562 ON THE PRICE OF TEXTILE FABRICS AND CLOTHING. 



any price approaching to this, and even then, in 1567, two 

 are bought by the Warden of New College, at a price far less 

 than this, is. lid. 



In 1533 ^ey cost *4 S - ti 16 dozen ; in 1538, 8^. ; in 1541, ics. 6d. ; 

 in 1542, 8s. 6d. From 1554 they occur nearly every year, and 

 generally of two qualities, being described as fine and coarse. 

 The highest price of the former is 13^-. in 1580, the lowest 

 of the latter is 6s. zd. in 1554. The following are the 

 averages : 



Slight as the facts are, they seem to indicate that the price was 

 declining in the last twelve years of the period. During the latter 

 part of the time which is treated in these volumes the linen 

 manufacture was transferred from Flanders to Holland. 



The accounts contain several entries of the price of thread. 

 It is always bought by the pound, and is plainly of various 

 qualities, for the price varies from ^d. to is. id. It is described 

 as Coleyn, Bruges, and Oatenall thread. In 1555 it costs is. 8d. 

 a pound. The thread is of divers colours, white, red, blue, 

 green, and blodium, which appears to be also red. In 1441 

 thread is sold at id. the ounce; on another occasion (1515) 

 green and blue thread are sold by the ounce ; when, if the pound 

 is of twelve ounces, as is probable, the first entry cost 2s., and 

 in the second the green was is. 8d., the red is. ^d. the pound. 

 In the year 1504 it was is. $d., in 1505 it was 8</., 9^., and 

 iQd. In 1518 B resell thread is 2s. the pound. 



There are a few entries of sewing silk. Three ounces are 

 bought in 1441 at is. 4^., half an ounce in 1478 at is. id., 

 twelve ounces in 1494 at is. id., i\ oz. in 1496 at is. \\d., 

 3 oz. in 1508 at ii^d., 4| oz. in 1509 at iod., 3 oz. white in 

 1515 at is., three-quarters of an ounce at is. 4^., I oz. in 1518 

 at iod., i J oz. in 1541 at is. Skeins of silk, red, black, yellow, 



