2,26 ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 



are rather dearer. The nearest parallel to this remarkably low range 

 of prices, lasting for five years, is to be found in the rates which pre- 

 vailed with little interruption between 1332-45 inclusive. 



1415-6. There is a general and considerable rise in the price 

 of corn, which appears to be progressive. The information is fairly 

 wide, and as before is chiefly from the south, the Midland and the 

 Eastern counties. The rates are low at Cambridge, though even here 

 one high price is recorded. But though there is a considerable 

 rebound from the prices which ruled during the five preceding years, 

 the amount is not excessive. Barley rises correspondingly. Drage 

 is not so much affected, but oats are fully, the price at Hornchurch 

 being very high. Malt corresponds fairly to the price of barley, and 

 rye to the ordinary relation in which it stands to wheat, though the 

 average is a little depressed by one entry at a low rate. There is no 

 entry of the price of beans, but peas and vetches are at their naturally 

 proportionate rates. 



1416-7. The price of corn rises still further at the beginning of 

 the harvest year, though it falls to the average towards its conclusion. 

 In some places sales are effected at rates which are nearly as high as 

 those of 1 409, especially in Essex and Sussex. The Cambridge account, 

 which is copious and instructive, though unfortunately it is not dated, 

 contains twenty-four entries, which represent consecutive prices. It 

 is probable then that the high prices represent the harvest of the year 

 1416, and the lower values purchases made or sales effected when the 

 harvest of 1417 was anticipated. Barley is cheaper proportionately 

 than wheat. For the first time there is no entry of drage. Oats are 

 a little above average prices. The very abundant entries of malt at 

 Cambridge show generally high prices and suggest that the quality of 

 the barley was low. Beans are not represented ; peas are fully. 

 Vetches and pulse are probably seed corn only. It is remarkable that 

 the average price of wheat is very close on that of the November 

 purchase of Heyford Warren. 



1417-8. The information is derived from a fairly wide range. 

 Prices have fallen considerably, the average again closely correspond- 

 ing to the Heyford account. It seems also that there was little 

 variation in the price of wheat during the year, the highest rates 

 coming from the North of England, Durham and Wearmouth, to 

 which places it was probably conveyed by water carriage. After these 

 the highest price is realised at Lullington in Sussex, where Battle 

 Abbey is debited at the rate of 6s. 8d. on the wheat supplied by the 

 bailiff of this farm. Barley is proportionately cheap, and the crop 



