thinkithardtodeviseabetter。”Thequalityofthesteelusedforweaponsofwarwasindeedofnolessimportancefortheeffectualdefenceofacountrythenthanitisnow。Thecourageoftheattackinganddefendingforcesbeingequal,thevictorywouldnecessarilyrestwiththepartyinpossessionofthebestweapons。
Englandherselfhasonmorethanoneoccasionbeensupposedtobeinseriousperilbecauseofthedecayofherironmanufactures。BeforetheSpanishArmada,theproductionofironhadbeengreatlydiscouragedbecauseofthedestructionoftimberinthesmeltingoftheore——theartofreducingitwithpitcoalnothavingyetbeeninvented;andwewereconsequentlymainlydependentuponforeigncountriesforoursuppliesofthematerialoutofwhicharmsweremade。ThebestironcamefromSpainitself,thenthemostpowerfulnationinEurope,andascelebratedfortheexcellenceofitsweaponsasforthedisciplineandvalourofitstroops。TheSpaniardspridedthemselvesuponthesuperiorityoftheiriron,andregardeditsscarcityinEnglandasanimportantelementintheircalculationsoftheconquestofthecountrybytheirfamousArmada。”Ihaveheard,”
saysHarrison,”thatwhenoneofthegreatestpeersofSpainespiedournakednessinthisbehalf,anddidsolemnlyutterinnoobscureplace,thatitwouldbeaneasymatterinshorttimetoconquerEnglandbecauseitwantedarmour,hiswordswerenotsorashlyutteredaspolitelynoted。”ThevigourofQueenElizabethpromptlysuppliedaremedybythelargeimportationsofironwhichshecausedtobemade,principallyfromSweden,aswellasbytheincreasedactivityoftheforgesinSussexandtheForestofDean;”whereby,”
addsHarrison,”Englandobtainedrest,thatotherwisemighthavebeensureofsharpandcruelwars。ThusaSpanishwordutteredbyonemanatonetime,overthrew,orattheleastwisehinderedsundryprivypracticesofmanyatanother。”*
[footnote……
HOLINSHED,HistoryofEngland。ItwasevensaidtohavebeenoneoftheobjectsoftheSpanishArmadatogettheoaksoftheForestofDeandestroyed,inordertopreventfurthersmeltingoftheiron。
ThusEvelyn,inhisSylva,says,”Ihaveheardthatinthegreatexpeditionof1588itwasexpresslyenjoinedtheSpanishArmadathatif,whenlanded,theyshouldnotbeabletosubdueournationandmakegoodtheirconquest,theyshouldyetbesurenottoleaveatreestandingintheForestofDean。”——NICHOLS,HistoryoftheForestofDean,p。22。
NorhasthesubjectwhichoccupiedtheearnestattentionofpoliticiansinQueenElizabeth’stimeceasedtobeofinterest;for,afterthelapseofnearlythreehundredyears,wefindthesmithandtheironmanufacturerstilluppermostinpublicdiscussions。Ithasoflateyearsbeenfeltthatourmuch-prized”heartsofoak”arenomoreabletostandagainsttheprowsofmailwhichweresupposedtothreatenthem,thanthesticksandstonesoftheancienttribeswereabletoresistthemenarmedwithweaponsofbronzeorsteel。WhatSolonsaidtoCroesus,whenthelatterwasdisplayinghisgreattreasuresofgold,stillholdstrue:——”Ifanothercomesthathathbetterironthanyou,hewillbemasterofallthatgold。”So,whenanalchemistwaitedupontheDukeofBrunswickduringtheSevenYears’War,andofferedtocommunicatethesecretofconvertingironintogold,theDukereplied:——”Bynomeans:IwantalltheironI
canfindtoresistmyenemies:asforgold,IgetitfromEngland。”
Thusthestrengthandwealthofnationsdependuponcoalandiron,notforgettingMen,farmorethanupongold。
ThankstoourArmstrongsandWhitworths,ourBrownsandourSmiths,theirondefencesofEngland,mannedbyoursoldiersandoursailors,furnishtheassuranceofcontinuedsecurityforourgoldandourwealth,and,whatisinfinitelymoreprecious,forourindustryandourliberty。
CHAPTERII。
EARLYENGLISHIRONMANUFACTURE。”Hethatwellobservesit,andhathknowntheweldsofSussex,Surry,andKent’,thegrandnurseryespeciallyofoakeandbeech,shalfindsuchanalteration,withinlessethan30yeeres,asmaywellstrikeafeare,lestfewyeeresmore,aspestilentastheformer,willleavefewegoodtreesstandinginthosewelds。Suchaheateissuethoutofthemanyforgesandfurnacesforthemakingofiron,andoutoftheglassekilnes,ashathdevouredmanyfamouswoodswithinthewelds,”——JOHNNORDEN,Surveyors’Dialogue1607。
