ON THE PRICE OF BUILDING MATERIALS, ETC. 453 



does not reach the rates which prevailed at the commencement 

 of the fifteenth century, the average being actually lower, though 

 the cheapest period is between 1471-1540. Glass quarrels are 

 generally id, each. 



ROPE. As most of the entries of rope given by weight are 

 relative to the construction of buildings, and of ships, and of 

 fittings for either, I have thought it convenient to comment 

 on the price of this article here, and on the decennial averages 

 which I am able to draw as to the price. Rope and other 

 kinds of cordage are, like most other articles, dear at the com- 

 mencement of the period, become cheaper towards the middle, 

 and suffer a generally proportionate rise at the conclusion. 

 This rise would have been more marked had not the averages 

 been obscured by numerous purchases on account of the navy 

 during the last twenty years. The rise in articles of domestic 

 and private use fully corresponds to that ratio of five to 

 two on which I have heretofore commented. Throughout the 

 period considerable purchases are made of cables and cordage, 

 and the information is far more extensive than it was in the 

 earlier volumes. 



It is probable that much cordage and hemp were always 

 procured from abroad. Attempts were made to compel the 

 cultivation of hemp in England, but the fines levied on trans- 

 gression, which occur frequently in the exchequer accounts, do 

 not seem to have been effectual. At any rate, the opening 

 of the Russian trade in the beginning of Elizabeth's reign led 

 to a large employment of foreign cordage in the English navy. 

 We read of Danske cordage in 1561, of Russian cordage in 

 1562, and onwards, very extensive purchases being made. 1 

 Sometimes the article is bought from the Muscovy company, 

 and numerous varieties of shipping cordage are quoted. Such 

 are latchet and oyllet lines, tarred cables, tarred warp, white 

 rope, white haulsers, white rattline, white marlyne, trussing 

 cord, and breeching rope. They are all as a rule bought by 

 the hundred; though sometimes the stone of seven pounds 



1 The ' Lynne stuff' of 1563 is probably foreign. 



