Middlemen in English Business 247 



merchants became accustomed to pay on the basis of a sliding scale, 

 the price paid to the miner at the mine for ore being one-half the Hull 

 price for the lead. This more direct system of marketing occasioned 

 the decline of Chesterfield and the other lead-markets in Derbyshire 

 after 1750.^ 



During the seventeenth century many large owners of lead mines 

 arose. The share system, among other things, made it easy for capi- 

 talists to acquire large holdings. These "adventurers" subscribed 

 agreed shares which entitled them to their proportionate share in 

 profits and management; but liability was limited to the subscription. 

 It was easy for the richer to buy up controlling interests in many 

 mines, in addition to those they owned wholly. One method of 

 acquisition smacked of champerty — ^for a mining regulation laid at 

 this time forbade a miner to sell to a "gentleman who found money 

 for him to maintain a suit."^ The rich owners of mines sometimes 

 owned and worked their own smelters, but this was not usual.^ When 

 the poor miners disposed of their mines to the rich they usually sank 

 to the status of wage-workers for the latter. They were usually paid 

 a price-rate which varied with the amount of ore that they got. They 

 worked in gangs and were paid on settling days a sum which they 

 di\dded among themselves, somewhat after the custom of artels to- 

 day .■* Though lead-mining thus tended to become a more capitahstic 

 system of production, the organization of sales appeg;s not to have 

 been changed. The large mine owner like the small mine owner con- 

 tinued to dispose of his ore to the brenners or smelter-merchants who 

 smelted and marketed it. 



The lead trade in Derbyshire was regulated by a "bar-master" and 

 "bar-mote." The former was appointed before 1665 by the miners 

 and merchants^ and thereafter bv the Crown. He measured the 

 meers and the ore, summoned the barmotes and presided over them, 

 and acted as coroner. He was assisted by deputy-barmasters. The 

 barmotes were special mine-courts — the small barmotes assembled 

 tri-weekly and adjudicated petty cases — the great barmotes were held 

 twice a year and their decisions accumulated over several centuries 

 into a body of mine law.'' In Somerset the barmaster functions were 



' Farey, Agric. of Derby, 1, M9. 



-v. C. H., Derby, 332; see V. C. H., Somerset, II, .>74, for other methods. 



' Ibid., 346. 



* Ibid., 332. 



^Houghton, Compleat Miner, 2. 



" See Houghton, Compleat ]\Iiner, and Steer, Complete Mining Laws of Derby. 



