634 ON THE PRICE OF FOREIGN PRODUCE. 



a luxury, the price varies greatly. In 1285, when the large 

 purchases of Earl Clare are made, the average price of two 

 quantities is 8^. j the lowest recorded, with the exception of 

 the Cyprus sugar of 1334. But in 1264 the Countess of 

 Leicester buys sugar in London on the 29th of March and the 

 5th of April at is. 9 while on July 15 another quantity costs is. : 

 some of that obtained for the King's Wardrobe being also pur- 

 chased at the latter rate. In 1392 half a pound of sugar is 

 purchased at Shrewsbury at 2*., and, generally, the article is 

 dearer during the latter half of the fourteenth century. 



The table appended to this chapter contains the evidence 

 on which the comments made in this and the preceding chapter 

 are founded, in so far as it could be exhibited in such a shape. 

 As the information on many of the articles alluded to is scanty 

 and interrupted, it was not possible to exhibit many of them 

 in a tabular form. But an attempt has been made to make 

 the decennial averages more numerous ; and it is probable that 

 the general averages represent with sufficient exactness the 

 rates at which these rare and costly articles were generally 

 sold. 



