formed the chief joys of his future life. Soon after his marriage he was presented to two small contiguous livings; and, at a sub, sequent period, obtained the vicarage of Snitterfield, to which place he removed, and bestowed on the limited grounds attached to his residence many of those tasteful improvements for which he had acquired a relish by habits of friendly communication with Shenstone. In this elegant retirement Mr. Jago composed various poems, which are calculated to convey a favourable opinion of his literary talent, and which speak, in nearly every line, the tenderness and liberality of his sentiments. It is pleasing to find that the real worth of this amiable poet was not neglected. Lord Willoughby de Broke, who, by adjacency of residence, had opportunity of appreciating his merits, presented him, in 1771, to the valuable living of Kilmcote; an advancement peculiarly acceptable, as Mr. Jago's family was large. He died in 1781, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, and was buried at Snitterfield. His principal writings are " Edge Hill," a poem in blank verse; "The Blackbirds ;""The Swallows and Goldfinches ;" and "The Fable of Labour and Genius," the subject of which was suggested by Shenstone.*

WOOTTON WAWEN acquires the second part of its appellation from a person termed Wagen, or Wawen, a man of some note, who was possessed of this lordship before the Norman Conquest. On the accession of William I. Wootton was bestowed on one of his adherents, who chose Stafford for his principal seat, and, assuming a surname from thence, has usually been termed Robert de Stadford, or Stafford. The descendants of this Robert attained high distinction, and the manor of Wootton continued in their possession until the attainder of Edward, Duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VIII. At a period briefly subsequent it passed to the family of Smythe. Sir Charles Smythe was created Baron Carrington, of Wootton, by Charles I. in 1643,

but

For further particulars concerning the Life and Writings of this amiable an and pleasing poet. see "The Cabinet of Poetry," Vol. VI.

but the title became extinct in the year 1705. The present representative of this repectable family is Sir Edward Smythe, Bart. who has here a handsome and commodious mansion.

At Wootton Wawen was a small Benedictine Priory, cell to the Abbey of Conches, in Normandy. This was founded by the de Stafford family, soon after their acquiring possession of the manor. We have already observed that the alien priories were subject to continual severe visitations from the reigning political power. After experiencing many vicissitudes, the revenues of this cell were appended, by Henry VI. to his great collegiate foundation at Cambridge.

PINDLEY, or PINLEY, situate to the north-east of the village of Claverdon, was formerly distinguished by a Benedictine nunnery, founded by R. de Pilardinton, shortly after the Conquest. This was, however, far from an extensive establishment, and was valued, at the Dissolution, according to Dugdale, at 221. 6s. 4d. above all reprises. Margery Wigston was the last prioress, and she obtained an allowance of 41. per annum during life. Some remains of the building are still to be seen, attached to an agricultural abode.

.

HEMLINGFORD HUNDRED

occupies the northern portion of the county, and is subject to four divisious, termed Birmingham; Tamworth; Atherstone; and Solihull. The Roman Icknield, or Ryknild, Street, passes through various parts of this hundred on the west; as does the Watling Street on the north-east.

BIRMINGHAM DIVISION

comprises the three market towns of Birmingham,* Coleshill, and Sutton Coldfield, and the following parishes and township: -Curdworth; Minworth (township,) Sheldon; Wishaw, with Moxhull.

The town of Birmingham, with its suburban parishes Aston and Edgbaston, possesses separate jurisdiction.

BIRMINGHAM.

This important manufacturing town, which is distinguished in the commercial annals of Great Britain for a spirit of enterprize united with habits of perseverance; for the rare association of a genius to invent and a hand to execute; is situate in the northwest extremity of Warwickshire, in a kind of peninsula which is bordered by parts of the counties of Stafford and Worcester.

The name of this place is often pronounced Brummicham ; and those who condescend to such a popular mode of pronunciation may be, in some shape, defended by an appeal to old writings, where the word is frequently spelled Brumwycheham, or Bromwycham. It has been supposed that the original name of the town was partly formed in allusion to the natural growth of the shrub termed Broom on its site; and it may be observed that two other places in the neighbourhood bear the name of Bromwish.

