ARTIFICERS, those who work with the hands, and manufacture any kind of commodity in iron, brass, wood, &c. Ar tificers are the same with what we other wise call handicrafts and such are smiths, carpenters, tailors, shoema kers, weavers, and the like. The Roman artificers had their peculiar temples, where they assembled, and chose their patron, to defend their causes : they were exempted from all personal services. Ta runtinus Paternus reckons thirty-two spe cies of artificers, and Constantine thirty five, who enjoyed this privilege. The artificers were incorporated into divers colleges or companies, each of which had their tutelar gods, to whom they offered their worship ; and several of these, when they quitted their profession, hung up their tools, a votive offering to their gods. Artificers were held a degree below mer chants and argentarii, or money-chang ers, and their employment more sordid. Some deny that, in the earliest ages of the Roman state, artificers were ranked in the number of citizens ; others, who assert their citizenship, allow that they were held in contempt, as being unfit for war, and so poor, that they could scarce pay any taxes. For which reason they were not entered among the citizens, in the censor's books ; the design of the censors being only to see what number of persons were yearly fit to bear arms, and to pay taxes towards the support of the state. It may be added, that much of the business of artificers was done by slaves and foreigners, who left little for the Romans to mind but their husbandry and war. By means of the arts, the minds of men are engaged in inventions bene ficial to the community ; and thus prove the grand preservative against the bar barism and brutality which ever attend on an indolent and inactive stupidity. My
the English laws, a stranger, being an ar tificer in London, &c. shall not keep above two stranger servants ; but he may have as many English servants and apprentices as he can get. And as to artificers in wool, iron, steel, brass, or other metal, &c. persons contracting with them to go out of the kingdom into any foreign coun try are to be imprisoned three months, and fined in a sum not exceeding one hundred pounds. And such as going abroad, and not returning on warning given by our ambassadors, &c. shall be disabled from holding lands by descent or devise, from receiving any legacy, &c. and be deemed aliens. Penalty of 500/. and of imprisonment for twelve months, for the first offence ; and for the second, of 10001. and of imprisonment for two years ; is also inflicted on persons seduc ing artificers to go abroad.
A stranger-artificer in London shall not keep more than two stranger servants. 2 Den. VIII. c. 16.. Persons contracting with artificers in wool, iron, steel, brass, or other metals, &c. to go to any foreign country, shall be imprisoned three months. 5 Geo. 1. c. 27; and if any person shall contract with, or encourage any artificers employed in printing c‘llicoes, cottons, muslins, or linens of any sort, or in mak ing any tools or utensils for such manu factory, to go out of Great Britain to any port beyond the seas, he shall forfeit SW/. and be committed to the common gaol of the county for 12 months, and until such forfeiture shall be paid. 22 Geo.III. c. 60. sect. 12.