FewrecordsexistofthemanufactureofironinEnglandinearlytimes。AftertheRomanslefttheisland,theBritish,ormoreprobablytheTeutonictribessettledalongthesouthcoast,continuedthesmeltingandmanufactureofthemetalafterthemethodstaughtthembythecolonists。Inthemidstoftheinsecurity,however,engenderedbycivilwarandsocialchanges,thepursuitsofindustrymustnecessarilyhavebeenconsiderablyinterferedwith,andtheartofiron-forgingbecameneglected。NonoticeofironbeingmadeinSussexoccursinDomesdayBook,fromwhichitwouldappearthatthemanufacturehadinagreatmeasureceasedinthatcountyatthetimeoftheConquest,thoughitwascontinuedintheiron-producingdistrictsborderingonWales。InmanyoftheAnglo-Saxongraveswhichhavebeenopened,longironswordshavebeenfound,showingthatweaponsofthatmetalwereincommonuse。Butitisprobablethatironwasstillscarce,asploughsandotheragriculturalimplementscontinuedtobemadeofwood,——oneoftheAnglo-Saxonlawsenactingthatnomanshouldundertaketoguideaploughwhocouldnotmakeone;andthatthecordswithwhichitwasboundshouldbeoftwistedwillows。Themetalwasheldinesteemprincipallyasthematerialofwar。Allmaleadultswererequiredtobeprovidedwithweapons,andhonourwasawardedtosuchartificersasexcelledinthefabricationofswords,arms,anddefensivearmour。*
[footnote……
WILKINS,LegesSax。25。
CamdenincidentallystatesthatthemanufactureofironwascontinuedinthewesterncountiesduringtheSaxonera,moreparticularlyintheForestofDean,andthatinthetimeofEdwardtheConfessorthetributepaidbythecityofGloucesterconsistedalmostentirelyofironrodswroughttoasizefitformakingnailsfortheking’sships。Anoldreligiouswriterspeaksoftheironworkersofthatdayasheathenishintheirmanners,puffedupwithpride,andinflatedwithworldlyprosperity。OntheoccasionofSt。Egwin’svisittothesmithsofAlcester,aswearetoldinthelegend,hefoundthengivenuptoeverykindofluxury;andwhenheproceededtopreachuntothem,theybeatupontheiranvilsincontemptofhisdoctrinesoascompletelytodeafenhim;uponwhichheaddressedhisprayerstoheaven,andthetownwasimmediatelydestroyed。*
[footnote……
LifeofSt。Egwin,inCapgrave’sNovaLegendaAnglioe。Alcesterwas,asitsnameindicates,anoldRomansettlementsituatedontheIcknildStreet,wheretheartofworkinginironwaspractisedfromanearlyperiod。ItwasoriginallycalledAlauna,beingsituatedontheriverAlneinWarwickshire。Itisstillaseatoftheneedlemanufacture。
ButthefirstreceptiongiventoJohnWesleybytheminersoftheForestofDean,morethanathousandyearslater,wasperhapsscarcelymoregratifyingthanthatgiventoSt。Egwin。
ThatworkinginironwasregardedasanhonourableandusefulcallingintheMiddleAges,isapparentfromtheextenttowhichitwasfollowedbythemonks,someofwhomwereexcellentcraftsmen。ThusSt。Dunstan,whogovernedEnglandinthetimeofEdwytheFair,wasaskilledblacksmithandmetallurgist。Heissaidtohavehadaforgeeveninhisbedroom,anditwastherethathisreputedencounterwithSatanoccurred,inwhichofcoursethesaintcameoffthevictor。
TherewasanothermonkofSt。Alban’s,calledAnketil,whoflourishedinthetwelfthcentury,sofamousforhisskillasaworkeriniron,silver,gold,jewelry,andgilding,thathewasinvitedbythekingofDenmarktobehisgoldsmithandbanker。Apairofgoldandsilvercandlesticksofhismanufacture,presentedbytheabbotofSt。
Alban’stoPopeAdrianIV。,weresomuchesteemedfortheirexquisiteworkmanshipthattheywereconsecratedtoSt。Peter,andwerethemeansofobtaininghighecclesiasticaldistinctionfortheabbey。
