HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 415 



shragers to keep them from sticking to one another (which they 

 would certainly otherwise doe by reason of the leading) and to 

 preserve them from the vehemence of the fire, which else would 

 melt them downe, or at least warp them. In 24 hours an Oven of 

 Pots will be burnt, then they Jet the fire goe out by degrees, which 

 in 10 hours more will be perfectly done, and then they draw them 

 for Sale, which is cheifly to the poor Crate-men, who carry them at 

 their backs all over the Countrey, to whome they reckon them by 

 the piece, i. e. Quart, in hollow ware, so that 6 pottle, or 3 gallon 

 bottles make a dosen, and so more or less to a dosen, as they are of 

 greater or lesser content. The flat wares are also reckoned by pieces 

 and dosens, but not (as the hollow) according to their content, but 

 their different bredths"* 



This is admitted to be a faithful description of the state of the 

 Manufacture down to the time when Plott wrote; indeed, there 

 are persons still living, who remember manufactories carried on 

 in Burslem upon a similar principle. Its authenticity is further 

 corroborated by the numerous specimens of the wares here alluded 

 to, which have at various times been dug up in different parts of that 

 town, and now carefully preserved. It is readily discovered, upon 

 minutely examining these ancient pieces, that the Butter-pot claims 

 priority of date, from the circumstance of its being composed of the 

 coarsest clay (then as now used in making the inferior sorts of 

 brick) as well as exhibiting the rudest workmanship; and although 

 many of these pots (weighing Gibs.) have been lately found without 

 any glazef whatever, and evidently made at a remote period, others 

 have the appearance of lead ore having been sprinkled on the in- 

 side, when in a moist state, and before they were exposed to the 

 heat of the potter's oven. 



This partial glazing appears to have been the first attempt at im- 

 proving the rude article, manufactured, there is every reason to be- 

 lieve, long before the year 1670. Specimens have also been found 

 which exhibit a further improvement in medals of King William and 

 Queen Mary being attached to the sides of the ware, and glazed 



* Plott' s Hist, of Staff, ch. Hi. sees. 23-29. 



t The common glaze was produced by lead ore, finely powdered, and sprink- 

 led on the pieces of ware before firing ; sometimes with the addition of a little 

 manganese, for the sake of the brown colour it communicates, and where the 

 potters wished " to shew the utmost of their skill," (Plott) in giving the ware 

 a higher gloss than ordinary, they employed, instead of lead ore, calcined Itad 

 Itself; but still sprinkled it on the pieces in the same rude manner. 



3 G 



