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。