Wealsofindthattheabbotsofmonasteriessituatedintheirondistricts,amongtheirotherlabours,devotedthemselvestothemanufactureofironfromtheore。TheextensivebedsofcindersstillfoundintheimmediateneighbourhoodofRievaulxandHackness,inYorkshire,showthatthemonkswerewellacquaintedwiththeartofforging,andearlyturnedtoaccounttherichesoftheClevelandironstone。IntheForestofDeanalso,theabbotofFlaxleywaspossessedofonestationaryandoneitinerantforge,bygrantfromHenryII,andhewasallowedtwooaksweeklyforfuel,——aprivilegeafterwardscommuted,in1258,forAbbot’sWoodof872acres,whichwasheldbytheabbeyuntilitsdissolutioninthereignofHenryVIII。AtthesametimetheEarlofWarwickhadforgesatworkinhiswoodsatLydney;andin1282,asmanyas72forgeswereleasedfromtheCrownbyvariousiron-smeltersinthesameForestofDean。
Therearenumerousindicationsofiron-smeltinghavingbeenconductedonaconsiderablescaleatsomeremoteperiodintheneighbourhoodofLeeds,inYorkshire。IndiggingoutthefoundationsofhousesinBriggate,theprincipalstreetofthattown,many”bellpits”havebeenbroughttolight,fromwhichironstonehasbeenremoved。ThenewcemeteryatBurmandtofts,inthesametown,wasinlikemannerfoundpittedoverwiththeseancientholes。Theminerseemstohavedugawellabout6feetindiameter,andsosoonashereachedthemineral,heworkeditawayallround,leavingthebell-shapedcavitiesinquestion。Hedidnotattemptanygalleryexcavations,butwhenthepitwasexhausted,afreshonewassunk。Theore,whendug,wastransported,mostprobablyonhorses’backs,totheadjacentdistrictsfortheconvenienceoffuel。Foritwaseasiertocarrythemineraltothewood——thenexclusivelyusedforsmelting’——thantobringthewoodtothemineral。HencethenumerousheapsofscoriaefoundintheneighbourhoodofLeeds,——atMiddleton,Whitkirk,andHorsforth——allwithintheborough。AtHorsforth,theyarefoundinconglomeratedmassesfrom30to40yardslong,andofconsiderablewidthanddepth。Theremainsofthesecinder-bedsinvariouspositions,someofthemnearthesummitofthehill,tendtoshow,thatasthetreeswereconsumed,anewwindfurnacewaserectedinanothersituation,inordertolessenthelabourofcarryingthefuel。TherearealsodepositsofasimilarkindatKirkbyOverblow,avillageafewmilestothenorth-eastofLeeds;andThoresbystatesthattheplacewassocalledbecauseitwasthevillageofthe”Oreblowers,”——hencethecorruptionof”Overblow。”AdiscoveryhasrecentlybeenmadeamongthepapersoftheWentworthfamily,ofacontractforsupplyingwoodandoreforiron”blomes”atKirskillnearOtley,inthefourteenthcentury;*
[footnote……
Thefollowingisanextractofthiscuriousdocument,whichisdatedthe26thDec。1352:”CesteendenturefaitentremonsireRicharddeGoldesburghe,chivaler,dunepart,etRobertTotte,seignour,dautretesmoigneqeleditmonsireRichardadgraunteetlessealditRobertdeuzOlyverescontenaunzvyntquatreblomesdelafesteseyntPiereadvinculalanduregneleRoiEdwardtierceapresleconquestevyntsysme,ensunparkedeCreskelde,rendantalditmonsireRichardchesqunesemaynquatorzsesoutzdargentdurauntlesdeuxOlyversavauntdist;ateniretavoiralavauntditRobertdelavauntditmonsireRicharddelafesteseyntPiereavauntdist,taunqueleboissoitarsduditparkealavolunteleditmonsireRichardsaunzinterrupcione[eledictemonsieurRichardtroveraaditRoberturresuffisauntpurlezditzOlyverspurlesondonaunt:thesewordsareinterlined]。EtfaitasavoirqeleditRobertnenuledesoenscoupardneabateranulemaneredarbrenedeboysputlesdeuzolyversavauntditzmesparlaveuetlalyvereleditmonsireRichard,ouparascunautreparleditmonsireRichardassigne。Entesmoigaunzsicdequenxchosesacestespresentesendentureslespartiesenterchaungablementountmyslourseals。EscriptaCreskeldelemeskerdyenlesemayndePasquelanavauntdiste。”
Itisprobablethatthe”blomes”referredtointhisagreementwerethebloomeriesorfiresinwhichtheironwasmade;andthatthe”olyveres”wereforgesorerections,eachofwhichcontainedsomanybloomeries,butwereoflimiteddurability,andprobablyperishedintheusing。