An History of Birmingham (1783) | Page 9

between them;
but where there is only one, partiality is expected. The Romans were
obliged to make the Britons war-like, or there would have been no
merit in conquering them: they must also sound forth their ignorance,

or there would have been none in improving them. If the Britons were
that wretched people they are represented by the Romans, they could
not be worth conquering: no man subdues a people to improve them,
but to profit by them. Though the Romans at that time were in their
meridian of splendor, they pursued Britain a whole century before they
reduced it; which indicates that they considered it as a valuable prize.
Though the Britons were not masters of science, like the Romans;
though the fine arts did not flourish here, as in Rome, because never
planted; yet by many testimonies it is evident they were masters of
plain life; that many of the simple arts were practiced in that day, as
well as in this; that assemblages of people composed cities, the same as
now, but in an inferior degree; and that the country was populous is
plain from the immense army Boadicia brought into the field, except
the Romans increased that army that their merit might be greater in
defeating it. Nay, I believe we may with propriety carry them beyond
plain life, and charge them with a degree of elegance: the Romans
themselves allow the Britons were complete masters of the chariot; that
when the scythe was fixed at each end of the axle-tree, they drove with
great dexterity into the midst of the enemy, broke their ranks, and
mowed them down. The chariot, therefore, could not be made
altogether for war, but, when the scythes were removed, it still
remained an emblem of pride, became useful in peace, was a badge of
high-life, and continues so with their descendants to this day.
We know the instruments of war used by the Britons were a sword,
spear, shield and scythe. If they were not the manufacturers, how came
they by these instruments? We cannot allow either they or the chariots
were imported, because that will give them a much greater consequence:
they must also have been well acquainted with the tools used in
husbandry, for they were masters of the field in a double sense. Bad
also as their houses were, a chest of carpentry tools would be necessary
to complete them. We cannot doubt, therefore, from these evidences,
and others which might be adduced, that the Britons understood the
manufactory of iron. Perhaps history cannot produce an instance of any
place in an improving country, like England, where the coarse
manufactory of iron has been carried on, that ever that laborious art
went to decay, except the materials failed; and as we know of no place
where such materials have failed, there is the utmost reason to believe

our fore-fathers, the Britons, were supplied with those necessary
implements by the black artists of the Birmingham forge. Iron-stone
and coal are the materials for this production, both which are found in
the neighbourhood in great plenty. I asked a gentleman of knowledge,
if there was a probability of the delphs failing? He answered, "Not in
five thousand years."
The two following circumstances strongly evince this ancient British
manufactory:--
Upon the borders of the parish stands Aston-furnace, appropriated for
melting ironstone, and reducing it into pigs: this has the appearance of
great antiquity. From the melted ore, in this subterranean region of
infernal aspect, is produced a calx, or cinder, of which there is an
enormous mountain. From an attentive survey, the observer would
suppose so prodigious a heap could not accumulate in one hundred
generations; however, it shows no perceptible addition in the age of
man.
There is also a common of vast extent, called Wednesbury-old-field, in
which are the vestiges of many hundreds of coal-pits, long in disuse,
which the curious antiquarian would deem as long in sinking, as the
mountain of cinders in rising.
The minute sprig of Birmingham, no doubt first took root in this black
soil, which, in a succession of ages, hath grown to its present opulence.
At what time this prosperous plant was set, is very uncertain; perhaps
as long before the days of Caesar as it is since. Thus the mines of
Wednesbury empty their riches into the lap of Birmingham, and thus
she draws nurture from the bowels of the earth.
The chief, if not the only manufactory of Birmingham, from its first
existence to the restoration of Charles the Second, was in iron: of this
was produced instruments of war and of husbandry, furniture for the
kitchen, and tools for the whole system of carpentry.
The places where our athletic ancestors performed these curious
productions of art, were in the shops fronting