Leland's Account.

"I came through a pratty ftreet or ever I entered Bermingham. This ftreet as I remember is called Dirtey (Deritend). In it dwell fmithes and cutlers, abd there is a brooke that divideth this ftreet from Bermingham, and is nan hamlet or member belonging to the parifth thereby. There is at the end of Dirtey a proper chapel and a manfion-houfe of timber hard on the ripe as the brooke runneth down, and as I went through the ford by the bridge" (rebuilt of ftone; with five arches 1750) "the water ranne downe on the right hand, and a fewe miles lower goeth into Tame ripa dextra. This brooke above Dertey breaketh in two armes that a little below the bridge clofe againe. This brooke rifeth as fome fay or five miles above Bermingham towards Black hilles. The beauty of Bermingham, a good market-town in the extreame parts of Warwickfhire, in one ftreet going up alonge almoft from the left ripe of the brooke up a meane hill by the length of a quarter of a mile. There is one paroch church in the town. There be many fmithes in the towne that ufe to make knives and all manner of cutting tooles, and many loriners, that make bittes, and a great many naylours : fo that a great part of the towne is maintained by fmithes who have their iron and fea cole out of Staffordfhire.

Birmingham began with the productions of the anvil, and probably will end with them. The fons of the hammer were once her chief inhabitants, but that great crow of artifts is now loft in a greater. [Part of the riches, extenfion, and improvement of this town is owing to the late Mr. John Taylor, who firft introduced the manufacture of gilt buttons, japanned and gilt fnuff-boxes, and the variety of enamel works. The toyt trades firft made their appearance here in the beginning of the reign of Charles II, gun-making and brafs-foundary in that of William III. Hackney coaches were introduced here 1775, and a bank eftablifhed ten years before.