SUNDRF ARTICLES. 



649 



familiar, for we can detect oxymel and squills, or perhaps 

 the compound among the items. These last were bought for 

 John Bloxham the warden, who died however, as appears, of 

 bronchitis. 



The purchase of a well of sweet water in Holderness, under 

 the year 1310, is singular. 



In vol. ii. p. 559 will be found a small collection of the 

 prices at which arms were sold. To these may be added the 

 sword bought for the warden of Merton in 1296, at a cost 

 of is. zd.'j and another in 1314, among Senekworth's effects, 

 which is valued at 8</. 



In 1387 thirty-four bow-strings are purchased at Oxford for 

 8</. Among the munitions bought for Cherbourg we find the 

 constituents of gunpowder : 100 Ibs. of nitre being bought at 

 2*., and 702 Ibs. at is. 8d. ; 50 Ibs. of sulphur vivum (by which 

 must be meant, I suppose, something different from the impure 

 article which now goes under the name) at 10^., and 252 Ibs. 

 more at ^d. The proportions of sulphur and nitre are almost 

 the same as those which are used in manufacturing English 

 powder at the present time. 



A singular entry will be found under the year 1274. Ten 

 denarates of yearly rent are sold for 55-., that is, at only six 

 years' purchase. The rate seems excessively low, but it may 

 be a release to some tenant who was charged to the manor 

 in this amount, effected under particular or exceptional cir- 

 cumstances. 



