234 ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN. 



which is reached in some parts during the great famine of 1315, 

 when a price of 26s. 8d. is recorded; in 1316, when 2os. is reached 

 in several places; and 1321, when a price of 2 is. Sd. is found; 

 for the highest amount in^ this year is 20.?., at Hornchurch. The 

 sales are not large, as may be expected, the principal being the 

 purchases at King's Hall. It is to be observed that the dearth is 

 early recognised, the price in November being nearly up to the 

 average of the year. Barley and malt do not appear to be so 

 seriously affected as wheat is. Oats rise greatly in price, but this 

 grain does not also seem to be so much injured. Rye is fully pro- 

 portionate to wheat. Beans, peas, and pulse are very dear. Oatmeal, 

 though not at so high a price as might have been expected, is pro- 

 portionately dear with oats. 



The scarcity of the year 1438-9 is the most serious in the fifteenth 

 century. It does not indeed, either in severity or extent, equal those 

 of the fourteenth, on which comment was made in the earlier volumes. 

 But there can be no doubt that it created general distress, perhaps 

 loss of life in the more impoverished and inaccessible districts. The 

 calamity did not indeed endure long, for as we shall see, the harves 

 of the next year was fairly good. 



1439-40. The information for this year is more extensive. It 

 appears that, as is not infrequently the case when a period of 

 seasons is affecting England, the wet was more serious in eastern 

 and southern than in mid England. The price of wheat and malt 

 remains high in Cambridge, Sussex, and Devon. But it was low in 

 Oxfordshire and the Cotswold district. Barley does not fall propor- 

 tionately to wheat. The price of malt is greatly exalted by high price 

 at Cambridge and Bicester. Oats and rye have fallen to ordinal 

 rates. The prices of beans and peas are, judging from the scanty 

 entries, low. 



1440-1. The price of wheat is uniformly low, and appears t( 

 have remained low throughout the year, the information, though nc 

 extensive, being sufficient for purposes of inference. Barley, some 

 which is sold in large quantity in Sussex, is cheap; and malt, oi 

 which large purchases and sales are made in Cambridgeshire, is ver 

 cheap. Oats also are a heavy crop, for large sales at low pri( 

 are effected in Sussex, and the price of oatmeal is very low. Thei 

 is only one entry of rye, but this corresponds fairly to wheat. Tl 

 entries of peas also imply low rates. 



1441-2. The price of wheat is very low, not indeed quite so IOT 

 as in the previous year, but evidently the result of a plentiful harves 



