580 OiV THE PRICE OF TEXTILE FABRICS AND CLOTHING. 



harboured the Wickliffite preachers. It was foremost in its 

 hostility to Suffolk and Somerset, and other incompetent and 

 dishonest advisers of the saintly and silly Henry. It was 

 warned in vain of its errors by the frequent and copious 

 burning of heretics, and chastised for its riots, as we see, by 

 the suspension of its privileges. But it had a Mowbray or 

 a Howard to defend it as its local leader and its social chief. 

 I know no echoes of the past which I should more like, were 

 it possible, to recall, than the words of Baxter, Dunstan, 

 Monesley, Gerard, Cook, Ashwell, Toppes, and Ingham, bur- 

 gesses for Norwich between 1420 and 1436. It seems as 

 though one were speaking of a present family, when one reads 

 of a John Jermy as a counsel learned in the law, who was 

 retained and consulted by the Corporation. 



There are several entries of caps and hats. The price 

 varies. Once a cap is bought (1546) for 3.$-., but this, like the 

 rest of the purchases in the entry, is a costly article. A felt 

 hat in 1457 is bought for lod. The other prices range from 

 $d. to is. old. Once in 1574 a pileus costs is. ^d. Choristers' 

 caps are purchased at yd. ; and russet caps are bought at Sion 

 at 9.?. the dozen in 1505 and 1506. Double caps at is. 8d. are 

 quoted in 1455. 



Shoes are purchased also at very various prices, the highest 

 in the early period being is. zd. : the lowest 3^. The average 

 of twenty-one entries is a little over 6\d. before the rise, and 

 8f</. after it. 



Ocreae, i.e. boots, are found under this name four times, twice 

 in 1490 and 1547 at is. 8d., once in 1502 at &/., once in 1472 

 at 2,s. 6d. In 1454 one pair of boots is bought at Ripon for u., 

 and another pair at 3,$-. In 1457 the abbot of Netley's boots 

 cost is. 8d., his shoes 6d. and iod., while those of women and 

 boys are ^d. each. In 1514 a pair of riding boots at Oxford 

 costs 3y. 4d. 



The accounts give several entries of caligae. Prices up to 

 1540 range between is. and i\d., the average being 5^. ; after- 

 wards the price is i i{d. ' Hose ' in 1546 cost 3^-. 4^. a pair to 



