PREFACE. xi 



or ah expression of friendship. During the time in 

 which all my labours were given to the collection of 

 materials for this work, none among my friends cheered 

 me with more affectionate interest than Cobden did, 

 the man whose loss the whole civilized world mourned, 

 whose life the whole civilized world will hereafter 

 study with increasing admiration, and increasing profit. 

 Had he been longer spared to the nation on whom he 

 had heaped such great benefits, I should have been 

 able to associate his name with my book, as I should 

 have assuredly consulted his experience for my in- 

 ferences. 



If this work be received with favour, I purpose in 

 the next two volumes to continue the enquiry down 

 to the year 1582, from which date wheat and malt 

 averages have been recorded regularly every six months. 

 As the historical interest of the period contained in the 

 present volumes centres in the effects of the Famine 

 of 1315-16 and of the Plague of 1348, so that of the 

 next period culminates in the currency schemes of 



I543-I55L 



It remains that I should tender my thanks to the 

 Delegates of the University Press, who have taken the 

 responsibility of these volumes on their hands. After 

 the Restoration, and again since the days in which the 

 University of Oxford received from the heir of its 

 eminent author, the great gift of Clarendon's History, 

 it has continually supported the publication of works 

 which illustrate the annals of this country, and has 

 done infinite service to Historical research. I can only 



