hungry People in his Shop, that immediately they all went and declared
abroad what an affront the Smith had put upon them. Whereupon it was
decreed and confirmed, that for ever after all the People of that rank
should be deposed, and deprived of the Honour of having the Hondrewes
to eat in their Houses. Which Decree hath stood in force ever since.

[The Privilege and state of the Smiths.] Nevertheless these Smiths
take much upon them, especially those who are the King's Smiths; that
is, such who live in the King's Towns, and do his work. These have
this Privilege, that each has a parcel of Towns belonging to them,
whom none but they are to work for. The ordinary work they do for
them is mending their Tools, for which every Man pays to his Smith a
certain Rate of Corn in Harvest time according to ancient Custom. But
if any hath work extraordinary, as making new Tools or the like,
besides the aforesaid Rate of Corn, he must pay him for it. In order
to this, they come in an humble manner to the Smith with a Present,
being Rice, Hens, and other sorts of Provision, or a bottle of Rack,
desiring him to appoint his time, when they shall come to have their
work done. Which when he hath appointed them, they come at the set
time, and bring both Coals and Iron with them. The Smith sits very
gravely upon his Stool, his Anvil before him, with his left hand
towards the Forge, and a little Hammer in his Right. They themselves
who come with their work must blow the Bellows, and when the Iron is
to be beaten with the great Maul, he holds it, still sitting upon his
Stool, and they must hammer it themselves, he only with his little
Hammer knocking it sometimes into fashion. And if it be any thing to
be filed, he makes them go themselves and grind it upon a Stone, that
his labour of fileing may be the less; and when they have done it as
well as they can, he goes over it again with his file and finisheth
it. That which makes these Smiths thus stately is, because the Towns
People are compelled to go to their own Smith, and none else. And if
they should, that Smith is liable to pay Dammages that should do work
for any in another Smith's Jurisdiction.

[Craftsmen.] All that are of any Craft or Profession are accounted
of an inferior degree, as Elephant Catchers, and Keepers, who are
reckoned equal with the Smiths, &c. abovesaid, tho they neither eat
nor marry together; and these may wear Apparel as do the Hondrews,
and sit on Stools, but the