THE PRICE OF LIVE STOCK. 345 



moneduli in 1511, 1512, 1514, at the same price. Gastrimargi, 

 a name found in the earlier period, are bought at id. in 1507 ; 

 teal in 1507, 1516, at id. ; widgeon in 1507, at id. and \\d. 

 Larks are bought in 1546 and 1580, at $\d. and 6d. a dozen. 

 In 1561, four guinea-pigs, which cost $d. each, are served at 

 the Norwich corporation feast. 



RABBITS. Information as to the price of rabbits is so 

 plentiful, that I have been able to construct, though imperfectly 

 in the earlier period, annual as well as decennial averages. I 

 stated in my earlier volumes that the high price of rabbits in the 

 thirteenth and fourteenth centuries suggests that these animals 

 were comparatively scarce or only locally found. It appears that 

 this opinion is confirmed by subsequent research. Rabbits are 

 still dear as compared with other game, sometimes very dear, 

 for in 1507, during a royal progress, they are bought in mid- 

 winter at 6d. a couple in Brentford, at is. ^d. in Newbury, at 

 6d. in Reading, while at Thornbury twenty-one are bought 

 for 3^. 6d.> and twenty-two at 4^. i\d. Nor does the price rise 

 after 1540 at the same rate as other and similar articles of food 

 do. The entries arc comparatively frequent, occurring nearly 

 every year. But the average only rises from $d. to 7f^/., 

 whereas, speaking roughly, the rise in other kinds of stock is 

 in the proportion of two to five. 



The subjoined tables give, first, the highest price found in 

 each year for oxen, calves, muttons, boars, pigs, saddle-horses, 

 capons, geese, hens, chickens, ducks, swans or cygnets, pigeons 

 by the dozen, and rabbits by the couple. Then follow decennial 

 averages of these articles as far as they can be found, and a table 

 giving decennial prices of muttons, ewes, hoggs and lambs. 



