of the inhabitants of Bromsgrove and
King's-norton, for refusing to pay the customary tolls of the market.
The inhabitants, therefore, brought their action and recovered damage,
because it was said, their lands being the ancient demesne of the crown,
they had a right to sell their produce in any market in the King's
dominions.

It appeared in the course of the trial, that the ancestors of William de
Birmingham had a MARKET HERE before the Norman conquest! I shall have
occasion, in future, to resume this remarkable expression. I have also
met with an old author, who observes, that Birmingham was governed by
two Constables in the time of the Saxons; small places have seldom more
than one. These evidences prove much in favour of the government,
population, and antiquity of the place.

In Domesday-book it is rated at four hides of land. A hide was as much
as a team could conveniently plough in a year; perhaps at that time
about fifty acres: I think there is not now, more than two hundred
ploughed in the parish.

It was also said to contain woods of half a mile in length, and four
furlongs in breadth. What difference subsisted between half a mile and
four furlongs, in ancient time, is uncertain; we know of none now. The
mile was reduced to its present standard in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth: neither are there the least traces of those woods, for at
this day it is difficult to find a stick that deserves the name of a
tree, in the whole manor.--Timber is no part of the manufactory of
Birmingham.

Let us survey the town a third time, as we may reasonably suppose it
stood in the most remarkable period of English history, that of the
conquest.

We cannot yet go farther North of the centre than before, that is, along
the High-street, 'till we meet the East end of New street. We shall
penetrate rather farther into Moor-street, none into Park-street, take
in Digbeth, Deritend, Edgbaston-street, as being the road to Dudley,
Bromsgrove, and the whole West of England; Spiceal-street, the Shambles,
a larger part of Bell street, and Philip-street.

The ancient increase of the town was towards the South, because of the
great road, the conveniency of water, the church, and the manor-house,
all which lay in that quarter: but the modern extension was chiefly
towards the North, owing to the scions of her trades being transplanted
all over the country, in that direction, as far as Wednesbury, Walsall,
and Wolverhampton. But particular