ARTICLES EMPLOYED IN AGRICULTURE. 397 



commonest measure is the load, ton, or father of Cambridge 

 and its neighbourhood. These three words are identical, and 

 it appears that the measure contained three quarters. They 

 occur so frequently and, in the latter part of the enquiry, so 

 regularly, that I have constructed a table of them and of the 

 averages derived from them. 



The Oxford load, which occurs frequently, varies, the quantity 

 in quarters being sometimes supplied. In 1483 it is nearly 

 four quarters. In 1503 it is 4! quarters. In 1552-3 it is four 

 quarters, in 1554 it is five quarters. 



The Sion load is five quarters. In Warwick it varies from 

 three quarters and a bushel to three quarters and a half. In 

 Rochester the load is 3! quarters. Fortunately it is generally 

 possible to interpret these measures. In the early years we find 

 the Welsh crannock, and a quantity described as a long trowe, 

 by which a barge or boat-load appears to be meant. 



The price of lime varies greatly, for the cost of carriage 

 entered largely into the value of this article, this cost being 

 further contingent on the proximity of the market to chalk 

 or limestone. It remains, however, during the first 140 years 

 pretty steadily at the price which it reached after the middle 

 of the fourteenth century, the dearest decade being that in 

 which the wet seasons of 1437-9 induced scarcity prices in 

 corn. This is also the dearest decade during the same period 

 for the Cambridge father or bigate. 



Lime by the quarter rises in price after 1540 in the same 

 ratio that other commodities do. There is not quite so great 

 a rise in lime by the father or bigate. But the Cambridge 

 purchases, chiefly those for King's College, where extensive 

 buildings are carried on, were large, and this would tend to 

 depress the price. It was not an uncommon practice with a 

 corporation, when they were building, to hire a limestone 

 quarry, supply wood or faggots for burning, and carriage 

 from the quarry to the kiln, and from the kiln to the build- 

 ing, paying wages to limeburners for the work which they 

 performed. 



