EGGS. 429 



now cultivated in Holland. Under the year 1340 the Holy well 

 bailiff recounts the sale of a crannock and two stone of madder 

 for the sum of 9^. This measure, apparently originated in 

 South Wales, has never come before my notice in any but the 

 Irish accounts, with the exception of this singular entry. 



EGGS. This is the only remaining portion of farm produce 

 which I have thought it necessary to tabulate. The evidence 

 is very abundant, and, generally speaking, unbroken, five years 

 only out of the whole 142 being deficient in information as to the 

 market price of this article. In the earlier part of the enquiry 

 the entries are very copious, but it will be seen that in the 

 later part the evidence is much scantier. The very slight 

 fluctuation in the price of eggs suggests that fowls were 

 generally kept. It will be plain also that the rate at which 

 they are sold is excessively low, and indicates that poultry were 

 raised, as they now are in France, to a far larger extent than 

 they are at present in England. 



A slight rise takes place in the beginning of the fourteenth 

 century, and never falls to any notable extent. After the 

 Plague a further slight rise is effected. This, though real, is a 

 little increased by the large purchases recorded on behalf of 

 certain monasteries, as, for instance, Boxley. The earlier 

 entries are almost always records of sale, the later very 

 often extracted from the expenditure of corporate establish- 

 ments. These purchases appear to have been made sometimes 

 at those periods of the year when eggs are scarce. Ducks' eggs 

 are quoted once or twice, and always at a higher rate than 

 those of barn-door fowls. 



The tables annexed to this chapter are three. The first 

 contains the price of hides, cheese, butter, and eggs. The 

 second those of the various kinds of fat and of candles. The 

 third those of wax, cider and apples, and the several kinds 

 of fuel. 



The decennial tables correspond, only that the average price 

 of hides has been exhibited under five heads, those of ox, cow, 

 horse, stott, and white horse-hide. 



