tion is
made of "Bremincham inhabited with blacksmiths, and forging sundry kinds
of iron utensils."

~Birmingham in 1635.~--As showing the status the town held at this date
we find that it was assessed for "ship money" by Charles I. at L100, the
same as Warwick, while Sutton Coldfield had to find L80 and Coventry
L266.

~Birmingham in 1656.~--Dugdale speaks of it as "being a place very
eminent for most commodities made of iron."

~Birmingham in 1680-90.~--Macaulay says: The population of Birmingham
was only 4,000, and at that day nobody had heard of Birmingham guns. He
also says there was not a single regular shop where a Bible or almanack
could be bought; on market days a bookseller named Michael Johnson
(father of the great Samuel Johnson) came over from Lichfield and opened
a stall for a few hours, and this supply was equal to the demand. The
gun trade, however, was introduced here very soon after, for there is
still in existence a warrant from the Office of Ordnance to "pay to John
Smart for Thomas Hadley and the rest of the Gunmakers of Birmingham, one
debenture of ffour-score and sixteen poundes and eighteen shillings,
dated ye 14th of July, 1690."--Alexander Missen, visiting this town in
his travels, said that "swords, heads of canes, snuff-boxes, and other
fine works of steel," could be had, "cheaper and better here than even
in famed Milan."

~Birmingham in 1691.~--The author of "The New State of England,"
published this year, says: "Bromichan drives a good trade in iron and
steel wares, saddles and bridles, which find good vent at London,
Ireland, and other parts." By another writer, "Bromicham" is described
as "a large and well-built town, very populous, much resorted to, and
particularly noted a few years ago for the counterfeit groats made here,
and dispersed all oven the kingdom."

~Birmingham in 1731.~--An old "Road-book" of this date, says that
"Birmingham, Bromicham, or Bremicham, is a large town, well built and
populous. The inhabitants, being mostly smiths, are very ingenious in
their way, and vend vast quantities of all sorts of iron wares." The
first map of the town (Westley's) was published in this year. It showed
the Manorhouse on an oval island, about 126 yards long by 70 yards
extreme width, surrounded by a moat about twelve yards broad. Paradise
Street was then but a road through the fields; Easy Hill (now Easy Row),
Summer Hill, Newhall Hill, Ludgate Hill, Constitution Hill, and Snow
Hi