按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
patri charus et regiae Majestatis fidissimus subditus et servus in
asserendo regein； in vindicartdo ecclesiam； in propugnando legem ac
libertatem Anglicanam； saepe captus； anno 1648； semel condemnatus et
tamen non decollatus； renatum denuo vidit diadaema hic inconcussa
semper virtute senex。
Differt non aufert mortem longissima vita
Sed differt multam cras hodiere mori。
Quod nequeas vitare； fugis：
Nec formidanda est。
Plot frequently alludes to Dudley in his Natural History of
Staffordshire； and when he does so he describes him as the 〃worshipful
Dud Dudley；〃 showing the estimation in which he was held by his
contemporaries。
。。。＇
CHAPTER IV。
ANDREW YARRANTON。
〃There never have been wanting men to whom England's improvement by
sea and land was one of the dearest thoughts of their lives； and to
whom England's good was the foremost of their worldly considerations。
And such； emphatically； was Andrew Yarranton； a true patriot in the
best sense of the word。〃DOVE； Elements of Political Science。
That industry had a sore time of it during the civil wars will
further appear from the following brief account of Andrew Yarranton；
which may be taken as a companion memoir to that of Dud Dudley。 For
Yarranton also was a Worcester ironmaster and a soldierthough on
the opposite side；but more even than Dudley was he a man of public
spirit and enterprise； an enlightened political economist （long
before political economy had been recognised as a science）； and in
many respects a true national benefactor。 Bishop Watson said that he
ought to have had a statue erected to his memory because of his
eminent public services； and an able modern writer has gone so far as
to say of him that he was 〃the founder of English political economy；
the first man in England who saw and said that peace was better than
war； that trade was better than plunder； that honest industry was
better than martial greatness； and that the best occupation of a
government was to secure prosperity at home； and let other nations
alone。〃*
＇footnote。。。
PATRICK EDWARD DOVE； Elements of Political Science。 Edinburgh； 1854。
。。。＇
Yet the name of Andrew Yarranton is scarcely remembered； or is at
most known to only a few readers of half…forgotten books。 The
following brief outline of his history is gathered from his own
narrative and from documents in the State Paper Office。
Andrew Yarranton was born at the farmstead of Larford； in the parish
of Astley； in Worcestershire； in the year 1616。*
＇footnote。。。
A copy of the entries in the parish register relating to the various
members of the Yarranton family； kindly forwarded to us by the Rev。
H。 W。 Cookes； rector of Astley； shows them to have resided in that
parish for many generations。 There were the Yarrantons of Yarranton；
of Redstone； of Larford； of Brockenton； and of Longmore。 With that
disregard for orthography in proper names which prevailed some three
hundred years since； they are indifferently designated as Yarran；
Yarranton； and Yarrington。 The name was most probably derived from
two farms named Great and Little Yarranton； or Yarran （originally
Yarhampton）； situated in the parish of Astley。 The Yarrantons
frequently filled local offices in that parish； and we find several
of them officiating at different periods as bailiffs of Bewdley。
。。。＇
In his sixteenth year he was put apprentice to a Worcester
linendraper； and remained at that trade for some years； but not
liking it； he left it； and was leading a country life when the civil
wars broke out。 Unlike Dudley； he took the side of the Parliament；
and joined their army； in which he served for some time as a soldier。
His zeal and abilities commended him to his officers； and he was
raised from one position to another； until in the course of a few
years we find him holding the rank of captain。 〃While a soldier；〃
says he； 〃I had sometimes the honour and misfortune to lodge and
dislodge an army；〃 but this is all the information he gives us of his
military career。 In the year 1648 he was instrumental in discovering
and frustrating a design on the part of the Royalists to seize Doyley
House in the county of Hereford； and other strongholds； for which he
received the thanks of Parliament 〃for his ingenuity； discretion； and
valour；〃 and a substantial reward of 500L。*
＇footnote。。。
Journals of the House of Commons； lst July； 1648。
。。。＇
He was also recommended to the Committee of Worcester for further
employment。 But from that time we hear no more of him in connection
with the civil wars。 When Cromwell assumed the supreme control of
affairs； Yarranton retired from the army with most of the
Presbyterians； and devoted himself to industrial pursuits。
We then find him engaged in carrying on the manufacture of iron at
Ashley； near Bewdley； in Worcestershire。 〃In the year 1652〃； says he；
〃I entered upon iron…works； and plied them for several years。〃*
＇footnote。。。
YARRANTON'S England's Improvement by Sea and Land。 Part I。 London；
1677。
。。。＇
He made it a subject of his diligent study how to provide employment
for the poor； then much distressed by the late wars。 With the help of
his wife； he established a manufacture of linen； which was attended
with good results。 Observing how the difficulties of communication；
by reason of the badness of the roads； hindered the development of
the rich natural resources of the western counties；*
＇footnote。。。
There seems a foundation of truth in the old English distich
The North for Greatness； the East for Health；
The South for Neatness； the West for Wealth。
。。。＇
he applied himself to the improvement of the navigation of the larger
rivers； making surveys of them at his own cost； and endeavouring to
stimulate local enterprise so as to enable him to carry his plans
into effect。
While thus occupied； the restoration of Charles II。 took place； and
whether through envy or enmity Yarranton's activity excited the
suspicion of the authorities。 His journeys from place to place seemed
to them to point to some Presbyterian plot on foot。 On the 13th of
November； 1660； Lord Windsor； Lord…Lieutenant of the county； wrote to
the Secretary of State〃There is a quaker in prison for speaking
treason against his Majesty； and a countryman also； and Captain
Yarrington for refusing to obey my authority。〃*
＇footnote。。。
State Paper Office。 Dom。 Charles II。 1660…1。 Yarranton afterwards
succeeded in making a friend of Lord Windsor； as would appear from
his dedication of England's Improvement to his Lordship； whom he
thanks for the encouragement he had given to him in his survey of
several rivers with a view to their being rendered navigable。
。。。＇
It would appear from subsequent letters that Yarranton must have lain
in prison for nearly two years； charged with conspiring against the
king's authority； the only evidence against him consisting of some
anonymous lette