32 A PICTURE OF THE IRON TRADE. 



and " without peradventure he hath partners." A poor fyner is 

 arrested for some dishonesty by Copley, and cast into prison. 

 But the condition of the labourers was not a degraded one, nor 

 was it hopeless of improvement. The work of a good workman 

 commanded a higher price, and there was some, such as sawmakers 

 and potters, who turned out articles which could not be made 

 without them. In consequence, they knew their own value, were 

 able to dictate their own terms, and even from small beginnings 

 to become merchants on their own account. In November, 1664, 

 there is a letter to Mr. Blake complaining that " yor clerke who 

 takes in yor nailes begins very unhandsomely. He was lately at 

 Eckington amongst my sonns workmen, and would have entised 

 some of them away. I suppose it was without yor Maistrs or yor 

 privity." In April, 1665, Copley makes the suggestion that 

 neither he nor Francis Sitwell shall interfere with each other's 

 workmen These extracts show clearly the competition to secure 

 the services of the best workmen, and that they could make their 

 own terms the following bears witness : " When my workman (now 

 in Staffordshire) that makes them (i.e., sugar, stows) comes, that I 

 may know what he will have for his labour." .... 



It was very common to make bargains by which the workmen 

 received in return for their labour some article of commerce, and 

 thus reaped an extra profit. As an example of this, two charcoal 

 carriers bargain to carry from Bushy Park to Winfield furnace at 

 iod. per load and 10s. over, to be paid all in iron at 13 //per ton. 

 In the same year Geo. and Sam. Row contracted to buy iron at 

 £$ per ton, and to pay for it in charcoal at 18s. per load. George 

 Sitwell makes a bargain with his best sawmaker " to let him have 

 iron at Plesley Forge at ^14 10s. per tunn, for every tunn he is 

 to sett in eight dozen of good whipp saws, of which said eight 

 duzen three duzen to be seven foot saws. He is to pay the 

 charge what they shall lye in carrying to London, before he takes 

 them away from the place where they are sett in. I am to send 

 them to my factor in London, and to give him notice that he 

 (the sawmaker) may goe and sell them." 



I find mention of the following furnaces and forges. Foxbrooke 



