ancestors acquired more
money than their neighbours, and not much of that; but what they had was
extremely valuable: diligence will accumulate. In curious operations,
known only to a few, we may suppose the artist was amply paid.

Nash, in his History of Worcestershire, gives us a curious list of
anecdotes, from the church-wardens ledger, of Hales-Owen. I shall
transcribe two, nearly three hundred years old. "_Paid for bread and
ale, to make my Lord Abbot drink, in Rogation week, 2d._" What should we
now think of an ecclesiastical nobleman, accepting a two-penny treat
from a country church-warden?

This displays an instance of moderation in a class of people famous for
luxury. It shows also the amazing reduction of money: the same sum which
served my Lord Abbot four days, would now be devoured in four
minutes.--"1498, _paid for repeyling the organs, to the organmaker at
Bromicham_, 10_s_." Birmingham then, we find, discovered the powers of
genius in the finer arts, as well as in iron. By '_the_ organmaker,' we
mould suppose there was but one.

It appears that the art of acquiring riches was as well understood by
our fathers, as by us; while an artist could receive as much money for
tuning an organ, as would purchase an acre of land, or treat near half a
gross of Lord Abbots.

BATTLE OF CAMP-HILL.

1643.

Clarendon reproaches with virulence, our spirited ancestors, for
disloyalty to Charles the First.--The day after the King left
Birmingham, on his march from Shrewsbury, in 1642, they seized his
carriages, containing the royal plate and furniture, which they
conveyed, for security, to Warwick Castle. They apprehended all
messengers and suspected persons; frequently attacked, and reduced small
parties of the royalists, whom they sent prisoners to Coventry.--Hence
the proverbial expression of a refractory person, _Send him to
Coventry_.

In 1643, the King ordered Prince Rupert, with a detachment of two
thousand men, to open a communication between Oxford and York. In his
march to Birmingham, he found a company of foot, kept for the
parliament, lately reinforced by a troop of horse from the garrison at
Lichfield: but, supposing they would not resist a power of ten to one,
sent his quarter masters to demand lodging, and offer protection.

But the sturdy sons of freedom, having cast up slight works at each end
of the town, and barricaded the lesser avenues, rejected the offer and
the officers. The military unit