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practise it in secrecy among the Highland hills。 Before him； no man
in Great Britain is said to have known how to temper a sword in such
a way as to bend so that the point should touch the hilt and spring
back uninjured。 The swords of Andrea de Ferrara did this； and were
accordingly in great request； for it was of every importance to the
warrior that his weapon should be strong and sharp without being
unwieldy； and that it should not be liable to snap in the act of
combat。 This celebrated smith； whose personal identity*
＇footnote。。。
The precise time at which Andrea de Ferrara flourished cannot be
fixed with accuracy； but Sir Waiter Scott； in one of the notes to
Waverley； says he is believed to have been a foreign artist brought
over by James IV。 or V。 of Scotland to instruct the Scots in the
manufacture of sword…blades。 The genuine weapons have a crown marked
on the blades。
。。。＇
has become merged in the Andrea de Ferrara swords of his manufacture；
pursued his craft in the Highlands； where he employed a number of
skilled workmen in forging weapons； devoting his own time principally
to giving them their required temper。 He is said to have worked in a
dark cellar； the better to enable him to perceive the effect of the
heat upon the metal； and to watch the nicety of the operation of
tempering； as well as possibly to serve as a screen to his secret
method of working。*
＇footnote。。。
Mr。 Parkes； in his Essay on the Manufacture of Edge Tools； says； 〃Had
this ingenious artist thought of a bath of oil； he might have heated
this by means of a furnace underneath it； and by the use of a
thermometer； to the exact point which he found necessary； though it
is inconvenient to have to employ a thermometer for every distinct
operation。 Or； if he had been in the possession of a proper bath of
fusible metal； he would have attained the necessary certainty in his
process； and need not have immured himself in a subterranean
apartment。PARKES' Essays； 1841； p。 495。
。。。＇
Long after Andrea de Ferrara's time； the Scotch swords were famous
for their temper； Judge Marshal Fatten； who accompanied the
Protector's expedition into Scotland in 1547； observing that 〃the
Scots came with swords all broad and thin； of exceeding good temper；
and universally so made to slice that I never saw none so good； so I
think it hard to devise a better。〃 The quality of the steel used for
weapons of war was indeed of no less importance for the effectual
defence of a country then than it is now。 The courage of the
attacking and defending forces being equal； the victory would
necessarily rest with the party in possession of the best weapons。
England herself has on more than one occasion been supposed to be in
serious peril because of the decay of her iron manufactures。 Before
the Spanish Armada； the production of iron had been greatly
discouraged because of the destruction of timber in the smelting of
the orethe art of reducing it with pit coal not having yet been
invented； and we were consequently mainly dependent upon foreign
countries for our supplies of the material out of which arms were
made。 The best iron came from Spain itself； then the most powerful
nation in Europe； and as celebrated for the excellence of its weapons
as for the discipline and valour of its troops。 The Spaniards prided
themselves upon the superiority of their iron； and regarded its
scarcity in England as an important element in their calculations of
the conquest of the country by their famous Armada。 〃I have heard；〃
says Harrison； 〃that when one of the greatest peers of Spain espied
our nakedness in this behalf； and did solemnly utter in no obscure
place； that it would be an easy matter in short time to conquer
England because it wanted armour； his words were not so rashly
uttered as politely noted。〃 The vigour of Queen Elizabeth promptly
supplied a remedy by the large importations of iron which she caused
to be made； principally from Sweden； as well as by the increased
activity of the forges in Sussex and the Forest of Dean； 〃whereby；〃
adds Harrison； 〃England obtained rest； that otherwise might have been
sure of sharp and cruel wars。 Thus a Spanish word uttered by one man
at one time； overthrew； or at the leastwise hindered sundry privy
practices of many at another。〃 *
＇footnote。。。
HOLINSHED； History of England。 It was even said to have been one of
the objects of the Spanish Armada to get the oaks of the Forest of
Dean destroyed； in order to prevent further smelting of the iron。
Thus Evelyn； in his Sylva； says； 〃I have heard that in the great
expedition of 1588 it was expressly enjoined the Spanish Armada that
if； when landed； they should not be able to subdue our nation and
make good their conquest； they should yet be sure not to leave a tree
standing in the Forest of Dean。〃NICHOLS； History of the Forest of
Dean； p。 22。
。。。＇
Nor has the subject which occupied the earnest attention of
politicians in Queen Elizabeth's time ceased to be of interest； for；
after the lapse of nearly three hundred years； we find the smith and
the iron manufacturer still uppermost in public discussions。 It has
of late years been felt that our much…prized 〃hearts of oak〃 are no
more able to stand against the prows of mail which were supposed to
threaten them； than the sticks and stones of the ancient tribes were
able to resist the men armed with weapons of bronze or steel。 What
Solon said to Croesus； when the latter was displaying his great
treasures of gold； still holds true： 〃If another comes that hath
better iron than you； he will be master of all that gold。〃 So； when
an alchemist waited upon the Duke of Brunswick during the Seven
Years' War； and offered to communicate the secret of converting iron
into gold； the Duke replied： 〃By no means： I want all the iron I
can find to resist my enemies： as for gold； I get it from England。〃
Thus the strength and wealth of nations depend upon coal and iron；
not forgetting Men； far more than upon gold。
Thanks to our Armstrongs and Whitworths； our Browns and our Smiths；
the iron defences of England； manned by our soldiers and our sailors；
furnish the assurance of continued security for our gold and our
wealth； and； what is infinitely more precious； for our industry and
our liberty。
CHAPTER II。
EARLY ENGLISH IRON MANUFACTURE。
〃He that well observes it； and hath known the welds of Sussex； Surry；
and Kent'； the grand nursery especially of oake and beech； shal find
such an alteration； within lesse than 30 yeeres； as may well strike a
feare； lest few yeeres more； as pestilent as the former； will leave
fewe good trees standing in those welds。 Such a heate issueth out of
the many forges and furnaces for the making of iron； and out of the
glasse kilnes； as hath devoured many famous woods within the
welds；〃 JOHN NORDEN； Surveyors' Dialogue （1607）。
Few records exist of the manufacture of iron in England in e