452 ON THE PRICE OF BUILDING MATERIALS, ETC. 



very extensive, obtained large quantities for his numerous 

 palaces from one Galion Hone, who is described in the ac- 

 counts as the King's glasier. It is from this person also that 

 the badges of the king and queen (Anne Boleyn) are bought, 

 and others which will be found plentifully among the sundry 

 articles. 



There are a few entries of coloured glass. The wisp of plain 

 glass is worth a shilling in 1457 (f r tne word wawe must be 

 an original error or a misprint in the printed volume of the 

 Fabric Rolls), and a red wisp in 1459 1S Is - 4^. Coloured glass 

 is bought by Sion at 4^. the foot in 1519, but here the glass is 

 painted with images, and at %d. in 1523. Plain Burgundy 

 glass is at is. 6d. the wisp in 1535, and 3^-. coloured; at is. \\d. 

 the wisp in 1577, and coloured at 3.$-. ^d. 



Five entries of glass by the wawe give an average (the latest 

 is at Hickling in 1517, the rest are at York, and the latest 

 1478) of 43.$-. 5.^., the cheapest rate being in 1471. Seven by 

 the wisp give an average of is. id.\ but of these, two are in 

 1567 and 1577. But in the first of these years glass is not 

 dear. Three entries by the seam are at an average of 23^. 5</., 

 excluding the Oxford case of 1542, the price of which is enor- 

 mous, and plainly refers to some different measure from that 

 which was customary. Six entries by the case give an average 

 of 1 9.5-. id.) two by the chest being i8j. 7</., two by the cradle 

 i6s 9 and one by the load 13.$-. 4^. 



Glass is much cheaper on the east of England and near the 

 sea than it is in the midland counties. The larger quantity 

 consumed was probably imported from abroad. The purchases 

 of English glass are made at York and Sion. It appears also that 

 the price was greatly lowered just before and after the Dissolution. 

 The price is so low at Durham in 1531, 1532, and 1533 2 ^' tne 

 square foot that I have not ventured on including it in my 

 averages. Similarly low prices prevail at Oxford in 1545 

 and 1547, and probably the glass purchased came from the 

 dissolved abbeys. It rises in price after the great exaltation 

 in prices, but in no degree proportionately to other values, and 



