CHAPTER XVIII. 



ON THE PRICES OF FARM PRODUCE. 



BESIDES corn, stock, and wool, the account of the farm in 

 the Middle Ages generally contains some information as to 

 sales and purchases of several articles, which were either in 

 considerable demand for the ordinary market, or were needed 

 for future farm operations, being originally the growth of 

 some farm, and returned for sale from some intermediary. 

 These kinds of produce are always of considerable importance, 

 but the information given is very variable in quantity, and not 

 always suggestive of quality. 



The extra cattle on the farm, occasionally perhaps stock 

 beasts, were sold in market towns. Butchers appear to have 

 carried on their trade in most places of any magnitude, 

 especially for the supply of beef ft . Except when the manor- 

 house was temporarily occupied by the lord, it is seldom that 

 we get any entry of the value assigned to the flesh, hide, 

 and offal of oxen. The reader will find that the information 

 supplied for the second of these items is far more copious 

 in the earlier part of the period before us than it is in the 

 later, and as a rule, when later entries are found, they are 

 generally relative to the sale of hides from some college or 

 monastery. Even here, however, the skins of such oxen as 

 were consumed in the daily fare of the inmates are not always 

 sold, but according to a custom which I have often adverted 

 to, were consigned to the tanner, to be returned at a charge 



a See for Colchester, supra, p. 103. 



