118 DROITWICH.

early as 1708 the proprietors of the old salt pit brought a bill into the House of Commons to bring the brine in pipes from Droitwich to Hawford. The recent connexion of the town with the Midland and Great Western system of railway has probably for ever put an end to projects of this sort; and with such facilities of railway and canal transit as the town now enjoys it is strange that some other staple trade besides salt has not been established. It is hoped that the new Factory Act, which came into effect last New Year's Day, will stop the employment of women in the salt works, which has been the great obstacle to improvement in Droitwich; at any rate it will prevent their working at night.

Wych was one of the King's demesne burghs, committed to a bailiff, and King John was the first who farmed the town to its own burgesses instead of a bailiff. Henry III took it again into his own hands, owing to arrears of fee-farm rents, and the poor burgesses were distrained on. Indeed the Sovereign of the country seems to have been their most troublesome creditor for a long series of years. James I gave them a charter which created a body corporate by the name of bailiffs and burgesses. The town had its full share in the civil wars, and sent assistance to Worcester when Waller besieged the city, for which the King sent the burgesses a special letter of commendation. In May, 1645, the King stayed here, at a Mr. Barret's, for three days, just before Hawksley House was besieged and taken by Prince Maurice; and there are accounts extant of supplies sent to the troops who occupied Dodderhill church, which overlooks the town from a neighbouring eminence. Droitwich was represented in Parliament as early as Edward I; and in the time of Charles I, Endymion Porter, who was a gentleman of the bed-chamber to that king, and most obnoxious to the Parliament, was Member for the borough. The town has not been altogether happy in its political or social relations, and the history of its Parliamentary and municipal elections is one of