The first writers who notice Birmingham mention the success with which the inhabitants cultivate the manufacture of articles of an iron fabric; and Mr. Hutton, the historian of this populous and most industrious town, labours to establish the belief of such a trade existing here as early as the time of the ancient Britons. The chief arguments in favour of this conjectural opinion are comprised in the following observations: " Upon the borders of the parish stands Aston Furnace, appropriated for melting ironstone, and reducing it into pigs: this has the appearance of great antiquity. From the melted ore in this subterranean region of infernal aspect is produced a calx, or cinder, of which there is an enormous mountain. From an attentive survey the observer would suppose so prodigious a heap could not accumulate in one hundred generations; however, it shows no perceptible addition in the age of man.

"There is, also, a common of vast extent, called Wednesbury Old Field, in which are the vestiges of many hundreds of coal

pits, long in disuse, which the curious antiquarian would deem as long in sinking, as the mountain of cinders in rising.” *

Birmingham, from its situation between Wall (Etocetum) and Alcester (Alauna) is thought to have been a station on the Roman Icknield, or Ryknild, Street; but no vestiges of Roman fortifica, tion are to be discovered.

It appears that Birmingham was a place of some consideration in the time of the Saxons, as William de Birmingham, Lord of this Manor, proved, in the year 1309, that his ancestors had the privilege of a market here before the Conquest †. But, in the Norman Survey, this place is merely rated for four hides of land, and woods of half a mile in length, and four furlongs in width; the whole being valued at xxs. At a very early period the lordship became vested in a family who, assumed a surname from this possession, and who appear to have liberally protected the interests of the town. Peter de Birmingham obtained a grant for a weekly market on the Thursday, in the reign of Henry II. and William de Birmingham procured, in the time of Henry III. charters for two yearly fairs. A license to take toll, for the term of three years, on every article sold in the market, towards the expense of paving the streets of Birmingham, was obtained, through the influence of Audomore de Valance, Earl of Pembroke, in 1319. But it would seem that the town was not then in a very flourishing condition, as, on this toll proving insufficient, the work was suffered to lie dormant for eighteen years. A second licence for the term of three years was afterwards obtained, and the work was then completed. The de Birmingham family remained possessed of the manorial rights till the reign of Henry VIII. and resided in a moated house about sixty yards south of St. Martin's church. The moat is still partly remaining, but the castle has been long supplanted by the. Tesidence of a manufacturer.

The site of the ancient manorial-house has been recently purchased of

Thomas

Through the centuries occurring between the period of the Norman Conquest and the civil war in the time of Charles I. the inhabitants appear to have steadily attended to the labours of the anvil, without interfering in either of the great political questions which divided so many parts of the island; except that, in the reign of Henry III. William de Birmingham led some few of the tenants of his lordship to the field of Evesham, where they fought unsuccessfully on the side of the barons. But, notwithstanding the laborious temper of the inhabitants, Birmingham made but few advances, during these ages, to high commercial consequence, or greatness of population. The aspect and character of the place in the reign of Henry VIII. are thus noticed by Leland :-" The beauty of Birmingham, a good market town in the extreme parts of Warwickshire, is one streete, going up alonge, almost from the left ripe of the brooke, up a meane hill, by the length of a quarter of a mile.

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There be many smithes in the town, that use to make knives and all manner of cutting tools; and many loriners that make bittes; and a great many naylers; so that a great part of the town is maintained by smithes, who have their iron and sea-coal out of Staffordshire."

In the disastrous civil war of the seventeenth century Bir mingham sided with the Parliament. King Charles was here in the year 1642; but so active was the dislike entertained towards him by the inhabitants that when his majesty quitted the town, they seized the carriages containing the royal plate, and conveyed them to Warwick Castle. In the ensuing year Prince Rupert, with a detachment of 2000 men, was ordered to open a communication between Oxford and York. At Birmingham a single company of foot, aided by a troop of horse from Lichfield, denied him entrance, and hastily threw up slight works for the defence of the place.

These

Thomas Francis, Esq by the Commissioners under the Lamp and Scavenger's Act; and it is intended to construct on this spot a market for cattle, horses, swine, &c. The moat is to be completely filled up, and the buildings entirely taken down.