market, " searching and examining" as to whether their orders 

 were carried out.* 



These instructions were either very coolly received or entirely 

 disobeyed, as the Protector on the 30th Oct. by letter, rebuked 

 the slackness of his subordinates, and called upon them to be 

 more earnest in the service of his Majesty and their country.+ 

 By proclamation, "reasonable" prices were set on all kinds of 

 victual, and from the Feast of all Saints, any who had gi-ain, 

 butter or cheese were to sell only at these prices, or under, 

 but not above. Wheat varied from the " best sorte, cleane 

 and swete" at 13s. 4d. the quarter, to 8s. for the meanest, not 

 clean, nor tailed ; " accompting eight bushelles" to the quarter, 

 eight gallons to every bushel " lande measure." Barley was 9s. 

 and 7s., Rye 7s. and 6s., Beans 5s. to 3s. 8d., Oats 4s. per quarter, 

 Sweet Butter, one oh. (i.e. oholns), one halfpenny the pound. 



Any person selling above these prices was to forfeit 13/4 for 

 every bushell of corn sold, and 2s. for every pound of butter or 

 cheese ; one moiety to go to the ICing and the other to the informer. 

 The sheriff was to proclaim these regulations, as being for the 

 " wealthe and commoditie" of the realm, and the J.P.'s in their 

 respective hundreds, three or at least two of them together, were 

 to repair to all " barns, stacks, gamers, cellars, soUers, loftes, 

 wikes, daries, granades, and other houses," and there to " view, 

 searche out, and trie," what quantity every person could spare, 

 and order the same to be taken to market and sold at the prices 

 fixed. Sufficient could be reserved for household use, or neigh- 

 bours could be supplied instead of the market. No bagger, or 

 carrier was to have more than twenty quarters at one time.:}: 



The price of cattle too was fixed, but altered according to the 

 season. From Midsummer to Hallowmas, an ox varied, from the 



* State Papers, 20 Nov., 1549, Vol. ix, foL 55. 



t State Papers, 1550, Vol. x., fols. 40, 43. 



X Proclamation 1, Edward VI., 20 Oct., 1550. 



