 31st Dec., 1881, amounted to £1,343,042.

_Chief Offices:--Exchange Street, Manchester._

GEORGE STEWART, General Manager & Actuary.

_Birmingham Branch--Lancashire Insurance Buildings, Cherry Street._

THOMAS SUTTON, Resident Secretary.

Prospectuses, Forms of Proposal, and further information can be obtained from Messrs. CLARK & SON, Chemists, Agents, DUDLEY.

THE Dudley & District News.

A Weekly Newspaper circulating in the Parishes of Dudley, Sedgley, Tipton, and Rowley.

The "News" is the recognised organ of the Liberal Party, contains full reports of all Local and District Meetings, and offers a valuable Medium for Advertisements of every class.

Offices: 93 & 94, UPPER HIGH STREET, DUDLEY.

W. R. KNEALE, CIVIL & MILITARY TAILOR, 255, CASTLE STREET, DUDLEY.

NO MORE MEDICINE.

SQUIRE KNIGHT'S HEARTBURN CAKES.

Under the distinguished patronage of the late Queen Dowager, the late Viscount Dudley and Ward, the late Lord Wharncliffe, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Duchess of Argyll, the Countess of Carlisle, F. J. Bellingham, Esq., Surgeon, Bourne; Benjamin Gibbons, Esq., The Leasowes, Halesowen; Dr. Thorpe, The Hays, Cheltenham; Mr. Moseley, Leaton Hall; and the Clergy and Gentry of the neighbourhood.

Heartburn, Sourness in the Stomach, Retchings, Nausea, Acidity, Wind, Spasms, etc., are instantly removed by taking a few of Squire Knight's Heartburn Cakes. When Pills are taken in these ailments they often irritate rather than allay the disorder.

These Heartburn Cakes are pleasant to take, they soothe and comfort the Stomach, act gently upon the Bowels, and at once restore the Digestive Organs to a healthy and natural state. They can be safely taken by all _ages and sexes_.

TESTIMONIALS.

From the Duchess of Sutherland.

Stafford House, St. James's, London, 20th July, 1858.

Sir,--Will you have the goodness to send, for the Duchess of Sutherland, _another box_ of "Squire Knight's Heartburn Lozenges" as soon as possible. Her Grace has felt great relief from taking them.

Yours respectfully, M. PEARSON. Mr. Clark, Dudley.

From the Duchess of Argyll.

Inverary, Argyllshire, 17th January, 1857.

The Duchess of Argyll would be much obliged to Mr. Clark for _another box_ of the "Heartburn Cakes," to be directed to the Duke of Argyll, 4, Carlton Terrace, London.

Bourne, Lincolnshire, 18th November, 1868.

Sir--Herewith I send you a Post Office Order for payment of the last parcel of your "Heartburn Cakes," and shall feel obliged by your sending me another parcel as soon as possible, as I find them of great use.

Yours respectfully, F. J. BELLINGHAM, Surgeon.

Cure of Acidity and Indigestion.

Mr. Joseph Mellington, Providence Row, Coseley, near Wolverhampton, was affected with Acidity in the Stomach and bad Indigestion for upwards of 20 years, so that no kind of food would digest; he was recommended to try Squire Knight's Heartburn Cakes, and after taking two small boxes he was agreeably relieved, and his appetite returned, and he has not had the slightest return of the disorders since.

29th January, 1874.

Sold and Prepared only by C. F. G. CLARK & SON, (Successors to Squire Knight,) Chemists, Market Street, Dudley, and by all respectable Medicine Vendors in the Kingdom.

Sold in Boxes, 1s. 1½d., 2s. 9d, and 4s. 6d. each, by C. BRITTEN, Bookseller, 78, High Street, Birmingham, and all Chemists; or from the Proprietors direct, for 16 or 36 stamps.

ESTABLISHED 1840.

HIGGINS & SON, General Printers & Lithographers, STATIONERS, BOOKSELLERS AND BOOKBINDERS, 27, KING STREET, DUDLEY.

SOLE AGENT FOR MACHIN'S PEARL OINTMENT

In Pots, 7½d., 1/1½, and 2/9 each.

CHAINS, CHAIN CABLES, ANCHORS, NAILS, AND IRON.

GEORGE HARTSHORNE & CO., MANUFACTURERS OF IRON, CHAIN CABLES AND ANCHORS, BEST SHORT LINK RIGGING AND CRANE CHAINS, TRACES AND BACKBANDS,

Wrought Nails, Spikes, Brobs, and Rivets; Best-Best, HW, Swedish Charcoal Horse Nails; Brazil Mule Shoe Nails, Bromsgrove Tacks, &c.

_Contractors to the Admiralty, Royal Arsenal, and War Department._

PRIMROSE BRIDGE WORKS, NETHERTON, NEAR DUDLEY.

DREDGE'S HEAL-ALL CURES RHEUMATISM.

Price 1s. 1½d. and 2s. 9d. per Bottle.

PREPARED BY BARCLAY & SONS, FARRINGDON STREET.

Sold by all Chemists and Medicine Vendors.

TAYLOR'S ALTERATIVE & FEVER POWDERS FOR CHILDREN.

