NOTES ON A MEASURE OF BRASS, A.D. 1677. 47 



commonly called ' The Winchester Measure,' containing Eight 

 Gallons to the Bushel, and no more or less, and the said Bushel 

 strucken even by the Wood or Brim of the same by the Seller 

 and sealed as this Act directs, he or they shall forfeit for every 

 such offence the sum of Forty Shillings," &c., &c. (Sect. 2.) 



Section 4 relates to the gauging and sealing of various 

 measures, which are described as a Bushel, Half-Bushel, Peck, 

 Gallon, Pottle, Quart, Pint, and Half-Pint (a pottle is half a 

 gallon). 



" And to the End that there may be a just and certain 

 Measure (to determine all Controversies) gaged as this Act 

 directs, be it further enacted, That at the Charge of such Person 

 or Persons respectively, who shall have the Toll or Profit of the 

 Market, &c., there shall be before the said Nine and twentieth 

 Day of September, One Measure of Brass provided, and chained 

 in the publick Market Place ; upon pain to forfeit and lose 

 for every Person so neglecting respectively the sum of Five 

 Pounds," &c., &c. {Ibid., Sect. 5.) 



In Derbyshire and the neighbouring counties a bushel is 

 commonly called a " strike," from the immemorial practice, after 

 filling the measure with corn, of striking off all that is higher 

 than the rim with a flat and straight piece of wood. This usage 

 is alluded to by the words, " and the said Bushel strucken even 

 by the Wood or Brim of the same by the Seller." The practice 

 of striking off the superfluous corn is alluded to in a subsequent 

 Act, 22 & 23 of Charles II., which forbade the "shaking of the 

 said Bushel or Measure by the Buyer before it be struck," upon 

 pain of a fine of ^5, and the forfeiture "of all Corn, Grain, or 

 Salt," bought or sold contrary to the Act. According to this 

 enactment " good measure " could evidently be given, although 

 not '■ pressed down and shaken together " {St. Luke vi. 38). — 

 Corn of all kinds is now generally sold by weight. 



The dimensions, &c., of the Ashborne Bushel are as follows : — 

 Height from ground, i foot; depth inside, 9 in.; circumference 

 5 ft. 25 in.; width across, i ft. 8 in.; colour, a rich dark green 



