distance, the Priory, of stone, founded by contribution, at the head of
which stood her lord; the Guild, of timber, now the Free School; and
Deritend Chapel, of the same materials, resembling a barn, with
something like an awkward dove-coat, at the west end, by way of steeple.
All these will be noticed in due course.

If we take a view of the inhabitants, we shall find them industrious,
plain, and honest; the more of the former, generally, the less of
dishonesty, if their superiors lived in an homelier stile in that
period, it is no wonder _they_ did. Perhaps our 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