ON THE PRICE OF G&AIN. 309 



gious depopulation effected by the plague, this must have been a year 

 of great and general dearth. Barley is also very dear, rising at 

 Elham from 4$. in November to 7*. in March, At Oxford it sells 

 in May at 7$. 8d., the highest price reached. Considerable sales are 

 effected at Ixmynge at similar rates. Drage is nearly as dear as 

 barley. Oats are very dear, reaching 5,?. ^d. in one locality, and are 

 cheap only in the north. Rye, except at Gamlingay, is dear. Beans, 

 &c., though dearer, do not participate fully in the rise. 



1351. The evidence is very abundant and widespread, but the 

 entries are generally undated. Wheat prices are generally very high 

 throughout the year, that is, wheat is sold at Elham in June for i2j., 

 and for seed at Springfield (Essex) at 13^. d. The highest price 

 reached is 14^. &d. at Wolford, a place at which prices are generally 

 low. Barley is also dear. From the dates given at Elham the 

 highest price seems to have been reached in April. Seed is sold at 

 Cheddington and Wolford for los. Oats, except in the north, are 

 very dear, reaching 6,r. at one part of Essex, and near Oxford, at 

 Ziftele (now Imey). Rye is fully proportionate to wheat. Beans, &c., 

 though not fully up to an average, are dear. 



1352. The evidence is abundant. But the average of wheat is 

 affected by the high rates paid for seed, and extending into this 

 year's purchases. In Oxford, for instance, the price in February is 

 8j. 8d., in June has fallen to 3-5-. 6d. At Apuldrum it begins in 

 October at 8s., and sinks to 4^. in June. This fall appears to have 

 arisen, in part at least, from anticipations of an abundant harvest. 

 Barley prices are proportionate. The fall at Elham is from 7$. to 3^. 

 At Oxford, however, the rate is better maintained. Oats are dearer 

 than before, reaching 6s. 8d. in Essex. Rye follows wheat, though 

 the price is apparently less than the average, by reason of little seed 

 being bought or sold. Beans, &c. are dearer than the usual pro- 

 portion. 



1353. The evidence is very abundant. The prices of wheat, with 

 one or two exceptions, are very low. The rate seems to fall in 

 Cheddington, but to rise at Cuxham. On the whole, however, prices 

 are uniform. Barley is very cheap. Oats are much lower. Rye 

 follows wheat, though it is rather lower tban the average. Beans, &c. 

 are very low, and vetches singularly so. 



J 354- The information is plentiful. Wheat prices commence at 

 low rates, but rise considerably towards the summer. It would seem 

 either that the Wye sales were all effected at this period, or that the 

 price in this place was generally high, for the sales are large, and 



p 



