1793* strictures on mannas. , 205 



bout the year 1314, perpetual rains and cold wea- 

 ther, not only destroyed the harvest, but bred a 

 mortality among the cattle, and raised every kind of 

 food to an enormous price. The parliament endea- 

 voured to fix more moderate rates on all sorts of 

 commodities ; not sensible that such an attempt was 

 impracticable, and that, were it pofsible to reduce 

 the price of food by any odier expedient than in- 

 troducing plenty, nothing could be more pernicious 

 and destructive to the public. Where the produce 

 of a year, for instance, falls so far fhort as to afford 

 full subsistence only for nine months, the only ex- 

 pedient for making it last all the twelve, is to raise 

 the price, to put the people by that means on lliort 

 allowance, and oblige them to spare their food till a 

 more plentiful year. But in reality, the increase of 

 prices is a necefaary consequence of scarcity ; and 

 laws, instead of preventing it, only increase the evil 

 by cramping and restraining commerce. 



The prices aitixed by that parliament are some- 

 what remarkable : 2I. 8s. of our present money 

 for the best ox, not fed with corn ; if fed with corn 

 3 1. I2S : a fat hog of two years old, ics: a fat wed- 

 der uiifliorn, 5s. if fhorn, 3s. 6d ; a fat goose, ^d.i'. 

 a fat capon 6d. a fat hen, 3d. two chickens, 3d, four 

 pigeons, 3d. two dozen of eggs, 3d. If v^e consi- 

 der these prices, we fhall find that butchers meat, 

 in this time of great scarcity, must still have been 

 sold, by the carliamentary ordinance, three limes 

 cheaper than our middling prices at present, poultry 

 somewhat lower ; because being now considered as 

 « delicicy, it has risen beyond its. proportion. But 



