THE COST OF LIVING IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY. 



By DANA C. MUNRO. 



(Read April so, 19 ii.) 



As yet it is impossible to make any statement of the average cost 

 of living in the twelfth century in any country of Europe. Much 

 material is accessible in the Pipe Rolls and similar accounts, in the 

 charters and other legal documents, of which so many thousands 

 have been preserved ; but no one has attempted a careful statistical 

 study for this period. Thorold Rogers began his work on the prices 

 in England with the year 1259; Curschmann collected some items 

 for Germany during the years 1 190-1225 ; Lamprecht gathered some 

 data on prices for France in the eleventh century ; and there are 

 some other partial statements. Whether it will be possible to make 

 an accurate estimate can only be ascertained after minute and ex- 

 tended examination of the accessible material. 



But it is possible to gather some examples which are illuminat- 

 ing. In 1 181 the former mistress of Henry II., and the mother of 

 Geoffrey, was receiving an annual pension of 20 marks or 13 pounds 

 6s. 8d. In the same year the " Archbishop of Norway," who was 

 then visiting in England, was allowed by the king los. a day for 

 the expenses of himself and suite. The same amount was allowed 

 in 1 180 to the Abbot of Glastonbury. Evidently los. a day was con- 

 sidered sufficient for the expenses of a high church official and his 

 attendants ; probably the pension of 20 marks, or a little over 8d. 

 a day, was sufficient for the expenses of a lady and her servant. 

 This is rendered more probable by the fact that Richard the Lion- 

 .hearted, when he hired vessels for his crusade, had to pay only 2d. 

 a day to sailors and 4d. a day to the captains. In 1201 the French 

 ambassadors made a treaty with Venice, by which the latter agreed 

 to carrv the crusaders across the sea and furnish them with pro- 



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