The succeeding generations of this illustrious family are too remote for historical penetration, ’till the reign of Edward the Confessor, the last of the Saxon Kings, when we find, in 1050,

ULUUINE, (since ALWYNE, now ALLEN,)

master of this improving spot.

RICHARD,

1066,

seems to have succeeded him, and to have lived in that unfortunate period for property, the conquest.

The time was now arrived when this ancient family, with the rest of the English gentry, who had lived under the benign climate of Saxon government, and in the affluence of fortune, must quit the happy regions of hospitality, and enter the gloomy precincts of penury—­From givers, they were to become beggars.

The whole conduct of William seems to have carried the strongest marks of conquest.  Many of the English lost their lives, some their liberty, and nearly all their estates.  The whole land in the kingdom was insufficient to satisfy the hungry Normans.

Perhaps William took the wisest method to secure the conquered country that could be devised by human wisdom; he parcelled out the kingdom among his greater Barons; the whole county of Chester is said to have fallen to the share of Hugh Lupus:  and these were subdivided into 62,000 Knight’s-sees, which were held under the great Barons by military service.  Thus the Sovereign by only signifying his pleasure to the Barons, could instantly raise an army for any purpose.  We cannot produce a stronger indication of arbitrary government:  But, it is happy for the world, that perfection is not found even in human wisdom; for this well laid scheme destroyed itself.  Instead of making the crown absolute, as was intended, it threw the balance into the hands of the Barons, who became so many petty Sovereigns, and a scourge to the King in after ages, ’till Henry the Seventh sapped their power, and raised the third estate, the Commons, which quickly eclipsed the other two.

The English gentry suffered great distress:  Their complaints rung loud in the royal ear, some of them therefore, who had been peaceable and never opposed the Normans, were suffered to enjoy their estates in dependance upon the great Barons.

This was the case with Richard, Lord of Birmingham, who held this manor by knight’s-service of William Fitz-Ausculf, Lord of Dudley castle, and perhaps all the land between the two places.

Thus Birmingham, now rising towards the meridian of opulence, was a dependant upon Dudley castle, now in ruins; and thus an honourable family, who had enjoyed a valuable freehold, perhaps near 500 years, were obliged to pay rent, homage, suit and service, attend the Lord’s court at Dudley every three weeks, be called into the field at pleasure, and after all, possess a precarious tenure in villainage.