464 ON THE PRICE OF MATERIALS 



considerably. Thus it is bought at 8</. in 1298, and at 1^.4^. 

 in I299 b , at two places in Berks and Bucks. Excluding, how- 

 ever, some of the earlier years which are marked by excessive 

 dearness or cheapness, the price is very uniform through the 

 whole period. 



The price of tar might have been enhanced by two causes; 

 the great prevalence namely of the disease for which it was 

 found to be a specific, and a deficient supply owing to stress of 

 weather. A long prevalence of south-westerly winds would, 

 beyond doubt, retard the transmission of this produce from the 

 North-east of Europe, and so exalt the price; and a great 

 demand for tar did, beyond question, do so. Occasionally the 

 bailiff comments on the spread of scab among his flock, and the 

 necessity of a considerable outlay. Thus the Walford bailiff 

 in 1345 informs his lords that the great charge the estate was 

 put to under this head was due to the prevalence of scab and 

 the dearness of tar, though unfortunately he does not give the 

 quantity purchased. The statement, however, was too signi- 

 ficant to be omitted. So the bailiff" of Alton Barnes, where 

 considerable flocks were kept, comments on a similar fact 

 under the year 1389. 



The price of tar is not affected by the Plague. It is possible 

 that the Scandinavian peninsula was visited by this scourge in 

 less measure than the rest of Europe, or that the climate 

 mitigated the virulence of the contagion. At any rate, no 

 real effect is discernible in the purchases of tar. The lowest 

 prices are found in the twenty years 1331-1350, but this was, 

 as we have seen, a time of general prosperity, of abundant 

 harvests, and healthy seasons. As was the case with the 

 Plague at Athens, the Black Death visited the people after 

 a period in which there had been no prevalent disease or 

 malady. On the other hand, the dearest decennial average 

 is that of 1381-1390, which in almost all other articles was 



b This high rate may have been caused by a circumstance which must always be 

 remembered in commenting on the prices of the year 1299, the temporary derangement 

 namely of the currency. 



