10 



force;" that if they continued in that mood he would not fail 

 to minister to them the sharp terror of his " swearde and laws."* 



His early death, however, not without suspicion of poison, here 

 stopped these, and perhaps many other good intentions. 



During the succeeding reign of Mary, there was a recurrence 

 of this " great penury and lack." In 1555, the poverty and 

 misery of the multitude were extreme. So great was the scarcity 

 that the scholars at Oxford were dismissed to their homes " till 

 such time that bread corn " was more plentiful.t Under these 

 circumstances the rioting continued, and fresh enclosures being 

 made, many were brought before the Star Chamber for destroying 

 them,J but there seems to have been no endeavour to alleviate 

 the distress. 



Coming now to the time of Elizabeth, by 1563 a remarkable 

 change had occurred. In this year there was a gi-eat jjlenty, 

 and the prices of corn fell accordingly. In Somerset, wheat 

 was quoted at 16/-, rye 14/-, malt, barley, peas and beans, 12/- 

 the quarter.§ This plenty continued through '64 and '65, and 

 there being a scarcity in Flanders, a country then as noAV in 

 close alliance Avith England, the Queen was asked to send a 

 supply there, in return for similar favours given to England 

 when in the same difficulty. This request her Majesty granted, 

 but only, after enquiries had given her the expectation, that it 

 could be, done without much enhancing the prices at home. 

 Not to disturb the usual course of trade, instead of allowing 

 the purchases to be made by strangers, whose travelling through 

 the country would excite alarm, and cause the prices to rise, 

 a secret plan was adopted, and government agents were sent into 

 each county to purchase quietly, under pretence of buying for 



* Proclamation, 11 May, 1551. 



t Proclamation of Vice-Chancellor. 



X Burn's Star Chamber. 



§ State Papers, ISeS, Vol. xxviii., fol. 10. 



