WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 2O9 



to be this pondus. The same weight is used at Farley in the 

 year 1500. It is always the wool weight in Wilts. Generally, 

 however, the stone or petra, almost always of 14 Ibs., is used, 

 the tod of 38 Ibs. and the sack of thirteen stone. 



I was able to supply but little evidence as to hay and straw 

 in my earlier volumes. But the evidence is abundant during 

 the later period. Hay and straw are sold by the carecta, bigata, 

 or load, and in earlier times by the tass, or portion. I have no 

 doubt that the load is the quantity with which we are familiar 

 in modern times. The arconius appears to be sometimes a rick, 

 the dimensions of which vary. 



The various measures employed for the sale of fuel will be 

 commented on when I come to these articles. They are 

 naturally local. 



The hundredweight of 112 avoirdupois Ibs. becomes general 

 in the period before me, and is employed for the commoner 

 kinds of materials. The old Saxon and newer Troy weight 

 appears to be used for spices and such rarer articles of com- 

 merce. In the case of metals, the old quantities almost dis- 

 appear; and iron is almost always sold by weight, much of it in 

 a wrought form. Steel is still sold by garb or sheaf, gad, 

 burden, or barrel. In the later part of the period, the ton and 

 cwt. are almost invariably used. Various weights are employed 

 for lead, but finally they give way to the fother and the 

 hundredweight. The evidence on these articles is far more 

 copious than that supplied in the earlier period. Comment 

 will be made on these measures or weights when they are 

 dealt with particularly. 



The long hundred of 120 is employed in many articles. 

 Eggs, fish, nails, and probably slates, tiles, and bricks, are thus 

 measured. Square measures will be found under building 

 materials. 



The measures of glass are very various, the commonest being 

 the square foot. 



Cloth, linen, and canvas are sold by length, or by the 

 piece. The very various quantities in which pieces are made 



VOL. IV. P 