The ALTERATIVE POWDERS are particularly recommended for Infants at the time of Teething, also for Worms, Convulsions, and other disorders to which children are liable.

The FEVER POWDERS are given with the greatest possible success in decided cases of Fever, also in Measles, Influenza, and all those diseases attended with febrile symptoms.

TAYLOR'S POWDERS were first used in his private practice, more than fifty years ago, by Mr. Taylor, Surgeon, Norwich; and are now prepared by the

_SOLE PROPRIETORS_:

BARCLAY & SONS, 95, Farringdon Street, London.

The ALTERATIVE and FEVER POWDERS are _distinct_ medicines, and are sold in separate boxes of 2s. 6d., 4s. 6d., 11s., and 21s.

The 2s. 6d. Boxes now contain Twelve Powders.

DISTEMPER IN DOGS.

THE BEST REMEDY FOR THIS DISEASE IS BLAINE & YOUATT'S DISTEMPER POWDERS.

They are put up in Packets marked 1, 2, & 3, according to the size of the Dog. No. 1 is proper for Mastiffs, Newfoundland Dogs, Pointers, Setters; No. 2 for Hounds, Spaniels, Terriers; and No. 3 for every smaller Dog. _Price 1s. 6d. per Packet._ Also Blaine's Mange Powders, 2s.; Blaine's Worm Powders, 2s. 6d. Prepared only by

BARCLAY & SONS, Farringdon St., London.

10,000 WONDERFUL CURES BY SQUIRE KNIGHT'S _BALSAM OF HOREHOUND_,

FOR THE COMPLETE CURE OF

COUGHS, COLDS, INFLUENZA, ASTHMA, BRONCHITIS, SPITTING OF BLOOD, WHOOPING COUGH, DIFFICULTY OF BREATHING, SORENESS AND TIGHTNESS OF THE CHEST, AND ALL OTHER LUNG COMPLAINTS TENDING TO CONSUMPTION.

The unparalleled success which has attended the sale of this pleasant and agreeable Medicine during the lifetime of the late SQUIRE KNIGHT, has induced his successors to bring it within the reach of any afflicted sufferer at a CHEAP RATE.

Among thousands of Cures, the following tell their own simple story:--

EXTRAORDINARY CURE OF A DRY, ASTHMATICAL COUGH OF TWENTY YEARS' STANDING.

OWEN SMITH, of Dudley, miner, had suffered more or less in damp, frosty, and foggy weather, for upwards of 20 years, from a dry, distressing cough, attended with great difficulty of breathing, so much so that he dared not venture out of the house half the winter long. He fortunately met with Squire Knight's Balsam of Horehound, and before he had taken two small bottles his cough was cured and his breath restored to its former free and healthy state.

November 21st, 1861.

Mrs. SARAH HOLLAND, of Sandfield Lodge, near Lichfield, upwards of sixty years of age, was for two successive winters attacked with severe cough and shortness of Breath, which nearly caused suffocation when lying in Bed, was cured by taking Squire Knight's Balsam of Horehound.

WILLIAM JOHNSON, sinker, of Prince's End, Tipton, aged sixty, was ill with shortness of breath and severe cold--thought he should have died on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday; on the latter day he got a 2s. 9d. bottle of Squire Knight's Balsam of Horehound, and before taking all of it was so far restored as to be able to walk to Dudley with ease, and entirely cured by a second bottle.

THOMAS REYNOLDS, of Gornal, suffered from an asthmatical cough for more than twenty years, and was cured by taking the Balsam of Horehound; has recommended it to many of his friends, who have all found great relief from its use.

Sold and prepared by C. F. G. CLARK and SON, (SUCCESSORS TO THE LATE SQUIRE KNIGHT), DISPENSING CHEMISTS, MARKET PLACE, DUDLEY.

Sold in Bottles at 1s. 1½d., and 2s. 9d., and 4s. 6d., by Ford and Addison, and Rooker, Brierley Hill, and Collins, Brettell Lane, and by all Patent Medicine Vendors.

JOHN NAYLER THE DUDLEY INDIA RUBBER DEPOT, 200, HIGH STREET, DUDLEY.

[Illustration: ELASTIC STOCKINGS.]

_India Rubber Mechanical Goods of every description._

_Waterproof Coats, Leggings, Carriage Aprons, Airproof Goods, Elastic Stockings And Surgical and Domestic Articles of all kinds._

USE I SAY HUDSON'S

[Illustration]

TRADE MARK DRY SOAP FOR WASHING CLEANING & SCOURING EVERYTHING

SOLD IN 1lb ½lb & ¼lb PACKETS

E. Blocksidge

_Law Stationer_, Printer and Lithographer,

18B, STONE STREET, DUDLEY, (OPPOSITE THE OLD GLASS HOUSE.)

Parchment, Vellum, Probate Forms, and Legal Stationery always in stock.

DEALER IN ARTISTS' MATERIALS.

Bookbinding executed in every style, AT VERY MODERATE PRICES.

Ornamental Addresses, Title Pages for Presentation Books and Albums, &c., &c., Illuminated, on the premises, in very best style.

LITHO TRANSFER WRITER TO THE TRADE.