248 ON THE PRICE OF GRAIN, 



1493-4. The evidence is a little more copious. Prices of wheat 

 are uniform and almost stationary at last year's rates. The Cambridge 

 average is 4,?. 4</., the general 4*. id. It is dearest in the Wardrobe 

 account, cheap in Norfolk and Hants. The price of barley in Hants 

 and Durham is uniform. I find no entry of oats, but oatmeal is very 

 cheap. Rye corresponds to wheat. There is no entry of beans, &c. 



1494-5. There is a slight rise in the price of wheat. It is cheaper 

 however at Cambridge than it was in the previous year, 4^. i$d., the 

 general average being 4s. $\d. This year again contains the Sion 

 purchases, nearly 200 quarters, at an average of 4^. 8d. Barley and 

 malt are cheap ; a very large quantity of the latter, 814 quarters, 

 being bought at an average of 3,?. gd. Oats are cheap. The Sion 

 and Cambridge entries of oatmeal give an average of 7^. i</., and 

 probably the oat crop was light. One entry of beans has been found, 

 also at Sion, the average of which is 2s. yd. The year is plainly one 

 of general abundance. 



1495-6. Wheat is still cheaper. The Cambridge average is close 

 on 3-r. 4d., the general average being 4^-. o\d. But prices are uni- 

 versally low. Barley is also very cheap, and malt at Cambridge, at 

 which alone entries have been found, is singularly low. Oats and 

 oatmeal are cheap. Two entries of rye give prices which correspond 

 to that of wheat, and beans and peas are cheap. 



1496-7. The price of wheat suffers a slight rise. The Cambridge 

 average is 4^. iof</., the general average being 5.?. $\d. The price 

 at Sion is 6s. 8%d., that of the Wardrobe 6s. od. A large quantity is 

 also bought at Romsey in Hants at 4^. Barley is cheap, as is also malt, 

 Cambridge prices being very low, and the Sion malt being obtained 

 at an average (399 quarters) of 3-f. 8j</. Sion also buys, at sixpence 

 a quarter less, a small quantity of di;age (here called dregge) malt. 

 Oats and meal are a little dearer, the latter at 6s. nd. being returned 

 from Sion only. Beans and peas are cheap. 



1497-8. Wheat is a little cheaper. The Cambridge average, 

 4s. i o \d.> hardly varies from that of the preceding year. The Sion 

 purchases (334 quarters) are obtained at 5-r. \\\d. A little is bought at 

 Wearmouth at 8s. Barley is rather dearer, but malt is still cheap, the 

 price at Cambridge being lower than ever, and that at Sion, 576 

 quarters, being 3^. 8d., a little less than in the previous year. Oats 

 are rather dearer, as is also meal. Beans, at a rather low price, have 

 been found at Sion only. 



1498-9. Wheat is rather dearer, rising in two places to 6s. 8d. 

 But it is still cheap at Cambridge, the average being 4^. ^d. The 



