554 ON THE PRICE OF TEXTILE FABRICS AND CLOTHING. 



may mean linen of foreign origin, ell-broad. On the whole 

 my reader will probably agree with me that ordinary linen 

 was an ell or an ell and a quarter broad. 



As I have stated before, in the first volume, and in my 

 chapter of weights and measures, the legislature insisted that 

 the piece of woollen cloth should be of a particular length, as 

 well as of a fixed breadth. It does not seem that a similar 

 care was taken with linen cloths. They are, however, con- 

 stantly bought by the piece, especially in the later part of the 

 period. In 1483 these pieces are bought of 2i|, 2if, and 27^ 

 ells respectively. In 1489 King's College, Cambridge, buys 

 five 'pieces,' one of 371. ells at 9^., one of 31^ ells at 8J^/., two 

 of 32^ and 33! ells at 7^., and one of 34^ ells at 6d. These are 

 Bristol pieces. In 1494 Sion purchases three pieces, in the 

 aggregate 82 ells, and seven of holland, in the aggregate 187^ 

 yards. A piece of canvas contained in the same year 48} ells, 

 and one of Saltwich 36^ ells. Four pieces are bought at Oxford 

 in 1498 of 38, 26, and 18 ells, and 19 yards respectively. From 

 1502 onwards, Magdalen College, Oxford, purchases linen 

 panni of very various lengths, though about 32 ells appear to 

 be the commonest quantity. An entry in 1525 seems to 

 suggest that linen was sometimes bought by weight as well 

 as measure, for here two stones, ' petrse,' are purchased, one of 

 19! ells at 6d. the ell, the other of 18 ells at 7^. This gives 

 9^. ioj<af. for the one stone, and io.y. 6d. for the other. 



The commonest measure, and in the early part of the period 

 the almost universal measure, is the ell. I stated, and as I believe 

 with good reason, that there did not appear to be any practical 

 difference (Vol. I, p. 571) between the ell and the yard in early 

 times, the later difference of nine inches not having been 

 recognised. Nor does it appear that there was any substantial 

 difference between the two quantities in the fifteenth, and 

 hardly in the sixteenth century. Linen is generally sold by 

 the ell, woollen cloth by the yard, and the exceptions are few. 

 Where they do occur for linen simultaneously they seem to 

 be used indifferently. 



